CHLOE’S SAKER STORY CONTINUED …
The first few days must have been hard for Chloe, I could only imagine as I had no way of knowing what
she was going through but was contented that with all what I had thought her she was well armed. As a
parent, it was very difficult, I wondered in her room, I touched her clothing’s, I pulled out her photos’
they became my screen savers but nothing could sooth the pain, I missed her, I still miss her, her
absence was also felt by her brother, by her father. Some days were very painful almost like a I had lost
her but I held on with the courage I had acquired during my time at Saker, with prayers and support
from friends and family, days turned to weeks and weeks to the first month -the D-day: first visiting
Saturday. At last I could talk to her.
My hands were shaking when I dialed my sister’s number – her aunty. “Here Chloe”, I heard my sister
say – “your mum on the phone”. Then I heard that voice, strong and vibrant, full of life! She had many
questions for me… It started almost immediately after I asked “How are you?” The response was fine –
very fine actually. Immediately she jumped in – did you have the handover in your time, immediately I
thought, some man don di want frighten my pikin… Next question –Did you have the Saker Olympics? Of
course I said, we called it “Inter-House” and of course, I was a major participant and organizer. “Really!”
was her reply. Da my pikin no like sports at all. So I asked, “What will you be participating in?” She said,
“Maybe chess competition or drawing competition.” Ah praise am dassoh, but I bi di wonder if na
correct sports that…
She went on – “Mum I have joined the Drama Club and hope to act in the Christmas play.” Na man dat
wey ye bi always be in ye shell… “I hate standing out Mummy”… now na drama club she dey announce! I
asked if the teachers’ accent was a problem, she said, at the start, but now she thinks she gets it and
quickly told me that her best subject was Chemistry. She told me she had made friends and made me
speak to her best friend Sharon from the USA – I could tell from the accent. She said the good thing
about Saker is that people are not “mean” …so I tell ye say, well brought up people have to be kind and
supportive but firm.
She told me she had to attend to her visitors- nearly 10 in number and off she went – Pic 2 Chloe after
one month in Saker. My sisters, this was the first night since I dropped her at Saker that I slept like a
baby.
Second Visiting November 1st, I was there live, she smiled, she laughed, jumped on me, her list was
short but fundamentally transformed. On it she wrote “Sardines” not “Tuna”; “Tartina” not “Nutella”;
“Ground nuts” not “Peanuts”; and there I saw the magic “requirement” – “WHITE GARRI”! I had to send
someone to the market to buy roasted peanuts and Garri to meet up with this rapid but fundamental
transformation. She brought her friends from all classes one by one to say hello. She hugged her
brother, touched his head… then some of her friends quickly came up to Ben and said “We have heard a
lot about you, you must be Ben”… He smiled and disappeared, wondered off, flirted with the girls, they
loved him, Chloe was happy that her friends finally got to put a face to the name “Benjamin”. She
brought her first test results; She passed in all subjects but for Citizenship. I asked how come? She said
the names of the places/cities/governors are very complex… several consonants – few vowels. Looking
