Colour for hire

‘
Ma sha Allah, what a beautiful young woman. So fine and so well mannered.’. Asabe observed, the moment Badiyya bade us farewell by the car and turned back.

‘Yes, you are right, she is very pretty and well behaved, a combination that’s not always possible in one person.’ I replied, starting the car.

‘You know, since we saw her inside, I’ve been wondering which of her parents she took after. I mean while we can tell where her light skin comes from, she might have inherited her facial features from either her Nigerian parent or her foreign one.’ Asabe enthused.

‘Her foreign what? Who told you she has a foreign parent?’ I asked, taking my eyes off the road to look at her on the passenger seat.

‘Isn’t that obvious? I mean with a complexion like hers, no one needs to be told that she’s a half-caste.’ Asabe answered, smugly.

‘Believe me she is a 100% Nigerian with a 100% African blood.’ I replied.

‘But how did she get to be so fair? Do we really have compatriots with that level of light colour?’ Asabe wondered aloud.

‘Maybe we don’t, but today, with your money you can buy that kind of skin colour and more. It’s all a matter of cash.’ I responded, jokingly.

‘No Bint, I’m sure you don’t mean that. I mean you are not trying to tell me that she bleached her skin to this stage or are you?’ She asked, totally incredulous.

‘Yes I am, that’s precisely what I’m trying to tell you. As late as November last year she was as dark as you or I. I met her when she came to condole her sister on the death of her husband. She wasn’t this fair at all.’ I declared.

‘Don’t you know whether she looked that way only because it was a mourning period?’ She queried.

‘No my dear Asabe, that’s precisely how she always looked. Look, this is a girl I knew since she was twelve years old. Her sister and I were friends since our school days. So believe me when I say she bleached herself to get the complexion you are rhapsodising over.’ I insisted.

‘But since when did bleaching become so flawless? There is nothing on her knuckles to suggest she wasn’t always fair and that’s one place that everyone says  can never get bleached.’ She argued.

‘That depends on if you are using the latest skin lightening technology.’ I replied, taking the turn that leads to her street.

‘Latest skin lightening technology?’ She echoed, looking sideways at me. ‘For someone who doesn’t bleach, you seem to know an awful lot about it.’ She joked.

‘Yes I do and that’s why I’m telling you now that the latest trend in bleaching does not include rubbing creams that could change some parts and leave others, it just means you’ll be taking some drugs that will be changing your complexion from the inside. Now don’t ask me how that works but believe me when I say that it’s the technique that brings flawless light skin to it’s buyer. At least for a while.’ I explained.

‘Amazing, I’d never ever heard of this. I mean oral drugs that result in fair skin? What will people think of next?’ She asked, rhetorically.

‘Injections that bring lighter skin of course.’ I offered.

‘But you know that’s not possible. I mean who will go to all that trouble in order to bleach?’ She queried.

‘The same people who used to spend a lot of money and countless hours rubbing creams and waiting patiently to transform. The same people who now buy expensive and potentially dangerous drugs and swallow them in order to grow fair. They are the same people who also take injections once in a month, in order to get the skin colour that they desire.’ I opined.

‘But how did you know all this Bint? I mean for a non bleacher, its amazing that you know all about their latest trends.’ Asabe observed.

‘Yes, I got to know quite by chance really. One day I was listening to the radio, in this car, when a reality talk show featured a grief-stricken woman. She said she requested to be on the show just to warn fellow women about the travails awaiting all bleachers. I couldn’t see her since it was a radio programme but she described the horrible way her skin had become because of what she had done. She narrated how she heard about a man who sells drugs that magically transform a dark person into a fair one. He has a shop in the biggest market in their town but he neither has a sign board nor does he advertise in any media outlet. His business is so secretive that you can only get his number and arrange an appointment, then he will meet you. After the meeting and his assessment of your skin, he will prescribe the right bleaching drugs and give them to you. And that was how that woman continued spending her money on expensive drugs and enjoying her lovely fair skin. Until one day that is. That morning she woke up with no money to buy her drugs and her next dose was due. She tried all she could but couldn’t raise the amount she needed and so she missed that dose. While saving and hoping she could raise enough before the next was due, she began to see changes on her skin. Before she knew it dark patches began to appear all over her body and it became obvious to her that something was very wrong. She rushed to the hospital and was told there was nothing they could do for her because it’s something from the ‘inside’. She contacted the man who sold the drugs to her but his only response was he had warned her not to miss a dose. To him it doesn’t matter what you do to raise the money, the most important thing is to pay him and get your beautiful colour for hire. I mean it is obviously for hire since all it takes is to miss one dose and you are finished.’ I concluded.

‘What a pity! But you must tell your friend to warn her sister about the dangers of this bleaching business. A beautiful, well brought up girl like Badiyya should not end up with a fate like that of the radio lady.’ Asabe advised.

‘Do you think Aqibah doesn’t know that her sister is in danger? If she doesn’t see it fit to warn her I won’t be the one to tell her. For all I know I might be blamed for maligning her if the family doesn’t want to accept that she’s paying with her life for her new, radiant skin. I mean imagine what’s happening to her internal organs as a result of the drugs. And like the lady on the radio programme said, some people opt for the injections, which they learn to administer by themselves every single month.’ I said.

‘Please Bint talk to Aqibah about this. Dont worry about what the family members would say. Consider it help rendered to a sister,  fisabililLah. Let Aqibah warn Badiyya and let’s hope it’s not too late for her to stop and regain her natural skin.’ Asabe pleaded.

‘Ok, I’ll do that, in sha Allah.’ I pledged, bringing the car to a halt in front of her house.