My journey began 17 years ago. i was 18 full of life and an unhealthy bundle of youthful exuberance. i had dreams to be successful though with no clear cut route. mother was as tough as nail and on this day, i vex the woman die. she sent me to detention at the police station to learn a thing or two about life behind bars. you see the woman na soja. na play i been think, until the gates of the gallow slammed me into darkness.
mother had instructed i stay there for a week till i learnt my lesson and that was how i came to meet him. The man who changed the course of my journey forever.
Two days in jail, the policemen took pity on me and brought me to stay behind the counter; a better option that mosquito infested- smelly tomb called jail. i met Lanre; fresh, robust, light skinned, clearly more than a decade older than me. he had been brought in on some offence, but from the special way he was treated; i knew he a correct person or so i thought.
we became friends and remain friend till we were both released. we exchanged contact and na so we begin romance
Lanre was not only well to do, but he was a giver and he spoilt me silly, so when i discovered i was pregnant; what mama soja go do me was the least of my concern.
As expected mama soja kicked me out without delay and i moved in with Lanre, a divorcee (so he told me).
baby shopping began in earnest, i was feeling like the madam of the house, until the real madam came back. you see Lanre was very much married and when news reach America of a young girl taking over the ruling of the Olanrewaju empire, the real madam dashed down. she saw me and descended on me, raining blows and slaps, totally disregarding my very pregnant state. lanre was not in town to save me.
she threw me and my things out.
i had nowhere to go; i returned to mama soja; after having a good laugh , she slammed the door and told me never to come back. i tried to reach lanre to no avail. i roamed the streets; sleeping in uncompleted building and finally a church.; there i was till my baby came- a beautiful boy.
Because labour was prolonged and a near death experience for me, mama soja came to my rescue after much pleading by the pastor. she foot the bill, even the naming ceremony. and so i moved back in; life was peaceful even though mama soja made sure to taunt ad torment me with my foolery, i was just glad the days of sleeping on the street was behind me.
then Lanre showed up bearing gifts, i went against mama soja's rules and let him into the house, well you can guess the rest; she walked in us. she gave him a piece of her mind and sent him out. the next morning, i awoke to my bags neatly stacked at the door, mama soja had decided enough was enough. na so i go. i went to lanre but he turned a blind eye. na so i begin waka from place to place; living here and there with my son, doing various menial jobs to raise myself and my son.
when i went to live relatives, mama soja came there to throw tantrums and i ended up back on the street. my mother-mama soja was greatly feared by all our relatives; no one could help me. then i turned to friends. in a particular case, my son was living with a friend's relative and i was living at another friend's. my life was a mess. Lanre has relocated to America, mama soja had turned deaf ears to the many pleas and begging.
many nights i would cry and cry… but every time i looked my ECO( my son's nickname) it would boost me to forge ahead.
i won't stand here to say, i didn't do somethings i am not proud of in an effort to raise my child or give him good education because that would be a lie. let me not bore you with my stories.
today he turns 16 in few months, i have managed to bag myself a degree while raising him and myself; my son is getting ready of UNI. mama Soja and i made peace after 10 years, now i am her favourite child- she says i inspire her.
i have had my fair share of mistakes, regrets and heart breaks especially in relationships; no man wanted a baggage, now men are scared when they see my son- haa he is so grown", they say.
i am lonely emotionally but i will not give up ECO for no man. ECo worries for me; don't you want to marry mummy". do i tell him, some of men are shying away from me because of you? lailai!
i look at ECO and i know that one is perfect about my life: THIS BOY i call my SON- well behaved, intelligent, witty and an awesome artist- he loves to draw and very good at it. not for a second had he given me cause to worry.
today, i look back at the journey, i still have many more years ahead, still I wonder… how did i do it?
I am most certain God had a hand in it, majorly.
CULLED
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