SULEJA MY PLACE OF BIRTH
There was a song that I loved so much while growing up that says “…. wherever you go, east or West, north or south, do not forget your background …….”. I was born and bought up in Suleja, in the northern part of Nigeria in 80’s. The town has a population of less than ten thousand, so every family knows and interacts with each other. What a memorable childhood experience and a place to remember. Suleja was so important to me, because I had my basic education, met my best friends, and got through a political and religion crisis, met my husband.
I started my basic education, also known as elementary school, up the hill in the central area of Suleja. Mr. Musa was the math teacher. I remember walking almost one hour to school and back each day. The math teacher looked scary because he never seemed happy when coming to class, so that made me lose interest in math. However, there is a saying, never judge a book by its cover. When he realized that I had lost interest in math, he called me to his office and discussed the importance of math, in whatever career I would like to pursue in life. He told me the first thing to do in order to succeed is to love it. Then to set a goal to achieve. From that moment I changed my thoughts about Mr. Musa, and that section was the best. I still apply the method of loving and setting a goal to whatever I want to do because it has helped me a lot. For instance; taking Biology class now in college is very challenging because it’s my first time doing a science class, but when I remember the strategies of my elementary teacher, I quickly sit up and do what I must do to succeed.
After I graduated from elementary school, and moved to middle school, I met a very intelligent, adorable and a selfless young girl called Mary John, who became my best friend. We went to the farm together to get wood for cooking for our parents, because cooking gas was too expensive to afford. My friend and I always went to church down the street close to where she lived. I remember both of us went fishing at the river in the next neighborhood. We were always together, you could hardly see us apart. Moving on to high school we went to same school in the southern part of Suleja, where we became so close with each other, most people thought we were twins or sisters. Suddenly Mary’s father got a job at a nearby town, which caused all the family to be relocated from Suleja. I cried like a little child seeing my friend moving-out. Little did I know that leaving me that time would be the last time and moment we would share. A few months later, I was told that my sweet friend has passed on. She died of snake bite on her leg. I was so sad as at that moment. I had said bye to her when leaving. I began to remember all the nice times we both shared. Last year, when I traveled back home, I visited so many places to bring her memory back to me. I missed her a lot because she made my living in Suleja memorable.
Moving into high school, I also met with very kind young girl name Aina. We became friends and turn best friends later. We are still friends to date, we don’t see each other physically because of the distance between, but we talk mostly every day. We visited a lot of nice places, I could remember when we get off school, after doing the school homework, we would go to the moon light dance to see the dancing group. Because she was from a rich home and the only girl of her family, she was able to go have fun. I also remember the first time I ever visited a Zoo was with her, our parents paid the bill. After we graduated high school, we had a enough time to do girls talk. We spent most time together at my place for sleep over, so we could talk all night.The first time I ever boarded a plan was with her, when we visited the biggest city in Nigeria called Lagos. It was a dream come true. She made Suleja what living for me.
Meeting my love at a party that was held by some members of my church in Suleja, was one of the most important things that also happened while living over there. It was a love at first sight. But being the lady here, I waited for him to say it first that he was interested. Waiting for him to ask me out took him about four months. One day, I was at home napping, when he called me to join him at the restaurant. At first, I felt so sleepy and told him I couldn't and I would see him the next day, but he insisted I must join him. I still didn’t think he had any plans as of that moment. So, getting to the place I still didn’t feel anything special was going to happen rather than just eat as we always do. Getting inside the restaurant, I saw my friend, some members of my family and few of his friends. I was lost in thought now. Then, this gentle good looking young man was on his knee asking me to be his wife, I quickly said yes because I had waited for the day to come by. A year after we got married. Now we are blessed with three beautiful kids. Where and when we met is still fresh in my mind. We both can’t wait to go back to celebrate our fifteen-year anniversary.
I was about fifteen years of age, when two brothers born from a royal home started to fight for who the kingship belonged to. These brothers fought with everything they had. Due to the political influence they both had on their people, the crises began. This led to many killings, burning down of buildings and destroying cars. Suleja has always been known to be a very peaceful place to lot of people living or just visiting there. As a result of this, so many families that were friends with relocated to other cities, and many we never heard from again. During this period my mother could not do her business because no one could buy or sell at the market that time. Because we needed to eat, I would hawk the items on my head around the street to get little money for my mother to cook. Life was difficult then because people couldn’t do their daily activities. After the political differences were solved between the brothers, the place began to come back to shape. After the new king emerged, he became an enemy to religious groups, saying the Islamic groups should be on one side of the town and the Christians on the other part. My family and I could not go to church during this fight, but for the love and the unity between the people made the king to stop his intention concern the plan.
Finally, Suleja is an important place of my life, because it my home town. Even though my family does not come from there, but I was born and raised there. I would have still be living there, but my husband got a job at USA that made us all to relocate. I met my best friends that I admired so much before they moved and my other friend who still living there. I also found my husband there. This part of the world is a place I will always remember because my life now and who I am now started from Suleja.
