It was a cold Monday morning thanks to the heavy rain that fell the previous night. Sensing that the rest of the day would be chilly, Ihuoma made sure to bring out sweaters for her four children.
Fola made his way to drop the children off at school before going to drop his wife Ihuoma at her office which was along his way. While he drove, they listened as news on radio related the abduction of 110 Dapchi girls from their school in Yobe state. “This is just a sad news to start the week,” Fola said responding to the news.
“I just wonder how their parents are dealing with this o. If it’s me eh, I would have just died. So sad” replied Ihuoma.
“I even heard in the news that child abductions like this one cost some parents their lives. Will you blame them? Losing a child that way can give heart attack biko” continued Ihuoma.
Fola sighed deeply and concurred with her. With a shrug, an overhead swipe of the hand and finger snap signalling ‘God forbid’, Fola slowly said: “God will not allow us to mourn our children or allow our children lose us young”. “Amen o” Ihuoma responds.
After that exchange, the car became strangely quiet save for the constant blabber of the on-air-personality on the radio who went on repeating the abduction news and other information.
Ihuoma was in deep thoughts. Fola was focused on the road ahead but their conversation played over in his head.
Then Ihuoma spoke up “But sweetheart, this one that we are here forbidding bad thing, is it not better that we make a move?”
“Make a move? How?” Fola quizzed.
“Ermm, God will never allow any of our children to be abducted but what if something happens to either of us? I think we should consider an insurance of some kind– that way, should anything at all happen to you or me, we are sure that the children’s future will not have to suffer.”
Fola lets out a sarcastic laugh before cutting in “Babe, I think all these Oyibo movies you watch are messing with your head. Don’t you know insurance is not for us Nigerians? Besides, it’s for people who want to die. Abeg my darling, talk another thing – this one you are yarning na taboo jare.”
Ihuoma, refusing to be intimidated into dropping the topic, especially since she had been thinking about this for long interjected “I’m not praying for anything to happen o, but life can be very unpredictable. Remember that your colleague that her husband fell down the stairs and fractured his spine?
Shebi he is now permanently confined to a wheel chair. Is it not you that gave me the gist that she is now carrying the burden of the entire family and even had to withdraw her kids from the school they attended to a cheaper school? Add to it all the expenses she must shoulder for his weekly hospital appointment and medication. Hmm, abeg me I cannot deal o.”
“So, are you now wishing me dead or incapacitated?” Fola spat.
“Haba my love, heaven forbid. It’s because I love you and want you alive that I’m even suggesting this. The peace of mind we’ll have knowing that no matter what happens, the children will be fine cannot be traded. It will even add to our lifespan. Think about it my love” replied Ihuoma while reaching out to stroke his beard lovingly.
“Meanwhile, here’s my stop. I’ll call you later dear. Take care” she said as she picked up her handbag and laptop bag, pecked Fola on the cheek and alighted from the car.
“Later.” Fola responded in a stiff voice.
The remaining 15 minutes ride to work, Fola dwelt on this discussion with Ihuoma.
They say women have good intuition, what if she is right? He thought.
Then he concluded the topic in his head with “I’ll look into this life insurance thing to get a better understanding” before moving past the green traffic light at Adeola Odeku to get to his office.
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