My brother, Olileanya, was born on an evening in January 1984 at Holy Mary’s Maternity in Mother’s hometown, Osumenyi. It was a Sunday afternoon, we had just finished eating rice and chicken, and Father was arguing about the new head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, when Mother went into labour.

She had screamed and whined painfully, reciting the decades as Father shoved her into the back seat of the Volvo. I did not see them again until that evening when Father came home.

“Adaku, your mother is fine” He said, “She has just delivered a bouncing baby boy, you now have a brother”

My Mother came home the next day, a Monday, and I had not gone to school. She came home in the bird-patterned wrapper and she was clutching my baby brother in her arms.

“Some things will have to change,” Father said. Mother had to quit her…