Ada and the Emir

Copyright 2020 by Nkechi Anya

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Illustration: LINE ART STUDIOS

Editing: Cambridge Proofreading LLC

Formating: I A.M. Editing, Ink

Publishing: Storkcraft Learning Systems

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Printed in China

ISBN 978-164945546-8

First Edition

The e-book can also be purchased online

ISBN 978-164945547-5

Ada and the Emir

Nkechi Anya

Dedication

This book is dedicated to every child who dares to dream. You can be whatever you want to be. If you see it, you can have it. Be the best for you!

Onoh Park

A das mom planned a trip to the new park on Rangers Avenue in Enugu for the weekend after Ada turned seven. Her mom searched the internet to get more information. At school, Adas friends who visited on the first day of the parks opening talked about their experiences. She was so excited about the visit. It was close to their school on Independence Layout,

Chapter One

very spacious, and beautifully designed for kids in the community. The colorful signs posted around the site by the construction company informed the community of what to look forward to when it opened. As families drove past it to school in the mornings, children counted down the days until the opening. Ada also looked forward to her first visit to the park. Little did she know her trip to the park that Saturday would set her on a course of big adventures.

The weekend after her birthday finally arrived. I will say my morning prayers and take a shower, then prepare before the clock strikes one, Ada thought to herself, swirling around her room. She also thought about her classroom assignments and planned to get them ready after breakfast. She started them the previous day so that she could have enough time to complete them. She hurried from her bedroom to where her mom was preparing breakfast, and greeted her parents.

Nnem na Nnam , bu la ch ? Ada said with a hearty chuckle.

llukw fum ? her mom and dad responded.

A llu m fuma ! Ada replied.

Ada loved to help with house chores. Her mom taught her how to set the table for breakfast and to clean up afterward. After helping with the dishes, she

proceeded to the dining room, and sat at the table beside her dad, to complete her assignments for the week.

Done! Ada said with a sigh as she placed her workbooks and assignments into her school folder.

Where do you get to go to today, Ada? her dad asked.

I will be going to Onoh Park with Mom at one oclock, Daddy, Ada said as she looked at her wristwatch.

I learned that the Sweet Berry ice cream store has an extension at Onoh Park, her dad said. They also make great tasting popcorn, too. Make sure you get enough tokens from your mom and have fun.

Dont forget the rules, he added. You must listen to your mom, not lose sight of her, and you are not permitted to talk to strangers.

Okay, Daddy. I will mind Mom, and I would be careful with strangers, she said. Thank you for reminding me. She gave her dad, who was still at the table, a hug.

At one oclock, Mom and Ada got into the family car and zoomed off from the giraffe street in the Zoo Housing Estate toward Onoh Park on Rangers Avenue in the heart of town. It was recently donated by the Coral Club of Enugu. The club was made up of people who were very generous toward making society a better place.

At the park, kids of different ages were seen flying kites, roller skating within designated areas, and taking turns using big toys. Children swung on sets, climbed big toy frames, slid on slides, crawled through tunnels, rocked on horses, and bought candies and ice cream. Every child gleefully engaged with one another within the massive grounds. Ada got through the ticketing office at the gate and scanned around for the most interesting frame to use. She ran to the empty slide, carefully going up the ladder to get to the top. After sliding down, she went on to use the swing set. She was so thrilled that she didnt realize how high she was swinging until she heard her moms warning from the park bench where she sat. She had been calling for a while now, it seemed.

Ada, be careful now, or else ! she yelled. Ada knew what that meant. The days visit would be called off, and there wouldnt be any more playtime. She immediately changed her tempo.

I do not want to go home now, Ada said to herself. She loved heights, but this wasnt safe. She knew it. Ada obliged5 her mom and continued swinging, but this time at a more preferred height. As she slowed down on the swing set, she noticed a girl her age, just around the corner of the play partition, looking relentlessly6 for something in the sand. She was dressed in a lovely attire and had braided long hair with beautiful beads in the center. She seemed to have played a bit but was disturbed about something. Ada slowly got down from the swing and walked toward her. She is my age and looks like a nice person, Ada thought. I think its okay to find out what troubles her. Daddy told me strangers were adults my parents and I did not know.

Hello, my name is Ada Okafor! What is your name? Ada asked.

Hi Ada, my name is Aisha Bello. She replied politely but continued looking around the play area as though she didnt want to miss an inch of it.

I am so pleased to be here today! Its my first time at the park. I bet you have been here previously, or is this your first time, too? asked Ada, noticing the concern on Aishas face.

Its my first time here. I live in Kano. I am here to play for as long as I want to, today only, Aisha replied softly.

You seem to have lost something, Ada said.

Yes, I did. I realized I lost my precious earring, Aisha replied. Look, the one on my right ear fell off, and I cannot leave the playground without it. The earrings were given to me last year as my seventh birthday gift by my grandma. She held out the tip of her left earlobe, revealing the design of the piece she had on.