STING OF POVERTY
EPISODE 10
BY KING SLEY
Just as Mama promised,she flew into Lagos the next day, and I pleaded with Daniel and he picked Mama up from the airport.
When Mama arrived home,I hugged her so tightly and didn’t want to let go of my Mom.
Finally we were done with the hugs. She sat comfortably on the cushion and asked Daniel
“should we serve you food Mama,so that you will refresh after a long trip” Daniel suggested
“That will be later my son, please have a seat first,I think we need to talk” Mrs Ndidiobi said
Daniel sat down.
“My son… Thank you for taking care of my child, Vivian. I don’t need to ask you how have you been, because I know you’ve been going through a lot. And I also know that you must be wondering why didn’t I train her well in knowing Basic things a lady needs to know, firstly,I must say I’m sorry,But this is my story.
Mrs Ndidiobi sighed before she started talking
I was born 3days after my dad died in the NigerianBiafra c.ivil w@r and that is the reason behind my name Ndidi which means patience
I have two elder sisters,Uchechi and Daberechi but I am the youngest daughter and the last born of Mr&Mrs Uchendu Nwadike the gallant soldier who died defending what he believes in.
Fast forward…..
13 years later my sister’s Uchechi and Daberechi decided to ask my mum some serious questions like
“ why are we not staying in our house?…anytime it rains we have to lift the bed because the roof is leaking
I could remember i screamed in the background “ask her oo” I said this out of frustration of growing up and seeing how miserable we were
Uchechi continued to ask my mom,with the sad look on her face,she was obviously tired of everything…
“Why do we have to beg for plantain and oil when we are the rightful owners?”.
My mum looked up and down and silently mumbles ‘’uwamuoo ele onye mga kosara’’( my life who shall I confide in)
“My children few days before Ndidi was born we got the news about my husband’s death (your father) Your uncle;Ejiofor, came to the house and said. Hope you are getting ready to leave as you know my brother don’t have a male child,And that means that i, his younger brother will be in charge of everything he has’’
“…With tears rolling down my cheeks I asked him, please where do you want me to go with the children? Knowing fully well, my community was burnt down by military invasion”
But he looked at me with a smirk on his face and said
“Madam you will stay on one condition, I node in agreement .
You will move out of the main house and stay in the small hurt, I don’t want to see your legs near palm trees or the plantain plantation.
“How do I feed my children? “ I asked him tearfully
“Marry me and I will take care of them”.
I couldn’t bring myself in marrying my husband’s younger brother, because I truly loved my husband and I didn’t for once imagine sharing my body with another man
So I stayed calm and move out of the house to the small hut.
One of the days my two elder sisters couldn’t take the maltreatment and hardship we were going through,out of rage of working like a elephant and feeding like an ant,they stormed into Ejifor’s house and demanded he allow us to enjoy our father’s property
But that was the greatest mistake my sister’s ever did
That very day Uncle Ejiofor looked straight into their eyes and said
“You will joined your father to the grave soon”
To be continued…….
