Celebrating Women’s Day : A Story of Iya Onome my favorite hairstylist

Right in the south western part of the giant of Africa 

Osun state to be precise 

There lived a woman whose first name we didn’t know.

As we didn’t find it by asking,

Her first name remained lost to us 

Even to me, her loyal customer of over 4 years

But known to us was her child

Whose name was ONOME 

Which literally translates to 

My own.

Needing to be recognized and differentiated from the multitude of

Equally hungry and work thirsty and needs laden stylist in the complex 

She quickly adopts the moniker  

“Iya Onome”

Which literally translates to

Mother of Onome

The anchor of this moniker derived from her identity of being a mother.

Several years before life in the complex 

Iya Onome marries Alhaji Omoya 

To become his second wife.

Though she knew she could do better with her choice of life partner

She had close to no choice 

As society dictated she be married before 25. 

Alas, she was 29 already 

And he was the only one looking her way.

Two years of enduring the unkind talks of people both behind and in front of her

She couldn’t take it any longer 

People have survived in loveless marriages so will I

She thought.

So she married him.

She will then birth three beautiful babies in the space of 4 years for Alhaji

Who will only pay attention to the male child of the three children he had from her.

Because she knew Alhaji wouldn’t support her and her children

As early as two months after having each of her babies

She will be back to the complex each day as early as 7:30am with her baby strapped to her back

In both the good and bad weather.

Iya Onome’s days will then be filled with 

Extra long, stressful and tiring days 

And very short nights to rest her head 

Because she will come home from the complex 

Straight to her makeshift kitchen outside the house 

To make a fire to prepare dinner for the house 

And when everyone had settled in for the night 

The tears and pain and tiredness will flow without hindrance 

As she had promised herself, the daylight would never see her tears or hear her groans.

Iya Onome will know no pleasure of being loved by a man despite being married to one 

She will smile and laugh and neither will reach her heart 

She will fall sick but would not know how it feels to be cared for

She will scream at her children because they must not make the same mistake she did 

And her children will cry and hate her 

But will later come to understand and love her 

Her children including Akeem will end up taking interest in her trade of braiding hair beautifully 

They will also go to school

But will turn out to be average students 

But they will graduate 

Then their mother, Iya Onome will smile 

And for the first time 

It will reach her heart

She will start sitting 

To braid her customer’s hair 

Because she won’t feel the urgency to be on her toes to braid faster and make more money.

And finally, she will go to the hospital 

To check the cough that has plagued her for years.

What happens next with Iya Onome?

To be continued……

Ifedolapo