The Lurking Sin

3. Ethnic Bigotry

"Leelah?" Mansur whispered as he laid down beside me.
"Yeah?"
"Is it true that  Egburas are wizards and witches?" He asked with so much seriousness.

Let's dedicate this one to ummie_moh

💫💫💫

"No. Who told you so?" I said with the softest voice I could muster.
During Social Studies' class, our teacher talked about different cultures. The Major ones and minorities in Nigeria.
She asked everyone their ethnicity and gave a brief history about them.
She asked me, I told her I was Egbura koto.
She went ahead to talk about how aggressive people think we are and how fetish we are. The only thing I believed about our community is that we're dominated by Muslims.
I remember Baa saying there's no Indigenous Christian from our Community except for settlers, of course." He blurted with so much frustration.

"There's no community that isn't fetish, Mansur. Some communities have realized that it's worthless since the advent of different religions.It doesn't mean they are all Wizards and Witches." I said with a soft smile.

"Easy for you to say. I tried to explain things better to her. She ended up sending me to the disciplinary committee. She said I wouldn't know anything. I was merely a child." He sighed.
"She even insulted me, saying I was a rich brat that didn't have value for others. In my heart, I said 'how's that even related?'
Leelah, I was never rude to her.
She didn't even know the reason for the separation of  Egbura Koto and Egbura Okene. So much for being a Teacher!"
He spat with so much disgust.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"But it's true! I don't think she knows that legend has it that the Okenes left for the top of the mountain for beniseed and we, Kotos, stayed back by the river bank because of fish. I don't think she knows about the 'annavi' and 'origorigo' nicknames. Now everyone is making fun of me, calling me a wizard. How's that fair?" He pouted sadly.

Poor soul.
How does he even know so much about our people?
Now she's practically ruined his love for school.

"Monsieur" I whispered .

He smiled immediately he heard what I said.
Its a french word. It means 'sir'.
It makes him feel older when I call him that.
Mansur was definitely part of the kids that wanted to grow up fast. Calling him Monsieur only fed his ego.

"Yes, Señora?" He said with a grin.

" ne sois pas triste chérie (don't be sad, darling). This little incident shouldn't bother you" I tried calming him down.

Our french lessons are coming in handy.

"But next time, never talk back at your teacher. She's there to put you through, not the other way round. If you knew everything, no one would take you to school right? Better still, walk up to her in person. Tell her your thoughts. It would avoid any form of tension stirring up." I said frankly.

"But the other kids were already making fun of me.They already think I'm a snub because I'm rich. But I only mind my business Señora.They still didn't have any actual thing to bully me for. Now, they finally do.
All thanks to Mrs. Khadija." Mansur said truthfully.

"There's always a better approach to everything. Whoever calls you something that you're not will surely face the consequence. Do you know what karma is? I'm sure you do. If it will please you, tell them to 'say something pleasant or keep mute.' Its an authentic hadith (teaching of the Holy Prophet, may Allah be pleased with him). Just let it go. Its not worth the stress." I urged.

"I feel much better talking to you. At least, you understand me. You don't judge people. You're objective, Leelah. You should really pursue your dreams of becoming a Lawyer. You'll make us proud" Mansur said with so a glint in his eyes.

"Sure sport! May Allah safeguard us." I said with a smile.

"Ameen Señora."

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"No way! You can't keep doing this to me. You have a daughter. Don't forget tha-..."

I heard a tight slap land on Maa's face. It was 3:00 am.
Baa had just returned from his journey.
From the look of things he hung out a bit before coming back home.
One of his girlfriends must have called him and Maa did well to serve him hot this night, or better still, this morning.

I'm finding it hard to sleep. Cramps! Everywhere.
Who said being a woman was easy?

After the argument, Baa moved to Maa's room, to get his rights as a man with a wife at home.
Maa refused to let him get his way, and is obviously paying for it.

"Ke! Maryam. You are mine. I paid for you. You can't deny me my right. It seems you've not been taking notes for the past seventeen years, right? You prefer making things hard for the both of us. I'll teach you a lesson. Stay still!" Baa said with so much disgust.

"No way. That's not going to happen. I'm sick and tired of all of the trouble. I've never been happy with you. Before marriage and after. These kids are growing. They are gradually understanding everything, they don't need interpretation. Your daughter won't live with you forever. She'll be married off. Aren't you scared for her fate? Have some shame!" Maa said with sadness and disgust laced in her voice.

"You've graduated from letting me have my way to preaching. Very soon, you'll tell me how to run my household. I won't let a woman tell me what to do. Who's influencing you? Tell me! Is it that new association I let you join? I hereby prohibit you from associating with them from now on." Baa's voice thundered.

"This is not how it is supposed to be. This is not what our culture says, this is not what our religion preaches-..." Maa was cut short with another tight slap.

"You dare talk back at me? Wow. Boy, you've grown wings." I hear him pace up and down in the room.

After a while, I hear the sound of Baa'a legendary whip that's made from horse skin, moving back and forth in the air while landing on what seems to be my mother's body.

Being already used to it. I don't hear her sob. Nothing...

Yo! Yo! Yo! What's up with you?

Apparently. My school's no longer partaking in the ASUU strike. So I'm super duper excited.
Man's gon' graduate inna bit🤗

So a lotta tribes are judged from generalizations. And I'm sick and tired of people generalizing.
Get your facts straight too. Don't live based on assumptions. Seek knowledge fam.

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Thank you☺️❤️

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All thanks to you😇☺️ lets take it to the heeadddd💯👏🏾😁