Ashes Of The Same Fire

mered beneath the surface finally burst open, no longer able t

ducation in the United Kingdom. London, with its elite institutions, tailored suits, and high society dinners, was the natural habitat for someone like her. The acceptance letter from the London School of Economics arrived in a gold-edged en

gbada flowing as he raised his glass. "My daughter, Amara

perfume. There were no toasts for her. No well-wishers asking what her future plans were. She had applied to universities too. McGill, York, Birmingham. Lette

e day the Chief f

stacks of his important papers, framed portraits, and shelves full of books

t full of edge. "Canada? The

r throat tightening. "I used my ow

" he snapped. "Have you proven yourself worthy of representi

e good

y that had begun to define their interactions, he tore the letters in h

o a local university. If you are serious about proving yoursel

d only let the tears fall when she reached her room and locked the door.

she got

beat the traffic, packed her own lunches, and sat in crowded lecture halls where the electricity often flickered and the microphones didn't always work. While her

, and spent weekends volunteering in the slums of Makoko. She wore jeans, not gowns. Her shoes were

fessors

said. "And she works h

ips from local tech foundations, and given a TEDx talk on the future of education technology in West A

e, it mean

printed and framed by their mother. When Amara appeared on a local TV channel, discussing gender equality at the Com

eaks?" Chief beamed.

top open and an award letter for a Nigerian

owly, inevitably

ir was perfectly pressed, her skin glowed, and her smile was practiced. She walked through the mansion like s

eeted her wi

e, Aunt

alked behind her, clucking proudly. Her father spoke of her future in politics or internatio

g before the

w. Chizaram sat in a wrapper and T-shirt, coding on her laptop. Amara, lounging on the vel

ram over the rim of

"Still dressing like yo

sister's eyes. But before she could reply, their parents entered,

their mother said, chuckl

wasn't

shoes. A snide remark about the laptop she carried everywhere. "That old thing

ression. They were always delivered with a smile, a

their paren

was invited to speak at conferences in Accra and Nairobi, even as she tried again quietly,

dn't look up fro

e said. "Let Amara handle interna

. Her hands were clenched at her

said softly. "They offered me a partial scholars

er and set it on the tabl

on everything, just like you always do. You'll disgra

apper, gave a small sigh. "Maybe later,

ed d

t like bile. What did they want her to be

she said something she couldn't take back.

os sprawling out before her. She could hear music from a nearby party, the distan

the children in Makoko who called her "Aunty Zaram" and hugged her after class.

stayed and built herself. And yet, in the e

in her

't afford to. If they wouldn't open

d herself next time she w