CHAPTER FIVE

Funny roommates you got there, Bussy”.

“I really enjoyed today… oh my God”. Let me no shout… the way you kiss me, it’s like I’m being kissed by a god.

“I’m glad you love it Bussy. Let me leave you to sleep…”

“Make sure you dream of me, Pierre… and no other girl”.

“I have eyes for only you, Bussy”.

“Aww, I love you so much Pierre, I really do”.

“Sweet dreams, my love”.

After ending the phone call, I was sipping some water, and found it difficult to sleep. Thoughts of Bussy flooded my brain like the Niagara Falls. I didn’t care much about her height, because as far as I was concerned, she was simply perfect and portable for me. Bussy, Bussy, Bussy, was the only thing I thought of and imagined. At that moment, I could sincerely and confidently say that I was in love – with Bussy/

The love between I and Bussy blossomed as the weeks and months went by. My mom knew nothing about it, but sometimes reminded me of my childhood ‘crushes’ in Zurich and Berne. On one occasion, she informed me that the father of a particular ‘crush’ was the current Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria. Apart from the breath-taking landscapes, nice people, serene environments, there was nothing I missed more about Switzerland like the chocolates produced there. The more I remembered those Swiss chocolate brands, flavours and varieties, the more I thought of Bussy’s complexion.

Lectures and other academic activities went on smoothly at my end. ‘October Rush’ had long ended and the university atmosphere was lively as always. Be that as it may, I was sometimes given the ‘green light’ by several female students in my class, on unexpected occasions. Deep down, I always felt sorry to ignore or ‘disappoint them. The reason was obvious – I couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything to hurt Bussy, I just couldn’t.

As the weeks went by, they were several tests, term papers, group projects, class presentations and semester examinations in all the colleges and departments at Igbinedion University Okada. Although each student was definitely was bound to possess and utilize his / her own unique study pattern / technique whether individually or in a group, its effectiveness or otherwise was another kettle of fish. Many like me believed there was a ‘quiet’ policy at the College of Medicine and Surgery, to reduce or filter the volume of students until the prescribed final year. Consequently, after the second semester examinations for 100Level students, several of them didn’t perform so well as expected. Among the students to be axed or filtered was my dearly beloved Bussy.

With the passing weeks, Bussy soon became more involved in the RCF. This was due to the unrelenting and aggressive evangelism activities its members carried out periodically.. On my part, I thought nothing about it, and never imagined it would have any negative effect on my relationship with Bussy.

Earlier, during my first few weeks in the university, a young lady in my class soon developed feelings for me. I paid little or no attention to her, even though she was unrelenting. She always wanted to be near me during lectures and at any available opportunity after lectures.. She was from the South-Southern part of Nigeria, and taller than Bussy. She was slightly chubby with a face that was almost chubby in shape. She possessed an alluring smile and excellent feminine features.

 Her name was Sime, and to the best of my knowledge, didn’t have any male friend or boyfriend until we both graduated. I always saw Sime with her fat friend, Sao. I didn’t like describing people by their sizes, but that was by the way. During the matriculation ceremonies, Sime ‘searched’ for me and ‘brought’ her entire party to where I and my party were being hosted, when she eventually found me. My mum who’d been present at the event was so happy, and thought I was becoming so sociable than I was, when I was in Switzerland. I still remember how part of that day went. Sao stayed for a while and excused herself to join her family for pictures in a nearby field. On her part, Sime took over a hundred pictures with me, much to the excitement of my mum.

“So, Pierre, how are you enjoying Okada town, Edo State… Nigeria?

“Everywhere, everyone and everything is great. Don’t forget I was born in Nigeria”.

“True… so where will you be hanging out later in the day… after all the matriculation brouhaha is over?”

“Let’s see, since my mum is around, it wouldn’t be nice if I don’t stay with her… you know, spend more time with her”.

“Okay, well as for me, I’ll go and pray later at the mosque, then see how the day goes”.

“That’s cool. I never knew that you were a muslim”.

Sime seemed excited at my sudden ‘interest’ in her religion, and chuckled.

“Yes, I am, and it’s one of the reasons I cover my hair all the time”.

“That’s great… I saw only a handful of muslims while I was in Switzerland”.

“You don’t like muslim girls?”

“I like and I’m cool with all kind of girls…”

Sime smiled and munched on the piece of chicken she held in her right hand. She had a skin which resembled hazelnut spread. Sime also resembled her father in several ways. Looking back now, I had no regrets for not developing any sense of affection with Sime. One of my sisters had been heartbroken by the third son of the Emir of Kano, and I still remembered how miserable how it made her feel for weeks. The reason for the heartbreak was because she refused to have sex with him, and I was amused at the way my step mother (my dad’s first wife), rained curses on him that fateful day in my father’s palace. She was pissed that the useless boy had made her beloved daughter miserable.

I wasn’t going to be a playboy, and the mere mention of that word made me smile. It also reminded me of how my mum could sit and start lecturing me for hours whenever she stumbled on any raunchy magazine in my room, or in any part of the mansion. Someone was bound to enjoy that hazelnut-skinned and voluptuous body in the Sime in the near future, and I wasn’t going to be that person. I can’t forget how her father joked and told me to prepare to marry several wives, when he saw me taking several pictures with several female course mates that fateful (matriculation) day.

There was another girl who was from my place (Igalamela-Odolu Local Government Area), and was in the College of Management Sciences). Her name was Asha, and she was admitted into the university at the same time with me. She was about ten inches shorter than me. She was robust, chubby and possessed voluptuous features. She had a light skin and supple cheeks and dimples that could be seen from ten miles away. She loved attaching weaves to her hair and always allowed her hair to flow downwards whenever she was in public. I had never seen Asha angry in my life. I also felt embarrassed whenever she greeted in public in a traditional way, as the Crown Prince of Igala land.

Although I tried not to, whenever I remembered Asha was a muslim, I suddenly contrasted her appearance and dress pattern with that of Sime. I never believed anyone  could have any negative thing to say about Bussy, until I entered 300 Level. I stumbled on Asha one Friday, where she had gone to fill and sign some examination forms. She greeted me traditionally as usual, before breaking out in a bout of infectious laughter.

“My Prince, you’re always looking good… I’m so happy for you”.

“Asha, my dear sister, how is life treating you in this noble institution?”

“I’m fine, my Crown Prince”.

“Would you stop saying that?”

“Stop? You are my, and our Crown Prince, whether you like it or not, and I will accord you that due respect”.

We walked to a nearby restaurant that was owned by a dark and hefty Okada lady. She must’ve been in her early forties, and just like Asha, she was always cheerful. I ordered malt drinks and some pastries for both of us. After taking our orders, I waited for the restaurant owner to leave before our chit-chat continued. From the corner of my left eye, I watched Asha as she tried to balance her large behind on the chair. She wore a trendy pink shirt with a pair of black trouser and shoes to match. 

I’m so happy and thrilled…”

“Why”, I asked, before taking a bite into my meat pie.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        “Why? It’s not every day a Crown Prince from my kingdom, would meet someone like me and eat with me”.

I stared at Asha and shook my head, because I knew it was futile trying to make Asha stop with the ‘Crown Prince this’ and ‘Crown Prince that’. Soon, I told her about Bussy and how much I loved and cared for her. Asha waited patiently for me to finish talking, and she took a sip of her bottled malt beverage before speaking.

“Where is she from?” Asha finally asked.

“Does that matter? Listen, she’s a nice south-western girl, whom I believe is just perfect -”

“Might be infatuation my Crown Prince”.

“Infatuation, no, no, no… listen Asha, I love this lady so much and I’m prepared to do anything for her, and I mean anything”.

Asha sighed and stared at the floor tiles, while rubbing her temples with her left fingers.

“My Crown Prince… you know I can’t lie or deceive you. Apart from that, I’m a female student like her, in the same hostel”.

“What has that got to do with my love for Bussy?”

“Absolutely nothing, but anything called in this university is a mirage. I don’t know but it never lasts”.

I dropped the fish roll I held in my right hand inside the tray, and laughed at Asha’s last statement.

“Listen, I do not know the reason for your postulation, but Bussy is different”.

“Different… well I hope she won’t ‘change’ in the near future, my Crown Prince”.

“Is there something your aren’t telling me, Asha?”

“Don’t give this thing you call ‘love’ your whole heart, until you leave this university. Many girls inside that New Girls Hostel will tell you a similar thing. In all the love relationships here, it’s certain the girls give 1% of their heart, while the boys put in 99%. When heartbreak occurs, who feels hut the most, of course the boys”.

I looked at Asha sternly until s smile developed on her face.

“Bussy is the only woman love, and want to be with, okay?”

“Well, all I can say is that you should expect disappointment at any time. The girls in this university all see it as a game. You become infatuated or fall in love as a girl,, you’re soon deflowered, then dumped afterwards by the guy”.

“How do you know all these?”

Asha finished her bottled malt beverage and continued talking.

“After you’ve been dumped by the guy as a lady, you cry and brood over it for a while.. After some time, she’s stronger, she gets over it and sees it as a ‘pattern’.

“What pattern?” I asked in disbelief.

“Hopping on the richest male students, especially the ones with cars, thereafter”.

“Asha”.

“Yes, my Crown Prince. Lest I forget, you should have brought a car back to school, after all you’re in your third year now”.

I just want to live a simple life here…”

“Anyways, that Bussy of a girl… just be prepared for anything sha”.

“Look Asha, I know you were expecting me to befriend a law student, but it doesn’t always work that way”.

“As I said earlier, it’s a pattern for the girls here… they don’t see it as love, rather they simply see it as having fun, flexing and a state of freedom in their lives. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, my Crown Prince”.

“Bussy is a nice, sweet angel, and you should know that I’m her first boyfriend”.

“Even if you had all the money in the world, the girls here won’t care if you do not have a car”.

“Are you serious?”

“Let me tell you another trick they use to deceive guys over here”. Asha brought her head nearer, and looked around the restaurant suspiciously.