Aisha grew up in a semi-urban area of the metropolitan city of Ibadan.
Having lost her dad at an early age, and her mom nowhere to be found; Aisha was left in care of a grand aunt who was married to a wealthy man, by the standards of the community. He built a series of face-me-i-facw-you rooms (single rooms), which was shared evenly amongst his wives after his demise.
It is commonplace for people in this community to take in family members from far and near, for they still believe in the old communal ways which characterised the culture of the Yoruba tribe.
Aisha started hawking kerosene for her grand aunt as soon as she was settled in, at less than ten years of age. And Aisha knew all too well that she must return home with empty bottles, having sold all the kerosene she sent her out with otherwise she would have no dinner.
Aisha lived a tough life, dropped out of school and got pregnant with her first child at the age of eighteen.
She managed to hide the pregnancy until a couple of weeks to delivery, when she ran away from home. By the time she was found, she was with a child. Her grand aunt took this child in, to nurture alongside the mom, with a promise that she wouldn’t make an attempt at expanding the family in at least ten years.
Five years later, Aisha was pregnant for another man and again, she hid the pregnancy until two months to delivery, when she ran from the hood again. This time however, she returned with the man, for her introduction ceremony (an event which precedes the traditional marriage in Yoruba culture). In many rural areas, if a lady ever got to have this introduction, she is considered lucky and the rest of the process might as well be forgotten.
A year afterwards, the father of her second child had left for another woman and Aisha was left to care for two children.
Aisha’s hood presents a sneak peak into the life and styles of Aisha’s community. Stories which may sound like super story to you, but which depicts the everyday life of some people.
Stay tuned, you just might like it here 😜
The Iyalode 
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