Samuel Okeh

*BOOKS BY SAMUEL OKEH*


- *MONEY MAGNET*
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSIZ4MB

https://okadabooks.com/book/about/money_magnets/16605


- *THE SHE-KING*
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BBWDQCM

https://okadabooks.com/book/about/the_sheking/17823



- *BE WIRED DIFFERENTLY*
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BR6DSMD


- *MY HUSBAND AND I*
https://okadabooks.com/book/about/my_husband_and_i/17982


- *THE MATHEMATICS OF VISION*
https://okadabooks.com/book/about/the_mathematics_of_vision/16736

EDO STATE ELECTION POSTPONED BY TWO WEEKS

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has condemned calls for the postponement of the Edo state governorship election.
The Party issued the condemnation via a statement issued by the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party. The statement read, ''Our attention has been drawn to the shocking breaking news of the advise by the DSS and the Police to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the Saturday, September 10, 2016 Gubernatorial Election in Edo State on excuse of insurgency alert.
We are taken aback on this advise coming a day after the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari was present at the Mega Rally of its Party, the APC in Benin City which was concluded without any hitch. "It is on record that INEC recently conducted a 'hitch free' Senatorial By-Election in Borno State which is a high-point of insurgency in the Country but the Security Agencies saw no reason to call-off the Election. It is therefore lamentable to hear from these same security agencies that the Election cannot be held in a State where in less than 24 hours, the President and all the APC leaders and members had an uninterrupted Rally".
''We are calling on the President, Muhammadu Buhari to caution the security agencies and direct them to provide full security, and also to desist doing anything that will jeopardize this forthcoming Gubernatorial Election in Edo State. We are equally counting on INEC not to succumb to this false alarm by acting independently and holding election as scheduled.
"We hope that this advice from the security agencies are not in concert with the APC of having seen the indices of loosing the Edo State Gubernatorial Election to the PDP". Finally, the Party leadership led by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, CON, call on our members, teeming supporters, other Edo voters and the international community to remain law-abiding while staying alert on this calculated attempt at scuttling our hard earned democracy.

THE REAL WOMAN

WOMEN ARISE!!!!

For how long would you continue to see yourselves as the weaker vessels? Aren't you all tired of being classified as weaklings? This is a wake up call to all ladies in the world. You are not a puppet or piece of toy to be messed with. You have your life to lead as well.

The world at large generally have concluded that every woman or lady ought to be under the umbrella of a man. I do not tell them to refuse the law of submission, but what they should refuse is being devalued all in the name of submission.

Since creation, the general misconception has always been in view stating that since women were formed from men, then all women are second to men. This is a lie that ought to be fought with all dexterity. As a matter of fact, the first man did not find fulfilment until the first woman was given. This tells me that women ought to be the most celebrated in the world.

Yet, its so painful to note that women will be the ones to try to sell their bodies to men all in the name of trying to gain money from them. This has made them to be classified as weak. This gets me sick and worried and it led me to my dictionary to check the meaning of prostitution. This is what I discovered. " The practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activities with someone for payment". I did not find the word "women" in that definition. This is a general term that has been embraced only by women because they tend to see themselves as weaker. Have you ever seen a guy on the street in the name of prostitution? There might be, but I haven't found myself.

Some ladies now blame everything on the fact that they are emotional. Screw emotions and face reality. Everybody is emotional. It all depends on what you get out of your emotions and how you allow it affect you.

We live in a world where ladies now turn a relationship into a job opportunity because they feel they can't provide for themselves. Hence they turn their attention to the other party for provision.

I do not deny the reality that men ought to be forward but women should refuse to be treated as people without value.

Its so painful to know that every guy wants to be rich and successful but every lady wants to be wife of the rich and successful. This is not bad though but why can't you be rich and successful yourself as a lady?? Take out your phone and do a search on the top 50 richest people in the world and count how many ladies you would find.

Its time for ladies to look into the eyes of the world and tell them that they can get their own i-phones, cars and accessories themselves. It is not a taboo if as a lady, you are the CEO of a global organization. But it is not so because the average undergraduate and graduate only think about getting a job and settling down in the house of another probably as a housewife.

You have a brain just as every other person, so use it. Do not let the misconception of the world place you in low self esteem. Come out and be who you want to be. Become the first lady millionaire in your city. Be the first lady president in your country, just break that record for something.

The clock is ticking. This is a call to awaken all young ladies out there. You can be better than what you have imagined for yourself. So, start a business, study that course, build yourself. Do not leave everything at the feet of men all in the name of being a weaker vessel. Let the world know that a man is a man and a woman is a woman

See you at the top!!

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SAMBA GALAXY

The Vision - To build a reputable online and offline magazine brand with coverage of all niches, for the purpose of informing, entertaining, building and reaching people all around the world.

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PASTOR PREDICTS DEATH IN UNIBEN!!!

It was reported as at Sunday 3rd of July 2016 that a student of the university of Benin was shot dead on his way to get bread in ekosodin. UNIBENMETRO gathered that he was shot twice on the head and he died.

Reports this morning, states that there was a prophecy that was given towards the end of last semester by a renowned Pastor and Teacher, Pastor Michael from Gospel pillars campus fellowship Wonder about the death. The Pastor specifically prophesied and said he is seeing someone dying as a result of gun shot. He went ahead to specify that this would happen during second semester exam and that this person is in faculty of art. He advised students in the faculty of art to be prayerful,cautious and to be Godfearing.

It was said that the man of God also gave a prophetic word about the fire incident which occurred in hall 1 block A. He prophesied and after 14 days, the fire incident occurred.

However, Information reaching us says that someone asked why the death still occurred, his answer was short and simple. He said that he would explain at his Sunday service which holds at uniben prestigious banquet hall every Sunday.

However, I've been trying to reach the man of God, all to no avail.

More news coming in . . . .

HELPING HANDS INTERNATIONAL

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AUDI PRODUCES TRAFFIC FREE VEHICLE!!!

Automobile gone crazy!!! If you hate being in traffic,then get Audi's latest concept car,based on it's Q3 Model,features an electric long board that is stored in the rear bumper of the vehicle. This car has a feature of flying hoverboard to make journey faster and stress free.

Coming to market soon.

DR WEALTH GIVES ACCURATE PROPHECY ABOUT THE ATTACK ON EDO STATE GOVERNOR!!!

The senior Pastor of Gospel pillars ministry,Dr Isaiah Wealth on Friday during their international vision conference gave an accurate prophecy about the attack on the governor. It was gathered on sunday that the governor declared to the leaders that he had deliberately avoided attending events at his deputy’s house after it was revealed to him that his deputy allegedly contracted native doctors to hurt him so that Odubu will take over as governor.

Oshiomhole said he was informed of the alleged plan by a leader of the party and that he had met with the native doctors whom his deputy allegedly contracted to do the damage, adding that the native doctors admitted and gave him details of how the rituals were executed. Oshiomhole added that the party leader who leaked the information, who was out of the country, was ready to confront the deputy with the details of his alleged meeting with the witch doctors. He further stated that he could not have attended any ceremony at Odubu’s place, saying he would not want to be poisoned. The governor’s disclosure was said to have come  as a surprise to the APC leaders but it equally elicited strong rebuttal from his deputy who attributed what he described as the spurious allegation to the handiwork of his political enemies.

To buttress his innocence, Odubu volunteered to contact a strong traditional doctor in Benin, so that those who accused him will come and take an oath before the gods. He vehemently denied the allegation and reiterated his loyalty to the governor. But some of the party leaders at the meeting were said to have countered Odubu with his suggestion, informing him that he should have suggested swearing with the Bible since he is a Catholic. But Odubu thundered that he was shocked with the allegation and would like to clear his name with whatever that will convince everyone. Some of the party leaders at the meeting admonished Odubu to end his governorship ambition. However Ogie calmed the situation and the parley ended on a  good note after both parties expressed satisfaction.

However, the Prophet Prayed and averted every attack and by the Spirit of God,it all came to Pass.

Sanders has no clear path to victory after his loss in New York

Sen. Bernie Sanders fell short in New York’s Democratic presidential primary on Tuesday as he was defeated by his rival, Hillary Clinton.

Though the final tally on Clinton’s margin of victory is still out, it was clearly decisive. Even a narrow win for the former secretary of state in the delegate-rich state would have gone a long way toward blocking Sanders’ path to the Democratic nomination.

Clinton spoke to supporters at a hotel in Times Square shortly after the results were announced. She thanked the voters in New York, where she lives and served as a senator from 2001 until 2009.

“Today, you proved once again there’s no place like home!” she said.

Hillary Clinton celebrates her victory in the New York presidential primary at a rally in Manhattan.

Clinton also took a shot at earlier attacks from the Sanders campaign that attributed her success solely to her victories in Southern states.

“You know, in this campaign, we’ve won in every region of the country, from the North, to the South, to the East, to the West,” said Clinton, adding, “But this one’s personal.”

Sanders won eight of the last nine contests leading up to the New York primary, but Clinton’s earlier wins ensured that he needed to defeat her in the state — and every other one on the remaining primary calendar — by at least 12 points. With a win in New York, Clinton has raised the bar for Sanders even higher in the states to come.

Sanders addressed nearly 7,000 of his supporters in a field house at Penn State University several hours before the polls closed in New York and results were announced. He pointed to his recent momentum to argue Clinton was “getting a little bit nervous.”

“This is the campaign that has the energy, that has the enthusiasm and that in November will create the kind of voter turnout that will not only allow us to retain the White House, but will regain the U.S. Senate,” he said.

Clinton Supporter: 'This is not a popularity contest'

Lisa Caputo,former Communications Director for Hillary Clinton, spoke to Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric, on the night Clinton won the New York Primary. Caputo told Couric that “people don’t have to like the president” they just need someone “to get the job done.”

There’s no question Sanders has gained steam in the last few weeks. In addition to his recent streak, polls showed Clinton’s lead heading into New York diminish by about 20 points in the past month. At the debate last Thursday, Sanders’ senior adviser, Tad Devine, said this momentumwould be a key part of the campaign’s strategy going forward. Devine argued that Sanders did not need New York to secure the nomination. He suggested that recent polls showing that Sanders is a stronger general election candidate than Clinton would convince voters and the party’s superdelegates to back his candidacy.

“I think the Democratic Party is going to look at two candidate and realize that Bernie Sanders, by far, is the strongest candidate for our party,” Devine said.

The Sanders campaign has also pointed to alleged voting irregularities in the New York race. Multiple local officials have identified issues at the polls,     and, on Monday, the state Board of Elections revealed that approximately 126,000 Democrats had been removed from the state’s voter rolls. New York election law does not permit voters who are not registered members of the party to participate in the primary. Sanders spokeswoman Erika Andiola released a statement on Tuesday saying that the campaign was “deeply disturbed by what we’re hearing from polling places across the state.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders greets community members during a walk on East Fordham Road in the Bronx, N.Y., on Monday. 

“From long lines and dramatic understaffing to longtime voters being forced to cast affidavit ballots and thousands of registered New Yorkers being dropped from the rolls, what’s happening today is a disgrace,” Andiola said. “We need to be making it easier for people to vote, not inventing arbitrary obstacles — and today’s shameful demonstration must underline the urgent importance of fixing voting laws across the country.”

The Clinton campaign did not respond to a request for comment about the alleged irregularities.

Sanders also addressed New York’s election laws in his Pennsylvania speech.

“Today in New York state — if you can believe this — about 27 percent of the eligible voters in that state are unable to participate in the Democratic or Republican primaries because they have chosen to list themselves as independents,” he said, as his supporters booed. “That’s wrong. Almost 3 million people in that state cannot vote today. And that has got to change in future elections.”

On Tuesday afternoon, as people voted in the primary, a group called Election Justice USA filed a suit in federal court arguing that the registration of over 200 voters had been switched without their input, preventing them from participating.  Election Justice USA’s website describes the group as a “a national voting rights organization,” and a spokesperson has described the group as nonpartisan. However, the site was only created on April 11, and all seven of the people listed as members of the “Election Justice USA team” have made online posts expressing support for Sanders. In Facebook posts on April 12, two members of the group, Michael Rayer-Tighe andStewart McCauley, described the lawsuit as an effort to help Sanders.

“There are potentially thousands of Bernie supporters who registered as Dem before the deadline but won’t be allowed to vote next week,” the posts said. “We at Election Justice USA are filing an emergency injunction to address this issue.”

The posts by the Election Justice USA team members also encouraged people to “Help Bernie” by checking their registration and contacting the group and the campaign about any potential issues.

When asked about Election Justice USA by Yahoo News, a Sanders campaign spokesman, Karthik Ganapathy, described the group as “an organization of volunteers operating entirely independently from the campaign.”

In addition to her lead in the polls, Clinton had the backing of much of the state’s political establishment, including the entire congressional delegation, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Even if he had had ideal circumstances, Sanders was facing an uphill battle in New York, and after tonight, his path through the remaining states is even steeper.

Hillary Clinton arrives with her daughter, Chelsea, right, to celebrate her victory at her New York presidential primary night rally. (Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters)

Although Clinton pointed to upcoming states on the primary calendar and indicated she plans to stay on the campaign trail, she also seemed to be pivoting towards the general election, attacking the Republican frontrunners, Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. The Democratic primary has been divisive at times, with Sanders attacking Clinton from the left and attempting to paint her as a tool of the moneyed establishment. In her speech Tuesday, Clinton repeatedly described her campaign and platform as “progressive" and urged Sanders’ backers to unite behind her.

“To all the people who supported Sen. Sanders, I believe there is much more that unites us than divides us,” Clinton said.

SAMBA GALAXY

SAMBA GALAXY is an online and social media marketing company. that is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring you and your brand go global and international through social media publicity. We can take any of your events or news or anything at all round the nation and world. Have you realized where people spend most of their times nowadays???

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Statistics show that over 89% of people in africa and the world spend more than 17 hours on social platforms in a bid to connect to friends and families. Every day that goes by,people tend to visit the internet and reports also shows that the social media is the fastest way to start a rumor or make any product or organization go top of the chart.

SAMBA GALAXY ENTERPRISE which is one of the trending social media and online advertising company can any business or product go viral all over Nugeria,Africa and the world with its wide range of contacts and traffic. Our plan is to help your event,product or organization achieve its vision in the aspect of social media advertisements which is arguably the leading platform.

Remember, people spend less time with their TV and much more time on the internet. So why pay more when we can give you what you really need at a far lesser price. Think about it!!!

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SAMBA GALAXY ENTERPRISE!!!

SAMBA GALAXY LTD is an online and social media advert and marketing company that have the vision of promoting every product,organization or brand through every social media means available.

Our goal is to ensure that we create a strong social media campaign for your product,manage all pages created for your company and monitor online reputation and trends for your product or organization. It is our duty to ensure that your product go viral on the internet and on social platforms where you can find the highest probability of meeting the purchasers and final consumers.

OUR METHODS

1. We create a blog/website for you and for what you are marketing and we help manage the website by posting what you are selling so that buyers would have the opportunity to freely access your products.

2. We create PAGES on all Social media platforms and we manage the pages so that products and things up for sale would be pasted for buyers to see. Examples of social media platforms include FACEBOOK,TWITTER, GOOGLE+,YOUTUBE, LINKEDIN,INSTAGRAM,WHATSAPP etc.

3. We shall be in charge as online spokespeople by releasing new contents and posts. 

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- Creating a website and blog will require the purchase of a domain name and its cost is 60USDollars

- Managing and Pushing the Pages by social platforms will cost an estimated 40USDollars

- Payment of Human resource personnel's with tools will give an estimated 70USDollars

Total : 170USDollars.

You might pay a whole lot for advertisement with media houses probably TV stations and radio stations and also newspapers and yet get fewer outcome. What then is the issue?? The question right now is where do people spend most of their time?? I can guarantee you that it is definitely not with their TV sets,Radio sets or Newspapers. Then where??

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Statistics show that over 89% of people in africa and the world spend more than 17 hours on social platforms in a bid to connect to friends and families. Every day that goes by,people tend to visit the internet and reports also shows that the social media is the fastest way to start a rumor or make any product or organization go top of the chart.

SAMBA GALAXY will certainly make your product go viral!!!

US election 2016: New York primaries crucial for Clinton and Trump

Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton, a former senator for New York, is
expected to win against Brooklyn-born Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
For the Republicans, Queens-born Donald Trump is likely to come ahead
of Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Wins will put Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump closer to securing their nominations.
As Mr Trump cast his votes at Central Synagogue in Manhattan on
Tuesday morning, he said: "It's just an honour, and my whole reason for
doing this is to make America great again."
Mrs Clinton voted with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, near
their home in upstate Chappaqua.
They hope big victories in the delegate-rich state will help them regain
momentum and overcome criticism over the strength of their campaigns.

What's New York's state of mind?
Have New York's struggles shaped the Trump campaign?

It has been a fierce campaign in the state, with the leading candidates using their local ties to attract voters. Hillary Clinton was twice elected senator for New York, and a defeat there would be a devastating political blow. Whereas Mr Trump, who was born in the New York City borough of
Queens, lives in a building bearing his name in midtown Manhattan. The primaries are the state's most decisive in decades in selecting the
candidates, and polls will be open until 21:00 (01:00 GMT Wednesday)
Mrs Clinton's side sees the vote as a make-or-break moment, and they
say a victory there will virtually seal her Democratic nomination.
Opinion polls have given her a lead over Mr Sanders, who has won seven
out of the last eight state votes.
"We are not taking anything for granted,'' Mrs Clinton said. "Tell your
friends and your family, everyone, to please vote tomorrow [Tuesday]."
Mr Sanders hopes a victory in New York will keep his candidacy alive, as
there are 291 delegates at stake.
The Democratic campaign has turned increasingly negative, with
both candidates trading barbs about their qualifications.
On the eve of the primary, Mr Sanders accused Hillary Clinton of
campaign finance violations, an allegation her team denied.
How the nomination process works
For Mr Trump, a win in New York will reduce the chances of a
contested nomination at the Republican party convention in July.
The big question is whether he will make a clean sweep of all 95
Republican delegates at stake in New York by earning the majority of
votes.
Polls have given him a clear lead over Ohio Governor John Kasich and Mr
Cruz.
The Texas senator has had a poor performance in New York following an
earlier comment in which he accused Mr Trump of having "New
York values".
Mr Cruz made a few television appearances on Monday defending his
remarks, but was already eyeing voters in Pennsylvania, which votes
next week.
In a campaign event in Buffalo, Mr Trump told his supporters that "no
New Yorker" could vote for Mr Cruz, who did "not represent what we
need.''
But he made a slip-of-the-tongue during a speech about the 11
September 2001 attacks, when he erroneously mentioned the name of a
popular convenience store chain.
"It's very close to my heart because I was down there, and I watched
our police and our firemen down at 7/11, down at the World Trade
Center right after it came down, and I saw the greatest people I've
ever seen in action," Mr Trump said.

WHAT IS STOPPING YOU??

You've been talking about pursuing your dream since high school. You've been stuffing a file with places you'd like to travel since you got your first job. You've envisioned what your boutique store would look like for years, even moving around searching for the perfect location, yet you've never taken that next step.
So, what's stopping you?
Here's a list of the most popular ones I've heard and how to avoid them:

1. I'm too old.

Years ago I heard the story of a 70-year-old woman who lifted a car off her grandchild and saved his life. When she was interviewed, instead of being ecstatic, she was melancholy and admitted that if she could lift a car to save a child what else might she have been able to do that she
never tried. The interviewer asked her what she'd always wanted to do, but hadn't tried. The grandma replied, "Go to college." The interviewer challenged her, "So why not do it now?" And so she did. You are only too old if YOU decide you are. There are lots of stories of older Olympians, older singers and older musicians-fields typically associated with youth.

2. It costs too much money.

I have found that most people who make this statement actually have no idea what the item in questions costs. They are operating on some notion that it's above what they would be willing to spend. Or they are not open to creative solutions and assume that they must pay retail for what they want-be it a new car, travel, or a house. There are many innovative ways to get what you want (and no, they aren't illegal!) Don't make this statement unless you know the exact cost and have made the decision that the cost for the value isn't there.

3. My spouse/children/parents/etc. wouldn't like it.

I'm surprised to hear adults say this statement, but I hear it more often than one might imagine. First, you really don't know how someone will react until you actually take an action. In most cases, you are
speculating as to how they would react or assuming they will react similar to ways they have in the past. Second, are you living your life to make them happy or to make you happy? Of course, if you have a family you need to consider how your choices affect them, but not to the point that if they may be uncomfortable with your choice you give it up without seeking a compromise or resolution.

4. It's too hard.

This statement is another one that is usually
based on incomplete information or full out
speculation. You don't know how difficult
something will be for you unless you try it.
Nothing is impossible. Stop pushing what you want away until you decide you don't want it anymore.

5. I'm too fat.

* "I'm too fat to go out to networking meetings and market myself. Who would want to hire me?" * "I'm too fat to take professional photos for my website." * "I'm too fat to get a date. No one will ever want to marry me." Admittedly, I've heard these declarations from women far more than
men, but a few of my male folks have said it too in reference to why they think they may have gotten passed over for a promotion or not getting hired for a new job. While I won't say that weight discrimination may not be at play in some cases, the bigger obstacle is how you feel about yourself.
If you believe that you are fat and feel self-conscious you will present yourself differently. When you aren't confident and someone else is-they will likely get the date or the job over you.

6. I'm not educated enough.

Bill Gates quit college before earning his degree. There are countless stories of high school children who have opened businesses that have hit a million in sales.
Education doesn't equal success. If what you want to do requires a higher level degree than what you possess, figure out a way to get it.

7. I'm too OR I'm not .

Are you seeing a pattern here? Search your language and see if you're shutting yourself down by believing in a perceived obstacle.
If you are, stop now and go take an action to pursue your dream. These obstacles do not need to stop you from achieving success and fulfillment in life. Think about the grandma who said that if she could do something she thought impossible at age 70, what else could she have done in her life,
then ask yourself, "What could I do if only believed I could?"
#Selah

See you at the top!!!

MONEY IN THE HANDS OF A FOOL!!!

Ouch! some words are just too piercing, especially when they are directed at us. No,no one would love to be called a fool, but I have learnt during these few days I have lived on earth that for you to make meaningful strides towards success, you need to take an honest look at your life and
judge fairly what you see in your mirror.
Change does not come through hide and seek, but by carefully scrutinizing your lifestyle. The bible in Proverbs says that whoever hides his/her sins will not prosper, but he who confesses them finds mercy.
I must confess that, more often than not, I have acted foolishly, but God has been so gracious to me, especially when I pour out my heart to Him.

Looking at some decisions that I have made in life, including in the area of money, I have been quite some fool! Yes, this is the area I want to dissect on at this point in time; Money in the hand of a fool. Now, dear reader, before you count me out of the
list of sane people,read Proverbs 17:16.
It says, and I quote, "Of what use is money in the hand of a fool,since he has no desire to get wisdom?"(NIV). Thank God I have been saved from the 'hacksaw', the words are coming from the creator Himself.

Money is a very powerful tool that can be used to either build or destroy, therefore we must strive to gain wisdom on how best we can utilize it to our benefit.
Who is a fool? A fool is someone who does not think of tomorrow. Someone whose focus is limited to today and now without thinking of what tomorrow might show up with. I have seen some grey haired men pushing wheelbarrows or begging for
alms on the streets. To your amazement, you would discover that most of these people were well to do, but because of the choices and decisions they made, they are where they are now.

Very few will tell you that their life was that of struggles through and through. Let me hasten to say here that I am not implying that every old man or woman you see on the streets begging or doing jobs that are
otherwise meant for the young is foolish. No, that would be un-African. I would not entertain such a thought in my mind.
They are my fore-bearers, therefore they deserve my respect. Besides, my mother told me to respect elders. Who am I to speak ill of them? But life teaches us many things. It teaches us that we must learn from
the mistakes that others have made.
A fool is someone who see his friend fall into a ditch but still goes, headlong like a horse going for battle, and falls into the same ditch.

It is always painful to see someone misusing hard-earned money. Money which somebody else sweated for, only to be inherited by a guy from nowhere.
Some of these people who inherit their
father's or relatives' property care less. The
financial castle that took years of hard work
and a lot of sacrifice can be brought down in a few days. I have see another thing that baffles me. Some poor people say they
drink liquor so that they can forget their worries, while on the other hand, some rich people overspend on beer and other things to show off. Both the former and latter do not realise that, slowly, they will end up
being poorer,thereby causing Africa to sink deeper and deeper into abject poverty.

Without hope of ever rising up. A vicious spiral. Quite sad indeed. Let me share the following with you;

(1) Money is for investing. Every coin must be used properly and, unless we learn to value it, money will always run away from us, hence we will continue to be beggars.
A fool, as I have alluded to earlier,will not think of tomorrow. He does not know that money has got wings. It might be with you today, but who knows, tomorrow it might fly away. Remember,the Bible tells us that a righteous man will leave an inheritance for his children and his children's children. Therefore we must invest so that our children do not suffer. How can we succeed to eliminate poverty if one has to start all by himself to have wealth without a foundation to start from? Unfortunately, most of us will continue, not from where our parents left, but to start the race on our
own.

(2) Money is for giving. Only a fool will not know that life is full of ups and downs. There are many things that befall us in life. Without anticipation, sickness may strike or worse still one is bound to lose everything that he/she has sweated for under unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, it is always wise to be good to people on your way up because you may need them on your way down. Give, do not withhold money when you can afford to. Remember also to give to God what belongs to Him, bearing in mind that He is the one who gives us power to gain wealth. Sow in God's work also. Only a foolish farmer will eat everything including the seed!

See you at the top!!!

HADIZA PART 3

Mustapha Kaori felt a pang of regret as he ended the
phone call from Monsul his friend and contact person
at Sokoto. Monsul had called to inform him that Hadiza
the teenage girl he had spotted four months ago was
getting married in two days time.
Mustapha sat down on his chair and held his head in his
hands. He should have made a move on her right from
the first day.
She had seemed so innocent and so full of life when he
saw her in the group of senior students that attended
his seminar in the village school. His eyes had been
riveted on her. She was a brilliant girl. The question she
had shyly asked him was on the conflict between the
western culture and Islamic culture, and was a tad too
advanced for her age.
He had been impressed and had given her a copy of the
day’s edition of DAILY TIMES Newspaper he had
bought from the vendor at Ariya, the headquarters of
Dan-Gubir local government area.
He had studied her facial features and found that she
was very beautiful and attractive. She looked like the
sort of girl he would like to marry…. He had made
inquiries from her principal about her academic
capacities and was informed that she was the brightest
in her class.
“Hadiza is 17 years old and she is very eager to have a
university education’ Mallam Shehu, the school principal
had informed him.
“Alright, I will check with the NGOs in Kano, there
might be one willing to offer her a university
scholarship. Brilliant girls like her should be encouraged
in all ways possible to advance their education. They are
the hope of the Northern region in breaking the
inglorious cycle of poverty and illiteracy”, he had told
the principal.
The thought lurking at the back of his mind was
marriage. At 32 years of age, he was finally ready to
settle down. He didn’t want any of the city girls who
have been spoilt and corrupted. He wanted a simple
Muslim girl from a good family, but what would people
say if he, Mustapha the girl child education advocate
and human rights activist marry a 17 year old? The
fifteen years gap in their age will set tongues wagging.
He had written so many fiery articles denouncing the
girl child marriage practice in Northern Nigeria. He
would be denounced as a hypocrite by the Lagos media
who have grudgingly come to acknowledge him as one
of the leading lights in human rights advocacy in the
country.
He had risen from the poverty and climbed to the top
of his career. The only son of a cattle herdsman, he
had run away from home at the age of 14 as a
stowaway on a truck conveying cattle to the East.
After two days on the road, the truck had broken
down in Lagos and he managed to escape undetected.
Life as a homeless boy on the streets of Lagos had
been very harsh and challenging but he adjusted to the
hardship. He did menial jobs including shoe shinning and
bricklaying to keep body and soul together and to save
money for his education. The little savings accumulated
and he enrolled in an evening school, working by day
and schooling in the evening. He had books and taught
himself the Arabic language. Passersby seeing him
reading would be amused wondering what an aboki
was doing with books.
Fortune smiled on him and he met Alhaji Bukar who
liked his quest for academic fulfillment. He employed him
in his company and from his salary he paid for his
education. He got admission into Unilag to study political
science. In school he actively participated in the
Students union politics.
Now he was a prominent good governance advocate and
human rights activist in the country, holding events,
seminars and workshops throughout the country.
He had asked Monsul to keep an eye on the Hadiza girl
for him.
“There is a girl I saw at my seminar in Sisawa
secondary school yesterday. She is very beautiful and
intelligent. I feel like she is the one I would love to
pick as a wife. Please keep an eye on her for me, get
some information about her family. I will approach
them at the right time. Let me check if I can get an
Ngo to give her a university scholarship”he had told
Monsul.
He would approach her family in a year’s time and
would wait for her to turn 21 years before marrying
her. Now, she was going off to someone else.
With a sense of anger and frustration, Mustapha
opened his laptop and began typing an article on the
dangers of Teenage marriage in the north. He would
use it for his back page DAILY TIMES column and
would ensure that Hadiza gets to read it.
*****************************************************
The nikkah was a success. It was held in Baba
Ahmed’s house. The house had gotten a new look. The
walls had been repainted and beautiful flowers and
decorations were placed at strategic places. The
compound was filled with invited guests and family
members. Traditional musicians entertained the guests,
blowing on their flutes and drumming. Hadiza was in
her room beautifully decked in her colourful traditional
wear and surrounded by her female friends, mother,
aunties, cousins and other relatives. Most of them were
offering pieces of advice and prayers for her.
“Za ka ji dadin ka aure, you will enjoy your marriage”
“Allah ya albarkace ku iya aure, may God bless your
marriage” “Amin” “Look at our kano princess, she how
beautiful she is!”
“Nagode”
The dowry, sadaki had been paid by Danladi and his
family.
The representatives of the bride and groom handled the
wedding vows according to tradition. The ceremony was
presided over by Sheikh Adulrahman Zuni, the imam of
the village Mosque.
Hadiza was splashed with gifts by her groom’s family in
the Budan kai ceremony. She had never seen so much
display of wealth before. It was true that she was
indeed marrying a rich man.
After the exchange of vows and the recitation of the
holy Quran, it was time for walimah. There was
enough to eat and drink and the guests ate to their
fill.
The next day, Hadiza was ready to be conveyed to her
matrimonial home. She was finally leaving the village for
the big city of Kano.
Danlaldi informed her that they would drive to Sokoto
city airport and then take a flight to Kano. She was
excited and apprehensive, it would be her first time of
travelling by air.
“Kada ka ji tsoro, ba za ka son shi”, Danladi said with a
reassuring arm around her as they drove away in his
car.
“Ina roƙonka haka” she replied.
She leaned against the back seat of the car and took
a deep breath. The air conditioning in the vehicle felt
soothing and relaxing, she was feeling a bit sleepy and
tired. Her eyes fell on a newspaper lying beside her on
the seat. She recognized it immediately, the DAILY
TIMES, the same newspaper Mustapha had given to
her.
Hadiza took it up and went straight to the back page
and as expected Mustapha’s column was on it. The
headline read:
VESICO VAGINA FISTULA: THE SCOURGE OF
TEENAGE MARRIAGE AND PREGNANCY IN
NORTHERN NIGERIA
Hadiza was frightened at what she read. Mustapha was
unveiling statistics of young girls suffering from the
horrific condition. He was calling on and urging the
government officials and authorities to immediately put
an end to the practice.
“Oh, you are reading Mustapha’s column? Crazy guy,
the dude is a psycho and noise maker. He practices a
warped version of Islam and calls himself a women
rights activist. He thinks women are equal to men. I
don’t know why he thinks a woman’s place is not in
the kitchen. He writes well though. I like the daily
times and so I buy all their editions every day, you will
be having lots of newspapers to read at home.” Danladi
said with a nonchalant smile at her.
“Mjina you are right, I like the way he writes”. She
replied in a half hearted tone.
Hadiza heart was beating as thoughts flooded her mind.
Was this article a direct message to her from
Mustapha? Did he write this to coincide with her
marriage? She was increasingly becoming frightened by
what he said will happen to the vaginal tract of young
mothers during child birth. Danladi suddenly looked like
an ugly bully who will imprison her. She wondered if he
knew that she knew and loved Mustapha. The trip to
Kano suddenly lost fascination for her.
Hadiza almost screamed out when her eyes landed on
the bottom of the page.
“PS: An anonymous poem to an anonymous lover
To you my bright jewel
Betrothed to another
Life is so cruel
We could have been together
Love is the fuel
That lights up the fire in my heart
We could have been together
If you only could have had a little patience
For a few more years
All what I have left now is sad tears”
There was no doubt in her mind that Mustapha was
writing to her!
“Ya Allah na” Hadiza said silently in her mind as the
blood coursed through her veins. Mustpha loves her! But
he should have contacted her, he should have just said
the word and she would have done everything to be
with him even eloping with him. Now, she was stuck in
a marriage with a man she didn’t love. She was facing
an uncertain future all because she wanted to please
her parents, all because she wanted to be an obedient
Muslim girl.
Tears welled in her eyes and she started sobbing softly.
She tried clumsily to wipe and hide them from her
husband.
Dandali heard her sniffing. He glanced at her and
smiled. She was just the first of the four wives he
was entitled to marry in his religion. He wouldn’t
interrupt her, let her cry on. Her tears were tears of
loneliness occasioned by leaving one’s family for the
first time. She was just overwhelmed and would be
alright when they arrive in Kano. He couldn’t wait to
take possession of her nubile body with firm breasts.
The pleasures he would get from her body will be
enormous. Tonight he will be in Paradise.
THE END.

HADIZA PART 2

It is whispered in the streets of Sisawa that it is her
beauty that will destroy her, “look at that girl, she is
very proud, she is too beautiful, someone should marry
her off before these kafiris come and corrupt her”,
men would say as she walked past them on her way to
draw water from the village stream. Hadiza is a bit too
tall for her age, she is light complexioned with an
aquiline nose, her body is curvy and although her hijab
covers her face, one can catch a glimpse every now
and then of the gorgeous face with white smiling eyes.
Hadiza is a brilliant young girl, who has just finished her
secondary school education in Government secondary
school Sisawa, Sokoto. Many young men have fallen
under her spell and have approached her for marriage.
They all say they are in love with her and would see
her father to seek for his consent. Hadiza always
laughs them off. She is an unconventional Hausa girl.
She is in love with the western culture and wants to
live in the western world. She is not cut out for life in
the village. If only she could get a scholarship to the
university in Zaria….
Baba Ahmed her father is a farmer. He grows
tomatoes and watermelons in his farm. He also has five
cows in his herd. The cows are herded and looked after
by Kabiru his 23 years old son.
Hadiza wants to be a non conformist and activist like
Mustapha Kaori a young man who came to her school
at the beginning of the Ss3 first term for the girl
child education and enlightenment campaign for
secondary school students. Mustapha had spoken
passionately on the need for the girls to be educated
to the highest level. He had told them about Malala, a
Palestinian teenager like them who was making global
impact. He had showed them her pictures and her
projects. They had all been awed.
Hadiza resolve to go to university was further
strengthened by Mustapha’s speech. When he left her
school after the speech, she felt like going away with
him. If only she could slip away to Lagos and meet
him….
At the beginning of his speech, he had told them that
he lived in Lagos and risen from grass to grace. He had
run away from the life of being a cattle herder. Now
he was a powerful man where everything he said was
reported in the news.
Mustapha had given her a newspaper as a gift for
being the only one to ask him a question during question
time after his speech. She had seen the name of the
newspaper; THE DAILY TIMES.
She had read the newspaper later in the evening after
washing the dishes and assisting Kabiru in fetching
water for the cattle to drink. At the back of the
newspaper was Mustapha’s picture, he was a columnist
for the newspaper. As she read she realized that
Mustapha is a follower of Mai Gaskiya, a staunch
Buhari loyalist. He was writing good things about
General Buhari and was asking the people to vote for
Buhari in the presidential election.
Hadiza wondered if Mustapha will reply her if she sent
him a letter, she wondered if he liked her…he was
very handsome and young, far younger than mallam
Sanni the mathematics teacher. She wondered if he will
be shocked if she tells him that she loves him….maybe
he will yell at her and call her a bad girl…maybe she
was a bad girl afterall to be thinking of such things…
maybe Shaitan has entered into her…she would have to
pray to Allah to deliver her from the evil jinn.
But if she could see Mustapha in Lagos, she would talk
to him and tell him how much she like the way he uses
the big words to write. Maybe he would be pleased
with her…maybe he would be happy to hear her tell
him that she loves him….maybe he might even marry
her. She would be a great scientist while he would be a
great activist.
But she had no means of going to Lagos and definitely
had no inkling where Mustapha lives in Lagos….
With the approval given by baba to Danladi, her
marriage to him was certain. Hadiza was worried
because knew little about Dandali. Aside from the fact
that he is a native of sisawa village who gre up in
Kano city, she knew next to nothing about him. Mama
said that Dandali’s father was an old-time friend of
baba and that he had told his son about her.
“Ameenah, I am scared, I don’t want to marry yet. I
am too young” Hadiza confided in her friend as they
sat in the house. Ameenah was her classmate and best
friend.
“But this man has money. He lives in Kano and will
take good care of you. If I were you, I will be very
happy” Ameenah said.
“I want to go to university. I have a feeling that
when i enter that man’s house he will not allow me to
go to school anymore”
“Hadiza, you know our tradition, women should not go
to school or else they will become disobedient and start
fighting with their husband. Too much education makes
a woman mad” Ameenah cautioned.
“I will run away to Lagos walahi!” Hadiza proclaimed.
“Run away to do what in Lagos? Oh, I know, you still
have a crush on that Mustapha man? Hadiza, that man
is far ahead of your level and you know it. You are
just a small girl. Stop these silly dreams and obey your
parents. Have you ever been to Kano before?”
Ameenah inquired.
“No, I hear it is a fine place”
“I went to Kano five years ago with my uncle for
Sallah. Kano is a big and fine city! There are so many
people living there and if you throw a seed of millet up
in the sky, it will not find place to land wallahi! There
are very tall houses that reach the sky, it is just like
London! The roads are long and very fine with flashy
cars driving on them. If old Farouk was to be in Kano,
he won’t be able to cross any of the road!” The two
girls giggled at the joke at the expense of baba Farouk,
an old man in the village reputed for sluggishness.
Ameenah continued, “I saw people there from all parts
of Nigeria, wearing all kinds of fine clothes that made
me jealous. Kai!”
“Kano sounds like a good place. I need to be there! Did
you visit the market?”
“Yes of course! The market is three times bigger than
the size of our village!
“Wow, you don’t mean it!”
“Yes, you can easily lose your way in that market,
there are so many shops filled with goods and items,
you must have lots of money because things there are
expensive. I didn’t stay long in the market because we
had to attend the Sallah Dubar in the afternoon. I
saw the Emir of Kano riding on his horse! Sometimes I
wonder if our Sultan in Sokoto is bigger in position
than the Emir”
“I can’t wait to visit Kano!” Hadiza exclaimed.
“And you have the golden opportunity now. Marry
Danladi”
Hadiza leaned against the wall and sighed.
********************************************************
Hadiza stood before Baba and waited for him to finish
praying. Baba sat cross legged on his prayer mat. He
held the Misbaba in his hand. He had running his
hands along the beads as he recited the 99 names of
Allah. A Quran lay on the mat beside him.
“Allahu Arbar!” he said as he finished praying and
turned towards Hadiza.
“Danladi and his people will be coming next week for
the Sarana . I thought I should inform you”
“Alright baba”
“Hadiza my daughter, you know I want the best for
you, you will marry him kwuo?”
“Yes baba” Hadiza replied.
“Al-hamdulilah” he said with a smile and a look of relief
on his wrinkled face.
“Is your mother aware of your decision?”
“Yes baba, I have informed her”
“Alright you can go” he waved her off.
Hadiza left the room. She had decided to go along with
her father’s wish. She had decided to marry Danladi.

HADIZA PART 1

Hadiza was not happy because the day she had been
avoiding had finally come. The signs were ominous. The
men sitting with baba in the living room came to
discuss something that had to do with her. She was
disgusted ever since she heard of their plans and had
been nursing thoughts of running away from the house.
At 17 years of age, Hadiza wasn’t interested in
marriage. Danladi Umar and his family members were in
the house to meet her father and to seek the consent
of her family for her hand in marriage.
Danladi had informed her during last year’s Sallah
celebration that he loved her and would want her to be
his wife. He said he would be coming soon to meet her
parents. She had laughed him off and asked him if none
of the beautiful ladies in Kano had caught his eyes.
She had told him that she wasn’t interested in
marrying him.
Now, on this hot sunny Friday afternoon with the chilly
harmattan breeze blowing wildly, Danladi and four of
his family members were drinking cups of kunu in
Baba’s hut, exchanging pleasantries with baba and her
mother. Baba Ahmed must have been given a prior
knowledge of the visit because he had returned from
the Friday Jummah prayer in the mosque much earlier
than usual to open his door to the visitors.
Danladi’s dad, an old man with a long white beard was
the head of the team and acted as the spokesman.
They had brought along with them kolanuts, two bags
of salt, sweets, perfumes and a few other items as
demanded by tradition.
Aisha, her mother had come to call Hadiza. Hadiza was
sitting on the low wall at the backyard stirring the
milk in the pot on fire. She was putting final touches
in the preparation of the fura de nunu for the
afternoon meal.
“Yata, my daughter, come to the sitting room and meet
some visitors who have come to visit you” Hadiza’s mum
tapped her lightly on the back.
“Uwa ta, I know what they want. I don’t want to
get married now” Hadiza shook her head with a
defiantly.
“You should have a change of mind, Hadiza, this is what
is best for you! You are old enough to get married.
Come and greet them, and wear a bright smile on your
face” Aisha pressurized.
With a sigh, Hadiza grudgingly followed her mother and
entered the house. Baba’s living room was the first
door by the right.
The men on sighting her as she entered the room all
smiled warmly at her. Danladi clad in his white kaftan
dress and a multi colored cap gave her the brightest
smile. She could see his gap teeth as he beamed at her.
She gave him a furtive glance and greeted the men
with a blank look on her face.
“Sannu, salama alaikum”
“Kina lahiya?”the eldest man inquired.
“lafiya lau” Hadiza replied.
“Megida, here she is” Aisha said to her husband.
“Hadiza, my daughter, my friend Alhaji Yero and his
people have come to see you. They are here to seek
your hand in marriage. Danladi says he loves you and
wants to marry you. What do you say? Will you marry
him”, the tone of his voice and excited look on baba’s
face showed that he had already given his consent.
“Baba, I don’t want to marry now, I am too young
for marriage. I want to go to school”
The men all burst out laughing. Baba stared at his
daughter with a look of disbelief on his face.
“My daughter do you know how old your mother was
when I married her? I know you are doing what
women do when they want something. At first they
give a little resistance and pretend as if they don’t
want it. You are going to marry the fine gentleman
Danladi. He is from a good home. Alhaji Yero and his
family are good people.
“Baba, I want to attend university first and graduate.
I want to prepare for Jamb which is coming up next
month…”
Danladi quickly cut in,
“You will attend University and graduate insha Allah
after our marriage. Hadiza have no fear, I will take
care of you”. His family members nodded approvingly.
“Have you heard that Hadiza?” Baba addressed his
daughter. “You young people are so stubborn these
days. What use does a university education have for
you at this point in time? You have finished secondary
school and have passed waec. That should be enough for
a woman. You can leave us now!” Baba said angrily.
Hadiza swiftly walked out of the room and headed to
the backyard. She leaned against the baobab tree with
long branches and began sobbing.
Why couldn’t baba see the value and importance of
education? She had big dreams of going to university
and studying science. She wanted to finish school and
become a scientist. She loved seeing the pictures of the
men and women in the laboratory wearing those white
cloths they called lab cloth in her Biology text book.
She loved seeing them standing over with the big
microscopes peering down at the specimens. She wants
to be like them. She wants to research on bacteria,
virus, fungi and find the cure for diseases.
Marriage to Danladi was going to cut short her dreams.
She would be indoors for most of the time as a married
woman. She would start giving birth to many children.
If only her parents could understand and see reason
with her….
“Hadiza, stop crying, it is okay” Aisha said as she laid
her hand across her daughter’s shoulder and drew her
to herself.
“Mama, I don’t want to marry. I want to go to
university!”Hadiza sobbed.
“You will go to university, Walahi! Dandali says he will
allow you to study. He is a good man and means well
for you. Hadiza my daughter, Danladi is very rich. Can
you see that jeep in front of the house? That is one
of his cars. He works in a big government office in the
big city of Kano. Don’t you want to leave this small
village and live in the city? Danladi will take you to
Mecca for the hajj as many times as you want. Your
father and I have not been able to perform the hajj
because of our poor state. This is your chance to be
called as an Alhaja and lift us out of poverty. You know
baba’s health is failing and he can’t farm as hard as he
used to do before. We need money. Dandali is not only
handsome, he is also young and rich, marry him”
“But I don’t love him!”Hadiza exclaimed.
“I didn’t love your father when I married him. I was
only 13 years and everything felt strange to me. But I
had to accept my fate and today I am a fulfilled
woman”
Her mother left her and walked into the kitchen. She
would treat the visitors to some steaming plates of
Tuwo shinkafi alongside Miyan kuka soup.

FORBIDDEN LOVE 18

The next day at school, the siren went off for our morning
assembly. I was certain that assembly was going to be long as it
was the last day of school and the incident that happened last night
was going to be talked about. After our normal activity on the
assembly, the principal walked to the front on of the students for
the usual announcement but with a very stern look. She cleared her
throat before speaking and then brought up the incident that
happened the night before. She said basically everything the house
master had said that night and said the boys were not going to go
scot free. I wasn’t mentioned because I was just a victim but they
did mention that a girl was almost raped by them. Senior Daniel
unluckily wasn’t going to go unpunished either for beating up
someone to an unconscious state. The three boys who had almost
raped me were expelled while senior Daniel was suspended. They
were all called out by the angry principal and flogged by the
strictest teacher in our school, Mr. Alabi.
Assembly that morning got some looking very excited, some looking
very serious and the rest unhappy. The principal made mention that
anyone who committed an offence like them or even close would also
not go unpunished. I was so sad for senior Daniel because I knew it
was all because of me. I started feeling very guilty. If only he had
just left the boy when he was still very much okay, this wouldn’t
happen. I needed to talk to him but I couldn’t get hold of him
because they were all taken to the principal’s office after. The
drums began for us to match back to our classes.
Later that day, Anabelle left school for her house as her parents’
driver had come to pick her up and a few minutes later, I was told
that my uncle was waiting to pick me up. I was actually expecting
my parents to come for me but anyway, I was happy I was finally
going home. Even though I wasn’t as happy as I thought I would
be, because of the case of senior Daniel, there was nothing I could
do. The principal had called me earlier and spoken to me about the
whole situation, consoling me and being thankful to God that senior
Daniel came on time even though he still ended up doing something
wrong. I was pushed to say that senior Daniel be left alone since he
was only trying to help but I couldn’t because he wasn’t supposed
to overly react and beat someone almost to death.
Anyway, I went to meet uncle Sam who was waiting for me at the
hostel gate. He smiled when he saw me even though I felt it didn’t
look genuine, He hugged me and told me to go bring my luggage.
After I was down with my luggage, I signed out of the hostel and
drove off with uncle Sam. The uncle Sam I knew didn’t say much
while we were in the car. I was tempted to tell him all that had
happened but I kept quiet as the atmosphere didn’t seem like it
was convenient enough. When we got to my house, excited to see
Esther and my parents (that is, if they would have been back from
work), I jumped out of the car. I went to bring out my luggage
from the car when uncle Sam told me not to worry as he would help
me with it. I skipped happily into the house shouting Esther’s name.
I saw Frank who didn’t look so bright but greeted him as he opened
the door for me to enter. As I got in, I saw a lot of shoes at the
end of the corridor. My parents and visitors! What are they
celebrating this time around? or do they want to welcome me from
my first come back from the boarding house? I thought to myself.
When I entered the sitting room, I saw a lot of my relatives,
including the ones I barely see all looking like a bad omen was in the
air. They did not look bright at all. I greeted all of them, looking
around looking for Esther and my parents who were not in sight at
all. At this point, my smile was beginning to turn into a frown. I
looked at uncle Sam who came up behind me and asked him for
Esther. He swallowed hard and told me that Esther was in the room.
Without even waiting for anything, I slowly left them in the sitting
room and walked into the room to meet Esther with aunty Mary
who was holding and consoling crying Esther. I went up to them
very quickly and confused asking the reason why she was crying.
Esther who had been crying looked up at me and hugged me
immediately. I hugged her back very tight and asked why she was
crying.
I got to find out that my parents had an accident on their way
back from the village where they went for my cousin’s wedding.
They had passed on even after they were rushed to the hospital. I
couldn’t believe my ears when I heard all of it. I kept screaming to
be woken up from a bad dream. Why must I, at that young age
face such? I just didn’t know what to do. I was about to run mad.
My eyes became very watered and sore as I cried non-stop. I kept
on crying, not listening to my aunties and uncles who were trying to
console me. I kept telling them to go and bring my daddy and
mummy home. I was not ready to settle with the news I had just
heard. Why would so many things happen within a short period on
the day I was finally coming home. After counting down days to go
home with Anabelle, after senior Daniel had been expelled, another
horrible news. There was no way I was going to settle for less. I
kept trying to leave the house but they kept pulling me back.
Uncle Sam finally took me away from everyone so he could talk to
me in private. He held me close and consoled me. He told me to be
strong for my sister, Esther, as she needed me to be as strong as I
could be. I kept asking him what I did wrong for my parents to
leave us behind. I was now an orphan, barely gone anywhere in life.
My parents hadn’t seen me graduate yet. My mum hadn’t danced at
my wedding like she promised she would in future. Everything just
didn’t seem right. I mean, I did hear of deaths from other close
family members. My parents even helped in any way they could to
support them but I didn’t think their turn was going to come this
soon. I was just twelve years old and my sister still eight. It was a
lie, it’s not even possible, they were still alive, I kept telling myself.
I came to accept it later on and decided to be the strong senior
sister for my younger one, Esther. Life I thought, was useless
without my parents.
To be continued….