Don’t open this letter 🤦

Why you no dey hear word? You too like amebo.

Shey I clearly asked you not to open this email.

Now you refused and what have you seen?

This just reminded me of one of the tales by moonlight my dad used to tell my siblings and me years ago.

It’s title was in Ibibio: Eka Monica, which translates to Monica’s mother.

To summarize the story, Eka Monica had given her daughter, Monica, strict instructions not to eat her lunch until it was 2pm.

She also told her not to step outside because, according to her, danger lurked outside.

But stubborn Monica ate her lunch even before 12pm. 

And when it was time for lunch, she had nothing to eat.

That was how Monica went out when she was hungry to pluck fruits from a tree.

No sooner had she begun plucking than masquerades arrived.

If she stayed up on the tree, they’d pull her down and harm her.

If she went down, they’d still harm her.

Monica was between the devil and the deep blue sea. She knew she was done for.

But what do you think happened?

Someone appeared and saved her?

Naaah!

This one no be Nollywood. Na folktale.

Nobody came to save Monica; not even her mother.

And the masquerades tore her up leaving her bones for her mother.

Hmmm! Graphic, right?

You can imagine the terror on our faces when my dad said that part. But I’m not done.

This story used to scare me and siblings then. What scared us wasn’t even the story but the song it came with.

And that song my mom and my aunt used to sing to us anytime we were in a dark room.

Anyways, when Eka Monica returned and found her house empty, she began to weep.

Then a little bird came and began singing to her in Ibibio (I’ll translate to English):

“Eka Monica see your child’s leg there, see your child’s hands there.”

Trust me, to someone like me who’s always had a vivid imagination, that song scared the shit outta me as a child.

And as I share this story with you, I can’t help but walk down memory lane as I remember who contributed to my becoming a good writer.

My dad!

Maybe one day, I’ll write all the stories he told me when I was a child. I still remember most of them.

But until then, pick the moral lesson in this one, (name):

When you’re told not to do something, don’t do it.

You don’t know why you were given the instruction in the first place.

And when you’re told to do something, do it.

Especially if that something involves dressing well to express your style and portray yourself as the successful person you are.

In this part of the world, we still judge a book by its cover.

So, keep dressing well.

Dress to make yourself feel good and not to impress anyone.

The Writer who knows how to do Fashion,

Victoria Willie

Creative Director, Ria Kosher

P.S: If you need a style guide for dressing up, you know where to go, right? Svelte Magazine. (link)

And if you need to shop dresses that’ll help you stand out, you know Ria Kosher’s got you covered.(link to shop)

And if you need to speak with a fashion stylist, no long thing at all.

Just reply to this email and have a chat with Ria Kosher herself.

Stay kosher!

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