Jane met Frank by a stroke of chance. The usual Christmas rush to the village attracts thousands of people every December. Christmas is a season of peace and goodwill. It is also an opportunity for family reunion and celebration of any kind, marriages, funerals and new titles. Jane had traveled from Lagos with her ageing parents. The holidays started in earnest and she wanted to enjoy every bit of the vacation in the countryside environment, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of crazy metropolitan Lagos, the so - called "centre of excellence."
Transport fares had risen very high yet those anxious to go home crowded the rickety buses. Home, sweet home, there is no place like home.
Frank arrived home by the third week of December. The flight from Dubai stopped over in London. Unlike the cold winter in Asia, the harmattan winds welcomed him home to Nigerian. He had not returned home since he traveled ten years ago. Frank was obviously happy to visit home and see his kith and kin in flesh and blood once again. He looked forward to having a good time. With a lot of foreign currency in his purse, he wished to socialize with his folks in considerable comfort.
Both Jane and Frank attended a wedding reception at the community hall.
Jane was coming out from the building when Frank approached her. He wore a native dress with cap to match. Stocky and dark like a boxer in the middleweight category. Frank approached her with a big smile. Jane was not surprised since guys in Lagos had often toasted her with torrents of lies seeking for easy catch. But Frank was strange. However, she managed a reciprocal smile as Frank introduced himself.
They exchanged pleasantries and residential addresses. Frank promised to visit her soonest.
Village reunions at Christmas provides lots of opportunities to find and choose wives and husbands. Parents fervently pray for their children to pick the best consorts at yuletide. Lucky Cinderellas sometimes stumble on fiances after many years on the marital waiting list. One may never guess who the next lucky spinster can be. The goddess of marriage showers her favour on maidens whose chance has arrived.
Frank kept his promise. Jane was excited. So also was her parents. The traditional greetings were over, Frank presented the family a bag of rice and assorted drinks. The message was therefore clear. There was more to the visit than mere courtesy. Frank stated the purpose of the visit and used the opportunity to chat freely with Jane and tell the family about his matrimonial project. He would wish to conclude the traditional process before returning to Dubai immediately after the Christmas festival.
No compromise was reached. According to custom, negotiations on marriage are not settled in a day. The stage was set for close investigations on family ancestors. Jane had no blood relationship with Frank. None of them belongs to the Osu Caste. Neither Jane nor Frank was known to have married in the past. Therefore, the coast was clear for conjugal negotiations. As far as Jane was concerned, Frank was acceptable. Why not?
The dream of every Nigerian girl is to live abroad. God's own country. A country supposedly flowing with milk and honey! Who would miss such an opportunity of a lifetime. Jane was ready. She was indeed tired of the tensions, unpleasant and epileptic power outages ravaging Nigeria, a country saturated with corruption and a catalogue of impeachments. Recent aircraft crashes had compounded the failures of leadership.
Jane and Frank dressed in gorgeous attires in their traditional engagement ceremony. They danced gracefully to the music of Flavour's "Ada Ada." The weather was pleasant, the rains were resting. Rain makers no longer cut pounds of flesh from embattled folks seeking dry weather. The harmattan haze floated everywhere. Friends and relatives has a field day eating and drinking. When it was time for Jane to perform her role as the new bride, she was at her best handing over the glass of wine to Frank.
He embraced her passionately. A loud ovation greeted this manifestation of marital affinity. In the end, the traditional head poured the last conjugal libation and pronounced the couple husband and wife according to custom and tradition, for better for worse till the end of their lives.
Jane remained with Frank for another three days. They ate together and slept together as married couple. They worked out time table for their life abroad. Frank was eager to see a quick action on the emigration and visa matters. Jane would resign her teaching job and proceed to Dubai. Nothing was left to chance. With the severe formalities at the embassy, every loophole must be closed. Jane must reach Dubai in six months according to plan.
Life for Jane turned a bed of roses. A new wife and prospective immigrant to Dubai, the world was at her feet. She dreamt of Frank all the time.
Sometimes, she lost concentration in the classroom. Friends teased her. Whoever was jealous was wasting her time. The bond had been sealed. Frank's reassurances at his departure cemented their arrangement. Dubai was waving to and waiting for a new bride.
Frank wrote his first letter "my paragon of excellence" prefaced the two-page note. Frank lavished expression of endearment in describing Jane as a beautiful, candid and generous lady. It was a reader's delight. Jane was on top of the world.
Jane's reply was spontaneous. She poured out her heart assuring Frank of her fidelity. "Nothing can separate us. We shall be one till the end of time." Perhaps, George Hess was right in his assertion: "Those in love never see beyond their nose." As far as Jane was concerned, the sky was the limit.
Time ticked. No news. Jane waited. No more letters from Frank. Jane checked her mail box persistently. Nothing. Frank vanished like a dew in tropical sunshine. Ada discovered that she was pregnant. She informed Frank by post. No reply. She dispatched a registered letter. No response. Total blackout. The silence was deafening.
Frank's relatives expressed worry. Jane's parents were dumbfounded. Members of Jane's fellowship prayed and fasted for divine intervention. No luck.
On 5th September, 2006, she was safely delivered of a baby boy, a replica of Frank. Another letter was sent by air.
The latest information about the whereabout of Frank reached Jane this morning. Frank is now married to a Ghanaian nurse and is no longer interested in the wedding contract he celebrated at home during the last Christmas holiday.
