Then....Now

they told me all those bullcrap, they told us all as kids. Don't get me wrong, these were serious words of wisdom that have helped shaped my character. One of which I remember:
Always Pick the one in front of you

I'm guessing the morale had something to do with greed or something like that. So when I was younger, going to parties (in our auntie-gimme-cake-I'm-dancing-well dresses) were the rave, and the highlight of the parties was always dance, food, cake and gift bag -not in that particular order. I always looked forward to the cake part, and the way they usually did it was an "aunty" would come by with a tray and you had to pick one. I always picked the one in front of me, just like my mama taught me BUT it was always the smallest piece! or the one with the least icing!! It happened all the time. Then I said to myself, when I grow old (and have money), I would buy a whole cake, put it between my legs, and eat the whole thing!

I never got the chance to do it. I can afford to buy a whole cake, put it between my legs and eat the whole thing BUT now I can't stand more than a slice of cake- or two.



I don't remember eating a lot of plantain as a child. I remember it was a luxury back then. Infact, we used to be excited whenever my mom bought plantain home. We asked her one time why we didn't eat it more often and she said it was because of me! Apparently whenever she made beans and plantain, dear young bumight would pick all the plantain on top and say she's full! So my mom got mad and refused to feed us plantain more often. At one point, I said to mysel, when I grow old (and have money), I would buy a bunch of plantain, fry it, and make a whole meal out of it!

Now: I can't stand that much plantain. After about 5 pieces, I'm done.



Speaking of beans, At some point we used to eat beans every afternoon-as in monday to friday! My mom (who usually cooked in bulk) would make a whole bunch of beans to last the week and put it in the freezer. Every morning before we went to school, she'd bring it out to thaw and that woudl be our lunch. I promised myself that once I made it out of their house, I'm not eating beans ever in my life again!

Now: I cook beans every so often. Infact, I just finished my ewa agoyin (you know the way those women make it?). Beans is one of the few naija foods I still enjoy eating!



Still on this beans issue, Just the way we ate beans every afternoon, we had these neighbors that ate indomie noodles every afternoon. As in, every morning before they went to school, their mom would bring out two packs of noodles for the both of them to eat for lunch. How I so envied them. I would trade my beans for their noodles in a heartbeat! Yet again, I said to myself, when I grow old, I would eat noodles like its going off the market.

Now: I eat noodles, but not like its going off the market. I don't see the biggie in it anymore.



Another food that I ABSOLUTELY hated as a child is Amala. Our relationship has been sour for as long as I remember. My dad told me that he caught me telling my sister when I was very young: "oooo mummy is making that black horrible food again!" Needless to say, he was shocked, I don't remember the incident. All I remember is, we always had to stay in the kitchen with my mom whenever she was making dinner.

Usually she would start by putting water in a pot.

1. If it was rice, she'd wait a few minutes, then wash the rice in. yay!

2. If it was one of the swallowables, she'd wait and wait and wait and wait....

i) if it was Amala, she'd bring out the blue bucket that had the yam flower in it.

Everytime she put water on, I'd be secretly hoping she doesn't wait too long before returning to the kitchen to wash the rice in. I used to be forced to eat amala back then. She would collect my meat and water (the cane was always nearby) till I finished my food. I DETERMINED that I wouldn't eat amala once I got out of their house.

Now: I don't eat that black horrible food, yay! - that is until I went home last december. My mom conned me into eating it: "its not that black, and its very soft. the efo is rich....yada yada". I ate it just to console her, lol! At a stage, I was full, but I was still forcing myself to eat it. Then it just hit me: I'm grown, she can't beat me or force me to eat anymore jo!
I'm still not willingly doing that ish sha.

I used to jump up and down and be visibly excited to eat rice. Whenever my mom went on night duty (she's a nurse and usually does about 4 in a row), we'd eat rice for dinner the entire time she was gone. She usually had days off following every night shift stretch, so on her days off, she would make sure we didn't eat rice those 4 days. I used to fantasize about eating rice EVERYDAY once I started living on my own.

Now: I can't stand white rice! It tastes like wood shavings! I still love jollof-rice and fried rice though.



PS: Thanks to everyone that suggested names for my car. I must admit some of the suggestions were hilarious! I have decided to call her Aduke; AK for short. Aduke means Beloved.