'To see a man I met online and have never met in real life? A man we both know nothing about?' I scoffed and imagined my Mum's face.
She would probably have slapped my colleague for daring to suggest that.
'My dear forget age o I cannot, I won't even dare - I had to stress D.A.R.E - tell my Mum I am travelling to see a man I met online'. I added.
This conversation started after he told me of plans he had to feature me in a short film he was working on adding that he would be shooting his first the next day but would need me on the next one.
I responded that I'd be delighted but would need to know the storyline and the role I'd be playing.
He said plans were underway and proceeded to tell me about the one he would shoot first.
It is about a young girl who goes to visit a guy she met online. She goes without telling her family and friends, while she is there she has an Asthma attack but because the guy isn't aware that she is asthmatic, he doesn't know what to do and she dies.
'Ha! Sounds nice, so is it a story to educate people about Asthma?' I asked.
He responded that the aim was to let people know the importance of informing family and friends about their movement. "If the girl had told her family they would have known where she was." He said.
"But even if they knew, how would they have helped with the attack seeing as she was alone with the guy?' I responded.
'Maybe if they had talked about health challenges the guy would have known but saying she should have told her family that she was going to see a man she met online? Ha, that won't work o. At least I know I can't tell my Mother that. If it is someone I know fine' I added.
I suggested that a story to educate people about Asthma and stigmatization would be better and Ijeoma said she thought so too.
That was how the argument started.
Most thought that at 25 people should be free to go where they please so long as family is informed.
"So what if you have to travel for work?" Another asked.
'That's different.' I responded. 'I am not living with my parents now am I? They are in another state but I'm here for work. I just can't tell them I'm travelling to see a man I have never met.' I said again.
Parents ought to be liberal they said and I thought isn't that like a license to go wherever and have sex with whomever so long as they are in the know?
At this point I imagined me telling my Mum of plans to go see a man I met online.
Ha! My Mum that defied security and jumped a school fence to pick my brother and I when she was not allowed in?
It was during the tribal war in Warri and she had explained to the security officers that there would be a curfew from 10am as announced on radio, they refused saying we were safe. She jumped the fence and ran straight to our classroom screaming our names as she ran. By the time she got us to the gate, there were cars all over as other parents had come to pick up their children.
My mum that called my siblings for a meeting to beg me to leave my Church because they close midweek service late?
A woman who packed her bags ready to go to Sokoto because she couldn't reach my elder sister who was serving as a Corps member at the time on the phone? I had to plead with her and thankfully we were able to reach my Sister that morning.
When I go out for late events she would call till I am home even if it's at midnight.
So imagine me telling her that I would be travelling to see a man I met online, she would probably react like I had written a suicide note - no jokes.
I recall when I had to travel to Akwa Ibom for work in April. She called to pray for me 3 times before we embarked on the trip. She called while I was on the way, when I arrived, before I slept and before I set out the next day.
While I was out we spoke and I assured her that I would let her know when I was done as I would be busy - I was the video director for the event.
My phone battery was drained before I got home and because I was tired, I connected the phone to charge and slept off. Mummy tried to call but my phone was switched off.
The next day as I turned my phone on, I saw messages from my siblings and before I could read them my younger sister's call came in - "please call Mummy now Okiemute, what happened?"
Apparently because she wasn't home having gone for her final clearance at school, my Mum had called her at 2am to say she couldn't reach me. She also called my elder sister who lives in another town and even got angry when my Sister reminded her that I am no longer a child.
My brother who was on call at the hospital wasn't spared, he had to deal with his patients and my Mum throughout the night.
In summary, no member of my family slept that night.
My Mum had packed her bags ready to come look for me in Akwa Ibom even though she didn't know where I was staying.
When I called her she was panting, said "Oh my God" like 7 times and proceeded to sing praises to God for saving me.
Saving me from what? A drained battery?
I promised there and then to borrow any phone available to reach out if same happened in future.
So imagine me telling her that I am travelling to see a man I met online. She would freak out and if I insist she would probably ask for his number, his family's history, address and would be at my destination before me.
Liberal Mums?
They may exist but not in my mother's dictionary.
As my colleagues continued the conversation, I got up and walked out.
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