July July

Dear July,

If you were a person, I might find myself looking over my shoulder when I am with you. You were the very month in which the first shots of the Biafran war were fired, and I, an overstayer in Igirigi Ututu's womb, finally made it into the war-ravaged Biafra on the 12th day of you.

July, what a strange one you are! Can you even imagine how my mother felt holding a day-old me in a country at war?

It was also in you, July - on your 11th and 16th days some 9 and 4 years (not 94) before that my brothers Chike and Chidi were born respectively. I fell in love with you, July, even though Chidi went away, it was October that took him, not you. I loved you, July until you allowed my beloved sister, Ngozi - The Wind herself, to blow by on your 19th day in 2008.

See what I mean? What a weird month you are. Last weekend Chike and I celebrated our birthdays, today Chidi would have been celebrating his, and then in three days time, I would be asking Pastor Yemisi to pray for Ngozi.

Oh July July, redeem yourself. You and God must find a way to make you a happy month for me again - do something new and marvelous in my life this month.

Nnorom