"Okiemute do you agree?"
"Agree with what?" I asked.
With what Kachi is saying.
"Do you think it's a Woman's duty to cook or not?" Oh! In my head I thought "another man and woman argument?"
I knew they were discussing or rather arguing but I wasn't listening. So when Alesha asked I wanted to tell her I had an interview in a few hours and a report to finish before I set out for the interview. And then a movie premiere that I can only attend if I'm able to finish the interview in time so the last thing on my mind is who should cook.
In fact if I were married, my husband would probably have asked me not to bother with cooking today. With all I had to do? His wife cannot come and die because of food o.
"So what do you think?" I looked at them, as they watched me waiting for my response. 3 of my Senior colleagues all married and probably in their 50s, 3 other males and 3 females.
"I think a woman should cook and a man should support where necessary. If they are too busy and can afford it, they can get a Chef."
"Okiemute has started again, which one is Chef again?" Another colleague retorted.
"If they have to fight about who cooks, they should get a Chef na."
Kachi was having none if all I was saying. "Never!" she said, we have to share everything equally.
Kachi calm down I said, "You are sounding like it's a war."
"Yes o, it is a war. Women have suffered too much. In fact I shouldn't have been born in this Nigeria."
"Haba! This one pass me o" I thought as I went back to working on my report, let me run for cover in this war.
"So you think women abroad do not cook in their homes?" A colleague asked Kachi.
The argument continued. Some warned her not to marry an Igbo man with her ideology as she would receive backhand slap.
"But she is Igbo na." I said but in head I thought bare Igbo men violent?"
"Don't mind them." she responded.
Then our Boss walked in. "What's the argument about? Why the noise?"
Apparently the voices had transcended our floor to hers.
When she was told she gave her opinion which is
1. We should raise boys who do not see women as good only for sex and the kitchen like most of our fathers did. Boys should cook too - Let me state here that my Dad cooked when I was younger, ehen.
2. Kachi shouldn't go telling guys that 'this is war o, we must share every chore equally" relationship is not war.
3. Every couple should decide how their home will be run.
4. It is easy to remember our rights until we meet the one we love.
"Kachi it's your kind that will wash beans and make Moi Moi after work just to please a man. Not because you are stupid but because you love him" She said and we all laughed.
I am an advocate of number 3 and I also nodded at number 4. Love changes everything but it is still respects the other.
The argument proceeded to Football and because I have 0.00000001% knowledge of Football, I can't tell you how that panned out. I remember though that she said Liverpool would beat some club maybe Arsenal or Chelsea or Manchester United or Manchester City - I can't recall but I know Liverpool was mentioned.
As I continued with my Report, I thought of Liverpool's slogan 'You will never walk alone' and I smiled and nodded because against all odds, this is what marriage should be about.
In marriage, you should never walk alone.
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