Who is Wale???
Who Is Wale? - Sade
I woke up two months ago and
saw a man sleeping beside me.
“Where am I and who could this
man be?” I wondered. I looked at
him straight in the face for about
30 seconds, I could not place him.
So, I gently got up from the bed
and looked out through the
window. Still the environment
looked unfamiliar.
Quietly, I tried to make my way to
other parts of the house. When I
got to the sitting room, the place
was well arranged and beautifully
decorated. But what surprised me
were the pictures hanging on the
wall around the big television set.
There was a large framed
wedding picture of me and a
man, I presume to be the fellow
on the bed. “Who is this man? Is
he my husband? But how come I
don’t remember?” I asked myself.
In the picture we were both
smiling and looked so happy
together.
In another picture, we were with
three lovely children - all boys. We
looked good and happy as a
family. As I stood there admiring
the pictures, I heard footsteps, it
was the same man in the pictures.
He walked up to me and said,
“Sweetheart good morning. I
knew you were going to be up
very early today since it’s your
sister’s wedding. Don’t worry
about the boys; we will take care
of ourselves. You better go and
start getting dressed. We will
meet you at the church.” “Who
are you? You say my sister is
wedding today? Which of my
sisters are you talking about?” I
asked. “Is this a joke or what?
Franca of course,” he stressed.
“Darling, are you alright?” he
asked. Quickly, I said yes. “You
have been working too hard as of
late. Anyway, I thank God Franca’s
wedding is finally here so that you
can rest. You are so stressed up,”
he emphasised.
He held my hands and took me to
the bedroom. I knew something
was not right but I had to play
along to find out the truth. I took
my bath and dressed since it was
obvious I had arranged my
clothes and accessories on the
sofa the previous night but I
could not just remember
anything. The wedding card was
also beside my clutch purse so,
somehow, things were made a bit
easy for me.
On my way out, a boy of about six
years old rushed out and hugged
me. “Good morning mum. You’re
looking so beautiful. Daddy said
we will meet you at aunty Franca’s
wedding later,” he said. He asked
me how I was feeling since I
complained of headache before
going to bed the previous night. I
told him I felt better. He hugged
me and waved goodbye.
I drove straight to the church and,
luckily, I saw my siblings and
parents waiting outside the
church. They were all excited to
see me. “Sade, how are you? What
about your husband and the
boys?” My mother asked. “They
are fine. But mummy please when
did I get married?” I asked. “What
sort of stupid question are you
asking me Sade? You have been
married to Wale for seven years
and you people love each other so
much,” she revealed. “The truth
mummy is that I woke up this
morning and realised that I don’t
remember anybody in that
house,” I explained. My mother
told me I was probably sick with
fever. She promised that we
would talk later in the day when
the wedding was over.
I met my best friend, Helen, at the
wedding and many other friends
as well. At a point, I called Helen
and asked her when I got married
and if I truly have three children.
She affirmed. “Helen, I don’t
remember anything about
marrying Wale much less having
three children with him. What
about Sylvester my love?” I
enquired. “Sade Sylvester was so
devastated that you left him for
another man. However, he got
married about a year after you
were married to Wale,” she
revealed. She asked me what the
matter was. I told her I was very
convinced that Wale used charms
on me because I don’t recollect
marrying him.
I asked Helen how I met Wale and
she said that I did not tell her. All I
said was that, “I have met the
man of my dreams.”
After the whole event was over,
my mother told me she was tired.
She, however, promised that we
would see before the end of the
week. So, I went home with Wale
and the boys but I noticed that
Wale was a little tensed. When we
got home, Junior said to me,
“Mummy, why are you behaving
strange? You are too quiet today.
You don’t talk and play with us
like you used to.” “Junior, I am
sorry if you feel that way. Mummy
is just tired,” I said. I hugged and
kissed his cheek. He smiled and
said, “We love you mummy. Maybe
you should go and rest. I must
confess that my boys are all
handsome and active. Junior, my
first son, is six, Samuel is four and
Ola is two. Whenever I watch
them play I feel so happy that they
are my children.
Anyway, I went to the bedroom
and picked our wedding album in
the bed-room. I took it and
started looking through it. “God,
see me smiling all through the
ceremony, but why can’t I
remember anything?” I
murmured. I saw many faces I
could not even recognise but they
were laughing and chatting with
me in the pictures.
When Wale entered the room, he
could not look at me straight in
the face. I was wondering how
we met and why I married him
and dumped my love, Sylvester.
“Why will I dump Sylvester for
Wale? Something must be wrong
somewhere,” I told myself. “Wale,
what happened to me, because
everybody and everything in this
house look new and strange to
me. Please I need answers,” I
pleaded. “Sade, I don’t understand
what you are talking about. We
have lived together as husband
and wife for seven years and we
love each other dearly,” he
emphasised.
I needed quick answers, so I
called my parents that I was
coming over to the house. They
insisted that I should come with
Wale. When I told him about the
visit, he agreed to go with me.
When we got to my parents’
house, my mother called everyone
and pleaded that I repeat all I told
her at my sister’s wedding. I did.
“What seems to be the problem
Sade? This was the same young
man you brought to us seven
years ago despite being engaged
to Sylvester. You threatened that if
you don’t marry him you will kill
yourself. Today you are telling us
you don’t remember him? How
possible could that be?” My father
fumed. To convince me that I was
excited marrying Wale, they also
showed me our engagement and
wedding pictures. I also watched
our wedding video but all these
did not make any meaning to me.
They even showed me my
pictures and the children in
London and Dubai respectively
but it just didn’t click. “Sade, are
you really serious that you cannot
remember any of these?” Asked
my mother. “No, mother,” I
replied.
While we were there still trying to
figure out what could be the
problem, I had a flashback. “Yes,
yes, I now remember where I saw
this face (pointing at Wale) for the
first time,” I said. “I remember I
had a flat tyre on my way home
one evening and a young man
offered to help me change the
tyre. When he finished, I thanked
and gave him N500 for his help
and I drove off. Hmm … that was
years ago. I also remember that
yesterday evening when I was
clearing the wardrobe in the
bedroom and suddenly a small
calabash fell off from a corner. It
had some mixture in it that had a
foul smell. I just swept and
mopped the floor. I also
remember going to bed with a
terrible headache,” I revealed.
Everyone noticed that at this point
Wale was very uncomfortable on
his seat. “Wale, what calabash is
Sade talking about? What did you
do to my daughter?” My father
queried. “I don’t know what
calabash she is talking about,” he
explained. My father then
threatened to call in the police if
he finds out any foul play. He told
us to go home while he consults
with some people. “Take Sade
home while I consult with some
people. Wale, I hope your hands
are clean if not you will spend the
rest of your life in prison,” he
warned.
At this moment, Wale revealed he
had a confession. He said: “That
fateful day seven years ago, when
I met Sade, I was actually going
home from a native doctor’s place.
I have had a series of heartbreaks
and betrayals from women I love,
so I decided to visit the baba so
that he would give me love
portion. The love portion,
according to him, is to be used on
any woman I see and like. He
stressed that once I liked any
woman and I touched her, she
would automatically fall in love
with me. Fortunately, I saw that
she had a flat tyre and needed
help, I offered to help her.
Although, she gave me N500,
because I liked her person I made
sure my hands touched her when
she was giving me the money.
Immediately, she liked and fell
hopelessly in love with me. That
day, we also exchanged phone
numbers and home address. I am
not surprised she cannot
remember what happened in the
seven years we were together
because baba said the charm
would make the woman not to
remember people or happenings
from the day I touched her with
the charm. He said the charm
should be renewed every two
years but he warned that the day
the charm clears off her eyes, she
would remember only
happenings that took place within
8 -12 hours. I was supposed to
renew the charm last year, which
was the sixth year but I refused
because I had truly fallen in love
with Sade even if she did not
realise what was happening
around her. But since the
calabash fell and got broken, she
became free and came back to
her senses. I have truly come to
love Sade. However, I am sorry,”
he pleaded.
Everyone was shocked to their
bone marrow while I burst into
tears. He pleaded with everyone
to forgive him. My father told him
to go home while they determine
what should be done. I have been
at my parents place for some time
now but he keeps calling to
apologise. My parents insist that
they cannot make any decision for
me although my marriage to Wale
was not with clear eyes. However,
they promised to stand by me in
whatever my decision is.
I went home recently to pack
some of my belongings but when
I got there and saw my boys, all I
could do was to weep. Junior
walked up to me and said,
“Mummy, daddy said you are now
living in our grandparents’ house.
But, why? Why did you leave us?
Did daddy do anything wrong to
you? We have missed you, please
come back home to us.” “Junior,
my dear you will not understand
even if I explain to you until
tomorrow. But all I can tell you is
that, mummy needs some time
alone. Whatever happens, I want
you to know mummy loves you
and your brothers,” I said,
weeping. “But, can we visit you at
grandma’s house,” he asked. “Yes,
my dear. Tell daddy to bring you
anytime you feel like seeing me,” I
said. I hugged and told them to
be good boys. Wale stood at a
corner feeling guilty but I knew I
was not ready to see him as he
repulsed me.
I will not deny it that I love my
children and would not want to
stay apart from them but how do
I continue to live with such a man
as Wale who charmed me into
loving and marrying him? How
will they understand what their
father did to me at this their
tender age? I don’t even love him.
But do I continue to stay in the
marriage because I have children
with him? I need time so that I
can make the right decision. But,
will my own right decision be the
best for my children? He says he
has repented. What do I do?
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