IYA ALAKARA (THE BEAN BALLS' SELLER)
IYA ALAKARA
(THE BEAN BALLS' SELLER)
I do wonder What could possibly erase her from my memories , *IYA ALAKARA* as she's popularly called.
This courageous woman was the only bean balls seller in my village who had numerous and outstanding customers and who won the hearts of many, especially we the then little children.
Though I don't know her exact name because there was no need for it ,all I was after was to buy the *AKARA* with pap from her every morning just like any other kid of my age before leaving for school.
She had many features that distinguished her from her counterparts.
*IYA ALAKARA* was jovial and nice, very patient unlike other *AKARA* sellers who were very impatient at our stupidities and naughtiness as children. Instead of shouting and yelling at us, she would accommodate and pet us rubbing her sweaty & cold hands on our little heads.
This automatically insinuated that she had a warm heart as the popular adage states that *cold hands mean a warm heart*.
There was no space for her hatred in our little hearts , the sweetest thing was that she did add to our *AKARA* as éni(bonus)😇
She was so generous that she gives out her bean balls freely to orphans and homeless children.
This humanity act made her win the hearts of masses.
*Iya Alakara* was very humble to the extent that most people found it difficult to believe that she has built Two houses of her own and possessed plots of lands.
She had a beautiful sports car with three lorries used for her sales.
The nearby villages depended greatly on her for the supply of beans used in preparing *AKARA*.
One of the saddest moments of my life was that miserable day..that Monday evening I was returning from the school with my classmates...reaching half way to the house, I heard cries and wails...yee!!! Oluwa ooo🙆♂
Ẹ̀ni ire lọ̀ *the good person is gone*
What could have happened?
Although I was still 12, I'd never experienced such in my entire life, cries ,wailings everywhere...Kilodé?
Kilosẹ̀lẹ̀?
What happened?...I asked *Aunty Lara* my elder sister...instead of replying ,She bursted into tears and laid on the floor almost half clad ...I approached my mum to know the tragedy which could have befallen the whole clan.. *Iya Ayinla*...ẹ̀jọ̀wọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ fun mi...kilo fa ẹ̀kun ati igbé *please tell me what caused the cries and wails* ...she was also not ready to tell me the reason behind it, all she did was to pretend to be okay and rubbed her palms on my little head ,probably to shut me up for my questioning ..
I felt very sad inside of me and was sure something was wrong.
What could have happened?
Who could have caused this ?
These unanswered questions kept repeating themselves in my head.
Then finally I couldn't hold my long lasting tears and cries when *Iya sade*, the immediate younger sister to *Iya alakara* cried aloud and said:
*Iku loro*(death is poisonous)
*iku nika*(death is wicked)
*Iku gba ẹ̀ni ire mọ̀wa lọ̀wọ̀*(death has snatched a good person from us)
*Ẹ̀gbọ̀n mi rọ̀run *aremabọ̀*(my sister has gone to a journey of no return)
It was now clear and certain to me that *Iya Alakara*
The great philanthropist is no more
The lover of children and humanity has kicked the bucket.
The fallen heroine is no where to be found.
The woman I loved and couldn't spend a day without seeing is now finally dead and gone.
I had read in books that when people die, the don't return anymore to this world.
They are physically separated from their relatives and friends.
I spent several days and nights thinking about her.
She was my role model.
I wanted to be a helper and lover of humanity like her.
I hoped to be a philanthropist when I grow up,
But never imagined I could lose her so soon.
What was the cause of her death?
Is that how people die?
I found a response to my first question when I was told that *IYA ALAKARA* was involved in a ghastly motor accident on her way back home from *Aje* the nearby village to supply them with *beans* as usual
This accident claimed
Only her life as she died instantly on the spot.
Her driver and two others of her sales boys who were still breathing were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Although I still feel sad whenever I remember this woman i call my *heroine* and *role model* IYA ALAKARA
Even after becoming a grown up adult married with blissful children, I still feel proud and fulfilled that I was able to accomplish my aims of being a philanthropist.
I have a statue of her image carved in my house compound dedicated to my *idol* IYA ALAKARA.
This reminds me of her every blessed day and I did, do, and will forever pray for her eternal rest.
*ALKAWTHARYBABA*
This courageous woman was the only bean balls seller in my village who had numerous and outstanding customers and who won the hearts of many, especially we the then little children.
Though I don't know her exact name because there was no need for it ,all I was after was to buy the *AKARA* with pap from her every morning just like any other kid of my age before leaving for school.
She had many features that distinguished her from her counterparts.
*IYA ALAKARA* was jovial and nice, very patient unlike other *AKARA* sellers who were very impatient at our stupidities and naughtiness as children. Instead of shouting and yelling at us, she would accommodate and pet us rubbing her sweaty & cold hands on our little heads.
This automatically insinuated that she had a warm heart as the popular adage states that *cold hands mean a warm heart*.
There was no space for her hatred in our little hearts , the sweetest thing was that she did add to our *AKARA* as éni(bonus)😇
She was so generous that she gives out her bean balls freely to orphans and homeless children.
This humanity act made her win the hearts of masses.
*Iya Alakara* was very humble to the extent that most people found it difficult to believe that she has built Two houses of her own and possessed plots of lands.
She had a beautiful sports car with three lorries used for her sales.
The nearby villages depended greatly on her for the supply of beans used in preparing *AKARA*.
One of the saddest moments of my life was that miserable day..that Monday evening I was returning from the school with my classmates...reaching half way to the house, I heard cries and wails...yee!!! Oluwa ooo🙆♂
Ẹ̀ni ire lọ̀ *the good person is gone*
What could have happened?
Although I was still 12, I'd never experienced such in my entire life, cries ,wailings everywhere...Kilodé?
Kilosẹ̀lẹ̀?
What happened?...I asked *Aunty Lara* my elder sister...instead of replying ,She bursted into tears and laid on the floor almost half clad ...I approached my mum to know the tragedy which could have befallen the whole clan.. *Iya Ayinla*...ẹ̀jọ̀wọ̀ ẹ̀sọ̀ fun mi...kilo fa ẹ̀kun ati igbé *please tell me what caused the cries and wails* ...she was also not ready to tell me the reason behind it, all she did was to pretend to be okay and rubbed her palms on my little head ,probably to shut me up for my questioning ..
I felt very sad inside of me and was sure something was wrong.
What could have happened?
Who could have caused this ?
These unanswered questions kept repeating themselves in my head.
Then finally I couldn't hold my long lasting tears and cries when *Iya sade*, the immediate younger sister to *Iya alakara* cried aloud and said:
*Iku loro*(death is poisonous)
*iku nika*(death is wicked)
*Iku gba ẹ̀ni ire mọ̀wa lọ̀wọ̀*(death has snatched a good person from us)
*Ẹ̀gbọ̀n mi rọ̀run *aremabọ̀*(my sister has gone to a journey of no return)
It was now clear and certain to me that *Iya Alakara*
The great philanthropist is no more
The lover of children and humanity has kicked the bucket.
The fallen heroine is no where to be found.
The woman I loved and couldn't spend a day without seeing is now finally dead and gone.
I had read in books that when people die, the don't return anymore to this world.
They are physically separated from their relatives and friends.
I spent several days and nights thinking about her.
She was my role model.
I wanted to be a helper and lover of humanity like her.
I hoped to be a philanthropist when I grow up,
But never imagined I could lose her so soon.
What was the cause of her death?
Is that how people die?
I found a response to my first question when I was told that *IYA ALAKARA* was involved in a ghastly motor accident on her way back home from *Aje* the nearby village to supply them with *beans* as usual
This accident claimed
Only her life as she died instantly on the spot.
Her driver and two others of her sales boys who were still breathing were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Although I still feel sad whenever I remember this woman i call my *heroine* and *role model* IYA ALAKARA
Even after becoming a grown up adult married with blissful children, I still feel proud and fulfilled that I was able to accomplish my aims of being a philanthropist.
I have a statue of her image carved in my house compound dedicated to my *idol* IYA ALAKARA.
This reminds me of her every blessed day and I did, do, and will forever pray for her eternal rest.
*ALKAWTHARYBABA*
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