Mr. Kunle Abiodun, a rich Yoruba man in his late forties, was driven by his driver in his black Nissan Pathfinder SUV into the compound of his cream coloured gigantic duplex which he lived in with his wife, Mrs. Sade Abiodun and two daughters Tife and Tola Abiodun. His job obviously brought in cool cash. He was a business man, the CEO of Abby Motors Ltd, a multinational organisation that majored in importing of cars. There were five branches two of which were in Nigeria, the other three in Ghana, Gambia and South Africa this necessitated the need for him to travel frequently. He was hardly home and the few times he was, he brought work home to continue in his home office.

He believed he needed to provide for his family and make them as comfortable as possible even if it was at the expense of spending quality time with them. He grew up in a very poor family setting. His father died when he was five and his mother who sold foodstuffs tried all she could to make ends meet. That notwithstanding, he had his fair share of suffering. He struggled his way through and finally at the age of thirty five, he had his own firm. He decided in his heart that none of his children would ever suffer the way he did.

As the driver parked the car in the garage, Mr. Abiodun who sat at the owner’s corner was welcomed by the gateman who informed him that his wife and children were in.

“Ok call me Cynthia.” Mr. Abiodun wanted the house keeper to take his laptop to his office, where he planned to spend the rest of the evening finishing up the day’s work. 

“Cynthia, oga is calling you,” Sulaiman shouted at the top of his voice.

Cynthia, a young illiterate lady in her early twenties approached the car in a brown blouse and green skirt wth a blue scarf which she always wore to cover her unkempt hair and a grey apron which was stained all over. She perpetually looked rough and untidy.

“Take my laptop to my office,” Mr Abiodun handed it over to her

“Ok sir” she said and curtsied. “Welcome sir, mummy and the girls dey for the big sitting room, them dey watch television.” She was indeed a local girl. 

            Mr. Abiodun got down from the car and entered the house. He met his wife and children watching TV.

            “Hello my people,” he said to draw their attention to his arrival.

            “Welcome daddy,” Tola, the younger daughter said without taking her eyes off the TV

            Tife who was rude and snobbish by nature was lying down on the black leathery three-seater and was busy with her phone. She looked at her dad and continued with her phone without saying a word.

            Just as Mrs. Abiodun was about to respond to her husband, her phone rang. She saw it was ‘Mummy Gbenga’, her very good friend that was calling. She picked it.

            “Ore mi ore mi (my friend my friend). How are you doing?” She said as she got up and walked past her husband. She covered the phone with her hand and in a whisper, informed him “your food is on the table, Cynthia will serve you when you are ready to eat,” then she continued gisting with her friend as she walked away.

            Mr. Abiodun had really never been the typical family man, even though it seemed he had every other thing sorted out, he was lacking in this. Though he catered for the financial and material needs of his family, they were starved of fatherly love. He wasn’t the best when it came to being a husband or a father.

            He went upstairs, changed into something more casual and went into his office where he was, till much later in the evening when he came out to eat. Cynthia served his food.

“Where is madam?” He asked Cynthia as she dished his meal.

“She comot sir, she no tell where she dey go.”

“So Sade can’t even inform me about her whereabouts again? Am I that invisible?” He thought aloud angrily.

            “Sorry sir, no be madam fault sir.”

            “Will you shut up.” Mr Abiodun transferred his aggression on her. “How is this your business? My friend will you get out of here.”

            “Sorry sir,” she finished serving and left for the kitchen.

            “And put on something tidy, you look like you are suffering.”

            “Sorry sir.”

            “Sorry for yourself.” He hissed as she walked away.

            Still pondering on what was going on in his home, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw it was kate.  

            “Hello” he said wondering why his secretary was calling him after work hours.

                “Hi Mr Abiodun, I just wanted to know if you arrived home safely,” the feminine voice said from the other end of the phone.

                “Yes I did” he answered wondering when that became part of his secretary’s job description.

“Alright sir and how is the family?”

“Kate, do you need something?” He asked, still trying to figure out why she called.

“No sir, I just need you to rest and take care of yourself. I’m available anytime you feel a need to unwind,” she said in a low and seductive tone.

“Thanks for your concern Miss Badejo,” he decided to call her by her surname in order to make the conversation sound more formal.

“Thanks, but I believe your work ends in the office. Goodbye.” He said in a firm tone.

“What exactly is wrong with women of this generation? My wife somehow does not see a need to tell me about her whereabouts now my secretary is prying into my personal matter.”

“Yes sir, did you call me, oga?” Cynthia rushed in from the kitchen.

“You this girl, oro e tis u mi (I’m tired of you). Are you hearing voices? Just come and clear up.” He said as he stood up from the dinning and went to the sitting room.

He sat down and turned on the TV to watch news. Just then he saw Tife, his sixteen year old daughter pass by on the phone, walking to the door.

“I’ll be there shortly,” she said as she ended the call.

“Shortly where?” Mr Abiodun asked confused and surprised. “Where exactly do you think you are going to at this time?” He asked as he pointed to the wall clock which revealed the time as 7;45pm.

“Daddy I want to go and see my friend, he lives…”

“He?” Mr Abiodun cut her and sat upright in his chair. “You are going to see a guy in his house at this time? Alone? Wearing that?” He pointed to her short dress.

“Daddy what is wrong with my dress? This is exactly why we prefer it when you are not around,” she said angrily.

Just as Mr. Abiodun was about to reply, his wife walked in

“Great. You are here. Shade, can you imagine your daughter? She is going out to see a guy at this time dressed like this.” He waved his hand at her in a vertical fashion as he expressed his displeasure in his daughter’s appearance.

            “You’ve never really seemed to care about what goes n in this house. Why bother now?” she said looking uninterested.

            “Sade, why will you say such a thing?” Her husband of eighteen years asked with concern.

            “Because it is the truth!” She exclaimed.

            He turned to Tife who was still standing there.  “My friend, will you get back to your room?”

            “When you are not around, there’s always peace in this house.” Tife said under her breath as she grumbled and went upstairs.

            “Can you hear what your daughter is saying? Have I done wrong by making sure there is food on the table?”

 “Please please please,” she waved her hand in the air. “Don’t give me that. We both know that it is not only putting food on the table you have been doing you cheat and unfaithful husband.”

Mr Abiodun was shocked and speechless.

TO BE CONTINUED

Don’t miss any episode of the Abiodun’s Family story. Follow any of the below links:
The Abiodun Family Drama
The Abiodun Family Drama 2
The Abiodun Family Drama 3