'My family thinks I arranged my best friend for my father to marry'

“Wuraola, please tell everyone to meet me in the living room. I have an important announcement to make,” said my father.

Quickly, I ran to deliver the message to my mother, stepmother and siblings and in less than five minutes, everyone was seated and waiting for this very important announcement. 

“As the head of this family, I have made a decision which all of you may frown at but it doesn’t matter anyway because it is what I want. I have decided to take a third wife,” he revealed. We were all quiet and shocked because no one expected my dad to make such an announcement.

“Dear, what do you need a third wife for? Don’t my senior and I satisfy you anymore? Have we done anything wrong? After all, you promised not to take another wife, so, what prompted this decision?” my mother asked.

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I must get pregnant by fire by force



Home alone: Liz is resigned to her own childless state now she is in her 50s but thinks it would have been better to have been honest with her exes about her desire to be a mother

When a woman gets to a certain age and she is either not yet married or have any child, she may find it necessary to take some deceptive steps to get solution if compulsory.  

Please read this story, it is an eye opener for both men and women.  Liz Jones makes her most shocking confession yet.

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I have been deceived by a lover on Facebook

Many people do not know that special person they have in their life until they have lost him. It is even worse when it is too late. I hope young ladies would learn a lesson or two from my story.



My name is Uzezi. I am the eldest of three children. I have heard and also read a couple of articles where people found true love through the social network, facebook. Alan has been pestering me for some time, but I did not give him any answer because the distance was just too much. He is a business man based in Germany.



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My mother pushed me into prostitution, now she says she is born-again

When I was 16 years old, and needed to register for my West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations, my mother bluntly told me she had no money except I was willing to work for it. “Mummy, please I need money to register for my forthcoming WAEC and JAMB examinations. Entry closes in two weeks time,” I pleaded. “Linda, I don’t have any money to give you.



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After 10 years, Harry wants his son (2)

 We conclude today the story started last Sunday.



I had to convince myself that I was ready to act out my decision.



That fateful evening, I called Harry to come over to our house at 8 p.m. while I handle my wife.

We are used to drinking either a glass of beverage or juice before retiring to bed every night, so, that night I dropped sleeping pill into her glass of juice. We were talking about the day we first met when she suddenly yawned and slept off almost immediately and I carried her to the visitor’s room. 



I stood and watched Joy sleep innocently like a baby while I thought of how Harry will sleep with my wife with my permission.



I asked God to forgive me for this inhumane decision on my wife. About 10 minutes later, Harry arrived and my heart started beating very fast.



Immediately he saw me, he asked “Jack, are you sure you want me to sleep with your wife?” “Yes, Harry I am very sure even if it is very hard for me,” I replied. I took him to where she was sleeping, patted him at his back and left. I was very uncomfortable all the time he was alone with Joy as all sorts of thought ran through my head. When he finally came out, I felt like punching him even though it was my idea.



I carried her to our bedroom and started crying for the conspiracy. When she woke up in the morning, she told me she was feeling too tired and weak and asked what happened to her. I just told her after the juice we drank; we made love and slept off.



“God, no wonder I am so weak. I have never felt this way before. I am just too tired and weak, I hope pregnancy comes with this,” she complained. This conspiracy happened two more times even though I was not happy about it at all. Almost two months later, Joy got pregnant. She was so happy and excited. I told Harry the good news and paid him N700,000 instead of the initial N500,000 as agreed.



He just said, “Congratulations, I am glad you are going to be a father and I could make you and your wife happy again.” When Kelvin was delivered, Joy and I made Harry his godfather.



Three months later, Harry left the country in search of greener pastures but we kept in touch. Two years later, he returned and married his girlfriend of many years and they are blessed with two beautiful girls. 



 Each time I looked at Kelvin, I am so glad he looks like his mother. After she got pregnant, I stopped taking my drugs regularly. With this, I could not impregnate my wife. When Kelvin was five years old, she came up with the idea of adoption. “Jack, I need more children. 



After Kelvin, I have not been able to get pregnant again. Since we have Kelvin as our biological child, I want to suggest we adopt a baby girl,” she suggested. Even though I was happy with her suggestion, I told her to give me some time to think about it. 



Three weeks later, I told her, “Joy, we can go ahead with the adoption process. Whenever you are ready, you let me know.” She was so excited and thanked me for understanding. We went to the orphanage together. Fortunately we saw a set of twins, both girls and so decided to adopt them instead of just a baby girl.



We loved and cherished them so much. Kelvin too loved playing with his sisters; we were a happy family that had everything going smoothly until recently. 



Harry and his family visited us that Saturday afternoon and after the lunch, he told me we needed to talk as men. I never had the slightest idea about what he wanted to talk to me about. We went outside and told me, “Jack, what I want to talk to you about is even too hard for me to say but I must say it.



My wife and I agreed that we would have only two children and God blessed us with two beautiful and lovely girls. But since I don’t have a male child, I pleaded with her to get pregnant one more time if we would have a male child but she refused on the grounds that we agreed on two children no matter the sex.”



At that point, getting angry and in a harsh tone, I interrupted him, “So, what are you trying to say? Please, speak plain English.”



“Jack, what I am saying in essence is that I want my son, Kelvin,” he opened up. “Which son are you talking about? Harry, you may be his biological father but I am the person he knows and calls father. Don’t even think of it,” I threatened. “Jack, I need my son.



You and I know that as an African man, you are not regarded as complete without a male child. Just know that I want my son. You better think of a way to tell your wife or I will. I am giving you one month to do that,” he retorted. “Why are you doing this after 10 years?



You have two beautiful daughters. If you want a son desperately, you could go and adopt a baby boy and leave Kelvin for us, at least for the sake of my wife,” I pleaded. He told me to think about all we have discussed and promised that he would take his son, Kelvin. Since that day, I have not been myself and Joy noticed. “What is the matter? 



After you had that discussion with Harry you seem to be totally lost and confused. What is the matter, please you can talk to me,” she pleaded. I assured her that everything was alright; it was just that we lost a childhood friend.



Within me, I know that everything is not alright. How do I tell Joy that Kelvin is Harry’s son and not mine? How would I look her in the face and tell her what I did for him to sleep with her? 



How do I tell her that a boy who has brought so much love and peace into our family is not mine? How do I tell her that a boy we have watched cry, laugh, sleep, ill, walk and even take to school on his first day is not mine? The worse is that we did not even sign any form of agreement that Harry would not come for his son in future.



Would I loose Kelvin now? What do I do?

After 10 years, Harry wants his son (Part 1)

How do I tell my wife that our adorable 10-year-old son, Kelvin, is not my biological son? That is not all; his father also desperately wants him. The truth is that he was conceived in deceit and lies. This was what happened.



I got married to my loving and caring wife, Joy 13 years ago. We got married earlier than planned because she got pregnant and her family insisted that we must get married before the pregnancy becomes obvious so that she would not bring disgrace and shame to them. So we did our registry and traditional wedding and to be honest, we lived very happily. I love and adore my wife so much. In fact, she means the world to me because she stood by me when I was nobody. Thank God today I am the chief executive officer of my company and she is a full-time housewife. Before I stray, Joy gave birth to a bouncing baby boy whom we named Junior. We loved and adored him so much, but our joy of being parents was cut short.



He died exactly the day he was six months. Joy had resumed work after her maternity leave and because we did not want a house help or nanny, she takes him to the day care not too far from her office and picks him up after work every day. But during her lunch break, she goes over to check on him and make sure he was alright. But on that fateful day, she received a phone call from the day care that Junior was very sick. She rushed down there, took him to the hospital but a few hours later, he died. Joy was so devastated. She blamed herself for not taking good care of our son.



“I could have just stopped working and taken good care of my son. God, please forgive me,” she cried. For months, I tried to console Joy but she was depressed and inconsolable. “My dear don’t worry we will make other babies. God knows why it happened this way,” I assured her. She finally became herself but kept insisting on making babies as soon as possible. We tried for more than a year but Joy never got pregnant even for a single minute and this gave us sleepless nights. It even became worse because my mother was always talking about carrying her grandchildren before she dies.



So I decided to see Dr. Doyin, my friend who is a medical doctor. He advised that we both undergo some test. “Jack, I will advise that you both undergo some medical test, then, we will take it up from there.” He called me a week later and asked us to see him as soon as possible. When we got there, he told us, “Jack and Joy from the test conducted there is nothing medically wrong with both of you. I will only advise that you keep praying and waiting on God.” “How long will we wait? My baby died almost two years ago and since then I have not taken in, not even for a day. I am tired, I need a child,” Joy lamented. I looked at my wife weeping and I was so moved. I saw the pains of a woman who desperately needs a child to call her own and also to please my mother.



I was so touched and I knew I had to do something fast before she gets more depressed about not having a child; I consoled and assured her that all will soon be well. Immediately we got out of the hospital gate, I received a text message from Dr. Doyin that I must see him later that evening for an important discussion. I kept wondering what the problem was but I kept my fingers crossed. When I saw Dr. Doyin that evening, he told me I had a medical problem but as a friend, he did not want to disclose it in the presence of my wife that was why he sent the text message. “Jack I am afraid your test’s result is not good at all but I did not want to tell you in the presence of your wife. You have low sperm count (Oligozoospermia),” he said.



“How come, are you telling me that I will never become a father?” I asked. He assured me that my sperm count could be boosted with some drugs but that would take some time. “We can boost your sperm with some drugs. However, if the drugs must work effectively, Jack you must take the drugs at the appropriate time. No misses,” Dr. Doyin emphasised. “How long would the treatment last?” I asked. He just told me with time everything will be alright but he would advise that I start treatment immediately. Joy was so depressed and each time I looked at my once cheerful wife, I just wished I could tell her I am the cause of our inability to have children but I couldn’t. I knew how desperate we both want children so I had to hatch up a plan.



Readers, you may hate me for this but at that time, this was the only solution I could think of to end our problems while I continue with my treatment. So, I met with Harry, my best friend, and pleaded with him to get my wife pregnant. At first he refused and called me all sorts of names. But when I offered to reward him with the sum of N500, 000 he had a rethink. “Jack, I will do it because you’re my best friend and not because of the money. What do I have to lose after all I am not yet married? But how will you convince her to sleep with me?” he asked. “You just leave that to me. I have everything worked out,” I told him.



Find out what happened next week.

‘We’re medically incompatible but bound by an oath’

I actually don’t know where to start my story from. But I know Mandy and I are in this mess because of my jealousy years ago. This was how it all started.



My name is Chester. Mandy and I have been dating for about eights years now. Both families knew about our relationship and there was no doubt that we would get married when we are ready to settle down. Precisely in the fifth year of our relationship, I had gone to visit Mandy at home when I saw her with two young men and her other siblings.



Mandy hardly noticed my presence the three hours I was with them. She was so engrossed with the two men, especially the one called Anthony. They talked and whispered into each other’s ear occasionally as if they were lovers. I was not too comfortable but I had to behave like a man - hide my jealousy. I partook in all the discussions from politics to football, played games and even had lunch together.



All the time we were all together, Mandy did not introduce me to the young men and that bothered me so much. “Mandy did not introduce me to these guys. Am I not presentable enough or is there something she is hiding?” I asked myself. For the first time, I did not get any attention from Mandy, this was usual.



I left them there and went home; she just saw me off to the doorstep, gave me a hug and promised to call me later in the evening. I waited for her call but she did not and because I was so angry and jealous, I refused to call her either even though I was dying to hear her voice and was anxious to know who those guys were. While contemplating whether to call Mandy or not, I did not know when I slept off.



I dreamt that Mandy was walking down the aisle with Anthony in a grand style and when I accosted her that I was the right man for her, she told me she thought she loved me but sincerely she does not and was sure I am not man enough for her. While I was pleading with her not to leave me, my alarm rang. I was sweating profusely when I woke up. “God, what kind of dream is this? Is Mandy really planning to leave me?” I put aside the dream and got ready for work. At about 7:30 a.m. Mandy called me and apologised that she slept off. That day at work, I couldn’t concentrate because I was really disturbed by the dream.



At about 3:00 p.m., I called Mandy and told her I would take her home after work and she said that was a good idea. “Mandy dear, I would take you home after work so please wait for me.” “That is a good idea. I will wait for you,” she said. At exactly 6:10 p.m., I was at her office and as we drove to her house, I took the opportunity to ask her who Anthony was. She told me he was a childhood friend and an ex-boyfriend.



She explained to me that she broke up with him after she caught him cheating on her with her best friend. “Anthony is my ex- boyfriend. I broke up with him after I caught him in bed with my best friend. He suddenly travelled out of the country and we lost contact. To be honest, we saw each other again for the first time after 12 years the day you met him in my house.”



“Mandy, do you still love him?” I asked. “No, but he is still my friend,” she reminded me. It was very transparent that Anthony was still in love with her even if Mandy did not see. But I am a man so I know. I was so scared that she may leave me at any time, so three days later, I suggested that we took an oath to be together forever.



At first, she vehemently refused and told me it was absurd. “Chester, this is absurd. Where did you get this idea from? Is it because of Anthony? Whether you believed it or not, I love you dearly and I do not have to prove it by taking an oat. Just forget it,” she retorted. It almost cost me my relationship with Mandy but I knew she would give in. I just needed to give her some time because she loves me so much.



She refused to talk to me for more than two weeks. One Friday evening, she called to inform she would spend the weekend at my place so that we would have the opportunity to talk things out. I felt it was a pleasant idea. The weekend was splendid. Mandy agreed to take the oath if that would allay my fear about leaving me for Anthony or any other man. I cut our right thumbs with a new blade, with blood coming out.



We pressed it against each other’s hand and said one after the other, “As long as I alive, I will marry you. If I marry another, I should die. The only thing that would separate us is death.” I thought this act would keep us together for life until a few weeks back. We both decided that it was time to settle down and live happily ever after until we were asked to go for a series of medical tests as it is one of the requirements to get married in her parents’ church. However, we were told the particular hospital to go for the test.



We went to the hospital with the sealed envelope we were given from the church. We saw the Chief Medical Director who asked us to go to the laboratory where we will be attended to. Our blood sample was taken and at the end, we were told that the result would be sent to the pastoral unit of the church. Three days later, I received a phone call from the head pastor to come with Mandy to the church that evening.



When we got there, he informed us that we cannot get married based on medical grounds. “Pastor, what did you just say? What is the outcome of the test?” I asked. “Pastor, please talk to us. At least tell us why we can’t get married,” Mandy pleaded. “My dear brethren the outcome of the test is that your genotype is both AS. If you get married, you would only bring children into this world that would suffer. Do you want to give birth to sicklers?” He asked. “No, that is not possible. God, why?” screamed Mandy. He told us that he would call our parents and inform them of the new development.



However, he advised that it was better we thought of calling off the wedding to avoid future crisis. A week later, Mandy and her parents came over to my house to see my parents about the medical report. We all sat in our sitting room and her father said, “I am sure we all know why we are here. No doubt Mandy and Chester love each other dearly but after due medical consultation my wife and I have concluded that this wedding should be called off for the sake of their unborn children.



What do you people think?” “I agree with you because we have thought over it too. I know they are fond of each other but you just spoke my mind,” said my father. Both parents counselled us that we could still remain friends but must move on with our lives. We both agreed but we knew it was not going to be easy.



“God, my dream has finally come to reality. Mandy is finally taken away from me,” I told myself. But then, I remembered the oath we took. “What will happen to us because the oath was to be together for forever?” Mandy came to see me in the office two days later and immediately she entered into my office, she pulled me close and asked, “Chester, what about the oath we took? What do we do? I don’t really care if our genotype is AS or SS; all I want is to be your wife. What do you want?” When she asked what I wanted, I became weak and stupid because I was responsible for this mess.



“Honestly Mandy, I don’t know anymore. As for the oath, I thought you would leave me for Anthony that was why I insisted. Now, you still cannot be my wife. O God, what have I done?” I cried. Although the wedding had been called off but we both insisted that we must get married. The question on every one’s lips is that why?



Do we tell our parents about the oath? God they would be so disappointed or do we marry different people and both die, or better still, get married, bring sicklers into the world and allow them to suffer? As I write this piece, Mandy is already a wreck and I am totally confused. What do we do?

I’m a love doctor in need of your advice

Gring, gring, “Hello, this is your home girl Sharon, your love doctor. How may I help you this evening?” I asked. “Is this Sharon the love doctor? Please, I need your advice on … my boyfriend.

He is a good kisser but …, I love my girlfriend but …, my husband is super in bed but …, my wife is beautiful and well-mannered but … and I am in love with a woman/man but … and so on. Please I need your honest advice.” This is all I hear thrice a week at the other end of the phone in my 30 minutes programme which I anchor. I feel so good and fulfilled when I’m able to advise and proffer solutions to my numerous callers and fans on their relationship and marital problems. It gladdens my heart when I get responses that they have been able to resolve their differences and get back together. As a love doctor, I thought I had it going well for me in my relationship with Gilbert, ‘my boyfriend’.



This is my story. Gilbert and I have been friends for the past four years. We met at a cyber café where incidentally we were both applying for jobs online. We sat close to each other and it happened that we were both applying for the same position in an advertising and public relations company. We started a tête-à-tête and from there, we became friends. We kept in touch and three weeks later, we were among those called for interview. I did not pass the interview but he did. He kept encouraging me not to relent in my search for a job. About three months later, I was opportune to freelance for a print medium, but I preferred to work in a radio or television station (broadcast) presenting a programme.



Luckily, that opportunity came sooner than expected - a job with a radio station and came up with the idea of presenting a relationship programme I called, “Talk with the love doctor.” Gilbert and I are always too busy but we try to find time to spend with each other at weekends. It was either we go to the cinema, events or eat out. We will talk about everything and catch up on the days we were apart, and some times he gives me idea on topics for discussion for my programme which I greatly appreciate.



One thing I am sure of is that he never misses my programme even when he is at work. I always had the urge to ask him about us but somehow, I could not. I have always told people on my programme to define their relationships but I guess I did not do that in mine. I could remember in one of my programmes where about four men called just to ask me out on a lunch date. I told them I don’t have lunch with my fans, but when they insisted, I asked them to call me after the programme. My God, after the programme, Gilbert called me and said, “How could you accept to go on a lunch date with your fans?” I explained that I told them so that they don’t eat into my time.



“Gilbert, I didn’t want them to eat into my programme time. If you must know, they don’t have my number, so they can’t call my direct number.” He then calmed down. With this, I thought I had a clear answer about us. It totally allayed my doubts and I thanked God that we are on the same page. In the almost five years we have been together, I have never seen or hear him talk about another woman and he too has never seen or hear me talk about another woman.



When he wanted to get his apartment, he asked me which area I would love to live and I said Ikeja. He got a three-bedroom apartment there and asked me to decorate and furnish it to my taste. I was really happy to hear him tell me this, “Sharon you are the woman here, decorate and furnish the house to your taste. I will give you enough money to do this.”



In less than three weeks, everything was in place. From the sitting room to the kitchen were tastefully decorated. I thought with the apartment ready, he would soon propose so we can start our wedding plans. Three months later, Gilbert told me something that totally shattered my emotions: “Sharon, I just want to say a big thank you for being a very good friend over the years.



You will always be special and dear to me but you see my fiancée is coming back into the country in two weeks from today so that we can start planning our wedding. When she comes, I would want you to be friends with her. Would you do that for me?” I was astonished. “Did I hear you say fiancée? What have I been to you all these years?” I enquired in tears.



“Sharon, I never asked you out. I see you as a very intelligent and special woman. Have you ever asked yourself why we have never kissed nor slept together? It was because I never wanted to cheat on my woman.” He told me. “So why didn’t you tell me you had a fiancée for almost five years that we have been together?” I asked. He told me I never asked him because I assumed we were dating. I was devastated. Gilbert told me God would bring a good man my way and very soon too. I just picked up my handbag and left.



I have not seen him ever since that day although he has been calling my phone. But I have refused to pick his call. I hear his fiancée is in the country and their wedding plans are in top gear. It is like a movie to me. I have chased away many potential husbands because of Gilbert. How and where do I start from at age 30? Please, the love doctor needs your advice.

‘Help, my mother is pregnant for my husband!’

I am the third and last born of the family. I was 20 years old when our father died in a car accident. I was his favourite child because he used to tell me I look very much like his late mother whom he adored and loved dearly. Although we loved our father so much, we had to move on with life.



My mother told us she would not have anything to do with men again since we were all grown ups. We told her it was her life so she should do whatever makes her happy. Both my elder brother and sister got married the same year, three years after our father died. I was married three years after them. I have been pregnant thrice since I got married, but in the fourth month, I usually had a miscarriage. When the third miscarriage happened, the doctor said it was stress and anxiety and that I needed to take things easy. “Alice, I think you stress yourself too much. You need to take things very slow and easy if you ever want to have a baby,” he warned. “She is just a workaholic. I know she stresses herself too much but I have warned her too to take things easy but she won’t listen to me,” said Jide. I am pregnant for the fourth time and the doctor advised me to take things easy.



I therefore suggested to Jide that I want to resign, take a house help and also want my mother to stay with us and keep me company since she is all alone at home even though she runs her own business. He agreed with me as long as this time there won’t be a miscarriage. When I discussed with my mother she bought the idea. “Alice that is not a problem, but you must promise me that you will rest,” she said. The following week, I resigned and also started the search for a house help but my mother insisted that there was no need for one. “Alice dear, I am still strong enough to do household chores. So, there is no need for a house help because that would be an extra mouth to feed and money to give to a stranger,” she suggested. When my pregnancy was exactly four months, the bleeding started and I was rushed to the hospital immediately. Thank God, the doctor was able to stop the bleeding in time. He suggested to Jide that I should be put on compulsory bed rest until I delivered. “Jide, we have stopped the bleeding but I would advise that she be placed on compulsory bed rest until she delivers so that we can monitor her. Don’t think about the money but your wife and your unborn baby,” he advised. Jide agreed and I was confined to a hospital bed. I didn’t find it funny at all.



My mother cooks and brings food for me thrice every day. She also bought all the things I and my baby would need after delivery. In fact, she did all a mother is supposed to do and I thanked God for the kind of mother I have. Jide my darling, too visits me every day and ensured I was comfortable. He even spent some nights at the hospital with me. True to the doctor’s words, I was well taken care of and after five months, I gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. I was discharged three days later. When I got home, my mother and husband had already set up the baby’s cot and decorated it with assorted toys. In fact, the house looked so changed and new. Silently to myself, I said “God, thank you for giving me such a loving and understanding husband and a caring mother.” One month later, my mother was bathing my baby when she told me she had this nauseating feeling. Before I knew it, she started vomiting. She told me not to worry as it could be ordinary malaria. But when it persisted for almost a week, I suggested she see a doctor. We went to the hospital together and after all the test; the doctor told us that my mother was eight weeks pregnant.



I was shocked. “Pregnant? This can’t be,” I said. We did not say a word to each other on our way home but stole glances from time to time. When we got home, I asked her why she never told me she had fallen in love again. “Mother, so you are in love and even pregnant. Why didn’t you tell me you have found love again?” She just shook her head and told me she needed to rest. When Jide returned from work in the evening, I told him about my mother and he said, “Your mother pregnant at age 45? Has she told you who is responsible?” Not yet, I told him, but that I would still find out. He also promised to talk to her about the matter. When she was not forthcoming about the man responsible for her pregnancy, I had to involve my siblings since they are my elders. On a Saturday evening, my siblings, Jide and I had a meeting with our mother. “Mother, at least start by telling us the name of the man.



The doctor said a D & C cannot be performed because it is risky. Also, the guarantee of a safe delivery is also in the hands of God because of your age. Did you forget you have four grand children? How would they look at you with pregnancy,” I questioned. Suddenly, she said, “I did not know I was going to get pregnant because I have reached menopause age. I was just doing it for fun. Please my children you have to forgive me.” My elder brother who was obviously impatient said, “Mummy, we will forgive you but who is responsible?” She pointed at Jide and said, “It is him, he drugged and raped me.” At this point, there was so much tension in the air. Jide defended himself by telling us it was not true.



“I did not drug and rape your mother. I could not do such a thing. But I will admit that the pregnancy is mine,” he said. Jide narrated to us that while I was at the hospital, he noticed that my mother started wearing revealing clothes and made advances at him but he never gave in until that fateful morning. “When she started making advances at me, I always reminded her that I was her son-in-law and I love my wife. But one morning, something happened that made me fall for her tricks. I was dressed for work but observed that my breakfast was not served. I looked for her in the kitchen and around but I did not see her, I knew this was unusual. So, I decided to check on her in her room. When there was no answer when I knocked, I opened the door but she was not there. As I walked towards the bathroom door, she appeared at my back; obviously she was hiding behind the door. She locked the door and threatened that I would not go to work if I don’t sleep with her. I thought she was joking. I spent almost an hour begging your mother to open the door that I was late for work but she refused. At the end, I had to give in. That was how we started sleeping together. She told me she can never get pregnant so there was no need to use protective drug.



I am very sorry.” At the end, she confirmed what Jide told us and begged for mercy. It was as if I was watching a Nollywood movie. We were all shocked and disappointed. I could not control my tears and anger because I have been betrayed by the two people I love and care about the most. “Alice, please take it easy. Remember you just delivered and you are not strong enough yet,” advised my sister. “Mother, you are a big disgrace. You have committed an abomination. If you want to sleep with a man, must it be your son-in-law? I can see that you have no shame,” my brother scolded. After the narration, I despised them both immediately and I knew we could no longer live together under the same roof so my sister advised that I moved in with her because the matter was beginning to affect me psychologically.



What kind of mother would kill her daughter’s happiness and scatter her home by sleeping with her son-in-law? Can I ever forgive them? What do I call her, a second wife or a mistress? My baby is just two months old and my mother is three months pregnant for my husband. What do I do?



Your advice and comments would go a long way.

My love for Mirabel is driving me crazy Part (2)

This is the concluding part of Austin and Mirabel’s love story which started last week.



A day before Mirabel travelled to England, she visited me at home and we had a long talk. “Mirabel, so what is next for you after your Master’s programme?” I asked. “Well, I hope you would have been through with school and started working by the time I return so that we can get married. I really want to settle down with you,” she told me. I was so elated to hear her say that. “I hope so too. I want to be through with school and make enough money so that I can marry and take care of you”, I told her. We talked about our future plans and many more hoping that we would end up together.

She asked me to take good care of myself and be the good boy that I have always been. I also advised her to focus on her studies and stay away from trouble.



About one month after she travelled, ASUU called off its strike. And before I knew it, I had completed my studies. I went for my one-year compulsory National Youth Service Corps programme in Kano. It was while I was serving that I and Mirabel lost contact. But, I kept dreaming about Mirabel being my wife and hoping that I will hear from her very soon. I never lost hope. I never looked at any other woman all these years because of my intense love for Mirabel.



But about seven months ago, I decided to date Laura because I had the strong feeling that Mirabel must have been married. I and Laura work in the same company and we have been friends for some time now. I took the bold step because she reminds me a lot about Mirabel. Although, she looks like my dear Mirabel, she can never replace her. Because of pressure from my parents, we got married two weeks ago but that does not mean I have forgotten about Mirabel.



We went to Obudu Cattle Ranch for a week honeymoon, we just came back. Laura and I decided to get some provisions for the house in one of the big supermarkets around when I saw Mirabel again. My wife, Laura was in front of me when I saw my dear Mirabel also shopping in the same supermarket. I stood still and was staring at her just to make sure she was the one. When I was sure, I walked up to her and called out her name softly. She turned back and was surprised to see me. We embraced tightly and did not feel like leaving each other. You could see love sparkle in our eyes. Then she said, “Austin. Quite a long time, how is life with you?” I totally forgot about my wife who stood watching the whole drama until she cleared her throat.



I had to reluctantly introduce Laura to Mirabel. “Mirabel, meet my wife Laura. Laura meet Mirabel a good friend of mine”. They exchanged pleasantries and my wife left us to continue with the shopping. We exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet the next day at an eatery. When we got home, all I could think of was my meeting with Mirabel the next day. My wife knew my expression changed since we left the supermarket. I have never been this happy in a very long time.



The next day, I met with Mirabel. She told me she did not know where or how to contact me when she returned years back and reminded me that age was not on her side. Luckily, she met and married a medical doctor. “I am happily married to a medical doctor and I run an event management company. We are blessed with two lovely children,” she told me. I told her I just got married about two weeks ago after waiting for her for so long. She told me she was happy for me. We ate and drank, then ended up in a hotel room. We continued seeing each other. We spend time together after work at least thrice a week. It was just like those good old days back at the university.

It got to a point I pleaded with her so that we could see everyday but she told me it was impossible.



Meantime, my wife noticed that I had completely lost interest in her and our young marriage. I hardly get home early and at weekends instead of spending time with her, I am either watching television or I go out with “the boys”. She complained bitterly but I never listened to her. All I think about is Mirabel and the quality time we spend together. One Saturday morning, Laura said to me, “Austin since the day you met that your friend at the supermarket you have totally changed. Are you having an affair?” “That is the woman I should have married and not you. I love her so much. If you say I am having an affair, you may be right,” I told her. Laura felt so bad I could see it written all over her.



About eight months later, at our usual meeting place, Mirabel told me she cannot continue with this unholy act. “Austin, I am sorry I cannot continue with this affair. My husband loves me so much and I don’t want to hurt him any further. Being unfaithful to him is haunting me. He is a good man and does not deserve what I am doing to him. Our unholy affair is beginning to affect my marriage. I don’t even spend quality time with my family anymore. I am sorry but we need to put an end to this madness,” she pleaded.

I told her we were destined to be together and so shall it be. She told me, it was over and advised me to love and cherish my wife, build my young marriage and forget about her. I cried and pleaded with her but she told me her mind was made up. I actually thought she was bluffing. I got home looking so depressed. I could not even sleep. Laura was just looking at me but she said nothing to me.



Mirabel does not even pick my calls anymore; she avoids me like a plague. She eventually changed all her phone numbers just to cut off every form of communication with me. The last time I visited her office, the securitymen did not allow me into the premises. I was openly disgraced but it meant nothing to me. I took all the insults for the sake of my love for Mirabel.



When I got home and thinking of the next step to take to make Mirabel come back to me, I saw the note Laura left on our bed. It reads “Baby, I married you because I truly loved you. I only enjoyed my marriage for two weeks. I am tired of being neglected. I have decided to leave so that you can enjoy your love affair with your Mirabel. I will always love you. But, please don’t bother looking for me -Laura.”

I hissed and threw the note into the waste bin. I am not bothered if Laura leaves me. The only person I want and desire is Mirabel. I can’t concentrate on anything anymore and it is beginning to affect my job and everyone around me.



Readers, I need your advice because my love for Mirabel is driving me crazy. Did she charm me or is this a true love? I know that I have hurt my wife so much, but the truth is that I don’t mind to kill Mirabel’s husband if I have to just to have her to myself. What do I do?

My love for Mirabel is driving me crazy (Part 1)

I could still remember that night back at the University of Lagos when Mirabel and I were crowned the best couple on campus. It was fun, an exciting moment for both of us. I felt on top of the world that night.



Mirabel and I love each other so much. Although, she was a year ahead of me and also two years older than me, it never mattered to me. What mattered to us was that we loved each other. We never listened to gossips and I think that was what kept us going as lovers despite the age difference.



I met Mirabel at the Lagoon water front one sunny afternoon. I had gone there to relax and admire nature after three hours of a marathon lecture in preparation for my second semester examination in my first year. The two hours I sat down there, I saw this black beauty engrossed in the textbook she was reading. She was not distracted by the loud shouting and laughter coming from some students sitting close to her. She just focused on her book. The only time she took off her eyes from the book was when she wanted to take a sip from her bottled drink. I told myself this is the kind of student I should associate with if I must graduate with good grades.

As I was about to leave, I walked up to her. “Hello, I have watched you for two hours and you have been so engrossed in your book. Anyway, my name is Austin and I am a first year student of Economics,” I told her. “I am Mirabel, a second year student of Business Administration,” she responded. She asked how I was coping with university life and how I was preparing for the forthcoming examination. We talked generally about school and life. I discovered she was intelligent. We talked as if we had known each other for long. After that day, we became friends as we meet at the lagoon front to read and discuss.



About five months later, I told her I was in love with her. “Mirabel, I have fallen in love with you. Sincerely, all I wanted us to be was friends but I guess our spending time with each other almost everyday has changed that. What about you,” I asked. She said she likes me so much but cannot have an affair with me because she feels she is older than me. “Please, don’t lie to me. How old are you Austin,” she asked. “I am 20 years old. But I look bigger than my age. Look at my stature and not my age,” I pleaded. She told me she was 22 years old so it was pointless dating me.



This made us distant for some time because she was contemplating if she wanted to date me or not. There was no point seeing her again and hurting myself so I stopped going to the lagoon front. Two weeks later, she visited me in my room. “It is true you don’t look your age and I like you very much Austin. Okay, let us give it a try. But, please promise me, people will not know that I am older than you.” I promised her that. There and then, she gave me my very first kiss.

We had a very beautiful and wonderful relationship. Yes, we had a few quarrels because I am a jealous person and I didn’t want to see any male student around her. But, at the same time, our quarrels, arguments or fights do not exceed a day or two and we were back together. She was everything I desired. Mirabel was special to me.



In her last semester in the final year, my love for her had really intensified. Although, I loved her so much, I began to doubt if she was going to marry me because first, she would graduate before me and secondly, because of the age difference. “Even if I am ready to fight everyone to marry her, would she wait for me,” I asked myself.

The more her final examinations approached, the faster my heart beat. I knew I needed to have a heart-to-heart talk with Mirabel since she would be graduating soon. I needed to know her plans for us. So, after her final paper, I visited her. Fortunately, she was alone. I congratulated her on the successful completion of her course of study.



“Austin, I am so happy I am finally graduating. I am done with all these lecturers and their wahala. It is time to face the real world. Oh, you don’t know how happy I am,” she told me excitedly. “Mirabel, I am happy for you. But what is going to happen to us,” I asked. She looked at me and said she would wait for me since I would be graduating the following year. But she asked a question she had never before all the years we had been dating. “Austin, I know we love each other very much, but I am two years older than you. Are you sure you want to marry me? Please, I don’t want to wait in vain. What would people say, especially your family members,” she asked. I assured her everything would be alright, that we needed to take it one day at a time. We spent the night together in her room as her room mates had gone to celebrate with others too. Mirabel spent about one week extra in school because of me before finally leaving for home. But we were constantly in touch. She was ready to wait for me but ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strike did not help at all.



Shortly after she graduated, there was ASUU strike that lasted for almost one year. She went for the compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps program and came back. Yet, the strike was not over. She then went for her Master’s program in England. The last time I saw her was a day before she travelled to England.



So what happened next? Did they ever see each other again? Did they eventually get married? Find out in the concluding part.

I’m entangled in relationship with my suitor’s father (2)

This is the concluding part of the story of Vero and the men in her life.





Three weeks later, Elvis told me he thinks he had fallen helplessly in love with me. “Vero, I have to tell you that I have fallen helplessly in love with you. Why not give us a chance to know each other” he pleaded. I was not surprised at all because I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. However, I told him to give me some time to think about it.



I knew I had fallen in love with him too but what if Chief finds out, would he kill his son? I asked myself. “God, Chief has vowed to kill any man he sees with me. How can I date father and son? How do I handle this?”

About a month later, Chief told me he was travelling to Hong Kong for a business meeting and he would be away for three weeks. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to be in the arm of the man I have fallen in love with. The truth is that I do not love Chief, I love his money. But for young and handsome looking Elvis, he was my dream man. He is single and ready to mingle, so, I decided to give him a chance.



When Chief travelled, my visit to his house became an everyday affair because of Elvis. His mother was very excited that things were going on well between us. During one of such visits to the house, Elvis asked me what I do for a living. I needed to think very fast and tell him lies he would believe, so I said, “I am actually into buying and selling of ladies’ wear. I collect from friends, and go round offices to sell them.” “That is good idea but why not open a boutique, travel and buy these things yourself,” he suggested. I told him I don’t have enough money to do the business. He promised to do something about it.



On his return, Elvis started working in his father’s company. In fact, he became a member of the board of trustees. He too started spoiling me with money and gifts. When I told my mother about Elvis, she quietly said, “I warned you not to date Chief but you thought I was old school. Vero, you alone will face the consequences of whatever you are doing. I have washed my hands of you since the day you moved out of this house.”

The three weeks Chief was away, I never took Elvis to the apartment he rented for me. Instead, I took him to my mother’s place and pleaded with them to pretend as if I live there with them. Any day Elvis and I have a date, I leave my house early to my mother’s place to wait for him. We had beautiful time together until Chief came back from his trip.

My attention immediately shifted back to Chief but my heart was with Elvis. Chief was so excited to see me. He made up for those three weeks he was away with loads of gifts and money. He started spending most of his mornings at my place because he could not lie to his wife about embarking on another business trip immediately.



I hardly had time for Elvis and he became worried. Whenever we fix dates, I end up standing him up; the worse was that I couldn’t even call him because Chief monitored my every move.

I was home alone one afternoon when I heard a knock on the door. I knew it was not chief because he has the spare key to the apartment. However, I rushed to open the door. Guess who I saw? Elvis. I was shocked and it was written all over my face. “Elvis, what are you doing here? Who gave you this address?” I asked confused.



“Vero, what is happening? You completely changed over night, what is the matter? You don’t pick my calls, you manage to reply my messages and you now stand me up whenever we have a date. Did I do something wrong? Please tell me and I will apologise,” he told me. Shivering I said, “That is not what I asked you. How did you get this address?” He asked me if I would not let him in to the house and I quietly opened the door wide for him to come in.



He then explained to me that he went to my ‘supposed house’ to look for me, only to be told by my mother that I don’t live with them. When he insisted on my whereabouts, my younger sister gave him this house address and assured him that he would meet me there. “What else did they tell you,” I asked. He told me absolutely nothing. But the interrogation began:

“Vero, who owns this place? Don’t lie to me?” he pleaded. “It is my uncle’s place. I stay here with him,” I lied. “So why didn’t you tell me this before?” he asked. “Well that is because he does not want any man coming to look for me in his house. He would have embarrassed you if he was at home. Please leave, he could come at any time and I don’t want any trouble for us. I will see you tomorrow, I promised.” He assured me that he understood, then gave me a long kiss and left.



One Saturday morning, Aunty Joyce insisted that I go shopping with her because she was expecting some family friends that evening. After the shopping and cooking, while I was talking with her in the kitchen, Elvis walked in, went on his knees and proposed to me. I said yes and he slipped a diamond ring into my finger. “I think we should start the marriage preparations immediately,” she said. We both unanimously chorused “yes, ma”. I was happy, at the same time sad. I knew Elvis and I love each other but what would Chief do if he heard that I am engaged to his son? That scared me.



I left almost immediately and headed straight to my mother’s place to inform them of the good news. “Mum, I will be getting married soon. He finally proposed,” I screamed. My mother looked at me for a while, shook her head and stressed, “So, who finally proposed? Is it father or son or both of them? Vero, you think you are smart, but don’t worry you have my shoulders to cry on when your world come crashing down on you.”



The next day, Chief rushed to my apartment screaming my name. “Vero, Vero where are you? What do you think you are doing accepting to marry my son? You better forget Elvis because you will never marry him as long as I live,” he threatened. “Chief, I think you are forgetting something. We can never get married so why not allow me marry Elvis? If you oppose our union, then, you must have a good explanation for your wife and son. What will you tell them, Chief?” He immediately dashed out of the house.



Elvis and I were always together at their place and this annoyed Chief. I decided to be fully committed to Elvis whom I have come to love so much. When Chief sensed that Elvis was visiting me at the apartment, he asked me to vacate the place and also seized the car. When Elvis asked me, I lied to him that my uncle had to sell off everything to travel abroad to join his family and that he would be away for a very long time, so I had to go back to my mother’s house.



One Sunday evening when we went out together, Chief sent thugs to beat up Elvis. He thought that would stop me from seeing his son but, instead, it strengthened our love. The next day I went to see him in his office. “Chief I know you sent those thugs to beat up your son. So, you want to kill your only son because of a woman? What a shame,” I told him. “I only told them to beat him up because he is my son, but next time, he may join his ancestors if you don’t stop seeing him,” he threatened.



When preparation was in top gear and Aunty Joyce was so excited that her son would soon get married to a ‘good woman’, Chief told them I cannot marry his son. “Vero cannot marry Elvis. She is not as innocent as she appears. I have seen her with various men at different times. She is not suitable for my son.” I was not shocked but I had to defend myself before Aunty Joyce and Elvis.



From all indications, Chief is serious about Elvis not marrying me. What do I do? Should I tell Aunty Joyce the truth? But, I don’t want to break her heart. She trusted me so much and I betrayed that trust. What about Elvis, should I tell him I have been dating and sleeping with his father? How will he look at me? I have come to truly love him and don’t want to lose him. What do I do?

I’m entangled in relationship with my suitor’s father (1)

It was a boring Saturday morning. My mother and younger sister had gone to visit our uncle, Anthony. Absolutely bored alone at home, I decided to go and see a movie on the Island.



Luckily, when I got there, a romantic film had just started. Glued to the big screen, I laughed at funny scenes, cried in touching scenes and also apportioned blame where necessary. At the end of two hours, I knew my day was made. It was time to head home and have a quiet siesta. Immediately I left the movie venue and crossed over to the other side of the road, I saw a woman in her 50s vomiting by the road side. I noticed that everyone passed by without looking at her twice.



I quickly walked up to her and asked what the problem was. “My daughter, I just felt dizzy and sick all of a sudden,” she told me. She then begged me to take her to a particular hospital. “Madam, did you come in a car?” I asked. She simply nodded no. I hurriedly got a taxi because at this point, she was becoming unconscious. On our way to the hospital, I wondered why a woman so expensively dressed from head to toe did not come out in a car. “O God, please let her not die in this taxi, spare her life,” I prayed.



When we got to the hospital, she was recognised by virtually all the staff. Immediately, she was taken to a private room and put on drip while I sat by her bedside. The doctor and nurses checked on her every 15 minutes to ensure her condition was stable. When she was fully conscious, the doctor informed us that he had called chief. “Madam, you will be fine. I have called chief and he is on his way here.”



Later, she introduced herself to me as Madam Joyce. She told me she actually left the house with her driver but the car developed a fault and she asked him to fix it while she hurriedly left in a taxi to catch up with her appointment before she suddenly took ill and started vomiting. “Please, pardon me. What is your name?” she inquired. “My name is Veronica, but everybody calls me Vero,” I told her. And she said, “Thank you for saving my life. You are indeed God sent.” While we were behaving like mother and daughter who have not seen for years, her husband, Chief came, rushed into the room and said, “My dear what is it this time? The doctor told me you were rushed here.”



Madam Joyce then told him how I helped her and he also thanked me for saving the life of his lovely wife. “Madam Joyce, since your husband is here and you are in good hands, I think I should leave now,” I told her. She gave me her complimentary card, took my phone number and made me promise that I would come over to the house for lunch whenever she invites me which I promised and left. On Sunday afternoon, I called to find out how she was doing and she excitedly informed me she would be discharged that evening.



She called within the week and invited me over for lunch on Saturday. After lunch, she told me she has only one son, Elvis who has been in the United States for about 10 years now and wishes he would come home soon so that he could take me as a wife. “Vero, you are a nice, young woman. You are the daughter I never had. I would want you to marry my son when he comes back if you don’t mind,” she said. I just laughed and refused to give her any answer.



Just then Chief walked in and said, “Vero my dear, you are free to come here whenever you like. See this place as your home.” He asked me what I do and I told him I was looking for a job. A few minutes later he asked me to see in his office on Monday. I was so excited and hoped for the best. I went to see Chief and he bluntly told me, I did not need a job.



“Vero, you don’t need a job. I can give you whatever you want, just be my mistress. I loved you since the first day I saw you at the hospital. Just be my mistress and all your problems would be over. I will take care of you and your family.” I was not surprised he said these things because of the way he was staring at me back at his house. I told him I was not interested because his wife sees me as a daughter and I would not want to disappoint her. Chief kept pestering me but refused to employ me in his company.



When the pestering became too much and my mother took ill and we needed money to take her to the hospital, I had to turn to Chief for financial assistance when Uncle Anthony refused to help us. Chief still insisted that I should be his mistress before he could assist me. I had to give in at this point to save my mother’s life. Chief and I started dating, and he spoilt me silly but he was too jealous. He does not like to see young men come any close to me.



A month later, he bought me a car, gives money N250,000 every week for my upkeep and we started spending most weekends together in exclusive hotels in and outside town. He tells his wife that he is going on ‘business trips just to be with me. I knew I had stolen the weekends he was supposed to spend with Madam Joyce, but there was nothing I could do because I was now enjoying every bit of it. I could remember one weekend when Chief and I were in one of our hotel hideouts that Madam Joyce called me, complaining about Chief and how she suspects that he was having an affair. She told me she was ready to kill any woman just to get her husband back.



I was scared by that statement but I summoned courage and assured her that I would talk to Chief during the week when I see him since he sees me as his daughter. At that point I felt a sense ofguilt and I told him immediately. “Chief I think we should end this. Your wife is beginning to suspect something.” He told me that we should take things easy for a while to allay her suspicions.



So he decided to get me a three-bedroom bungalow apartment in my choice area, which he furnished to my taste. I had to move out of our house which my mother bitterly complained about because she said I was dating the husband of a woman who has accepted me wholeheartedly as her daughter and a man old enough to be my father. But, I did not listen to her. I left the house and started living big courtesy of Chief, my sugar daddy. My house became the love nest for Chief and he warned me seriously that no other man must step foot there. “Vero, I don’t want to see any other man in this house. The day I do, I will kill both of you.” I promised him that he would never meet any other man in my house. One Tuesday, about nine months after meeting Chief and Madam Joyce, she called and asked me to come over to the house. “Vero, please I want you to come over to the house,” she pleaded. “Madam Joyce, I hope there is no problem,” I asked.



She assured me that there was no problem but that she has a surprise for me. I was so scared because I thought she had found out about Chief and I. I quickly dashed there, only to see Madam Joyce with a tall handsome man whom I believe was her son, Elvis. Immediately she saw me, she rushed and hugged me before introducing us. “Elvis, this is Vero the young lady I was talking about. Vero meet my son, Elvis. He arrived this morning without informing us. But, all the same, I am glad he is back home,” she revealed. We shook hands and had some chat. His mother encouraged me to take him round town once in a while and I agreed. Three weeks later, Elvis told me he thinks he had fallen helplessly in love with me.

‘My husband withdrew our joint-saving and eloped with a woman’

Life blows a big one on us when we least expect and from the people we least expect too. I am a very hard working woman who equally loves her family. I used to be a manager in one of the big textile companies until about three years ago when I had to resign. My husband, Akpan, holds an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Business Administration while I have a Master’s in Business Administration.



I was aware of his lower educational qualification but I married him because he was hard working. He used to work with one construction firm but was sacked when they were downsizing. For me, aside from being a top manager in my organisation, I also have two big shop where I sell foodstuff such as garri, beans and rice in bags and palm oil and groundnut gallons. When Akpan lost his job, we decided that he should start managing both shops and concentrate on them as well instead of looking for a job.



I discovered that he is also business inclined and was in a better position to run the shops since I don’t even have the time until weekends to show up at the store. Akpan was really doing well in the business and we were all happy. A few months later, I decided that we should open a joint account for capital intensive projects in the future. About four months later, we bought a land at Ikorodu so that we can start building our own house and also shops for rent to earn more money. I was so excited that things were going on well until I received a phone call from my account officer one fateful Wednesday afternoon, “Madam, good afternoon. Please I want you to come to the bank.



I need to see you,” she said. “Aisha, I hope there is no problem?” I asked. She assured me that there was none but only wanted to confirm something from me. On Thursday afternoon, I went to see Aisha and I got a shocking news. She told me my husband withdrew and had been withdrawing large sums of money for about two weeks, which was strange. But I assured her that it was to purchase goods for the shop. But from her reaction, I knew that she was not satisfied with my answers and she said, “Madam, he has withdrawn N6, 000,000 in two weeks. Are you aware of that?” she asked. “Did you just say N6,000,000? What is he doing with such an amount?



He only told me he withdrew some money for goods,” I told her. I rushed back to the office. I could not concentrate. I just forced myself to stay focused throughout in the office. When I asked him about the money that evening, he told me he put the them into a new business which he just discovered but refused to give me the details. “But why didn’t you discuss with me before taking such a risk?” I asked. “Don’t worry Josephine, the money will soon double, it’s a good business,” he assured.



While I was still trying to comprehend that, one of the boys in one of the shops called me five days later and told me I should come over to the shop. I took permission and rushed down there only to discover that Akpan had sold off both shops. “Oga, please I am the owner of this shop, what are you doing here?” I asked. “Well, Mr Akpan sold everything inside here for three million naira. He said he needed the money urgently to meet up with some family needs. He also sold the land at Ikorodu to my friend in case you don’t know, according to him to add up to the money,” he informed me. I did not know when I sat down on the floor with tears rolling down my cheek.



I later summoned courage and asked all my workers to go home until I sort things out. When I got home, Mirabel our daughter told me their father said he was travelling out of the country with his new wife. In the letter he dropped for me, he said he has found his soul mate and that they were travelling out that night. “Josephine, I have emptied our account, sold the two shops and the land at Ikorodu just to make sure I leave this country with my new wife. I am sorry but it was something I had to do. Take care of Mirabel and Junior, I know you will understand and forgive me some day. -Akpan.” It was a big blow. In less than two weeks, all I have ever worked for was gone.



My children are my only consolation. It affected me so much that I could not concentrate any more at work. My immediate boss, a white man noticed it and asked me to resign instead of being sacked. I gladly did. I told myself I was down but not out, so, I decided to pick up the pieces of my life. I decided to start a small business so that I can at least feed my children and train them in school even though I knew they cannot continue with their present school. After what Akpan did, I was left with less than N400,000 in my account, so I decided to sell my car and the money was enough to start the second-hand clothing business I wanted. I rented a shop and started my business, changed my children’s school and life continued. Thank God, my business is booming and my children are doing well in school.



They do not even ask after their father, they are old enough to know about life. It is four years since Akpan left us but recently I was sitting in front of my shop with my children when I saw Harry, one of his friends who told us that Akpan was back in the country. He told us how things were rosy between them until Akpan discovered that the woman brings and sleeps with men in their home which made him beat her occasionally. She later duped and ejected him out of her house; this forced him to return to the country because he could not face the humiliation any more. “He has been looking for you and the children. He went to the former house but was told you have packed out.



He desperately wants to see you,” he said. When Harry left, Mirabel and Junior asked me if I was going to accept back their father and I said I don’t know. As if they planned it, they warned me not to think of accepting him because if I do, I should also think of choosing between them and their father. He came to the shop, went on his knees to plead with us to forgive them but my children still stood their ground. In his presence, they told me “Mummy, it is either this man or us. After what you did to our mother you still have the nerves to come here. Please leave before we hurt you.” I looked helplessly as they humiliated their own father, but do I blame them. I know I still love Akpan and I love my children dearly, they have been my source of strength and they have also been there for me. I have forgiven him but do I have to accept him? I know I still need a man. What do I do?

My mother misled me. Can I ever forgive her?

“Prisca, please wake up. You can’t die now. I beg you, wake up.” It was that voice that woke me up. I opened my eyes and found myself on a hospital bed with my mother and four elder sisters.

“What happened to me?” I asked. “You fainted,” said Judith my eldest sister. Then, I remembered what happened. I am the youngest of five pretty young girls. My father, I was told, died three months after I was born but I grew up in a comfortable home. My mother runs a big provision shop just a street away from our house and with this, she trained all of us.

As we grew older, my mother gathered all of us one Saturday evening. She told us she wants us to marry rich men in order to avoid suffering. “My daughters, I want all of you to bring home rich men, I mean already made men as husbands to me. I suffered with your father all for the sake of love but what did he leave for me before his death? Absolutely, nothing. I had to really work hard to train all of you. Just make sure the man is rich, then, love will follow later,” she urged us.

From that day, any man we bring home was well scrutinised by my mother. She would first of all look at the kind of clothes he is putting on, brand of wristwatch and down to his shoes. Then, peep through the window to see the brand of car he came in. If she is satisfied and smiles, there is hope that she may approve of the man. But if she is not satisfied with all these, she would ask you to see her immediately your visitor leaves. Once he leaves, she would rain abuses on you and remind you of all she told us. For my four elder sisters, they did not find it easy with my mother when they were ready to settle down.

She bluntly refused all the men they brought simply because they do not drive posh cars and did not dress expensively according to her thirst. In fact, she added something new to the criteria later that shocked us. “In addition to what I said earlier, only bring men who live in a three-bedroom apartment, a bungalow or a duplex,” she demanded. “Mummy you cannot be serious. Love comes first before material things. The way you are going about it, none of us will get married,” said Judith.

“You girls should try me and see,” she threatened. When our mother kept rejecting all the men they introduced to her, they decided that she would not continue to dictate their lives for them reminding her that they have pleased her enough. When Judith introduced David to her, after scrutinising him as usual, she said, he was not wealthy enough, thus, she cannot marry him. When all pleas fell on deaf ears, Judith went ahead and married him reminding my mother that she has toyed enough with her emotions and that she was not getting any younger. With Judith’s action, my other sisters followed suit, marrying men they loved, not minding my mother’s criteria anymore.

Just because I felt my sisters disobeyed my mother, I promised myself I will marry the man she approves for me. Since I clocked 24 years till date that I am 28 years, I have introduced over 10 men to my mother but she rejected all, giving one excuse or the other. But, I decided to hold on because I believed she meant well for me. One hot Sunday afternoon, on my way back from church, a jeep stopped right beside me. The occupant wound down the glass and asked, “Which way are you going, pretty?” “Just three streets away,” I said.

“Okay then come in. It will be my pleasure to take you home,” he told me. I got into the jeep and we got talking. He told me his name is Victor; he is an engineer, the first child of three children and that his parents and siblings are based in the United States. I also introduced myself. “O my God, this guy is good-looking and he looks rich. This is the kind of man I want for a husband,” I thought to myself. Fortunately, as we got to the front of our compound, my mother was outside talking with a friend. When she saw that I was the one that alighted from the jeep, she quickly dismissed her friend and came to meet me. Before I could introduce Victor to her, she said, “My son, you are welcome to our home, please come in.” She walked closely behind him just to assess him. She entertained him and made him feel at home. When Victor was leaving, he handed over N10,000 to my mother and N5,000 to me. Immediately he left, my mother said, “This is what I am talking about. A man who is wealthy, well dressed and can take good care of you. Prisca, you must not let him go. You must do whatever you have to do to keep him,” she insisted.

We kept communicating over the phone and two weeks later, Victor came over and took my mother and me to his place. The compound was well decorated with beautiful flowers and the building is a bungalow of five rooms. The kitchen was spark l i n g and neat. In fact it was tiled wall to wall. The sitting room is like a football pitch, very spacious and well furnished. I started dreaming of the day he would propose marriage to me. Victor spoilt me silly with gifts and money. Three months later, my dream came true. He asked me to marry him which I expressly accepted. When I told my mother, she almost screamed her throat out in excitement.



Two weeks after he proposed, he informed my mother that his parents and siblings would be coming back to Nigeria in two months time and our marriage plans would start immediately. He kept visiting and calling me until about three weeks ago when he suddenly stopped all forms of communication. Whenever I call Victor, he would tell me he is too busy but would promise to call or visit which he ends up not doing. I got really worried and so some days ago, I decided to pay him a surprise visit.

When I got there, I noticed that the gateman was new. I told him I wanted to see Victor, the owner of the house and he said, “Madam, you mean Victor the house help?” I said no but insisted he calls the owner of the house which he gladly did but leaving me outside to wait. To my utmost shock, a huge tall man came with the gateman and told me he was the owner of the house. I said, “No, Victor is the one who lives here. Maybe you are his brother.”

He then explained to me that Victor is their house help. “He is our house h e l p . We left him in care of the house when the whole family travelled out of the country for six months. We only returned about three weeks ago.” I thought it was all a dream. Unaware of my presence, Victor in tattered short and T-shirt came to the gate to inform his employer that he has a phone call, actually looking like the house help that he is. The last thing I remembered was that I screamed.

Later, my mother told me she went to confront him on why he played such an expensive joke on us and to her amazement he said, “I heard you want your children to marry very wealthy men so I had to pose as one when my employers travelled. I am just a common house help if you must know.” While my sisters were pleading with me to forget about the harrowing experience and move on with my life, the doctor announced to us that I am six weeks pregnant. Tears flowed freely from my eyes and I told my mother, “You pushed me into this mess. I did not only date a house help all in the name of ‘you want me to marry a wealthy man’, I am also pregnant with his baby. I will never forgive you.” I don’t want to have this baby because I will hate him for the rest of my life. He will always remind me of his useless father. Please what do I do?

‘I’m haunted by memories of men who gang-raped me’

A lot of young girls and women have been raped at one time or the other. But because of the shame and stigma associated with it, the victims hardly talk about it.

My name is Charity, I still remember that fateful day in the village when I had to go and fetch firewood alone because my best friend Blessing took ill. I was just 12 years then. On my way back, I was raped by one of the notorious boys who had always told me he loved me. I could still remember the pains and anguish of that fateful day.

After the incidence, anywhere I went to in the village, I was identified as that girl that was raped and I also had constant nightmares of being a victim. When the shame was becoming too much, my parents had to arrange for me to leave the village. So, I left for Kaduna to stay with my aunt. There I completed my secondary education, sat for JAMB and gained admission into the university to study law.

Then I was 19 and it was the usual October rush, many boys approached me but I turned them down as my main objective was to face my studies. However, there was this particular boy who refused to let me be. They call him ‘Skull’; I never knew he was the leader of a cult group on campus. He had tried all he could to date me, but I kept giving him a cold shoulder. In fact, one afternoon, I humiliated him because he was pestering me for a chat. While his friends persuaded him to teach me a lesson, he screamed at them to let me go.

‘Skull’ stopped disturbing me, so, I thought it was because of what I did to him until that fateful evening on my way back from a late evening tutorial class alone. I left the class quite early because I was feeling a bit feverish when I ran into ‘Skull’ with four of his friends standing at a dark corner. Immediately they sighted me, they formed a circle around me and threatened to deal with me for humiliating their leader. They seized my bag and books and forced me to go down on my knees. I pleaded for forgiveness but all my pleas fell on deaf ears. One of them then said to me, “You this small girl, you have the guts to humiliate our leader. By the time we are true with you, you will not know what hit you.” While ‘Skull’ wanted them to beat me up, his friends preferred rape, and so I was gang raped by five guys. After the act, they left me there, weak and gasping for breath. How I got to my room, till today only God knows.

I could not tell anybody about it. A month later, I discovered that I was pregnant and had to go for an abortion. ‘Skull’ and his friends always dangled the possibility of another act if I was not careful on campus any time I ran into them. Luckily, they were two years ahead of me and so graduated before me. It was after they left school that I became free to do and go wherever I wanted on campus.

After I graduated, I secured a job in a law firm but unknowingly to me, my boss was more interested in sleeping with me than in the job. One day, I was neck deep into work that I did not realise time was far gone. Someone opened my office door, when I looked up, it was my boss. “I saw your office light still on, so I decided to check on you. What are you still doing? It is almost 8: 30 p.m.,” he told me. I told him I did not know time had gone as I wanted to finish treating a particular file before leaving. The next thing, he grabbed me and threw me to the floor, I could not struggle with him because he was tall and hefty. He raped me after which he promised to increase my salary if I do not tell any one else. Of course, that was my last day in that office.

When I got home, I told myself, “One rape in a life time is bad enough but to go through it thrice was unbearable. If it will happen again, somebody must die for it. I will kill any man who tries it again,” I vowed. I never failed to constantly ask myself why life has been so unfair to me. I decided to put it behind me and make something out of my life.

Today I am happily married to Henry but I am scared of sex and I hardly enjoy it even if I want to. And because of my attitude towards sex, Henry has asked me severally if I have ever been raped but I said no. “How could I tell my husband that I have been raped thrice, one of which was by a gang of five? He will think something is wrong with me,” I told myself.

One evening, when Henry came back from work, he informed me that his cousin Festus will be arriving from London the next day and he would be spending about a month with us. He told me how rough Festus was before he met his wife who turned his life around. He asked me to get the guest room ready for him. The next day, I got home early just to ensure all was set before Henry and Festus get home. While I was still cooking, the door bell rang, I rushed to open it to welcome them, but low and behold who did I see? It was Henry and ‘Skull’.

I had to consciously pretend as if I have never met him before. Henry introduced us to each other and it was obvious he too recognised me but pretended not to have met me. “God, has my past come to haunt and torture me in my own house for a month?” I asked myself. That night I could not sleep as the rape of that night played afresh in my head.

Two days later, Henry told me he has to travel on an official trip for a week. He asked that I take good care of myself and his cousin. That night, I locked my bedroom door. But I noticed that Festus tried opening my door for three consecutive nights without success. Unfortunately, on the fourth night, I went to bed too tired and so I forgot to lock the door.

Festus entered into my room and was tip toeing towards the bed when I woke up all of a sudden. “Do you want to rape me again? Once does not seem to be enough for you. If you touch me, I swear I will kill you,” I threatened him. But boldly, he walked towards me without knowing what awaits him. I did not panic as he came, he did not even notice that I had slipped my hand under my pillow where my kitchen knife was in anticipation of any threat to my life. As he came close, I brought out the knife and told him I will kill him. When he saw that I was serious, he ran out of the room. He never came close to me again. Henry noticed that I was not as cheerful as I used to be and asked me if anything happened while he was away but I lied to him. He just informed me that he will be travelling again in a week’s time to complete his assignment. I know that I cannot stay in the house alone with Festus. What excuse should I give my husband for not wanting to stay with his cousin? Should I open up to him? But what will be his reaction? I don’t want to commit murder.

My yesterday has caught up with me

My name is Uduak. I live in Lagos but I am from the Akwa Ibom State. It is with heavy heart that I tell my story but, I don’t want anyone to fell pity for me because I deserve whatever is happening to me today.

I came from a poor home. We barely managed to survive. My father was a gateman and my mother a petty trader. We lived in the boy’s quarter of the house being guarded by my father. I am the second girl from a family of three girls and two boys. I completed my secondary school education at the age of 17. I started attending evening JAMB classes somewhere in Ikeja because my dream was to gain admission into the University of Lagos, study accountancy, then work in the bank.

It was during one of the evenings I was coming back from classes that I met Alhaji Hassan. From the first day he met me, he told me he liked me and promised to do whatever I asked of him. Alhaji Hassan gives me money every week just to ensure that I don’t get tempted by other man. I got so used to not being cash trapped that I neglected my JAMB classes to spend time with him in his hotel suite. Anyway, at the end, I sat for the JAMB examination and failed woefully but I was not bothered because Alhaji was there for me.

My father and siblings supported me because I bring home money. In fact, I became the bread winner of the family. Alhaji bought me a car, I had a fat bank account, he opened a big boutique for me on Allen and moved me and my family into a three bedroom flat. While I opened a small shop for my mother, my father stopped his gateman job and started his carpentry business which he was doing before. I also gave my sisters money to start their own business and sponsored my brothers in school.

One evening, my mother told me she wanted to have a talk with me. When every one was asleep, she said to me, “Uduak my daughter, don’t you think Alhaji is old enough to be your father? Why not leave him and look for a younger man who will marry you? Alhaji already has three wives according to you.” Those words pierced through my heart like a sword. I felt she was ungrateful and has bitten the fingers that feed her. So, I said to her, “after almost two years with what Alhaji has done for this family you are just realizing he is old enough to be my father isn’t it?” That was the beginning of me and my mother’s problem.

As the bread winner, nobody could talk to me. I did whatever I liked and I enjoyed controlling everybody. It was even worse for my mother. At the slightest provocation, I either slap her or tell her to shut up. From there, it graduated to beating. My mother would cry for hours, after which she would still apologize to me if not she would get no form of assistance from me. Beating my mother became something I enjoyed doing until the last beating I gave her.

Before I left home that morning, I told my younger sister, Mercy to help me prepare dinner because I would be coming home with Alhaji. By the time I got home, I did not see any food prepared nor did I see Mercy. “Woman, where is Mercy?” I asked my mother. Sensing trouble, she softly replied “I sent her to the market to help me get some foodstuff for the house.” “Didn’t she tell you I asked her to prepare dinner that I was coming with a guest?” “She did but I thought she will be back to prepare the food before your arrival,” she said. “So, why didn’t you prepare the food since it is getting late and she is not back yet?” I asked. “I have been feeling feverish since morning. I did not even go to my shop today,” she told me.

Immediately, I pulled her by her blouse, slapped and punched her until she fell to the ground. She kept begging me but I did not listen. Instead, I kept hitting and calling her wicked and stupid mother. When she could not take the beating anymore, she fainted. I left her in the kitchen and went to meet Alhaji in the sitting room. It was when Mercy came back that she saw our mother lying unconscious on the kitchen floor and shouted for help. “Mama is lying unconscious in the kitchen, let us rush her to the hospital please,” she pleaded. It took me about 15 minutes to decide if I wanted to help save my mothers life or not.

When we got to the hospital, she was immediately put on drip. I gave Mercy some money and left with Alhaji. When Mercy came home, she told me our mother had regained conscious but that the doctor said she had some internal bleeding and her chances of survival was minimal. When she saw that I showed no sign of remorse, she looked straight into my eyes for the first time and said me, “Udauk, you may be the bread winner of this family but if anything happens to mama, I will never forgive you and her blood will be upon your head.”

Reluctantly I decided to go and see her. She was alone with my father discussing but immediately I entered the room, she pointed at me and in tears said, “Uduak, except I did not carry you in my womb for nine months or you did not suck my breast, for all the things you have done to me just because I talked to you about Alhaji Hassan. Your children will do it to you three times over.” As I took a step towards her with the intention of begging for her forgiveness, the fear of me hurting her again scared her and she screamed. Immediately, my father asked me to leave the room. That was the last time I saw my mother.

This caused a big problem between me and my siblings. They never forgave me. After the burial, they moved out of the apartment with my father to where I don’t know till date. Alhaji took everything he gave me and asked me to vacate the apartment because of what he called my wicked action.

With the money in my account, I started buying and selling women wears. It was during the course of my business that I met and married my husband, Michael. We have two daughters although he died seven years ago. I am 48 years old, my elder daughter is 21 while the other is 19 but they have no single respect for me. They smoke, drink, beat me and bring all sorts of men home. Any day I complain about their behavior, they will beat me black and blue. I become an errand girl for them any day their men friends will come home because I must keep the whole house clean, buy drinks and cigarettes and must stay locked in my room until they are done.

I woke up in the hospital bed but the last thing I remembered was that my daughters asked me to go and buy some bottles of star and a packet of cigarette which I refused because I was having a headache. The next thing both of them pounced on me and started beating me. When I started bleeding, they rushed me to the hospital. At the hospital, my elder daughter warned me not to come home after I am discharged if I don’t want to die an untimely death and dashed out. I have not set my eyes on them after that day. Now I have been discharged. Where do I go from here? My mothers curse is indeed working. I now understand what she went through as a mother. But, I don’t want to place a curse on my children. What do I do?