Babe! I thought you had class. Why would you want to marry that guy? A non-entity like him? How would he feed you? Ok, let’s not talk about feeding now, let’s focus on him. Have you taken a close look at his head? Very shapeless something. Omo! You just want to fall my hands. I tire for this friendship sef.”

She lamented. “But I love him! Sam is just everything I want in a guy and more. I am not even seeing the bîig head. What I am seeing is a complete man.

A man who would love and cherish me. A man who would be faithful and honest to me. I am not really asking for too much.” Benita explained.

Her friend couldn’t stand it. She kept pressuring her:

“Benny, have you thought about your future children? What if they end up resembling their dad, will you be proud of them? Come on gurl! Think about this!

After all the sophisticated life you lived, you want to end up with a guy who earns just 500k a month. This is not the Benny I know! What really happened to you?”

After what seemed like a 30 minutes analysis of the reasons why she should never marry Sam, she accepted. She saw reasons with her girlfriend.

Although she loved him, and she knows he loved her too, she was scàred of what people would say. She doesn’t want her friends to look at her like someone who made a bàd decision.

So, she called Sam and told him she wasn’t interested anymore. Sam was shócked to the marrows. She was the only lady he truly loved and cherished, and he was willing to go all the way for her.

“Babe what happened? Why are you saying no to me all of a sudden? Did I do anything wrong? Please, I am sorry babe, don’t do this to me.” He pleaded with her.

But she wouldn’t listen. Her mind was already made up, and her girlfriend was beside her, mounting all the pressures while she made the calls.

Sam tried all he could, to win her back, or at least know his offence, but she wasn’t saying anything. She stopped picking his calls, blócked him on all her Social Media handles.

Deep down, she knew she loved Sam, but she didn’t want her friends to see her as cheap mèat.

“Now! You are behaving like the real babe I know. I am proud of you gurl. Don’t worry, you will find your match. That Sam is not meant for your class at all.” Her friend hyped.

Days went into weeks, and weeks into months, and life went on.

And then, a beautiful Sunday morning, just a few minutes after she came back from church, her friend called that she was coming over to see her.

“I’ve got great news for you Benny. I can’t wait to share this with you.” Her friend said over the phone.

And then, she anticipated, because all she desired was to see her friend happy.

“Benny, guess what? I will be getting married by next month to my heartthrob. Here is our invitation card.” Her friend announced as she handed the IV to her.

“Wow! This is beautiful. Awwwwwn! I am so happy for you dear friend. Who is the lucky guy?” She asked as she scanned through the invitation card.

And then, she saw the name, ‘Samuel James’. No! It can’t be the same Samuel James she knows. It’s not possible. So, she asked,

“Babe, what a coincidence! This is not the Samuel James I know, right? This is not the Sam you asked me to brèak up with because he doesn’t belong to our class, right?”

He is not the same Sam you said would be a big shàme to get married to. No! I know there’s a mix up somewhere. The same village? The same town? Talk to me, Babe… He is not the one right?” She was fîdgeting.

“I’m sorry Babe. He is the one oooo. You rèjected him, and I quickly rushed and grabbed him. Who misses a great guy like that?” Her friend expressed.

“A great guy? But you were the one that discouraged me. You were the one that told me to ènd our relationship. How come he is now a great guy? Hei! You are very wîcked” She was already in tèars.

“Abeg, abeg, don’t even make me feel like a bàd person. Ooooh, I told you to break up and you did?

Ok, go and put your head inside the fîre! Like you are still a kid? If I was able to convince you to leave a good man, just because you are scàred of what people would say, then, you don’t deserve the good man at all.

Infact, let me come and be going. I have a lot of things I need to put in place before our wedding. I wanted you to be my Chief Bridesmaid, but with this your reaction, I don’t trust you to do the job well.

Let me kukuma go and look for a better option. I know you will be there. In your next life, you won’t forget…

Marriage is not about what people will think, it’s about you, your joy, your convictions and your resolutions. Thank you for giving up on a good man.” Her friend said as she zoomed off.

She stood there, gazing blankly, like a lóst soul. She remembered, all the beautiful memories she had with Sam. She knew that of a truth, she just lóst a goldmine.

And then, she wèpt. Indeed, life happened to her.

The fèar of what people will say has done more hàrm than good to relationships, marriages and life in general. Don’t fall a vîctim.