Wamide Sent Me Food 🥘

I remember the first time I met her very clearly. She was wearing an A-line Ankara dress.

“Hello? Am I speaking with Hauwa?”

I squint at my phone. Who be this wan now? I don’t even have time for this right now.

“Helloooo? Is this Hauwa?”

When they gave you this number, did they not say this was Hauwa’s number? Eh fine girl?

But I don’t say that, I just mumble a yes.

“Oh great!”

The girl over the phone seems to be very excited but I just cannot be bothered. I am aware that I’m being very short tempered but I was unable to curb my thoughts. You see, I was in the middle of a fast and at the same time, battling a fever that was threatening to take my life. I know I shouldn’t be fasting while sick but the thing is - I am a stubborn goat.

Pillow drenched in sweat, I needed to get out of bed but I could not bring myself to walk. I needed to cool my body’s temperature with cold water but I was shivering while my body was simultaneously heating up. I wanted to get up and work but again, I could not get out of bed…

“Someone is sending you a package”

Oh God, she was still there.

“Who?”, I managed to muster as I changed the position on my bed to a slightly less uncomfortable one.

“Sorry, it’s a surprise and I don’t want to ruin it so I can’t tell you her name.”

Sigh.

“So when will you be available tomorrow?”

“Anytime after 12”, I groan into my phone, hoping she’ll disappear as quickly as possible

This girl said - “Okay Miss Hauwa, please be expecting your package anytime after 12”

I opened my eyes and frowned at my phone.

“Byeee, Miss Hauwa”

I end the call and let myself breathe.

I am aware this girl didn’t do anything to me and is just doing her job but I fighting demons at the time.

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I do not remember the call at all until the next day when a delivery man called to say he was outside my gate with a package. The fever has broken and I am able to walk downstairs to receive the package. It’s a food basket and the sender was thoughtful enough to add fruits and dates to it. It was also delivered a few minutes before 7pm, which was when I was going to break my fast. It was intentional.

I opened the card attached and it was from Wamide.

My card 🥹

I don’t think I knew how much I needed this show of love until I received it.

Wamide is one of the most impressive women I know. We do not speak very often (or maybe even at all) which is why getting the package was surprising. I see her tweets - which reference her work a lot - and I am in awe of how much of herself she pours into her work and how self-confident she is. However, I have never reached out due to certain reasons.

I remember the first time I met her very clearly. She was wearing an A-line Ankara dress. Her husband was with her baby downstairs, talking to the boys while we were upstairs. She talked about how she knew her husband was her husband before she even met him and I am a complete sucker for love stories. So I hung on to every word she spoke.

But that’s not what struck. What struck was her complexion. Wamide is dark-skinned, extremely gorgeous and confident. I grew up very dark and was constantly bullied for it so much that it amused/impressed me whenever I saw confident gorgeous women who had dark skin. I think I was so obsessed that I went to follow her immediately on twitter. So me, I didn’t come for career advice o. I came to look at fine woman.

It’s the same way I feel about Feyi Bello. A dark-skinned complete gorgeousness I follow on Instagram.

Anyway, Wamide and I didn’t really speak until one day, when I tweeted about money (as I usually do) and she asked what I wanted apart from money. I said food.

And this woman, who lives in Portugal, sends this to me.

I fell to my knees and wailed. I like a good food basket, I cannot lie.

I would have attached a picture of me smiling with the basket but I am in the trenches of malaria right now and I look a mess.

So this newsletter is to say thank you, Wamide.

Please check out her Substack here.

That’s the only thing I can offer. I cannot send food to her in Portugal, unfortunately for me. So the only way I can really say thank you is to, yet again, recommend her newsletter where she speaks about her career journey and helps you in the process. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do.

Happy Women’s Day.

I hope you make a woman happy today or someone makes you happy. If you are a man, sorry, we will celebrate you on your day, okay?

Okay.

I love you,

Hauwa.

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Today’s song is a sad one and I have been stuck on it for about a week now.

BRKN by Madison Ryann Ward.