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Growing up, my family's country home was a place of endless
adventure and joy. Despite its current state of dilapidation and
abandonment, memories of my time spent there remain fresh in my mind.
The house was situated on a spacious compound that featured fruit trees,
tall giant trees, and flowering shrubs and bushes. It was a sprawling palace
that housed my entire family, including my fraternal grandparents, bachelor
uncles, spinster aunties, parents, and six siblings.
The house had a distinct and bustling layout. On one side, there was a
"coffee-shop" set-up where my father and his friends would gather to chat
about business, football, government, and families. The womenfolk, on the
other hand, would be glued to their soap operas in the TV corner, while the
children were usually shooed off to complete their homework.
The dining room was a family affair, with everyone sitting down at the
gigantic round dining table surrounded by high backed chairs and stools.
Beyond the sitting and dining areas were the ten bedrooms of various sizes,
each furnished with antique and modern furniture placed side by side.
The kitchen was my mother's pride and joy, equipped with all the latest
gadgets imaginable. As children, we spent most of our time there, doing our
homework on the large work table, watching our cartoons on Mother's color
TV, and listening to the music and serial stories on the portable radio.
Outside, the house was surrounded by a tributary of the main river, where we
would go fishing and swimming. We were not allowed to run barefoot in the
compound, so there were hundreds of foot attire lined up for our use.
One of my fondest memories was of the attic room, a treasure house of the
old and the new, the valueless and the priceless. It was home to many of our
childhood games, including hide-and-seek among all the chests and boxes.
Now, it houses some of the homing pigeons that have taken up residence.
As I stood in the driveway and looked at the dilapidated ruins of my
childhood home, my mind traveled nostalgically to my years as a toddler and
a teenager. It was a place of endless adventure and joy that will always
hold a special place in my heart.
It was bittersweet to hear that the house had been sold to an entrepreneur
who intended to convert it into an eco-tourism center. While I was glad that
the pristine look of the surroundings would be retained, it was difficult to
let go of the memories that the house held for me and my family.
In conclusion, my childhood home was a place of endless adventure and joy,
and it will always hold a special place in my heart. It was a sprawling
palace that housed my entire family, and each room held unique memories that
will always remain fresh in my mind. While the house may be in ruins now, I
am grateful that its legacy will live on through the eco-tourism center that
it is set to become. |
