Dear readers, to those of you already familiar with an area in Ojuelegba known as Ayilara, you would know it is such a fun spot for night crawlers. Ayilara is a place where a lot of popular people grew up, and is a town that rarely goes to sleep. As controversial and tough as this area is in the eyes of many Lagosians; it was the place where I found the most precious person that is in my life today.
I was a chronic night crawler who developed the habit while I was studying in the United Kingdom years ago. I was a regular in most night clubs in London, and a couple of others in the city of Manchester. I never went out in those days except if it’s a bit late in the night; and the same thing goes for most of my friends. Nightlife in the UK was a lot of fun for students because it was all about studying and other academic activities in the morning. It was an opportunity to get some pressure off your neck; and the truth of the matter is that it really worked for most of us.
It did become a bad habit that I also took back with me to Nigeria. I got seen around major nightclubs in Victoria Island, Ikeja, and Ojuelegba. However, Ayilara was one area I loved so much because of the way things were done. Girls in Ayilara were quite open and rarely pretend or act as if they came from some rich families. I also loved the way most of them speak pigeon English; the Wari type if you know what I mean. Now don’t get me wrong, there were some girls I met in Ayilara who spoke like children of the rich; but the truth of the matter is, they never thrilled me as much as the other girls.
One of the things that made me enjoy bachelorhood is the liberty it gives me. I love my freedom, and you need that if you a chronic night clubber like me. However, nightclubbing also became an addiction, and this made it difficult to find or be with responsible ladies who would love to settle down. Much more worse was the fact that I wasn’t thinking of getting married because it could mean leaving behind my favourite hobby. My parents could only hope and pray that I got ‘delivered’ one day since they were already getting tired of the way I was handling my life.
Then one night, I met this girl I was seeing only for the second time since I have been visiting Ayilara area of Ojuelegba. The thing is she was looking so attractive that night that I couldn’t resist her. I walked up to her, and after a couple of minutes of negotiating, we went to my house.
We had a couple of nice times before dawn, and I got so fascinated with the way she related with me that I gave her my number and also collected hers. We became friends, arranged for a couple of more meetings after that night. Before I could say Jack, we stopped meeting at the club, and started meeting at home. All I needed to do was to give her a call, and she would come and spend the entire night with me. Gradually, I forgot about going to the club to pick up other ladies. I just couldn’t explain how this happened, but she now cooks for me, and spends weekends in my house.
The problem is that my girlfriend has threatened to call it quit if she keeps seeing me around Lara. I was not actually interested in dating Lara until my girlfriend started nagging me; but that seems to have opened my eyes to other things. Lara gives me this inner satisfaction that my girlfriend doesn’t give me. I have been able to put a stop to those terrible habits of mine because she unbelievably asked me to stop.
Lara now works in a salon, and had since stopped going to the club. I also don’t go to the club any more, and we are now very great friends. I am not saying I want to settle down with Lara, but the problem is that my colleagues, friends, and my girlfriend don’t even want to see her around me. Everyone seems to be judging her, and calling her a prostitute.
She changed my life, and I also influenced her life positively; but the society around me seems not to be interested in that. My girlfriend and my mum even went as far as threatening Lara in her place of work. They call her all kinds of names, and this saddens me a lot because they have no right to judge her.
Dear readers please advice me; should I drive her away or stand up to my family members? Lara and I now attend the same church, and she is even going through the believers’ class. I have no intention of marrying her; but I simply cannot do without her friendship. Please advice me.
