CONFIRM

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, afa mụ bụ Clinton, abụ m cousin Chika, the fellow that was telling you about the 90s.

Well I didn't grow up where he grew up but most of the 90s bụ almost the same. The memory dị polaroid in whatever part of Enugu it is - whether it is in the slums of abakpa ebe my cousins ha bi back in the day, or in the quiet of the suburbs of Trans-Ekulu ebe mụwa toro.

Well, eme some people confirm taa. Ekwesivuru ime ha the confirm na Easter mana COVID ekwerọ. It really reminded me of my elder brother's confirm na the Easter of 98. I hated that day. Of course I loved the blomblom that had become a symbol of celebration na St Mary's. It was an enormous building, St Mary's, with walls nọ na-atry to meet God halfway in an embrace. The fans dropped from poles that dangled when they spun and the fluorescent tubes dịcha attached to chains that, like the poles descended to the people from the ceiling that seemed so far na ị ga eche na ọdi n'enu igwe. The church dị unpainted and had for a little colour in occasions like this, the altar clothes ndị sisters tinye, the stained glasses and the special appearance - blomblom. 

I also liked the days that led up to that Easter. There was all the fuss of ịkwado for Easter n'ụnọ. Nneoma stock up food ingredients, chief egote ewu kpọọ ndị Hausa n'eme suya. Mana ihe nine change na mbosi Easter. First bụ na that was the day akara Mass for close to four hours! Akakata Mass agụ jide mmadụ ekwe ya kobo kobo afụ afụ. But obeghọ there. Ịma na after that lengthy Mass, ndị a nwe guts gwunye n'ụnọụka na ha na-ese photo, ekene ndị mmadụ. Ihe anwụ na agụ mere mmadụ that day. 

Since that day I have associated the name Ignatius with unending train of greeters, fierce sunshine and the unkind heat of church clothes.