6 good days spent with my siblings, uncles and nieces in my own hometown, exciting moments!

It was on Sunday, 29th December 2024 that I travelled to my own hometown after 2 good years. The excitement filled the air when I saw pictures of my siblings on my niece's WhatsApp status. I had planned to travel and I fixed a date which was supposed be on 28th but a fitness event kept me behind. I was glad that the Sunday came for me to travel and it was a successful journey.

On transit

I planned to leave my current city of residence as early as possible, precisely by 5.30 am to enable me get to the village early enough and still attend our Christian meeting which is usually by 10 am. My husband dropped me at the bus terminal by 6.30am because we left house by 6.02 am. We branched at a filling station where he fueled the vehicle. I boarded Umuahia bus at N6500 (13 steem at current price). There was much delays as a result of loads. People from different parts of the city as well as from Cameron who travelled through sea to my city of residence came back with lots of loads and the billing and loading took much of our time that we left the terminal by 7.30 am.

The pictures above are the ones I took while on transit. We finally made it to Umuahia which is the capital city of Abia State and my route to my hometown. I boarded another vehicle for N3000 (6 steem) there that took me to my hometown, Ndi Ebe Abam in Arochukwu LGA in Abia State and I finally got there by 10.30 am and took the picture below quickly

	my selfie on arrival
The harvested rice that is being sun-dried

Immediately, I changed to my meeting clothe and rushed to our village kingdom hall for spiritual instructions. Iet them at the final stage of the meeting but about 30 minutes before dismissal. I was able to make comments on my native language because it is an Igbo speaking congregation. I was so excited to have joined that meeting and not missing out entirely because that is the only meeting in that village.

After dismissal, I exchanged pleasantries with my Christian brothers and sisters there and took pictures with some of them including @madilyn02

	with my sister-in-law 's mother
With my nieces
	with one of the elders there and a sister

I quickly went to visit my step families in my father's compound to console my step family who just buried my step mother. I wasn't able to attend due to our convention. They were all happy to see me and wondered when I returned from the city. They told me how fresh I am and how good looking I am too. They asked after my kids and husband. It was a happy reunion.

On my way home, I also visited my close uncle who just returned from the city of Lagos with the family. That was were I was served with a delicious 😋 rice and salad

	the rice and salad, the first food that I ate in my hometown

After spending a little time there due to the fact that my siblings hadn't returned from their church service, I went home though I was intercepted by another nephew who took me to show me there newly built house just in the street across the road of this my uncle. It is a magnificent building. I was so excited to visit. I saw all of the kids there by the wives of my nephews.

I did spend much time there and left for my own house. Iet everyone. Excitement filled the air as we hugged and hugged each other. It was a wonderful moment for me and everyone. I saw my immediate elder sister and our last son who is the one before my immediate elder sister. Others didn't come back but my nieces and nephews everywhere including my uncle.

Another food was served. I couldn't reject it. This is village and this is how food will continue to be served especially when you visit any of your relative's house.

	rice and stew

As soon as we were done eating, visiting started. I went out with my sister and her children. We went to the village square and on our way, we got a lot of intersections of those we know who also wanted us to visit their homes but we turned down some of the offers. After visiting some, it was late already we went back home to shower and eat again.

That night, others came back from the city and the house was filled up. We were so happy.

My fitness routine continued

By 6 am, I dressed for workout and my nieces along with my sister joined me. My brother and nephew could have joined me but they weren't with Snickers or any fitness attire. Even my sister had to borrow my brother's canvas and other items to join me. They all wanted this workout after seeing my determination and excitement, including my looks which is evidence of the effect of the fitness.

My uncle in whose house I ate the first meal told me that he will join me. We had to start the workout in his house because he has enough space in his compound. He came down and joined us

	that's my uncle close to me

After that, we went to the field and still had some programs before visiting the village toilet which was a project that my brother, who is the current President General of my village executed. 2 years ago when I visited which was when he assumed office was when he showed me that empty space where the proposed toilet was to be built and not, it was going to be commissioned this same day that I visited which was Monday, 30th December 2024

The toilet is 5 rooms on each sides, one side is for the male and the other is for the female. Each room has 2 toilets with 2 buckets and 2 bailers. Then water is connected from the village square and it is rushing very well. He was applauded for executing this project and many others within just 2 years. His tenor was supposed to end after 2 years but guess what? The whole villagers refused. They said that he must continue his leadership and that not even an election will be conducted. Hence, he is continuing unopposed as the president general of Ndi Ebe Abam

Each day of the 5 days that I stayed from morning till evening in my hometown, I was out for workout and my nieces and my sister accompanied me. The pictures of the other days we went out for workout apart from the first day are below

The different clothes I wore depicts the different days. With all the foods I was eating there, without this fitness, I would have added much weight. I didn't want that to happen even though I was mindful of the quantity I was eating. But the fitness really helped.

Visiting the river

Visiting the river and swimming was another exciting moment I had in the village. I didn't want to visit initially but my nieces encouraged me to accompany them on Friday after we came back from workout. I went with them. I am aware that it is usually very fun during this time because those kids that came from the city even adults always go there to swim.

Upon getting there, I saw a lot of people swimming already, both young and old. I joined the chorus. I jumped in and started swimming too. We had some people that came with football. We used it in the river to throw to each other. We were also heading the ball. It was very fun. We spent a lot of time there and my eye was red as a result of the swimming

Ceremonies

A lot of ceremonies were done in the village including wedding, house warming, general prayers in the village square, Ndi Ebe Abam day, masquerade day, end of the year party for the youth, football game for the men, general meeting of the Ndi Ebe Abam Union association headed by my brother and many more. But I was only able to attend the Ndi Ebe Abam day, talent hunt night, masquerade day, closing party for the youth and the general meeting. They were all exciting moments for me. I didn't take much pictures because my phone memory disappointed me. It was full before I could realise it. The ones I managed to take was a s a result of deleting so many pictures I will still need in the future.

Farming

2 years ago when I visited my village, I wrote another palm plantation that my brother in the USA started in a very big farm land there in my village. Now, they have started producing. The palm oil is being harvested and processed into oil, some were sold and some were kept for use at home. I didn't witness the processing of the palm oil but I saw the oil. I even came back with 4 litres which was given to me for us. If I had stayed for more days before coming back, I would have joined them in processing the ones that they already harvested. But my sister and my brother will take care of that.

Rice was another farm produce that my brother have. He planted them last year and processed some and still kept some for replanting. Those that were to be kept were sun-dried and bagged

He is planning to even plant more than he did last year. The ones processed were sold and some were kept for us at home and that was what we were eating all the while I was home. It's a very good rice, sand free. This my brother is taking after my late father who was well known for rice farming in the whole of Abam and beyond and that made him to marry so many wives.

My brother here is the one that is the president general of my hometown. He is into rice fat, he is the one overseeing the palm plantation through whom my brother in the USA planted the palm plantation, he is also into cassava farming and yam farming. Though he lives in Lagos city, his duties as the PG takes him to the village from time to time, giving him the opportunity to farm.

There were so many exciting things and moments I had in the village which I would have written but network was a very big challenge in the village. I lost interest and coupled with my phone memory disappointment, I couldn't take most pictures. I will rather stop here for now.

Thanks to you all for reading through. Though it is a very long diary, it is exciting to read and you won't get bored reading all.

I have returned to my city of residence at the moment. I am happy to be reunited with my family again. They all missed me as well as I missed them especially my daughter who won't spend a day without asking me which was going to return. I think I will have to take them along the next time I will travel there.

Most of the images were taken by @madilyn02 but I took some. She shared them with me and so I give her the credit