The important of food By ugochukwuprosper // 50% payout to campus connect

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At a very young age I learnt that whatever you are passing through, you must ensure you eat food because truly the problems of this world is endless. I loved food alot growing up and my friends and family knows this about me. Going down memory lane I discovered I did alot of things for the sake of food.

Not that I was not properly taken care of by my parents but I discovered I have penchant for anything that is capable of penetrating the throat.

As early as Primary 5 I discovered I knew one or two things about business. Igbo Language and Quantitative reasoning were subjects most pupil had to contend with. I don't take first position in class but igbo language and Quantitative reasoning were my poison. I love them alot.

I helped some of my friends with their assignments on the subjects under reference, with the agreement to share their food with me.
At our level, Igbo subject was not that complex for me. The major thing that was required was to open the "Mbido Igbo" text and familiarize myself with "A, B, Ch, D...", "akara Udaelu, Udaala and the rest.

We had a feeding pattern especially for food we take to school for lunch. Usually we have rice on Mondays and that was because the preceding day is Sunday and there must be some that will be reserved for us, then Tuesdays to Thursdays, mum will close eye and run us yam, yam and yam with her full chest to the extent that i had to ask my dad one time if he was a farmer.

Coincidentally our igbo and Quantitative assignments usually comes from Tuesdays to Thurdays hence giving me the opportunity of helping those their mums gives food like rice, Plantain, egg, spaghetti, indomie etc on those days. Most of us know our food timetable so I don't waste my time doing assignment for someone coming to school with yam or beans. I didn't realize how discriminatory I was until I started reading physiotherapy.

There was a fellow I targeted his food for a long time without success. Chinedu was a known bully in our class then and we all use to give him space. He was too loud and cared less about his grades. His mum had a restaurant then and his lunch will usually comes in the afternoon when our teacher must have foisted compulsory siesta on us. Imagine when you are forced to close your eyes and someone somewhere opens a food flask of hot banga stew.

He was indeed someone I would love to have as a "client" but I didn't know how to pouch him.
Indeed our people were right when they used the proverb "Ukwa ruo oge ya, odaa"(Breadfruit falls when its ripe). Chinedu's dad came to the class one time very furious. He embarrassed his son infront of everyone. His notoriety was visibly affecting his academics. His dad gave our teacher his power of attorney to deal with his son the way she sees fit to make Chinedu a better person.

Shortly after that incident Chinedu started becoming friendly with me. It was everything I had wanted. The day Chinedu asked for my help with igbo assignment I told him what it will cause him and he agreed.

One Tuesday after school, I had to stay back to do my Igbo assignment. I didn't help any of my classmates that day except Chinedu. I allowed him to copy my own assignment word to word. I did that bearing in mind "Na Echi ga aka mma"(Tomorrow will be better). That night I dreamt were both of us were eating rice and banga stew with our lips full of oil and caprison by the side.

On Wednesday morning I intentionally left my lunch box at home with the hope that my dream will come through that day. I came to school before Chinedu that morning. Infact I saw his dad again practically dragging him by the ear inside our class. I cared less about his family problems but focused more on why he came with a lunch box that morning when his food usually comes in the afternoon. My mind told me something was wrong but I couldn't say what. I took note of his flask with the intention of asking him what he came with later in the day.

At the assembly ground I shamelessly went to ask him about the content of his food flask but he avoided me. I met him again during physical exercise(PE) while everyone was chanting " Onye enena anya na azu" , "Onye na ako ede" and co and he avoided me again. I was young then but I felt like my blood pressure rose. Is it that he wants to eat his food only him or what I asked myself.

To make matters worst I already left my porridge yam at home. I made up my mind to hijack his flask during break to see for myself and if possible take my portion before it's too late.

As it is usual with pupils, some of us usually play inside the classroom instead of going outside during break period. I decided to meet Chinedu for the last time before going to his flask I had mounted surveillance on. He didn't take me serious, in fact he laughed at me when I approached him. With anger I told him that I am going over to carry his food and made my way to our food stand. Chinedu pursued me as I lifted his food flask.

While we were doing our low budget temple run, I collided with Nnenna who was running like keke without brake. That was how the food flask left my hand, fell on the ground and poured. I didn't even look down, I just held Nnenna by the collar of her gown. Upon perceiving the food, I looked down and behold it was "Ede"(Cocoa yam). For Christ's sake, who comes to school with cocoa yam I cried within me.

With my eyes full of tears, I released my grip on Nnenna and held Chinedu by his neck and we engaged in a fight I knew I was going to loose. Wicked Chinedu beat me up and threw me on top of his cocoa yam that poured on the floor.

While on the ground, I was reminiscing on the song we sang during Physical Exercise hours ago titled "Onye na ako ede, ede mara mma okuko".