Ojo Monday, Eko o ni gba gbakugba o 

Ti ebi ba pa e ki o lo gba awin, won a lo se aro Monday o🎵

Salmah got annoyed anytime the song resonated from her mother's old red and black radio every Monday mornings, she hated Radio-Lagos FM more because they found joy in playing the song that reminds her of the beginning of another school-week.

She angrily buttoned her shirt as if it was the one singing the song she hated. She probably hated Sundays the most because they come and go so fast.

"Salmah, where did you keep your sister's socks?"Aminah dusted Safiyah's brown sandals.

She grumbled. "Inside the wardrobe,".

 Sometimes, she wished she was the last child so she would not be bothered about where she kept her sister's things.

To her, Safiyab was born by mistake because, she had been the last child for eight years until she was told that another baby was coming.

🎵Emi mo ohun oju mi ti ri

Mo mo ohun eti mi ti gbo

Emi mo ohun oju mi ti ri 

Mo mo ohun eti mi Igbo

Logan ti o de olugbala laye mi leto🎵

  Mama Sarah, one of their neighbours, often addressed 'anfani afugbo' sang on top of her off-key voice as she listened to one of Tope Alabi's songs.

That was her way of welcoming Monday before going to her cubicle where she sold cigarettes and  paraga.

She had had affairs with almost all the married men on the street and her promiscuity and shamelessness made her husband leave with their daughter Sarah.

"Oya oya, eat fast," Salma hurried her sister who still struggled with the garri in her cup.

  The little garri they had left was what their mother  soaked in water so it would rise and be enough for the kids, that was the aftermath of spending a fortune on the porridge devoured yesterday.

The boys already had their breakfast and left  for school since their school was four streets away.

"Ahah, did you not eat your own food in peace?" Dawood glared at her.

"She is a slow eater, tell her to be fast na. They will beat us and tell us to cut koriko if we get to school late,"

She wished she could smack her head, having blisters on her hand was something she dreaded. 

Aminah cleaned the garri off Saiyah's mouth. "You should have woke earlier now, didn't  you see when your brothers woke?" 

Salmah rolled her eyes-here we go again.

Ten minutes later, Safiyah was done and they hurried to school.

                        ****
It was past 8pm but then, no dull moment in Ajegunle, for as early as 7.00pm, hundreds of bars spring to life in a very competitive atmosphere, each bar tries to outdo the other in songs and style.

Even stall owners were not left out, especially those at the junctions.

"Who is this new guy you would not stop talking about?" Tomi, Salmah's best friend asked as they got to the main road which was dimly bright due to the only two street lights which still worked perfectly.  

   Salmah didn't reply because one of them needed to concentrate. She took Tomi's hand and dragged her to the other side of the road.

"Oloriburuku"

"Olosi"

  Two women cursed a reckless driver who increased the speed of his car just when they got to the middle of the road.

"That is why you need to concentrate while crossing the road especially at night," Salmah quirked her lips to the other side and gave no reply to her friend's question.

Tomi huffed. "Whatever. Tell me about your new boyfriend, I have not forgotten at all,"

"Well, it is someone you know," Salmah  admitted as a blush crept up her face.

🎶 If you see my mama hossana tell am say o

Hossanna I dey for ghetto, hossana, I no get problem

If you see my mama hossana tell am say o

Hossanna I dey for ghetto hossana I no get problem 🎶

   Daddy showkey's Hossana blared from Chukwudi's speaker. They had come to the junction on the other side of the road to purchase a Korean Movie, from Chukwudi who sold movies, phones accessories and spare parts. 

Tomi's stomach wambled as the aroma of mallam ayu's suya filled the air, his stall was just feets  away  from chukuwdi's shop.

"Babe, I am coming. I want to  buy suya," Tomi slightly patted her stomach with her right palm.

Salmah chuckled. "I hope you do not spend all your money on suya, let us go together,"

   They got to Mallam Ayu's space, which occupied a high wooden table which housed a bowl filled with burning charcoals that roasted the spicy kebab carefully arranged on a wire gauze.

A half onion and an unshaped eva plastic with one of its sides bent due to heat  which contained groundnut oil were on the table.

Close to the onion was another bowl, though small which contained ground pepper, and an old already torn The Guardian newspaper with which he sold the suya.

"Aboki, Sanu," Tomi greeted in hausa language.

She neither understood nor spoke Hausa, but she wanted to entice Ayu.

"Yayakasua, wetin I wan buy?"Ayu asked as he sprinkled some oil on the suya.

Unfortunately, Ayu was one of those hausas who spoke reversed English. They used 'I' instead of 'You' when referring to someone.

"Alihamdulilah, I wan buy suya hundred naira" Tomi said as her mouth watered when Ayu turned the meat to the other side.

"I go taste?", Ayu asked.

"Yes o," Salmah replied this time.

   Ayu nodded and cut out some pieces of the suya from one of the chunks on fire after which he briefly dipped each inside the ground pepper and placed them on the paper Tomi helped him tore.

"I no buy again," One guy who came after Tomi and Keji, announced after having tasted the suya.

 That was one of the things Mallam Ayu went through. Most times, aside the jobless guys who came to him every night to receive the money  for the space where he sold his suya, only few people bought suya after tasting.

"I no buy again?, God go punish my father," Ayu cursed.

Tomi and Jumai laughed at how he had unintentionally cursed his own father while the guy left laughing hysterically. 

"Aboki, don't mind him. Sell for us," Tomi said.

  Ayu sold more than a hundred naira suya because he was impressed that Tomi could speak hausa and Tomi was happy that she accomplished her mission.

"Nagode"the mallam appreciated with a big smile that showed his brown teeth.

"Sai Gobe," Tomi waved as they sauntered back to Chukwudi's stall.

They purchased the movie and went back to cross the road, this time, Tomi kept mute.

"Okay then, goodnight," Salma baded as they got to the house beside Tomi's .

"Goodnight? You have not told me who your new boyfriend is. What happened  to Charles? "Tomi glanced to see if her Grandma was nearby.

 Charles was one of the yahoo guys on their street but Salmah ended things with him when the news of pants and pads,  used for rituals became rampant .

"Well, I didn't want to end up being used by that Charles. You know he is a Yahoo boy,"

Tomi almost reminded her that she knew he was a Yahoo boy before dating him and she vowed never to leave him because he took her virginity.

"My new boyfriend is Prof," Salmah whisper-yelled with excitement written all over her face.

 Adeola, fondly called Prof by many because of his fake British accent was one of their neighbours.

He taught in a non-government approved private school in the next street and was perceived as rich because he furnished his room like a bachelor would and had a I better pass my neighbour generator which everyone in the compound relied on if there was no power supply.

"Prof what?are you okay?"he's far older than you are. What is wrong with you?" Tomi's screehing tone matched her shock expression

Aminah gave her a sharp glare. "Why are you shouting na, he is just ten years older than I am. Just assume he is my sugar boyfriend so do not bore me with your bible stuff,"

 Salmah knew her friend would be displeased if she told her but she already made up her mind to shun it.

Unlike her, Tomi was the type  that believed in no sex till marriage, and it was all thanks to her primitive grandma who deemed it fit to imbibe morals into her granddaughters especially when a girl of 14 years and above could get pregnant in Ajegunle and still be seen as a norm. 

"Okay then, goodnight,"Tomi muttered and scottled to her house  without looking back. 

She now realized why her grandma never liked Salmah, which was why they met everywhere except Tomi's house. 

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Just so you know, today is Sunday and it's the beginning of another week😏