Happy Mumu: How ‘puppy love’ got me in trouble

In Naija Lingua Franca, someone who is dubbed a ‘happy mumu’ is a doormat or sucker for love. Someone who intentionally chooses to ignore reality for the sake of validation and admiration.

Enjoy this article title, Happy Mumu: How ‘puppy love’ got me into trouble with my mum.

When I was in Primary 4, I made friends with a girl in Primary 5, her name was Bunmi.

I don’t know how or why we became friends, but we just clicked. She had a chubby face, big pulpy eyes, ‘dark brown’ hair and had a knack for looking after me.

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She used to give me puff puff, and zobo, other days she’ll bring me chin-chin, buns, etc.

She was also a big fan of my artwork; she bought me my first-ever pencil crayon and BIC biro.

Since I used to draw a lot in Primary school, I only repaid her kindness with my artwork; drawing books or sometimes, I just draw flowers on her body since she was caramel complexioned.

While I was very poor in Mathematics and Quantative Reasoning, she took time to help me out with my assignments, where I always go on to score 10/10, an olodo like me oh.

Once again, I bought a whole 40 leaves big note and drew content from some of my sister’s storybooks (Rapunzel, Barbie, Snow White) for her.

Pure friendship…

When she was about to graduate in Pry 6, I knew this would probably be the last time I’ll see her (and it was). At our school’s end-of-the-year party, I gave her my cooler and umbrella as my parting gift after collecting them from my class teacher.

I also didn’t have a class picture for the session because I used the money to buy chew gum and tasty time for Bunmi.

It was when I got home that reality dawned on me.

My mummy asked for my cooler, umbrella and class photo, oh well, this is where the catalytic episode commenced.

I said I misplaced it, she took me back to school the following Monday to ask my teacher when I went to collect my report card; teacher said I didn’t pay for the class picture and she gave me my cooler and other gifts last Friday…

Despite my absolute knowledge whom I gave the gift to, I continued to search around the school as if I truly misplaced it.

To mother dealt with me seriously. Years later, she kept on asking me about that cooler until I finished SS3.

Truth be told, I suffered because of this girl, simply because I was a happy mumu.