5) ARTS AND CRAFT

On Friday after school, Lum and Neba gave Uncle Ndifor no peace until he got into the bush and fetched them palm fronds and bamboos for their arts and craft project. Atekwana and Anjikwa had come down to carry out their project alongside their friends. Daddy was out at club 38 drinking with his friends. Mama was at the neighbors. Before leaving, Mama had warned them not to scatter leaves and bamboos in the yard.

Uncle Ndifor taught Lum and Anjikwa how to get the leaves off the fronds. The girls had decided to make brooms and the boys were making bamboo stools. As the girls made their brooms, Uncle Ndifor took out the back from the bamboo. Uncle Ndifor sharpened the bamboo back into nails. He then cut the bamboo and taught the boys how to arrange the bamboo before introducing the nail. The boys were so excited about their work. They could imagine proudly presenting it to their teacher. Usually the crafts presented by the pupils were sold by the teachers and money put into the school's coffers.By evening, the kids had come out with two good bamboo stools and two large bundles of brooms.

After cleaning the yard, the kids were all exhausted but stared at their work with pride. They slept like logs that night dreaming of the grand remarks and scores they will get for their arts and craft work.  
 Saturday was more exciting because Tabi and Mbah came to play with their friends. They had brought their bicycles along. Atekwana and Neba stared enviously at their comrades’ bikes.

“Wow look at your bicycles. I will ask my father to get one like that,” Atekwana said.

“My dad said if I pass well in my exams, he will get me a bicycle,” Neba lied.

“Chai! It’s a lie.” Lum said clapping her hand in her brother’s face.

“You were not there when he said it.” Neba said angrily.

Lum and Neba argued for a while till they decided to go play with their friends. After bike riding, playing hide and seek and running about, they decided to go harvest some guavas. There was a large guava tree behind house. They each climbed the tree like little monkeys. They harvested as much guavas as they could. When they were done, they decided to climb done and eat the guavas on the lawn. Anjikwa was down first. As she saw the others get down, she mistakenly saw what looked like a snake and screamed, “Snake.” Everyone except Lum was now down.

Lum was still at the top and got terrified. Horrified, Lum unconsciously let go of the branch she was holding and fell. She gave a very loud scream as she fell.

Mama who was talking with her next door neighbor heard and immediately recognized her daughter’s scream. She immediately jumped up and ran, crying, “Oh My! What am I going to do with this child?”

 Do you love writing beautiful African stories, articles or poems, you can submit them to be published on our blog...We welcome inspiration from Africa...