It was after my 20th birthday that aunt Apu brought the news of my admission to me. Aunt Apu had felt I was too old to finish standard six and she made me take the first school leaving certificate examination in standard five
At 19, I was through with high school, applying for university was the next step. The thought of my home always rested on my mind and I wished they could all come to stay with me.
Ebube and Dera had written me so many times and I missed the moments we shared on the car.
Thankfully, Ebube's days of bed wetting were over but Dera was still the sleeper.
Studying for my exams was a sacrifice I had to make. Books were never found wanting on my reading table and aunt Apụ often complained of the introverted lifestyle I was leading.
"How do you intend to make friends at the university when you barely have any here?" she'd tease. I had enough friends in the books, the camera uncle Frank got me and the sun.
The orphanage which was just a few blocks from aunt Apu's home had been in need of a worker, so I found it an avenue to help kill the talk of keeping to myself. They had offered to pay a modicum of cash, barely half of the pocket money Uncle Frank gave me, but I had turned their offer down. How would I help the orphans if I charged them?
I had spent most of my free days at the orphanage with sisters from the convent, caring for children. I made tons of friends there, mostly children but they were friends. Two months after I began my work I gained admission into the University of Nigeria Nsukka.
Aunt Apụ was thrilled but we feared father's reaction. I was slowly becoming a rebel but it was my dream that made me one. I wanted to be like aunt Apụ and wanted other girls to be like her.
Father shot down the idea, while revealing grandma's deteriorating health condition. We had been summoned home by grandma five months after I began to study. School had been difficult like aunt Apụ had told me. The teasing from the boys, attitude from the ladies who were doing the right thing by training to become teachers, made me appear like an outcast.
One of the lecturers had once advised me to withdraw. He said I'd never make it in the male dominated work environment.
"Those men will trample on you, its better you give up now than later when it'll hurt more".
Father was still disappointed with me, but the thought of my dream kept me going. It did not matter if l had no friends, I am going to make it. One day girls like me wouldn't feel so alone and strange about being a journalist. They'll flood schools and their would be female lecturers too,those thoughts brought me comfort.
Before the end of the semester I had won a writing competition sponsored by the federal government that earned me recognition and even more jealous colleagues in school. Aunt Apụ was pleased when my name got to the papers.
"We’ll give this to your father" she had said. She had sent the newspaper to father but I never heard anything from him. One thing had changed; he seemed to lack interest in my studies and didn't hound aunt Apụ about withdrawing me.
Grandma died two weeks after we got home. It was a difficult time for the family. Uncle Joe, dad's elder brother had threatened to sell the old car, claiming it was of no use. How does one sell a part of the family? "Father had objected. I had learnt a great deal from father's issue with his brother. Sometimes change from the present is difficult because we fear how we can adapt to the future.
" Men don't like the idea of having female colleagues because they fear what the outcome might be."
But perception can and will be changed, fear often hinders beautiful things. Father had managed to buy the car from Uncle Joe, so we'd always have the car where it has always been. When father wants something he doesn't rest till he gets it, he was a stubborn man and I drank from his gene pool.
School of journalism was more difficult than university, I was overlooked when tasks where assigned. Broadcasting agencies were hard to get but aunt Apụ had fought her way to get me a job in a publishing company. It was not what I had wanted but "lemonade could be made from that lemon" she had advised.
Writing came to me naturally; soon, it was bringing me into the spot light. Ebube on one of his visits had termed me a boring young woman. "Writers are boring, sister". A lot of criticism followed my work; it was a taboo to want fellow women behind those desks.
The editor-in-chief had warned my aunt about my ridiculous column about encouraging women to work. It was a relief when he was finally moved to another company. The new editor in chief was younger and more sensible. It was owing to the fact that he had the exposure from studying abroad, where women were more liberal. He wasn't as adamant as those who enforced or mandated traditions over women.
"The economy would grow if we had more labor force, let's not leave all to the men, those women have limbs as well"
I was the only female who had begun to work in the company but after two years, two women had joined. Part of my salary went into my savings, while the other went to my family.
"One day I would build an orphanage, I'll get establishments that'll help our community. The widows would have a steady source of income; our ladies will not just have basic education"
"You sound like a politician, we all know they never keep their words” Ebube had teased. He didn't know that father gave me enough stubbornness from the gene pool. It'll take time, but it can be done.
Twenty three years later, I was a different woman. A mother of two children and a wife to a smart former editor-in-chief as a husband. It turned out we both had love for not just writing and strangely the setting sun but love for ourselves. The attraction had budded slowly from admiration. It was amusing how our first date was at his office while we watched the sun go down eating akara and bread. It was there and then that I had gotten my first kiss and part of me wished I had captured that moment with my camera.
Going through with journalism as aunt Apụ had suggested and facing harsher criticism than she did, carved me into the strong, defiant woman I had become. My departure with her was a very difficult decision to make, but it was the best decision I had ever made. Nobody knew why father changed his mind about my leaving with my aunt; I often thought about it but disregarded it with time. Aunt Apụ had retired the year before and I regularly visited her family.
Dera became a business man and Ebube became a lawyer, Johnson thankfully did not pursue his dreams and we were grateful for that. After a harsh journey in journalism, my husband and I established a publishing company. Things were slowly changing in the society, fewer women began to work but a lot of people could not stomach the idea. I sat in my office staring out of the window as the sun began to set.
A huge picture of the sunset was framed and hung close to the window. One of the many dreams that came true, capturing the sun with a camera. After so many years the excitement and awe was still there. Ebube had come to visit me and for days I bore a burden that I wanted to share.
"Sister! Sister! do you think I can write a book about our family? Do you think my book would sell?" Ebube asked as he flipped through the pages of a magazine.
I smiled at him tearing my eyes off the dimming sun.
"What book? Since when did writing begin to interest you? I thought you said writers are boring and strange"
He merely shrugged before replying.
“You should be asking me what I want to write about”. Perceptions about things and people do change. I have this strong desire to write about you and aunt Apụ. The day you were leaving, when we were little. I saw father sitting alone on the car, he pulled me up and I sat with him. The sun had begun to set and he was watching it too. Then he said to me" the sun rises in the east and sets in the west". I nodded, I already knew that but then he continued.
"Iwuanyanwunyere" that was your name. I asked him what your name meant. Then he said "The law of the sun, ALL MEN MUST RISE WITH THE SUN TO WORK AS IT DOES, WHEN THE SUN SLEEPS SO MUST THEY. He laughed and told me that he was wrong. His father had named his sister Apunanwu and he named you Iwuanyanwu, he didn't see the similarities before and his error but now he did.
ALL MEN, NOT ALL MALES. It was then that he understood that aunt Apụ had been right all along. Women should not be restricted by their gender, they have more to offer.
I did not understand what he meant till he allowed you to go with aunt Apụ. It had been your destiny all along to go with her. I see the things you've done in the community and I wonder the fate of so many girls, boys, widows without you and aunt Apụ. Maybe she is sunrise and you are sunset, think about it.
I didn't know why I laughed so hard but his idea sounded funny to me.
"So what are you? The moon? Besides when will you finish this book of yours? I know you Ebube , I'd probably read this book in my grave. Also setting sun does not really speak well for my person. When the sun sets, doesn't it mean it's going away, like dying?"
Ebube always struggled with writing; I just knew his idea would die down, if he wasn't pushed.
“It depends on how you see it sister, the sunrise means the beginning of a journey, while sunset is the completion. Aunt Apụ began, you finished it! You'd be surprised when I publish my book here” Ebube replied positively.
"It makes a little sense if you put it that way. I had always thought my decisions abashed father. Thank you for telling me this". It was my turn to bring my thoughts into the light. I took deep breaths before opening up to him.
Ebube , I want to contest in the upcoming election. I want to run for a senatorial seat. Before you say anything, I've been thinking about it. In as much as we are helping women, children, girls especially. There's so much more to do. I think we need a voice that'll speak up for women.
All I see is a government run by male folks and the only form of emancipation given to women is fertilizers for farming. We need to get women into the system, into offices we need to encourage our daughters. I just feel like this is my mission in life. To be able to walk into an office and not be saddened by the number of women there. I want my daughter to have that freedom; I want so many girls not to be ashamed of working like men. There’s nothing like challenging men, I run my home very well. We need to get that chance. Don't you feel its odd leaving all these decisions for the men to make? "
By the time I had finished Ebube was speechless. “I think you're right sister, you should run. Considering where you come from I'd say it'll be difficult but not impossible. I don't know how our people would react to this. Oh sister! Don't you see father was right after all? I need to write this book!"
I was very much relieved when Ebube encouraged me; it was all I needed to hear, his approbation .
“Father was proud of you, you know. He never showed it to you, but I heard him brag one time about you amongst his friends during grandma's burial. It was about one competition that you won, almost everyone in the community heard. Father took those papers wherever he went. He told them you were the sun in his family. You didn't disappoint him, he was just too proud to admit that you did the right thing by leaving." Father and I always disagreed with many things and when he died, I felt like another rebel. He never got to show me if he was pleased with my achievements.
“I know why you're running for this seat, I always knew you were jealous because father would let Dera and I go for meetings with him. Sit with the elders, I could tell you always wanted that experience" Ebube taunted laughing
I was not! "
Oh please you were! I used to catch you peeping and hovering around just to get a hint of what we did"
I kept denying I but laughed along, he was right. I was slightly envious of the privilege they got but I understood tradition at least the ones that didn't demoralize people.
"Sister! You should have just become an astrologer, it would have been better for everyone" He proclaimed as he turned to the portrait of the sun.
That earned him another good laugh. "It's not too late, I could always become one at 100, that’s if I live that long"
That year was even more difficult than previous years. My family was very supportive of my decision and I managed to join a party that supported my visions, though they agreed that I'll personally responsible for the funds needed to run my campaign. Though that took its own toll on me but if we are to flip to the positives, it was better a party than none. Many threats came and some people called me mad for wanting any part in politics.
Others could not stomach a woman as a representative, women were emotional and fickle. They cannot handle matters of the state. The women populace was not 100% in line and some believed I was going against laws and traditions. The senatorial debate was huge and successful and as the election drew nearer things became heated. My husband and children had traveled out of the country for safety and I was under strict protection. Ebube stood by my side the whole time and Dera slept most times he accompanied me to meetings.
He always told me that speeches bored him out. I was glad that he was supportive. My political opponent was a ruthless man which made me fight even harder. This was not just a battle for a voice to me; it had become a battle for freedom. Alas the day of the election came and I won with a little margin. It was another day and I decided to watch the sunrise with Ebube to keep my mind off the result collation. After we had watched the sun for a while we decided to go into the house. A phone call was received by me and I was declared winner. As I stood laughing all that came into my mind was Ebube's book.
The sun did rise in the east, for I was eastern and the first female senator in the country. Our joy knew no bounds and aunt Apụ had gotten me a golden necklace. She called it her reward for bravery.
Epilogue
Iwu died a day after she was sworn in by assassination. Her family had watched the sunrise with her while she lay in the hospital.
The last words she left with a smile while looking at Ebube were, "the sun has set, don't you see it? “ Nobody except Tobe understood what she meant at the time and he nodded with tears in his eyes.
Iwu had told him that she could feel the sun calling out to her.
Rallies of men and women began to camp outside the hospital. The society revolted and protests were made on her behalf. Many thought emancipation would have come from her service, but her death had brought even more conviction that women held an important place in the society.
The culprits of the crime were not found And during her funeral Dera did not sleep while Ebube read her biography. She was buried close to her father on her instructions. She had told Ebube that she wanted to be close to him.
Aunt Apu was heartbroken for Iwu was dear to her. Her mother and so many women, children and men wept for her sake. She had become the first heroine in her community.
She was celebrated as a day was set out to honor her contributions to the society, her birthday was chosen. Iwu won so many awards even in death and her dream did come true. Offices were filled with women, female lecturers were increasing rapidly and girls were no longer afraid to seek their dreams, women became more involved in politics because of iwu and some states produced female goverors.
Aunt Apụ was inspired to open her own chambers and so many female lawyers were registered. Her brother Ebube had written his book two years later and he made it his mission to read his book to her on her grave, during her birthdays while he watched the sun set. He titled the book "Sunrise" and dedicated it to his sister. His book sold so well and received many awards and he decided to make a career out of writing. His sister had taught him that anything was possible.
Whenever the family got together, they would sit on grandfather's car, or around it while they watched the sun set.Iwu's mother had filled in the role for dogoyaro concoction preparation , but nobody complained. Their taste buds had become inured to the bitter drink. A new use had been discovered for the car, and it suited everyone. It had become a family tradition used to remember a girl who had once sat on the old wrecked car to watch the sun, rise and set.
The End
Author's notes
Hello everyone!
I know😭😭😭😭. It's a short story and It was written mainly to pass an information across to the society. I hope you enjoyed it
❤️❤️❤️❤️Always
Michelle