MY SISTER'S GROOM

16th OF JANUARY I Arrived at the Muritala Muhammad Airport. I stood in the middle of the terminal overjoyed scanning all around with a smile on my face. I was so excited to be back from the United States. It's been almost five years now since I have been here and it's a month to my sister's wedding so I decided to come early since I missed Nigeria. I looked to the side to monitor the person that had offered to help me with my luggage, I had brought in four big boxes and even had to pay for extra luggage with how much I packed. It was what every typical Nigerian did. There was always a lot of people expecting to get something from you especially when you are known to have travelled out. I walked out to where I was going to meet my cousins who had promised to pick me up at the airport since my sister was already preparing for her wedding. It was typical of any Wedding in this part of the country. It had to be perfect and the mother was also helping with the running around. "Lizzy!!" I looked around scanning for where the voice had come from as I pulled back the box I was with. My eyes lit up as I saw my cousin bimbo run up to me as she pulled me in a hug. I hugged her back with a big smile on my face. Bimbo was my closest cousin, we practically grew up together. We were of the same age too so it made us even closer. As I released her from my hug. I saw kunle behind her, he was Bimbo's older brother and we were also pretty close as cousins and also grew up together. We had this family thing where all the family members attend the same primary and secondary school. So it made all of us very close. "Ain't you going to hug me," I said with a smirk as Bimbo shifted to the side and my eyes met those of Kunles. He came closer with a smile as he hugged me too. "Hope you brought everything I asked you to bring Ohh, my hair, makeup, clothes and all those stuff," Bimbo asked enthusiastically "Yes, yes, I did. What do you think is in all these bags" I said as we both looked at the boxes placed next to me. "This is a lot," bimbo said with a smile "There is something for everyone" I replied "I like this your big aunty vibes oh" bimbo teased with a smile. "It's my fault that I bought something for you this girl" I sarcastically said "I will just seize everything I bought for you if you don't behave" I added and kunle chuckled as we both looked at bimbo. "I am sorry na, I was just joking" bimbo begged and we all laughed. "We really should get going now, Lagos traffic will be very bad by this time and will even get worse over time" kunle advised as he picked up one of the boxes to help put in the car. "So this Lagos hasn't changed at all, I thought it was festive period and everyone had gone to their villages" I inquired as I dragged my box behind me with Bimbo also walking next to me and Kunle in front of us as he opened the boot of the car to allow us to keep the bags in it. "It's two weeks after the New year already, Lagos already has full as it always is," kunle said as he dropped the last box in the boot of the car and Bimbo closed the boot. I opened the door to the back seat helping myself in as I sat. Bimbo sat in front next to Kunle who inserted the ignition key in other to kickstart the car. "I do miss Lagos a lot actually," I said as the kunle drove and I couldn't help but look out through the window to get a view of everything that I missed and was looking forward to. "It's been how many years again," kunle asked "Five" Bimbo answered "I thought as much" kunle said and I just continued looking out the window, the car slowed down a bit as we met traffic in front. It was typical of Lagos. Kunle wind down the window of the car as it seemed we were going to be in the traffic for a while and probably didn't want to waste the fuel in the car. The hustling and bustling in Lagos hadn't changed, I could inhale the chaos and dust all around and also the boli(roasted plantain) the woman across the street was making which managed to escape into my nostrils as I further inhaled it with so much satisfaction. I hadn't smelt such in a very long time and it felt so good. The boys selling stuff in traffic occasionally asking if I wanted to get or not. This was Lagos!!! I was about to request for a boli(roasted plantain) but then I suddenly felt the car move and realized the traffic had lessened. We moved further and didn't even see what had been causing the traffic. "Lagos is even more beautiful now" I blurted as I shifted my gaze away from the window and back on the road. "I know right, there are so many new places that have been opened now, I really can't wait to show you and there is also this new club that just recently opened in Lekki phase 1, I think we should check it out next Friday. It will be amazing" Bimbo explained with so much enthusiasm as she turned her face back and forth trying to make me get the full list. "I trust you na" I smiled and at that moment kunle drove the car through my parent's gate at our house in Ikoyi, We lived in one of the best places one could live in Lagos. It was where the elite lived and in a way, you could call my parents one too. Father had made his money from Oil and Gas and Mother owning one of the biggest stores in Lagos Market, we were quite fortunate and the average Nigerian could call us rich.