There is a syllable in Nigerian motherhood that carries the weight of a thousand questions: "Ehen?" You tell your mother something simple. "Mummy, I got a new job." She responds, "Ehen?" The tone is not congratulatory. It is investigative. It means: Continue. Explain more. Who is the company? How much are they paying? Is it better than your old job? Who did you know there? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Are they paying your transport? What about your former colleagues? All of this is packed into two syllables and a raised eyebrow. The "Ehen?" is a Nigerian mother's lie detector. If you hesitate, you are hiding something. If you over-explain, you are definitely hiding something. The only correct response is to provide all information unprompted, like a witness under oath. "The company is called XYZ, they pay ₦300,000, I know someone from church, I will still see my old friends, they have staff bus, I start next Monday." Only then does she nod. Only then is the interrogation paused. But it is never truly over. The follow-up "Ehen?" comes weeks later. "Ehen? That your new job, how is it?" You must have updates ready. You must have progress to report. The "Ehen?" is not curiosity; it is accountability. And the variations! "Ehen-hen?" means she has heard something about you from someone else. "Ehen?!" means she is shocked and possibly disappointed. "Ehen, okay" means she is reserving judgment. The tonal range is orchestral. What was the most devastating "Ehen?" you've ever received from your mother? And did you survive the interrogation?
