So I turn 22 tomorrow, not really sure how I feel about
getting older. This year’s birthday is different as I haven’t celebrated my
birthday in Nigeria in 5 years. I was reminiscing and decide to show you all a timeline of my birthday celebrations from 2008 till now.
June 1st 2008
The last time I had my birthday in Nigeria, it was on a Sunday and I turned 16. I didn’t have a big Party, 2 of my closest friends slept over the night before, we went to Church the next day (Excel at TBS) and my Dolphin girls came over during the day. My brother was new and I don’t remember any presents or anything but I do remember my Aunty saying Sweet 16, never been kissed. I kinda was a Tomboy at this point in my lifetime.
My 17th Birthday, it was my first birthday away
from my nuclear family. I was in boarding school in a foreign country. I remember
I got three cakes, one from my birthday mate, Katie Neilson, one from my Aunty
and one from my Pakistani friend, Hira Gul. I remember getting a Camera from my
French-Indian Partner in Prank, Jasmine Vigneaugh-Singh, it was a camera that
sprayed water in the face of the person being “photographed”. She also gave me
bubbles that stuck to clothing, and I’m sure my parents sent me cards and I hung
out with the other Nigerian girls at Woldingham. I know I had a Biology Exam
this day and I wrote Dear Examiner, today is my birthday so please be kind
when marking this, not sure if it yielded favourable results or not. Sadly, I can't find any pictures from this day.
June 1st 2010
The year I turned 18. My birthday was during halfterm and I had
3 surprise celebrations, aren’t I blessed. The 1st one was the night
before half term began, Hira baked me a wonderful chocolate cake and put edible
spongebob paper on it. I was obsessed with Spongebob at that phase of my life.
The 2nd surprise was on the day gangan, was at my God sister, Teni’s house
and 2 of our friends, Tomi and Toni came over, we were on a study break. My
parents sent flowers and an ipod and they cooked and we had a good time.
The 3rd
surprise happened the weekend before we went back to school, went shopping on
Oxford street with Teni. A pigeon pooped on her head, hands and phone which was
kinda disgusting, we had to go into Selfridges to clean up. We then went to
Garfunkels under the guise of picking something up from her friend and most of
my closest friends were there. It was really touching. Tiwa, Oyinade, Tomi and
Teni were involved in the planning. The
Henry Holland Jacket I was wearing was my present to myself, hehe, 45 quid!! As
you can tell from the videos I was pretty excited, those girls are still my
core group of friends. You see Lagoon did some good, brought us all together.
June 1st 2011
My first year of Uni, I finished exams just before my
birthday, Thank God. But, most of my friends still had exams. I actually modeled
in a photoshoot for my uni that day, wasn’t featured till late 2012 but I’m
glad I did it. I felt like a celeb when I eventually saw it, Notts poster,
Osheyy!
The night before my birthday, 2 of my closest friends, Ify and Oguan,
came to my room with Non Alcoholic Wine to usher me into my birthday. We gisted
and it was really fun, they were there as all the birthday calls rolled
in. We decided to have a lil cookout for
my birthday the next day as people would have been done with exams. I remember
planning it with Cynthia and going to town to buy bags of rice and chicken. I
love my Radical Youth Fam, different people cooked, Tosin, Vicky, Labake,
Jemma, Corina and Ify. There was more than enough food, it was soo delicious,
and the desert was yummy too. Labake made marshmallow and fruit sticks with chocolate topping and my
baby girl, Ndali came all the way from Sheffield !
June 1st 2012
This year I wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. I remember
feeling like I was now old because I was no longer a teenager. I was dreading
the age of 20, I really didn’t plan to do anything but Adiba came from
Sheffield, Mosope from Loughborough and Diwura (Notts course mate who was also my classmate in Secondary School) was around
too. We had lunch at some Brazillian restaurant called Tropeiro. The food was
really good, my parents surprised me with cupcakes and flowers and I got my
DSLR in preparation for my China trip that Summer. Went to church, played Sax for
Night Vigil, got prayed for and that was it.
June 1st 2013
I finished exams the day before and my little sister was
around and my friend, Georgette from Exeter. I was glad and relieved that my
undergraduate degree was complete. Shaana was with me at 12, threading my hair,
hehe and my flatmates opposite, Ife and Matthew came into the flat singing
songs. It was pretty hilarious.
We had lunch at Frankie and Benny’s and then
went for Annie’s Bridal Shower.
Some of my friends came over after church the following
day.
I sha had my proper 21st celebration in July, the same night as
my graduation. My parents got me a professional Selmer Sax which I LOVE.
Hope you enjoyed reading about my birthday over the years, I
pray tomorrow goes well. Was feeling kinda down before writing this because I miss having my Notts folk around me. Back at uni, my closest friends were a stroll
away, now I have to drive to see my friends in Lagos. Plus I would have had people around me getting excited for tomorrow and gingering me. I actually called Oguan up and he made me laugh as usual. I’m
grateful for growth and progress in life. I’m at a new phase of my life, things
have changed, my friends are still as supportive as ever and I’m kinda more
independent and definitely wayyy more mature. I had sooo much energy. I used to
do the peace sign a lot. I’m a bit of story woman, I really enjoyed typing out this
story telling, picture sharing post.
P.S. Wondering how my parents were able to deliver flowers and presents to me while I was in England and they were in Nigeria. The Secret is Teeloni's, they did all the work, my parents just told them what they wanted. Father's day is round the corner so holla at them NOW and surprise your Daddy. Check out their facebook page for more details and this link for the Father's Day Package.
soo lovely Detuke!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lota :)
DeleteAwww Tuke young, intelligent and pweety. May God continue to increase you in Jesus name.
DeleteHBD!
Amen!!! Thank you Traycee 😊
DeleteLovely Tuke...
ReplyDeleteThank you Eniola :)
DeleteChai! Girl you blessed!
ReplyDeleteSo are you boo!!!
DeleteLol this is random, but how do I get relegated to notts coursemate, after how many years Detuke *wailing in wisdom and virtue*
ReplyDeleteLooool, just edited the post :)
Delete