Àníké

“So where is she this time?”, I asked nurse Ebi
“The ICU.” she replied, with a look I had come to know too well
I rushed down the hallway to see my dear friend, Àníké
I opened the door and there she was
Lying on the bed, unconscious
I pulled a chair close to the foot of her bed and touched her left hand
Áníké!
Àníké Àde!
What manner of woman?
Who has bewitched my friend?
Because I do not understand why she’s still with Gárúbà

Gárúbà!
Words fail me due to the intensity of anger I have towards him
The fool has left her again
I heard it was Dubai he went with his mistress this time
Was it not bad enough that he beat Àníké till she lost consciousness?
The gut of him!
Hot tears came rushing down my eyes
Tears of anger just at the thought of him
Did I mention that his trip to Dubai is at Anike’s expense?
Oh, Garuba is not worth even my thought

So I focused on my friend
I looked through the oxygen mask on her face- beautiful despite
Àníké Àde! Beauty queen of our youth
Oh, her parents will turn in their graves if they had an idea what had become of their beautiful daughter
Beautiful, brilliant, industrious and resilient
Yet she is worse than a shadow of herself
She slaves for Garuba
Why? I don’t understand
Their marriage should have ended long ago and I wouldn’t have blamed her
Their marriage had become a movie script played too often
Jobless Garuba does nothing while Àníké slaves, working multiple jobs
Yet he siphons the money and gives her peanuts
Then for any and every reason, he beats her black and blue
I am perfectly healthy but I relate with every staff of this hospital on a first name basis, because of Àníké

Yet Àníké  is strong
She recovers and does so fast, every time expecting to find Garuba by her side
Many times on our way out of the hospital, she had vowed that it would be the last time.
“It’s over!” She will say, often as I drive her out of the hospital
And I will smile because I know Garuba will be back
Back to shamelessly beg for her love again
Not promising to do anything differently, but just beg
He now sounds like a broken record but what is worse is that Àníké still believes him every single time
It is totally beyond me
Àníké- well informed, yet gullible and stubborn
What annoys me most is how she praises him when he does the least of his duties as a husband
I hissed and cussed under my breath

  ********

It’s been two days since Àníké regained consciousness
Doctor Bassey recommended that she stays at least two more days but my friend insisted on being discharged
She said Garuba will be worried sick, waiting for her at home
Haha! I think my friend is crazy
I told her he is not home, hoping that will make her change her mind
But to my shock she said that’s a bigger reason for her to get discharged
“I need to prepare food and get the house tidy  ahead of his return” She said
I looked at her in amazement as she got ready to leave the hospital
She’s still weak and I should be helping her but I’m just dazed
I look on as she slowly smoothens the crease on the bedsheet with a smile on her face
“Let’s go” she said as she grabbed my hand and leaned in for support
As much as I would love to admit my friend is mad, I saw something
Something in her eyes
Hope!
Hope unexplainable
That this time Garuba will change
I drew her into my arms, giving her a hug
I don’t understand but for the first time I seem to be leaving the hospital as a patient
I sighed deeply as we made our way out of the hospital
Àníké!
Àníké Àde!
Omo olórò tín j’eyin awó

For Nigeria at 57…still she hopes