THE WALLS HEARD IT - by Emetekefe Akpovwovwo

Do you believe walls have ears? Or have you had any experience that made you believe that indeed walls have ears? I have and I believe that walls have ears. I first heard the saying “walls have ears” as a child. Back then, I didn’t fully understand it, but I remember the warning signs clearly: anytime someone spoke too loudly about another person, an adult nearby would press a finger to their lips and whisper, “Shhh… walls have ears.” It was their way of saying be careful, someone might be listening. Let me share my experience with you. It happened about 5 years ago. I can’t remember what day of the week it was but I recall that I was on my way back from work. I was very tired. I had waited nearly two hours at the park for a fourteen-seater bus to fill up. We were still just five passengers, and I knew if I stayed any longer, I might end up sleeping there. So I decided to take an alternative route. This new route wasn’t straightforward I got to the first drop off, crossed over and boarded another vehicle to continue my journey. I sat in the middle row of the danfo bus. As the vehicle started moving, I could hear two women behind me speaking so loudly. I was so uncomfortable Their voices filled the entire bus and to make matters worse, they were speaking in my dialect, so I couldn’t tune them out. Then, something caught my attention; they mentioned my parents name and even the pet names they called each other. I froze. I leaned in slightly, trying not to make it obvious. These women were discussing a past incident involving my parents. They didn’t just talk, they judged, insulted, mocked. They called my father names and made statements that were both shocking and completely untrue. I was stunned. I had been present throughout that incident they were referring to, from beginning to end and my father was not the problem at all. In fact, if everyone involved were to sit and speak honestly, they would easily find the person with the blame. I tried to get a look at their faces. I didn’t recognize them. They didn’t seem to know me either but they knew my parents very well. Quietly, I pulled out my phone and began recording a video, making sure to angle it discreetly so they would not notice. When I got home, I showed the video to my dad. He was shocked. He recognized one of the women as my mum’s distant aunt but he didn’t know the other woman. He picked up his phone and called her immediately. They greeted nicely. Then my dad said “If you had a problem with me about what happened, the least you could have done was come and ask me directly. Not go around gossiping and spreading lies.” She tried to deny it until he described exactly what she was wearing, who she was talking to, what kind of bus they were in, and the very words she used. There was silence. Then she asked, “How did you know?” He told her someone on that bus who truly knew what happened had recorded everything they said. He didn’t mention me or how we were related. That was it. She broke. She started apologizing, fumbling over her words, trying to explain herself, but the damage had been done. Days later, I sat quietly in my room and reflected on the whole experience. I thought about that saying I heard so often as a child and in that moment, it made perfect sense. Indeed, walls have ears. The very person you are talking about might be closer than you think. Guess what music I am playing right now, Mind Your Bizness by Simi ft Falz. You should listen to it.

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