This is a very informal letter to a dear friend.
I am going to do a better tribute to you when I can get my hands on more pictures but for now, this will do.
I used to hate how close you and Toyosi were, I was always a jealous person. I never wanted you guys to be as close as each of you were to me. I can't explain why, but at 7/8 it made all the sense in the world. We always ended up fighting everytime we went over to her house. I think we were a bit too similar, especially back then. Stubborn cockroaches.
I'm sorry I missed this... It would have been a great photo of us 3.
As my neighbour, we spent so much time together. I was quite literally always at your house after school. When you went off to Grange I remember how badly I wanted to follow you there. All your friends seemed so cool and all the drama seemed like so much fun to watch first-hand (drama that you were somehow never a part of!) I met so many lovely people thanks to you.
At my 18th! You never missed a birthday. I'm gutted we don't have any recent pictures of us on Facebook.
I will never forget all our adventures on our bikes, around Dolphin. Especially our mission to find my stolen bicycle that Saturday afternoon. We cycled tirelessly around, you didn't want to give up, even when I did. That was you, tenacious. I used to hassle you to change your MSN name from 'Mrs President' but you never did. You believed that you were going to be the first female president of Nigeria, I started to believe it too. Haha.
Toyosi reminded me of the slumber party she had for her 13th birthday. You came over straight from school. uniform and all and Sayo in tow and you just casually said, "yea we're going to stay over." Haha Toyosi hadn't even met Sayo before. But we all had such a good time that night didn't we? I had my makeover (whcih now that i think about it was you all's way of telling me that I looked awful and needed help... Thanks guys).
We went on to England and kind of lost touch, but somehow I ended up back in your living room in Abacha Estate anytime we were both home and we picked up from where we left off. It got a bit more difficult to do as we got older but I promise I never thought of you as less of a dear friend. I loved you too much. I was always under the impression that we would come back to each other- that we didn't need to speak everyday because when we finally got round to it, it would be like there was no gap in communication. I'm sorry I didn't make it to your 21st, I'm sorry I didn't take you out to dinner to make it up like i promised. I'm sorry that the last time I saw you, it started off a bit awkward... I didn't mean for it to, but when I am caught off guard I turn into a socially inept mutant. But it got better and we had a lovely chat about our plans for the future.
I am sorting through my memory cards trying to find recent photos of us. It hurts my heart that we didn't take many even though we saw each other a lot of the time.
You were such a character. You really made an impression on people and made a positive impact on a lot of lives. I love how close you were to God. It is a relationship I hope to emulate. And I love how you always wrote his name in caps and you used to end messages with phrases like; "remain raptureable." I always used to say to myself; "I hope so o!"
I am so happy that I have amazing memories of you and of us. I am so blessed to have had you in my life. I am so proud of the woman you became, so God fearing, so smart and always so determined.
Thank you for the memories KIA. You will always be in my heart. Rest in perfect peace, beautiful.
Love, Sonia
