Discover a heartfelt story of love and dreams under the Baobab tree, where destiny and tradition intertwine beautifully.
For the small village of Iduko, life dey simple. Morning dey come with cock crow, and evening dey end with moonlight stories under the baobab tree. Na for this same tree Nkechi and Ade first meet. Nkechi na the belle of the village, her laughter dey like sweet music for market square, and Ade, the quiet dreamer, just dey look am from afar.
"Good morning, Nkechi," Ade greet one fateful day as she dey arrange her mama's vegetable for the market.
Nkechi look up. "Ah, Ade! You dey talk today? Na miracle be this!" she laugh, her teeth shining bright like new yam.
Ade scratch head. "I dey talk, but na you I wan talk to today."
"Me? Wetin I do?" Nkechi ask, her brows lifting.
"Nothing o," Ade reply. "I just dey think say maybe one day we fit talk for under the baobab tree. Na there people dey settle matter well well."
Nkechi laugh again. "Baobab tree matter no be small tin, o! But I go think about am."
For that moment, something spark between dem two, something wey neither of them fit deny.
As days turn into weeks, Nkechi and Ade begin to meet under the baobab tree. For daylight, dem go gist about everything — how Nkechi wan open her own shop for the big town and how Ade dream to become a writer wey go make the world read about Iduko.
"But Ade, how you wan take make people wey dey America sabi wetin dey happen for here?" Nkechi ask one evening as the sun dey set.
"Story na universal language," Ade talk, his eyes bright. "No matter where person dey, dem go feel am if you talk am well."
But village life no dey ever straightforward. One day, Nkechi papa come meet Ade for the tree.
"You dey play with fire, young man," he warn. "Nkechi no be your mate. She go marry Chief Ogbonna, the richest man for this village."
Ade heart sink. Chief Ogbonna wey him dey talk about na old man wey no sabi anything about love. But for Iduko, tradition dey rule, and love no dey always win.
The next day, Nkechi no show for the tree. Ade wait tire, but she no come. E pain am well well. He begin write letters to her, pouring his heart into every word, hoping say one day she go see dem.
One night, Nkechi finally show.
"Ade, my papa say I no fit see you again," she whisper. Tears dey her eyes.
"But Nkechi, we fit run," Ade suggest, desperation for his voice.
"Run go where?" Nkechi shake her head. "Life no be film."
As dem dey talk, thunder clap for sky, and rain begin fall. Nkechi hold Ade hand tight.
"I no sabi wetin tomorrow go bring," Nkechi say. "But I no fit deny say I love you."
Ade heart swell. "Nkechi, even if na only this moment wey we get, e go do me."
Under the rain, dem hug like say the world no matter again.
But the village talk no go keep quiet. People begin gossip about Nkechi and Ade, and Chief Ogbonna no dey happy. He send message go Nkechi papa say if she no stop to see Ade, him go cancel the wedding — and the dowry.
Nkechi papa, vex, confront her. "You wan shame me for this village? Wetin Ade fit give you wey pass Chief Ogbonna wealth?"
"Love, papa," Nkechi answer.
One fateful evening, Nkechi and Ade decide to run. With small bag and plenty courage, dem head to the big town. But as dem dey waka, Nkechi turn to Ade.
"Ade, this one wey we dey do, you sure?" she ask.
"I sure pass sure," Ade reply. "We go find our way."
For the first time, Nkechi smile.
Life for the big town no easy. Ade begin write stories for small small newspapers, while Nkechi start to sell akara for roadside. But their love no shake. Every night, dem go sit under the moonlight and dream about a better tomorrow.
"You go see," Ade tell her one day. "Dem go read my story for America, and dem go know say love dey exist for small villages like Iduko."
Years pass, and Ade story finally blow. His first book, Under the Baobab Tree, become bestseller for everywhere. Nkechi, now the proud owner of her dream shop, dey always support him.
For one interview, dem ask Ade, "What inspires your stories?"
He smile. "Love and one girl wey believe in me when nobody else did."
As the world dey read Ade stories, him and Nkechi continue to write their own, one day at a time.
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