IJEOMA (CONT’D)

Paul was a 5’2” vibrant and wealthy young Igbo man, coupled with great business acumen and one who can best be described by his children as a disciplinarian. Paul and Ijeoma’s six children knew that you dare not misbehave around him. Candidly, Paul and Mary were loved by their children but this did not dispute the fact that bad behaviour was severely punished; their children’s actions or inactions, always had consequences, now or in the nearest future.

Paul loved Ijeoma so much, even though, he may not have been described as a romantic man. For example, as practicing Catholics (and Knights of St. John), there were times in the course of the celebration of Mass that “the sign of peace” is usually shared amongst those closest to themselves in Church. Usually, this sign is a handshake, however (except when Corona virus was rampant and this method had to be reviewed to be just a bow to whom the peace is being offered), some couples use it as an opportunity to show extra affection towards their spouses. In instances as this, because Ijeoma knows Paul is a shy man and the most he may do is to offer a handshake or a side hug, she would mischievously give him a bear-kind-of-hug or peck him on the cheek and act like nothing happened leaving Paul with a feeling of can-the-ground-just-open-up-and-swallow-me.

Paul, was a responsible man who catered to the needs of his family in both the good and bad times. There is this popular saying among the Ibo speaking people of Nigeria which goes thus, “If you want to know if an Igbo man is wealthy, look at his wife, then his children.” It is unsure how this saying originated, however, its truth has been seen consistently and unequivoally from time immemorial. Some Igbo men are notorious for paying little or no attention to how they look but they do not joke with the outward appearance of their wives and children. Interestingly, this is changing with a new generation of men who are now big on skincare, and looks.

Paul loved education a lot which is why he vowed early on to ensure that whoever he married or the children he bore acquired the highest level of education possible. It was following from this deeply seated conviction about education that led him to enroll Ijeoma to study English in the University of Lagos, after which she proceeded for a Masters degree in Mass Communication at Lagos State University. Paul, himself, went on a quest for knowledge at the University of Lagos and later on, also pursued a Masters degree in Business Administration from Lagos State University.

Ijeoma called Paul on the phone at about 5:30pm and said in Igbo, “Haa sii naa ha ya kwusi’m na Apple Junction” and Paul replied, “Ok. A na ma bia I buru gi.” And Ijeoma ended the call. As Ijeoma’s friends approached Apple Junction, the car slowed down, came to a halt and as Ijeoma alighted from the car, she picked her luggage, said goodbye to her friends in the jovial manner with which she normally would and crossed to the farther side of the road on which she had just alighted to wait for her husband.

One of Paul’s friends, Ebuka, a clothing vendor, had come around to see him, he had been at Paul’s for almost forty-five minutes before Ijeoma’s call came in. Paul had told him he was getting ready to pick up Ijeoma at Apple Junction. Being that Ebuka also had a cordial relationship with Ijeoma, he was excited to see her before setting out for his apartment. Ebuka spent some time “gisting” (a slang in Nigeria for conversations between friends) with Ikechukwu and Ukamaka, Paul’s younger sister. Paul got ready and stepped out of the house with his car keys and beckoned on Ebuka to come with him.

This was 5:45pm.