If Only They Knew Why Dogs Kept Barking At The Amala Seller –
ol and femi Street was like any other small Street in Lagos alive with the sounds of people going about their daily business children playing and neighbors sharing gossip it was a place where everyone knew everyone’s name and no secret stayed hidden for long at every corner people greeted each other with a smile or a friendly wave and no one ever passed by without saying good morning or good afternoon Among The Familiar Faces was Baba Ari the elderly man who had lived on Olan femi Street for as long as anyone could remember every morning he
sat outside his small Bungalow his transistor radio playing Softly As He sipped from his cup of hot Pap Baba ad wasn’t just another Resident he was The Unofficial Watchman of the street if something unusual was happening you could be sure that Baba Aid would be the first to notice and the first to spread the news there was also chidinma a young woman who helped her mother run a small provision shop on the street chida was known for her quick smile and friendly attitude ude she greeted everyone who walked past and if you didn’t greet her
back she’d call after you ah brother you know fit greet at the End of the Street stood a small Amala joint run by Mama iabo though new to the area she had quickly become a part of the olun femi street Community from the day she arrived her cooking had drawn in a crowd her Amala gieri and U were so good that people came from nearby streets just to get a taste but as peaceful as on FEI Street appeared something strange was happening something that nobody but the dogs seemed to notice Mr Benson who lived in the house right next to the Amala shop
had two large dogs normally they were quiet and friendly wagging their tails at familiar faces and barking only when strangers passed by but ever since mama iabo and her family arrived the dogs had changed every time they passed the dog’s gate the animals barked fiercely growling and pacing as though they were in the presence of something dangerous at first Mr Benson thought it was just the dogs being protective of their territory but soon it became clear that something was unsettling the animals the more the family came and went from the
shop the more agitated the dogs became at first nobody took note of the dogs barkings for months after they arrived Mama Yabo’s Amala joint was the most popular place on olorunfemi street from the early hours of the morning the smell of hot Amala cooking on the stove would fill the air drawing people in like bees to honey it wasn’t just the food that people loved it was the atmosphere there was something comforting about sitting on the wooden benches outside the small shop eating a plate of Amala with guiri and assorted
meats and watching the world go by mama iabo was a short plump woman always with a smile on her face and a warm greeting for everyone who passed by she worked alongside her two daughters and a young man who many assumed was her son the girls were quiet always working quickly and efficiently while the boy handled the money and served the customers together they ran the joint like a well-oiled machine people from all over the area came to buy food Baba ad made it a point to stop by at least twice a week he liked to sit on the benches outside
listening to his radio and enjoying his meal even chidinma who was always busy at her mother’s shop would find time to stop by and grab a plate this Amala is magic she’d say licking her fingers after every meal even though the family didn’t talk much people felt at ease around them they never caused any trouble and they kept their Shop clean and tidy it was the perfect business and it seemed like nothing could go wrong the Amala was soft the jibiri was perfectly seasoned and the customers were happy but while the people of or
and femi Street enjoyed their meals without a second thought Mr Benson’s dogs had a different opinion every time Mama iabo or one of her children walked past the dogs would bark furiously their sharp barks cutting through the air they seemed to sense something that the rest of the street couldn’t I don’t know why these dogs keep barking at them Mr Benson said one day shaking his head they’ve never acted like this before his dogs were usually calm and friendly they’d seen the family every day for months and yet their reaction never
changed every time the family passed by The Barking started up again as if the dogs were warning the street about something no one else could see if only these dogs could talk Mr Benson muttered to himself one evening as the dogs barked uncontrollably once again but to everyone else mama yabo and her family seemed perfectly ordinary they ran their shop greeted their customers and went about their business like everyone else nobody thought twice about it but as the days went by something subtle began to change the was still busy but there was
a growing unease in the air that nobody could quite explain little by little things started to feel different at first the changes were so small that nobody really noticed people still came to Mama Yabo’s Amala joint enjoyed their meals and exchanged small talk as they ate the joint remained as popular as ever but slowly something started to shift the warmth that used to fill the small shop began to fade and the family’s Behavior became more distant more unsettling it began with the greetings mama iabo had always been one
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of the most polite people on the street every morning she would greet everyone who passed by her shop her voice full of energy her smile bright her two daughters and the young man who worked with her would always follow her lead nodding and greeting the customers as they set up for the day it was something that everyone on ol and FEI Street appreciated greetings were an essential part of the culture but one day chidinma noticed something odd she passed by the shop on her way to the provision store as she always did and waved at Mama iabo
good morning mama iabo she called out cheerfully but this time there was no reply Mama iabo didn’t look up didn’t smile she didn’t even seem to hear chidinma chidinma frowned maybe she didn’t hear me she thought so she tried again the next day this time the same thing happened no response Mama Yabo’s daughters usually quick to greet just continued with their work their faces blank their eyes avoiding contact with anyone who passed it wasn’t just chidinma other people on the street started to notice as well one by one
they began to whisper among themselves Baba ad who sat outside his house every day Listening To His Radio noticed that changed too these people have stopped greeting he said one afternoon scratching his head before they would greet me every morning now they just walk by like they don’t see me I thought it was just me chidinma replied I greet them every day but they act like I’m invisible at first people tried to make excuses for them maybe they were tired running an aala joint wasn’t easy after all but the strange Behavior continued
and as the days went went by the family became even more withdrawn they no longer spoke to the customers the way they used to they served the food took the money and went back to their work in silence even when the shop was busy the atmosphere felt cold almost eerie and the dogs Mr Benson’s dogs noticed it too if anyone should have gotten used to Mama Yabo’s family it was the dogs they saw them every day heard their voices and watched them move back and forth from the house to the shop but instead of growing accustomed to their presence
the dogs seemed more agitated than ever every morning when Mama iabo and her children passed by on their way to open the shop the dogs would bark furiously their growls were low and menacing their barks sharp and Relentless they barked so loudly that it Disturbed the entire Street it wasn’t just one bark and then silence it was continuous as if the dogs were trying to send a message a warning I don’t know what’s wrong with these dogs Mr Benson muttered one evening shaking his head in frustration they’ve never acted like this before every day
it’s the same thing as soon as that family walks by they go crazy it wasn’t normal and Mr Benson knew it his dogs had always been friendly calm even around strangers but something about Mama ao’s family was different chidinma standing outside her mother’s provision shop watched the scene unfold one morning the dogs barked violently pacing back and forth by behind the gate their eyes locked on the family as they passed by yet Mama iabo and her children didn’t seem bothered at all they didn’t Flinch didn’t even look in the direction of the
dogs they walked silently to the shop opened the door and began their day as usual what is it with these dogs chidimma asked turning to her mother who stood beside her I don’t know but it’s not normal dogs don’t bark like that for no reason as the days turned into weeks The Whispers on ol and FEI Street grew louder people who had once adored the Amala joint now felt uneasy the food was still as delicious as ever but the warmth and friendliness that had once to find the place were gone the shop was busy but it
felt cold lifeless customers noticed that the family barely spoke to each other anymore and when they did it was in hushed tones in a language nobody on the street recognized they’re not eura Baba ad said one day speaking to a group of men who gathered outside his house I’ve been listening to them and the language they speak it’s not Yoba it’s not hza or Igbo either I don’t know what it is the men nodded in agreement it was another strange piece of the puzzle that nobody could figure out as the mystery deepened so did the tension on olun Fey
Street the dogs continued their Relentless barking and people continued to whisper wondering what had changed why had the family become so distant why were the dogs so disturbed by them was there something they were hiding nobody had the answers but one thing was clear something was wrong with the Amala cellers the people couldn’t see it but the dogs could and if only they knew what the dogs were trying to say as the weeks passed the unease on auren femi Street grew stronger Mama Yabo’s Amala joint once the bustling center of the
neighborhood still Drew customers but people began to speak in hushed tones About The Strange changes that had taken over the family there was something odd about the way they lived something that didn’t sit right with anyone who paid attention for one thing people began to realize that mama iabo and her family never seemed to leave the shop at first everyone had assumed they had a house somewhere nearby that they lived like everyone else in the neighborhood But as time went on it became clear that the family
actually lived in the small restaurant itself the shop wasn’t large just a single room with a kitchen at the back and it had no windows yet every night after they closed up the family would stay inside and nobody ever saw them leave it didn’t make sense Lagos was known for its sweltering heat especially during the dry season on nights when the temperature soared when even the wind refused to blow people on aore and fi Street would drag their mattresses outside hoping to catch a breeze Mr Benson’s compound was always filled with
people sleeping in the open air trying to escape the stifling heat inside their homes but not mama Yabo’s family no matter how hot it got they stayed inside the shop people began to whisper that the family must have a way to cool the place down maybe a fan or an air conditioner but that theory didn’t hold water everyone knew there was no light in the shop after hours and besides the building had no windows for any cool air to circulate yet somehow the family appeared comfortable while everyone else on the street sweated through the night
they never come outside chidinma said one evening standing by the gate of Mr Benson’s compound with her mother it’s so hot and they stay inside that small shop like nothing is happening it’s not normal her mother replied in shaking her head even me I can’t sleep in this kind of heat the more people talked the more they realized how strange the family’s living arrangements were the shop had no windows no proper ventilation even during the day when the sun was at its highest the family would stay inside cooking and working as if they didn’t
feel the heat at all it was as though they were Untouched by the things that affected everyone else on the street and then there were the dogs it was unusual because typically dogs in the neighborhood grew accustomed to the people they saw every day after a while they stopped barking at familiar faces I don’t understand it Mr Benson said one afternoon talking to a few neighbors who had gathered outside his house my dogs have never acted like this they should be used to that family by now but every time they see them it’s like they’re
seeing strangers it’s not just your dogs Baba ad added sitting on his usual chair dogs can sense things we can’t they’re seeing something that we’re not seeing the neighbors nodded in agreement everyone had their theories but nobody could explain why the dogs were so agitated the constant barking had become a daily routine every time the family passed by the dogs would growl and bark until they disappeared into the shop and even then the dogs would continue to Pace near the gate uneasy and Restless the mystery deepened who were these
people where did they come from and why did everything about them feel so off as The Whispers grew louder so did the tension people still came to the shop but they came with a sense of unease as though something unseen was lurking just beneath the surface the family’s strange living conditions the dogs constant barking and the unfamiliar language all pointed to one thing there was more to Mama Yabo’s family than met the eye and while the people of ol and Fey Street tried to make sense of it the dogs kept barking whenever they cited any member
of the strange family things went on like this until New Year’s Eve when something unexpected happened the end of the year brought a festive atmosphere to a Lauren femi Street the air was filled with the sounds of Celebration children running around with sparklers families setting up chairs in front of their homes and the smell of food wafting from kitchens as everyone prepared for the new year as was tradition most of the residents stayed up for the crossover into the new year either attending church or celebrating with family and
friends but as the neighborhood prepared for the celebrations one thing stood out Mama io’s Amala shop was still open late into the night it was unusual for the shop to be open so late normally Mama iabo closed up around 9:00 p.m. but on this particular Night the Lights inside the shop stayed Dawn and the family could be seen moving about cooking and serving food to the few late night customers some people on the street wondered if they were staying open longer to make some extra money before the new year but nobody questioned it
after all Mama Yabo’s family had always done things differently Mr Benson who had just returned from a New Year’s Eve service with his wife noticed the light still on in the shop as he passed by ah they’re still open his wife asked surprised maybe they’re trying to make some extra sales before midnight Mr Benson replied glancing at the shop the dogs however were unusually quiet that night normally they would bark at the family whenever they passed by but on this particular night they seemed calm lying quietly in
Mr Benson’s compound it was strange but Mr Benson didn’t think much of it at the time as the Clock Struck midnight the sounds of fireworks filled the sky and the people of orur and FEI Street c celebrated the arrival of the New Year there was laughter music and the clinking of bottles as neighbors wished each other well and made plans for the year ahead but in the midst of the celebrations nobody paid much attention to Mama Yabo’s shop by the next morning everything changed when the sun rose on New Year’s Day the people of olon fi
Street were met with an unsettling sight Mama iabo shop which had been buzzing with activity just hours before was completely empty the door was closed the lights were off and there was no sign of the family it wasn’t just that they had closed for the holiday everything was gone the pots and pans that had always been stacked outside the shop were missing the benches where customers usually sat had been cleared away inside the shop was Bare as if no one had ever been there nobody had seen them leave I passed by there around 2: a.m. after the
service and they were still there Mr Benson said shaking his head in disbelief but now it’s like they disappeared chidinma was one of the first to notice The Disappearance when she went to buy Amala that morning Mama iabo are you there she called out knocking on the door but there was no answer when she peaked inside she was shocked to find the shop completely empty she ran back to her mother’s shop her heart racing Mama they’re gone the shop is empty her mother frowned what do you mean gone they’re not there everything is gone the
whole place is cleared out news of The Disappearance spread quickly across ol and femi Street neighbors gathered around the empty shop whispering to one another trying to make sense of it nobody had seen them pack up or leave no trucks no cars nothing it was as if they had vanished Into Thin Air they couldn’t have just left without anyone noticing one man said scratching his head maybe they moved in the middle of the night another suggested but no one could explain how they had left without a trace the shop was completely bare and
there were no clues as to where the family had gone no Witnesses no evidence just an empty shop and unanswered questions as the days passed The Disappearance of mama yabo and her family became the main topic of conversation on olun femi Street people who had once gathered at the Amala joint to share a meal now gathered outside the empty shop to speculate about what had happened everyone had a theory some believed that the family were ghosts spirits who had once lived on olon femi Street long ago they pointed to the
family’s strange Behavior their refusal to greet the way they lived inside the shop with no windows and the language they spoke that nobody could understand to them it made sense the family had never belonged to the living world and now they had returned to wherever they came from you know there are old stories about this area one of the older women on the street said it’s possible that they were were spirits and they only came back for a short time others thought the family was running from something perhaps dead or some unknown
danger that had finally caught up with them they speculated that the family had been living on the run for years moving from place to place never staying in one location for too long maybe they had been recognized by someone or maybe they had gotten into trouble and that’s why they left in such a hurry I wouldn’t be surprised if they owed someone money one man said shaking his head people don’t just disappear like that unless they’re running from something but Baba ad always the voice of reason had a different theory he believed the
family’s strange Behavior could be explained by mental health issues look it’s possible they were struggling he said one afternoon sitting with a few of the neighbors the way they refused to greet the way they lived in that small shop without Windows it could be that something was wrong with them maybe they needed help the neighbors nodded considering his words it was a reasonable explanation but it didn’t answer all the questions what about the dogs for months Mr Benson’s dogs had barked relentlessly at the family
growling and pacing every time they passed by but since the family’s disappearance the dogs had been calm not a single bark it was as if the source of their agitation had vanished along with the family it’s strange Mr Benson said watching the dogs lays around in the yard they haven’t barked once since that family left it’s like whatever was bothering them is gone now the fact that the dogs were no longer barking only fueled the rumors that the family had been something more than human maybe the dogs knew all along chida whispered to
her friend maybe they were trying to warn us as the weeks passed life on ol and femi Street slowly returned to normal the noise and bustle of the neighborhood continued and people went back to their daily routines the empty shop where mama iabo once served Amala remained vacant a silent reminder of the mystery that had taken place but the story of Mama iabo lingered in the air like a ghost haunting the street chidinma who had once visited the shop every day couldn’t stop thinking about the family where had they gone would she
ever see them again she walked past the empty shop every morning on her way to her mother’s store always half expecting to see the family return as for Mr Benson he still found it strange that his dogs were back to their old calm selves for months they had barked endlessly at the family but now they lay quietly in the yard as if nothing had ever happened in the end the mystery of mama iabo and her family remained unsolved whether they had been ghosts struggling with mental health or simply running from their past no one could say
for sure the people of olur and femi Street had their theories but the truth remained elusive life went on but the story of the Amala cellers would never be forgotten
