The sisterhood

Funke had arrived at the Student Affairs Department first. She was eighteen years old when she gained admission. She came to the department wearing a pair of tight jeans and a half top. The jeans showed off her obvious backside and the top, her small waist. She wore big braids which she packed. Her light chocolate shiny skin was also a huge attraction as everyone stared at her. She walked past everyone on the line to the secretary to enquire about something and then she catwalked to the end of the line. She was tall, 5'9. She was confident and appeared to be proud.

Nkem, a light-skinned girl was standing aside when Funke joined the line. She walked up to Funke to inform her she was before her in the queue but didn't want to stand for long. Funke acknowledged her. Nkem stood at 5'7, she was slim having a model's figure. She was self-conscious because she had a heavy Igbo accent. Even though beautiful; she wasn't very confident because of it. She was the youngest of the group as she was sixteen going on seventeen.

Then came Zainab. She was noticed because she was skinny, she wore a long shapeless gown and had on a hijab. She had the sweetest voice any of them had heard. When she spoke, she had a beautiful accent. She asked Funke if there was anyone behind her and Funke answered. She stood behind Funke. She had a pointed nose, full lips and the longest eyelashes. Funke couldn't stop looking at her. She was eighteen then.

As the line began to move, Nkem took her position so she would not miss her turn. Another girl joined them. Esther walked in, she was all curves and she didn't care. She had on a long clinging skirt that emphasized her curves and a black top. The top gave her a slimming effect. She was busty and also hippy. She wasn't that tall but, who cared? She was a melanin beauty. Her dark complexion was shiny. She was confident. She joined the queue. The atmosphere was charged with her lovely fragrance. She was chewing gum as she stood in line not minding anybody. Esther was seventeen but looked much older than that because of her size. She had a beautiful oval face and a well-shaped mouth. She always complained about her nose but there was nothing wrong with it.

These four ladies went into the Dean's office together to sign off on their registration forms. They were forced to wait together there and they struck up a conversation. The thirty minutes they spent waiting to be attended to made them friends. They talked about accommodation. Funke had a link for them to be given accommodation as freshers. They decided to meet the link together after the submission at the Dean's office. The link agreed to help them at a cost. He also promised to ensure they all stayed in the same room. They exchanged phone numbers.

The friendship began from there. They were allocated the same room in the hostel and their friendship became a bond. As they grew closer, they agreed, no judging each other, no envy or jealousy, and no quarrels. All misunderstandings will be resolved amicably. There will be no secrets and nothing could come between them.

As they resumed school, each had their views about why they were in school while some came to study and excel, others came to have the time of their lives.

Esther was a social butterfly. People were attracted to her and her bubbly personality didn't help matters. She had the most toasters out of all of them. She knew, as they had discussed, it was because of her body. She was sexy. Also, she was the neatest of all of them. Her hygiene was top-notch. She bathed three times a day, moisturized her skin and used roll-on and body spray even when she was going to bed. She changed her underwear each time she bathed and also washed her mouth. Esther loved to party. She was a great dancer and loved to rock. Academically, she was ok. Zainab insisted that if she spent a little more time studying she would do much better but Esther lost focus in her first year.

Funke was regarded as a snob. She was a rich kid but didn't rub it in her friends' faces. She travelled abroad every year and her friends always got quality gifts from her. Funke was focused on her education. She told them her parents were first-class brains. They were both Chartered Accountants and she was following in their footsteps. She spent most of her time burying herself in her books. She vowed to graduate with a First class and she intended to achieve that. She had no time for boys; she claimed they were a distraction. She was very orderly; she scheduled her time for everything. She was the most organized.

Zainab was the most beautiful of them all. The first time they saw her naked, they were shocked. She had such beautiful skin and figure although she was skinny. She had beautiful long hair that always remained covered. She was very reserved. It was fun and interesting when she was in their company but outside she was very quiet. She had confided in them she was betrothed to be married. Her husband was also studying in the United Kingdom for his PhD. She hadn't met him yet but they talk on the phone and he sends her gifts. She had the sexiest underwear. She told them her fiance got them for her. He was waiting for her to graduate before he comes back to marry her and they make a home. She didn't seem too excited; they found out why as they grew closer. She chose to study Law but her husband refused. She had to take Political Science. She wasn't happy about it, but what could she do?

Nkem was working hard academically to ensure she escaped poverty. She had lived with her uncle's wife and children since when she was nine years old. Her uncle (her mother's brother) took her to live with his family so he could help his only sister who was suddenly widowed. She had three more children with her. Nkem was the first child. Her father's brothers took everything from them. Her mother had to stay back in the village at her husband's house so they do not take that from her two sons. Nkem was used as a maid in her uncle's house by the wife. He lived abroad and didn't know what was going on. It was a few weeks before his return she was fattened and threatened not to complain. The boys in the house had tried severally to molest her but she successfully avoided it. She appeared timid for such a long time until she clocked thirteen and she became wiser and bolder. She told her uncle it was better she returned to her mother in the village than remain in his house starving until he was about to come home, with no school books, sandals or even school bag. Encouraged by her uncle, she narrated her ordeal at the hands of his wife. Her uncle was shocked. He almost sent the wife packing when he discovered she attended public school while he was paying for private school. He took Nkem back to her mother, enrolled her in a boarding school and instead gave money to her mother for her upkeep. Each time she returned home, she saw her mother suffering and swore to bring her out of poverty. She was proud of her mother because she was amongst the few widows in the village who didn't defile themselves. She had her honour intact. She got help from her other family members to pay the school fees for the two boys and the baby girl. She took charge of feeding and clothing them. Her siblings helped as much as they could but she never begged.

Nkem's uncle was her sponsor at the University. He was impressed with her Jamb and WAEC results that he opened a trust for her to get access to her school fees and upkeep in school. She was also blessed by well-wishers who were proud of her achievement. She gave her mother some of the monies she got to start the palm oil business she had been talking about while she took raw foodstuff from the house to school.

Nkem was in charge of the food in the room; she was the cook. Her food was always delicious. Everyone submitted their foodstuff to her and she made the food everyone would eat especially dinner. Before long, she turned it into a business. She cooked every evening and sold to her fellow students. It was a good business for her. She could save money to buy clothes for herself; she was the poorest of them all and borrowed some of their clothes. She was beautiful; she looked like a model. She had an inferiority complex. Although she could be assertive, she still felt less.

The first year was awesome for them. Because they had a resolve, they stayed together and had little or no fights. Nkem was the chef, she made delicious meals. She could cook with little ingredients and you will bite your fingers. She had a special way of making noodles with eggs. The students patronize her until she closes shop at 9:30 pm and leaves for class at midnight to read.

Esther cleaned the room every morning. They had a carpet on the floor so it was mopped every day. Esther didn't mind doing it. Zainab cleaned the room at night. Funke paid someone to clean the bathroom and toilet. She chose that as her chore and it was fine by all of them. Also, Funke brought the most foodstuff. Anytime she went home, which was twice a month, she brought back enough foodstuff to feed the entire room. Her favourite breakfast was toasted bread made with eggs and sardine or corned beef. Nkem made it for her every morning and she was able to have breakfast because of that. Others sometimes bought ingredients for Nkem to make food for them or they eat plain bread and egg before leaving for class.