HOUSEBOYS, NOT BY CHOICE!!!

...My brother was sent to serve in the house of an officer; I again, had to go with him. As it turned out again, he was a Yoruba man, who had commandeered an Ibo lady that was living with him.

This base was in a town called Nsulu-Imo (Nsulu-On-Imo River), the river was Imo River.

Again, I cannot remember how long we spent in this military base.

I however, remember that our routine was the same every day.

My brother Sunny would be sent to the market, or to the river to wash clothes, and fetch water, while I would be the one to wash plates and sweep and generally clean up the house.

When he returned and is within the base, I was then allowed to go to the river and fetch more water and then, take my bathe there.

We were never allowed to go anywhere together.

The officer was quite kind. He gave us some clothes, and gave my brother a wristwatch, and they would seat together sometimes when he was around, discussing in Yoruba.

After a while, I heard my brother talking with the lady, and she said she had been instructed not to allow us to go anywhere together, so we do not run away!

It was not long after that, that one morning, my brother was sent to the market, while the officer was not around. He pleaded with the lady, to let me go fetch water, so I could have gone several times before he returned from the market.

I eventually went twice, as she permitted me, and as my brother Sunny washed clothes in the house, before he set off for the market.

Before going, he told me he would meet me by the river.

He did and we ran off, with him carrying the water I was supposed to have gone to fetch...

----BIAFRA:LEST WE FORGET!