CHRONICLE OF A MARRIED MAN

Imagine breaking up because of Okrika.....

Growing up, my mum did not buy fairly used clothes or shoes (Okirika, tokunbo, akube) for us, we only wore new stuff, I didn't even know such was in existence.

 After she left the marriage, my step mum started buying them for us. She would buy the clothes, spread them out in the sun and give us to wear, she won't wash them, she claimed they will loses their beauty and colour and that the sun reduces the smell.

We would wear them like that. Poor us, what could we do?

Our peers would laugh and mock us for wearing smelly Okirika, even during religious festivals and celebrations. This made me to have a deep hatred for Okirika.

When I grew up and started hustling, I started buying new stuff for myself.
Till today, I prefer to buy two new clothes instead ten Okirika clothes with the same amount of money.

I remember dating a lady few years before I got married. I loved her and wanted to marry her but she had this deep love for Okirika stuff.
Let's call her Caro. Caro was all I wanted in a woman. Our relationship had gone far before I discovered that she loves Okirika so much. I would visit her sometimes and she would show me the stuff she just bought.

Caro buys Okirika clothes, undies, shoes, bags, etc. It was through her that I knew that there are Okirika jewelries. She claimed they last longer and are unique.
She didn't stop at that, she also loved buying tokunbo electronics and kitchen gadgets, like plates, spoons, frying pan, pots, blender, television, everything. I'm sure that her cream and soap would have been Okirika if it was possible.

She worked and was well paid, she wasn't needy. I tried talking her out of it, promising to buy her new stuff. I even told her one time to follow me to a boutique let me buy new clothes and undies for her and she will dispose the Okirika in her wardrobe, she refused. She said no one can stop her from buying Okirika things even if she becomes a millionaire.

I now sat down one day and thought of life with Caro - she will surely pass this addiction to my poor kids. My kitchen will be filled with tokunbo stuff. Everywhere in my house will be screaming "OKIRIKA". Her stubbornness too was there. I begged her to stop buying clothes and undies especially but can use other things, she refused. How can you be wearing used bra and panties?
I broke up with her for the sake of my mental health.