“My parents also surprised me,” Dara continued. ” I didn’t know that they organized a birthday party for me. My dad sent his driver to pick me  in the afternoon.  The driver took me straight to the event center. The hall was filled to the brim with friends and well- wishers. In fact I had fun!”

Everyone started clapping while some were booing her.

 Gina did not really understand if they were mocking Dara or celebrating her.

The microphone was handed over to the second person to talk.

” Hello guys, I don’t really have much to say because you guys witnessed it.”

Her friends started clapping and hailing her.

“My name is Chika, but my friends call me chiks the  babe. I get swag no be small. ” Her friends started clapping again and Rose begged them to stop.

“On my birthday celebration, all the ‘who is who’ in this city were there. My event hall was one of the costliest in this environment. I’m I telling lies?” She asked.

“Not at all. Please give us a gist,” one of her friends shouted.

” Before that day, I told myself that I wanted an upgraded birthday party because I was clocking 20. Omo,  20 years is not  2 years”

“At all,” they shouted.

” I told myself that everything I was going to wear must come from abroad. All thanks to my fiance who is based in United Kingdom. He made my wish to come through.  In Fact, my birthday celebration was the talk of the town. It was a meeting point for big boys and girls.”

Shouts from the people couldn’t allow her to continue, so Rose gave the microphone to the third person.

“Hello friends, I remain the one and only Ij baby. Check me out. You can see that I am hot.”

Her friends started hailing her.

“Last week Saturday was the day and it happened here too.  You know that we danced, we ate and also chilled with the big boys” Her friends ran out and lifted her up, while celebrating her.  Rose called them to order and handed the microphone to Rubby.

“Hello everyone, my name is Rubby. I want to thank God for my last birthday.  Around 12am I  started by thanking God for the privilege of seeing a new year. Later, I made a post concerning my birthday on Facebook. Few friends and family members called on the phone to celebrate with me. In the evening, our fellowship leader announced my birthday in the fellowship. They sang and prayed for me.”

“What kind of cake? Was there no cutting of cake?” Rose asked.

“I didn’t have money to buy a cake?” Rubby answered.

Everyone started laughing at her.

“Who brought this bush girl to this  occasion?” Somebody asked and they started laughing and mocking her again.

As all that was going on, Gina was planning on what to do “No, I will not allow them to laugh at me. I have to redeem my image so that they will believe that I belong too. I have to fake it till it becomes a reality” Gina thought to herself.

It was Gina’s turn to talk and they handed the microphone to her.

“Hello! My name is Gina but my friends call me  Gina  the happening babe.” 

Rubby quickly tapped her but she ignored her. Even Iyabo  the celebrant was surprised at what she heard. Gina was a church girl so she wondered when she started answering Gina the happening babe.

“I don’t want to talk about my last birthday because that one has gone. But I have plans  for my next birthday which will be coming up by next month.  First, trumpeters 

must  wake me up from sleep with birthday songs. Then, a well organized birthday party will follow.” Gina concluded and handed over the microphone to Rose.

“Gina we heard what you said concerning your next birthday. We are watching and waiting. I hope this is not mere boasting. Of course children of God don’t tell lies. You once told me that telling lies is sin so I am watching. If any of the things you said here did not happen on your next birthday,  you know what it means. But then, what you did was not what I asked you to do. I expected you to talk about your last birthday, not the next one. Therefore, you are paying a fine of 10,000 naira. Please give it to us quickly or else, we will collect your shoe”

“I don’t understand. What has my shoe got to do with it?”

” It’s okay, let me have your purse.”

Gina surrendered her purse.  When Rose opened it, she discovered that what was inside the purse was a hundred naira.

She lifted the hundred naira and the empty purse. All the people inside the hall were falling on themselves in laughter.

“Where is the money you planned to spray on the celebrant? So you just left your house and came to eat?”

Gina could not talk but tears filled her eyes.

“You will continue standing there till you bail yourself. That is our rule.” Rose said firmly.

Iyabo had to quickly give someone the money to go and bail  Gina.

She and Ruby  left the event center immediately.

****************

Watch out for episode 4