i 
 

 

 

 
 

 



ii 
 

 

 

 

PAIN IN THE NECK 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ifeoma Odinye 
 

 

 

 

 

 



iii 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First printed in Nigeria by 

 

AMAKA DREAMS LTD 

106 Arthur Eze Avenue, 

Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. 

 

 

 

 

 

ISBN: 978-978-969-286-6    

  

 

Copyright © Ifeoma Odinye 2018 

 

Telephone: 08032617858 

 

 

 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be 

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in 

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, 

photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior 

permission of the copyright owner. 

 

 

 



iv 
 

Dedication 

 

To the girl-child who is a victim of molestation,  

sexual abuse and trafficking. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



v 
 

Acknowledgements 

 

My gratitude goes to God Almighty for His endless grace 

and mercy in my life throughout the period of writing this 

novel. May His name be praised forever. 

 

I am indebted to my lovely and caring husband, Dr. Sunny 

Ifeanyi Odinye for being a great motivator and educator 

during the period of depicting the experiences in this 

novel.  

 

I appreciate my lovely children, Ifeoma Blossom, Ifeanyi 

Noble and Ifesinachi Sunny whose sweet company 

provided a comfortable atmosphere where I wrote most of 

the chapters. Thanks to my lovely parents, Dr. Chukwuma 

and Mrs. Virginia Ezike for being the best parents ever. I 

am immensely grateful to them. I also appreciate my 

lovely siblings, Uchenna, Nnamdi, Adaobi and Echezona 

for their encouragement and support. 

 

My special thanks go to Prophet T.B Joshua for all his 

humanitarian services to the downtrodden people of the 

world. I appreciate him for changing lives, changing 

nations and changing the world. I appreciate Chimamanda 

Ngozi Adichie whose novel, Americanah provided 

contrastive language pattern rich in diasporic depiction of 

Beijing. 

 

I am grateful to all my editors and reviewers for their 

patience and dedication which in no small measure 

contributed to the success of this novel. Finally, I am 

responsible for any errors and mistakes in this work.  

 



vi 
 

CHAPTER ONE 

WHEN CONSCIENCE SPEAKS 

 

Adanna had never been a happy child. Her 

experiences on the road of life had been tortuous and 

heart-wringing. The trauma of her family background and 

past painful experiences had caused her untold depression. 

Her personal recollections as well as the events 

surrounding her life had taught her a bitter lesson in life. 

The Eve of her traditional wedding generated an 

atmosphere of confusion and anxiety. At the back of the 

huge building somewhere near the deserted small mud 

house, Ada stood gazing and listening as though she was 

being lectured by the silent wind. I noticed her cold 

attitude towards everyone that evening. The moment I 

arrived at her father’s compound that fateful day, I knew 

that something was wrong. Adanna was trapped and lost 

in her thoughts. She could barely notice voices high and 

low in swift joyous mood. She did not hear people jolting, 

shouting and discussing in loud voices. My friend, Ada 

was just nineteen but her experiences did not match her 

age at all.  

I had always been an inquisitive person. That 

indeed had given me different nicknames. I am unworried 

because I had been very sensitive to people’s plight. This 

was one big flaw that had put people off about me.  

          ‘My name is Chika, but my friends call me Amibo! 

This is a white truth! Yes, I know! I did not learn it at all. 

It is just a natural gift from above. Talking is my hobby 

and I enjoy it very well. It has saved me a lot of stress 

throughout my journey in China. That is my life and I 

cannot run away from myself. People always tell me, ‘you 



vii 
 

are beautiful, but you talk like a parrot.’ Sometimes, I am 

weighed down by this comment, but the fact remains that 

I am myself and cannot run away from being me’. Chika 

muttered, swinging her eyes from one side to the other. 

           ‘My mother has warned me about this several times 

but nature does not lie at all. Grace is what I need, that’s 

all! I have made many New Year’s resolutions but I still 

find myself back to square one! Is talking too much bad? 

Can’t people accept me the way I am? The fact remains 

that I don’t steal and I don’t fancy lies at all! My journey 

in life might be rough and crooked, but I guess there is still 

a good portion of humanity left in me! My only glaring 

weakness is ‘talking too much!’ Hummm mmm! People 

are indeed funny. Complaint here and there! My own is 

only to talk and talk! What can we say about young girls 

who snatch old women’s husbands, young girls’ 

boyfriends and fornicate as though sex is food? Which one 

is a lesser evil?’  

             This was the very question I asked my mother 

after one long night of advice on this particular issue. She 

simply held me tight with her two arms and said, ‘Chy, 

nwam, hei! Don’t say that again! Please, don’t try that at 

all. You are unique the way you are. You are a good child’, 

my mother muttered! 

            That was the very first time my mother appreciated 

my imperfection. She looked straight into my searching 

eyes, caressed my head with her motherly palms and said, 

           ‘Nwam, you are wonderfully made!’ 

   At that moment, I knew that my mother’s love for 

me was deeper than what I ever imagined. I used to think 

that my mother hated me more than my other siblings, 

because she would scold me, beat me and decline giving 

me money as a result of my talking habit. But that day, she 



viii 
 

revealed the deepest secret of her heart to me. She told me 

that talking too much was bad and could put someone into 

a big trouble.  

              My mother said something that shocked me to the 

bones. ‘You talk too much, yes I know, but you always 

said them just the way they happened! Talking too much 

has no medicine my dear, but you need to be very careful 

so that you wouldn’t put yourself in great danger!’ She 

said smiling broadly.  

              That was the candid advice my mother gave me 

that night. I was very happy and the respect I had for my 

mother deepened the more. That was the best advice I ever 

received in the world which taught me the best way of 

coping with my bad habit. I did all within my power to 

avoid talking too much. The more I tried, the more I failed.                             

**** 

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



ix 
 

CHAPTER TWO 

THERE’S BLINDNESS IN TRUTH 

 

           ‘Evil must not continue! The truth must be told and 

evil exposed! Ngozi must be exposed! I must do my part 

and leave the rest to God! God does not use spirits to 

reveal secrets, he sends his angels and these are people. 

Yes, I mean people like you and I! My friend must not be 

humiliated again! Enough is enough!’ Chika said moving 

towards the huge building.  

Ngozi had once threatened to ruin Adanna’s 

marriage. Chika knew that she would resort to cheap 

blackmail if nothing was done. She sounded very 

convincing the day she issued the threat. 

             A group of girls sat in front of the huge building 

chatting in their usual girlish manner. Ngozi sat in the 

middle busy with her black berry phone. She was silent. 

Unusually silent and calm! She only scrutinized the 

cheerful faces of the girls who were busy talking. She 

wished there was a way she could know what happened 

after her meeting with Emeka. She had envisaged 

problems, problems that would put an end to Ada’s 

marriage. Similing mischievously, Ngozi looked at 

Adanna. She thought, ‘this marriage must not happen! Not 

today! Not tomorrow! Never! Ashawo na Ashawo! Once 

Ashawo, always Ashawo!’  

              Ngozi felt an encroaching restlessness as she 

watched Adanna talking to an unknown caller. At first, she 

had enjoyed the company of the girls talking about 

Adanna’s suitor. But she soon became bored and worried, 

half listening and half present. I always had a peculiar 

discomfort about Ngozi’s presence in Adanna’s house. 



x 
 

Her facial expression and action said something about her 

hatred for Adanna. She slipped her phone into her bag and 

left the girls. She was indeed strangely angry about 

something. She hurried to the small mud house close to 

the low kitchen stool where Ada sat. 

             Ngozi looked at Adanna’s screwed-up face and 

asked, ‘what’s the matter? Why do you look so tensed and 

erratic?’ 

 ‘I’m shocked and so nervous now!’ Adanna said 

striding up the tight steps of the new building. As she 

entered the big building through the narrow backyard 

door, Ngozi reviewed her interaction with Emeka. She 

remembered how she had racked his brain to believe all 

her truth and lies. On that very day she spilled the venom 

of her bitterness, her room had no peculiar smell. In that 

hot afternoon, her room smelled of nothing, only neglect 

and frustration. Her face only showed a rare blend of 

jealousy and hatred as she stared at Ada’s mini picture on 

her phone. That afternoon, she did her best, the very best 

she could do to sow a seed! A seed of discord, endless 

discord! She took her phone and called Emeka.  

            ‘Marry Ada and regret later. Marriage is a lifelong 

journey ooo. If you want more explanations, come to my 

house!’ Ngozi shouted in a tone that startled Emeka and 

switched off her phone. 

         ‘What else could I have done? I told him lies and 

truth to sever their relationship. Ada made me kill my 

fiancé! I killed Nedu because of this useless girl!’ Ngozi 

muttered to herself.  

              She could still remember how Emeka’s eyes 

dropped like that of a hurt dog when he entered her room. 

His face resembled a rat its small head had been battered 

by hungry looking children.  



xi 
 

           ‘Where did you get this sudden news from, Ngo?’ 

Emeka asked.  

            ‘Or are you now doing what I hear some young 

ladies do to destroy their girlfriend’s personality? Ada is 

beautiful, stubborn and smart, but very descent. I’ll not let 

you insult and humiliate her.’ Emeka said automatically 

stunned by her silent gaze.  

           ‘What is this for? Eh? You have disorganized me 

now!’ Emeka’s eyes bulged. He moved forward and 

backward with his fingers clenched, as if to attack Ngozi 

and then stopped. 

            ‘Cool down’, Ngozi shouted.  

            ‘Don’t mention it, talk, talk, talk!’ Emeka shouted, 

grumbling bitterly. Ngozi stood up and adjusted her mini 

gown.   

            ‘Let’s sit down and talk if you don’t mind, I would 

like to make a few more frank comments about your girl. 

Who would want to marry an abused girl from childhood? 

Who would even want to be the husband of a loose 

woman? We are not sisters, we are just friends! We are not 

related by blood. I hate Adanna. I simply hate her! I am 

afraid, she is not your kind of woman’. Ngozi repeated, 

her voice rising, and tears filling up her eyes. 

               ‘I’m sorry Emeka, you can’t marry that hopeless 

girl,’ she said. 

        ‘What is the problem?’ Emeka asked, looking 

into her watery eyes. Why don’t you tell me what the 

problem is? From your impromptu performance now, I 

would rather say you are a good actress. That’s quite a 

strong allegation from a friend against a friend!’ Emeka 

shouted. 



xii 
 

     ‘But I am shocked that this would come from you. 

You know what’s going on in my mind?’ Emeka asked, 

‘Why don’t you tell me your story?’  

       Ngozi continued. ‘Adanna is an emblem of 

sexual exploitation and rejection. She is an orphan whose 

body has been battered by men’s hungry urge for sex. Her 

alluring beauty has been a web used in manipulating men. 

My fiancé was one of her victims! Yes, he was!’Ngozi 

shouted. 

      ‘Adanna was a victim of incestuous rape. She was 

continuously raped by her father at a very tender age. This 

ushered her into series of rape and sexual exploitation. In 

fact, she was a local and international prostitute. She slept 

with men for money! Yes, she did everything for money! 

She wanted it more than her life!’Ngozi said pouting her 

lips. 

              ‘I can’t believe that Adanna had slept with 

hundreds of men! I can’t believe we are here to discuss 

Adanna, the only girl that got my poor heart beating!’ 

Emeka lamented.  

              ‘Calm down my dear’, Ngozi said. ‘I am not here 

for you to lament over my friend’s betrayal. I am only here 

to save your life, your lineage and your future. I want my 

revenge! My mind will only relax when I have fully 

exposed her. She is an unrepentant prostitute without a 

living womb! She seduced my fiancé, slept with him and 

virtually everything in trousers! Adanna is an embodiment 

of disgrace. Tufiawa!’ 

                Emeka could sense anxiety in his muscles over 

this heart racking revelation. He wondered whether he had 

heard Ngozi correctly, or whether her bitter hatred for 

Adanna had made him dizzy. He guided his knees from 

right to left, flashed a glance at his sliver wristwatch, and 



xiii 
 

hissed. Emeka could never have imagined that such an 

austere young lady could be a prostitute.  

             ‘This is mere fiction! I‘m convinced that this is 

not true. It cannot be my Ada! No no no no!’ Emeka’s 

usual warmth had deserted him. He seemed tongue-tied, 

and unable to look into Ngozi’s eyes. He suddenly felt like 

fainting.  

              ‘Are you changing your mind?’ Ngozi 

interrupted tongue-in-cheek. 

                ‘Stop asking that nonsense question!’ Emeka 

sounded irritated and angry.  

          ‘This news is eating you, Emeka. Why are you so 

angry? Oh, well I forgot that Adanna is your sweetheart, 

your Tomatoe Jos, your Akwa nwa! Let’s go and eat. You 

need some food and drinks if you are feeling dizzy.’ Ngozi 

mumbled. 

            Emeka quietly walked to the entrance through the 

narrow passage full of his own thoughts. He climbed down 

the sloppy cemented stairs, entered his car and zoomed 

off. Everything had happened as planned. Ngozi alone 

knew what irritated Emeka. She lifted up her head from 

the test message she was reading, in the direction of the 

speeding car, wondering what would become of Emeka’s 

marriage plans with Adanna. Ngozi could sense the 

anxiety in her muscles as she pondered to understand 

Emeka’s reaction. Ngozi looked at Adanna’s picture on 

her phone, her oval-shaped face and pointed nose radiated 

a rear beauty that rekindled Ngozi’s anger.  

 An ominous air hung over her room for the rest of 

the day. She could not eat, or watch television. She felt 

visibly uneasy and couldn’t sleep a wink that night. 

   **** 

 



xiv 
 

CHAPTER THREE 

VOICES FROM WITHIN 

 

              As time passed without seeing Adanna coming 

back to the girls, I became very worried. What was 

keeping her away from the girls for so long? Apart from 

my anxiety over Ngozi’s questionable behaviour, I needed 

someone to talk to. Someone to reveal the dirty secret that 

burdened my heart. I felt a little weak and leaned against 

the cemented wall close to the mud house.  

Suddenly, Emeka, Adanna’s fiancé meandered 

through a group of guests in the compound, strode towards 

the mud house and demanded to know more about Ada. 

He was furiously angry and lacked the usual patience that 

he had been known for.  

‘Thanks for concealing evil! I’ve heard 

everything! Indeed, all females are mysterious, big and 

small. They are like a big ocean, deep and unfathomable!’ 

Emeka said confronting Chika. 

Chika stared at him for some minutes and then 

turned away. 

 ‘Don’t tell me that you are here just to confirm the 

malicious lies someone told you about your fiancée. She 

is just a victim of circumstances.’ Chika said irritatedly. 

 ‘Tell me what you know and save me the long 

sermon. I simply need the truth! Final!’Emeka shouted at 

her. 

 ‘It’s alright. Don’t worry, I will tell you,’ Chika 

said. You will hear all you seek to know and judge her by 

yourself. But remember what happened the day you came 

to the shop, that very day you proposed to her. She wanted 

to open up to you about her life but you declined. The love 



xv 
 

you had for her blinded you. You refused to allow her utter 

a word. All you wanted to hear was her ‘yes’, her formal 

acceptance of your marriage proposal. I will tell you what 

I know about Adanna, but that must start by narrating my 

own ordeal because our friendship started in a foreign 

land. Our path crossed in China, not Nigeria. You really 

need to be patient to make a good judgment.’ 

 ‘Ok, go on,’ Emeka snorted. 

 

                           **** 

Ada had often told me about her unlucky and 

unhappy life, especially her childhood experiences 

through adulthood. Many times, Ada had said to me, ‘life 

is cruel and people are wicked!’  

            I did not understand until I became submerged in 

the wickedness that nearly ruined my life. My dream of 

learning the Chinese language had become a mere illusion 

and my fate had become so twisted and wasted. The only 

option for me was to become a skilled apprentice in order 

to patch my broken life until God sent me a helper.  

Chika began to walk around the mud house, 

carefully avoiding the broken pieces of palm kernel that 

lay scattered on the ground. Her mind went back to her 

journey to China. She darted to the cemented wall and sat 

down on a half broken block. She was unable to take her 

mind off that journey. That experience at Beijing terminal 

created a lasting memory that triggered many bizarre 

memories. While narrating the story, Chika remembered 

all the times her mother had sat her down begging her not 

to bring disgrace to their family. That evening, before her 

departure to Lagos, her mother had told her to make a firm 

promise that she would concentrate on her studies and be 

as modest as she could be. 



xvi 
 

              ‘I want a promise from you,’ she said gazing 

deeply into Chika’s watery eyes. 

               ‘What promise Nnem?’ 

               ‘A promise to remain a good girl I raised you! A 

promise to face your studies squarely! A promise to avoid 

evil association and illegal activities!’  

It was the type of promise Chika expected. She 

held her mother’s right hand and gave her a soft kiss. She 

could not avoid her mother’s gaze as she waited for her to 

make the promise. 

                ‘I will make you proud! Nnem, I will make you 

proud!’ Chika said.  

                ‘I trust you, my daughter’, Mrs Ugah said.       

‘May the Lord lead you safely to China. May He guide 

and protect you! May you be a success in all areas of your 

life!’ 

                 ‘Amen!’ Chika shouted. But her voice had lost 

a force that usually accompanied her speeches. Again, 

Chika returned her attention to the Beijing Airport. She 

shut her eyes tightly and screamed bitterly. 

 

**** 

 

                 Chika fought back her tears as she wandered at 

the Beijing Airport terminal. People were streaming down 

the immigration section for the arrivals’ clearance and 

check-in. She seemed so confused and frustrated amidst 

the yellow and white skins. She could barely speak as a 

feeling of inferiority waved in her drumming heart. The 

piercing eyes of the Chinese travelers generated in her a 

feeling of hatred for her dark complexion. At that moment, 

she wished she was white skinned. 



xvii 
 

              ‘Zhe ge shi ni de toufa?’ (Is this your hair?) A 

cute young Chinese lady asked! As Chika tried to 

comprehend what she said, the young lady asked again. 

              ‘Shi zhen de haishi jiade?’(Is your hair real or 

artificial?) Touching her neatly braided long hair. At that 

moment, it dawned on Chika that she was different from 

the people around her and a totally confused stranger. She 

was thrown into a state of confusion since she could barely 

understand what the young lady said. 

             ‘Pardon? What did you say?’ Chika asked.  

             ‘Wo?’ (Me?) The young Chinese lady replied 

smiling broadly. Judging by her facial expression, Chika 

felt she was very polite and friendly. Stretching forth her 

right hand she said. 

               ‘I’m Chika from Nigeria’. What’s your name?’ 

              ‘Soly,soly,soly, buhaoyisi’ my engirish is nootu 

good !’(Sorry sorry sorry, my English is not good.) The 

young Chinese lady hurriedly replied drawing backwards 

as if she was being chased by someone. Chika was puzzled 

and rooted to the ground as she saw the young lady 

hurrying down to join a very long queue. She merely 

looked in utter confusion and surprise. 

              ‘What’s wrong with this yellow pawpaw? Why is 

she shying away from telling me her name? Oooooh! You 

sabi!’ Chika muttered in her Anambra accent as she 

carried her heavy bag to join the queue. 

             ‘Chei! Chei! Chei!’ China mara mma ooo! (China 

is beautiful ooo!)’ She glanced from one end of the 

terminal to the other. Her friend’s father had once told her 

that ‘China is undeveloped with the largest population and 

that everything in China is fake and very inferior!’ She 

was also told in Nigeria that ‘Chinese people are ugly, flat 

nosed, very short with big heads, short hands and legs.’ 



xviii 
 

Before coming to China, Chika had already painted in her 

mind the assumed picture of China and her citizens. To 

her utmost surprise, none of these descriptions matched 

with reality. All she could see were cute faces, very stylish 

and well-marbled buildings.  

The Beijing Airport building was very classy, 

magnificent and fully furnished with big TV screens on 

the marbled walls. Judging by the shiny floors, she would 

have sworn the airport was newly built by the Chinese 

government. Chika slowly walked down the big 

beautifully decorated high towered hall to join the line. 

She could hardly believe what she saw. Her mind raced 

back to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at 

Lagos, the old and scantly furnished two storied building, 

the noisy arena, the rush, and the clumsiness of the airport 

workers as people check in their luggage. Chika could not 

hide her sense of anger, shame and hatred for the poor 

state of her country. Once again, her thoughts were 

interrupted by the immigration officer. 

               ‘Please, may I help you?’ Chika turned 

immediately. She saw the young handsome Chinese 

smiling down at her.  

               ‘Oooooooh! No, noooooo! I was about joining 

the queue!’ Chika replied.  

                ‘Are you from which country?’ The handsome 

tall Chinese asked with a clear Asian accent.  

               ‘Nigeria’, she muttered.  

               ‘Nigelia?’ He repeated as if he was confused.  

‘You mean Africa?’ The young man asked. 

                  Chika told him that ‘Africa is a continent and 

not a country.’ He simply told her that they assumed all 

Africans were black in complexion, so they never 

bothered themselves about their different countries. 



xix 
 

               ‘Hao hao hao,okay la!’ (Okay!) The officer said 

nodding in affirmation.  

              ‘Are you a student?’ He asked. 

  ‘Yes, I am a new student. It is my first time in 

China’. Chika answered! 

                ‘Zhen de ma?’ (Really?) Huanying dao 

Zhongguo! (Welcome to China!) China is a very peaceful 

and beautiful place. Please enjoy your stay here.’ He said. 

The conversation was interrupted by another 

immigration officer who demanded to see Chika’s 

passport for verification. To her astonishment, Chika 

noticed that the female immigration officer could speak 

good English with no Asian accent. Her eyes reverted to 

the long column of officers attending to the passengers at 

the arrival section, their faces looked very cheerful and 

calm. They seemed to be enjoying their work unlike the 

Nigerian officers whose faces looked angry and tired.  

She noticed the officers were all young people 

approximately below the age of thirty-five. They were 

smartly dressed in their uniforms and had a charming look 

that swept Chika off her feet. She wondered why in 

Nigeria the case was different. There were many old 

people working in the airport. There were no rules 

concerning the airport dress code, the older workers wore 

Agbada while the younger ones wore uniforms half tucked 

in with little or no smartness.  

 ‘Your passport please’, the female officer cut in. 

As Chika stretched out her hand to present her passport, 

her lovely dark fingers brushed against the cute white 

skinned officer’s hand who gave her a warm smile.  

 ‘Have a happy and crime free stay in China’, the 

female officer added. 



xx 
 

               ‘Thanks!’ Chika replied heading towards the 

Exit passage             

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



xxi 
 

CHAPTER FOUR 

UNKNOWN JOURNEY 

 

                The Airport was a very huge one with different 

adjacent revolving doors and direction signs written in 

Chinese characters. Walking down the exit, Chika felt a 

pressure below her abdomen. She looked for the direction 

signs but could not read the written Chinese characters 

inscribed on the sign posts. She approached a middle aged 

female Chinese mopping the marbled floor. 

              ‘Please, where is the toilet? Chika asked. The 

woman looked at her and muttered something she could 

not comprehend while concentrating on her cleaning. She 

thought the Chinese woman didn’t hear her clearly. So she 

repeated her question.      

             ‘Please ma, could you show me the toilet? I am 

very pressed!’  

               The woman simply smiled back at her and said, 

‘ting bu dong!’ (I don’t understand). Chika was totally 

confused and frustrated that she nearly messed up her 

pant. As she stood there trying to guess what was written 

on the sign posts, she saw a dark complexioned man 

walking down the exit passage with a young Chinese man. 

She quickly ran to him and asked for the direction of the 

toilet, luckily for her the young man and his friend led her 

to the rest room and waited until she came out! When 

Chika came out, she was very surprised to see the dark 

complexioned man and his Chinese friend standing 

outside the public convenience. She looked at him and 

said in the usual Nigerian pidgin accent. 

           ‘Maka Chukwu! Bro, I for don die or even shit for 

my pant if u no save me oooo!’      



xxii 
 

            ‘I bu onye Igbo!’ (You are an Igbo person) The 

dark complexioned guy shouted in surprise!  

              ‘Nwanne m! Welcome to China’, he added.  

              ‘What’s your name?’ The young man asked. 

              ‘I’m Chika’, she replied. 

              ‘Okay! I’m Chinedu. You can call me Nedu boy. 

I am from Igbukwu town in Anambra State. This is my 

friend, Chang. He is from Guangzhou in Guangdong 

Province.’ 

            ‘Nice to meet you, Chang. Waooh! I am also from 

Anambra State, precisely Agulu’, Chika said.  

              ‘What brought you to China? Is this your first 

time here?’ Chinedu asked.  

               ‘Yes oooo! I have come to study Chinese 

Language in Beijing Foreign Studies University.’ 

                ‘Are you also a student?’Chika asked.  

                ‘No! I am a businessman. I do business in a city 

called Guangzhou. Can I have your phone number?’ 

Chinedu asked.  

             ‘Oh! I have two numbers. One is GLO and the 

other one is MTN. Which one do you want?’Chika asked.  

            Nedu looked at her and had a long stretched 

laugh…  

              ‘Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Ewo! Adanne, MTN and 

GLO no dey work here ooo! Na only China Sim card go 

work for China!’  

             ‘But they told us in Naija that MTN is everywhere 

u go’, Chika added.   

             ‘For China no bi so! Na China u dey ooo! Things 

dey different here ooo! So get prepared ooo!’ Nedu told 

her. He gave her his complimentary card and asked her to 

give him a call whenever she settled down. Shortly after 

that, he left with his Chinese friend to Check-in their 



xxiii 
 

luggage for their trip to Guangzhou. Chika was indeed 

very happy that she met someone from her country. She 

carefully put the card in her small Aba wallet and headed 

out to board a taxi to her destination. 

              She saw a long line of new cars parked at a 

section she assumed was the taxi stand. She would have 

mistaken them to be owned by private individuals if not 

for the inscription on the new cars written Taxi. Again, she 

looked at the long line of people as they entered the bus 

without any form of rush, fighting or pushing.  

             ‘Na waoooh! Which kind country bi this oooo？

See how people just dey relaxed, no rush rush, no pushing 

pushing, no talk talk! This one na China wonder! No bi 

American wonder again oooo! Ewoooh! No bi small tin 

oooh!’Chika muttered.  

            She saw a long queue of Chinese people waiting to 

board the taxi. Chika joined the queue and greeted them 

but none of them responded to her greetings. They simply 

looked at her from hair to toes. Their faces looked 

confused and their eyes searched her body in 

astonishment. She saw them pointing at her and saying, 

‘hei ren’ (black person). She was confused, ashamed and 

angry! The worst of it all was that she did not understand 

what they were saying. At that particular moment she 

thought of racism.  

            ‘Are these people racists? Why are they looking at 

me like that? What is wrong in being black?’ She 

murmured! She felt like disappearing and longed for her 

dear country Nigeria.  

            ‘Indeed, there is no place like home! Home is 

home, no matter what!’ She again muttered. A wave of 



xxiv 
 

inferiority engulfed her as she glanced from one yellow 

skinned Chinese to the other. 

             ‘Chei! This is a mass of great injustice to Africa! 

Look at their smooth yellowish skin, pointed noses, 

curved figures and slim bodies. I thought they said the 

Chinese are ugly, short, flat-nosed and shapeless! Nawa 

ooooooh! See their long dark hair! See ooo! They don’t 

have buttocks but their shapes and curves are indeed 

something else!’ 

             Her thoughts were interrupted by the taxi man 

who demanded for her destination.  

            ‘Ni qu nar?’ (What’s your destination?) The taxi 

man asked. Chika could hardly understand his statement. 

She told the man that she was going to Beijing Foreign 

Studies University but the man quickly said, ‘ting bu 

dong!’ (I don’t understand) and went for another Chinese 

passenger.  

Chika stood there lost, angry and frustrated. She 

tried speaking with some Chinese people at the taxi park 

but all shied away saying ‘ting bu dong’ (I don’t 

understand) in their usual Chinese manner while covering 

their mouths with their palms.  

              Chika stood there depressed and dejected. She 

wondered why they covered their mouths while answering 

her back.  

             ‘Could it be that I smell? No, it can’t be! I brushed 

my teeth, cleaned up and sprayed my perfume when I used 

the restroom. I smell fresh. What could be the problem?’ 

She contemplated. 

              ‘Hallo’, a voice cut in. ‘Where are you folooom?’ 

Stretching forth her hand to greet Chika.  

               Chika looked at her and wondered the type of 

person she was. Instead of asking for her name, she asked 



xxv 
 

for her country. At first, Chika was infuriated but on a 

second thought she replied. 

               ‘Nice to meet you! I’m Chika from Nigeria.’ 

What’s your name?’  

              ‘Callu me Wang! I am a student at Peking 

University. You are from Aflica?’ Wang asked.  

              ‘I’m from Africa but Africa is not a country. It is 

a continent for God’s sake!’ Chika added! She wondered 

why they referred to all black people from different 

countries as Africans as if Africa had become a country 

and not a continent. Chika was not in the mood for any 

conversation. Her greatest concern was to take a taxi to 

her destination.      

          ‘Please, I am a new student! I want to board a taxi 

to my new school but I’m not fluent in Chinese language’, 

Chika said.  

          ‘Whatu isee your new school?’ Wang asked. 

‘Beijing Foreign Studies University’, Chika answered.  

          ‘Okay la! Bei Wai’, the young Chinese shouted! She 

told Chika to enter the next available taxi and she spoke to 

the taxi driver in a language that sounded so funny and 

curly. 

           Wang waved at Chika and said, ‘Welicome tu 

China! Pye pye” (bye bye). Chika waved back at her and 

the noiseless taxi sped off the airport road. 

 

 

**** 

    

 

 

 



xxvi 
 

CHAPTER FIVE 

THIS WORLD IS DIFFERENT 

 

               Chika fought with her conscience. Her eyes 

searched the Beijing streets in amazement, and she could 

see high towered buildings on both sides of the road. She 

could barely hide her astonishment.  

            ‘Ewoooo oh! This na building abi na toy house?’ 

She exclaimed!  

            The roads were very wide and clean. The sides 

were beautified with colourful flowers and she could 

barely see people walking about in the street. She 

wondered what the problem was. Again, she glanced 

through her watch and shouted. 

           ‘What? 4am? This is impossible! Maybe something 

is wrong with my wristwatch. But I bought this watch just 

two days ago and it was okay.’ 

            Her eyes reverted to the time set in the taxi and it 

was eleven o’clock. She could not understand at that time 

but assumed that something was wrong with her 

wristwatch. Chika sat nervously at the edge of the car seat. 

Again, she glanced at her wristwatch and the time set in 

the taxi and hissed. She wondered why they had not 

reached their destination. Her heart was drumming and she 

could feel it. Just then, her stomach made a rumbling 

sound and she felt a very sharp pain at the center of her 

belly. Tension and fear gripped her. She felt some watery 

substance coming out of her anus. She tightened her anus 

and perched her buttocks at the edge of the taxi seat. She 

was clutching her stomach with both hands as if to prevent 

the liquid substance from passing through her anus. 



xxvii 
 

             ‘O God, please save me from this shame and 

humiliation! Why did I even eat those pilipili food they 

served us in the airplane? Why did I even allow my longer 

throat to put me in this piteous condition?’ Her memory 

again went back to when they were in the airplane. She 

could remember how she yearned to taste all the drinks 

and continental dishes served in the airplane which never 

satisfied her hunger. She could still hear the soft voice of 

the air hostess singing like a mosquito in her ears. 

             ‘Tea, coffee, juice, soft drinks, beer or water.     

Marched curry potatoes, beef rice, blended rice, fruit 

salad. Which one do you care for?’ The pretty Chinese 

hostess asked smiling politely.  

             ‘I want marched curry potatoes, fruit salad and 

juice, pleaseee!’ Chika replied.               

            ‘Ok, wait for a moment’, the hostess said. 

             The aroma of different types of dishes saturated 

the plane. The aroma was very inviting that she felt like 

emptying all the food in her stomach. She eagerly waited 

for the food and drinks to be served. She could see some 

white people in the first roll of the plane cabin munching 

and licking their lips. Again she salivated and felt like 

tearing the food away from them. Chika was terribly 

hungry to the extent that her stomach was rumbling and 

drumming like a huge drum. She had no supper before 

leaving her cousin’s house for the airport. She hurriedly 

moved into the busy streets of Lagos so that she would not 

miss her flight. She was so hungry but refused to buy food 

or drinks at the airport because she heard that things were 

expensive abroad. She kept the little money she had and 

went on hunger strike for hours. 

**** 

 



xxviii 
 

CHAPTER SIX 

NEWNESS IN UNCERTAINTY 

 

                  The journey to the university was very long 

and tiring. Chika sat at the back seat of the taxi angry and 

tired. A sense of sadness and frustration waved in her heart 

as a result of her twenty-one hours’ journey from Nigeria 

to China. She looked at the driver whose face never 

showed any emotion but yawned at internals. 

                 A strong garlic smell brushed Chika’s nose, 

causing her to squeeze her face and hold her breath. The 

driver continued to gape uncontrollably. Chika did not like 

the smell at all. She shifted her gaze to the window. She 

noticed that the streets were clean and the roads were very 

smooth with no potholes. There were no hawkers on the 

streets and high ways calling out for customers. 

Immediately, her memory reverted to high ways and 

streets in Nigeria where different groups of hawkers and 

beggars positioned themselves calling out to travelers in 

moving vehicles.  

               Again her thoughts were disrupted. She could 

see groups of yellow skinned people moving towards the 

same direction with umbrellas. She couldn’t understand 

why people were holding umbrellas under a very good 

weather. Chika also noticed the skimpy wears and short 

pants that revealed some parts of their bodies. She looked 

at the driver and he was wearing a light blue shirt. 

           ‘They said that obodo oyibo is cold and that people 

always wear jackets and rain coats to shield them from 

catching pneumonia. Ahaaaaaa! Why are these people 

wearing pants?’ Chika mumbled. 



xxix 
 

            She critically looked at herself and the heavy 

sweater she was wearing. Chika was neither cold nor hot. 

She hurriedly removed her sweater and folded it neatly 

into her big black ‘Ghana-must-go’ bag. Her attention was 

again disrupted by the sudden halting of the car in front of 

a huge gate. The statues of two giant lions boldly stood at 

both sides of the gate. Behind the statues, were the pillars 

and above them was the inscription written in bold letters 

Bei Wai (Beijing Foreign Studies University, China). 

Chika could see people trudging in and out of the gate. 

Some of them sipping juice and munching fruits while 

others chat in an unusual manner. The taxi driver said, 

‘women dao le!’(We have arrived) 

          Chika looked confused. But for the inscription on 

the entrance of the gate she would have believed the 

school was a king’s palace. 

          ‘How much is your money?’ Chika asked. The 

driver did not reply but pointed to the meter in the taxi. 

Chika’s eyes reverted to the meter which read hundred 

Yuan of Chinese currency. She hurriedly searched through 

her hand bag and brought out a hundred naira note. She 

quickly offered it to the driver who waved his hand and 

said. 

        ‘Bu bu bu! Bu yao!’(No no no. I don’t want)  

          'But, this is hundred naira! Please sir, take it! That’s 

what your meter reads.’ Chika said.  

   The driver brought out a neat reddish pink and 

white rectangular shaped paper and said, ‘dis one moni, 

moni, one hondreedi yuan! Givu mii, givu mii!’ he said 

angrily. 

Chika looked in confusion and replied, ‘see me see 

trouble ooo. I just gave you a hundred naira but you 

refused. What else do you want?’  



xxx 
 

            Turning away from the scene, Chika glanced at a 

group of people looking sheepishly towards their 

direction. A young light skinned lady in a lovely pink and 

white short gown walked up to them and began to talk to 

the driver. She had promised to give the driver the taxi 

fare. The young lady opened her wallet and brought out 

the same reddish pink and white rectangular shaped cut 

paper initially displayed by the driver. She handed it over 

to him as they talked in what sounded like Mandarin. With 

some efforts Chika controlled the aching urge to flare up. 

She kept her mouth shot and silently watched the driver 

enter his taxi and drove away. 

             All the same, Chika had learnt from her bitter 

foreign experience. She looked at the jostling crowd in 

front of the school gate and was overwhelmed by a strong 

wave of shame. She turned to the young lady who paid her 

taxi fare as she heaved a sigh of relief. She said gently, 

‘Hummm! Thanks for saving my face! I am very grateful. 

I gave the driver this hundred naira note from my country, 

he declined accepting it.’ Chika brought out the roughly 

folded money from her bag and showed the lady.  

            The lady’s face brightened. ‘Don’t trouble 

yourself! There’s no problem. I guess you are new here? 

My name is Jessica.’ The young lady said stretching her 

right hand towards Chika. 

            ‘I am Chika. This is my first time out of my 

country. Could you please direct me to the students’ 

registration building?’ 

            ‘Sure!’ The young lady replied leading the way. 

             The school environment seemed very strange to 

Chika. It was like a fairy world displayed on a television 

set. Nobody at the school looked like her. She saw some 

mixed colours of people who had long silky hair like the 



xxxi 
 

Chinese but none of them were as dark as her. Each of 

them gave her a broad look as she thrashed her way to the 

registration hall. 

            The walk to the New Students’ Registration Hall 

lasted a little over thirty minutes because of the vast 

landscape of the school. Huge buildings stood neatly at 

different corners. They were very intimidating buildings 

nicely decorated with transparent glass windows, brick 

blocks and porches. The lawns and flower gardens in front 

of these buildings were neatly cut and well maintained. 

The roads were broad and the path ways neatly marbled 

and carved. Students were seen going about their usual 

business. 

             ‘This is a beautiful place.’ Chika muttered to 

Jessica. 

            ‘Wait until you settle down’, she replied with a 

simple smile.  

            ‘China is a beautiful country and the Chinese 

people are very industrious and traditional. They are also 

kind and friendly.’ Jessica continued walking towards a 

giant building. 

            She entered the building and Chika followed her 

silently noting with admiration the Chinese flower pots, 

neatly curved panes and the sparkling stair case.  

         No description would have made it easy for Chika to 

locate the building-all the buildings in the school look 

alike. Their patterns were similar except for the 

inscriptions written in Mandarin Chinese character. 

            A lanky Chinese young man wearing what seemed 

like a Nigerian police uniform opened the glass door wide 

enough to let them in and at the same time muttering 

something that sounded awkward. 



xxxii 
 

            ‘Huanying!’ (You are welcome.) He said standing 

like a tree.  

           Chika thought that was even ridiculous, greeting 

without any display of emotion. The young man looked 

cute in his sky-blue shirt, black trousers and well-polished 

shoes. Some ideas were already springing up in her 

mind… Her thoughts were interrupted by Jessica who 

beckoned her to follow closely. 

            ‘Please pardon me,’ Chika said walking towards 

the lobby. Chika stood in the lobby of the huge building 

watching students file one by one in the hall. The sign 

above the counter read: ‘New Students Registration 

Office’. It was a Tuesday mid-day, supposedly the most 

tedious period for the office attendants. The line was long 

and filled with new students who probably had arrived as 

freshmen in the school. Their bags and other belongings 

were kept at one corner of the building. No one was 

smiling. They looked as if they had all come from a 

funeral. Their faces were squeezed and long that you could 

sense their frustration and disappointment. In fact, there 

was a horrible sense of sadness that overwhelmed the hall. 

             ‘Please come back at 2pm. We are on break!’ One 

of the office attendants said locking the main door leading 

to other offices. Jessica glanced at her watch and heaved a 

sigh of frustration. 

           ‘Sorry, the office is closed for now! It’s 12 noon 

sharp!’ She said. 

          ‘What do you mean? It’s just 12 noon and they are 

on break?’ Chika shouted a deep sign of disappointed 

written over her face. 

            ‘Yes! That’s the tradition here! Chinese people do 

things differently. They have their modus operandi. They 



xxxiii 
 

go to work at 7am, take a break from 12 noon to 2pm and 

then close at 6pm.’ Jessica explained. 

           There was a horrible sense of loneliness and 

sadness that enveloped the hall. Many of the students 

headed to different directions. Some of them walked out 

of the revolving door as if the whole world had collapsed 

on their shoulders. 

          Chika, irritatedly stomped around the huge 

building. Each minute that passed meant a lot to her. For 

several hours, she had not showered and had been without 

any good food. Her mind jumped from one thing to 

another. Chika stared in front of her for a second and 

stepped out of the building.  

         ‘Studying abroad is not an easy task’, Chika was 

thinking to herself. Her coming to China marked the 

beginning of a new life of struggle without her family or 

relatives. Jessica was surprised to see Chika behaving in 

that awkward manner. She felt like leaving Chika alone, 

but cautioned herself and strode towards her. 

 

 

                                    **** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



xxxiv 
 

CHAPTER SEVEN 

WHAT I NEVER KNEW 

 

             Chika had gone through stress to meet each of the 

requirements as a foreign student. Lying on her bed at the 

international students’ hostel Chika suppressed a yawn, 

stretching out her arms to hold back sleep. The journey 

had been very hectic for her. The twenty-one hours’ 

journey and the new students’ registration process had 

shortened her hours of sleep. There was a vacuum in her 

life, an absolute emptiness without family, friends and 

home. Chika liked the campus, the high towered buildings 

with marble-laced walls and the sophisticated 

environment adorned with flowers. She liked her room 

which was fully furnished like a hotel. She was lying down 

on the bed. Suddenly, she got up and stood looking out of 

the only window onto the surroundings. She gazed 

admiringly out of the window. Chika turned around and 

firmly tugged the robe of the thick white curtain to allow 

in the cool evening air. She picked up her Ghana-must-go 

bag from the floor and made for the wardrobe. She wanted 

to unpack before going out to eat dinner. 

             Chika was stopped by a loud knock on the door. 

She peeped through the small security opening and she 

saw, standing there in the door way, Jessica.  

  Jessica stood solidly by the doorway, with lowered 

eyes. Chika knew the reason for Jessica’s visit. She felt as 

if time was playing a fast game on her. She opened the 

door and Jessica walked in. 



xxxv 
 

Jessica gasped. ‘Are you ready?’ She asked. 

            ‘What? Gini?’ Chika asked in her usual Anambra 

accent. She looked angrily at Jessica. She wanted to 

unpack and rest yet there was that gnawing in her stomach 

that had become familiar. She was hungry and desperately 

wanted to quench it. 

             ‘You are not in Africa, come on let’s go for dinner 

before the school canteen closes. You can’t afford to eat 

outside the school. It’s quite expensive! Come on, be 

quick. Let’s go! Come on Chika, let’s go for our food.’ 

Jessica said. 

           Chika did not utter a word. It saddened her that she 

had not settled before Jessica arrived. She quickly grabbed 

her bag and her electronic room card on the bed and 

headed outside with Jessica. 

 

**** 

 

             The first time Chika went to the school canteen, 

she was really fascinated and intimidated by different 

shades of students who trooped in to have their dinner. 

Chika looked again at the jostling crowd in front of the 

food counters. ‘Can’t we exercise some patience? There 

are many people lined up for food’. She said again feeling 

so reluctant. 

             ‘We don’t have to stand there forever. Look, there 

are many counters over there! Come on.’ Jessica said 

pulling Chika by the hand.  



xxxvi 
 

             Chika stood watching and absorbing everything. 

And then and there was Pretty Wu, a tiny Chinese lady. 

Pretty Wu with her ancient look, her panda shaped eyes, 

short scanty hair and yellowish skin seated at the front 

table of the school canteen with a smile that suggested 

something.   She was so tiny and was wearing a brownish 

tight gown that made her buttock look like a flat board. 

She smiled often and constantly covered her mouth with 

her two palms. She looked so small and childlike that 

Chika could not ignore her. Chika, half smiled in 

sympathy followed Jessica to join a line of students. 

            It was indeed a tedious day. Chika had walked past 

students sprawled on the nicely carved wooden chairs in 

the canteen. Different types of food were displayed in 

glass covered containers below students’ canteen menu 

sign written in Chinese characters and English. Chika 

flinched when she saw a full fried toad-like creature in one 

of the containers. In that tensed still second she saw the 

toad-like creature, she flinched. 

            ‘What’s this?’ she asked Jessica. 

            ‘A toad or what?’ Chika asked again. 

    Jessica simply looked at her and smiled through the 

corners of her lips. She opened her small blue purse and 

brought out her student card. She then turned to Chika and 

said, ‘try the frogs, they are really delicious!’ 

             ‘Toads or frogs? Tufiakwa! We don’t eat toads in 

our country! They can be very poisonous!’ Chika replied 

with an air of indignation.  



xxxvii 
 

              A firm female voice from the school canteen 

counter, with a clear Chinese accent, asked, ‘whatu do 

youu want to eatii?’ 

             A silent sigh, like air, swept through Chika. She 

opened her mouth and tightened her lips. She pointed at 

the silver tray containing white rice and another one with 

red tomatoes stew. She raised her hand to the waitress 

indicating that she did not want any other food. Jessica 

ordered for some rice with chicken curry and some long 

uncut vegetables. She placed her card on a telephone-like 

device and paid the bill. Chika was puzzled by many 

things but she had learned not say too much to save herself 

from constant embarrassment. She silently followed 

Jessica to a table looking around, as though seeking for 

someone. 

          It took Chika and Jessica just five minutes to collect 

their food. The queue was long but the students were well 

mannered and organized unlike in most Nigerian 

universities were students continuously jumped the queue, 

fought and engaged in verbal attacks. In most cases, 

constant pushing and elbowing became a norm. 

             Chika grumbled as she ate the under-cooked rice 

and sugary stew. She abruptly stopped eating when the 

sugary taste became unbearable. 

               ‘Damn these people!’ She cried as she dropped 

the spoon on the table. 

              ‘What is this? Sweetened red stew? How could 

these people cook food with sugar? In Nigeria, this is not 

done at all! This country is funny. Sugar and tomatoes 



xxxviii 
 

kwa? Eeeh? They have terrible cooks here! Hummmmm!’ 

Chika said with disgust.   

           ‘It’s not the fault of the cooks. This is a special kind 

of food for most Chinese and other foreigners. You made 

a wrong choice here. Next time please tell me what you 

want so that I would help you choose your food. In China, 

we do not judge any food by looking at it, we always like 

asking the flavour and taste. I’m so sorry dear.’ Jessica put 

in. 

             Chika pushed her plate away and declared she was 

going to her room to eat the biscuits with a bottle of coke 

she bought from a mini supermarket in the campus. She 

stood up. Chika was about to leave when she was 

interrupted. A girl next to her, face well rounded and 

flushing pink-red, burst out pointing at her, ‘Hei ren!’ 

(Black person).  

           ‘Ni kan zhe ge hei ren!’ (See this black person) The 

girl said to her friends. 

           Chika looked at the ugly rounded-face Chinese girl 

to see how the word ‘hei’ got connected to her. Again, the 

girl unafraid pointed at Chika the third time a vague terror 

freezing her compressed facial features into a scornful-

smile. 

                  ‘Please do not get angry dear’, Jessica said. 

                  ‘They are my coursemates and they are 

puzzled seeing a black person as dark as you with long 

braided hair.’ Jessica pleaded with Chika. 

                 ‘Try and make friends with them in a spirit of 

true friendship. But make sure you remain friends with 



xxxix 
 

other Africans, as this would help you keep your ego 

high.’ Jessica muttered holding her Chinese chop-sticks in 

the air. 

             There was a pause. Chika looked deeply at 

Jessica.      

              ‘Is that all?’ Chika asked. 

             ‘What do you mean? Jessica asked 

              ‘What is hei ren? Chika asked. 

             ‘Black person or dark complexioned individual. 

But it is not derogatory dear. The thing is, each time 

Chinese people say the word, it hurts Africans’, Jessica 

said. 

 ‘They should stop identifying people with their 

colours. I mean, the word, ‘hei ren’ is derogatory. I think 

it’s insulting to spill it out.’ Chika said. 

               ‘I don’t think it’s always hurtful. I think it 

depends on the intention of the person saying the word. I 

don’t think they mean any harm. They are simply 

fascinated seeing a black person’, Jessica cut in. 

             Jessica and Chika were wrapped in a minute 

silence. Then a tiny ringing voice rose from one of the 

girls who clustered around the wooden table. She walked 

towards Chika touching her dark skin to ascertain the 

extent it had been covered with dirt. The other girls threw 

their heads back and roared with laughter. Tears clustered 

in their eyes leaving traces of wetness on their cheeks. 

They stopped laughing when they noticed that Jessica and 

Chika were staring angrily at them as if they had lost their 

minds.  



xl 
 

             ‘You are from Africa, right? She asked extending 

her right hand to Chika. 

             ‘Hi. I’m Mei. I’m from Xiamen city, an island city 

in the southeast China’s Fujian province.’ Mei had a 

peculiar comic air of a person who could amuse people 

while having a serious discussion. Chika was frowning 

and silent. She did not answer the question right away 

because she was very furious.  

            ‘Yes. I’m Chika. I am from Nigeria not Africa! 

Africa is a continent with many countries just like Asia.’ 

Chika replied with great difficulty. She dropped the 

ceramic spoon noisily on the plate and looked at Wang 

with narrowed eyes. She stared at her for want of what to 

say. She took a deep breath and said to Jessica, ‘I want to 

be alone. I’m heading straight to my room.’ 

             ‘No you are not going anywhere now.’ Please 

don’t be offended. You need to finish your food.’ Jessica 

pleaded. 

             Chika walked over to Jessica and placed her right 

hand on her left shoulder. 

                ‘I want to be alone,’ Chika said in a low voice. 

‘My head is buzzing and throbbing. I feel so dizzy and my 

body is seriously aching.’ 

               Chika withdrew her hand and adjusted her 

trousers. She took her purse, lifted her plates and headed 

to the washing sink. Chika knew that she was going to 

have a serious problem with the derogatory word. She felt 

so dejected, inferior and alone in the world. She left the 

school canteen and sat down close to a flower garden.         



xli 
 

After some minutes of pondering, Chika walked 

back to her room. She opened the door and sat on her bed. 

She was feeling so unhappy and it was very difficult to put 

her thoughts together. She went to the window and 

focused her gaze on the small artificial river in front of the 

hostel. She gazed at the river because she wanted to escape 

from her world. Again, Chika went back to her bed but 

found it difficult to sleep. The short encounter with those 

tiny Chinese girls had reminded her of racial 

discrimination, a common topic discussed in African 

literature. She hoped she would be able to cope with the 

humiliation that awaited her.  

It was unfair for those girls to point fingers at her 

calling her a black person. She gently placed her head on 

the white pillow and shut her eyes to forcefully usher sleep 

in. She however resolved not to be hard on herself. After 

all, she was all by herself here. Her friends and family 

were too far away to cheer her up. She had just arrived and 

a wave of inferiority complex and loneliness had 

overwhelmed her whole body. Chika remained on the bed. 

Her stomach fluttered. She couldn’t believe that the 

incident at the school canteen would make her so nervous. 

Again forces inside her took over, one telling her to remain 

calm and sleep. Another faint voice inside her was 

warning and spurring her to retaliate. She had been 

humiliated and intimidated by those students.  

Chika remembered many people telling her that 

Africans were not respected in foreign countries because 

they had been classified as third world people. The remark 



xlii 
 

by the girls had hurt her badly. The girls didn’t know the 

difference between someone’s natural complexion and 

being a dirty pig. In their thinking, ‘all Africans are dark 

complexioned because they were very poor and dirty.’ 

This was the story circulated by many Chinese grand-

parents who had no glimpse of what Africa looked like. 

Jessica was different because her father had African 

friends who patronized his business at Guangzhou. Jessica 

also had many African friends who had helped to improve 

her spoken English. She always had a soft spot for African 

students because they were free and very open, unlike the 

Chinese people who were more conservative.  

                Chika remained silent. She remembered her 

decision to make her mother proud. 

               ‘I must keep my ambition alive! I must not allow 

these yellow skinny Chinese girls to intimidate me and 

thwart my dreams.’ Chika said to herself. She had stopped 

thinking now and was gazing at the Chinese designs on 

the ceiling of her room when sleep snapped a shot on her.  

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



xliii 
 

CHAPTER EIGHT 

PAINTING BEIJING IN CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE’S 

WORDS 

              Beijing, in the summer, was very hot and humid. 

Chika liked the temperate and continental monsoon 

climate, the noiseless crowds and the sophisticated high 

towered buildings sequentially lined up on the clean 

streets. The quiet but foggy air that smelled more of green 

teas, garlic and ginger nauseated her and prevented her 

from taking deep breaths. Beijing had a peculiar strong 

scent of garlic. The streets smelled of garlic, and every 

corner smelled of garlic-ginger. She liked watching the 

locals especially the aged exercising their bodies outside 

the streets every morning. She liked the campus, the 

architectural modeled lion and dragon designs on the 

buildings and school gates that looked rather gothic. She 

liked the way everything was transformed linking the day 

to the night except for the darkened skies. She liked her 

new freedom, her life of affluent ease, someone whose 

study expenses had been taken care of by the Chinese 

government. 

             But she did not like that she was the only dark 

complexioned girl in the school- few black students had 

been seen in the school but they were so light-skinned and 

silky-haired that they could be called black Americans not 

minding their originality. The Chinese were so obsessed 

with America, so black Americans were as good as white, 

red and yellow Americans. No Chinese wanted dark 

complexioned babies. They believed that blackness 



xliv 
 

signaled two thing: poverty and dirtiness. Oftentimes, 

blackness was associated with foul odour which explained 

why some Chinese who covered their noses on meeting 

Chika expressed a deep sense of awe at the sweet Rasp 

Berry fragrance emanating from her body. The constant 

compliment on the sweet smell that accompanied her body 

had always been a major topic of conversation. 

             ‘Ni de xiangshui hen hao!’ (Your perfume smells 

good) They said. 

            Chika still wondered why black irritated most 

people. In Nigeria, most men wanted fair girls for 

marriage. Dark complexioned girls were always consoled 

by that common slogan, ‘black is beautiful!’ The craziness 

for fair complexion had so enriched many businessmen 

and caused various kinds of skin diseases to unsuspecting 

girls in a bid to look shinny. During Chika’s first month in 

Beijing, when she walked the streets, entered a bus or took 

the subway, she was struck by how mostly ugly Chinese 

ladies would point at her and would shout ‘hei ren’ (black 

person). They would gather around her giggling and 

touching her skin to check if she indeed coated herself 

with black paint or charcoal. She had not thought of them 

as ‘morons’ because that would be a bad judgment 

according to her friend, Jessica. So she always struggled 

to banish inferiority complex from her mind whenever a 

similar incident occurred.   

      

        Again, Chika faced another problem that troubled her 

so much. Her long braided hair had been a strong 



xlv 
 

attraction that fascinated many Chinese people. The 

braided hair now looked more like dreadlock or twine 

ropes. They would point at her and laugh. Others who had 

the boldness to confront her, would touch her braids 

pulling it to know if it was a wig. They reminded her of 

the story told about white men who first visited the 

African regions. On seeing those white people, Africans 

thought they were ghosts. That was the picture that was 

painted on Chika’s mind whenever a similar incident 

occurred. In fact, she was not angry but presumed they 

were naïve and uncivilized. 

      One day, a rude old woman in the supermarket outside 

the school – who was haggard, short and small- lipped had 

intended to offend her by shouting and following her 

around but had instead insulted herself. The old woman 

who consistently shouted ‘Feizhou Ren’ (African person) 

while following Chika was accosted by the security guards 

who ousted her out of the supermarket. That was the very 

first time Chika heard the word, ‘Feizhou’. That word kept 

her thinking for a very long time. She did not think of her 

hair most of the time, but constant embarrassments had 

pushed her to look for places where she would braid her 

hair. 

           She did not like that she had to travel so far to braid 

her hair. It was so unreasonable to expect a braiding salon 

in Beijing. There were few black people that had stubborn 

and hard hair like Chika. So the only option was to cut her 

hair or travel to Guangzhou city just like Chinedu said. 

She had never cut her hair as a young lady and would not 



xlvi 
 

do it now that she had many challenges. She wondered 

why there were a few black people in Beijing. She also 

wondered why many Africans settled in Guangzhou. She 

began to plan and dream, to travel to Guangzhou. But as 

the weeks passed, she knew she would never be sure.  

        China was strangely wrapped in gauze. Chika could 

not understand many things. She greatly missed her home. 

Sometimes she worried about the possible consequences 

of returning home without fulfilling her dream. 

           ‘Assuming I encounter a huge problem here or 

enter into trouble of any kind?’ Chika would mutter to 

herself, tongue-in-cheek. The idea of returning home 

without finishing her studies haunted her greatly. She 

started developing weak knees when she was only at the 

starting blocks of a reeling marathon. Her mother had 

cautioned her to avoid anything that could result in love 

relationships or cause troubles. Many thoughts had 

triggered off other brainwaves. Her choice of studying the 

Chinese language had begun as one such brainwave. 

Learning the language seemed an ideal avenue for 

assisting most Igbo rich people who patronized the 

Chinese people. She believed that her role as an interpreter 

would fetch her more money and eventually help her 

secure a good job. ‘China is becoming very powerful’, the 

mother would say to her back then in Nigeria. As usual, 

hope resurrected in her as she recalled her mother’s kind 

words and encouragement. Chika heaved a sigh. She was 

thinking of going back to the classroom to revise what had 

been taught. The first five weeks of stay in China had been 



xlvii 
 

tedious. Studying Chinese language seemed very difficult 

and demanding. Many hours of lecture with Chinese 

teachers who rarely spoke English weakened her more. 

She barely understood the words they pronounced while 

lecturing.  

At that time, she confessed that learning the 

language in Nigeria was easier and elementary. During her 

certificate classes at the Confucius Institute, Nnamdi 

Azikiwe University, Awka, learning was quite easy and 

fun. The Chinese teachers were liberal and lenient in every 

aspect. They were friendlier and cared less about the 

teaching hours and students’ attitudes. They never 

displayed an uncommon attitude of ‘mind your business’ 

or a stern look which overwhelmed the students with 

constant fear. All offices were always accessible at any 

time and students could easily enter any office of their 

choice to discuss or chat with the teachers. Beijing Foreign 

Studies University of China was quite different. The 

opposite was the case, teachers were serious minded and 

rarely had a serious chit-chat friendly conversation with 

the students. Chika had criticized many things and had 

consistently threatened herself until she began to take her 

studies seriously. 

          Constant revision and study would be better than 

nothing, she had reasoned. She was the only African in her 

class. All were Chinese students except for two students 

who came from Ukraine and India. Apart from her anxiety 

over her studies, Chika needed someone to talk to, 

someone to tell her that she would overcome her 



xlviii 
 

challenges and emerge victorious in the end. She had been 

thinking and wondering what her results would be like. 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



xlix 
 

CHAPTER NINE 

A DIFFERENT LIFE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD 

 

 

          Studying in China was not quite easy for Chika, 

classes were demanding and being dark complexioned 

made her situation worse. Everything was provided by the 

Chinese government, so she never worried over buying or 

borrowing textbooks during classes. She concentrated 

more on taking notes in the class and reading them later. 

Her new friend, Jiali, a thin young girl who always worked 

around with umbrella and avoided the sun, often saying ‘it 

affects my skin and eyes,’ would help Chika with her 

coursework and other issues related to her studies. 

 Jiali was a very timid person with unsophisticated 

look. Her quest for knowledge and great interest in 

learning the English language kept her glued to any 

foreigner. Jiali was not a difficult person, a childish young 

girl who was so naïve that Chika often thought her stupid. 

Jiali wore a constant mourning demeanour, her body 

language and facial expressions made others think less of 

her. She was dark-yellow complexioned and always talked 

low of herself which suggested something, a rural peasant 

background. She spoke English to a considerable extent, 

but her strong Chinese accent gave it a different tone that 

was rather funny. Jiali was intelligent but not smart. At 

first, Chika disliked her, responding to her was a very 

difficult task. Chika was cold to Jiali during her first week 

of study in the class, determined not to indulge in the 



l 
 

affairs of a peasant Chinese girl who looked rather less 

sophisticated. But she had come, with the passing weeks, 

to care for Jiali due to her challenges. 

 Chika thought often of her classes. After each 

lecture, she would leave the classroom in search of a 

peaceful spot to revise what had been taught. She 

constantly buried her face in her book to keep her ambition 

alive. Chika had suppressed the anger in her heart. She had 

decided to ignore the insolent look that greeted her every 

day. She was used to people pointing and looking at her. 

She needed to work out many things about her studies. She 

needed to come up with a new strategy. She also needed 

to study hard for good grades. 

Chika needed no one to tell her that she would find 

it difficult to make good grades. She kept thinking of the 

best way to help herself. 

 

**** 

 It was now fifty minutes after the first class which 

ended since 11am. Chika was in a garden, in a small 

garden near the school canteen. Jiali was with her. They 

were sitting on a long wooden carved chair, each full of 

her thoughts. Chika was trying to make sense of what had 

been taught in the class when Jiali interrupted.  

 ‘Look at this, Shika,’ she said.  

 ‘Look at this woman from Aflica,’ she said again 

pointing at the picture displayed on her phone. 



li 
 

 ‘She is so dark-skinned like you. This is very 

stunning! Do Aflicans paint themselves to be so dark 

complexioned? Why are you so dark?’ Jiali asked. 

Chika did not laugh. She was firm staring back when Jiali 

starred. She did it rather coldly and indifferently. 

‘Yes, she is,’ Chika said. ‘She is just as dark as me, 

only that she is skinny with projected forehead. We never 

created ourselves. God made us black and we are not 

complaining! Why are you worrying over it. That young 

woman is not from my country anyways. She is from 

Kenya. She is from Africa and not Aflica! Africa is a 

continent and not a country. We might have the same 

complexion but we are from different countries. It’s high 

time you stopped referring to Africa as a country! Africa 

is a continent, please!’ Chika said. 

 ‘Please Shika, don’t be offended. I don’t 

understand why all black people are called ‘Feizhou Ren’ 

(An African) in China,’ Jali said. 

  ‘The word, ‘Fei’ in the Chinese dictionary has 

negative meaning.’ Aflica … mmmm Africa is called 

‘Feizhou’! Is Aflica evil? Are the people evil? Please tell 

me’, Jiali asked almost pleading. 

 At first, Chika disliked Jiali’s questions, 

responding to what she thought was Jali’s disturbing 

questions became a difficult task. She was careful not to 

show Jiali that she was angry and disappointed. Suddenly, 

Chika put down her book, calmly walked past Jiali, 

leaving her behind without any comment.  

  



lii 
 

**** 

 

 Chika sat down on a black chair near her bed in the 

hostel and tried to figure out the possible way to answer 

Jali’s questions without showing her resentment. She 

needed her companionship. She needed her to remain her 

student-teacher. Chika smiled with satisfaction as she 

flipped through the pages of her notebook. It was very 

important to know much about China and to collect as 

much information as possible in order to cope with 

difficult situations. She was particularly happy that she did 

not overreact when Jiali interrupted her reading with 

bizarre questions. Chika would have felt bad going ahead 

to shun a girl who stood by her in difficult times. Jiali 

indeed had helped her to keep her sanity in situations 

much more complicated than the questions she asked.  

 ‘Studying in China must be a harrowing 

experience for many black people’, Chika muttered to 

herself. 

 ‘What can we do?’Chika asked despondently. 

  ‘We didn’t create ourselves! We are Africans. We 

cannot run away from our identity. We are mocked 

everywhere! We live everyday with a strong stench of 

stereotype which has weakened our self-worth. Chinese 

people can at least be reasonable in their acts. They should 

stop embarrassing black people by moping and pointing at 

them everywhere. I think they should be reoriented to 

change this unfair tradition.’ Chika said. 



liii 
 

 Chika assured herself that everything would be 

okay. She was greatly relieved that she had controlled her 

emotions at the nick of time. 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



liv 
 

CHAPTER TEN 

SOLITUDE IS MY COMPANION 

 

 Chika looked out of the window. She felt so lonely 

and homesick. There was a unique kind of solitude that 

crept into her life, a stark emptiness, without relatives and 

friends. She wondered what she knew about Chinedu apart 

from his name and that he lived in a city called Guangzhou 

and that he was a businessman.  

 Chika remained silent. She was thinking of the 

best way to wriggle out of the solitude that crippled her 

happiness in China. She assured herself that she would 

visit Chinedu in Guangzhou very soon. 

 ‘How could I visit a man I merely met at the 

airport?’Chika queried herself, pouting. She knew nothing 

about Chinedu except the one he had told her. She knew 

he must be very rich, but something about him intimidated 

and scared her leaving a big question mark in her tender 

heart. 

 ‘To tell the truth, I know nothing about this man. I 

don’t know the kind of business he does over there. As for 

the kind of business he does for which most Nigerian men 

are often associated with, I could not tell.’ Chika said. 

 Chinedu sounded genuine and convincing, but a 

faint voice inside Chika was giving her a stern warning. 

  

**** 

 



lv 
 

Chika pulled out her phone from her small black 

purse and then suddenly slipped it back with an air of 

frustration.  

‘I don’t know why Chinedu refused to call as he 

promised. I will go and see him wherever he is.’ Chika 

said. Her eyes melted and her face collapsed into despair. 

Chika watched a tiny black ant crawling on the 

silver window panes in front of her, perhaps wandering 

about in search of food or shelter. She was thinking deeply 

again. Life would be boring for her during the ‘Chinese 

Golden Week’. She would never be able to tour round 

Beijing now that Jessica and Jiali had gone home for the 

Chinese National Day. She would have travelled with Jiali 

or Jessica to their hometown but decided to stay behind 

after receiving a call from Chinedu. She went back to her 

bed and sat down, unable to take her mind off her 

thoughts. The strenuous classes she had affected her 

adversely that she needed to move to a different 

atmosphere for fresh air.  

She remembered vividly the day Jiali had spoken 

to her about the Chinese National Day. It was during her 

first month at Beijing Foreign Studies University, when 

she had many difficulties and struggles. Jiali would often 

stare at Chika like a young man who had suddenly lost the 

boldness to woo a young girl. Chika could remember how 

she looked her straight in the face and said in simple 

Mandarin (Chinese Language), ‘ni weishenma kan wo? 

(Why are you looking at me?)’ Chika asked.  



lvi 
 

‘Ni hen hei ! You look so dark! Why are you so 

dark complexioned?’ Jiali asked looking so astonished. 

Chika remembered her words to Jiali after receiving that 

thrilling question from her.  

‘I am not ashamed of my body and complexion. I 

am not responsible for the way I look,’ she had told Jiali.  

‘I don’t like worrying about things I can’t change 

or control. You and I were not given the opportunity to 

choose our countries or complexion. But I can choose not 

to let all these bother me!’ Chika said half serious, half 

smiling.  

Jiali looked her straight in the face feeling so sorry 

and said, ‘I am sorry for being rude but I must confess, 

you are beautiful, Shika. Please, may I be your friend?’ 

Chika accepted her friendship request but was only 

interested in classwork. Chika was very thirsty for 

knowledge, and so determined to understand her courses 

which were purely taught in Chinese. Jiali told Chika to 

come to her whenever she had problems. She also taught 

Chika how to use her phone to search for words in 

Chinese. Jiali came into Chika’s life when she was feeling 

low, when some Chinese people ridiculed and 

embarrassed her. She was indeed a good a companion in 

time of need. 

**** 

One moody afternoon, Chika visited Jiali in her 

small room in the Chinese hostel. She had tearfully begged 

Jiali to help her with one of her Chinese courses. Teacher 

Lui had told her that morning to ask Jiali for help as she 



lvii 
 

was his best student. It was comforting to see how Jiali 

accepted and helped Chika. It was during that visit that 

Jiali asked Chika to travel with her to Xiamen, her home 

town.  

Jiali felt that Chika was lonely. She wished she 

could help her live a relaxed life in China.  

‘I will be going home on the 30th of September to 

celebrate the Chinese National Day with my parents. I am 

the only child of my parents. I must visit them and enjoy 

a full one week with them. Do you care to go with me? 

They will be pleased to meet you?’ Jiali asked smiling 

broadly. 

‘What do you mean by Chinese National Day? 

When is it celebrated?’ Chika asked. 

Sitting on the brown wooden table, Jiali put an arm 

across Chika’s shoulder and said softly, ‘Chinese National 

Day is celebrated on October 1st every year to 

commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of 

China. On that very day, many activities are held 

nationwide. The seven-day holiday is marked from 

October 1st to 7th and it is called the ‘Golden Week’ by the 

Chinese. During this period, many Chinese people travel 

to stay with their loved ones.’ 

Jaili asked.‘Do you want to travel with me or visit 

the Tiananmen Square to witness the grand ceremony?’   

She continued. ‘Every 1st October, impressive 

military reviews had attracted people from both home and 

abroad who came to watch. There were other parades by 

other Chinese citizens who express their patriotic feelings. 



lviii 
 

The Military Review and Parade had been organized in 

small scale every five years and in large scale every ten 

years. This year’s parade is going to be a big one. Other 

activities like flag-raising ceremonies, dance and song 

shows, firework displays, painting and calligraphy 

exhibitions are also held to celebrate the National Day. If 

one loves shopping, National Day is a great time for many 

shopping malls to give huge discounts’, Jiali continued 

looking so excited. 

 

**** 

 

 As time passed without Chinedu visiting, Chika 

became worried. What was keeping him away for so long? 

Apart from her anxiety over Chinedu, she needed someone 

to talk to, somebody to help her wad off solitude. She 

herself would have to do something. She still had one 

more day to go before the 1st of October. She was thinking 

deeply and very pessimistic again. This one-week holiday 

would be so boring for her if Chinedu did not visit. And 

this would mean the end of her dream, the dream of 

touring round Beijing and Guangzhou.  

 The school environment was becoming unusually 

quiet. Chika looked from one corner to another. Some 

young Chinese men were staring at her, but they did not 

see a young girl who was sad and lonely. They saw a 

young black girl, whose complexion astonished everyone 

and left passersby turning 360 degrees to have a full 

glimpse. They all laughed, except Chika. She tried to hide 



lix 
 

her face by looking into the opposite direction. Yes, she 

was really sad and forlorn. Chika remained alone in the 

Foreign Students’ lounge, not until the holiday was over 

could she see students moving up and down. The hostel 

almost looked deserted and the environment wore an 

atmosphere of renewed solitude. She simply got up and 

headed back to her room. 

 Chika stopped lamenting over Chinedu’s absence 

and simply lumped herself on her bed and gave way to a 

glorious grief. Tears poured down her face like rain. She 

was all alone by herself wallowing in her moment of self-

pity when suddenly a knock was heard. She listened and 

peeped through the security hole on the door to feel safe 

and sure. It was difficult to see clearly the face of her 

visitor. The knock came again, but she ignored it, 

completely encapsulated as she was still deeply hurt by 

Nedu’s absence. Chinedu banged the door harder with so 

much force that Chika immediately became startled. 

 ‘Who is that? Who are you? What’s wrong with 

you?’Chika asked almost frightened. 

 ‘Nne, it’s me Chinedu! Don’t be afraid, come and 

open the door.’ Nedu replied, in a voice so soft that it was 

apparent it was meant for her ears alone. Chika recoiled 

on her bed and did not reply. 

 ‘Please darling, come open the door for me! 

Please, please please! Nedu pleaded.’ Chika mumbled her 

reply and got up, almost colliding with everything in her 

room to show her frustration. 



lx 
 

           What was the matter with her? Chika wondered. 

She was upset about Chinedu, that was clear, but she 

herself could not understand what it was that was making 

her restless. She grabbed the door handle mopping the 

tears from her face. 

 ‘Look, are you asleep?’Chinedu asked. ‘What’s 

wrong with you, Nne?’He repeated.  

 ‘Aren’t you expecting me? So what you are going 

to do is to stand there and stare at me right?’ Chinedu said 

almost disappointed. 

 ‘But how could you leave me alone without 

communicating your travel details? Chika asked almost 

crying.  

‘Sorry about my attitude.’ Chinedu said. Her 

stomach fluttered. She couldn’t believe that Chinedu was 

making her nervous. Perhaps it was his sudden appearance 

that caused her current state. Chinedu placed his right arm 

on Chika’s waist while apologizing for his behaviour. 

Chika was feeling so uneasy. She wriggled her way out 

from Nedu’s firm grip and sat on her bed. She tightened 

her legs and placed her pillow on her laps because her legs 

were behaving funny. She suddenly became too shy to 

look Chinedu in the face. A wave of timidity and 

inferiority overwhelmed her. Forces inside her struggled 

as she sat looking at him like someone who had been 

hypnotized. A very strange passion possessed her, a 

stimuli so powerful and alluring. She knew she liked him 

the very first day they met at the airport. He was very 

handsome, tall and dark complexioned. His straight nose, 



lxi 
 

well shaved beards, bushy eyebrows, pink lips and sexy 

fish-like eyes attracted Chika. His masculine perfume 

saturated the entire atmosphere leaving a feeling of 

passion which consumed her. She stealthily looked at 

Chinedu before moving to the direction of the window. 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



lxii 
 

CHAPTER   ELEVEN 

            NO PITY IN ROMANCE 

 

Chinedu stood at the door of the wardrobe, 

watching Chika prepare for the outing. He kept his eyes 

glued on her well curved buttocks as if daring it. Almost 

some months after they met in the airport, the same 

feelings still kept him yearning for Chika. 

‘Sorry for keeping you in the dark sweetheart’, 

Chinedu admitted. ‘I was only trying to give you a 

pleasant surprise.’ Chinedu said, his jutting Adam’s apple 

rising and falling as he spoke.  

Chika remained standing and silent. Her stomach 

was earnestly fluttering. She still couldn’t believe that 

Chinedu was making her so jittery. She was thinking of 

what to say. Her lips formed a smiley shape. Chinedu’s 

words had taken control of her vulnerable emotions. She 

seemed to have lost the skill in handling the situation. 

‘Don’t stand there like a tree,’ Chinedu said. 

‘Come to me! I really missed you!  I have been longing to 

see you for some months,’ Chinedu continued. ‘I came 

here only to see your beautiful face again. I knew you 

would be on holiday. So, I’m here to see you sweetheart.’ 

Chika stealthily looked Chinedu over. It was still 

very difficult for her to look people in the face. She went 

and sat on her bed, not because she was tired but because 

her emotions had taken control of her body. A feeling of 

timidity and love moved like current over her body. She 

wished Chinedu was not so handsome and alluring. She 



lxiii 
 

had a secret reason for wishing that. Forces inside her were 

gradually subdued by his mere presence. Her principles 

and girly ego were gradually waning. Unquenchable and 

uncontrollable stimuli engulfed her body and made her 

quiver. More like the emotions accompanying love at first 

sight kept her heart beating and pounding uncontrollably. 

‘I love you Chika! I simply do! I am damn serious 

and I mean it!’ Chinedu smiled and patted the back of his 

head. His head was nicely shaped and neatly carved. His 

fine face and clean appearance gave him the manly gaits 

of some American romantic actors that left Chika day-

dreaming as a young girl.  Chika got up from the bed and 

headed towards the window. She was not unprepared for 

his visit, but his sudden confession took everything from 

her. She had thought so much about him and had longed 

to be with him. For the past few days her heart had been 

grossly occupied with the thoughts of Chinedu’s visit. She 

still could not believe that he was in her room in flesh and 

blood. 

Again, Chika was struck by a feeling of insecurity. 

‘I hope this guy is not expecting me to respond without 

knowing him well.’ She said. She knew nothing about him 

and merely knew a little truth about his stay in China. She 

then summoned up courage and decided to ask him. 

Chinedu gently gazed at her and smiled at her 

question. He seemed to be very calm and always smiling. 

He moved to her direction, and said, ‘Chika, I’ll be so 

happy if you become the love of my life, my future, my 

wi…’ 



lxiv 
 

‘Who are you? And what do you do for a living in 

this country?’ Chika cut in refusing to display her 

emotions. 

‘I’m a businessman in Guangzhou! I have lived in 

that city for fifteen years, and I export goods to different 

countries.’ 

‘What exactly do you export? Chika asked’  

‘I’m into male and female wears, furniture, 

jewelry and money exchange. In fact, I’m into any 

business that can yield profit,’ Chinedu said clenching his 

fingers. 

‘I will take you to my factory and warehouses in 

Guangzhou to see for yourself dear. Tomorrow, we will 

travel to Guangzhou to spend the rest of the holiday there. 

I have many Chinese friends over there. It is my second 

home sweetheart! I tell you, there is nothing to fear! I 

simply love you. Yes, I do!’  

 Chika knew nothing about Guangzhou and China 

but she knew that Chinedu must be very rich if he had 

business scattered everywhere in China. 

 ‘We have wasted too much time already,’ she 

heard Chinedu mutter to her. He was worried about her 

emotions. The more they stayed indoors, the more their 

discussion, especially his business experiences would 

open more avenues for distrust and inherent conflicts. 

Chika stooped and, lifting her white laced shoes, sat on the 

bed and placed her right foot on a small stool.  

‘Can I help?’ He asked with a gentle voice bending 

towards her. While Chinedu was helping Chika with the 

shoes, he caught her admiring him from the left side of his 

eyes. It pleased him greatly to see that pleasant and radiant 

look on her face. She stared at him and he returned her 

gaze romantically. 



lxv 
 

After a long silence, Chinedu said, ‘Chy, I love 

you so much. The feeling is so strong and I mean it! He 

held Chika’s small face and kissed her full lips with 

indescribable passion. 

Chika responded with earnest hunger and passion. 

 

 

**** 

Chika mumbled something and stumbled out, colliding 

with almost everything and everybody on her way. What 

was the matter with her? Chinedu wondered. She was 

indeed nervous about something, that was very clear, but 

Chinedu could not identify what it was that was making 

her so nervous. 

 Chika lumped herself at the foot of the staircase of 

her hostel, to give way to her emotions. Tears poured 

down in torrents. And she did not care about anything 

anymore. Chinedu was standing behind her, but she 

completely ignored him and yielded more to her emotions. 

She had lost her moral stance in a short time and could not 

withstand losing herself to a man she barely knew. Her 

mother’s stern warnings were literally lost to her. She was 

so deeply engrossed with passion that it was difficult to 

remember anything. She was too young and inexperienced 

to control her emotions. As a girl, and the only daughter 

of her mother, she had never been allowed to do what she 

liked, and anyway she was too young to be left with 

making decisions on her own. Her mother was friendly but 

well principled, if she were told her experience on the 

phone would surely have high blood pressure and die. It 

was so clear to Chika that she needed to grow up and face 

life courageously. She sat there, dry-eyed now, starring 

hard into the atmosphere without actually seeing anything. 



lxvi 
 

She was silent and completely absorbed in her own 

troubled thoughts. 

 ‘Chika, I think we need to go back to your room. 

You need to be stable before we go out!’ Chinedu said 

softly almost whispering. She looked up in the direction 

of the voice to see Chinedu standing behind her, a 

disturbed expression on his face. 

 ‘You wanted me to come and here I am! Why 

should you be disturbed by what happened between us? 

You know as well as I do that we feel something for each 

other! I love you deeply and nothing will ever change 

that!’ Chinedu assured her. Chika could say nothing to 

explain herself. She merely gazed at him there, standing 

tall and very handsome. His fish-like eyes piercing 

lovingly into her eyes melted the hardness that was 

beginning to form in her heart. Chika remained silent. She 

was learning a few things from Chinedu’s words. His 

words were quite consoling and blunt.  

 ‘Please, Chika,’ Chinedu said, his voice very soft 

and almost pleading, don’t do this to yourself. Don’t 

crucify yourself because of nothing. I love you, more than 

I’ve loved any lady before. I will make you happy, 

sweetheart. I bet you will never regret it dear!’ 

 Chika wondered what her mother would say about 

her sudden relationship. She had never lied to her or hid 

things from her. She felt her mother’s presence every. She 

remembered her mother’s advice, ‘nothing is secret that 

shall not be made manifest, neither anything hidden that 

shall not be known and exposed.’ Chika was very tired, 

physically, emotionally and mentally. She needed some 

time to settle her feelings. 

 ‘What was the matter with you dear?’ Chinedu 

asked again, this time sounding more romantic. 



lxvii 
 

Something in his voice made her look up once again as 

they stride the staircase. How could she explain that she 

had offended her mother by not yielding to her advice? 

How could she tell him that she needed to be careful so 

that her studies would not be marred by any eventuality? 

She took refuge in her occasional sobbing once more and 

remained silent. 

‘Do you want me to go?’ He asked. 

Chika turned to him and suddenly shook her head. 

She did not want him to return to Guangzhou without her. 

But should she tell him that ever since the first time she 

had met him at the airport she had not stopped thinking of 

him. She had always pictured him in her mind, feeling so 

excited at the sound of his voice whenever he called and 

longing to see him soon. How could she tell him that she 

needed him, that she was lonely and the only dark skinned 

student in her class? How could she tell him the 

humiliation she had suffered here as a dark complexioned 

student and many bizarre questions that made her feel less 

human? Her eyes mirrored her thoughts and she felt like 

sobbing again. She wrapped her hand on his waist and 

buried her face on his chest. He raised her head and 

searched her upturned eyes, noticing their redness, the 

pain in them and the tears springing up. 

‘What’s wrong? Why are you so unhappy? Why 

do you cry so much about nothing? My presence is 

supposed to bring you joy, but the opposite is now the 

case. From now, I will make sure that you only shade tears 

out of happiness, not pain or sadness.’ Chinedu promised. 

He held her closer, not caring whether her breasts 

were pressed tightly on his chest. He wanted her more than 

anything. She was all that mattered to him now. As he held 

her to his broad chest, her body shook, from fear and from 



lxviii 
 

some feelings which she could not explain. Chinedu gave 

her a stroke and dipped his nose into her natural hair which 

smelt of Rapse Berry fragrance. 

‘You smell good.’ Nedu said. 

‘Thanks.’ Her reply was more of a whisper. 

He slowly ran his long fingers over her back. She 

told him that she felt funny. She could feel her heart 

pounding and beating very fast. He placed his palms on 

his cheeks, raised her chin and kissed her thick lips 

passionately. She allowed him to take over. He seemed 

more experienced, gentle and so caring. Her fear was 

slowly giving way to new sensation filled with passion and 

joy, especially as she noticed that Chinedu called her 

‘Nwunye’, meaning ‘my wife’. She did not mind 

becoming his wife. She would like to marry a man like 

Chinedu. If only he was good as he displayed. There was 

nothing for her to do but to relax in his arms and cherish 

the moment. 

 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



lxix 
 

CHAPTER TWELVE 

LIFE IS A DREAM OF MANY YEARNINGS 

 

Chika lay on her bed and drifted into a fitful sleep. 

Her mind was still unsettled and gloomy by her sudden 

outburst of emotion. She had never been so close to a man. 

She had never been kissed deeply by a man except the 

occasional childhood romantic displays exhibited by some 

of the boys who lived in their former yard at Awka. She 

felt so sad and moody. She pretended to be strong but 

human conscience always had a way of haunting 

somebody who had erred. 

Chinedu had ordered some food and bought her 

everything she needed for the evening. He patiently waited 

for her to wake up. He sat beside her on the bed and put 

his arm around her. He caressed her bosom touching her 

soft but firm breasts with the tips of his right fingers. 

Chika could not resist but felt her body going funny. She 

was afraid of Chinedu who took her right palm and placed 

it in-between his thighs, which was hardening and 

thrusting forward like a medium sized cucumber placed 

horizontally on the table. She saw his eyes clouding, and 

knew that he was already emotionally drowned with 

passion. He held her tightly and asked her what she 

thought they should do. 

‘Tell me, do you truly love me?’ Chinedu asked, 

his voice very faint and whispery. 

His soft hand fondled her more in a desperate 

manner. She gave a subdued cry, and held him tightly. His 



lxx 
 

softness and alluring nature had completely overpowered 

her after last night’s emotional outburst. 

She placed her little finger on his pink lips, not 

knowing where the boldness suddenly came from. She 

was indeed growing into a young woman. 

‘Shsssssssh! I love you deeply more than…I love 

you! I simply love you, Nedu! I don’t even know any man. 

There is no other person for me in this world, Nedu. You 

are my first boyfriend and I wish you will become my 

last….My future hubby!’ 

Chinedu did not know what else to do. He carried 

her gently and started kissing her like white people do in 

most of their romantic films. Chika knew that she was 

almost close to the love affair reenacted in the famous 

Titanic movie. She knew that she was supposed to enjoy 

every bit of that experience but was too scarred not to 

allow him consume the forbidden fruit. 

‘You will be mine always!’ Nedu whispered into 

her ear, his voice so coarse and heavy that she could swear 

it was from another man. She was worried about what 

might happen next, so she pulled her mouth, telling him 

that she was very famished and would like to eat. It would 

be rude to push him away, so she deliberately fabricated 

the story of not being able to eat the Chinese food in order 

to deceive him and bring down his rising emotion. She 

desperately wanted to leave the room to avoid building up 

emotions. She felt that they were moving too fast and 

needed to take things slowly. 



lxxi 
 

‘Could we go out for dinner?’ Chika said with her 

eyes lowered. She did not dare look up. Chinedu might see 

the passion that still lurked in her eyes. So many things 

had happened to her in just a few hours, so many 

emotional displays which she did not understand. From 

her childhood, her mother, aunts and uncles had drummed 

into her ears that the only honourable path for any young 

lady was to abstain from illicit sexual relationships. This 

advice struck her like a thunder and had greatly influenced 

her perception about men and relationship. 

It offered a ray of hope to Chika when Chinedu 

agreed to take her out for dinner. 

‘That’s very reasonable.’ Chika thought. She was 

indeed emotionally relieved of her fears. She needed some 

space and time to search her emotions and come out clean 

in her decisions. 

**** 

 

In the taxi, Chika wondered just how she would 

persuade Chinedu to book a hotel for the night. Her head 

was aching and she never wanted him to claim her fully. 

To her, sleeping together in her room could result to more 

romantic emotional outburst.  

‘How would he react to her suggestion?’Chika 

spoke slowly, as if she was weighing each word. She 

stared in front of her for some seconds and asked. 

‘Which hotel dear?’  

‘Beijing Friendship Hotel, sweetheart. It is only 

1.0 miles from Beijing Foreign Studies University. I chose 



lxxii 
 

this hotel to seal our friendship and love.’ Chinedu pointed 

out. 

‘Oooohhh, I see!’ Chika said. 

‘I don’t know this city well. So you must take me 

round to have a glimpse, right?’ 

‘Don’t worry, Chy. I will definitely take you to 

spotty places.’ Chinedu moved towards Chika, gripped 

her shoulder gently as though to embrace her. The taxi had 

just stopped at a building with very sophisticated designs. 

Chika stared out of the window, half listening thinking 

how beautiful the building was; the entrance gate 

artistically decorated with colourful flowers. 

‘Here we are’, Chinedu said. 

‘Hummm! This place is pretty good’, Chika said 

alighting from the taxi. She imagined spending her night 

here with him. Her stomach fluttered again and sent a 

sensation down her spine. 

‘This is not good. I must not be foolish to succumb 

so easily.’ Chika muttered to herself, her tone pacifying 

and sad. She climbed out of the taxi which packed in front 

of the building. The security man was staring at her, eyes 

narrowed. The young man looked cowed and confused. 

He was so surprised to see dark complexioned people in a 

hotel mainly populated by Americans who actually came 

to take a virtual tour of Beijing. 

Beijing Friendship Hotel was located at No. 1 

Zhongguancun South Main Street, Haidian District. It was 

a classical Chinese garden type hotel built a few decades 

ago. The main buildings and grounds around the hotel 



lxxiii 
 

were quite impressive. The complex had dining options as 

a result of the huge number of international guests staying 

in the hotel. The hotel site also had an American style 

Fridays Restaurant with special delicacies and no local 

beer. Chika was resigned to the fact that things would be 

different that night, but had not bargained for anything 

more than the emotional twist that almost carried her 

away. 

As they entered the building, people looked up 

from whatever they were doing. There was a concerned 

expression on Chika’s face as she glanced from one 

onlooker to the other. She was not just that fussed about 

people looking at them, but was worried about the motive 

behind their bizarre attitude. Suddenly, Chika realized that 

Chinedu was talking to her. 

‘Dear, are you so shy that you cannot move 

again?’Chinedu asked. 

After a moment’s hesitation, Chika mumbled to 

herself: ‘Mba oooo! (Not at all)’  

Chinedu looked at her appealingly, then quickly 

starred at the receptionist who motioned to them to come 

forward. Chika was aware that they were now being 

watched by people as they were surrounded by human 

silence. Chinedu exhibited no signs of being conscious of 

the onlookers’ scrutiny. He was waiting to book a room. 

All he wanted to do was to take her away to the hotel room 

where they would see no one. He realized that his fantasies 

were drifting his mind when Chika said something. 



lxxiv 
 

‘People are staring at us, Chinedu,’ she mumbled 

rather fussed. The receptionist was very nice and friendly. 

She spoke good English and displayed a considerable 

knowledge of the African environments. 

It was a comfortable hotel within easy reach of the 

metro. They were quickly checked into room 237 in 

building No 1, the main building of the hotel. The room 

was a little small, being a standard size room, compared to 

other hotels Chinedu had stayed in Shanghai, Xiamen, 

Guangzhou, Jiande and Hangzhou. However, the room 

looked tranquil and comfortable.  There was a large 

double bed, small flat TV, desk, coffee and tea facilities, 

reasonable bedside reading lights and plenty of storage 

spaces. The bathroom was a little cramped with WC, bath 

and shower combined. It also had a sliding door. There 

was an opaque glass window between the bathroom and 

the main room. The only problem was that there was no 

constructed rail to hang towels, sponge or washed panties. 

 Chinedu booked the hotel for two nights. The 

main buildings and grounds around the hotel were quite 

impressive. However, the rooms were 5 stars at best and a 

little sophisticated. The hotel had dining options, although 

it had huge number of international guests. The food was 

plentiful in quantity with variety of options available.  

The American style Fridays restaurant, an outdoor 

site located at the hotel had a summer promotion which 

ran from May to October. Chika and Chinedu were 

informed about the restaurant by the hostess who briefed 

them about the promotion. The outdoor area displayed 



lxxv 
 

different types of food and beer stalls. They ate heavily, 

drank and enjoyed sitting out with some friendly locals 

who bombarded them with funny questions about their 

love affairs and country. 

**** 

  

The emotion that grazed Chinedu’s body startled 

her. The sudden effect of the local beers consumed in the 

restaurant, in fact without apparent warnings left them 

tipsy. While heading back to their room, they were slightly 

drunk, almost staggering as a result of the drinks. 

Chinedu’s action was telling her that she could never 

escape this night without the day witnessing a special 

romantic bond. She was indeed trapped in the intricate 

web of her emotions and her staggering body. Her fuddled 

body and mind synchronized to ignite the fire in her. They 

were indeed excited and cheerful. She could hear 

Chinedu’s voice murmuring in rhythmic tune. She could 

barely understand the melody, but only succumbed to its 

lyrics which sounded good. Her heart ached and tears 

began to well up in her eyes because she felt that this time, 

she would be trapped into an act that would have an 

everlasting impact on her life. 

Her mind yearned for Chinedu, and so did her 

body. She deeply loved him in her heart, and knew quite 

well that her love was not as a result of infatuation. She 

opened her mind, body and soul to claim the emotions that 

had been lurking at the corner. Clenching and 

unclenching, they became exhausted, and drifted away. 



lxxvi 
 

 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



lxxvii 
 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN 

THERE’S NO SWEETNESS IN GUILT 

 

What appealed to Chinedu more was the gentle 

helplessness about her. Chika was beautiful, in fact her 

innocence and chastity made her more attractive. She slept 

so peacefully on the blood stained bedspread that Chinedu 

could do nothing but only admired her. What puzzled him 

most was that she had all along displayed her emotions 

without telling him that she was a virgin. He again studied 

her and wondered whether she was crying and at the same 

time sleeping. He knew that she would be emotional when 

she finally woke up from slumber. The guilt that she had 

been deflowered would hang on her neck like an albatross. 

It was with a sense of heaviness and drowsiness 

that Chika woke up that morning. Without any facial 

expression, she dragged herself to the bathroom. The 

bitterness Chika was feeling had gone beyond tears. She 

remained unusually silent. She had heard people say that 

one’s mother was one’s best friend and could not deceive 

her in making decisions. She felted so ashamed of herself 

for throwing away her mother’s advice so cheaply on the 

mud. After the shower, she felt light and better for she 

needed to clean up the mess from yesterday’s emotional 

jamboree. She indeed looked helpless and moody. 

Chinedu could feel her heart beating fast. She had stopped 

humming a song, and her eyes were busy probing his. 



lxxviii 
 

‘Good morning Angel! Hope you slept well?’ He 

asked trying to free himself from the guilt that 

overwhelmed him. 

‘I’m well!’She answered brushing her scattered 

hair with her right fingers. 

‘I must go to my school now!’ Chika said. 

‘I never planned to sleep in this hotel with you! 

Please take me back. I really need to go. I am a huge 

disappointment to my mother. I’ve failed her indeed!’ She 

said tears welling up in her eyes.  

‘All right my babe! You are not a disappointment 

to anyone. You are indeed a blessing to me! I will obey 

your wish, but first of all know that you are so precious to 

me. You are indeed my missing rib, my love, my wife to 

be!’ Chinedu said. 

Chinedu quickly wore his shirt and told Chika to 

zip her nylon blouse which was bare open at her back. 

Chika’s mood did not improve as they entered the elevator 

to exit the hotel building. 

With the way she walked, legs slightly spread in 

‘A’ form, one would think that Chika had hurt her legs, or 

that a huge boil had settled on her laps making movement 

so tedious and slow for her. She managed to enter the taxi 

and sat down breathing quickly, her eyes flashing with 

pain. 

 

**** 

 

 



lxxix 
 

Chinedu could feel her pains. A kind of dizziness 

overcame him. When they arrived at her room in the 

university, Chika was feeling tired and feverish. There 

was no need for Chinedu to wait any longer. At that 

moment he murmured to himself that something needed to 

be done to arrest the situation. He quickly dashed out to 

the nearest pharmacy and bought some necessary drugs 

for her. At least, she would be relieved of pains in no 

distant time. He shuddered and waited patiently until sleep 

claimed her once again. 

 

**** 

This time Chika woke up emotionally stronger and 

stable. It was not too long since he had left her to buy the 

food they would eat. He went straight to her, held her 

shoulders and gently gave her a peck on the forehead. She 

did not say a word. She simply looked at him and smiled.  

‘Have you ever seen a person who was given a 

cube of sugar or honey to lick and he spits it out?’ No, 

Chy! Not at all! You are my honey. I can never stop having 

you! Without you, I’m incomplete!’ Chinedu said. 

Chika stared at him but her mind was not focused 

on what he was saying. Chinedu looked like a man 

drowning in the river of love. Chika whirled around and 

wept unashamedly into Chinedu’s chest. Every single 

drop of tears from her eyes seemed to hit him like the sharp 

end of a needle. They stayed quiet and silent as they 

listened to each other’s heartbeat and breathing.  



lxxx 
 

Chinedu brought the food. He fed her gently and 

carefully like a baby who had no skills in feeding herself. 

He was a little surprised that she could have enormous 

appetite after the fever and pains that nearly crippled her 

in the morning. He jokingly called her ‘Nwa baby’ (small 

baby) as he continued to feed her. They giggled as they ate 

and she looked more beautiful and placid. 

‘You are not to worry. We shall visit some places 

today. I want you to feel the freshness of today and 

embrace happiness! I want you to feel loved and cherished 

because you are indeed priceless!’ Chinedu said 

chuckling. 

He took her in his arms once again and kissed her 

lips to show how precious she was to him.  

‘You are strong! Thanks for being strong for me! 

I have never slept with a virgin! You are my first and you 

will be my last! Chinedu promised. 

 Chika was listening very hard, but her mind was 

too emotional to react to everything Chinedu said. All she 

knew was that she had disobeyed her mother to love this 

man, and that there was no going back. Chika had a very 

embarrassing experience that threatened her mind and 

health in the morning, but she had used her imagination to 

work out a strategy she hoped would work to keep her 

sane.  

 It offered a ray of hope to know that Chinedu felt 

something for Chika. He cared so much for her that any 

change in her demeanour would automatically obstruct his 

happiness. Chinedu had told her several times how thrilled 



lxxxi 
 

he would be if she would gladly accept him as her future 

husband. He had told his friends that he had found the girl 

of his dreams, and they had been looking forward to seeing 

her. 

Chika could not resist the opportunity of touring 

Beijing despite the pain she experienced. She reminded 

him of his promise to take her round Beijing. 

‘Oh dear, never mind,’ Chinedu said. ‘We will 

soon leave for the sightseeing.’ 

Chika heaved a sigh of relief. She desperately 

wanted to have a fresh breath outside. She needed to look 

around and refresh her mind. She needed it urgently 

because it was a route to fleeing from the thoughts of her 

mother which haunted her like a ghost. Chika was indeed 

convinced that the outing would relieve her spirit from the 

emotional torment she had experienced after the love 

affair. For the first time in her life, Chika had defied her 

mother. She consoled herself with the fact that her mother 

was very far away from her and would not know what had 

happened to her if she had not told her. She again sneaked 

a glance at Chinedu, who was still busy eating. She now 

realized, judging by the manner he munched the food that 

hunger had dealt him a solid blow. He perhaps sacrificed 

his hunger to see her well and happy. It was indeed his 

self-indulgence that melted her heart more. His facial 

appearance, caring and humane nature got her attracted to 

him. Now, sitting there on her bed she admired him and 

blessed the day she met him. 



lxxxii 
 

Chinedu finished the remaining food. He rose and 

took the plastic takeaway plates and pushed them into the 

trash can. As he walked back to where he sat before, he 

noticed Chika staring blankly at him. It implied that her 

thoughts had been occupied by something. He knew that 

yesterday’s experience had kept her mind occupied with 

different thoughts that her attention became so divided. 

Chinedu breathed a sigh. 

‘Chy, I’m done! Are you ready?’ He asked. 

‘Sure!’ She replied heading to the wardrobe to 

grab her bag.  

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



lxxxiii 
 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN 

 HISTORY IS A CLOSE FRIEND 

 

A Tuesday afternoon in September was fast 

approaching the time of sunset, and the splendors of 

Beijing Tian’anmen Square still occupied Chika’s mind 

moment by moment. It was indeed the last day of the 

month, the thick stretch of whitish blue clouds suddenly 

turned dark shutting out the sky like a tent. Tian’anmen 

Square had been the spiritual heart of China, the world’s 

most populous country. The square had been serving as 

the stage for momentous historical events, like the 

demonstrations on May 4th 1919 that inspired young 

Chinese to fight imperialists and warlords, to build a 

strong independent country. Since October 1st, 1949 the 

day Mao Zedong, the founder of the Communist Party of 

China (CPC) climbed atop the ‘Gate of Heavenly Peace’ 

which gave the square its name, it had become a scenic 

place where national holidays were celebrated. Most days 

Tian’anmen Square had been filled with sightseers and 

kite-flyers. During the national holidays, it was usually 

festooned with banners and floral decorations.  

Many people, especially the Chinese visit there to 

see elite People’s Liberation Army troops conduct flag 

raising or lowering ceremonies. On the north end of the 

square was the ‘Gate of Heavenly Peace’ which led to the 

‘Forbidden City’. Above the gate hung the famous picture 

of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of CPC. On the left side of 

the gate was the inscription, ‘Long live the People’s 



lxxxiv 
 

Republic of China’ (PRC) and on the right side was 

written, ‘Long live the People of the World.’ The wide 

view of the square ascended to the top of the gate where 

Mao Zedong proclaimed and founded the PRC. Also, in 

the center of the square was a 40m-high Monument of the 

People’s Heroes, an obelisk with friezes depicting 

revolutionary heroes and calligraphy by Mao Zedong and 

former Premier Zhou Enlai.  

Again, south of the Monument was the Chairman 

Mao’s Mausoleum, where people could peer at the 

embalmed figure of the Great Helmsman in his casket. At 

the square’s south end, behind the mausoleum was 600-

year-old Qianmen, one of the few remaining Ming-era city 

gates. The building on the square’s east side housed the 

Chinese Historical and Revolution Museum.  

On the west of the Tian’anmen Square was an 

imposing edifice called the ‘Great Hall of the People’ 

which became the home of China’s parliament, the 

National People’s Congress. The hall was said to have 

been built within ten month in 1958 to 1959. The hall’s 

grandeur was seen in its 5,000-seat banquet room, 10,000-

seat auditorium which had a large red star on the ceiling 

outlined by 500 light bulbs and the National Theater, a 

futuristic bubble of titanium and glass resting on an 

artificial lake. The theater was built on an area directly 

west of the Great Wall of the People.  

Summer Palace was another scenic spot that 

captivated Chika the most with its handsome buildings, 



lxxxv 
 

pretty scenery and tumultuous history. It was located at 

Haidian District, Beijing. 

Summer Palace was indeed a wonderful place to 

explore. The vast Summer Palace compound centered on 

Kunming Lake, visitors were seen on a boat exploring the 

lake. The highly photogenic 17 Arch Bridge linked the 

lake’s eastern shore to the South Lake Island. Chika and 

Chinedu had a pleasurable moment by strolling on the 

willow-shaded paths and arched bridges that encircled the 

lake. They also took memorable pictures on different 

walkways to remind them of the beautiful time they spent 

together.  

**** 

 

Chika returned tired and sleepy. She slumped on 

the bed and dozed off instantly. She did not know for how 

long she laid there unconscious, but she was awakened by 

the cool breeze that entered the room through the opened 

window. When she tried to rise from the bed, her feet 

became very heavy and she fell back on the bed and rested 

her head on the pillow. That morning, her body was stiff 

and she could feel pains on her joints as a result of 

yesterday’s sightseeing. She sat there starring into 

vacancy, thinking of nothing, aware only of the 

approaching sunrise. The hotel room was indeed tranquil 

and the artistic designs on the walls gave her a unique 

Chinese feeling that catapulted her mood to yesterday’s 

happiness. She smiled and shot her eyes to savour the 

moment once again. She indeed relished yesterday’s 



lxxxvi 
 

experience except that she was grossly fatigued and worn-

out.  

As she laid there on the bed, the revived feelings 

of their past passion hit her like a wave. A heartfelt passion 

glowed in her now, and she leaned forward as if about to 

put her face towards Chinedu’s cheek. 

‘Oh no,’ Chika said, intractably moving to the 

other side of the bed. 

‘What am I trying to do?’ She asked herself. 

‘Perhaps I am becoming too forward!’She said 

looking at Chinedu who was deep in sleep. She sighed, it 

was no ordinary sigh, but a sigh which awakened her 

consciousness of time and shook her like a shiver. She 

dashed towards the mini table in the room and grabbed her 

wristwatch. 

‘Oh no! We will be late. It’s already 9.00 am! 

Wake up Nedu, our flight is at 11.00 am! We will be late! 

I don’t want us to miss our flight.’ 

Chinedu merely got up from the bed because he 

was very tired. He shook his head at her. 

‘I know you too well sweetheart! I know you too 

well. You are pulling my leg dear!’ Nedu said half asleep, 

half awake. 

She seized the moment, and throwing herself 

playfully on Chinedu to disrupt his sleep, said with a 

smile, ‘Honey, look at the watch and see for yourself!’ 

Like a hop-frog Chinedu jumped out of the bed and 

headed towards the bathroom. 

 



lxxxvii 
 

**** 

 

 Beijing on the 1st of October was very busy and 

clustered with people. The broad streets and houses were 

decorated with golden and red buntings signaling a festive 

period. Chika was happy to bask in the National Day 

celebration as she glanced from one side to the other 

through the taxi windows. She was nevertheless 

developing into a courageous character. She was just 

desperate to escape the loneliness that once engulfed her. 

Much to Chinedu’s surprise, Chika was eagerly looking 

forward to exploring Guangzhou. 

                                          

**** 

 

 They arrived in Beijing Capital International 

Airport at 10: 00 am and immediately dashed into the 

building to check in before the closure time. The ‘terminal 

2’ served the China Southern Airlines which also had its 

headquarters in Guangzhou and other cities.  

The Airline was among the most famous Airlines 

in China. Many passengers booked tickets in advance 

before traveling, and formed a long queue at least an hour 

prior to departure to confirm their airfare. Chika and 

Chinedu joined the queue in the terminal and patiently 

waited for their turn. Chinedu had booked their tickets 

online before visiting. That day, Beijing Capital 

International Airport was unusually crowded, very busy 

with people walking up and down in different directions. 



lxxxviii 
 

During National Day, more Chinese people go traveling 

around the country. It led to a sea of people at the airport, 

train stations and attraction sites. During that period, flight 

tickets were usually expensive and train tickets also 

difficult to get. 

Chika again could not hide her excitement. She 

looked forward to landing at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport 

which Chinedu had talked about several times. Chika’s 

face flagged. She was traveling to a new environment; not 

with a friend, but a stranger that captivated her heart. 

 

         **** 

 

The air space between Beijing and Guangzhou was just 

1,231 kilometers (about 765 miles). The flying time was 

about two and half hours. Guangzhou Baiyun Airport had 

glorious hangars of people watching from different 

corners. The airport had a ludicrous design which 

displayed the black face of Usain Bolt, the black sprinter 

and other black faces not recognized by Chika. The 

security lines were wretched, long and snake-like. Getting 

from one terminal to another was a massive pain. It took 

an hour to clear immigration. It took also another one hour 

just to obtain arrivals forms before immigration processes 

began. There were five manned immigration booths, but 

only one was processing passengers at a painfully slow 

rate. Frustratingly, other immigration officers seemed to 

be on a permanent break at their desk.  



lxxxix 
 

 Many black passengers who were probably 

traveling to different destinations were seen taking off 

their shoes, socks, belts and hair clips through the metal 

detector. It was assumed that most black guys were likely 

to be carrying narcotics, as a result thorough checks were 

conducted on them by the security guys. One tall dark man 

was pulled out of the queue and taken into an interview 

room by a couple of mean looking Chinese guys 

presumably because he fitted the profile of a drug mule. 

After a couple of phone calls to verify that he was telling 

the truth, the guy was finally released. The Chinese 

security guys were said to be soulless but clean and 

efficient in discharging their duties. 

 Another dark complexioned guy was stopped four 

times in the airport for carrying suspiciously large amount 

of electronics in hand carry luggage. The guy’s 

experiences put across a moral lesson that traveling with 

too many electronic devices could raise suspicion. Chika 

had seen enough within hours of arrival in the airport. She 

could feel the tension between the Chinese security guys 

and the black Africans. She was tired, hungry and at that 

moment beyond irritated. One of the security men came 

with a supervisor 20 minutes after the guy with electric 

devices was released, took one look at Chika, then told her 

to follow them. She was ushered down a hallway, before 

walking with them to a door. She asked them what was 

going on. 

 ‘Why are you here? What have you come here to 

do?’The short mean security guy asked. 



xc 
 

 ‘I am here to spend the holiday with my newly 

found friends. I am a new student at Beijing Foreign 

Studies University. This is my first time here sir!’ Chika 

answered almost shivering. 

 ‘Welcome to Guangzhou young lady. This is a 

very hot zone. Please stay safe and take good care of 

yourself okay!’ The security men both echoed. 

 Thank you very much sirs! I am so grateful! Chika 

said heading towards the door. 

  

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



xci 
 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN 
 

LIFE IS A TEACHER 
 

Chika’s first experience in Guangzhou, China’s 

third largest city situated in the Guangdong province was 

quite different and less challenging. She wondered what 

to expect from the city. 

‘What will it be like here? Is it really the case that 

none speaks English here? Will there be crowds of local 

people wanting to take a picture with her?’ Chika 

questioned in her heart. 

‘Why are you silent sweetheart?’ Chinedu asked 

and turned to Chika who was busy glancing from one 

corner to the other as the taxi drive past through different 

streets. 

‘Nothing so serious dear! I’m just tired and 

hungry.’ She said almost whispering. The streets were 

littered with many black people who walked up and down 

without any definite destination. Chika saw dark skinned 

Chinese locals selling phones and other items along the 

neatly decorated streets beckoning to tourists and 

foreigners to patronize them. 

She remembered what Jessica told her about 

buying phones on the streets of Guangzhou. ‘Don’t buy 

phones on the street! Even if they are real when they are 

shown to you, the one in the package may not be the 

original! It might be fake!’ 



xcii 
 

Chika gazed at the local sellers, the environment 

seemed quite different from Beijing. It was indeed full of 

mini markets clustered with sellers and buyers. Chinedu 

noticed her surprise and sudden fear of insecurity and said: 

‘this city is extremely safe, there are no pickpockets, and 

there are a lot of surveillance cameras.’ 

She wondered how many the cameras could be to 

monitor everyone’s movement. 

‘How many could they be? Well certainly more 

than we expected, as every pole and street corner has one!’ 

She said, glancing from one end to the other. Chika also 

remembered seeing cameras everywhere at Beijing. She 

became less nervous and relaxed to explore the surprises 

the city would offer. 

They left the airport a little earlier before sunset, 

so Chika was very hungry and tired. She enjoyed looking 

around but was occasionally carried away by sleep. 

Finally, she drifted away. The first thing she saw when she 

opened her eyes was enormous skyscrapers and an 

extremely green city. The bridges were covered in artistic 

Chinese flower pots, many alleys, parks with ponds, 

greenery, and a lot of people exercising in the parks. There 

were many local and foreign tourists in Guangzhou, 

visiting the Liuhuahu Park, Chimelong safari, circus, 

water and other entrainment parks. Most of the foreigners 

came for business. The parks were impeccably clean. Not 

even the smallest leaf , cellophane bags , papers, sachet 

water bags or other condemned materials where seen on 



xciii 
 

the ground. The parks were mainly filled with old people 

and young children.  

**** 

Chinedu spoke Chinese fluently but he spoke 

English in a very funny way to the driver. Chika thought 

that his efforts were useless as most Chinese cab drivers 

at Beijing didn’t speak English. 

‘Driver, me go down down! Chinedu said in 

Chinenglish pointing towards a direction. The cab man 

quite understood what he said and moved to that direction. 

Chinenglish was the common mode of communication 

used by Chinese traders and African businessmen in their 

transactions in Guangzhou. The manner Chinedu 

expressed himself in Chinenglish was so unusual that 

Chika became very amused. 

‘Ahaaaa, there are many Englishes in this world 

oo! British, American, South African, Nigerian, 

Chinese…Hummmm! Nawa ooo! Chika said half smiling, 

half laughing. 

Chika had heard horror stories about China and its 

major cities. Foreigners were warned not to travel alone 

because they could be kidnapped and their liver, kidneys 

or other vital organs would be harvested for private use 

without permission. She also heard that most Chinese 

people could not speak English at all, and all sign posts 

were written in Chinese characters. It came to Chika 

clearly now that many of the things said about China were 

not true. Wherever Chika turned her head, she would see 

a sign in English and Chinese with the station name and 

map. 



xciv 
 

Chika was so much impressed about the Chinese 

people who integrated high tech into their daily lives; they 

were quite different from Nigeria where many things 

depended on hearsay, fate and destiny. She also noticed 

that air pollution wasn’t as bad in Guangzhou as in 

Beijing. The evening of their arrival was indeed yellow 

gray that she anticipated having a lovely holiday in the 

city. 

 

**** 

 

Chinedu’s house was close to Baima Market, a popular 

market opposite Guangzhou Railway Station. It was the 

largest Railway Station in Guangzhou, located at Huanshi 

Road West in Yuexiu District. His apartment was situated 

in the 6th floor of a beautiful giant building. The flat was 

very spacious, in fact, the description of a perfect home. 

The sitting room and other rooms were well furnished. 

The kitchen was fully equipped with a flat-screen TV with 

cable, two huge refrigerators, microwave and other 

necessary facilities. Each bedroom was fitted with a cable 

TV and air conditioner. The balcony features a massage 

chair with garden views. 

 Chika walked into the visitor’s room carrying her 

small black bag. After a while she said, ‘Nedu, do you 

mean that you own this flat? Are you sure that you are not 

living with your family here?’ Chika asked glancing at the 

shinny marble on the floor. When she raised her head, she 



xcv 
 

looked at Chinedu and asked again, ‘can you tell me the 

truth? Are you alone here? 

‘Yes dear! Sure! I am all by myself. That’s why I 

look forward to you becoming my wife!’ Chinedu said 

smiling.  

As Chika listened to him talking about his 

apartment and the loneliness that had gradually 

overwhelmed him without a wife; she thought of her 

mother once again. She had grossly disobeyed her mother, 

and neglecting her principles was a thorn in her flesh. She 

wondered whether distance had the tendency of stripping 

one of some moral qualities. Back home, the fear of her 

mother was the beginning of wisdom and doing wrong 

was out of her dictionary. But here, her mother’s absence 

had paved way for a new way of life and challenges. As 

lonely as she was, would her mother have minded if she 

did something morally wrong to feel loved or have 

companionship? She already knew the answer to the 

question as she could only see the image of her mother 

warning her sternly about men and their troubles. 

Chika gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She had 

reduced from her normal size, but looked more shapely 

and lighter in complexion now.  

Admiring from behind Chinedu said, ‘you are 

sexy!’ 

‘You are cute and sexier.’ Chika replied. 

Chinedu told her that he had not been attracted to 

any African lady before. It indeed amused Chika that a 

handsome man like Chinedu had never admired any young 



xcvi 
 

girl before. She wanted to argue with him but changed her 

mind to maintain a peaceful atmosphere. 

‘Well Chy, right now we are going to be spending 

a lot of time together for the next five days, to get to know 

each other.’ 

‘Ooooooh, okay,’ Chika said, slightly dispirited. A 

wave of jealousy crept into her mind and left her thinking 

of other unknown young ladies who must have graced 

Chinedu’s bed before her. At that moment, Chika ran into 

his arms holding him so tight. 

‘Promise that you will love me forever, honey. 

Promise that you will be mine and mine alone!’ Chika said 

almost sobbing. 

Chinedu first looked surprised, and then his face 

stretched into a tight smile. His surprise about Chika’s 

questions reminded him of Ngozi, a boss lady that wanted 

to get him entangled in her delicate threads of romance. 

Ngozi was his business partner who had also lived in 

Guangzhou for more than fifteen years. She was his 

saviour when he first came to China and had no one to turn 

to. At that time, she was the only black girl he knew, an 

adventurer who loved exotic night lifestyle and partied 

constantly until the early hours. In those days, they often 

joked about marriage, but as time passed he realized that 

they were not meant to be together. 

Chika was soft. Her skin was glowing and smooth. 

A sense of emotion overwhelmed him and he began to 

touch her rapidly. How quickly she had become used to 

his touch that she slipped out of his arms onto the bed. He 



xcvii 
 

followed her immediately increasing the tempo and 

searching her all over with his amorous hands. 

Indeed, words could not describe the kind of love 

making and romance that kept them fondling for so long. 

               

**** 

  

Guangzhou was indeed an organized and busy place, and 

there were many foreigners especially Africans. It was 

known to be full of people who came mainly for business. 

Chika came to love Guangzhou for its clean air and busy 

streets populated by Africans. It felt more like home 

bursting with green flowers and all shades of human 

beings. 

 Chika was famished and needed to have a taste of 

African dishes after a long time. She needed Igbo local 

soup and fufu to regain the strength lost during her short 

stay in Beijing. She needed the taste of Nsala or Bitter leaf 

soup to regain the sanity stolen by eating food flavoured 

with garlic and ginger. She needed it urgently. 

 

**** 

 

Chika enjoyed the familiar taste of Nsala soup with 

cat-fish and fufu. She scooped the soup straight from the 

ceramic plate with her bare fingers feeling relaxed and 

more at home. It was her first real food after some weeks 

of food torturing. Madam Louis African restaurant gave 

Chika the feeling she had lost on arriving China. Her 



xcviii 
 

peppered Nsala soup tasted just like her mother’s soup. 

The long room in which the restaurant was situated shook 

with hilarious laughter from some guys who watched 

Chika licking her fingers without any air of 

pretentiousness. Chinedu also laughed, a long-pitched 

laugh that startled Chika.   

 ‘What’s the problem?’ Chika asked looking so 

serious and at the same time licking the back of her 

fingers. Her action generated a new ripple of laughter that 

dispelled her question. Chika surveyed the room, taking 

note of the people who were there so that she would know 

what caused the laughter. The room was mostly occupied 

by black Africans. Many of the guys there spoke Igbo and 

were very noisy. Six men and three young ladies were 

sitting together on a rounded table eating hot-chicken 

pepper soup and drinking different brands of alcoholic 

drinks. Empty bottles lay scattered on the big rounded 

table as they talked in loud voices. Two men sat away 

from the others. They were drenching themselves with 

strong alcoholic drinks while smoking. In a whining tone, 

one of them complained of being neglected by a beautiful 

young girl who worked tirelessly to make sure that 

everyone was well served and satisfied. She smiled often 

but behind those smiles was a hint of nervousness that 

always kept her on her toes. The man let out a dry cough 

and motioned to the young lady to come. 

 ‘Ada, bia ebe a sharp sharp!’ (Ada, come here 

quickly!) One of the men said. 



xcix 
 

 ‘Adanna or what is she called? Come here and 

attend to me’, the man repeated hitting her buttocks 

romantically with his right hand. The other guy touched 

her well rounded and projected breasts with a claim of 

ownership that sent shivers down Chika’s spine. Adanna 

could not say anything to defend herself. She merely 

gazed at them, standing tall, beautiful and expressionless. 

Chika shook her head sadly as she watched Madam Louis 

pleading with her customers to forgive the young girl’s 

rude behaviour. Other men in the restaurant found what 

happened as a welcome diversion and started to heckle and 

jeer. Chika forgot about her delicious food and could only 

picture herself in her mind’s eye, telling them to leave the 

young girl alone. But how could those men leave her alone 

when their illicit behaviours were condoned by the owner 

of the restaurant? If she did not interfere in her life, only 

God could tell what would become of her in a restaurant 

situated in an underground floor with unpredictable guys.  

 ‘What did that girl do to you guys? Chika asked. 

 The men simply looked at her and laughed. 

Madam Louis told her not to bother herself with Adanna’s 

trouble because it was bigger than her. 

 ‘But I am a witness to what happened,’ Chika 

continued almost bursting into anger. 

      Chinedu calmed Chika down and signaled her to 

remain silent. Chika told him that what she felt for the girl 

was pity. Chika explained that the girl had been humiliated 

and nobody spoke or defended her. 



c 
 

 ‘This is China, Chika! You barely know anybody 

here. Nobody can be trusted here too! Please dear, don’t 

start a fight you cannot finish. Let’s eat our dinner and 

leave this place, okay. How sure the young girl didn’t 

come here for prostitution? You can never know 

sweetheart.’ Chinedu told Chika in a voice that sounded 

more like a whisper. 

 Chika sat there very angry now, following the 

movement of the young girl as she tried to obey the men 

one by one. Chika’s spirit was indeed troubled when 

Madame Louis held one of the girl’s ears and dragged her 

into the inner room and locked the door behind her. Chika 

was absorbed in her own thoughts as she tried to figure out 

what a beautiful young girl was doing in a hostile 

environment. 

 It was surprising that a young beautiful girl like 

Adanna looked helpless in the midst of humiliation. She 

indeed looked like one who had been stripped of her self-

worth and freedom. Heavy footsteps thudded into the 

restaurant which was quite long and spacious. The long 

hall was imperfectly illuminated and the tiny coloured 

bulbs were merely fixed to hide the identity of the 

customers. Chika could not see the faces of men who 

entered the inner room because the restaurant was gloomy. 

Suddenly, there were strange voices, men’s voices, 

diffused with a portentous sense of pressure. Other girls 

were seen parading the hall with trays either serving drinks 

or cleaning the table. Those girls were different from the 

young Adanna. They looked wild and fearless. Their 



ci 
 

carefree attitude signaled one thing-prostitution. They 

flirted with many guys that came to fill in their stomachs 

with drinks or food without feeling ashamed. They knew 

the game so well that many customers responded without 

much difficulty. 

Chika was tired and her body ached and the 

restaurant had begun to irritate her, with its stuffy air and 

too many guys.  

‘Why couldn’t these Nigerian guys keep quiet for 

once?  Why are they so noisy and silly? Chika’s food was 

almost finished, only a small portion was left on her plate. 

She was eager to leave. 

Chinedu looked at her, with an expression that 

made her uncomfortable, because she was not sure what 

his eyes held, and then he got up to leave the restaurant. 

‘You need to get over what happened here’, 

Chinedu told her. 

‘It’s okay love. I will be okay.’ Chika said as they 

made their exit at the opportune time. 

      

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



cii 
 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

NO WORDS ANYMORE 

 

  Visiting Guangzhou did not become a test for 

Chika’s taste. She did not only eat her popular choice for 

dinner, she quite enjoyed it. Chinedu told her that she was 

extremely lucky to have visited Madam Louis African 

Restaurant, as her food was the tastiest in Guangzhou.  

 Chika thought about the girl in the restaurant. She 

remembered the situation that had made Adanna so 

nervous. Madam Louis had threatened to throw her out of 

the restaurant for not allowing their customers fondle her. 

It was Madam Louis’ threat that made Chika feel pity for 

the young girl. Chinedu told Chika that Madame Louis 

was often violent. She was also known in the restaurant 

for insensitively enforcing rules and for demanding strict 

obedience to her decisions. It was rumoured that she used 

to employ girls who had been trafficked to work as sex 

slaves in her restaurant. Chika could not believe what 

Chinedu told her. She gasped and quickly stepped 

backward. Her chest heaved up and down in an increased 

tempo. 

 ‘I said it, Nedu. That girl may be one of them! She 

has been forced into prostitution. She has been deceived 

and lured into illicit acts.’ Chika said almost choking with 

anger.  

 An hour later, when they came back from Madam 

Louis restaurant, Chinedu’s friend visited. 



ciii 
 

 ‘It has taken you ages to visit, Tunde,’ Chinedu 

said. Tunde was sitting on a long white sofa next to Chika 

who was now sitting on a cushioned Chinese chair. 

 ‘But you don’t care to know why I had been scarce 

for some time now,’ Tunde said as courteously as his 

bitterness would let him. He put his phone on the 

transparent glass table at the center of the sitting room and 

rested his back on the soft sofa to get his breath back. 

 ‘I arrived here some hours ago,’ Chinedu said, 

‘and I’ve been away for some time now. I travelled to 

Beijing to bring my fiancée. Sweetheart, please meet my 

friend, Tunde from Ondo State.’ 

 ‘Oh, nice to meet you sir! I am Chika. 

 ‘It’s my pleasure! Are you a student at Beijing?’ 

Tunde asked. 

 ‘Yes sir!’ Chika replied. 

 ‘I hope you would concentrate on your studies and 

ignore some wealth driven Igbo girls that left their studies 

to make quick dirty money. I guess you are different! 

Please flee from them and do something meaningful with 

your life. I am a Yoruba man. I know that Yoruba people 

love money too, but they are not controlled by it! Igbo 

people, haba! How many Yoruba guys do you see on the 

streets of Guangzhou? Everywhere, Igbo guys and girls! 

Everywhere, Imo and Anambra people! Haba! What is 

really happening? Please dear, education is indeed power! 

Face it squarely and thank me later for this piece of 

advice!’ Tunde said with a tone of seriousness that got 

Chika worried. 



civ 
 

 ‘Thanks, I appreciate,’ Chika said. 

When Chika remained seated, Tunde asked if it was her 

first time of visiting and continued with his unending story 

of Igbo people and their lifestyle in Guangzhou.  

‘Igbo people are very noisy. Chinese people know 

their place and are very orderly. But you see these Igbo 

guys and girls; they are too materialistic, carefree and 

noisy! They enjoy causing troubles on the streets, shouting 

and always fighting their brothers! They can even kill their 

blood relations for money. One day, they will cause riot in 

Guangzhou. Beating, smashing and looting might become 

the order of the day.’ Tunde said angrily. 

‘You see, many responsible Chinese citizens are 

not happy with them because they deceive their girls and 

marry them just to have legal business in China. They give 

birth to children who are neither Chinese nor Nigerians. 

And they travel back to Nigeria to begin a new life with 

their Igbo wives. Then, tell me what happens to those 

Chinese women they married? What will their children 

do? This is indeed a serious problem ooo! Go to all the 

streets, you will see black people everywhere! I don’t even 

know if I’m in Guangzhou or Africa! Tunde said. 

‘Tunde, you no like Igbo people at all!’ Chinedu 

said smiling sarcastically.  

‘No, no no! If you think I so much hate your people, please 

go to the streets of this city and confirm. You rarely see 

any Hausa or Yoruba man on the streets misbehaving or 

in the pub drinking beer and making unnecessary noise. 

Igbo people are very industrious. This I know, but too 



cv 
 

many hands spoil the soup! A lot of bad eggs! They are all 

interested in money, money, money!’ Tunde argued.  

‘Many Igbo girls left school for money. I mean 

girls who were on scholarships! I mean Chinese 

government full scholarship! They are all here loitering 

the streets as prostitutes. Some innocent ones who have 

been deceived and trafficked are soliciting for help in one 

way or the other. They have no legal papers here! They 

move around more in the night! They are mainly night 

crawlers! Those girls are bought and manipulated by their 

pimps to do their biddings. They are often threatened with 

death to succumb to their traitors’ wishes. They are forced 

to sleep with many Africans, men or women who come for 

one business or the other in Guangzhou only to survive. 

These girls are really suffering ooo! They make little or 

nothing from these illicit activities. They only enrich their 

pimps. They are in great danger of exposing themselves to 

organ harvesters, killers, drug barons or chronic diseases. 

I just pity the innocent ones! Not those wild eyed girls 

roaming the streets unrepentantly! See ooo, most of these 

Nigerian guys or girls are panders. Please be careful 

whenever you are in this city. Trust no one!’ Tunde 

warned Chika bursting into anger. 

 ‘You are very lucky dear, no normal young woman 

would think twice before accepting Chinedu as her 

boyfriend,’ Tunde continued. ‘Chinedu is handsome and 

mega rich. He is cool and gentle. That’s why many young 

girls in this city admire him! But don’t be jealous, he is 

not a casanova! He is a good man! I am only worried about 

you! I hope you will stay true to him? All the same, I wish 

you good luck!’ 

Chika listened to all that Tunde said which actually 

confirmed her suspicion. ‘Madam Louis might be a pimp. 



cvi 
 

Ada is indeed her stooge!’ She murmured to herself. She 

didn’t like some of the things Tunde said about Igbo 

people, but his observations were right. She became 

emotionally weak and almost cried for the poor girl. She 

shook her head sadly and headed to her room leaving 

Chinedu and his friend behind in the sitting room. 

The sitting room shook with laughter from the two 

friends who had not seen each other for some time now. 

They were obviously teasing each other about something 

so interesting or appealing to them.  Tunde laughed the 

loudest, his voice resonating like the Yoruba Ifa priest. His 

laughter was not noisy, but the tone was a happy one 

obviously more of a compliment. Chika was not happy. 

The thoughts of Adanna kept clouding her memory. That 

night Tunde narrated the ordeals of many Nigerian girls, 

Chika stayed on her bed alone and was restlessly tortured 

by her thoughts.         

* * * * 

The following morning, Chika woke up with a 

splitting headache. She got the headache as a result of the 

long hours of waiting in Guangzhou Airport and Adanna’s 

trouble which kept her thinking all night. It was indeed a 

cold and wet day in October. Chika was feeling so unwell 

and unhappy. She hoped that there would be a way of 

escaping the sadness that had suddenly crept into her life. 

She needed to be happy for her to enjoy the holiday. 

That morning, Chinedu took an unwontedly long 

time to return from where he went leaving Chika alone and 

tortured by her thoughts. She was thinking again about 

Adanna. She was always on her mind since yesterday’s 

encounter. Chika hated to displease Chinedu, who had 

been remarkably courteous to her. Her eyes narrowed in 



cvii 
 

deep thought as she tried to make plans that would save 

Adanna. She wanted to help the poor girl, but didn’t want 

to appear ungrateful to Chinedu. Chika moved softly out 

of the room when she heard the sound of someone’s 

footsteps.  

‘I knew you would be the one dear.’ Chika said 

almost afraid. She hugged Chinedu and sat down on the 

sofa to relax her back. She thought deeply, Chinedu was 

the sun that brightened her lonely life in China. ‘I can’t 

afford to make him regret ever meeting me!’ She had told 

herself many times. 

 

**** 

The weather that afternoon was beautiful and very 

tranquil. As Chinedu and Chika stepped out of the 

apartment to walk down the streets of Guangzhou, they 

were greeted with a sea of people. Locals and Africans 

roamed the decorated streets in full holiday spirit. Some 

of these Africans didn’t reside in China. They had shops 

in their countries, but occasionally came to Guangzhou to 

select goods to ship back home. Many of those black 

people never cared about the quality of their goods or the 

brands. They loved to bargain low-end products which 

were the characteristics of large groups of African 

businessmen especially those from Nigeria. The 

Europeans and Arabs were just different since they 

maintained the habit of purchasing high quality goods. 

Nevertheless, Africans’ demand for cheap products had 

interestingly opened up many new areas in China. It had 

allowed the processing factories around the outskirts of 

Guangzhou to prosper. The expansion of Africans’ export 

business had also spawned the emergence of African 



cviii 
 

restaurants, African interpreters, African trafficker, 

African trafficked, African beggars, African destitutes, 

African prostitutes, African fraudsters and other 

supporting business. Life in Guangzhou was invariable 

affordable for the rich and the poor. 

Some African guys were seen pouring drinks on 

the streets and chanting noisy songs that attracted 

onlookers. Their behaviours were quite out of place for 

most people who had never encountered the African 

communal life and attitude. Most of the guys wore white 

polo and sea green shorts. They all seemed uncultured and 

very wild raising the Nigerian flag in an unpatriotic 

manner devoid of passion for Nigeria. They only chanted 

the Nigeria National Anthem to celebrate the October 1st 

which coincided with the Chinese National day. It was for 

them a double celebration for two countries directly 

opposite in many things. The guys’ unkempt dreadlocks 

and perforated ears grossly decorated with earrings made 

them look more irresponsible and assumedly insane. 

Nobody behaved normal. They were all under the spell of 

noisy lifestyle that spelt more misfortune than fortune. 

They indeed had nothing to celebrate about a country that 

had plunged its citizens into abject poverty, insecurity and 

daily migration of helpless youths to many countries in 

search of greener pastures. 

Chika wondered what atrocities those guys must 

have committed in a bid to making life less miserable for 

themselves and their families back home. 

**** 

Chika was fascinated by the famous Guangzhou 

20 stories tall shopping centers with architectural Chinese 



cix 
 

designs. A young Chinese woman wanted a picture of 

them and herself together, so she gave her friend her phone 

to take a snapshot. She looked very excited that Chika and 

Chinedu were so tall, neatly dressed and behaved 

differently. Due to her limited English language skills, she 

couldn’t express further what exactly ignited her 

excitement. She simply stood there waving and shouting, 

‘pye-pye!’ (Bye-bye)  

Another group of people really wanted to snap 

with them. When Chika and Chinedu saw them 

approaching, they disappeared quickly into the most 

famous Pan-Pan African Hotel and Restaurant. The 

restaurant catered for a large expatriate community in 

Guangzhou. It was a well-known classic restaurant. The 

racist coverage by some Chinese journalists who criticized 

African customers for eating with their hands, a tradition 

across the continent attracted many Chinese and other 

foreigners to the restaurant. Many Chinese visited the 

restaurant only to explore African dishes. Some Chinese 

men believed that African dishes had the tendency of 

building your body muscles and could help in enhancing 

sexual performance which was fast becoming a hot topic 

in China. The assumption was strongly connected to most 

Chinese girls marrying or befriending African guys 

leaving young Chinese guys fuming with rage and 

loneliness. Despite the unruly behaviour exhibited by 

many Nigerian men, some Chinese hot and rich babes still 

yearned for them which had led to constant heartbreaks 

and fraud stories.  

The dining experience was good and very new to 

Chika. The environment was more sophisticated and not 

mainly populated by Africans. It was indeed more 

expensive when compared to Madam Louis Restaurant. 



cx 
 

The least African dish was not below 200 Yuan which 

explained why only rich African business moguls 

patronized them. Some beautiful black girls who wore 

skimpy clothes were seen serving food to black men who 

needed services like massage and other intimate fondling 

to calm their nerves. It was indeed a high-class brow 

restaurant with classic rooms for quick relaxation.   

The restaurant was opened by an American who 

married a Chinese woman in order to bridge a gap between 

cultures. It was rumoured that he hired different nationals 

to prepare their local dishes to the taste of their customers. 

Stephen and Zao for years had concentrated more on 

Africans who always had tough times whenever they 

visited China. So they had tried to entertain them with 

their home food. The restaurant for many years had been 

a comforting refuge in a foreign land. Stereotypes against 

Africans were evident but the owner of the restaurant had 

employed more beautiful African girls to attend to his 

customers. Apart from constant eating, drinking and 

flirting which were very common, the restaurant faced 

more police scrutiny than its neighbouring restaurants. It 

was believed that drug barons from different countries had 

transformed the restaurant to their meeting place. As such, 

it had become a very hot spot where drug addicts were 

nabbed. 

Chika could not help thinking that Adanna and the 

other African girls with skimpy wears were similar in 

some ways. She believed that they were totally different. 

Those girls looked wild and fearless; Ada looked very 

timid and naïve with all her alluring beauty. The African 

girls in the restaurant threw themselves at men and they 

were constantly on the move all the time. Adanna was 



cxi 
 

indeed different. She was pushed and intimidated by her 

madam to yield to men’s desires.    

**** 

Chika felt that she had a burden that was too heavy 

to bear. After all, ‘a toad does not run in the noon day in 

vain.’ This expression appropriately described her 

situation. She had been terrorized by her disobedience. 

Her inability to obey mother’s advice kept her tortured. 

She had not called her mother for some time now. She 

knew that her mother would be worried by now. Chika 

walked into the visitor’s room to call her mother. She 

sighed. Why was she torturing herself? Memories and 

some experiences must be buried to live life freely. The 

phone was ringing steadily and her mind was beating fast. 

‘Hellow, Onye?’ (Who is calling?) A voice asked. 

‘Mama, it’s Chika ooo! She said clenching her fist. 

She was so nervous to continue the conversation. 

‘Ah, Chukwu daalu oo! (Thank God). Your silence 

kept me thinking for a long time! Hope you are well?  

‘Yes ma, I am doing great! My only problem and 

challenge is too much study! Chinese language is too 

difficult and very challenging! Mama, please pray for me 

ooo! I am indeed facing a lot here!’ Chika said in a serious 

tone. 

‘Chy, I pray for you every day. You can do all 

things through Christ that strengthens you! This should 

always be your confession my daughter. Don’t squash 

your dreams with fear.  You are born to conquer and rule. 

You must succeed my dear. And no weapons or 

distractions of the enemy against you shall prosper. You 

are blessed my daughter.’ 



cxii 
 

‘Amen, amen and amen!’ Chika replied feeling 

light and happy. 

‘Are you enjoying the weather over there?’ Her 

mother asked. 

‘Yes of course, the weather over here is not as cold 

as I thought. Perhaps around December it might be so 

cold. But mama, this country is too beautiful ooo! I love 

it! I simply love it. I have not been to America but I think 

it beats America hands down.’ Chika told her mother.  

Chinedu came into the room and Chika looked at 

him, the ferocious expression on her face had warned him 

not to utter a word. He remained silent and sat on the bed 

with her. 

‘Okay Mama, don’t ever worry about me okay! I 

will not be calling often. It’s quite expensive to call from 

here. Also, I have good Christian friends who take good 

care of me over here. They have lived here for over fifteen 

years. So ma, as you can see, I am happy and relaxed.’ 

Chika told her. 

‘Ooo, nwa m! (Ooo my child) Take good care of 

yourself ooo! I am also fine except for the occasional BP 

issues that come up randomly.’ 

‘Ndo, Nnem! (Sorry mother). It is well! I will keep 

praying for you, okay! Send my greetings to Chibuzo and 

Chibunna. Tell them that their lovely elder sister is saving 

towards surprising them with their articulated and 

unarticulated wishes. Tell them that I love and miss them 

every day. Tell them to remain obedient and focused in 

their studies because an uneducated man is a fool in this 

generation.’ Chika said laughing loudly. 

‘May God bless you my daughter! May He shine 

His light on you!’ 



cxiii 
 

‘Amen! Bye-bye mama. My credit is finishing 

oooo! Love you, mama. Bye-bye!’ Chika cut the phone 

with so much difficulty that left her heart weak. She had 

grown to love and fear her mother deeply. The death of 

her father many years ago left the poor woman struggling 

to make ends meet. She staggered to her feet and fell back 

on the bed. Her knees were riddled with numbness 

because of the way she positioned her feet while 

discussing with her mother. 

Chinedu laughed at her, and held her tightly on the 

waist until she began to scream. She quickly pulled away 

shouting in a low voice. She went into the kitchen and 

locked the door. Chika did not want any intimate fondling. 

At least, not after talking with her mother. She felt that her 

mother’s prying eyes were everywhere watching her 

actions. Chinedu gazed at the kitchen door surprised and 

speechless. He simply went to the sitting room and sat 

down on the sofa swimming in an unquenched passion. 

    

 

**** 

 

‘Come and sit here, Chika.’ Chinedu said, patting 

the space beside him on the sofa.  

‘I am fine standing here sweetheart,’ Chika said. 

She remained standing. She was thinking of the best thing 

to say. It would be better to tell him a lie about her 

mother’s ill health she thought. Chika looked at him again 

and was about to say something when Chinedu 

interrupted. 

‘I guess you are missing your mother.’ Chinedu 

said. He smiled and scratched his well carved beard. It was 

as if a faint voice inside him was warning him to be careful 



cxiv 
 

with her now. He remained silent. He was trying to 

understand her and was indeed learning a few things about 

her. She was becoming more emotional. 

‘Please, Chika,’ Chinedu said, his voice gentle and 

pleading,’ don’t shut me out of your problems. ‘I love you, 

more than I’ve loved anyone else. I am ready to share your 

problems with you. I swear dear. I’ll definitely be of great 

help.’ 

‘That’s reasonable,’ Chika thought. She needed to 

tell him about Ada, the girl in the restaurant. She was 

mentally exhausted but was ready to welcome any 

discussion on Adanna’s plight. Chika was standing near 

the kitchen door. Apparently, Chinedu hadn’t been able to 

persuade her to calm her nerves and avoid becoming too 

emotional.  

‘Calm down and let’s talk over the matter 

amicably,’ Chinedu pleaded.  

By now, her squeezed facial expression had lost its 

strong grip and paved way to a faint smile that radiated her 

beauty. Chinedu watched her silently as she walked from 

her position to where he sat on the sofa. He was imagining 

what she must be thinking about. He looked at her, making 

a mental assessment to know the problem that was eating 

her up. 

‘She is a girl like me. People are indeed heartless!’ 

Chika said shifting her position from one leg to another, 

wondering how best to present the issues that had troubled 

her without making Chinedu angry. 

‘Who are you referring to dear?’Chinedu asked 

looking straight into her eye. 

‘But you already know her dear,’ Chika said softly. 

‘You know her sweetheart. You know her dear!’ 



cxv 
 

Chika strode behind Chinedu. ‘Please dear, let’s 

help her. She will continue to suffer if she is not saved.’ 

Chinedu turned and faced Chika. ‘I am afraid dear. 

I don’t know who you are talking about.’  

Chika visibly nervous, stood behind him unable to 

say a word. She said, with her softest voice, ‘Nedu, please 

let’s help Adanna. The girl we saw in the restaurant the 

other day. I am really feeling bad about her situation. I 

don’t think she is desperate like the other girls we saw. I 

think she has been lured and deceived. She is pushed to 

live a lifestyle that she hates. There is something about her 

that is troubling my conscience.’ 

‘I will see to that sweetheart. But we don’t know 

this girl. We don’t know who brought her here and the 

agreement they had before her journey. This is indeed a 

very difficult situation ooo! This is China, and not Nigeria 

ooo! So we need to be very careful. Just like I said, I will 

see to it dear! I will do anything for my darling! I mean 

everything for you dear!’ Chinedu said pulling her right 

hand. 

‘Let’s go into the room,’ Chinedu said holding her 

hand in soft grip as he led the way. Chika was caught in 

between gratitude and her rapidly growing emotions. She 

clutched his hand tightly determined to achieve her 

purpose. 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 



cxvi 
 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 

EMOTIONS ARE COLOURS 

Guangzhou climate was overly warm and humid. October 

was indeed the best time to visit a city devoid of clear 

divisions of the seasons. Chika was happy that she did not 

visit when the weather was extremely hot. Countless 

tourists were seen roaming the streets. The air smelled 

mostly of garlic and turmeric. Here everyone was busy 

heading to different directions. It smelled of tourism, 

business, more of foreign businesses. It dripped, also of 

drug business and sex business. Chinedu said that he 

didn’t chase ladies in Guangzhou because he didn’t want 

to be a suspect all the time. Most African young ladies in 

the city had been mysteriously seen as prostitutes or drug 

agents. Guangzhou had trading in its blood. It had been 

the hub of trading products in and out of China.  

The streets were littered with blocks of 

marketplaces. These marketplaces range from electronics 

to gadgets, to home and gift, to clothes and bags! The 

marketplaces had factory and a product line where 

commodities could be produced and sold in large 

quantities. The factory representatives had marketplaces 

where people could see samples of goods before booking 

for more. Guangzhou was known for the ‘non-

electronics’-such as textiles, shoes, bags and home 

products. Chika and Chinedu wandered around 

Guangzhou for days and Chika had been awe struck at 

some of the architecture and sights that she had seen. She 

enjoyed going round the Canton Fair. The Canton Fair was 

the oldest trade show, and the famous in Guangzhou. It 

was a long trade fair which occurred twice a year, in spring 



cxvii 
 

time (April) and fall (October). She was happy to have 

participated in that year’s trade fair but was lost in thought 

as many of the traders spoke in Cantonese.  

Guangzhou was the heart of the old Canton era. 

Many locals spoke Cantonese, not Mandarin, not English. 

The rest of China especially those in the North had fully 

adopted Mandarin Chinese while Guangzhou and other 

Cantonese cities of the south were still holding tenaciously 

to their mother tongue. The influx of foreigners for 

business had pushed more for English and Mandarin as the 

major modes of communication. The Uber car services 

had resorted to using Chinenglish to communicate with 

foreigners who could not speak Cantonese or Mandarin as 

they rendered their services. Most foreigners had 

dedicated their time to learning Mandarin Chinese which 

had been the official language of China and the dominant 

language for the long haul. 

 

**** 

On that lucky Friday, at the top of Baima Market, 

Chika ran into Adanna. Chika was very excited and ready 

to get going with her plans. She was pleasantly surprised 

that fate had favoured her plans to hear from the horse’s 

mouth. 

‘I’m sorry dear about what happened that day,’ 

Chika said. Adanna was carrying a mini bag on her right 

shoulder. She heaved a sigh and folded her arms across 

her chest. 

‘Never mind sister! You won’t understand!’ She 

said looking at Chika’s face. 

‘What do you mean? Chika asked. She held her left 

hand and looked inquiringly at her. 

‘Were you not sad about what happened that day?’ 



cxviii 
 

‘No dear, I was not. I never felt anything. I was just 

there like a piece of furniture owned by everybody. What 

happened to me that day was nothing! Worst things had 

happened to me there, but I’m not bothered anymore! I’ve 

resigned to fate! I am simply waiting for the future to 

unleash more hardship and thorns of pains into my life! 

This life is indeed cruel.’ Adanna said with an air of total 

indifference that left Chika speechless. 

‘Are you happy there? Chika asked. 

‘Who is talking of happiness in a cruel world? 

Happiness has developed wings and had since vanished 

into the thin air. My happiness does not count anymore. 

My madam’s happiness is my ultimate goal now. The fear 

of my madam is the beginning of wisdom. Her word is 

final! Her decisions are binding dear!’ 

‘And so? You want to die there? You want to be a 

pawn in the hands of those ruthless Igbo guys that have no 

respect for women? You want to die there ruthlessly 

without liberating yourself?’ Chika asked almost choking 

with anger. 

‘My body is an engine now! It does not rest from 

men’s constant touch and abuse. You will not understand 

dear! My story is a long one. My childhood is not different 

from what I’m experiencing now. Sister, to tell you the 

truth, I don’t care anymore. If you care so much about me, 

tell your fiancé to come and pay at least two thousand 

RMB to my madam as her customer. She would be glad to 

release me for a whole day without thinking twice. Then, 

I will come over to your place and narrate my ordeals to 

you. I am a controlled prostitute. My time is money for my 

madam.’ 

‘Not today, Ada,’ Chika said. ‘Tomorrow, maybe.’ 

‘Don’t forget, sister.’ 



cxix 
 

‘I won’t, Ada,’ Chika promised and hurried on to 

meet Chinedu who was busy selecting clothes in a nearby 

shop. 

 

 

**** 

That night Chika lay on her bed awake. She 

remembered how Adanna’s buttocks were touched by one 

of the guys in the restaurant. She stirred and turned to face 

the wall. Sleep indeed eluded her and hours passed as her 

mind wandered into the past. The events of that day came 

clearly into her thoughts. She had not taken kindly to 

Adanna’s idea of living a life of slavery and sexual 

exploitation. She turned severally on the bed and lay on 

her back. She stared at the ceiling, her eyes following the 

white and silver Chinese design that projected the beauty 

of the room. She began to trace the lines and the artistic 

connections that produced such a master design. She 

thought about Adanna, about the holiday that would soon 

end, about the loneliness that would soon envelop her in 

Beijing and about her tedious studies in Beijing Foreign 

Studies University. A part of her wanted the easy life in 

Guangzhou, another part of her was scared and urged her 

to face her studies squarely. 

 

**** 

Guangzhou was indeed a chocolate dream land for 

many Africans especially the Igbo people who thought life 

would make a turn for the better. Nonso, an energetic 29-

year-old guy from Imo State, arrived in China very 

desperate to become rich. After hearing of China’s rise 

and many business opportunities available for foreigners, 

he sold off the goods in his shop. He also sold his father’s 



cxx 
 

plots of land, bought his airplane ticket and paid a local 

visa dealer to get him to China. He taught his life was 

going to change only to be trapped in a tight web of 

disillusionment and poverty. As the oldest of his five 

siblings, he was responsible for caring for his family since 

their parents passed away. His condition had raised his 

concern for the siblings he left behind in a search for quick 

money.  

Life in Nigeria was indeed very challenging with 

less job opportunities for many vibrant youths. The 

continuous quest for money, heightened poverty and 

excessive materialism had led to constant migration. The 

Eastern region of Nigeria had been losing many of their 

sons and daughters to migration mostly to Europe and 

some parts of Asia. Chinese border restrictions had been 

easier than in Europe or North America as a result of the 

free trade policy between China and many African 

countries. Guangzhou had become a hub for African 

migrants, traders and entrepreneurs.  

Nonso’s new life didn’t turn out the way he 

imagined. He struggled to feed himself and had no job that 

would fetch him money. When his three months visa 

expired after unsuccessfully looking for job, he resorted to 

constant hiding in the day. Night became his day and day 

time, his night. Since he sold off his few assets-optimism 

replaced his desperation as he tried to scrabble enough 

money to go home. Indeed the dream Nonso hoped for, 

the better opportunities, better life, were not there. It was 

just a mere dream that was nowhere to be seen in China.  

Nonso’s experiences in China as a migrant 

depicted a hard life with no hope for survival. Nonso and 

other migrants lived in cramped apartments where they 

had to take turns to sleep because there were not enough 



cxxi 
 

beds. They spent their days hiding inside their apartments, 

afraid of being caught by the police with expired visas. 

They struggled to get enough water and food in order to 

survive. The solidarity of other Igbo guys helped to sustain 

them. The Igbo traders whose papers were legal 

contributed seven Yuan a day for food and water supply. 

Sometimes, they brought left-over food from African 

restaurants packed in plastic bags for Nonso and other 

migrants to quench their hunger.  

Each day that passed meant less food for Nonso. 

And he could not leave the apartment in the day for job 

haunting. For several years, he had walked the streets of 

Guangzhou in the night in search of home services or 

restaurant jobs. He was ready to accept any job as long as 

it would put food on his table. 

 

**** 

 

That Saturday night, Chika’s eyes sparkled as she 

listened to Nonso’s tale of struggle. She didn’t believe he 

had passed through a lot.  

‘Oh, God, this is too bad to be true, Chika 

muttered. She felt like crying and offering a help, but was 

very careful not to make a promise that would consume 

her relationship. She asked Nonso to call Adanna who was 

busy attending to noisy customers in Madam Louis 

restaurant. The customers’ inconsiderate demands were 

becoming increasingly irritating. Chika couldn’t 

understand why she was allowing her emotions to control 

her. It would be unsafe for her to delve into a story that 

she was not too sure of. Chika folded her arms under her 

armpits. She had only seen Nonso for the first time that 

night. He was busy clearing the once occupied table where 



cxxii 
 

a few customers ate before she called his attention. She 

had asked him about Adanna and the kind of job she had 

been employed to do in the restaurant. 

‘Job is job dear! How I wish I had many customers 

like her. The lives of young ladies are quite easy here! A 

mere opening of legs gives them a good amount of money 

in a day! What do you expect a pretty young lady like her 

to be doing here? Washing plate? Smiling? Or… Nonso 

said laughing mockingly.  

 ‘Every young lady in this restaurant is a prostitute. 

None has legal papers. They either migrated to China on 

their own accord or were deceived and manipulated. So 

don’t bother yourself asking too many questions.’ 

 Nonso helped Chika call Adanna as she waited for 

him in a dark corner of the restaurant. It was in Guangzhou 

that Nonso started his new bizarre life of prostitution, not 

with single girls but with older married women and men 

who were ready to grease his palms with a good amount 

of money. He would send the money to his siblings as a 

proof of his hard work in a faraway land. Prostitution was 

indeed the only way he could make fast money to enable 

him maintain his prestige at home. He had admired 

Adanna for her beauty which attracted more customers to 

her. He had in many occasions helped Madam Louis in 

arranging for men who took Adanna home for the whole 

night and brought her back the next day after paying a 

huge sum. It was from Nonso’s narration that Chika first 

heard that prostitution was not only meant for girls or 

women. Boys and men also threaded on that path. Booking 

Ada for the night was easy as a result of Nonso’s 

involvement. With a little sum of 300 Yuan given to him 

by Chika, he was able to convince Madam Louis to release 

Adanna for the night. Chika gave him 2,000 Yuan to settle 



cxxiii 
 

their madam and left the restaurant with Adanna before 

idle businessmen who lived oily lives in hotels would 

demand for her. 

**** 

 

Chika slumped into the revolving chair close to the 

dining table, held up her forehead with her two hands, and 

shut her eyes. Adanna sat on the sofa in the sitting room, 

took a deep breath, and shut her eyes too. Neither of them 

spoke for some minutes. 

‘What brought you to this city?’ Chika broke the 

silence. 

‘I hardly know how to tell my story without 

expressing my grief,’ Adanna said. ‘I never had the 

privilege of living a decent life of innocence. My 

childhood was full of pains and sorrows. I have spent my 

life living in fear and agony! Hummmm!’ Adanna paused. 

Chika pondered as she swung round in her chair. 

She hoped to nose around, to find out more about Adanna 

and her family background.  

‘Come on dear! Spill it! Chika said, ‘don’t prolong 

the suspense! I heard the guys in the restaurant call you 

Ada-Awka. Are you from Awka?’ Chika asked. 

‘Yes sister.’ Adanna replied floating back to the 

sofa to ponder over the question and her past bizarre 

experiences. 

‘Anything can happen in a society characterized 

by pedophiles and rapists. Life for me is meaningless and 

unfair. My childhood had been wasted by men who had no 

pity for my fragile nature. My father was the first male that 

started this chain of abuse.’ Adanna said tears welling up 

in her eyes. 

‘You mean your real father?’ Chika asked. 



cxxiv 
 

‘Pardon my asking, but this is unbelievable! I 

shudder! Chika shrugged her shoulder and beckoned on 

Adanna to continue her story. 

‘When I was barely six years old, I was 

consistently molested by my father. I was indeed scared 

and alone, and didn’t have anyone to complain to. My 

father was a night watchman in a firm and would return 

home early in the morning before leaving again in the 

night. My mother was a trader who would leave home in 

the morning only to return very late in the evening. My 

father would wait for me to come home after school and 

would consume my strength like a man who had not eaten 

for some days. He threatened to kill me if I would let the 

cat out of the bag. He used to beat my mother and 

demanded for sex even when she was tired and seriously 

sick.’ Ada sighed a sigh that was nearly a groan. 

‘My mother loved my father dearly and would do 

anything to make him happy, but my father despised her a 

lot because she had failed to give birth to more children. I 

didn’t tell anyone because I was too scared to light more 

fire that would consume my mother. I was upset with what 

was happening but lacked the willpower to face the 

consequences. My father molested me almost on daily 

basis. He would touch my small buttocks and bare chest 

and would always close his eyes like somebody who was 

waiting for spiritual inspiration. And for years, I didn’t say 

anything to anybody. Then, I was newly admitted into 

secondary school. One day, I came back from school and 

was feeling hot, and I had to go to the bathroom. When I 

came out he was waiting right outside the door for me with 

his long gun pointing directly into my small face. I lost my 

senses and fear gripped me. He pushed me into the big 

bathroom and locked the door. He took his clothes off and 



cxxv 
 

forced me to do the same. He raped me ruthlessly, and then 

told me that if I tell anyone he would kill me and my 

mother. I died and woke up. I didn’t tell anyone. I only 

nurtured my pain in the secret chamber of my little heart. 

Then a day after my 11th birthday, I started feeling weird 

and fainted. My body hurt so badly and I was taken to the 

hospital. It was confirmed that I was pregnant with my 

father’s baby.’ 

‘What?’ Chika interrupted. 

‘I felt that I was going to die. So I subconsciously 

confessed what transpired between my father and I for 

years. I heard my mother cursing, shouting and pacing 

around in confusion. That was the last time I heard my 

mother’s voice. I was later told by my mother’s friend that 

my mother could not bear the shame so she drank rat 

poison and died. That was the first time I told my story of 

being a victim of incest and sexual abuse. My father was 

arrested and jailed because I thought he would do 

something to me for telling the truth. I had a traumatic 

attack, and my mother’s friend took me away with her 

because I was severely depressed. Two weeks later in 

aunty Chinwe’s house, I became so ill as a result of the 

pregnancy which threatened my existence. I agreed to 

abort the baby because I hated my father. That was indeed 

the beginning of my pain and sorrow. I became painfully 

hurt and sexually active at a very young age. I felt as 

though it was my entire fault that this awful thing 

happened to me. I kept my mouth shut for years and I had 

very low self-esteem, and didn’t care what happened to 

me. Instead of running away from men, I ran to them.’ 

‘Why did you run to men? Haba!’ Chika 

exclaimed.  



cxxvi 
 

Adanna continued. ‘Fate played a funny game on 

me as Chinwe’s husband and house boys took their turn 

for years molesting my body without mercy. I had no other 

choice, but to run away after series of abortions that nearly 

killed me. People were very sympathetic to my situation 

and helped me secure a job in a saloon. I was barely 

sixteen when I left. The owner of the saloon was not so 

kind to me. She treated me more like a slave and called me 

all sorts of names. It was in the saloon that I met Auntie 

White, the fair complexioned lady who introduced me to 

Michael. Michael who was also called Mike was the one 

that processed my papers for the journey. Auntie White 

paid my flight ticket to China and promised to introduce 

me to a friend who would employ me. If it weren’t for 

God’s grace and mercy my dear, I don’t know where I 

would be today.’ Adanna said looking very depressed. 

   

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



cxxvii 
 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

 Chika lay wide awake in bed thinking about 

Adanna. She wondered why fate had decided to play 

painful games with her life. She had thought that it was 

wrong for a young girl of her age to be submerged in 

wicked circumstances that thwarted her dreams. Adanna 

had come into the world as the only child of her parents. 

Men’s continuous stemming irresponsibility on her had 

left a deep wound which could not be cured. This was not 

what she truly wanted. She truly wanted a home that 

would offer her protection. She wanted a decent life that 

would give her the peace to face her education. But these 

dreams were out of her reach. They were dreams 

suppressed by men’s wicked manipulations and selfish 

desires. 

Chika stirred and turned to face the ceiling. 

Adanna’s story had indeed weakened her. She tried to 

concentrate on manipulating herself to sleep. But sleep 

eluded her and hours passed ushering her into deep 

thoughts. In her state of deep thoughts, her mind took 

flight to unknown destinations. 

 

**** 

The holiday was almost over. Chika arrived 

Beijing late due to an internal flight delay. The rush that 

Sunday morning at the airport was something else as many 

Chinese needed to resume school or work on Monday.  

Chika was not so excited and ready to get going with her 

studies. She had only been in Guangzhou for a few days 

and the thought of Chinedu left her empty. 

She needed some rest to enable her attend classes 

early tomorrow. Classes ran from Monday to Friday 



cxxviii 
 

starting at 8am and finishing at 1pm or 4pm depending on 

whether or not there was an afternoon class. Chika stared 

at her small bookshelf and lost the inner strength to face 

her studies. Her mind had been occupied by many 

thoughts, thoughts of Chinedu and Guangzhou. She now 

had responsibilities, to maintain her new relationship and 

to put more efforts in her studies. 

 

**** 

 

The start of classes after the holiday was the most 

difficult period for Chika, as this time was spent adjusting 

to the content of the course outline and the teaching 

method. The class was slightly higher than Chika’s ability 

and recognizing Chinese characters was indeed a difficult 

task. Chika was unable to grasp the basic grammar 

structures and a large vocabulary that would help her in 

comprehending her courses. There was no other African 

in her class. It was incredibly diverse with the majority of 

students from different parts of China who mainly spoke 

in mandarin. Chika remembered the nervous atmosphere 

of her first class with Wu Laoshi who was very mean and 

intolerant of students’ inability to give good answers to his 

questions. That class alone caused her blood pressure to 

rise leaving her frustrated and hopeless. Another teacher, 

Tao Laoshi was very unique and different. She cared so 

much about Chika and helped her settle into life in the 

university as well as gave her grammar lessons that would 

aid her in her studies. Chika had five classes: reading, 

listening, speaking, grammar and character writing with 

different class teachers for each course. Each class was 

around one and half hours long with a twenty minutes 

break in the middle. It was indeed very hard for Chika who 



cxxix 
 

worked incredibly hard just to have good grades since 

poor grades would affect the renewal of her scholarship. 

As time passed, Chika became more accustomed 

to speaking Chinese. Words she had heard from her 

teachers and talented coursemates during classes suddenly 

began appearing in her vocabulary. 

 

**** 

The first winter was Chika’s worst season of 

waiting. The real China she felt in Beijing was indeed very 

cold and freezing. Winter was the coldest season in China 

across one year from December to February. Beijing had 

a very cold and dry weather. The chilly cold feeling left 

her so nervous during the period of her examinations that 

she yearned for the Nigeria weather. The air was indeed 

cold because Beijing in winter was full of gusty wind and 

less sunshine. The streets and roofs were covered with 

white, displaying a beauteous snow city sight. The trees 

and flowers also wore thick white snow coats once 

admired by Chika in television during Christmas period. 

It was indeed a dream come true. 

 

**** 

December 25th was like other normal days in 

China. Christmas was not a public holiday. Students and 

workers were not allowed to enjoy a day off. On Christmas 

Eve, Chika and some of her Chinese friends went to the 

church to perform some religious activities. People were 

seen trimming and lighting the Christmas tree, sending 

cards and gifts, and holding parties without attaching more 

importance to the reason behind the celebration. It was 

indeed quite different from home. For the first time, the 

feelings attached to Christmas season eluded her. She was 



cxxx 
 

so lonely and empty. Different popular commercial streets 

and shopping malls were well decorated and the festive 

music was heard everywhere. The lyrics of ‘Jingle Bells’, 

‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and ‘Silent Night’ 

awakened in her a feeling of nostalgia that left her feeling 

sad and lonely. The only thing about Christmas 

celebration that Chika enjoyed was the discounts and 

small gifts offered by most department stores, 

supermarkets and other on-line shops to their customers. 

Her visit to some exciting places left her feeling bored and 

tired. To her, Christmas in China was more of a carnival. 

**** 

Chika’s mind went to the past. Her forays into her 

experiences in Guangzhou always ended in mixed 

feelings, yet she couldn’t subdue them. No moment passed 

without her thinking of Chinedu and Adanna. It had been 

two months since she had returned from Guangzhou, yet 

it seemed like yesterday. Memories like these should be 

buried. But how could she forget, when bizarre stories of 

Nonso and Adanna emerged every moment to add to her 

frustration.  

‘Why should a young girl be subjected to a life of 

molestation and prostitution? What is the justice in a 

situation where a sexually exploited girl, is also molested 

in a place where she ran for shelter?’ Chika muttered 

feeling so sad. 

Chika felt that she had a huge burden that was too 

heavy to carry. She was indeed terrorized by Adanna’s 

stories and felt she had been molested herself. In the past, 

Chika was awed by people who went abroad but now, her 

perception had changed. There was something about 

abroad that made her almost hate it: the helplessness of 

migrants, constant police monitoring and an air of 



cxxxi 
 

superiority that made Africans so nervous. China indeed 

was not free of restraint, internet services, walking on the 

streets without attracting comments – not indeed free of 

monitoring. Life in China did not take the familiar shape 

of life in Nigeria. It was pleasant and direct, but there was 

no privacy at all. Everything was strictly monitored with 

cameras.  

Chika would remember her final moments in 

Guangzhou in a blur, Chinedu refusing to go to Madam 

Louis Restaurant to avoid being connected to Adanna in 

any way. He had warned her to be very careful of girls 

who had no legal papers and background. He was indeed 

not happy about Chika’s decision which left him with the 

option of sleeping in his friend’s house that night. After 

Chinedu left the apartment that night, Chika told herself, 

‘there was a feeling I wanted to feel that I did not feel. It 

was true that I loved him deeply, but Adanna’s helpless 

condition had awakened in me the spirit of agitation and 

revolution. I do stupid things when I’m curious, but there 

must be important reasons for my actions. Adanna’s 

situation calls for one. She is from Umuogbu Awka, a 

place very familiar to me. I must help that poor girl.’ 

 

**** 

Life in Beijing was quite different and challenging. 

Chika liked Sunday mornings, the only day she would 

collect some charity gifts donated by white people heaped 

at the church entrance and see different shades of dark 

people from different continents. The church was not a 

conventional building but a private hall situated in a hotel 

hired by pastors to accommodate foreigners who were 

Christians. For months, Chika stumbled around trying to 

place her usefulness in a church that was totally controlled 



cxxxii 
 

by white people. The church indeed bored her. People did 

the same thing every Sunday; chatting, singing, eating, 

drinking juice and laughing without purpose. Preaching 

seemed more like a friendly chat with less force or 

emotional condemnation which was quite uncommon in 

Nigeria. The pastors had no authoritative control over the 

congregation and never cared much about money for 

weekly thanksgiving. Perhaps it had always been so in 

many foreign countries.  

The hall in the hotel used as a church was in a 

cluster of buildings. The environment was carefully 

landscaped and decorated with colourful flowers at the 

corners of the building. In fact the perfect metaphor for the 

environment was a park. Every Sunday, white and black 

foreigners were seen dramatically looking around. White 

foreigners’ eyes were unusually averted and precarious as 

though to seek a response to questions that haunted their 

imagination.  

Chika was new to the church, the people and 

environment were unfamiliar to her. She longed for other 

foreigners, and she longed to hear the experiences of other 

people in China. Panicked, Chika took a step and 

approached a young beautiful dark complexioned 

Jamaican who merely stared, arms folded without 

responding to her greetings. She remained silent and her 

eyes communicated one thing: disdain. Chika stood in 

perfect silence, staring at her, flabbergasted by the 

hardness of her eyes which sustained a fixed gaze in front 

of her without turning to any direction. Chika felt 

humiliated and very sad. She simply moved away looking 

around the surroundings, as though seeking for something. 

She raised her palms and pressed her natural coarse hair to 

hide her frustration. Her natural Negro hair was very thick, 



cxxxiii 
 

full and dark. Actually, she had not singed her hair straight 

like many black girls did. Chika had bound it with black 

elastic buntings in Afro style. She looked less 

sophisticated and abnormal to the white foreigners who 

gazed consciously at the coarse hair that had not been 

smeared with relaxers. Chika had rocked her natural hair 

since she returned from Guangzhou because there were a 

few African saloons in Beijing. She did not patronize them 

because they we very expensive. Most black girls’ hairs 

were silky and long. They had used relaxers and hot 

electric appliances to straighten their hair. Chika looked 

more natural and African. The way she pressed her woolly 

hair with apt attention attracted some white people who 

were curious observing her.  

‘Can I touch your hair?’ Kerry, a very lanky 

beautiful white lady who controlled the children’s service 

asked. 

‘Yes,’ Chika said, even though she did not like the 

idea. Her hair was quite different and had a very hard 

texture. An unusual numbness spread swiftly through her 

as the lady stretched her hand to touch the hair. 

‘Look how thick and coarse your African hair is. 

Is it really natural or artificial? How do you cope with lice 

and dandruff? It must be very tedious and frustrating to 

keep your bushy hair tidy. I don’t envy you at all! I am 

damn serious. This is one hell of a trouble!’ The lady said 

heading to the convenience to wash her hands. 

Chika felt the familiar sadness and tightening of 

panic in her chest. She followed the white lady almost 

immediately and spilled the venom in her heart. ‘I don’t 

envy you too! I like my hair. It is natural and very unique. 

No lice, no dandruff! Say what you know and remain 



cxxxiv 
 

where you are! Please, next time, don’t go looking for 

trouble where there is none!’ 

‘Thank you,’ the lanky lady said, and tried to 

unfreeze her long face which was almost turning purple- 

red. Chika was very happy that the words came out at the 

right time with a swift eloquence that displayed her 

courage and self-worth.  

**** 

   The problem of race was still a major issue 

which haunted Chika like a ghost. Beijing had been set up 

to make the issue of race, colour and superiority very 

glaring. All dark people were labelled Africans without 

any formal introduction.  People’s complexions defined 

their nationality and continent. Most of the dark 

complexioned people from Europe who attended the 

church had an air of superiority which placed them above 

people from Africa. They were very unfriendly and 

unapproachable. They hated everything about Africa and 

avoided any form of association with them. Chika was left 

only in the company of people from Rwanda, Ghana, 

South Africa and Kenya whose English she barely 

understood. Complaints came from most African students 

who visited the church often. Their stories of 

discrimination were similar and very pathetic. Black 

people were monitored and suspected. Black people 

couldn’t enter the church without submitting their 

international passports for scrutiny. This was indeed very 

humiliating and stereotypical. Nothing was done in China 

without your passport. In fact, ‘you can’t get anything in 

this country as a black person without your passport,’ one 

of the girls from Rwanda told Chika with a tone of finality. 

In Beijing, racism existed but in different forms. Chinese 

racists were very common and often refer to a dark 



cxxxv 
 

complexioned person as hei ren (black person). Their 

constant use of that word was more derogatory and 

unrefined. Perhaps racism was more experienced in their 

use of language during assumed friendly conversations.  

‘So why do many Africans seem so unhappy in 

China? Why do they have similar stories to tell? If they 

had come for studies or business in China, then why are 

they always looking so guilty, nervous and disturbed?’ 

Chika asked Meme-lee, a young girl from Rwanda. Mee-

lee laid her long dark hand on one of Chika’s hands, her 

reddened eyes focused on Chika to caution her to be 

silenct as church service was still in progress. Despite 

Meme-lee’s warnings to Chika, some little African 

instinct in her told her to reassure Chika that they would 

continue their conversation after service.  

At first, the feeling of inferiority overwhelmed 

Chika. The woman sitting in front of her was a white 

woman, and her voice was filling Chika’s ears with curly 

sounds that left her more emotional. Chika had grown up 

knowing that the church was a sacred place, talking was 

not allowed in any form. The white usher was staring at 

her, eyes narrowed. She had been warned severally by the 

white man to stop talking. Chika looked reluctant. Here, 

she felt that anything was possible, white people could do 

or say anything without any consequences. Black people 

were expected to always sit and watch the superior people 

direct their affairs. Chika struggled to grasp the unspoken. 

Why had black people become so weak? Why had black 

become a taboo? Why did Chinese people and other 

Europeans disdain Africans? 

‘Chinese Blackie!’ Meme-lee teased Chika. ‘You 

are looking at things with African eyes. Here, life is 



cxxxvi 
 

different! You have to adapt and relax! Just relax and face 

your life. We are Africans! We are different!’ 

Chika stared out of the window, half listening, 

thinking how unreasonable white people were by looking 

down on blacks in the church; church populated with black 

students who were eager to participate actively in different 

activities. She was waiting endlessly for the service to end. 

Of her mixed unrelated feelings, she only felt sad and 

humiliated. Throughout the service, Chika did not speak, 

but only acknowledged people’s greetings with a cold nod.  

**** 

After the service, Meme-Lee and other Africans 

joked about a young African guy who had dedicated his 

time to holding the microphone for pastors and other 

church officials during Bible study. Kofi was a Ghanaian 

with the darkest skin Chika had ever seen. He spoke more 

formal English like the British and carried himself like an 

important personality. He ignored other Africans and 

greeted them as formally as he could without any friendly 

gestures. Chika was indeed puzzled, and she wondered 

why anybody would go through that trouble just to 

associate with white people. An angry sense of disdain and 

betrayal overwhelmed her. She shrugged and headed 

towards the bus stand. Chika did not ask questions again, 

but the thought was there in her mind, muddled but 

persistent. 

**** 

 

 

 



cxxxvii 
 

CHAPTER NINETEEN 

COUNTING MY THOUGHTS 

Chika laid her small hand on her forehead, for a 

while the sad expression on her bloated face disappeared. 

Her eyes focused on Chinedu’s picture on the reading 

table, the corners of her eyes formed small wrinkles and 

her face brightened. Living on the university campus 

protected her a little from the devouring eyes of some 

Chinese racists and the to and fro of the city. She picked 

up her small travelling bag, which she had placed on a 

chair before leaving for church service and adjusted it on 

her left shoulder before leaving her room. 

Chika stood on the tarred road in front of the 

university waiting for the taxi that would convey her to the 

train station. It was a great feeling visiting Guangzhou 

after busy months of studying. Her heart yearned for 

Chinedu’s love. The thought of him created a special 

happiness that left her weak and trembling. She was happy 

that her examinations ended well and learning Chinese 

had enabled her get behind the scene while expressing her 

feelings. It filled her with confidence, hope and 

excitement as she was going to be surrounded by the buzz 

of a rapidly growing city. She could see surprises on taxi 

drivers’ faces when she spoke Chinese bargaining the taxi 

fare with them. She hoped for a great adventure and 

dreamed of more romantic moments with Chinedu. 

**** 

Travelling to Guangzhou by train was not 

convenient at all. As the busiest rail transport hub in 

China, Beijing had five main train stations and many 

railway trunks leading to almost different cities of the 



cxxxviii 
 

country. It took no more than 10 hours to Guangzhou by 

high-speed train. The busy rail transportation made it 

difficult to get tickets, especially during major holidays 

such as Chinese New Year and National day when it was 

highly recommended that travellers book tickets as early 

as possible. The Beijing-Guangzhou High speed Railway 

is the longest high speed railway in China with a total 

distance of 2,298km (1,428 miles). It connects Beijing 

West Railway Station and Guangzhou South Railway 

Station, passing through twenty-eight cities. The D type 

trains were mainly overnight sleeper trains available only 

on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. 

Chika had never travelled by train. She had never 

seen a sea of people like the one she encountered in the 

train station. Her surprise reminded her of the Beijing 

Airport – the first impression she had about the Chinese 

people. She thought that most people in Beijing were rich 

and elegant, but it did not occur to her to think that both 

the poor and the rich exist to form a balance in society. It 

terrified her, to be unable to visualize the situation she 

found herself. Chika had wanted to disappear from the 

yellow, dark-yellow, pink-yellow and white-yellow crowd 

who were so engrossed looking at her. She indeed was at 

war with the crowd, and stood each minute feeling 

emotionally bruised by their comments. Chika had wanted 

to fight the ugly peasant Chinese lady who made fun of 

her hair and complexion but did not retaliate because she 

was at war with the crowd. She simply moved to a corner, 

reclined her arms on the table and sighed.  

Chika had never been a good fighter. She sat at the 

table with some Chinese migrants, watching people hurry 

past while pointing at her. Two Chinese guys whispered 

into their friends’ ears saying ‘hei ren’ (black person), 



cxxxix 
 

perhaps wondering what a black young girl was doing 

alone in a train station. The two guys looked alike, with 

narrow eyes that were slightly closed. Their Panda-like 

shaped eyes and thick eyebrows that almost touched 

resembled that of the ancient Chinese emperors displayed 

on television. Chika laughed when she discovered how 

similar the facial expressions of those Chinese guys and 

the ancient Chinese emperors had been. She stood there 

watching and laughing until the arrival of their train was 

announced. 

**** 

At first, Chika forgot that she was in China. In the 

train, a tired thin-faced yellow woman in official uniform 

requested for her ticket and led her into a compartment 

with strong stench of garlic and ginger. Three Chinese 

people were already resting on their bunks in a slightly-

lighted compartment of a third-class train. The 

compartment was dark and unaired. Chika imagined 

herself staying in a steeped upper section for ten hours 

without clear air. From inside the compartment, a middle 

aged woman was groaning heavy and weird sounds. They 

were the throaty sound of a woman who had not slept for 

many nights. Her body seemed lifeless and the sound 

frightened Chika. 

‘That’s your section’, the woman said in English 

flavoured with a Mandarin accent pointing at the number 

written on the ticket.  

‘Ok, thanks! Chika said very reluctant. She fought 

the urge to escape from the compartment that had 

automatically changed her system. She wanted to vomit 

but was left with the only choice of suppressing the 

nausea. She put her hand into her purse and brought out 

the chewing gum that was shared in the church that 



cxl 
 

morning. The flavoured chewing gum did the magic and 

she regained her sanity. 

‘Where are youuu fromm?’ A young pastoral 

looking young man suddenly asked alighting from his 

bunk. 

‘Nigeria.’ 

‘You mean Africa?’ 

‘No, Nigeria!’ 

‘Isn’t there a war going on in that country? 

‘Aren’t people there killing themselves? I saw that 

on CCTV last week. Guess you are a refugee student 

right? Oh, poor you!’ The rustic looking young man said 

fixing his gaze on Chika. 

‘Can I see your International Passport?’ The train 

attendant suddenly asked interrupting the stiff 

conversation that nearly choked Chika with anger. Chika 

opened her small black bag and pulled out her Green 

Passport. 

‘Have it ma!’ She said. 

Glancing at the International Passport the 

attendant asked, ‘How do I pronounce your name? 

‘Chika.’ 

‘Pardon?’ 

‘Chi, Chi, ka, ka… Chika.’ Chika almost bit her 

tongue. 

‘Ooh, I see. Shika!’ The attendant said with an air 

of superiority that amused Chika. 

‘You have a student visa. Guess you are heading 

to Gaungzhou where your silly African brothers reside. I 

hope they won’t corrupt you over there. There are a bunch 

of naughty African guys roaming the streets of Gaungzhou 

without legal papers. Please be careful and guard your 

passport jealously.’ The attendant warned Chika sternly 



cxli 
 

before returning the passport to her. Chika had opened her 

mouth as though to say something and then closed it, 

aware that there was something significant about that 

statement. 

Chika had assumed that things were not too bad in 

Guangzhou, although she realized now that the train 

attendant issued a warning mentioning the noisy Igbo guys 

and their illegal activities in Guangzhou without details. 

The attendant’s warning rang in her head. 

‘Thank you, ma,’ Chika said heading towards her 

bunk. 

**** 

The compartment smelled more of garlic when 

Chika entered. She walked in and glanced at the young 

man who was sipping hot spicy water from a small plastic 

plate containing noodles. Chika merely stared at him, she 

could not think. There was something about the young 

man that made her want to react, but her mind was 

occupied with thoughts. His constant gaze and frequent 

scornful remarks made her angry and irritated. 

Chika hurried past the young man’s bunk and 

towards her bunk, knowing that her emotions could fail 

her at any further provocation. The bunk smelled of cold 

dust in winter. She liked that her bunk was the last, closer 

to the roof of the train where nobody would disturb her. 

She liked the bunk, the height above average human 

height and the dark upper layer that transformed 

everything into darkness. She liked most of all, that in the 

bunk, she could recoil in disgust when faced with 

uncertainty. But she hated taking deep breaths there. She 

liked watching the Chinese Gothic buildings with their 

dragon design-laced wall through the medium sized 

window in the compartment. 



cxlii 
 

Chika did not like that she had to go to Guangzhou 

feeling sad. The rude Chinese man in the compartment had 

intended to offend her but had instead prodded her to 

think. She began to plan and to dream about the Chinese 

Spring Festival because it was her first experience. Her 

Chinese friends had told her that Chinese New Year also 

called the Spring Festival was an important annual event 

for Chinese people. It was a festival celebrated according 

to Chinese twelve animal zodiac signs. It was also a 

traditional festival that united family members for 

centuries; similar to Christmas celebration. During this 

festival, many Chinese workers had at least seven days off 

work, including three days legal holiday. Students would 

take one whole month before school would resume. 

Happiness seemed to have descended from somewhere 

onto her heart. Chika could feel it and never hurried to 

escape from it. She wanted to enjoy her holiday in 

Guangzhou; all she wanted was Chinedu’s heart and 

happiness, and as long as she had those there was little else 

she desired. Chika became so engrossed in her thoughts 

that she drifted away. 

     

**** 

Some hours later, when Chika woke up, she found 

her black bag on the floor. Luckily, she hid her wallet, 

phone and passport inside her tight elastic underwear 

before sleep took her away. The train was filled with 

Chinese from different backgrounds, so it was obvious 

that thieves would be having their targets attacked during 

the festive period. Chika noticed that her mini laptop had 

been stolen. She alighted from her bed, picked up her bag 

from the floor and headed towards the complaint section. 



cxliii 
 

‘I was robbed while sleeping!’ Please, help me 

catch this thief. He must be here! Please, please!’ Chika 

said to the train attendant almost sobbing. She sounded 

curious and was so afraid. 

‘I don’t think it is possible now, the person must 

have escaped with the stolen items. We have already 

covered many cities and I guess the person must have 

alighted. I’ m so sorry. Please, next time be very careful 

with your precious items,’ the train attendant told Chika. 

‘But you have cameras in this train! You can 

replay the cameras to catch the thief!  Please help me! 

Chika cried. 

‘There are no cameras mounted in the 

compartment. We respect the privacy of our customers. I 

am sorry that I cannot help you.’ 

For the first few minutes, Chika sat on the bare 

floor of the train sobbing. All her vital documents were 

stored in the mini laptop that Chinedu bought for her. ‘This 

is unbelievable! This is unbelievable!’ She told herself 

often, and again, endless thoughts of what had happened 

churned in her head. Many Chinese migrants clustered 

around Chika watching her like an alien that was imported 

into their planet. Chika searched their gestures, faces and 

words, for a sign that showed pity or concern. They looked 

no different from their expressions before. There were no 

sympathetic gestures, no special concern or efforts to 

catch the thief. Suddenly, Chika noticed an unusual thing 

which was not common in Nigeria. She saw traces of 

slippery secretion which lay spattered on the floor. She 

immediately got up and was heading to her compartment 

when an old woman blew her nostrils. She was spattered 

with smelly thick mucus that almost made her vomit. She 



cxliv 
 

did not tell her anything but headed to the convenience to 

clean up the mess. 

**** 

On her bunk, morning came too soon. It hung on 

the small window like a threat, ready to shatter her 

happiness. 

‘Wo men dou la!’ (We have reached our final 

stop). A man in official uniform shouted standing at the 

entrance of Chika’s compartment. The man was very short 

and chubby. Obviously, the man was talking to Chika who 

was the only person left in the train. Indeed, yesterday’s 

experiences left her emotionally wrecked and plunged her 

into a deep slumber. When Chika got up from her bunk, 

she looked him over, sizing him up in self defense, then 

she smiled and said to him in Mandarin. 

‘Zao shang hao!’ (Good morning). I’m sorry, I 

overslept.’ 

‘Mei guangxi!’ (No problem).The man said 

heading towards the door. 

Chika’s heart prickled and a tingling sensation of 

discomfort overwhelmed her as she carried her bag to 

leave the train. Her world was wrapped in Gauze. She 

could see a sea of people moving to and fro in the train 

station. She told herself, ‘a journey of ten long hours has 

finally come to an end. Thank God I wasn’t kidnapped 

ooo!’ As soon as she alighted, Chinedu hurried to her and 

carried her in his arms touching and kissing her. His touch 

was warm against her skin and she felt normal again. They 

left the scene and headed to where Chinedu packed his 

SUV. In a sluice of seconds, they entered the car and drove 

off. 

**** 

 



cxlv 
 

Chika had a singular insight into life, considering 

that she had never experienced some bizarre aspects of it. 

She was a young girl who for the first time in her life had 

fallen madly in love. The last time Chika and Chinedu 

met, he had told her how much he loved her and his desire 

to return to Nigeria with her for their traditional marriage 

ceremony. 

Chika was resigned to the fact that things happen 

too fast in life and that she should not go too far without 

proper marriage. Chinedu had missed her greatly, his 

voice sounded tearful and quite sexy. He was ready to 

make her his wife. He had told her over the phone while 

in Nigeria of the discussions he had with his father, 

mentioning the points he knew would make her happy and 

put her mind at rest; that she was a beautiful girl and that 

she came from a good family. Chinedu’s visit to Nigeria 

was not in vain. His two months in Nigeria after many 

years in China gave him the opportunity of making good 

inquiry about Chika. His visit to Chika’s house at Awka 

where her mother and other siblings reside created in 

Chinedu a new feeling of eternal bond. He could not wait 

to marry her and cherish her family like his own. The 

motherly advice and gentle nature of Chika’s mother had 

in a very short time filled the vacuum created by the death 

of his mother. Happiness once again returned to him with 

deeper roots. 

‘I love you deeply my sweetie. I really missed you. 

You have taken all of me. I am now helpless!’ Chinedu 

confessed while driving. Chika listened with her face 

lowered. She had not brushed her teeth and so did not dare 

look up. She was too shy and lacked the confidence to 

speak into his face. 

**** 



cxlvi 
 

Chika watched the crowd silently. The period was 

the busiest time for the Chinese people. Many Chinese 

living away from their ancestral homes were returning to 

celebrate the Spring Festival. And so airports, railway 

stations and long distance bus stations were fully crowded 

with returnees. The celebration was accentuated with 

religious ceremonies and worship in honour of family 

ancestors and different gods. The animal sign celebrated 

in the lunar calendar was the ‘dog’ which was virtually 

used as a design pattern on every item in China. Different 

buildings and streets were decorated with golden and red 

buntings to signal a festive period. To many Chinese 

people, inability to decorate a house with red and golden 

buntings was a taboo that could usher in bad luck. 

The Chinese Spring festival was like Christmas in 

Nigeria. Chika could not wait to experience it for the first 

time. She was imagining what people must be feeling 

about the festival. Not knowing what to say, she took a 

deep breath and only stared at the crowd. 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



cxlvii 
 

CHAPTER TWENTY 

I DIDN’T SEE IT COMING 
 

‘What a long journey sweetie! You look worn-out 

but very pretty.’ In the living room, Chinedu smiled and 

moved closer to Chika. She was very erratic, obviously 

anxious to wash her body clean. Chinedu had to incline his 

body against the wall to avoid being pushed down by 

Chika. He held her small face and looked thoughtfully into 

her eyes. 

‘I’m not sure you love me the way I do. You look 

good, any day – any time. I like you the way you are… 

fresh, dirty…. I simply love you! What’s wrong with you? 

Did I offend you?’ Chinedu asked. 

Chika gave him a surprised look. Her eyes were a 

bit simplified but radiated a strong passion that ignited 

powerful emotion in Chinedu. She indeed loved him, and 

the unmonitored freedom he gave her. Chika opened her 

mouth as though to say something. Chinedu placed his 

fingers over her lips. He placed his hands on her waist and 

swung her up, kissed her and nuzzled her neck. He laid her 

gently on the sofa and took off her blouse and bra. She laid 

bare chest on her back moaning softly. His long fingers 

caressed her soft rounded breast as he prepared to claim 

her fully. Her fingers clutched his head, as he lowered his 

body to meet hers. Chika looked straight into the open 

space. She did not see anything. Something in Chinedu’s 

voice made her dance to the rhythm of their emotion. She 

was not capable of putting the sweet sensation into words. 

She simply held him tight and allowed tears fall on her 

cheeks. 

                              

                            **** 



cxlviii 
 

Chinedu did not bother to tell Ngozi who it was 

that had put on his boxers and slept on his private bed. It 

was Ngozi, who had been entitled to such a privilege in 

the past. Ngozi did not believe her eyes. Since she met 

Chinedu, she had wanted to be his wife but wasn’t lucky 

enough. Chinedu never loved her, but accepted her 

friendship as a result of the favour she did to him in the 

past.  

Chika was fast asleep when Ngozi entered the 

room. Ngozi touched Chika’s right leg; yet Chika did not 

stir. Ngozi bent over her and peered into her face to check 

if she was really asleep. She took a glance at the mini 

brown table in the room and saw a lady’s handbag. She 

bent over again to see if Chika was still asleep before 

tiptoeing to the table. She picked up the bag and opened it 

to check the content. She was surprised to see a Nigerian 

passport in the bag. Ngozi opened the passport, flipped 

through the pages and hid it inside her tight jean trouser 

pocket. She was indeed very furious. She darted a glance 

at Chika who was deep in sleep and muttered, ‘don’t get 

flip with me or I’ll knock you into next world!’ 

                          

**** 

‘Chinedu! Chinedu! Hummmm! She is your new 

girl friend, right? A student at Beijing! You are very 

ungrateful and shameless! I don’t really blame you! You 

have done your worst! Now watch me do mine, you 

shameless idiot! You are an ungrateful brat from a poor 

lineage!’ Ngozi said pacing up and down. She grabbed her 

travelling bag and dashed towards the door. Suddenly she 

turned and said, ‘before evening get that little brat away 

from this house!’ 



cxlix 
 

‘It will never happen! She is not just my girl friend. 

She is my wife to be! She is my true love!’ Chinedu said 

feeling so irritated. 

‘Who said so? You haven’t seen anything! You 

have indeed touched the tail of a tiger. I cannot sleep until 

I ruin you and that girl. You know what I’m capable of 

doing. Guess you have forgotten so soon! Let that girl 

disappear before I return to this house this evening or else, 

I make her roam the streets of Guangzhou like a criminal 

without a passport. You know me…’ Ngozi grabbed the 

door handle and exited.  

                        

**** 

‘Nawa ooooo, marriage na by force? I no wan 

marry you bi say, I no wan marry you! What kind of arrant 

nonsense is this naw? What have I really gotten myself 

into? What a crazy lady; spoilt girl without a living 

conscience! How could I marry a girl that had the heart to 

sell one of her kidneys for money? How could I marry a 

drug baroness, pimp and an evil genius? Tufiakwa! (God 

forbid!)’ Chinedu shouted in heightened anger. 

Chinedu had no intention of leaving Chika. She 

was indeed everything to him; he did not want her to suffer 

for what she did not know. He sat on the sofa and shut his 

eyes tightly and groaned in pain. 

‘I guess that girl is up to something! I must defend 

my true love.’ Chinedu said, more to himself than to 

Chika. Chinedu silently went to the room, he was very 

happy that Chika was still in deep sleep. The argument 

between him and Ngozi had not disturbed her sleep. 

Immediately, he returned to the living room very worried 

and tensed. He thought about his life and journey in China. 

He did not like the threats in Ngozi’s voice and eyes. He 



cl 
 

remembered the first day he met her at Ukanna’s shop at 

the Baidu Shopping Complex.  He had come for business 

and needed to make more contacts for Chief Akaego’s 

goods. At that time, his life was full of struggles and he 

didn’t want to go down the path of his father who 

struggled all his life as an ordinary labourer without 

achieving much.  

In those days, money was a stranger that rarely 

visited their house. Chinedu’s mother died when he was 

very young because they had no money to make a huge 

deposit that the hospital demanded for before her surgery. 

They were indeed ‘cut up’ in that situation until the 

ruptured vermiform appendix killed his mother. Before 

her death, his father had borrowed enough money from his 

friends using his lands as collateral. He had borrowed too 

much money without any foreseeable means of paying 

back that his friends had refused to lend him more money.  

The day Chinedu’s mother died, his father wanted 

to use him as collateral to one of his friends, a 

businessman who was living at Onitsha to raise money for 

his wife’s surgery. Chinedu could still remember the 

shock on his father’s face when the doctor pronounced his 

mother dead at the surgical ward. It was as if nothing 

existed again in the world. He had made plans to go to 

Onitsha that very day in order to seal the plan between 

Chief Akaego and his father. Unfortunately, his mother 

died when he came to behold her face before travelling. 

His mother’s death had signaled one thing: her resentment 

over the decision they made. She never wanted her 

husband to commit such an abominable act just to save her 

life. She chose death over that humiliation. That singular 

episode of Chinedu’s life had pushed him to his present 

situation. He had vowed to drink money like water.  He 



cli 
 

definitely wanted to put a smile on his father’s face. He 

wanted to prove to him that wealth could smile at them. 

After his mother’s burial rites, his ambition took him to 

Onitsha Main Market where he served Akaego with 

dedication and complete loyalty. Chinedu became his eye 

in his absence and handled his business like his own. 

Akaego was very pleased that he decided to put him in his 

other line of business. Akaego was not just a wealthy 

businessman but also a drug baron. He wanted Chinedu to 

be his eye in Guangzhou, monitoring the activities of other 

guys and giving him feedback. Akaego loved him so much 

that he never wanted him to join the other guys in 

transacting and transporting drugs. He needed him to stay 

alive for his father and other siblings. He wanted him to 

watch his back over there just like he did at Onitsha in his 

absence. 

Chinedu’s trip to China was fully sponsored by 

Chief Akaego. He had been told that he came to China to 

oversee Chief Akaego’s business just like he did at 

Onitsha. He never expected the circumstances that 

surrounded his life in Guangzhou; though he never 

bargained for such a lifestyle. Barely three week he 

arrived Guangzhou, Chinedu met Ngozi at Baidu 

Shopping Complex. Their meeting was divinely arranged 

by God. Indeed his story would have been different 

without her support. That was the first contact they had 

before the incident that nearly marred his life. Chinedu 

was in charge of Chief Akaego’s account and transactions 

in China. His master had business scattered all over China 

which he used as camouflage to cover his drug business. 

Chinedu’s master was brutally killed in Nigeria three 

weeks after he travelled to China. No one told Chinedu 

about his death. Nothing indeed gave him a clue. Akaego 



clii 
 

died tragically in the hands of hoodlums sent by his 

detractors who wanted to control his drug money. 

Chinedu’s presence in China was a threat to Chief 

Akaego’s associates who connived and killed him. The 

same people who murdered Akaego plotted to implicate 

Chinedu with drug related issue.  

They had secretly planned to get rid of him by 

planting cocaine in the bag packed with money as he 

headed to deposit them in China Bank of Industry. That 

particular day, the spirit of his mother was disturbed. Her 

mother’s spirit was stirred to fulfill the promise she made 

on her sick bed. That day, she had told him that women 

would always come to offer help to him in time of need. 

That promise indeed came alive when Ngozi maneuvered 

and thwarted the plans of other drug dealers to save 

Chinedu’s life. His mother’s words were true. Her spirit 

evoked pity and love in Ngozi’s heart.  

Chinedu had already carried the bag and was ready 

to enter a taxi when Ngozi stopped him. She quickly took 

him by the hand and headed towards his apartment. She 

forced the bag open and displayed the content at once. 

That very day, life had a different taste for Chinedu. He 

would have embarked on a journey of no return but 

Ngozi’s intervention saved the whole situation.  

Chief Akaego’s detractors had alerted the police 

who had laid siege for Chinedu, but his dead mother’s 

prayers on her sick bed availed. Ngozi took the drugs and 

flushed it down the toilet before the police could track 

Chinedu down to his house. They stayed up there in his 

room waiting for the next action. 

                          **** 

Ngozi was a classic prostitute, a young baroness 

and a pimp. She had her people everywhere both Chinese 



cliii 
 

and Africans. She was barely fifteen when she came to 

China for business. Her mother was an Edo woman who 

divorced her poverty-stricken Igbo husband and 

absconded with her only child, Ngozi. Ngozi’s mother 

doted on wealthy classic women who had excess money 

through prostitution. She also became very rich and 

influential after joining the cult of prostitution. Her 

influence grew and her daughter’s initiation at a very 

tender age earned her more powerful status. Ngozi was a 

replica of her mother. Her mentality was no different from 

hers. Ngozi’s boldness and subtle nature had favoured her 

greatly in this business. Her beauty was exceptional – this 

she got from her mother. Again, her mother’s slim body 

and well curved hips were also her best attraction. 

The very day Ngozi saved Chinedu’s life was also 

the day he lost his freedom. Chinedu could still recollect 

the despondence in his voice and the utter frustration that 

seized his body after Ngozi’s sudden revelation which got 

him emotionally trapped to her. The thought of being 

killed for the crime he did not commit got him depressed 

and afraid. There and there, in his own room, Ngozi took 

advantage of Chinedu and robbed him of his innocence for 

he had never touched a woman before. It was not in 

Chinedu’s nature to admire or feel something easily for a 

girl, but Ngozi’s presence in his life had awakened the 

beast in him. He could play occasionally with other girls 

any time Ngozi travelled out of China.  

                  

                         **** 

 

Chinedu knew that Ngozi’s story was very 

complex to narrate. It was not the type of story that any 

reasonable young man would hear and ignore. The story 



cliv 
 

of Ngozi’s life was a common knowledge in Guangzhou; 

a place where the African community shared their pains 

and sorrows like siblings.  A chocolate city populated with 

Nigerians, mostly Igbo people who could betray or offer 

protection to their own. 

Ngozi had no good moral background. She was 

nurtured by a wayward mother who left her husband’s 

house to live a free life of prostitution. Ngozi grew in her 

mother’s house at Edo. She took her mother’s family name 

and grew up to regard her grandfather as her biological 

father. Ngozi enjoyed dangerous adventures. She was not 

afraid to take risks at all. Chinedu had always been 

bothered about the issue of marriage. His mind had been 

plagued by many bizarre thoughts of Ngozi. 

‘How could I possibly marry a loose girl who sold 

one of her kidneys to venture into drug business? This is 

very impossible! I cannot marry a drug addict and a 

baroness! How could I allow one incident which I had no 

control over ruin my life. I must forge a new life. I must 

socialize and create a new future for myself. Ngozi cannot 

stop me. No, it’s late now!’ Chinedu said determinedly. 

 

                             **** 

Chinedu had been unable to work out how to tell 

Chika what transpired between him and Ngozi without 

revealing her threats and warnings. He had not even 

introduced her to Chika for the first time. 

Chika noticed a change in Chinedu’s demeanor 

that evening at Madam Louis Restaurant. His demeanor 

made Chika suspicious of something. It was supposed to 

be a lovely evening, the Eve of the Chinese New Year. 

Chinedu had wanted a different restaurant for the evening 

outing but Chika’s persuasive nature left him with no 



clv 
 

choice. He knew that Ngozi would be at the restaurant to 

see the girls she indirectly recruited now she was in the 

country. She would give them money, perfumes, skimpy 

lovely gowns and shoes like the Good Samaritan or 

Dorcas in the Bible who took good care of the less 

privileged. The girls were usually happy any time she 

came visiting because of her supposedly acclaimed 

generosity and love for them. She would give Madame 

Louis some huge amount of money as a bailing charge in 

order to take the girls to different hotels where they would 

satisfy her Arab friends who came for business.  

Ngozi loved Adanna because of her rare beauty 

and calm nature. Adanna’s psychological makeup had 

been grossly affected by past traumatic events that she had 

no willpower to resist any humiliation. Of course, 

Adanna’s will was often regulated by Ngozi’s reason. In 

fact, she submitted to Ngozi’s will without any display of 

resentment. Ngozi entered the restaurant with Adanna and 

the other girls. She began to urge them to smile and treat 

their customers nicely. And as the urges threatened to turn 

into shouts, Chinedu quickly told Chika that he had to go 

to the convenience to ease and tidy himself. 

‘Ok my love, and don’t leave me so lonely here. 

Go and come back quickly before something happens to 

me ooo!’ Chika said sarcastically.  

                            

**** 

Chinedu stifled the urge to tell Chika the truth, to 

reveal to her that her life was in danger. He suppressed the 

temptation, remembering that Chika was very emotional 

and outspoken. He knew that Chika’s reaction could 

trigger up issues that could create complex problems for 

her.  



clvi 
 

                              **** 

Adanna walked happily to the restaurant, thankful 

that at least she had been released from the clutches of 

those Arab guys who nearly devoured her. She used to 

enjoy their company, but her body had betrayed her. She 

had been feeling feverish and weak. At least that day, she 

had been allowed the freedom to relax and move around 

without being monitored by Madam Louis unlike the days 

when she had been chaperoned by Nonso. Adanna feigned 

indifference to Ngozi’s orders. She ignored her call and 

went straight to Chika’s table. She pulled one of the plastic 

chairs and sat very close to Chika who was busy looking 

at Ngozi as she gave her command.  

Adanna clucked. ‘You don’t know Aunty Ngozi. 

These girls will continue with their work ooo. As for me 

ooo, I am done today! Anytime Aunty Ngozi comes 

around, my level changes. She gives me good food, shoes, 

clothes, perfume and…The most interesting part is that 

she does not allow me to satisfy all those local Chinese 

and African men who never treated me nicely. She takes 

me to very expensive hotels to satisfy her wealthy friends 

from Europe. I mean clean, handsome and caring men who 

cherished me more than the local ones. They handle me 

with so much love and gentility that I can never regret 

having fun with them. They are also very generous with 

money. They could give me twenty thousand RMB just 

for a contact. These men are mega rich. They are well 

known drug barons with immunity. I enjoy their company 

and feel high whenever they are around.’ 

‘What are you talking about? You enjoy 

prostitution?’ Chika asked. She shook her head as though 

Adanna were mad. ‘Ada, honestly, sometimes I don’t 

understand you.’ 



clvii 
 

‘You will not understand Chy. I don’t like what I 

do, but I think I have the right to enjoy what I cannot 

change. I have enjoyed them for three years now. And I 

have changed my myopic belief that all men are rapists. I 

used to hate men before, but now my opinion has 

changed.’ Adanna said smiling broadly. 

‘This is really absurd! I think you are a self –

sabotager! You don’t really know what you want dear. I 

was feeling pity for you. I couldn’t sleep or have rest of 

mind because of your bizarre experiences and you are here 

talking about men who handle prostitutes with love and 

care. That’s quite absurd! Chika said so irritated. 

‘Chy, you will not understand. My own father was 

a beast! He hurt me several times and threatened to shoot 

or kill me whenever I displayed resistance. He was indeed 

a monster in human skin. These European guys are very 

caring and gentle. I have never enjoyed sex with Africans 

or Chinese guys because they treated me more like a slave. 

They are merely interested in satisfying themselves to 

utilize the money paid for my services. Sometimes, they 

would pull my hair, use objects on me or force me to use 

my mouth on them. My dear, you will not understand. 

Experience is the best teacher. I can tell the story best. I 

have totally resigned to fate to direct my life. Ngozi has 

been nice to me in this business and I truly owe her my 

trust and obedience. She has been sheltering me in her 

house ever since I entered this country. I live in her well-

furnished duplex while doing my job. She has taken it 

upon herself to renew my stay here. She is with my 

passport now and I think it is safe with her. Ngozi is so 

wealthy and influential. In fact she is highly connected and 

a guru in this business. The difference is that she is classic 



clviii 
 

and international. We are cheap, helpless and very local. 

She loves me and wants me to be like her.’ 

                

‘Where did you meet this Ngozi?’ Chika asked. 

‘Here! The lady who brought me to China 

introduced her to me. She told me that Ngozi would help 

me find a better job, but for the mean time I should be 

helping Madame Louis in her business since she is 

desperately looking for helpers. Ngozi accepted me like 

her own and brought me to live in her mansion. I was 

indeed very happy, and felt at home.  

                 

 **** 

 

Other girls were aware of what they had come to 

do in China. As long as they were still under Madam 

Louis, they must work. The girls never determined the 

number of men they would sleep with in a day. As long as 

men kept coming, they made their bodies available to 

them. Ngozi’s love for Adanna was different and very 

peculiar. No other girl had ever been accorded such 

privilege. Since she came to China, her life had been 

revolving around men.  This was the type of venture into 

which many Nigerian girls seemed to be rushing as the 

country moved towards hardship and constant 

unemployment.  

Chika could not help thinking that though Adanna 

and the other girls were very alike in yielding their bodies 

to men, they were not the same in many ways. Adanna was 

very calm and gentle. She liked solitude. She still had a 

conscience and could readily listen to your advice if you 

had cared to offer one. She had once told Chika that she 

wanted to study if she could get a better job. She had a 



clix 
 

positive mind that could change her life within a minute, 

but the people surrounding her were not helping matters.  

                              

**** 

 

Chinedu was moving towards the table where 

Chika sat when Ngozi suddenly walked over to him and 

put an affectionate arm around his shoulders. 

‘I want you to come to my party,’ she said. I’m so 

sorry for being so rude to you. I was jealous. You know I 

love you dearly. Please forgive me sweetheart. I left the 

country for some months now. I didn’t expect this to 

happen so soon. You didn’t tell me about your new girl! 

You left me in the dark. You took me unawares, so I 

overreacted. Please forgive me, okay! You can’t afford to 

miss this year’s Chinese New Year party in my house. 

Pleaseeeee, forgive my bad attitude.’ 

‘Ok, I’ve heard! Please, next time try to control 

your emotions and behave in a mature manner. Do not 

brew up tension where there is none, okay!’ Chinedu said 

patting Ngozi’s back. 

‘I won’t haunt your girl. I won’t hurt her as 

threatened. She is free to be with you. I have withdrawn 

my words.’ Ngozi said moving towards Adanna and 

Chika. 

Chinedu withdrew his arm from Ngozi’s back and 

straightened up to meet Chika who was gazing at him 

frowning. He was in no doubt that he was going to have 

problems with Chika if he had not withdrawn his arm. The 

signs were already there on her face. Ngozi had noticed 

too. Ngozi stepped forward and held Adanna’s shoulders 

to make a formal introduction. 



clx 
 

‘I guess you still remember Adanna, the girl that 

lives in my house.’ Ngozi said glancing at Chinedu. 

‘Really? I’m not too good at recognizing people. 

Of course, you recruit many girls every year to work for 

you. How could I have recognized her?’ Chinedu asked 

sarcastically. Ngozi glanced at Chika, her face clouded 

with jealousy and smile. 

‘What’s your name dear?’ 

‘I’m Chika, Chinedu’s fiancée.  

‘Oooh, that’s your new girl Nedu! Ngozi muttered. 

‘Yep’, Chinedu said and sat down on the chair. 

‘I guess you will be coming with her tonight. They 

seem to be locked in their discussion. My dear, you are 

warmly invited. Your new friend here will keep you 

company. You will have more time to chat and enjoy 

yourselves. Nedu is my very good friend. He is a good 

man. Please, handle him with special care.’ Ngozi said 

smiling broadly. 

Chika sat in perfect silence, staring at Ngozi, 

fascinated by her beauty and facial expressions which 

glued her attention. 

‘Ok, see you tonight,’ Ngozi’s voice echoed as she 

turned to leave the table.’ 

                   

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



clxi 
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE 

 

THERE’S DEEPNESS IN THOUGHTS 
 

Ngozi’s house looked quite expensive and 

sophisticated. It was indeed a well-built western modern 

duplex. Chika liked the airiness of the living room, with 

its unique decoration and arrangement that gave it a classic 

look. It resembled the kind of houses found in western 

magazines which caught Chika’s fancies in the past. The 

fully rugged staircase that led to a small balcony decorated 

with colourful flowers also fascinated Chika. Growing up, 

she had fancied some of the houses displayed in foreign 

magazines. She thought they were mere drawings until she 

came to China.  

On arrival, she stood on the balcony watching 

people move up and down. The ground floor was fully 

crowded. There were many Africans, Chinese and 

Europeans. It was not an ordinary party; it was an adult 

party. 

Chika glanced often at Chinedu, like a jealous 

lover who was monitoring her man to see his facial 

expression while greeting other beautiful guests that 

graced the party with their presence. As Adanna spoke 

introducing Chika to her friends, Chika nodded 

continuously as though Adanna’s words made meanings 

to her. Her thoughts were occupied with her relationship 

with Chinedu. She could not afford to lose him now that 

she had fully surrendered her heart to him. Other girls 

nodded thoughtfully, as though Adanna had said 

something very interesting, but Chika recalling herself 

said, ‘I’m not sure I understand what you said, Ada.’ 

 



clxii 
 

 

‘Let’s go and high ourselves!’ Adanna said. 

‘What does that mean? Chika asked a little 

confused.  

‘I mean, let’s join others to eat, drink and celebrate 

the Spring Festival. This is your first time, right? Come 

along, you will enjoy and meet Africans from Beijing and 

other parts of China.’ Adanna said dragging her 

downstairs. 

The music blared through the loud speakers and 

Chika’s aching feet signalled her to have a break from 

dancing. They had been at the party for a few hours and 

were having a great time. Chika shouted to the waitress, ‘I 

need a glass of Chinese wine or juice.’ Chinedu had 

introduced her to drinking wine claiming it was an 

alcoholic beverage made by fermenting the juice of 

grapes. 

As she waited, she saw Ngozi and a group of guys 

discussing. Ngozi approached her and smiled broadly at 

her. ‘You look beautiful dear,’ she grinned, inspecting her 

up and down. The waitress suddenly appeared and poured 

the drink into an empty tumbler and handed it to Chika. 

‘Thanks,’ Chika smiled, sipping from the tumbler. 

Ngozi and Chika got chatting about the party and her 

experiences in Beijing as an African student, minutes later 

Chika’s legs started feeling heavy. 

‘Strong wine,’ she figured! 

Adanna saw her staggering and came over to see if 

everything was okay. She took Chika by the hand and 

headed to the dining table. 

 

                        **** 



clxiii 
 

Ngozi’s terraced private home, with its well 

preserved carpet green grasses that led to the front door 

smelled of Chinese beer and strong wine of different 

brands. Chika wondered if Chinedu had so completely 

absorbed his own liquor just like she did. She was seeing 

double and nothing made sense to her. She could barely 

recognize Adanna who sat sipping her strong alcoholic 

drink. Chika looked around, as though seeing everybody 

and everything through new eyes. The dining table was a 

riot of different types of dishes, wine, meat, vegetables, 

sweets, fried rice, nuts, cakes, puddings and fruits. Chika 

stared into her glass. There was something definitely 

wrong with her. She did not know what it was, but her 

body felt very strange and weak. Something was indeed 

wrong with her. She was gradually drifting away as a 

sense of restlessness overwhelmed her. She got up from 

her chair staggering in an uncontrollable manner. It was 

so serious that Adanna and her friends carried her to the 

guest room, and headed off into the crowd. She lay on the 

bed drunk and weak. For a long time afterwards, her body 

was still and pilled-up. 

                               

**** 

It was now hours after she came into the room. 

Chika was lying helplessly on the bed trying to make sense 

of the world around her. She stood up and tried to figure 

out what had happened to her when a dark figure stepped 

forward and slammed the door shut behind him. 

Horrifyingly, Ngozi heard Chika’s scream and rushed into 

the guest room. She switched on the light to confirm the 

victim and left without any word. It was obvious to Chika 

that it was a planned rape. She was obviously drugged to 

be raped by unknown men. The man slapped one hand 



clxiv 
 

over her mouth and nose and the other against her head, 

and pushed her to the cold ground. Chika started shaking 

uncontrollably. She couldn’t scream. All she could do was 

stare at the ceiling, tears dripping down her cheeks. The 

man tied a rough rope around her ankles and wrists, and 

yanked her limbs together behind her back. He then 

wrapped the thick rough rope around her neck stifling her 

breath. Her breath came quickly and unevenly. 

‘You are going to be here for a while, baby. My 

friends and I are going to savour your body. We will relish 

you till you drop dead. We are not going to leave you the 

same, baby!’ She remembered him saying as he tore her 

underwear, unzipped his pants and penetrated her until he 

ejaculated in her. The man sat on the bed, breathing 

heavily. Chika’s head started spinning and her body had 

turned into jelly. The pain and dizziness made it hard to 

focus. Suddenly, another man entered the room, grabbed 

Chika’s wrist and pulled her back on the floor as she 

struggled to free herself. She screamed for help as she 

could hear voices outside the room. But nobody came to 

her rescue.  

‘Please, stop!’ She cried. 

The second man lowered his hairy chest on top of 

her. She tried desperately to push him off, but had no 

strength. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Chika kept 

crying, screaming and yelling. With his hands gripped 

tightly over Chika’s mouth, he raped her. 

Chika panicked and nearly convulsed when she 

saw the third man bending over her. His large fingers 

gripped her rounded breasts and pinned her tightly on the 

cold floor. The guy was on top of her thrusting hard and 

recklessly. A shudder ran down her spine. She couldn’t 

relieve the horror. She no longer felt like herself. 



clxv 
 

Again a tall dark man suddenly appeared, forced 

her legs open and stuck his finger recklessly inside her. 

Chika did not remember anything after that except that she 

couldn’t breathe. She passed out at once. 

                                   

**** 

The bitterness Chika was feeling had gone beyond 

tears. She had heard it said often enough that the river 

never swallowed somebody who did not visit its shore. 

Had she known all along, she wouldn’t have attended the 

party. She knew that something was wrong but couldn’t 

actually point to a particular thing. The sudden dizziness 

and the irregularity of the whole situation stunned Chika 

into puzzled and shocked silence. 

Heavy footsteps thudded outside the room, and 

there were strange voices, male and female voices 

suffused with an ominous sense of pressure. A female 

voice was screaming and the scream intensified when the 

guys yanked the door open. 

‘Here is the stupid whore who slept with your man! 

We caught them in the act, so they cannot deny it. Chika 

heard a male voice announced.  

‘So you slept with my man!’ Ngozi’s voice 

thundered. Adanna! You mean you had the courage to 

seduce my man without thinking twice. You deliberately 

did it to humiliate me right? You have no respect for me 

eeeh? After all I did for you! You have also joined this 

small rat here, a girl who should have concentrated on her 

studies to drag my man with me. Okay, let’s see where all 

these will lead two of you!’ Ngozi shouted furiously.  

‘Please…please Aunty! It’s not what you think!’ 

Adanna pleaded. I was drunk and high…I needed… 



clxvi 
 

‘Shut up little brat! Ngozi shouted obviously 

fuming in anger. 

Chika could hear Chinedu’s voice in the living 

room, thundering and raging like a mad dog probably 

colliding with something as he tried to make his way into 

the room. Adanna was also trying to find her way out of 

the room when a muscular pair of arms grabbed her neck 

and lifted her off the ground unto the bed. He roughly 

grabbed her rounded full breast and started to squeeze and 

hurt her. 

Chinedu forced himself into the room. The 

realization of what he saw weakened him. Chika was 

almost a limp girl in need of revival. He dashed forward 

in anger to untie the robes. Ngozi’s guys held him and 

threatened to beat him for proving stubborn. Ngozi looked 

at Chinedu very angry, burning with jealousy she 

commanded the guys: ‘do whatever you want with the 

girls. I don’t really give a damn!’ 

 Suddenly, one of the guys hoisted Chika roughly 

into the air and dropped her face down in a plank position 

and raped her from behind. Chika’s back arched and her 

bound hands were almost paralyzed. There was no use 

struggling and she could not scream because the guy 

stuffed a smelly sock in her mouth and covered it with duct 

tape. She died and resurrected in her pains. She was 

simply silent, eyes tightly closed. 

 The sadistic acts of violence and the humiliation 

meted out on Chika moved Chinedu to action. At once the 

self-control that he had left him. He grabbed an empty 

wine bottle beside the bed and hit the head of the guy who 

was raping Chika. The guy shouted holding unto his blood 

dripping head. Another guy struck Chinedu a few frontal 

and side blows. Ngozi took the flower vase on the table 



clxvii 
 

and hit his head. She saw that Chinedu was sprawling on 

the marbled floor, in a pool of his own blood. She 

screamed and hurriedly left the room to fetch a thick 

towel. When she returned, a trickle of blood was escaping 

from his gaped mouth and his body lay lifeless on the 

floor. Ngozi was now standing up on the floor speechless. 

Her mouth was wide open. Her eyes stared at Chinedu, as 

if she had seen a ghost. Everything seemed meaningless. 

She simply shouted, ‘take him away,’ and bolted from the 

room crying in deep sorrow. The guys hurriedly carried 

Chinedu’s body and left the room. The whole incident did 

one thing to Chika; it caused her to lose consciousness. 

 

**** 

Chika had faced serious health problems, from nerve 

damage in her arms to paralyzed cold hands caused by bad 

flow of blood. Her neck was very stiff and in great pain. 

On a day like this, one could almost believe that God did 

not exist, but the soft spirit in her persuaded her to utter a 

prayer of distress to God. They had been left in the room 

for long hours without food or water. There were no 

shadows at all. The room was gloomy and unusually 

silent. The death of Chinedu frightened them and left them 

sad and morose. Adanna’s hands were also tied with thick 

ropes and her legs were chained to the window protector 

to prevent her from escaping. 

 After sixteen long hours, the guest room door 

swung open and feet shuffled inside. The guys’ hideous 

abuse continued. They took away their clothes and raped 

them one after the other and left them on the floor to freeze 

for some days. 

                           **** 



clxviii 
 

 Days rolled into weeks and weeks into months. 

Adanna and Chika were raped again and again, sometimes 

six or seven times. Each day, they were constantly 

punched and starved for long hours before they would be 

served with boiled eggs, locally made soya milk and 

mantou (Chinese steamed bread). They could not describe 

how much pain they suffered in the hands of those guys. 

Chika got pregnant during the three months she was under 

house arrest. The guys punched her until she miscarried 

the pregnancy. Every day was pure torture and pain. They 

thought they were going to die, but grace kept them 

pushing through the difficult times. 

                      **** 

 Chika and Adanna were kept for many nights as 

prisoners in Ngozi’s duplex. They had endured brutal 

beatings for months before they were allowed to move out 

in the nights under strict monitoring. Everything changed 

for them one cool afternoon. They were in the guest room 

when somebody inserted a key and opened the door. 

Ngozi stood at the door moping at them. Her face did not 

display any emotion. She walked in and sat at the edge of 

the bed. She asked them if they knew why she came. After 

nodding no, she asked them to listen attentively to her 

story. 

 ‘I do vaguely remember when Chinedu and I met. 

He was just a novice, a timid teenager brought from 

Nigeria to manage his Oga’s business. He was very 

innocent and dedicated to his master. He would have died 

for a crime he did not commit but I personally saved him 

from the hands of some drug barons who planned to 

implicate him with cocaine. That day, I became a god that 

he worshipped. He pledged to love me forever, for better, 

for worse! On that very day, we sealed our love with a 



clxix 
 

unique sexual oath that was more spiritual than physical. 

That was my own peculiar way of oath taking. That same 

day, I told him that the consequences of not keeping to his 

promise would be very tragic or severe depending on how 

he defaulted. I recalled telling him about my life and the 

risk I took in my business. As you are seeing me now, I’m 

getting closer to my grave. I sold one of my kidneys to 

establish the business Chinedu and I were enjoying. The 

only kidney left in me now is having complex issues. 

Chinedu accepted me as his girlfriend and promised to 

love me forever.’ Ngozi stopped while battling to control 

herself, then took up the story again. 

 ‘I was emotionally disturbed and completely 

devastated when I came back from Dubai after some 

months of business trip there and visited Chinedu only to 

see you fast asleep on his bed. That very day, the demon 

in me surfaced. I stole your international passport and 

threatened to hurt you. I warned Chinedu to send you back 

to Beijing but his love for you made him revolt against me. 

I soon mapped out a new plan of action to humiliate and 

hurt you. I faked my apology only to calm his nerves. I did 

not want him to suspect my actions. Everything worked 

the way I planned it, but his sudden death was indeed a 

huge mistake. I never planned it.’ 

 ‘Chika, you’ve caused me great sorrow. Your 

presence has altered my life. You are now under my 

watch. You have no say in any matter concerning your life 

in China. I am now fully in charge of your life. You have 

automatically joined the other girls in this business. You 

have nothing to say! My decision is final. Don’t try to play 

smart. If you try it, you will blame yourself forever. My 

men will haunt you down, implicate you with drugs and 

hand you over to Ndi Eke (Chinese police). You know that 



clxx 
 

means death sentence by hanging! Be very careful, my 

eyes are everywhere. I am watching you!’ 

                       **** 

 Since that day Ngozi exposed her secrets to Chika 

and Adanna, life in Guangzhou became a living hell for 

them. They walked the streets of Guangzhou in the night, 

selling sex to African men, Chinese men and other 

foreigners who came for business. Sometimes, they were 

forced to sleep with their fellow women just to make more 

money. Many times Chika refused to cooperate when 

female customers came to patronize her, especially when 

they demanded to sleep with many girls at the same time. 

In most cases, Ngozi’s men would beat and gang rape her 

for hours as a way of punishing her for her stubbornness. 

  Chika walked the streets of Guangzhou mostly at   

night for three months. She was expected to turn in at least 

twenty thousand RMB every week. For Chika, there was 

no hope or means of escape. They were constantly 

watched and strictly monitored.  

The thought of returning to school was very far 

from her mind. All she wanted was to return to her mother 

and siblings. She desperately wanted a second chance in 

life to correct her mistakes. She simply wanted her 

freedom back. Chika’s current predicament had squashed 

her dream of studying the Chinese language. She had 

indeed deviated totally from the right path and had been 

forced to live a life she never dreamt of. Apart from her 

anxiety over her studies, she needed someone to talk to, 

someone to tell her that all would be well in the end. 

                         **** 

Life in Guangzhou was, hide and seek. 

Guangzhou, an international metropolis was populated by 

African immigrants, mostly Nigerians and their mixed-



clxxi 
 

blood offspring with Chinese women. Many Africans 

feared the police like plague due to their invalid papers. 

These Africans remained in the city illegally after their 

visas expired, as China’s one to three visas often did not 

provide enough time for individuals to conduct their 

business. In solidarity, Nigerians coined the word, Ndi Eke 

(police) to signal the presence of Chinese police to their 

African brothers who had no legal papers whenever they 

came to raid spotty areas populated by Africans.  

Many Africans went into hiding in the day as a 

result of strict immigration enforcement by Chinese 

authorities. Nigerians, especially Igbo people roamed the 

streets of Guangzhou hustling to make ends meet. Many 

of them came to China because of the economic pressures 

at home and the depreciation of the Nigerian currency. 

Drawn to China’s economic boom, these Nigerians 

flocked Guangzhou to explore and make quick money. In 

many cases, China’s loose orientation to inferior and 

cheap products gave them the opportunity of making 

money while acting as middlemen between Chinese 

factories and other businessmen in Africa. The frequent 

and increased police raids had contributed to a toxic 

atmosphere. Foreigners, mostly Africans were often 

stopped by the police or Foreign Affairs Bureau to present 

their international passports. Africans were disillusioned 

and disappointed as harsher penalties were introduced for 

illegal workers and overdue visas holders. Fear and 

tension increased as every street had several police 

stations and security checkpoints to effectively monitor 

foreigners. 

Some Nigerians came to Guangzhou for short 

periods to buy goods which they shipped back to Africa. 

Some of them settled in the city and had business or 



clxxii 
 

restaurants. Many Africans found themselves in the city 

after being scammed with promises of factory jobs. Many 

of those duped were girls and women who as a result often 

go into prostitution to survive. These African prostitutes 

catered for the sexual demands of African and Chinese 

communities. At least fifty percent of their clients were 

Chinese men curious about sexual experiences with 

African women. Such was the predicament that 

confronted Adanna when she arrived Guangzhou. 

                                       **** 

 

As Chika and Adanna walked down Madam Louis 

Restaurant, they saw a crowd of African people in front of 

the restaurant. Their hearts missed a bit. In panic, Chika’s 

eyes roved far and near searching for signals. She knew 

that her road to freedom was near. Having been tortured 

for a long time, freedom became valuable to her. The 

freedom to rule her life once again, the freedom to be 

herself, the freedom to be free!  

Chika had stayed away from the noisy crowd as 

she watched Nonso and a Nigerian guy fighting. That 

night, the weather was chilly and unusually cold to cause 

shivering.  

‘You are brothers! You shouldn’t fight in a foreign 

land! Adanna said to the guys. She gently pulled the dark 

guy’s shirt to liberate Nonso who was already gasping for 

breath. 

‘Leave me alone you ashawo!’ His face bereft of 

the usual smile found on his face. The Nigerian guy was 

one of their regular customers who could not do without 

sex every night. A scuffle followed with the guy trying to 

push Adanna down. He slapped Adanna with some force 



clxxiii 
 

and pushed her to the ground. Adanna darted forward and 

held the guy’s shirt screaming. 

‘You shouldn’t treat her like that,’ Chika shouted.  

‘What crime did she commit? She wanted you to 

stop the fight, which was her only crime! You are 

shameless and very unreasonable! Wait until you alert Ndi 

Eke (policemen), then you will see what you’ve done to 

yourself and others. Stupid boy! You are useless and 

senseless!  

‘It’s all right Ada. Let’s enter inside,’ Chika said 

holding her right hand. 

 

**** 

Some minutes after the fight, Chika tucked away 

as she contemplated a new plan to escape her present 

condition. She was evidently very embarrassed and 

ashamed of doing this work. The job took its toll on her 

that it was beginning to affect her psychologically. In 

many cases, she had been a popular target for muggings 

while leaving brothels. She always felt nervous carrying 

large sums of money after a long night of sex with 

different customers. She would feel horrible after doing 

the work. Most of her clients were between thirty and 

fifty-five. Chika’s clients were not simply affluent, but 

very wealthy, and cocaine was very popular among them. 

They could stay for hours demanding for sex which often 

turned aggressive. 

Chika needed no one to tell her that in this 

situation, she would find it difficult to survive if she was 

not rescued. She was still in deep thought when she heard, 

‘Ndi Eke! Ndi Eke! Ndi Eke!’ Everyone ran helter-skelter. 

Nonso and the other girls hurriedly locked the main door 

of the restaurant. They switched off the lights and sound 



clxxiv 
 

systems motioning everyone to remain silent. Chika knew 

that the moment had come, the moment of liberation and 

revolution. She silently gazed at Adanna to figure out her 

reasoning. Adanna’s eyes were sunken and her body 

gripped with fear. 

‘Surrender now or perish!’ A voice sounded. 

Chika buried her face in her hand as the voice kept 

repeating the same statement.  Everyone in the room kept 

silent. Chika remembered the stillbirth of her ambition, the 

agony of her life as a prostitute and let out a frightening 

scream. 

‘Please, don’t kill us. Don’t let me die here! I 

surrender totally. Don’t shoot us please! I beg you, don’t 

shoot us! I want to go home! I really do…’ 

Immediately, Chika darted to the door and flung it 

open. She was only seventeen at the time when she vowed 

to liberate herself. She had indeed suppressed her fear and 

grabbed her freedom with her bare hands. 

At once, Chinese men in uniform pounced on them 

and clamped handcuffs around their wrists. They were 

very vicious and unsympathetic. That cold night, peace 

returned to Chika’s heart as the policemen whisked them 

off to a police station and later to the detention centre. Her 

long dreamt journey home had begun. Her nights of 

endless traumatic sex had finally ended. Life assumed a 

new phase, and a new chapter was opened for her. The 

horrors in Guangzhou brothels, the constant rape in 

Ngozi’s apartment, and the humiliation of working as a 

prostitute plagued her conscience.  There had been so 

many times in the past when she had longed for this to 

happen, so many wishes of escape that kept her 

traumatized and disillusioned. And now it felt like a new 

path to freedom. Christiana, one of the girls had flung 



clxxv 
 

herself on the ground with perfect dramatic display and 

begun to cry. She did not believe that this had happened. 

The policemen stood behind, watching them with   stony 

piercing eyes.  

‘Stop screaming you blackie! Hey you girls this 

side! Guys this side’, the policeman said. 

‘Take off your chains, earrings, rings, shoes … and 

hand over your phones.’ The policeman took their phones 

and switched them off. The girls were led to the ladies’ 

cell under the watchful eyes of female wardens.  

Nonso and the other guys were forcefully dragged 

to another cell after displaying some acts of resistance and 

violence.                        

**** 

Adanna hardly said a word since she entered the 

cell. She only stared and pulled her braided hair with her 

right fingers. The cell was small, with patches of brown 

dirt on the wall. In the cell many girls were already there, 

no white foreigner; only black Africans. Most of them 

were Nigerians. They were apparently tired of telling their 

stories. Now new girls had arrived, they said little and 

starred at the ceiling in silence that radiated deeper 

reflection.  

The cell had two chambers, the indoor chamber 

where detainees sleep and an open roofed outdoor 

chamber where they could walk and exercise during the 

day. There were limited chances for inmates to escape 

from the cell, except when summoned by the wardens or 

interrogators. Visits from family or friends were 

prohibited, only lawyers could visit if the detainee was not 

in the investigation stage. 

In the tiny room called the indoor chamber, there 

were two surveillance cameras mounted on both sides of 



clxxvi 
 

the room to monitor the inmates. Hygiene conditions were 

terrible. Thirty girls were packed in the tiny room with 

limited air space. The toilet stunk. The whole room was 

always saturated with smelly odour of unwashed bodies. 

The wardens never cared about the inmates’ health 

conditions. They were there only to prevent them from 

violence. The cell harboured inmates that committed 

serious or minor offenses such as theft, fraud, illegal or 

expired visas, drugs, rape, murder and others. 

Chika hated mosquitoes. She could not endure the 

itching sensation that would leave her skin with black 

round bumps. She continuously jammed her palms to 

whisk away the mosquitoes. This very act irritated and 

infuriated older inmates who were begging sleep to claim 

their bodies. 

‘Who brought this small pikin here? Why are you 

disturbing us? Please stop that nonsense and give us the 

peace we need.’ A fat dark complexioned inmate shouted. 

‘Sorry, the mosquitoes were feasting on me so.…’ 

‘So what? We don’t give reasons here! You must 

handle your problems without disturbing other inmates’ 

peace. We all have challenges too! So don’t be selfish! 

The lady said. 

Chika had suppressed the sudden urge to engage 

her in a battle of words because she feared the inmate 

would attack her as a dog would attack an intruder. 

 ‘Take it easy on her! She is just a young girl! 

Don’t be too hard. Please learn to accommodate people,’ 

Beatrice, another inmate cautioned the fat one. 

‘Come here young girl! Come closer and please 

don’t mind her. She is always like that, very saucy.’ 

Beatrice said.  



clxxvii 
 

Chika got up and moved to Beatrice who adjusted 

to accommodate her. 

‘You are too young to be here little girl! What 

really happened to you? What brought you to this place?’ 

Beatrice asked looking worried and concerned.  

‘Ma, it’s a long story. I’m grateful to God that I’m 

still alive today. The story of my life is pathetic, but my 

friend’s story is bizarre and very humiliating.’ Chika said. 

‘Who is your friend?’ Beatrice asked. 

‘Adanna.’ Chika said pointing at Adanna. 

Beatrice beckoned on Adanna to come with her 

fingers. Adanna obeyed without hesitation, without 

protest. 

‘She is also young. What happened? Were you 

trafficked?’ Beatrice asked. 

‘No! I was not, my friend was trafficked. I came to 

study at Beijing and ended up in this prison. I have indeed 

betrayed my family. I am so ashamed of myself. I can’t 

boast of anything now. I am a huge disgrace.’ Chika 

buried her face in her hands, tears streaming down her 

cheeks. 

‘Chinedu has ruined my life. Men are wicked, 

cunning and very secretive. They will love one woman; 

marry another while wooing an unsuspecting young girl 

on the street. Ma, my life is shattered. I am finished. My 

body is filthy and wickedly ravaged by men who 

constantly worshipped at my temple and poured their 

sexual offerings. I am indeed a victim of twisted fate! I’m 

a victim of misfortune and disgrace.’ Chika shrugged. 

‘Haba! Please don’t talk like that at all. You are 

still very young and beautiful. Your experiences are 

nothing compared to most of us here. So don’t crucify 



clxxviii 
 

yourself. Just relax and be positive in life. Things will 

definitely turn around for you. Beatrice said. 

‘Ma, you will not understand. I am a student turned 

prostitute. I just turned seventeen but my story is horrible. 

I didn’t have much sexual experience when I was forced 

into prostitution. I had horrible experiences that were very 

pathetic and scary. I didn’t know that my life would be 

spared after experiencing all those traumas. Every night, I 

went to brothels and had no idea what I would encounter 

behind the doors. I was always scared because I dreaded 

being gang raped by both men and women who used 

objects on me. I can’t forget my struggle with STDs, the 

Chlamydia that nearly drove me mad through constant 

itching and burning sensation. My clients were mainly 

married men or those in relationships who were starved of 

sex as they claimed. In the morning, I would feel horrible 

after my night outing.’ Chika sighed. 

‘In fact, there are many stories to tell about my 

mental health issues, constant rape, brutality and my drug 

addiction. My encounter with a cocaine-friendly client 

was the most frightening episode of my life as a prostitute. 

My client took 15 grams of cocaine within a few hours. 

He forced me to do so and I overdosed. Suddenly my heart 

stopped beating regularly. I was sweating profusely. I 

wanted to escape but he locked the door and raped me until 

I passed out. He waited for me to recover after some hours. 

When the owner of the brothel knocked to inform him that 

his payment had expired, he just opened the door and paid 

for more hours. That day, I visited hell. It was horrible! 

My story is really horrible and pathetic. It can be a good 

fictional piece.’ Chika said sobbing. 

‘Was your friend also in the same predicament?’ 

Beatrice asked . 



clxxix 
 

‘My own is even worse ma.’ Adanna cut in. 

‘I’m still young and I’m already sick of sexual 

abuses. It happened in my house, outside my house and in 

a foreign land. As a child, my own father sexually 

assaulted me. This was a common occurrence I rarely 

discussed. My father molested and raped me that I 

suffered a panic attack and was diagnosed with post-

traumatic stress disorder. I was a little child when I noticed 

my dad’s attitude towards me. He would insult my mother 

for not being able to conceive after giving birth to me. He 

also transferred his anger on me. He would beat me and 

tell me how wicked and horrible I was for sealing my 

mum’s womb thus preventing other children from being 

born. My father would tie me up on a chair, beat me up 

and fiddle with my tiny breasts. I remember that time, I 

was just a mere child. I was too young to understand. My 

father would pull at my small breasts…I was not 

developed at all…it indeed hurt me. I would scream, but 

my mum was nowhere to save me.’  

Adanna broke down crying quietly. She was trying 

hard to keep her anguish under control and Chika was 

doing her best to comfort her. Beatrice’s heart sunk when 

she heard this, Ada’s cry melted her heart and erupted in 

her an emotional feeling that triggered past painful 

experiences. 

Adanna continued. ‘The first time my dad abused 

me, I was too young and scared. I remember crying in the 

toilet. It hurt so much when I peed. My father would sneak 

into the house whenever I come back from school. He 

would rape me two or three times before my mother would 

return from the market. He raped me those times, anally 

and vaginally. I passed out severally. He gave me pain 

killers to alleviate the pains. He lied to my mother several 



clxxx 
 

times that I was hurt or knocked down by a car, truck or 

motorcyclist just to cover up his deeds. He made me go 

naked in the house in my mother’s absence. He would 

unzip his pants and would keep me on top of him.’ Humm! 

Adanna sighed.  

‘He forced me …And would stroke me down 

there. In fact, his threats, tortures and abuses affected me 

psychological. I was always afraid and absent-minded in 

the class. I became so withdrawn, unusually calm and 

silent all the time. He threatened to kill me and my mum 

if ever I report him to anybody or tell what he did to me. 

He most times threatened me with his gun or kitchen 

knives. He instilled more fear in me when he made a small 

deep cut on my wrist with razor threatening to end my life. 

When my mother asked, he covered it up with a brilliant 

lie. Sometimes, he would buy me sweets and biscuits to 

lure and make me happy. I would have no choice, but to 

accept. My father loved sex like food and alcoholic drinks. 

In the night, he would fight my mother, beating and raping 

her severally. In fact, I never had a peaceful childhood. 

My mother who was a trader loved my father so much that 

she never wanted to divorce him. So she stayed in that 

abusive marriage enduring all the ill treatments. The last 

straw that broke the camel’s back was the day I almost 

died, that day the doctor revealed that I was pregnant. I 

thought I was going to die and I confessed to my poor 

mother that my father was responsible for the pregnancy. 

That was the last time I saw and heard my mother’s voice. 

I fainted in the hospital and I was later told that my mum 

drank rat poison and died. The shame and humiliation 

were too much for her to bear. My father was handed over 

to the police by my mother’s family who sent him to 



clxxxi 
 

prison. Till today, I have never heard from him. I don’t 

really know if he is alive or dead.’ Adanna said sobbing. 

‘In fact, this childhood incest paved way for adult 

rape. It continued even when my mother’s friend took me 

to her house at Asaba, Delta State. Her husband and the 

boys who were serving him took turns to molest me for 

years. Day and night, they sexually abused me every day, 

any time; in the kitchen, room, toilet, veranda, 

bathroom…. Everywhere! I was an already cooked meal 

for them. They ate me like gluttons and were never 

satisfied. Just like the deer panted for water, that was 

exactly how they desired me.’ Ada sighed, looking so sad. 

‘I was indeed helpless because of their physical 

threats and torture. I was afraid of being thrown away. I 

was indeed afraid of my life. I dreaded everything, 

everywhere! After my Junior Secondary School 

Examination, I ran away because I could not cope with 

their abuse again. I got pregnant several times and was 

forced to abort it. The last abortion nearly killed me, so I 

had to leave the house. Then I was already psychologically 

stressed. I never cared about anything anymore. I was 

ready to drink life to the last. I was ready to face life or die 

outside while struggling. Adanna said staring into the 

space, her face unusually expressionless. 

‘For days I slept in different uncompleted 

buildings at Asaba. I was raped severally there, and was 

further toughened by those experiences. My heart 

hardened! Later, I approached a woman who hawked on 

the streets, we reached an agreement and I stayed with her 

each day selling oranges and kpekere (plantain chips) by 

the roadside.  We worked hard, often standing in the heat 

for hours and I indeed enjoyed her companionship. My 

happiness dried up when the woman was killed by truck 



clxxxii 
 

carrying cement. My world shattered again. I became 

disillusioned. As a lonely teenager without direction, I got 

a job in a salon. One of customers, a beautiful fair lanky 

and sophisticated jovial young lady I called Auntie White 

was very passionate and concerned about me. She used to 

give me gifts of clothes, money, perfumes….In fact, she 

cared so much about me. Hummm!’ Ada paused and then 

continued again. 

 ‘She told me that she was a business woman. She 

offered to take me to China to work as a salesgirl or 

marketer for her friend who had a factory that manufacture 

female wears. I was indeed happy and I readily accepted. 

I was indeed excited by this utopia vision of a luxurious 

life abroad. My madam in the salon did not want me to go, 

but I was adamant because of her attitude to me. She was 

a wicked woman who would nag from morning to night. 

In fact, people came to patronize because of me! In the 

airport Auntie gave me an international passport that had 

my picture on it, but with a different name. I became 

confused. She told me that the name, ‘Shelly Mbah’ was 

given to me to match her friend’s surname. That she lied 

that I was her sister. So, I agreed and boarded the airplane 

with her. I trusted her because she was nice to me. After 

twenty-one hours’ journey, from Nigeria to Dubai to 

Beijing and finally to Guangzhou through Southern China 

Airways, we went to a house where I was taken to a room 

in a beautiful duplex and told to rest. The next morning 

Auntie White told me that there was a problem with the 

factory that I was supposed to work for, they did not need 

me again. That was how I came to live in Auntie Ngozi’s 

house. Auntie White was with me and some other girls 

until Auntie Ngozi returned from her trip. She told us to 



clxxxiii 
 

assist Madam Louis until she could get a better job for us.’ 

Ada paused again looking so tired. 

‘So, what happened?’ Beatrice asked. 

‘We obeyed! Madam Louis was ruthless and very 

money conscious. Nothing came between her and money. 

So she never cared about us, but about his customers at the 

restaurant. Men used us as playing objects. They molested 

us under her vey watch. She forced us to give her 

customers sexual pleasures and collected money on our 

behalf. In fact, the rest of the story is very bizarre. Madam 

Louis told me that she gave Auntie White the money she 

paid for my travelling expenses, that I owed her a lot of 

money for the travel to China and that I must pay her back 

by working for her. Every day men would come into the 

small rooms in the underground restaurant, sometimes 

five, six or ten men to satisfy themselves. The only escape 

I found in that condition was in my hardened mind. My 

eyes would stare at the ceiling without any peculiar 

thought. I would be blank, totally blank! My spirit would 

leave my body floating around the space until they had 

their way. Days, weeks, months and years passed. It never 

stopped until the night we were rounded up by the police. 

There was a time I escaped and they brought me back to 

Madam Louis. Indeed, they had a strong network. Their 

people are virtually everywhere, she told me and she was 

right. Many plans of escape, but none worked. I was so 

disillusioned that I resigned to fate. It dawned on me that 

I had been trafficked, and that they had taken advantage of 

my poor background and my sincere desire to explore new 

opportunities.’ Ada sighed again looking sorrowful. 

‘I am tired now! I have seen enough! I have been 

molested enough! I need to return to my people alive at 

least to see my father’s uncle who wanted to adopt me 



clxxxiv 
 

after what my father did. He was a good man. I need to tell 

him my story to end the horrible chapter and begin a new 

one. I am young but I have many untold stories to tell. 

Thanks to my friend, Chika whose wits and courage saved 

us. If not, the slavery would have continued.… God knows 

when…. Adanna said almost calm now. Her emotion had 

given way after pouring out her experience. 

                 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



clxxxv 
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO 

LIFE IS A WAVE OF UNKNOWN DESTINATION 
 

It was a Sunday morning, and the warden called, 

agitated and strained, though with a look of pity on her 

face. 

‘Look at these small girls, very young and naive!’ 

She said pointing at Chika and Adanna. 

‘Come here! Come out to the outdoor chamber and 

meet your lawyer. We know your story. We have 

investigated your cases. You shouldn’t be here at all. We 

have a lawyer and human rights activist that would help 

deport you to your country without delay. Your stories are 

quite pathetic. You have experienced enough! You need 

to leave this country soon. For your information, your 

travel expenses had been covered by a Religious Centre 

called SCOAN. For years now, their representatives had 

been consistently donating money to support those 

inmates who had been charged and acquitted to return to 

their countries without much difficulty. They have been so 

helpful to many foreigners here.’ The warden said. 

‘I don’t know that Africans could offer help like 

this to people. African leaders are constant borrowers! 

They borrow from China, America, and Britain…Many 

countries in fact. African people especially Nigerians are 

so much neglected in many ways here. No help from their 

government in many aspects. This is the complaint we 

keep receiving here. But this religious organization has 

been consistent and dedicated. In fact, they need to be 

recognized and appreciated.’ The human activist 

emphasized. 

Adanna and Chika had never heard about SCOAN 

before. They were showed the picture of a dark 



clxxxvi 
 

complexioned handsome gentleman who was said to be 

the founder of the religious centre. The activist gave them 

each a sticker, polo, a pair of jean trousers, a book called 

The Mirror and a small sealed bottle containing water. On 

the bottle was written – Morning Water RENEWS YOU! 

Morning Water anointed by Christ to heal, bless and save! 

The girls and other acquitted deportees received 

the items with thanks as they prepared to start their 

journey to Nigeria. Their hearts were indeed joyful. They 

knew that a new chapter had been opened in their lives 

after the activist who was a partner of the religious centre 

said some words of consolation hinged on the love of 

Christ and His saving power to the deportees. After they 

left that Sunday afternoon to the airport, they yearned 

earnestly to visit the centre that showed them great love 

without demanding for anything. They boarded the 

airplane full of joy, peace and gratitude. 

 

 

**** 

The airplane descended in the morning of the next 

day. The long journey was very smooth and safe. The 

airplane moved for a while on the runway and finally 

halted near an aircraft that had arrived some hours before. 

On the area of the airport, a group of dark complexioned 

men dressed in the same uniform waited to remove the 

cargo from the airplane. 

Altogether, there were thirty-four passengers who 

were deported from China, ten females and twenty-four 

males. Most of the deportees frowned because they 

thought that the timing of their arrival was wrong and very 

inconsiderate. They preferred it to be night so that they 

could hide their faces in the darkness. In panic, most of the 



clxxxvii 
 

deportees hid their faces in shame as they alighted from 

the plane. 

‘Ah, she is so young! It’s a pity,’ a stewardess said 

pointing at Adanna, her beautiful face clouded with pity 

and great concern. 

‘This way please!’ Another stewardess said 

motioning to some guys who stood blocking the way. 

Perhaps very upset that they were caught and deported. 

The young men obeyed, without delay and moved forward 

to the gangway. 

 

**** 

At the cabin door, Adanna had seen a group of 

people standing on the ground, some distance away. She 

was afraid that the police had been sent to arrest them for 

disgracing the country abroad. Fear gripped her as she 

stepped onto the gangway. She felt she was beginning a 

journey of punishments and perpetual suffering. Some 

Television and Radio reporters were all over the place 

videoing, taking photographs and asking unanswered 

questions. Chika and Adanna wobbled as they followed 

the other deportees down the stairs to enter an airport bus 

heading to the arrival section of the Murtala Mohammed 

International Airport which looked quite old and stuffy.  

Anxiety, sadness, anger and disillusionment were 

written on the faces of the deportees as they alighted from 

the airport bus. 

‘Come this way, please,’ Ada heard a female voice 

say. The woman was wearing a dark blue uniform. Chika 

and Adanna fixed their gaze to the floor of the Murtala 

Mohammed International arrival hall as they walked past 

immigration officers. 



clxxxviii 
 

‘What a shame! What a pity! Nawaooh for these 

small small girls of today oooo! Everyone wants money 

money money! I wonder what they are going to do with 

money at their age!’ A female officer shouted. 

‘Nawaoooooo! Nigerian girls and money! 

Tufiakwa! Look at them! Just look at them! What is this 

madness about girls and luxurious lifestyle? Don’t they 

fear death, foreigners, ritual killers and diseases? Don’t 

they have conscience? Above all, don’t they fear God? 

This is becoming too much! All hands must be on deck! 

Parents have really failed, individuals have disappointed 

their Creator, God and the society indeed has fallen apart. 

The center therefore cannot hold as the great literary giant, 

Chinua Achebe pointed out in the title of his well 

acclaimed novel, Things Fall Apart.’ 

‘You and novel sef! You can’t engage in any 

discussion without mentioning the novels you read! Abeg 

I don do lol…’ Another fair complexioned female officer 

said laughing broadly. 

Three young women and two men took charge as 

they escorted all the deportees to the car park to board a 

bus. A white man was among the five people that came to 

take them away. They were wearing the same polo which 

was written SCOAN.  

‘Welcome, good children of God,’ the white man 

greeted the deportees.  

‘We received report from one of our partners in 

China of your willingness to visit the Synagogue Church 

of All Nations (SCOAN). We received your words of 

gratitude with the mind of God.We therefore thank God 

for touching our hearts to bless people’s lives. All glory to 

Him alone. Now, since it’s your desire to visit our centre, 

we will take you to Ikotu were the church is located. The 



clxxxix 
 

church is open to everyone any time. Jesus Christ loves 

you more than anybody. So don’t feel that your world has 

crumbled. He can give you a new life in abundance. The 

Synagogue Church of All Nations is there to help you grow 

physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our teachings of 

God’s word will help to transform and change your lives. 

We do not just teach the word of God; we empower people 

to become better citizens of their country. If we have good 

citizens, the world we live in, will become a better world. 

That’s why our motto reads: Changing Lives, Changing 

Nations and Changing the World. Therefore, do not grieve 

over your past experiences. These experiences are not 

meant to destroy you, but to make you stronger. In fact, 

they happened to draw you closer to God. So as we board 

the bus, may we all be in a sober mood of prayer asking 

God for forgiveness of all our misdeeds, asking Him to 

take all of us and give us more of Him.’ The white 

Evangelist urged. 

For a moment Adanna glared at him very sober, 

tears dropping from her eyes. Then she shielded her face 

and darted towards the bus. 

 A neat air conditioned bus was already waiting for 

them. On the bus was also written SCOAN (Synagogue 

Church of All Nations).  

                            

**** 

Struck by the silence that overwhelmed the bus, 

Chika glanced at the busy streets of Lagos, nothing had 

indeed changed. Her thoughts turned to her mother and 

then her siblings. What were their conditions? Were they 

searching for her? Did they miss her? Did anything happen 

to mama? Were her brothers concentrating on their studies 



cxc 
 

without giving mama headaches? These questions 

occupied her mind on their way to the church. 

The church residence was at Ikotu-Egbe, Lagos, 

Lagos State. The ancient architectural structure and design 

of the church resembled the layered massive archival 

buildings seen in the children Bible Story book that Chika 

enjoyed as a child. It also had striking similarities with the 

buildings displayed in the movie, The Passion of Christ. 

The street that led to the church was a very busy one. It 

was a good site for religious tourism. Groups of tourists 

were seen busy taking pictures and they looked relaxed 

and very excited.  

Thousands of white, black, chocolate and white-

yellow foreigners from different continents flocked the 

church to attend the church’s weekly services. It was 

indeed a peaceful and welcoming religious village to 

behold. The church had different huge buildings and 

workers who function in different departments. The 

workers were from different continents. The environment 

was quite unique, well-kept and very classic. It indeed 

looked like the beautiful streets in China. CCTV cameras 

were seen everywhere. It was a mini Obodo Oyibo village 

(a foreign village) in Nigeria. In fact, it reminded Chika of 

the cameras mounted on every nook and cranny of 

Beijing.  The workers were very organized, cheerful but 

very strict.  

The bus halted in front of the huge architectural 

building. Suddenly, a cameraman wearing a polo written 

EMMANUEL TV CREW started covering the deportees’ 

movement as they were alighting. The cameraman was 

deeply engrossed in capturing their faces while greeting, 

EMMANUEL! The deportees were told to respond 

EMMANUEL too as they sat down in a hall way leading 



cxci 
 

to the main church auditorium. Many of the deportees 

shied away so that their faces would not appear on 

Emmanuel TV, the SCOAN television station. 

It was indeed a very long and tedious journey. An 

evangelist spoke cheerfully to the deportees welcoming 

them on behalf of the leader and founder of the church, 

Prophet T.B Joshua. The evangelist looked very graceful, 

smart, humble and beautiful. The swift and uncommon 

grace with which she spoke and carried herself was so 

alluring that all the deportees glued their eyes to her. She 

gave them so much hope in her short message before they 

were taken to the dining hall for lunch. 

The dining hall was very unique, classic and very 

uncommon in Nigeria. Different kinds of continental 

dishes and non-alcoholic beverages were displayed on the 

counter for the deportees to make their choices. The 

deportees filed up cheerfully and each waited for his or her 

turn just to be served by the cooks and waitresses who 

greeted ‘Good morning’ while it was evidently afternoon.  

‘It’s afternoon and not morning Auntie,’ Chika 

said to one of the cooks.  

‘I know my dear. This is the way we greet here. It 

is a common greeting here. We believe that joy comes in 

the morning. So we greet morning to welcome the joy of 

the Holy Spirit in our lives.’ The cooked explained. 

‘Ok ma. Good morning ma!’ Chika greeted. 

‘Good morning, Emmanuel, God is with us!’ The 

woman replied. 

 

**** 

The SCOAN hotel rooms were classic and well 

equipped. Chika did not believe that she was in Nigeria. 

The peaceful nature of the atmosphere was glorious, quite 



cxcii 
 

unlike the Lagos she knew. One after another the workers 

walked to the hotel doors of the deportees reminding them 

of the counselling and prayer section with Prophet T.B 

Joshua. Chika desperately wanted to see the man of God 

who was a well-known philanthropist. She had been in 

Nigeria but never knew that such a man existed. She was 

surprised that one man could pull such a crowd because of 

his divine gifts, love for God and humanity. It had been 

almost four days they visited and had not been able to see 

the man of God because of his busy schedules. 

When the workers came to announce the prayer 

and counselling section with him, Chika knew that the 

appointed time had come; a time of cleansing and 

salvation. At once, Chika prayed for mercy to locate her 

through the saving power of Christ. 

 

**** 

 

Chika looked from one person to another as they 

waited patiently for the man of God to arrive.  

‘People are indeed suffering! What a wicked and 

painful world!’ Chika said when she saw a crowd of sick 

people waiting patiently for the man of God to pray for 

them. She envisaged herself in their situations and became 

very grateful to God for being healthy.  

More people trooped into the church the moment 

they got the signal that the prophet was around. The 

prophet walked silently into the church with an air of 

gentility that displayed his calm nature. He looked at the 

deportees and smiled raising his right hand. 

‘You are welcome my friends! Nigeria is our 

country. God will help us to make it better. We have all 

failed in different ways, but things will be okay when we 



cxciii 
 

fully trust God and do our part as good citizens. Therefore, 

I salute you my friends for the determination to change 

your lives. All hands must be on deck as we work in the 

right path of righteousness. We must by God’s grace strive 

for righteousness for the good of the society. I also 

encourage you to shun evil and do good. We have human 

nature that’s why we need God’s supernatural grace to live 

daily. Therefore, in everything you do, Let Love Lead! 

Love for God, love for neighbours and love for your 

country. My friends don’t be disillusioned, you will rise 

again. The struggles and pains you experienced are not to 

impair you but to draw you closer to God. We will see 

what we can do to help you stand on your feet again. You 

are because I am and I am because you are. Let the love of 

God continue to lead our hearts as we live and serve 

humanity. God bless you all.’ The prophet said. 

Chika kept her eyes glued on the prophet’s face 

full of great hope and dreams for the future. The previous 

day they were interviewed by the Emmanuel TV Crews, 

the deportees narrated their misfortunes and bizarre 

experiences. Most of them also expressed their wish to 

further their education, learn skills, venture into business 

or become evangelists. Chika was still in deep thought 

when the man of God pointed at her and said, ‘you are too 

young! You are supposed to be in school by now! What 

happened? Do you wish to go back to school?’ 

‘Yes sir! I really desire it now! I have disappointed 

my mother! I went to China to study but I derailed sir. I 

was forced to become a prostitute, sir! I don’t know what 

to do now! I don’t know how to return to my mum and 

siblings. She will disown me! At my tender age, I have 

experienced hell and I’m so ashamed of myself.’ Chika 

said tears streaming down her cheeks. 



cxciv 
 

‘Where is your mum?’ The man of God asked. 

She lives in Awka, Anambra State, sir!’ 

‘Give us her details. We will invite her here. We 

will give you full scholarship to study the course of your 

choice in the university. Don’t cry little one, God is in 

control.’ The man of God said. 

‘Thank you, sir, thank you, sir! God bless you, sir! 

Chika said leaping in great joy. 

The prophet then turned to Adanna and asked, ‘Do 

you also wish to go back to school?’ 

‘No sir, my traumatic experiences affected my 

education. I stopped after my Juniour Secondary School 

examination. I can’t really cope with the classroom again, 

sir. I prefer skilled work like sewing clothes, sir.’ 

‘Okay, we will sponsor you to achieve your dream. 

Meanwhile, you need more of the word of God to refresh 

and renew you! All of you here must have some weeks of 

mentoring in God’s words to prepare you for the future. 

Just like I said, we will equip you physically and 

spiritually before we release you into the society again. 

For those of you interested in business, we will sponsor 

you all. Our partners are also ready to help in different 

ways. The funds will be given to you once you are ready 

to leave. Our partners in the city where you intend 

establishing your business will monitor and give us 

feedback. We are interested in helping people become 

better citizens for the good of the country. I pray that God 

will perfect all that concern you! Emmanuel!’ The prophet 

greeted and quietly left.  

 

**** 

 

 



cxcv 
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE 

CHANGE COMES SUDDENLY 
 

The belief that life could harbour sour-bitter-sweet 

flavoured experiences had been a white truth. Chika’s 

childhood had been memorable and fun. Her experiences 

few months ago had altered the good old memories she 

treasured so much. Apart from her childhood which was 

spent in strict innocence and happy moments, she had 

watched her mother suffer to train her and her siblings 

after the death of her father. Her recent experience had left 

her shattered and worthless. But her hope had been 

rekindled by the words of Prophet T.B Joshua who had 

promised to sponsor her education. 

Chika knew that misfortune and disobedience had 

dogged her with horrific blows that made her ashamed of 

the person she had become. She thought about her mother, 

Mrs Ugah. The story of Mrs. Uchenna Ugah was a 

common knowledge in Umuogbu, Awka. She was a 

teacher and a well-known disciplinarian. She rose to the 

level of a principal before she retired from service. In 

many schools Mrs Ugah taught, she was known with one 

statement-DO THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT 

TIME AND AT THE PROPER PLACE!  

Chika’s mother was well respected and feared by 

both teachers and students. She never supported evil, 

gossip, laziness or dehumanization of any kind. She was a 

very strict woman, but a kind mother who dedicated 

herself to helping humanity. She loved education and 

would frown when children hawk in the streets during 

school hours. She was very famous in the streets of Eke 

Awka for training the children of Ebonyi people who 

could not sponsor their children’s education. With her 



cxcvi 
 

little income, she had proved her love for children by 

enrolling them in schools. Chika’s mother was a mother 

for all. She never tolerated indecent dressing or wayward 

behaviours amongst teenagers. She would scold and 

reprimand any person she caught derailing from the right 

path. This particular act gained her the name Mama 

General. Some wild girls on the streets of Umuogbu 

Village, Awka never liked her and the unpleasant truth 

that gave them nightmares. Mrs Ugah hated seeing young 

boys and girls walk the streets holding hands romantically. 

She would scold them often, ‘stop that, you children! Boys 

and girls cannot be very intimate friends. This kind of 

friendship is capable of brewing up problems in the future. 

Your body chemistry might make you to react and do the 

unthinkable.’  

Mrs Ugah would scold without mincing words. 

Her hatred for teenagers who drank alcohol was much. For 

her, it was a taboo to see that happen when many families 

could not afford to eat twice a day. In fact, anything bad 

irritated her and made her angry and so emotional. 

Chika could still remember the incident that 

happened in their house long time ago. Her mother hated 

seeing boys around her. So that fateful day, Obinna who 

was a brother to Ogechi, Chika’s friend came looking for 

his sister. Mrs. Ugah got irritated and chased him away 

with a cane. 

‘Chika, Chika, Chika! Please don’t bring disgrace 

to me ooo! I didn’t disgrace my parents, so you will not 

disgrace me.’ Mrs Ugah shouted. 

That day, Chika received the beatings of her life. 

Her mother became very inquisitive to know what they 

had been doing in her absence. Her curiosity hurt Chika 



cxcvii 
 

emotionally because she felt that her mother did not trust 

her. 

‘Did he touch you?’ Chika’s mother asked? 

‘No mama! What’s this naw? Why are you asking 

such a question? Don’t you trust me again?’ Chika asked 

sobbing. 

Mrs Ugah grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. 

She pinched her lips with her right fingers to caution her. 

‘You have grown to talk back at me in this manner 

eeeh! I fed you with my two breasts and nurtured you to 

this level. So never ever talk back at me like that again! If 

you try it eeh, I will show you pepper. I mean it ooo. Don’t 

try me at all.’ 

Chika had been bitter ever since that incident 

happened. Since then, she acted as if boys were her bitter 

enemies. In fact, growing up under Mrs.Ugah was very 

difficult and at the same time pleasurable. She used to 

monitor Chika’s breasts to ascertain her innocence. She 

would warn her not to play with boys or sit close to them 

if she wouldn’t want to become pregnant. Chika’s mother 

would also tell her not to allow them touch her because 

that would also lead to pregnancy. Chika was never 

allowed to wear tight skimpy wears and trousers. Mrs 

Ugah believed that those clothes would make her 

attractive to boys. She bought oversized gowns and long 

loose skirts for Chika to protect her from the devouring 

eyes of men. But one thing was very clear, Chika never 

lacked anything. Mrs Ugah gave her all she could afford. 

 

**** 

Chika sat on the bed in the hotel room and stared 

at the busy streets of Ikotu through the window. Her room 

was on the fourth floor where the deportees were 



cxcviii 
 

accommodated. She wondered what her mother’s reaction 

would be when her past experiences would be made 

known to her. She had often imagined the shock she would 

experience. 

All the time she was away in China, her mother 

thought she was busy reading. Now, Chika imagined the 

nightmares her mother must have gone through since they 

had not talked for several months. The uncertainty of her 

whereabouts and the long silence must have been a painful 

torture that would take away sleep from her eyes.   

Chika sighed faintly and stood up. Her shoulders 

sagged as she tried to envisage the huge problem ahead of 

her mother’s arrival. The man of God had already invited 

her mother to visit SCOAN. Chika learnt that her mother 

was told that her daughter had been found after long 

months of being under captivity. She was also informed 

that her mother would arrive in two days’ time.  

Chika had envied Adanna for not having anybody 

that would be troubled, disgraced or ashamed of her past. 

She knew that her mother would be so surprised to hear 

her bizarre experiences within a short period of time. 

Chika remembered her numerous encounters with her 

mother, and feared that she would find it difficult to 

forgive her. She remembered the occasions when her 

mother would scold her for taking the second position in 

the class. She would often decline buying things for her 

because of that. It continued until her position changed. 

When she eventually took the first position, her mother 

became happier. She felt a pang of pain as she recalled 

what she suffered as a prostitute. She would be ashamed 

to let people know what she had passed through in 

Guangzhou, but her mother would be the problem. She 



cxcix 
 

never spared anybody and would often use people’s 

mistakes to warn others or give examples. 

Chika became depressed since her mother’s 

invitation was announced to her. During their seminar and 

prayer sections at SCOAN, her prayer points had been for 

God to touch the heart of her mother to forgive her. She 

would pray, ‘Oh God, take all of my mother and give my 

mother more of You!’ That indeed was her earnest prayer 

of faith. She was sober and wished to remain at SCOAN, 

a family of God, so loving, caring and welcoming.  

The days crawled and lazily passed by. Chika 

could not recover from the depression that had captured 

her mind. She would always fix her eyes on the Emmanuel 

TV Station while praying along with Prophet T.B Joshua. 

Her conscience would not allow her to concentrate on her 

prayers. The fear of her mother’s reaction was indeed at 

the centre of her meditation. The memory of her past 

failures and experiences haunted her, but the worship 

songs by the SCOAN choir had lifted her spirit. There was 

something about the words and lyrics that had stirred her 

spirit. Chika would look at the ceiling and her thoughts 

would take flight to the past remembering the pain Ngozi 

caused her, the humiliation she meted out to her, the 

constant rape she organized just to punish her and the life 

of prostitution she subjected her to. Many times, she had 

cursed Ngozi and vowed to retaliate if she had the 

opportunity to do so. But since she came to SCOAN, her 

mind had been condemning her concerning her decisions 

over Ngozi. The words of the prophet had sunk deep into 

her heart. His preaching sounded difficult but full of 

wisdom. He would often say, ‘leave it for God! Don’t 

revenge! Forgive those who wronged you! Whether you 

are right or wrong, don’t take offense!’ 



cc 
 

As far as Chika remembered, it would be difficult 

for an ordinary human being to forgive a person who had 

subjected her to pain, constant torture and humiliation. 

Jokes aside, something was beginning to happen to her 

conscience as the hatred and planned revenge gradually 

started vanishing from her heart. Her heart became less 

heavy that she could feel inner cool breeze transporting 

her mind to purer thoughts. 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



cci 
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR 

THERE’S HOPE IN LIFE 
 

Mrs Ugah had assured herself that she would not 

be biased in judging her daughter. She had used her elderly 

and motherly eyes not only to observe her physical 

appearance – the fact that she wore no make-up or 

jewellery – but to also penetrate her sober heart which now 

had a peculiar demeanour. The summary of what she saw 

convinced her that her daughter had passed through a lot 

and was ashamed of herself. 

As soon as Chika stepped into man of God’s 

office, she fell down on her knees and cried like a baby. 

‘Mother, please forgive me! I have failed! I have 

failed you. I have failed God! I have even failed myself! 

Mummy, please forgive me! I am so ashamed of myself! 

I know you are angry, but please temper your anger with 

mercy.’  

Tears dripping down Mrs Ugah’s cheeks, she got 

up and pulled her daughter to her chest without uttering a 

word. Silence indeed stood in between their private 

thoughts. Both mother and daughter were about the same 

height, above average for women. Chika was slimmer and 

darker in complexion. Her mother was slightly bigger 

without being overweight. Mrs Ugah gently pressed her 

daughter’s head on her chest while sobbing continuously. 

‘I have listened to your story through the 

documentation made by Emmanuel TV crew. I am indeed 

deeply pained that you’ve suffered a lot within a few 

months of leaving my home. I have also failed dear. I 

shouldn’t have left you to travel at a tender age without 

giving you the freedom to live an independent life. I drove 

your life like a vehicle and made decisions for you. I never 



ccii 
 

trusted your ability for once. I was always scolding and 

making demands that impinged on your rights. I didn’t 

allow you to grow up. I am so sorry my angel. I have failed 

you and my late husband. In fact, I have failed as a mother 

because I didn’t allow you to mix up. I suspected you all 

the time and neglected the basic truth I would have told 

you about the opposite sex. I guess my wrong advice 

pushed you into the hands of that guy that exposed you to 

the complexities of your bizarre experiences.’ 

Chika was very surprised to hear her mother’s 

confession. She held her tightly as her emotions paved 

way to more tears. She was happy that her prayer worked. 

Her mother’s confession was indeed a proof that God 

answers prayers. God indeed gave more of Himself to her 

mother. 

‘Thank you, man of God for your good deeds!  I 

have been an ardent listener of your messages and prayers. 

God used you to change my life. Your messages kept me 

while I was brooding about my daughter’s silence for 

months. I didn’t run from God, I ran to Him just like you 

advised and I had peace. May God bless you, sir! May He 

give you the strength to continue in your good work in 

Jesus’ name!’ 

‘Thank you, ma!’ The man of God said motioning 

them to sit down. 

‘Now you all have been saved, endeavour to make 

the Word of God a standard for your life! Don’t run from 

God, rather run to Him. Always watch and prayer because 

a break in faith is a break with God. Pray as if everything 

depends on God and work as if everything depends on 

you.’ The man of God advised. 



cciii 
 

‘Thank you, sir! More grace sir! More blessings 

sir! Mrs Ugah and her daughter chorused while bowing in 

appreciation. 

‘No no no no! Don’t bow down to me! I’m not 

God! Men should only fear and bow to God! I am only a 

mere servant; a tool in His hands. All glory and praises 

must be reserved only to Him. Prophet Joshua said feeling 

quite uneasy about what they did. He continued, ‘the 

Emmanuel TV partners and I have decided to give your 

daughter a scholarship to further her education in any 

university of her choice here in Nigeria. She had already 

indicated her interest in studying law. We will sponsor her 

to buy JAMB form and afterward take care of her 

education.’ 

As the man of God was still addressing Mrs Ugah 

and her daughter, the workers ushered in Adanna who was 

very surprised to see a replica of Chika. At once, she knew 

that they were related. 

‘I talk as I’m led by the Holy Spirit, madam. You 

may consider this queer, but I want you to be a mother to 

this young girl. I will support you to any length. She has 

suffered greatly and she needs a good and strong willed 

mother like you to overcome her challenges. She also 

came from Awka, Anambra State. You need to take her to 

her parents’ people to inform them that she is in your 

custody. As you obey this passionate call, God will perfect 

all that concern you.’ The man of said while giving them 

two brown envelops. 

The two envelops were quite very heavy. Five 

hundred thousand naira was written on the envelop that 

had Chika’s name. The other envelop which had Adanna’s 

name was written one million naira. Mrs Ugah who could 

not contain her joy stood up and started singing in Igbo 



cciv 
 

dialect. Words were not enough to express her 

appreciation as she knelt down thanking God, thanking the 

man of God, obviously confused where here gratitude 

should go. 

‘This little girl has indicated interest in skilled 

work. She precisely wants to learn how to sew clothes. 

Please, we want you to send her to a good fashion designer 

who will give her a good training. The money is for her 

dream business. May God bless you as you hearken to the 

call of helping humanity. Thanks for honouring my 

invitation.’ The man of God said as Mrs Ugah and the girls 

got up to leave the office. 

 

 

**** 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



ccv 
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE 

YOU MAY NEVR KNOW…. 
 

Tell me the person for whom life is constantly 

peaceful and I will take off my cap for him or her. This 

became my usual adage after fate dealt me a deadly blow. 

Ngozi thought that she would always remain on top 

without remembering the adage: everyday is for the thief, 

one day is for the owner. She never believed that karma 

existed when she was committing all those crimes against 

humanity. The devil that possessed her took away her 

human conscience and made her more vicious and 

unforgiving. Indeed, Ngozi was a pain in the neck! 

We were in the house when somebody led her into 

our compound that fateful afternoon. I nearly fainted. She 

looked skinny and unkempt. I nearly sent her away in 

anger, but the words of Prophet J.B Joshua made me 

change my mind. We invited her into our sitting room 

where we sat in perfect silence staring at her, fascinated 

by the hardness of her eyes which maintained a steady 

gaze. Mama sat patiently listening to her story without any 

comment.  

Ngozi talked at length blaming her mother for 

misleading her. She confessed that she was arrested by the 

police shortly after Adanna and I were deported. Ngozi 

narrated that Chinedu’s corpse was discovered in a huge 

freezer in one of her client’s apartment. The house was 

abandoned because of his corpse. The police suspected 

that something was wrong and raided the house. That was 

when they discovered Chinedu’s body in the freezer. 

Ngozi was later released with the help of a lawyer who 

claimed that she had no hand in the death since the corpse 



ccvi 
 

was not found in her custody. That was how she was 

released and deported without a dime.  

Ngozi knelt down crying and apologizing for her 

evil deeds. She told mama that her life was almost ending 

since the only remaining kidney could not serve her for a 

long time. Ngozi confessed that she was also a victim. She 

narrated how a fake foreign agency promised her work 

abroad claiming that they would give her a job. During 

that period, body parts black market business was 

booming. The agency processed her travel papers and paid 

for her tickets. On arriving China, they forced her to sell 

one of her kidneys for $ 120,000. That was how she joined 

the group in the business and other illegal business. My 

mum was indeed moved and got emotionally involved. 

We had no option. We all burst into tears and forgave her. 

My mother had pity on her and decided to lend a helping 

hand to her. With our consent she rented a room for Ngozi 

and gave her hundred thousand naira to set up her a 

business. That was how it had been until Ngozi decided to 

blackmail Adanna.  

When Ngozi came shading tears, I knew that she 

had not changed. The devil in her surfaced when she asked 

Adanna to lend her the money meant for her sewing 

training. Adanna refused and hell was let loose. Since that 

day, she had vowed to make her life uncomfortable 

claiming that her action made her kill Chinedu. According 

to her, the intimate relationship Adanna had with Chinedu 

that night in her house was a huge slight on her.  

                                  

 

 

***** 

 



ccvii 
 

Since we came back from SCOAN I vowed to 

make mama proud. Mama on her part never reminded us 

of what we passed through. I was indeed determined to 

make her proud. I also wanted to regain the confidence I 

lost. The opportunity came when my JAMB result was 

released and I scored 300. The WAEC result I used in 

applying for scholarship abroad was also good, so my 

hope of gaining admission into the university and course 

of my choice was not dashed. My mother was indeed 

happy and made telephone calls informing the man of God 

about my academic success. I dreamed about nothing else 

except the day I would get into the University of Nigeria, 

Nsukka to study Law. I had previously gone to the 

university campus to confirm the requirements and wait 

till the new students would be invited to come for 

admission and clearance. Indeed, my dream of defending 

the girl-child had come true. My experiences had birthed 

this dream and my course of study would be a good 

platform to achieving that. 

Adanna also was learning very fast. She could cut 

and sew many styles. Mama and I never patronized other 

fashion designers. We became her fashion models and 

attracted many customers who patronized her. We were in 

her madam’s shop the day you came requesting Adanna to 

sew clothes for your mother. That very day Emeka, I knew 

your thoughts. I read you like ABCD….You constantly 

brought clothes to Adanna so that you would have the 

opportunity of wooing her. Adanna made efforts to tell 

you about her life but you insisted that her story never 

mattered. All you wanted was her love, pretty face, curvy 

hips and her soft sweet voice. These were the things you 

mentioned that attracted you to her. 

 



ccviii 
 

                           **** 

Emeka stood rooted to the ground, he could not 

utter a word. He was indeed speechless. Chika was sure 

now that Emeka, even in his confused state was blaming 

himself for being so harsh on Adanna. 

 Emeka sighed, ‘where is Adanna?’ 

‘Upstairs.’ Chika replied. 

‘Okay, I need to see her at once’, Emeka said and 

began to walk up the stairs muttering to himself. 

Chika followed him immediately praying for God 

to intervene. Emeka entered the huge building and found 

Adanna in a small room close to the living room. He 

touched her shoulders. She turned to see who it was. 

Emeka was standing right behind her. She threw herself at 

him and allowed her emotions to escape. Exhausted, she 

expressed her wishes to break off the engagement and 

discontinue the ceremony. Emeka’s jaws dropped and his 

lips parted in surprise. 

‘But I have not said so my love! I love you deeply. 

I sincerely do. Please, don’t do this to me sweetie. Chika 

told me everything! Despite that, my love for you is 

endless!’ Emeka said almost sobbing. 

‘Emeka, I have made up my mind. There is no 

going back. What happened today took away my power, 

my strength and my love, but I finally have them back 

now! It is not safe for me to marry now. I don’t want 

marriage to be an escape route to my past. I need to see 

the world from a different angle! I need to work and fend 

for myself. Now I have a lot more confidence in myself. 

My new career has made me realize that I have a lot of 

untapped skills that would take me to many places. I need 

to maximize this opportunity. I have been with my madam 

for some months, but now I’m getting where I don’t need 



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to work for anybody. I still love you, but marriage has to 

wait. The future will tell. I know the future will definitely 

tell. I have grown to know that people are often reminded 

of their past by the person they deeply love. This hurts 

deeply and sticks forever.  My father hurt my mother 

several times until her death. You hurt me with your 

words. I don’t want to repeat my mother’s mistakes. I 

simply need time.’ Chika said as she gently pulled her 

body away from Emeka.  

                                  **** 

                             The End 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GLOSSARY 

 

Aba Wallet     A wallet made in Aba city, Nigeria 



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Ada                Short form of the name, Adanna 

Ada-Awka     Any female originally from Awka City 

Agbada          A flowing, wide-sleeved robe wore by men 

Amibo            A gossip 

Ashawo          A prostitute 

Akwa-Nwa    A compliment or pet name for a beautiful  

girl or lady 

Chy                Short form of the name, Chika 

Ewooo           Exclamation indicating surprise 

Fufu               Food made of cassava or corn flour 

Haba              Exclamation indicating disgust 

Hei                Exclamation indicating surprise 

Igbo               An ethnic group in the eastern Nigeria 

JAMB           Joint Admission and Matriculation Board 

Mama           Mother 

Nawa oo       Exclamation indicating surprise 

Nedu             Short form of the name, Chinedu 

Nne m  /Nne My mother/ a pet Igbo name for females 

Nwa m          My child 

Nwanne  m     My sister/ brother (used literally)  

Ndi Eke         Policemen 

Nsala soup     Soup commonly eaten in the eastern region  

          of Nigeria  (Igbo) 

Obodo Oyibo  A foreign land 

Pilipili             Onomatopic word suggesting something  

            soft 

Tomatoe Jos     A compliment or pet name for a beautiful  

  Lady/girl 

Tufiakwa          Exclamation indicating disgust 

U Sabi               That’s your business (U-means you) 

WAEC            West African Examination Council