TAGGED (2)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

"Success and failure can both make you lose appetite and concentration, don't let it bother you or over-excite you. Just think them away as a mere thing that has just happened and get along with your life." - Michael Bassey Johnson

I was in my class learning when Mama came in. Immediately I saw her, I knew that something was wrong. She looked dirty, her hair which was always neatly tied was scattered, and her eyes were swollen and red. She must have been crying, I thought. But Mama never cried. No matter how bad things got, she always had a smile on her face and was ever ready with a word or two to comfort others.
She spoke to my teacher who instructed me to pack up my books and go meet Mama which I did. We rode the bicycle home and on our way, people kept trying to say something to Mama but she replied no one. We got home to meet a crowd of people including my uncles and aunts in the compound. They created a way for Mama and I to walk through. I ran into the hut I shared with Ifeanyi to keep my books and go join the party that was definitely happening. Thoughts of beans cake and fried meat filled my head and I nearly missed seeing what was on Ifeanyi's part of the hut.
It was covered with the traditional Igbo George wrapper material. It was about the same size as Ifeanyi. I thought that he was playing games with me so I opened it. It was Ifeanyi but he was cold. His eyes were closed like he was asleep but I could not wake him up to come and join the party outside. Thinking that he was playing pranks, I went to call Mama to come and get him out. But for me to turn to leave the hut, she was there, standing quietly, watching Ifeanyi. I first noticed the tears in her eyes before the movement of her shoulders. She was crying. I told her that Ifeanyi was not standing up. That was when she began crying out loud. A very sad, painful sound.
I understood immediately. I ran out of the hut to go and tell Papa that Ifeanyi was dead. In Papa's hut, he was wrapped the same way Ifeanyi had been wrapped. I took the wrapper material of his head , felt his face, it was cold too. That was when I began crying. Mama, Daa Chikodi(Papa's only sister), and other women brought Mama into the hut. She was given black clothes to wear. I turned to Papa's body and continued crying. I must have slept off because I saw Papa. He cleaned the tears off my face, took me by the hand, and led me into the bush. He stopped at a tree, and with his knife, began digging the earth close to the root of the tree. After a while, he stopped digging and brought out a bag. He told me to give it to Mama. Then he walked me back to the compound, telling me different things. In the compound, he pointed at Mazi Chimezie(Papa's only brother) and said that Mama should trust only him.
I woke up and Papa was gone. I tried sleeping again but I could not. I was alone with Mama in the hut. Her hair had been shaved, she had on the black clothes, but there were no more tears in her eyes. I told her my dream and her only reaction was to touch my head then her hand came down to my hands. She never let me out of her sight or her side. Through the days of the funeral rites, the funeral, and the days that followed, Mama kept me by her side. No one was nice to us. Daa Chikodi who used to borrow Mama's wrappers was now terrible to Mama, calling her all sorts of bad names.
After a year of mourning, Mama went back to the school for a job but none was given to her. Neither was I accepted into school. Mama went to the farms to assist Mazi Chimezie who had been taking care of them during Mama's mourning period. Mama met Daa Chikodi to negotiate if I could assist Daa Chikodi at the market while she(Mama) was at the farms. Daa Chikodi refused, and that was when she told me that Mama and I went around with bad luck. That was when she made that statement that I never forgot. Nobody sold things to us at the market, neither did they help us in anyway.
Mama, tired of it all, sold the farms to Mazi Chimezie, packed up our things and early in the morning, we left for the bus station. But before we left, I took Mama to the tree in the bush that Papa had taken me to in my dream and pointed at the exact place for her to dig. She did. And like in the dream, the bag was there, heavy, and filled with money. We took it all to the bus station where we took a bus to the city. We stayed with one of Mama's childhood friends who was married before we got our own place.
I was accepted into a school and Mama began a business, selling things at my school's gate.
Fourteen years later, we went back to the village for Mazi Chimezie's funeral. Word got around of our presence. Daa Chikodi came to greet us as we were about driving out. She had recently lost her husband and two of her children in a ghastly car crash. She was alone, in black clothes, head shaved, with no one to talk to or to help her. The tag she had put on us years ago was now on her. But, rather than give her a piece of what she gave us, Mama gave her some money for her to come visit us in the city whenever she wanted to.
What goes around comes around...


- The Lady

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Galatians 6:7-8

TAGGED (1)

Photo Credit:Getty Images

"Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in." - Shannon L. Alder.

"E gbukwala oge gi. I nweghi ike i megheri anyi anya. I bu nwa ogumagala. Anyi ma ihe I nwere ike ime."("Don't bother wasting your time, you will never fool us. You are the daughter of a Chameleon. We expect nothing different from you.") Those words I have never forgotten, nor have I ever forgotten the way they had made me feel. It wasn't just what Daa Chikodi had said, it was the way she had said it. The look in her eyes. It was the same with everyone else. Their faces and attitudes showed the scorn they felt towards Mama and I.
Mama! The only family I had. My provider and protector. She was the only real friend I had while we lived in the village. She had walked me to and from school everyday. And I loved it. We had always been a team for as long as I  can remember, but, gun to my head, I would say it probably began after Papa died. That was when the villagers could no longer hide their animosity against Mama. And as Mama's child, I bore my share of whatever ill-feeling they felt towards Mama.
But it was never always that way. There was a time nobody hated Mama. Not because of her beauty or good manners. But because she never did anything different from what was expected of her. She was the only daughter of Nnamdi, the Hunter, and the beautiful Ebere, the School Teacher. Her younger brother, Uche, had died of Malaria at age Three and Ebele had been unable to birth another child after that. Nnamdi had died from a stray bullet during hunting season and the responsibility of taking care of the entire compound and farms had fallen on Ebere.
For some reason, the villagers never troubled them through that time, they were rather supportive and Ebere and Mama managed to attend to their farms after school and sell the produce at the market to support themselves. Sometimes, Mama's school friends came to help her at the farms, one of them was Obinna, the only son of Mazi Orji and Oriaku Daberechi. He was there for her, helping with the farm work so that she could do both of their school assignments. In no time, they were known to always be together. And as soon as Mama was of age, Obinna's family brought Palm Wine and Yams, did the necessary rites, and Mama and Obinna were married.
That marriage made them one of the richest families in the village as both Papa and Mama had farmlands. The union produced my younger brother, Ifeanyi, and I, and sealed Mama's status as the luckiest and most envied woman in the village. It also made her more enemies than friends. Mama got a job as a teacher at the village school and always walked me to school and made me wait until she was finished with her work so that we would walk back home together, sometimes passing through the market to buy things for dinner and sweets for Ifeanyi and I. Ifeanyi never liked school, so he was always with Papa at the farms. Life was great...until that day.


- The Lady

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?”

Psalms 2:1

PAPER CRANES

Photo Credit: Getty Images

"The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart and all they can do is stare blankly." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Epitome of strength,
Yes! She is strength.
A smile ready to give,
A word or two to give.

Colours of life,
Yes! She is life.
Bringing light to dark,
Building ruins to spark.

Stars at night,
Yes! She's a star.
Beauty unrefined,
Beauty understated.

Eagle in flight.
Yes! She's an Eagle.
Head held high in pride,
Heart crumbled in pain.

Pillars of
Yes! She's a pillar.
Holding up her own,
Holding up for others.

Cranes of paper,
Yes! She's a crane.
Falling apart at the seams,
Falling to pieces it seems.


- The Lady

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

John 1:11

CRUEL KINDNESS

Photo Credit:Getty Images

"There is no decision we can make that doesn't come with some form of balance or sacrifice. - Simon Sinek

To work hard,
Or to play hard.
I know not which way to go,
But I know, in life, not to owe.

To love hard,
Or to hate hard.
I get torn in between the two,
But I get better when I'm loved too.

To cry hard,
Or to laugh hard.
I live in life for moments sweet,
But to live in the moment is bittersweet.

To live hard,
Or to dream hard.
I only have got this life to live,
But, to live I must before I leave.


- The Lady

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”

Psalms 34:19

FROZEN (2)

Photo Credit: Getty Images 

Who was she kidding? She was still working at 5:13pm when he came to make good his promise. She had to pack up quickly and leave with him before her colleagues recognized him or realized that he had come for her. That was a waste as they did notice him carrying her laptop case and leaving the office with her beside him. Great! She will now be the topic of conversations at the office for the next couple of days. Just what she needs! She thought as she rolled her eyes.
His 'thank you' plan was a scrumptious 4 course dinner at Bistro 7 with non-stop conversation about everything except matters relating to his family or himself. She also divulged very little about herself and was grateful when he did not pry. It was refreshing to see that side of him but she didn't let herself get carried away. He came by her office a couple of times to take her to dinner at restaurants or his house. She slept over at his house sometimes but she never saw him as more than what he was, a playboy, and she never saw herself as more than a friend to him. They were simply adults doing what adults do.
So when she got pregnant, she expected nothing from him. She told him about the pregnancy during one of their dinner dates and let him know that she was going to keep it and that she would understand if he wanted nothing to do with her and the child. He was furious but, like the gentleman he was, he kept his cool until they had left the restaurant. Once in the car, he let it out. "How far along is it?", he asked. "2 months.", she whispered. "And you want to keep it?", he continued. "No. I don't want to keep it.", she replied, "I have to keep it. It's a child. My first. I can not harm it. I won't be able to forgive myself if I do that. I don't expect you to be happy about this, but whether or not you support my decision, I will make peace with that and expect nothing from you."
"What do you mean expect nothing from me? Is this not a ploy to get me to marry you?", he shouted. She had expected this, but still, it hurt hearing it. "Contrary to whatever you think Foster, I have no intention of marrying you even if you ask me to. You are not the kind of person I would agree to marry. You are great as a friend and even better as a friend-with-benefits. But as a husband, no. I don't see that in you. You are not capable of loving anyone other than yourself. And for that reason, I would never agree to marry you.", she said as she left the car.
He didn't come after her. That was fine with her. She did not anything else to say to him. She got a taxi and went home. That was enough drama for a night. She took up more work, including freelance gigs to save up money. And as the months went by, she poured herself into her work allowing herself no time to think of the future or Foster. They bumped into each other at social events but acted very civil to each other. She never let herself be alone with him at any of those events. But that did not stop the media from speculating on who the father of her child was as her bump was getting more visible by the day.
She had told neither friends nor colleagues who the baby's father was. In the media business, that sort of thing made the hot topics, and knowing who the baby's father was, she knew that the attention of the media world will be mighty on her and her pregnancy. She could already see the headlines, 'Media personality, Becca Adeleye, pregnant for Lagos playboy, Foster Jideofor.', or 'Becca Adeleye, Foster Jideofor's baby mama.'. Definitely not telling a soul, except her family who knew and have been supportive of her decision.
By the time she was 9 months pregnant, she took a leave from work to rest and have her child in peace. Thankfully, she gave birth to the sweetest boy after just 45 minutes in labor. Out of respect, she sent Foster a message letting him know, along with a picture of the child. Back at home, gifts and well wishes from people everywhere, especially on all social networks flooded in the minute she put it up on Instagram. But no reply from the child's father. No hard feelings there. Her mother moved in to help with the child, while her friends came around to support her. 2 months after child birth, she got back to work and worked out an arrangement that allowed her take time off to breastfeed her child.

She did not let motherhood slow her down. She took up as many projects as she could, and one of them was the All Stars' Valentine's Concert where she was signed on as one of the hosts for the concert which was to stream live. Her Co-host, an A-list actor was present all through, a perfect gentleman who made the job easy for her, but went MIA when they had to go on stage to bring the event to an end. She had to go on stage alone. She would make him pay later, she thought. As soon as she began talking, she heard his voice beside her, Foster's voice. What is he doing?, she thought as she spared him a side glance and continued with her speech. At the end of her speech, he held her hand and began talking. "This goes out to all the hardworking women out there who do not settle for less nor let anything, even caring for a child, stop them from doing their jobs. Like this woman right here who, regardless of having my child, showed up to do her job! This is from us to you all. Happy Valentine's Day Nigeria!", he said as he kissed her.

The hall went crazy. It became too loud, but she heard him whisper 'Please marry me' into her ears before he went down on his knees. She never expected that. She could not even say a word. She barely managed to nod before he stood up, kissed her again, before walking her backstage. It was the first step anyway, but it was in the right direction, she hoped.


- The Lady

“Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:”

Isaiah 5:1

FROZEN (1)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

And in that moment, she knew that she was in love. Terribly, hopelessly, amazingly in love! There is no way this isn't love! After everything, he had looked at her, only her, and kissed her on national television. Haaa..! She needs no other proof. She loved him and he loved her back. She stood, dazed, looking at his face, but he was looking right in her eyes, like he could see right into her soul. She had never known that he was capable of this...emotion. With his tough boy facade and player attitude. But she was in love with everything about him.

Formidable businessman, womanizer, playboy, eternal bachelor, some of the names the media uses when talking about him. And all were true. As the only son of parents who are influential media moguls, he was well known. And as the heir to a family-owned media group and a renowned party animal, he gets invited to different events which he attends with any of the female population of Lagos upper society class that flocked around him. He was the choicest bachelor.

He is not handsome, he is beyond handsome. Almost to the point of being unreal. 6'4, ebony skin, shaved head, and beards that always managed to look bushy and groomed at the same time.But none of that attracted her to him. It was his voice that had attracted her to him. His voice was gentle and he spoke slowly, like a mother trying to woo her child to sleep. And when he had said that she was stunning in the white dress she had worn on the day they had met, she had believed him without a doubt. For a man that tall, he sounded younger than he was, but his words spoke of wisdom beyond his age. 

They had met at a fundraiser at the Muson Centre for an organization that helped rape survivors, but she had had to leave early as she had another event to attend at the Wheatbaker Hotel that evening. The life of a media reporter! The second event, a movie premiere, had been successful and she was so ready to go to bed. At the car park, she was about getting in her car when she saw him, Foster, pacing while he spoke into the phone. "He is handsome", she thought. He sure was handsome, that's why everyone was crazy about him. And she definitely must not join them. She has no time for jokers. Especially a handsome joker! She buried that thought before it could do any damage. 

He looked in her direction as he ended his call. That was her cue. Fast. Into her car she jumped and started it immediately. He must have recognized her as he tried stopping her as her car drew close to him. She slowed down and wound down. "Hey", he said. "Hey", she replied. "We met earlier this evening", he said, "at the Muson Centre". "Oh! Yes", she replied, acting like she had forgotten who he was. "That was you!", she continued, "What happened to your car?" "I have no idea", he replied, "the service center is closed for the day, and there's no one to get me another car from home."

"Why don't I drop you?", she offered, "You could request that the service center send someone to come pick it up tomorrow, and when it has been worked on, they can contact you to go pick it up." She had finished blurting that out before she could restrain her tongue. Drat! God please let him decline. "Really? That is so kind of you. I think that's a great idea", he said as he got into the car, "I did not think of that. Thank you very much." She could only nod her head in reply. Stupid girl, she scolded herself. He gave her directions to his house while making calls on his phone. She drove in outward silence while inwardly giving herself a good talking to. She barely noticed when he pointed out his house for her to stop at. 

Instead of leaving the car, he turned to her, thanked her, and offered to fuel her car in appreciation. "That's not necessary", she mouthed, "I think you would have done the same if our places were switched." "Good night Foster, she said as she drove off, "it was nice driving you." She turned the corner into another street before she thought of what she had said. What?! It was nice driving you?! Oh God! Just kill me already. What kind of silly sentence was that? He must think that she goes around driving people to their houses or the likes. God no! That is more embarrassing than when she had a wardrobe malfunction at a red carpet event. She is just stupid. At least she won't be seeing him again, she thought as she drove home. 

The next day was a long day at work, and by lunchtime, she was ready for the day to be over. Her phone rang. She picked the call without looking at the phone. "Hello, is this Becca?", came the caller. "Yes, this is Becca. Who am I speaking with?", she replied. "This is Foster Jideofor. We met yesterday at the...". Oh no! How did he get her phone number? She did not exchange numbers with him. She does not have friends that were in the same circle with him. "...just to say 'thank you' for yesterday", he was saying, "nothing big." Okay, she said. "Great. I will come pick you up from work at 5pm okay? See you later Becca." The line went dead. She was confused. What just happened? What did she just agree to? Urgh!! Whatever it was, she definitely will not be getting within 10 feet of that man! She thought as she dropped the phone to continue with her work.

- The Lady

“But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”

Psalms 5:11

BOXED IN(2)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

No. She was different. She was unhappy everyday and never bothered about going to work or cleaning the house. Good thing that they had house-helps. She turned down invites to social activities and drowned her sorrows in alcohol. Her honeymoon was at the beautiful Zanzibar but she could care less about it all. One night, during her honeymoon, too drunk to be reasonable, she had puked on herself at the Resort's Bar and had to be carried up to the room. My father, who had also been drinking, had cleaned her up and something must have happened because my mother found out that she was pregnant three weeks after the honeymoon. She endured the loveless marriage because of me. The information in the journals were a lot to take in, but I understood it all. I connected with all of my mother's feelings as she had written of them in her journals, as I am going through the same.

I got back to Nigeria four years ago after completing my Masters program in the UK. I was immediately given two jobs. One as a Non-Executive member of the Board of Directors at Grandfather's company, and the second as a Brand Manager at my father's company. During a business dinner hosted by my father's company eight months ago, I was introduced by my father to the family of one his business partners, Chief Godfrey Ezebuilo, and was made to sit beside Chief Ezebuilo's second son, Ron Ezebuilo. Father had explained to me before the dinner that the Ezebuilo's family company, NextTech Limited, was not doing well and that he wanted to buy it, but Chief Ezebuilo had refused to sell it as he would rather gift it to his son, Ron, than sell it out of his family. My father expected me to marry Ron so that, being tied by marriage, Chief Ezebuilo could sell the company to him. I am supposed to get married to Ron so that my father can acquire a new toy. 

My Engagement/Introduction Ceremony has been fixed for next week and all I know about my Fiancé is that he is a Software Engineer who loves fast cars and expensive toys, likes to party and travel, and eats only freshly prepared food. We have only seen each other thrice in the eight months since the dinner where we were introduced to each other. Two of those times were 'dates' at clubhouses that were too noisy for any kind of conversation, and the third was at his mother's birthday party at their home. Just like my mother, I never declined doing anything I was told to do. But this...I can not do. I can not willingly sentence myself to a life of torture. I know that Ron has a love interest in another person, I want to have that too. I want to love and be loved in return. I don't want to live like my mother. I refuse to live that way. 

I understand what mother went through. And although she did not fight hard enough to get out of the situation, I will not be docile. I will fight with everything I have and everything I am to live a free and happy life. 

I am Olanna Pearl Ani, a twenty-first century woman who knows her strengths and weaknesses,  her rights and the extent of her freedom, and is ready to fight to live on her own terms and not any other person's! I know what I want from life and I will have it. I am different. My life is different.


- The Lady 

“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31:25‬

BOXED IN (1)

Photo Credit:Getty Images

Life is different for me. Not 'good' different nor 'bad' different. Just...'complicated' different. I have never failed a test, been rude to strangers, nor had any kind of confrontation. I have never been in a relationship for longer that four months, the longest being my relationship with Donald, the Pug my mother bought for me on my twenty-first birthday as she said that I needed to learn to be responsible for another living thing other than myself before I got married and started reproducing. That relationship lasted for three months and two weeks as my father got tired of having to take Donald to the Veterinary Hospital himself and had the poor thing sold. I have never had a real birthday party either, as the ones I used to have as a child were more of my mother's parties as I hardly had friends, so there were hardly children at my parties. My birthday parties were usually an opportunity for mother to have her friends over at our house.
I hardly knew my father. I know what he looked like, that he was my father, and that he lived with us at our home. But that was all. He had a very important job which always took him away from home for long periods of time. Whenever he got back though, he came bearing gifts for mother and I. He also brought things for the helps. But he never spent any time with me. I had my gifts from him to play with, and he had one important thing or the other to do. I thought this was normal and that the father-child relationships I saw in movies like Parents' Trap were abnormal. That was until I got into High School and saw the way other kids my age related with their parents. I thought the problem was with me and courageously asked my father what was wrong with me but he gave no explanation that I understood. I asked my mother and she broke into tears. I decided to keep my questions to myself. That was until I found mother's journals.

You see, mother was the last child of her parents. She lived a sheltered life and did only what she was told to do. She went to the schools her parents chose for her and studied the courses she was told to. At twenty-seven, she was working at her father's company and was engaged to marry the son to her father's friend. A month to the wedding, she caught her fiancé in bed with some other woman. She broke off the engagement, explained everything to her parents, and traveled to Barbados to get away from it all. A week later, her mother flew to Barbados to 'see her'. Her mother's real intention was to give her a message from her father which was for her to "go home and get married to your fiancé or lose my last name and support". She stubbornly dared to stay back in Barbados for one week which she used in getting a job as a Janitor. Three days into the job, she quit and traveled back to Nigeria. She could not cope doing those kinds of work. Two weeks later, she was married to her fiancé, Mr. Jakes Ikenna Ani, my father.

But she was not the same woman that had left Nigeria a month earlier.

- The Lady

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”

Song of Solomon 2:1

SWIFT (2)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

He can't remember how, when, or why they started fighting. But they sure did. A lot! They hardly saw each other outside of school anymore as she had made friends and was always hanging out with them or going to parties. He wanted to spend more time with her, but she wanted to go out more. He decided to go out with her to the parties. And though she told him not to, he went with her anyway. He had to prove to her that he was not the 'mama's boy' she had called him during one of their fights. He did not know what to expect, but he was ready to do anything to keep her to himself.

He had never been to grown-up's parties so he never expected what he saw. There were no cakes and soft drinks, no parental presence or chaperones. The locations of the parties were premium, the drinks were alcoholic, the boys were young and rich, and the girls were pretty and scantily dressed. They went to all the parties she wanted. The parties were wild. The next one wilder than the last. He grew to like them. He adjusted to the kind of people Ameerah hung out with and the friends she made. She introduced him to the rich boys too. He adjusted to the taste of alcohol, then cigarettes, then marijuana, then harder drugs. He also had to change his car and wardrobe to adjust to the standards of the clique he now rolled with. He and Ameerah became closer through it all. Their bond was stronger. But his allowance was hardly enough to take care their expenses.

He began telling lies to his parents to get money. When that was not enough, he began stealing from them. But the money was never enough. There were more parties to attend, new outfits needed for those parties, and they had to get their own alcoholic beverages which must not be the cheap stuff. He had to speak to Joey, one of the boys in his clique, whose money never seemed to run out, on how he got money. After much pleading by both Tega and Ameerah, Joey introduced Tega to the 'Realz', a group of rich boys who traveled to other countries for business when actually, they were trafficking drugs.
Tega joined them, and by his third year in school, Tega had made about Twenty Million Naira from drug trafficking. He was a 'big boy' in school. He threw the coolest and wildest parties in Lagos and drove the latest cars. He only wore designer outfits and ate at the choicest restaurants. He got an apartment on the Island from which he went to school when he felt like. He continued his relationship with Ameerah but began seeing other rich girls on the side.

Even in his final year in the University, he kept working with the Realz. His mother, who had noticed his wayward ways, had tried all she could to make him better. All to no avail. His father, a famous politician, even threatened to disown him if he did not change, but he told his father to do what pleased him. Ameerah, though she loved the money and expensive gifts, hated his constant traveling and spoke to him to stop traveling as he had made enough for them to live on and do business with if they wanted. He did not listen to her either. He was caught up in the fast life and he loved it. 
On one of his 'business trips', officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) caught him at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja on his way to a foreign country with 60 kilograms of Cocaine. He was arrested and he subsequently stood trial for drug trafficking and other related offenses. He was found guilty and was sentenced to sixteen years in prison. His father never went to Court before his sentencing and never visited him in prison. His mother visited him twice. Ameerah, upon graduation from the University, got a job and got married. Five years into his term, he was found dead in his cell.  He had slit his wrists and bled to death.


- The Lady 

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

Ephesians 2:4-5

SWIFT (1)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

He was finally leaving home! No one was happier than him. He was so excited, he could hardly wait. As the only child of his parents, Tega has always lived a sheltered life. Private schools, home tutors, and family vacations were the way he spent his life. His mother never lets him leave her side, even in church. The only time he was out of the house alone was the day of his UTME examinations, and that was because the examination officials did not allow his mother go into the school premises with him.  That was where he had met her. . 

She was his seat mate and the most beautiful girl he had seen. But he was too shy to talk to her. She had spoken to him first and though he was there for an examination, those were the most enjoyable four hours of his life to that point. They had exchanged phone numbers and he had spoken with her everyday but that was not enough. He had wanted to meet her again. But he was hardly let to go out so that was impossible. She had told him to be a man, grow up, and go out, even if it meant taking a taxi to Gwagwalada, where she lives. But he hardly knew his way around Maitama, which was where he lives, except from the supermarket down the road to his house. During one of their phone conversations, he decided that he would do all he could to see her. 

He did everything, even changed his university of choice to the one she chose just to keep being with her. And now all that had worked. His parents were disappointed that he wouldn't be schooling in Abuja, but his admission into a University in Lagos State was, to them, not so bad. "At least, Lagos has an Airport", his mother had said. She promised to visit him often so that he won't 'feel like he was away from home'. She never knew how bad he wanted to run away. 

True to her words, his mother came visiting him in Lagos. She rented and furnished an apartment for him as she did not 'want the bad boys in school to corrupt or distract' him. He was fine with that. As long as she did not stay over or find out about Ameerah. His Ameerah. He was finally free to see her whenever he wanted. Although they were not in the same department, she was studying Accounting while he was studying Petrochemical Engineering, they went everywhere in school together. And after a few months, they became known as a 'couple'. He visited her at her department and she visited him at home. She spent some nights at his place sometimes. 

And on the night that he had made her his own, he fell deeper in love with her. They had been each other's firsts but that didn't bother him. He did everything she wanted and she didn't want much...at first. Just to walk her to her hostel, or get her dinner on nights when she was too tired to go have dinner with him. They continued dating. And as time went by, she kept wanting more. To go shopping or partying with friends. The things she wanted kept getting serious and crazier to him. He began hearing stories about her, but he never took them serious. She was his light, she could do no wrong. They grew together, but he knew that she was growing faster than him. Her life changed , and he wanted to change with her. His first and only love.

- The Lady 

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

1 Peter 5:8-9

FLAMES AND DUSTS (2)

Photo Credit:Getty Images

Ohh!.. What's that noise. The sound was annoying. Like an alarm clock. She doesn't use alarm clocks. "Ohh...turn it off, she murmured, turn that sound off." She tried to sit up, reaching for the clock. She felt a hand touch her. She jerked and opened her eyes at the same time. She immediately had a dizzy spell and felt a sharp pain in the head. "Oh!", she whimpered and fell back on the bed. That hurt. "Stay still love, stay still", came Emeka's voice. "What happened? Where am I? What's that noise? I don't feel good.", Tonye asked. "Shhh...relax. You are in a hospital. You picked your keys from the table and then you fainted. You hit your head on the floor, hard. I was so terrified, I had to bring you to the hospital.", Emeka replied. He helped her sit up, drink some water, then held her hands. They had held hands for a while when a knock came on the door. The minute he walked in, she stiffened. Emeka noticed it as her grip of his hand became stronger. "Drop the things on that table and leave us Jim. Thank you.", Emeka said to the man who walked in. Tonye was shaking as the man, Jim, got closer to the table beside her. By the time he was at the table, she had goosebumps all over her body, her eyes were shut, and tears were streaming down her face. "Jim, please leave us.", Emeka demanded.

The silence after Jim had left was so loud, Tonye could hear the wheels in Emeka's head spinning. She can't do this anymore. It has got to stop. "What's happening Tonye?", Emeka inquired. She opened her eyes. "Are you I'll? Is there something you want to tell me? I know you don't know Jim as lived in Edo State and has only got back from the USA.",  Emeka asked. Where will she start from? "It was my first year in school, back in Benin", Tonye began, "and I had gone out with a group of friends to have a few drinks. We were joined by some guys who met us at the bar. We all had a couple bottles of drinks. We must have had too much to drink as a fight broke out and we were all moved out of the bar. Unbothered about that, we went to a different club. Two of my friends had hooked up with two of the guys so we practically partied together that night. At about 2am, I had begun feeling tipsy so I stopped drinking. Sometime later, we left. One of the guys had a house close to the club we were at. So we went to the house to sleep. At the house, I asked one of the guys to help me with water. I took the water he brought to me, and went into the room I was meant to sleep in. I remember feeling weak suddenly and I fell. I knew what was happening around me, but I could not move. I saw when the guy that had given me water came into the room, picked me from the floor, put me on the bed, went back to lock the door, and came back into the room. I tried to talk but no words came out. He took my clothes off, then his, and then he...".

"He did what?!", asked Emeka, who was already on his feet. "You know what he did.", Tonye replied. "No, I don't!", Emeka shouted. "I was not there. I can't jump to conclusions. I can only know what you tell me!". "Fine!", Tonye screamed, "He raped me! You are happy now?! He raped me! And  I begged him, and cried, but he did not stop. And when he was done, he did it again. And again. And all I did was scream and cry in my head. I could not move or make a sound! When he was done, he flung my clothes on me, wore his own, and left the room. That was the last time I saw him, but I never forgot his face. Or the face of the doctor who told me four months later that I had miscarried the child of that scum of the Earth!  I had to drop out of school,  travel, and when I thought that I could, apply to go to a different university. That devil ruined my life! When I was beginning to live again, he came back to remind me. That Jim! That rapist!! And he's your brother?!" "No, he's my late friend's brother. He came yesterday to tell me that his brother had died.", Emeka replied. He was fuming. How can this be? She was raped? And impregnated? And she never told him? What if Jim had not come around? "This is all too much for me, Emeka said, I can't deal with all these. I will take care of the hospital bills. Do take care of yourself.". With that, he left.

She has known pain,of the rape, the shame and embarrassment that had followed, the fear, and  self-torture that had followed, but what she felt then was nothing compared to what she felt now. It was nothing short of death. She knew that this would happen if she told him. She knew that he would leave her and want nothing to do with her. Nobody wants to deal with anything damaged. She expected it to ruin the relationship. But the reality was horrible. She has lost everything all over again. She was there crying when the doctor came in and the process for her to be discharged was handled. She went home and slowly got back to her normal routine...without Emeka. She dedicated herself to her work and church activities. In time, she got the courage to begin therapy with an organisation the doctor had advised her to contact. 

Three months into therapy, the head Psychologist at the organisation asked to see her. He commended her progress and recovery. He asked her if she could volunteer to tell her story, and if she had forgiven everyone who was part of her story. She said 'yes' to both questions. She was a grown woman now, in charge of her life and her feelings. She had fought and won. She IS a survivor.

EPILOGUE:

Six months later, at a fundraiser for the organisation, Tonye, who had become an active part of the organisation, gave a provocative speech about rape and its resultant effects on the victims and the society. The speech moved a lot of dignitaries to donate funds and materials in support of the fight against rape and the rehabilitation of rape victims. While at her seat after giving the speech, a man came from behind her, held her shoulders, and whispered into her ears, "I'm proud of you.". She didn't have to turn to know who it was. Emeka Nnaji. He took her by the hand and walked out to the balcony. "I'm sorry I was not there for you," he began, "I had to take care of my friend's funeral and go out of the country for business. I'm glad you took the doctor's advice. I'm sorry I told him what you were going through and asked him to help you. I just needed time to deal with all that information and I wanted you to be strong for you, for us. I hope you understand Tonye. I love you, and want you to be as strong as I want to be for you. So will you now give me an answer to my question?". She was crying but managed to ask, "What question?". "Will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?", he asked. "Yes.", she whispered.

- The Lady 

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Galatians 5:1

FLAMES AND DUSTS (1)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

"Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that will ever happen to us. - Nicole Reed

She never fits in. Never has. She always felt left out, like she was different. Like she was odd and dirty. She doesn't need to be told. She knew. Something is wrong with her. Or else, all these things would not be happening to her. But she has tried to fit in, she had gone to school, got her degrees, got a great job she would have loved if she had had that ability. She has always been the good child, respectful to everyone, hardworking at home and work, even sweet to children wherever she saw them. Those poor little things. Hmmm, they don't know the evil world that they have been born into. Some people that she had spoken with, on those rare occasions where she had tried to act like others and socialise, had given different reasons why life was good, but she knows otherwise. She had lived it. Still lives it. 

"Tonye!", she heard. She jerked at the sound of her name and saw the source of the sound. He was tall and looked familiar, but she couldn't  remember where she had seen him. Oh no! He was walking towards her. But it didn't seem like he was actually moving, he was getting closer, with strides that looked effortless. He is handsome, she thought. But he is a man and that's not a good thing, she reminded herself. "Hello Tonye", he said from beside her. She faced him and met smooth ebony skin, chestnut brown eyes, eyes that were smiling at her, and the whitest teeth she had seen. His right hand was held out for a handshake. She took it. Hmm, the handshake was formal and firm but he had soft hands. He's definitely rich and pampered, she thought. A whiff of his cologne and a quick assessment of his clothes, all done in 2 seconds, and she concluded. He was definitely a playboy. A rich and pampered playboy. Ha! The devil is back in human form, she thought. His plans will not work. 

His lips were moving but she heard nothing as the voices in her head were louder. He was probably lying. That's their way, all these 'yeye' men that the devil has filled the world with. "...but when I got there, they said you had moved", she heard him say. "Umm, got where?", she inquired. He chuckled. "Were you even listening to me all these time?", he asked. "I was saying that I had a crush on you back at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, but you never had my time. And when I had got the courage to talk to you", he continued, "that is after I had stalked you, I found out that you had moved from the house you were staying at. I am Emeka Nnaji by the way. I apologise for my manners." Oh! Bad. Emeka! Definitely an Igbo playboy. She had to run...fast! "Oh, Mr. Nnaji. It's so nice to meet you", she said as she picked up her precious Givenchy Antigona bag and laptop purse, "but I was waiting here for the traffic to ease up so that I could leave. I have somewhere important to...". "Oh no!", he said, cutting her escape speech short, "you are going to have an important dinner with me. I have prayed for the past ten years to see you again and you want to just go like that. Not fair. I have had a bad day and was on my way to the church when I saw your face. Please, come in to church with me and we can go catch dinner later. Please say yes." 

She was confused. What's going on? Before she could reply her own question or his, he had taken her by the hand, collected her bag and laptop, and was walking her to the church. The service was awesome as always. She was a Christian too, and loved church, but she has never let herself feel all that people said that they felt. She has let go of trying to feel all that. But she couldn't let go of the image of the 6'2 Emeka crying during worship. He didn't even look at her once. It was as though he was alone there. How can a person be this true in Christianity and be a playboy at the same time. This is all so confusing. Why is life hard? She needs to get over this meeting, get home, and end the day. 

But Emeka had other plans. They did have that dinner, great food at the Signature, great conversation too. He was intelligent, funny and a great listener. It was very easy to talk to him. Dinner was not the end of the night though. They had exchanged numbers, so they talked through the night, and at different times the next day. A couple of lunch and dinner dates later, Emeka asked her to be his girlfriend. Truth is, she had started liking him, but she was too broken to be in a relationship with him. He was sweet, and caring, and everything she never knew she needed. But she had a past. And experience has taught her that once her past comes to light, even the sweetest man can not handle it. It changes him and changes the relationship. 

She could not do that to Emeka. She had to tell him before they began anything. But how? She knew not. She had become accustomed to his voice, the fragrance of his cologne, the surprises and impromptu visits and dates. She could not lose that now. Just one week then she would tell him, she decided. She knew that she was being selfish but this was the first time she was having fun, being free to be herself in her life. With someone who liked her for her. Heck! They celebrated three months of meeting 3 days ago and he was yet to kiss her goodnight. She needs this, if only for one week. She had to do this for the memories. 

On one of their dinner dates, he was emotional over the death of one of his friends and while comforting him, she nearly spilled. One week had turned into three weeks and she was yet to tell him her secret or give him a reply to his relationship proposal. One more week she decided. She had left her car at his house on the day his friend had died as she thought he was not in a good shape to drive himself so they had gone on their dinner date in his car. After the dinner, she had called a taxi to take him home while she drove his car home. She had come back to drop his car and pick hers up. She rang the doorbell. Emeka answered the door. His eyes were red and puffy. He must have been crying. Poor baby! She gave him a hug, snatched her keys off the table and was turning to leave when she saw the face. She froze.She has never forgotten that face. Oh God! She blacked out.

- The Lady 

“Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.”

Psalms 3:7

   

DANCE IN THE RAIN (2)

Photo Credit: Getty Images  

He was uncontrollable. He wept shamelessly as he went with the doctor to her office. At her office, she gave him a box of tissues and waited for him to stop crying. When he was quieter, she told him that Adaora was alive. The tears continued. This time, for joy. "But we don't know for how long", the doctor continued, "because the tumour has metastasised. It is really aggressive and incontinent. We are currently running a series of tests on her to determine the extent of the spread. We will do all we can to help her but I can't give you any false hopes. You and the kids can come visit her at the ICU but won't be able to speak with her as she will be resting. Please be strong for her and your family."

Strong? How? Where will the strength come from. His whole life was crumbling before him, his Sunshine was dying and he's expected to be strong? How has being strong helped him? His strength can't make her better. His strength can't ease her. What will he do? She can't leave him alone! She was the calm to his storm. She came into his life and blessed him with every beautiful thing, especially the twins. The twins!! He had to take care of them now, alone. The thoughts kept coming as the tears kept flowing. He took his phone out of his pocket and called Ola, his wife's sister. The kids were fine, they were just leaving Coldstone Creamery. He told her what had happened and instructed her to bring them to the hospital. He left the doctor's office and went to the restroom. One look in the mirror and the tears came pouring. Why? Why is this happening to me? To us? God why? He did not hear one of the toilets flush, nor did he hear the words the other man had said. He barely felt the touch of the man's hand on his shoulder. He tried his best to freshen up and look happy to see the kids. He had to be strong for them. 

In ten days, Adaora was lost to cervical cancer, a very aggressive one that had cost the family three pregnancies before it was diagnosed as the cause of the miscarriages. A diagnosis that came late as Mr. & Mrs. Jefferson Ajayi never knew nor suspected the cause of the miscarriages to be cervical cancer. Adaora had been diagnosed first of fibroid after the first two miscarriages and steps had been taken to treat it including surgery. But after the third miscarriage which happened during the family's trip to the UK, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer after series of tests had been run. She chose not to take the option of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as she wanted to take care of the kids. No one suspected that the cancer was the aggressive sort. In one year, she had shrunk drastically and serious steps were taken. Treatments involving both chemotherapy and radiotherapy were begun. Another surgery, hysterectomy, was already being prepared for. But it was a little too late already. The cancer had spread to other organs and become too dangerous for any surgical procedures to save her.

After Adaora's death, the Jefferson Ajayi family set up a Non-Governmental Organisation(NGO), Chaired by Mr. Jefferson Ajayi, to sensitize people about Cancer generally, and Cervical Cancer specifically. And to help them cope with the loss of Mrs. Adaora Jefferson Ajayi. 

Early detection is key in the fight against cancer. Please, read books, Google, and learn more about Cervical Cancer and other types of Cancer. You just might be saving yourself or someone. 

Good life begins with good health.

Stay healthy.

- The Lady 

    “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

DANCE IN THE RAIN (1)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The first thing he noticed was the silence. It was too quiet. Something was amiss but he could not say what it was. He put the car in reverse and parked properly in the exact spot he has always parked for the past five years since they had bought this house for them. He and his soulmate, Adaora. Even after twelve years of marriage, he couldn't believe that she had agreed to marry him. With all his flaws. He said a quick prayer and got out of the car, locked it, and walked to the house. But that feeling persisted. That feeling of something being wrong.

"Musa!", he called the gateman. "Yes Oga!", came Musa's reply as he ran towards his boss. "Why is the house quiet? Where did everyone go to?", he inquired. "Oga I no know o. Na madam sister I see when e carry the pikin them comot for madam motor for afternoon sir." Musa replied. That explains it. He looked at his wristwatch, a Presidential Rolex his wife had given him for his 39th birthday. It said the time was 3:14pm. The kids would have been making noises if they were at home. He smiled as he went into the house. Those rug rats! They were his miracles. 

"Sunshine...", he called. That's what he calls her. She came into his life and there was a difference. Good difference. Getting no reply, he went up to their room. "Sunshine, how ar...", he stopped mid-sentence. Lying on the floor, eyes squeezed shut, tear-stained face, rolled up on the floor in nothing but her bathrobe, was his Sunshine. "Jesus! Jesus!!..", he was screaming. No! This can't be happening. He picked her up and, carrying her down the stairs, he screamed for Musa to open the gate. This can't be happening! Not yet. The doctors said that there was time and hope. With Musa's help, they put her in the backseat of the Benz while he went round to the driver's seat. He peeled off the compound like wolves from Hell were after him. He placed a call to the doctors simultaneously as he manoeuvred his way through traffic. 

He made it to the hospital in record time. Two nurses were waiting with a gurney. He had barely parked the car before he got out. They had the back door of the car open and were already bringing his wife out. He joined them as they ran into the hospital as fast as they could. Straight to the Examination Room where the doctors were waiting. One of the nurses stopped him at the door to the Examination Room. He has been through this so many times through the past ten years when the first results had come out after diagnosis. And through that time, Adaora had slowly shrunk before him.

He was tired. Taking care of the twins had fallen on him and he has done his best to protect and provide for them all. Recently, the visits have become more frequent and he was scared. They had tried every treatment possible, yet no cure. He was really tired, but he could not stop fighting to save her; his wife, his friend, the mother of his kids, his soulmate. About ten minutes later, Dr. Ighodaro, who always has a smile on her face, came out of the examination room without any smiles. This is bad, he thought. "How bad is it?", he asked. "Please come with me to my office Mr. Jeff", she replied. 

- The Lady 

    “Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:”

Job 4:15

ESCAPE (3)

"Which part inside mainland?", he asked in pidgin English. She knew nowhere on the mainland having had no reason to be on this side of the city except to & fro the Airport. "Anywhere far from here.",  she replied. "Take me to any good hotel anywhere safe. I need to be far from here. I need a pharmacy, food, & new clothes.", she added. He looked at her through the mirror. "Okay Ma.", he responded. She fell asleep after that and slept through the ride. She woke with a start when he tapped her to wake her up. He was parked in front of a pharmacy. "Wetin you want buy make I go buy am? Because if them see you like this, na Police them go call.", he said. She adjusted her shirt that had slipped, exposing her scars. "Na man do you this thing? Na him make you dey run? E no go beta for am! No worry, I go carry you anywhere you want. Him no go fit find you. I go go buy everything wey you want for you. Na God go punish that man! Him be animal! Him no get...", he was saying emotionally when she cut him off. She was too tired. She needed to sleep. "Thank you Sir.", she said. "Please buy Vaseline, any good bathing soap, and Panadol tablets. Thank you.", she added.
He took the money she gave him and went into the pharmacy. Barely four minutes later, he was back with everything including a pack of bottled water. He took her to a store where she bought clothes and underwears, and then to the hotel. He came to the hotel daily to go buy food and other things she needed. By the third week, the scars were barely visible. She was getting stronger both physically, mentally, and  emotionally. Mr. Dele, the taxi driver, had helped her withdraw money from her accounts daily since the day after he had dropped her at the hotel using her ATM cards to the daily maximum on each. Her plans were materializing. She still woke up with nightmares sometimes. But it is okay. It was all a test she believed. A test not to show her weaknesses, but for her to discover her strengths. And though the future looks bleak, she can't wait to see what is in store for her.
She has called her family, informed them of all that had happened in the past, letting them know that she was safe and comfortable where she was. She needs to get through this without them present and breathing down her neck. This is her fight, and she will fight it herself.

This is not the end...


- The Lady



      “Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and
                        might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.”
                                                                     1 Chronicles‬ ‭29:12‬ ‭

ESCAPE (2)

"He recognized me!", she thought. She kept jogging. "I will rather die than go back!" She resolved. She kept her head low to hide the scars on her face and neck and kept jogging. "Jogging in the rain is quite relaxing. But don't catch the cold Ma'am", advised the security man as he opened the pedestrian gate. She jogged past him and out of the gate. "Free!! Free at last!!!", she thought! He did not notice the flip-flops on her feet. She started running. Faster. "I know you are working God, please don't fail me.", she prayed. She got onto the walkway, with the shrubs as cover, she wrung the wet shirt to take off the excess rain water. Putting the shirt back on, she resumed running again. 
Too happy to celebrate, too tired to feel joy. She felt the rear pocket of the jeans. Yes, the ATM cards are there. As always. The images came flooding. She had done his laundry, and as usual, he complained. "You didn't iron them properly, especially the shirts, you good-for-nothing imbecile!", he said as he slapped her. She did not feel the sting of the slap as much as she felt the sharp pain in her neck as her head turned almost more than 180 degrees. Tears shot to her eyes so fast it felt like a tsunami had hit. She didn't dare make a sound or, as experience had thought her, he will hit her harder. She quickly took the shirts to laundry room to re-iron them. On getting back to the room, he snatched the shirts off her hands, grabbed her by the collar of the dress she had on, and started throwing punches at her face. "You've succeeded in making me late for work again you witch!", he spat at her. She dared not reply. He kept at it, hitting her for what felt like hours but was merely four minutes. After he had stopped, she could not stand. She only felt him step on her stomach to the bathroom. This he repeated when he got out. 
She thought she had fainted, because when she came to, he was not there. He had locked her in his room and gone to work. Her first time lying in that room in over a year. She crawled into the bathroom, struggling to stand up, she drank water straight from the table at the washbasin, cleaned it up so he wouldn't notice, and crawled back to the room.
She must have slept off there, dreaming of freedom. She can't contact anyone for help. That beast had her phones, ATM cards and International Passport locked in his room! His room!! That's where she's locked up in! Mustering all the strength she had, she got up and, bit by bit, began searching the drawers and wardrobes. She had been searching for about ten minutes when she remembered. The safe! "God, please let it be the same.", she prayed. God was listening. The safe clicked at first attempt. The son of a gun still uses the same password, his year of birth. Her jewelries, ATM cards, Identity Cards and International Passports were all there, along with some money and his private documents. She took her International Passports, ATM Cards, and her mother's three diamond rings. They had been with her in every pair of jeans she had worn since that day. Waiting for this day. 
She used the third ATM machine she saw as it was the only one with nobody waiting. She withdrew to the daily limit on two of the cards and fixed the money in every pocket of her jeans. She was calmer now. With cash, her cards and her passports in hand, she walked to the darker side of the road. The second taxi was driven by an older man. She got in. "Take me to the mainland.", she asked. 


- The Lady



      “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
                    (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)”
                                                                  Ephesians‬ ‭5:8-9‬

ESCAPE (1)

Her heartbeat, and the sound of her feet hitting the concrete was all the music she heard. She had prayed, cried, dreamt and wished for this for so long, even now, it feels unreal. She couldn't stop, if for no reason but to convince herself that this was really happening. Finally! Her heartbeat sounded louder and faster. "Thank God" was all her brain could think of. She'd rather die than stop running. Her feet hurt. The flip-flops were not making it easy for her to run, but she would rather manage the pain than stop to take the footwear off.
"Just a little further", she thought. She won't celebrate until she is someplace safe. The image of his fist making contact with her nose and the familiar taste of her blood in her mouth made her run faster. She needs to get away. Far away from this place. "Thank God, thank God, thank God..." she mouthed continuously.
She saw the light from the car before she heard the sound of the car. With nowhere else to run to, she jumped into the shallow drainage system. During the months of being locked up in that room, she had memorized the sound of everyone's car on this side of the estate. Mr. Oluwale's car. She stayed completely still, squatting in the gutters, not feeling the waste water pass between her legs nor perceiving the stench. "I can't go back God, please, I can't go back there", she prayed under her breath. Mr. Oluwale's car passed by thankfully. Out of the gutters she came, and footwear in hand, she ran like her life depended on it. Her life does depend on it. If she's caught now, he will definitely kill her!
She saw light again. Not car lights this time. The good light. The one she had prayed, cried, dreamt, and wished to see all these months! Finally! But she can't celebrate now. It's not over yet. The light of her dreams, flowing from the light bulbs at the security post, the only thing standing between her and her freedom. Now came the hard part. She hadn't thought that far. How does she get past the security post and the security personnel without being seen and raising suspicions? "God help me, please, God help me", she prayed. She crossed to the other side of the road which was darker and took off the shirt she had on leaving on the tank top. The air felt cold on her back but she barely noticed. Thankful for the darkness which hid the scars on her body. Her once porcelain-like skin. "This is not the time to cry",  she said to herself. She plastered a smile on her face and began jogging slowly. "Blind them that they don't see me O God!" she prayed.
As she got closer to the security post, she began doubting herself. "What if they become suspicious and stop me, or see the scars", she thought. They would take her back to the house! No!! She'd rather kill herself than go back. She was closer now. She counted three security men, two inside the small security building, and one at the pedestrian gate. She jogged towards the gate. "God please let them not be suspicious." she prayed, for the umpteenth time. She was already too close to go back. "Good evening Mrs. Benson." said the security man at the gate. Her heart literally dropped!


- The Lady

         “Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.”

                                           Psalms‬ ‭122:9‬

FIGHTER

Mama told her "My child, you will soar,
So said her friends and her tutors too.
But her sight was not clear as they saw,
As she never saw herself as good.

Daily, she gave all she thought she had,
But her efforts only produced small.
For she did not give life all that she had,
But what she truly thought was her all.

She was a subject, an example to some,
Of what they could achieve if they tried.
But none saw the battles, none could come,
None could calm the storm raging inside.

She was sick and tired of it all,
The 'near misses' and the 'barely there's.
For a change, she gave it her all,
And a smile came for all the tears.

Her hope was reborn finally,
For a change, she saw possibility.
That her dreams could come through surely,
To the end without fatality.

Her doubts had nothing on her faith,
Like a lioness, her dreams she'll protect.
Though the serpent will hiss it's doubt as bait,
She's a fighter, her dreams she'll protect.


- The Lady



        “Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.”
                                                                  Jeremiah‬ ‭18:3‬ ‭

LYDIA

Blinded by streaming tears,
Sight dimmed and blurry,
She found her sweet escape,
And with that, she found herself.

With one purpose only,
She toiled every night and day,
To provide for all her babes,
In a world of much negativity.

They all were her light,
Her world, her life, her purpose,
Not caring for her health or herself,
She toiled even more for them.

Her once upon a time,
She loved them all with her life,
But for any one who erred,
She corrected with words and rod.

She became a slave to her purpose,
In unending pursuit of the best,
For her babes, big or small,
She must give her best to all.

And every milestone achieved,
Oh! She prayed, danced, and cried,
No one could dim the light,
That sparkled in her eyes.

Her babes in silence noted,
Her sacrifice and pain,
And in silence individually,
They swore to make good it all.

For every tear in her eyes,
And every bruise of her heart,
And every scar on her skin,
Will be made good a million folds.

Her babes, they worked and toiled,
Determined, everyone, big and small,
To make good every sacrifice,
Mama has made for them all.

Oh Lydia! Wait for us Mama!
Your babes are toiling and praying,
That you wait a little longer Mama,
And reap the fruits of the seeds you sowed.


- The Lady


      “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
                                                             Proverbs‬ ‭31:30‬ ‭

PHOENIX

He gave her love,
She gave above.
She became his glove,
Pure as a dove.

He gave a lot,
She took a lot.
She saw his fault,
Clear as a dot.

He had his fix,
She tried to fix.
She changed like a remix,
Old as a Phoenix.


- The Lady



      “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be
      tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
                                                                     ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:7‬