With Love From Awka

Dear You,

You see, today's post is gonna come in form of a letter, I have not been faithful with my promises. I never kept anything I said to you. Hey, that should make me bad, but you know I ain't.

Along the line, I lost my head, I kept looking for it in the refuse dumps of the city - I went in search of it at the unlocked temples, shrines, gutters, and markets - I was everywhere but nowhere actually, looking for my head - somehow, I admit I lost it. The damn head is lost and gone. I lost it to depression, and I know it is not what this blog post is all about (so I'm not gonna linger on the topic).

You know I stay in Abakaliki, and it is a city that manufactures depression. So, it manufactured this type of depression that couldn't let me breathe, so, I packed my things and sought solitude in another city --- farther from Abakaliki. The next stop should be Enugu, but hell no, I let the chauffeur drive all way to Awka (Anambra State).

I don't know if you've heard of Awka, it is the capital city of Anambra state and is a home to many factories in the state. Man, the road from Abakaliki to Awka is not fancy, not fancy, not at all -- the road is as good as a road in a sea (not on sea) --- you have to meander through tunnels on the supposed road, meander through water dumped in the tunnels, meander through exhaust fumes, meander through death --- you must meander through something before you get to Awka.

So, I meandered through all these before getting to Awka and the air never left me. First, I couldn't get off from the bus -- I had a pounding headache, but somehow, the bus got off me and went its way, and I was left all alone scouting for a place to eat.

There is no skyscraper  in Awka --- no single one but that doesn't mean there is no branch of Central Bank of Nigeria here --- Awka has the aura of "working" things --- everything seems to be working but all are pretense. This city wears pretense like an Indian wears Punjabi.

Did you know what I found out? I mean, did I tell you about my passion for eating? No, don't laugh.
(I'm gonna tell you about that soon.)

Some minutes, someone's on the phone. Write you soon.

Yours wanderer,
Akpa, Arinzechukwu