He was born like that, dumb. He barely opens his mouth and even if he does, it wouldn’t make any change. We still wouldn’t hear a single word so what difference does opening his mouth make? I remember my worried mum carrying him on her back and tying them together with her *Aso oke* wrapper. 

Waking up everyday, I never got to wake up to mum. She was mostly away carrying my big brother, Bolaji from one hospital to another hospital. And when she gets back home, the maximum time she rests is two hours and she goes to another hospital or wherever she feels there is hope all for Bolaji to be able to make a speech. 

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[Image](https://unsplash.com/photos/three-crumpled-yellow-papers-on-green-surface-surrounded-by-yellow-lined-papers-V5vqWC9gyEU)

*Mama Odun, don’t bother wasting your money going from one hospital to the other. He was born like that so just make sure thay he is able to express himself through signs, in ways that people would be able to understand him,* I peeped through the window that evening eavesdropping my mum and Aunty Saki, her little’s sister conversation. 

Finaly, my mum lost hope. She entered our one bedroom apartment and sat on the bed which is very close to the center table. Obviously, she knew I heard what she and her little sister had talked about. 
My little self climb on our wooden center table and got to the bed to meet my mum. 
I rubbed her head with my two little hands and said a prayer for my big brother. 

*Mummy, don’t worry. He will be able to talk one day,* I was as hopeless as a ship without an anchor. I knew he wouldn’t be able to talk or make the simplest speech ever. 
Well, maybe when pigs begin to fly, he would be able to talk, I thought. 

I just didn’t want my mum to cry. I never liked to see my light skinned mum cry because anytime she does, her whole face eventually gets red and she falls sick as well. My dad could have been supportive. Actually, he tried his best. He was a good father but has his faults too.

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[Image](https://unsplash.com/photos/a-couple-of-birds-that-are-in-the-water-4hGnZIwl5JE)

*You were careless when you were pregnant and maybe one of those herbal medicines you took then,  was the cause of the boy’s problem today,” my dad said in a harsh manner. My parents literally did everything in our presence and even their conversations, I heard everything. 

At some point, it felt like my mum was the only one to bear the burden of my dumb brother. We accepted our fate already that there is a challenged being amongst us and there was no way we could change that narrative.
Sometimes, I wasn’t proud of my brother. He was older but what’s the point of a big brother who could not give a speech nor command me to sit somewhere. It was so sad. 

My tired mum accepted her fate but didn’t give up. Maybe he would talk someday, that became her favorite speech. Then, she found out about one of the best hospitals around and took my brother there. As usual, she tied her *Ankara* scarf on her head and placed him on her back with her *Aso oke* wrapper. She headed to the hospital while I escorted her to the gate before going inside to cry as usual about my dumb brother. 

*Fine boy, what’s your name,* even though he couldn’t talk, he wasn’t looking like what he was going through. He was such a cute boy and his facial appearance was enough to captivate anyone who takes a glance at him. 

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[Image](https://unsplash.com/photos/a-woman-holding-a-red-object-up-to-her-face-u62GAVUKipI)

*My name is Bolaji Abdullah,* mistakenly, my mum loosened the wrapper and my brother fell on the floor. 

*He doesn’t talk. How come…* she started to stutter while tears were streaming down her face. 

It just felt impossible and maybe we didn’t hear him. I’ve never been that shocked. 

*Bolaji!!!!* my mum shouted. 

*Yes,* he responded. At first, my mum loosened the scarf on her head. Where could the problem come from? How come he started talking suddenly? My dad didn’t believe it when my mum called him. 
That evening, he closed early from work and came home to call my mum a liar but she wasn’t. 

My brother could talk. Throughout that day, his lips didn’t rest. We wanted to keep hearing him talk to be sure we heard the right thing but we did. 
It was the happiest day of our lives. We only eat chicken on Christmas day but that night, my mum made Fried Rice and chicken for us. 

I enjoyed my night and on getting to school on the next day, I told my friends about the miracle that happened during the weekend. 
Till today, my brother can talk well and doesn’t even talk like someone who once had difficulty in giving speech.