The 218 will be 10 years this year—10 whole years of real friendship. Tears, sweat, laughter, love, and pain, but one thing has kept us together, the love of Christ. It’s a good day to tell you about how we met, especially for those of you, who don’t know. Please note that this is just my narration, as told from my perspective. About 10 years ago, we had finished our diploma, the strike was over, and we were about to resume 200-level direct entry. Diploma year was tough for me.
I had friends but the unhealthy competition then had eaten deep into these friendships, and it was difficult to find a consistent friend. I wanted to redefine the idea of friendship because the movies we watched did a bad job of portraying friendship as a betrayal waiting to happen. I knew I wanted mine to be different, So I knelt in a corner of my room and prayed for friends. In my words ‘I don’t want to ‘famz’ anyone, I want it to happen naturally and seamlessly, I don’t know how it’s going to happen, but I just need help’.
Then we resumed…
MEET TOKE
On the first day of resumption, Toke sat beside me. She talked nonstop that day. I had never met anyone who talked as much as she did. I knew her in diploma, and she was very nice to me, so I allowed her to famz me. Yes, famz me. That day, we talked about a variety of things and her laughter was quite contagious. She appeared to be a charming person and I felt very comfortable with her. We talked from class to our hostels (we had gathered from our conversations that we stayed in the same hostel, on the same floor). We talked and talked.
We haven’t stopped talking ever since.
OLAMIDE & BOLU
So, we stayed temporarily at the OPH hostel, till our permanent hostel was ready for use. Still, in class, Olamide used to sit behind me and Toke. Then Bolu sat beside Olamide I think. Bolu didn’t have a temporary hostel then, so she sometimes had to leave earlier, and she needed someone to help with attendance. Naturally, we just started talking but were not friends then. I think Bolu and Lamide were close friends. I thought Bolu was a very pretty girl. I admired her right from diploma. I tried famzing her then because she was on a 5.0 GPA, but she snubbed me (She still says she didn’t but maybe if she does her narration, we would all understand what happened). Anyway, I moved on.
Lamide seemed like a confident, independent young woman, so I naturally liked her. I would stop here and talk about Chiamaka. Because she kept on reappearing in my space, and I just didn’t understand why. By this time, we had moved to ‘Radiography hostel’.
CHIMAX
Chiamaka used to have this red hair that was cool and weird at the same time. But that was not the thing, it was the fact that she would leave her room on the second floor and come to my room on the first floor just to give me gist. To be fair, I enjoyed talking to her a lot, Chimax (as she claims I renamed her, I still can’t remember how the name came to be), is highly cerebral and so the conversations were great. I just didn’t know why she was always talking to me. At one point, she started telling me that we looked alike. Wahala (We actually do I just didn’t see it then).
So, let’s go back to the story. Chimax usually sat somewhere in front of the class, and after class or during class, we would talk. I don’t think Toke liked the fact that I was having other friends. Toke is someone who sometimes withdraws if she senses danger or inconvenience, but she was friendly and she, Bolu and Lamide soon became good friends (I would love to hear her perspective on how she was able to roll with this though).
THE SELECTION
One day, I told my partner-in-crime Toke, that we needed to form a study group because medical school was stressing us out and omoo, we needed to be serious. I remember I had a dream about it, and I mentioned it to Toke. In my dream, I saw myself talking to Chimax, Bolu and Lamide. Anyway, we started thinking about members- crossing in and out names. Little did I know that we were unknowingly forming a group that would later become part of the 218. I don’t have permission to share the names of some people that didn’t make the cut. But we had a good laugh. Chimax, Lamide, and Bolu were top on the list of course. Bolu 5.0 had to be there.
At this stage, we had 5 names- Tumi, Toke, Lamide, Bolu, Chimax.
EUNICE
Let’s talk about Eunice. Toke and I had similar matric numbers. She was ‘54’ and I was ‘53’ (IKR). So, our names were right on top of each other, meaning we were always in the same groups, including the anatomy dissection table. Eunice was UTME and she was very friendly and willing to help. Toke also got along well with her. It was important to me that Toke was cool with anyone I was bringing into the study group. I think she was the one who suggested Eunice, I can’t even remember now. We needed a UTME person. The group had to be a bit balanced.
Anyway, so were 6 and we started our meetings in radiography. A friendship began. So many things happened of course, in trying to get along. It was like we had gathered different people and put them together. At this point, some of you are wondering. Where is OMOM?
OMOM
I had known Omom in diploma, pretty, smart and had her own clique I think. The earliest memory I had was when we were struggling to solve a chemistry question, and I looked back and Omom had solved it, and I was like ah. I used to think I was the smartest in the room. Med school will humble you. Anyway, the next time I encountered her was when Chimax brought her into the study group and was like she wanted to join. Omom said she needed a group to study with and she was struggling. Struggling ke. I would be honest. I wasn’t sure if I was cool with it sha cos we were already plenty. But we welcomed her with a smile. We were already 6, 7 is just an extra number. I expected her to disappear after the first meeting, but she kept on coming back.
That was how Omom made the cut. She was so happy; I was happy too. She had such a nice singing voice that I was jealous. Chimax vouched for her and I trusted her judgement. It took some time, but the more I knew Omom, the more I understood what ‘having a big heart’ meant. Omom was a supportive friend. I don’t think I ever want to know what it’s like to not be her friend. She hugs you just to be sure you are okay. She is also one of the reasons why I started to take my faith seriously. Anyway, Mbu, as I now call her was and is also a great cook. (Food is the fastest way to win me over btw).
The next question you may have is, how did the name 218 come into place and where is Tobi Martins?
Well, just like in some relationships, you meet someone, bond with them, share memories, build connections…then move in together. We moved in together to Bolu’s room. The memories from that room were amazing. We talked about different things, our future, marriage, relationships, we prayed. Anyway, how did the name come about?
THE 218
We had moved into Bolu’s room at a time when her roommates were on holiday. As per we medics, never had holidays. Her room number was 218. We eventually had to move out when they returned from their holiday. One day, I was reading in the reading room when I got a message.
Chimax added you to a group- ‘The 218’
TOBI MARTINS
It was such a Eureka moment for me because I was secretly hoping that all our memories in ‘room 218’ would be the start of many more memories. Tobi Martins came in a year later when we moved to room ‘532’. That was when our friendship was first tested and we almost scattered. Initially, when we moved into the room and met Tobi, I was uncomfortable, because the rest of us were already good friends who wanted to be in the same room. However, accommodation that year was by the grace of God, so we didn’t have the luxury of choice. I didn’t know Tobi and was wondering how she would fit in, but to my surprise, she turned out to be very lovely. She did not let the fact that she was not in MBBS/BDS disturb her. She just became a part of us. It was like magic really because she was so different. She was the coolest deeper life church member I had met in my life. Tobi will ask if I have eaten and will make food for the two of us. Tobi would come back and meet the room scattered and clean the room without complaining. I think it was on one of such occasions that I knew we had come full circle. 8 girls in the 218.
https://www.instagram.com/the218__/
