I dread going home because I am just not happy in the relationship. Her sharp tongue is a weapon of destruction, and she ensures she assaults me with it on a regular basis. She talks down on me and makes me feel little. She has refused to listen to words of counsel.

“Sir, that is part of the fraud against me. I have never eaten with any of them either with long or short spoons. They won’t share except with their mentioned friends.”

“Long time ke. It is beyond long time. The last time I saw you was when your aunt Iranlowo came along with you soon after your National Service to my office seeking employment for you. I was later told you left for Canada on a scholarship.”

“Plenty auntie. Where do I start? They said they had visited you last year for the first time after the death of your husband, but you did not cook for them like you used to do when your husband, my uncle was alive and you would spend a long time in the kitchen cooking them a variety of meals served with the best of wines and give them money and foodstuffs to take home.

With those statements, a dual social class system of students based on English language skills emerged. We referred to those who could speak and understand English as “Aso,” which loosely meant a sophisticated individual.

I have often asked what messages I would send to my younger self now that I am older and wiser. My conclusion is that there are many, but for the sake of this short write-up though, let me settle for 16.

From time to time, we make positive promises. However, we also make promises that are false, disingenuous, or pretentious due to factors that include intent to impress, mislead or misinform.

I see people screaming at me during a visit to a police station that I had deprived them of access to justice. But then, I am not a police officer, lawyer or judge

We spoke for about 15 minutes, and I went back to sleep. Then another call woke me up. It was a local number I did not recognize. I decided to answer the call because it could be someone in immigration distress.