GLEEFUL:
Exuberantly, or Triumphantly joyful.
The following morning I heard a knock on my gate and went to check, I was astounded to see Ifeanyi the little boy from yesterday. He came along with his friend who I do not know.
It
"Good morning! Auntie" he said with a smile.
Good morning, Ifeanyi.
I gave his friend a long fixed look as I was trying to guess whose son he was but failed.
" Auntie this is my friend Tochukwu, I brought him along to assist you with some chores just like I promised yesterday."
I went teary on hearing that and at once started showering praises and prayers on them.
These boys not only helped me fetch water but also swept the entire compound and even fetched more firewood for me.
I was touched by their show of kindness to me and my daughters, and the least I could do to show appreciation was to offer them food after they had labored.
Ifeanyi and his friend Tochukwu did not relent in helping me not even for a day, their consistency was overwhelming until one faithful day.
I was in my kitchen in my backyard when I heard someone grumbling and walking towards the backyard, I rushed out of the kitchen to see Ifeanyi in a bad temper.
He had his writs and arm gripping behind his back and an angry face.
"Auntie good afternoon," he said with his heart racing in his chest.
Good afternoon Ifeanyi, you don't look cheerful, who vexed you? I asked in curiosity.
Ifeanyi stood tongue-tied and swiveled his head.
Ifeanyi! Am talking to you, do not stand there and act dumb. I bellow in annoyance.
"Auntie, you will not believe I heard from my friend". He said with a piteous look.
What did you hear, Ifeanyi?
"Auntie as I was coming to your house to help you with the farm work as I promised you yesterday, while on my way I decided to check on my friend Tochukwu so we could come do the work together."
Yes! So what happened? Why is Tochukwu not here with you? I interrupted him with my impatience.
"As I arrived at Tochukwu's house, I noticed he was not ready for the farm work as we agreed yesterday. When I tried to find out why, he said there is a hearsay going around the village about us.. auntie."
What is the rumor? I questioned him as stood like a cat on a hot tin roof.
" He said some group of boys approached him yesterday while he was heading back home, and told him to warn me about my affair with you.
According to the word on the street, you and I are lovers" he added.
What did you just say? I screamed while cubing my ears with both hands.
"Auntie, he said the news is on everyone's lips in the village and that his parents even interrogated him on that" Ifeanyi resumed.
With both of my hands behind my head, I screamed abomination!! This is the height of humiliation I vented with my eyes teary.
My spirit was low and same time heartbroken.
This is the most humiliating conspiracy.
A woman of my standing, a lover to a 14-year-old boy that I regard as a son?
Ahhh!!! Nneohia community this is your worst? I lamented.
Ifeanyi! I want you to find out from your friend Tochukwu who those boys are.
As soon as Ifeanyi left my compound, I at once went to meet my father-in-law about what I was being accused of.
His reaction after narrating everything to him was rather insouciant. He entreated me to overlook the rumors as he casually labeled it children silliness.
I asked him if that was all he had to say about the matter and he replied "Ngọzi! Should I go and fight those boys? They are just being young and naive."
I have always felt this unloved attitude from my father-in-law but I never knew how deeply repellent I was to him, I whispered to myself as I walked out from his compound in disappointment.
Ifeanyi later found out the names of the boys who escalated the fictitious news. I learned their names were Chinedu, Amobi, and Chikezie and they were 17 and 18 years of age with Amobi being the youngest person.
" Auntie, am sorry that it is because of me you are facing this humiliation, I know this is a planned work to tarnish your reputation, please don't let those boys go free, make them pay."
As if he read my thoughts, I replied, every one of them involved in this will not go unpunished.
Like any woman in my predicament would do, running to my husband for comfort was next on my mind.
I wrote a letter to Gozie informing him of the conspiracy against me by some group of boys, surprisingly to me Gozie never replied to my letter neither did he return to the village to find out if what I wrote in my letter was the truth. He left me to fight my battles all by myself as always.
The accusations were too heavy and deep for me to let go easily, so I had no other choice but to turn to my own family for help. I went crying to my step-elder brother chief Anayo who by then was in charge of the anti-crime police force and Chief Arinze to be specific.
After narrating everything to them, they were so furious about the allegation even more enraged and disappointed with how Gozie and his father treated the matter. They asked me if I had any information regarding the boys and I said yes, Ifeanyi happens to know the boy's names and even their house.
My brothers were satisfied with my response and asked me to go home and get ready for tomorrow because they would be coming very early in the morning with police to arrest those boys, so I should inform Ifeanyi of this too.
I was so happy and grateful that my brothers decided to fight for me and clean the shame from my face.
The following morning two black jeeps drove into my compound, one was the police Hilux which contained two uniformed men and two orders who were not in uniform and they were all armed. I quickly rushed out to my house and hopped in my brother's blue High-lander jeep with my daughters and we left for Ifeanyi's house.
We picked Ifeanyi and he led us to the boys' house, one after another, the three boys were all arrested and taken to the village police station where they were kept behind bars.
As soon as the boys were arrested, their parents especially their mothers came crying, they began rolling on the floor and started using bad language. One of my mothers even called me a white witch and warned me that if anything should happen to her son she was going to deal with me.
When my brothers heard her making those statements against me, they became more furious and instructed the police to make sure that they heightened the punishment given to the boys.
They ordered them to make sure they get them to confess who masterminded the conspiracy against me. The eldest of my brothers Chief Arinze told the blaring immodest woman that because of her lack of empathy towards me, her son was going to spend two weeks in the police cell.
My brothers and I departed the police station while the boy's mothers remained crying to the policemen.
Almost every day the mothers the boys came weeping and pleading for me to bail their sons. I reproof them and enjoin them to get their sons to confess who told them to make such false accusations about me, that was the only way I would set them free.
I did not let their grieving bother me because I was deeply humiliated and needed to unstained my name.
It was a bright and sunny day, I gazed out of my window and saw three elderly men walking into my compound. The red caps on their head at once enlightened me that they were of nobility, I quickly came out of my parlor and stood just at my doorway.
Good morning my sirs, I said with a curious face.
"Good morning our beautiful wife" they replied concomitantly.
Among the three men, one of the faces was familiar to me. He was a relative of Gozie's father hence he was Gozie's uncle but their relativeness was without bond.
I offered them seats outside and requested to know the reason for their visit.
"We are here on behalf of the boys in police custody, we are here to plead with you to temper justice with mercy." I heard them say.
My kinsmen! Am bewildered here, these children insulted my status. When this degrading rumor was flying around this village no one bothered to probe into the accusations or even put a stop to it, now that I decided to fight my battle myself everybody now wants me to forgive and forget.
Mmmh! I breathe and shake my head.
They promised me that the boys were ready to confess and even plead for mercy, I told them it was good the boys had agreed to confess but they were going to do that openly so the entire village would know the truth.
The kinsmen agreed and a date for that was fixed, I proceeded to inform my brothers about the meeting and my decision on that too.
My brothers were not happy that I agreed to grant the boys bail so fast, but I pleaded with them to understand the reason for my sudden change of mind.
As a mother, I know how painful it is to see your children being tortured day and night, so I decided to free them hence they agreed to confess their sins.
Three days later, a large number of people gathered in my compound regarding the revealing of the truth. Seated a few meters away from the crowd were Gozie's father, the kinsmen, and my brothers, I sat on a wooden chair very close to my brothers while the boys knelt in front of us.
The policeman who brought them stood among the crowd to listen, and Ifeanyi and his friend Tobechukwu were present as well.
Chief Eze Maxwell who was the oldest among the kinsmen, began interrogating the boys.
"Now! You boys are going to tell the truth and nothing but the truth" he cautioned them.
"Who among the three of you instigated the conspiracy?"
For three minutes there was absolute silence from the boys, which infuriated the kinsmen as one of them shouted "Have you boys suddenly gone deaf and dumb"
The old man then repeated his question and this time the two other boys pointed at at Chikezie.
Chikezie who was already declared to be responsible for the conspiracy started to confess, he said he was being by a woman to lie against me and Ifeanyi.
Everyone was in shock, the entire crowd roared in rage while his mom started hitting him out of chagrin.
Even though I already knew it was a setup I still could not stop myself from shedding tears, I was even more hurt knowing that I ran to my father-in-law for help but he disregarded me but there he was seated with his eyes fixed on his toes.
My brother then asked Chikezie who was the woman who paid him to tell such lies and he claimed he did not know her or met her before then, according to him she only offered him a huge amount of money and he agreed to do as she requested.
The kinsmen men told the boys that what they did was an atrocity, and they must not only apologize but also compensate me with some items to appease my wounded heart.
I was begged for mercy by the boy's parents and the entire crowd which made me agree with the kinsmen's decision, with regards to my brother's permission.
After all that happened, Ifeanyi did not stop coming around to help me, in-facts he was even more undaunted. With the help of some relatives, I was later given a 16-year-old girl to help me.
The festivities were over and I traveled back to Cameroon with my daughters and my new helper leaving my sons behind still with my eldest brother and his wife.
A few weeks after returning to Cameroon, I was cleaning Gozie's wardrobe when I stumbled on the letter I wrote to Gozie back in Nigeria regarding the incident that happened, i noticed another letter wrapped with it and it was from Gozie's father.
He had written a letter to his son asking him not to return to the village in regards to what was happening, this left me shocked, and wondering why Gozie's father had so much hatred for me.
After more than a decade of being married to Gozie with four children life with him was not getting any better, on the contrary, it went from bad to worse.
One fateful day while I was home getting my daughters ready for school, I got a call from Chika my employee requesting I come immediately to the salon.
I tried finding out from her why she was sounding sore and unrest but she ignored the question and said," Ma am sorry but it is not something I could tell you through the phone" I became so anxious and hastened whatever I was doing.
I arrived at my salon in a yellow taxi and met my employees standing outside the salon still in their casual wear instead of work uniforms, I also immediately sighted the scruffy state of my salon as I took a walk past my employees to better understand what my eyes were seeing.
What happened here? I shouted at the top of my voice.
"Ma we were robbed," Chika said.
Why? How? When? By who? Well answer me Chika!
I began to vociferate loudly.
There was absolute silence from my employees as I sat on the staircase, and gave them a long fixed look.
I then left Chika and the rest of the employees who stood there still with their eyes widely fixed on me, I rushed into my salon and saw that all my expensive equipment was stolen, it was empty.
I began to cry out.
Oh heavens!
Whom did I offend this time?
My salon is empty, my entire equipment is stolen.
My money is gone! Am finished! I said and blacked out.
A few weeks later after recovering from the shock of my salon, I spoke to Gozie about his assisting me in refurnishing my salon with equipment, and he replied "I do not have any money for such a project".
On hearing this I became even more which made me ask Gozie about all the business money I have been giving to him to keep for me, Gozie immediately responded with, " To be kept for you as your bank or what?" in a very harsh tone.
Two days after my failed dialogue with Gozie, I decided to solicit for Gozie to allow handle one of his fashion boutiques since he could not run the two boutiques perfectly, instead, Gozie looked at me with annoyance and said there was no second boutique.
Shocked! I asked him, What do you mean Gozie?
What happened to your second fashion boutique?
For some minutes Gozie did not have any answers for me.
After a while, he said to me "My employee claimed it"
"I beg your pardon — am afraid I didn't catch that? I said sapped.
Gozie went ahead to explain to me that one day he went to his boutique and his employee whom he kept as manager, confronted him and told him to his face that the boutique now belonged to him.
The revelation got me shattered but at the same time more anxious, i asked Gozie if he once had any clash with his employee and he answered with a "No", I further asked Gozie if he constantly goes to his second boutique to know how his business is moving and he said he " he only goes there whenever he wants to collect his money".
I was maddened by Gozie's response but still did not believe his employee could claim his boutique just like that, so I asked him for the documents of his boutique and he said he left them with his employee because he trusted him and did not believe he could betray him.
Now this was all I needed to hear from Gozie and his employee was just too smart.
Who would love to work for a master who doesn't care about how his business grows but is only concerned about the money generated, for Gozie's employee it was as if he did all the work for the business while Gozie only showed up for the money to lavish it on his numerous concubines.
And besides Gozie's employees had complained about Gozie not paying them their salaries on time and in full the last time I visited them, the thoughts of how Gozie spent all our money on different women filled me with loathing.
Years earlier on i birthed two more babies making it a total of six children.
A handsome baby boy that I named Roland Amaechi meaning who knows tomorrow, and a
beautiful baby girl and my last baby as well whom I named Ava Chichetaram meaning God remembered me.
After seven years of childless heaven smiled at me and blessed me with three boys and three girls, the best blessings of a marriage.
At the period when my fifth baby was born, I lost my father, it was a very challenging period for me because of the bond I shared with my father and how significant he was in my life.
My father's death left me shattered because he left when my life was starting to make sense and I was still trying to get to know my mother.
The memories of his death did not fade out until I gave birth to my last baby girl.
The timing of her birth was right and exactly what I needed to mentally wish my father farewell.
Gradually life became very tough for Gozie and me as a result of the loss of our two businesses, Gozie soon began to reduce his desire for more women since morning was no longer in abundance like in the initial stage.
I then decided to join Gọzie in his fashion business instead of going back to being a housewife, joining Gọzie was just another welcome to humiliation as he did not miss an opportunity to jeer and scorn me publicly even in the presence of most of his customers, especially the females.
As most men would always blame their misfortune on their wives Gozie was not an exception, he said I was the reason why he fell from grace an accusation which was rib-tickling because he could not back it up.
I held on to my children all through my years of marriage and no matter what Gozie did to me I never complained or felt pain because my children became my strength and happiness.
I made sure they never lacked anything as I sacrificed my life for theirs and most importantly I made sure they had the best education and saw to it that their grades in school were excellent.
Gozie on the other hand only showed a little concern for the boy's education and had no interest in the girls going to school since he did not believe in female education.
He even suggested that our daughters get married at the age of sixteen as they were women and were meant to be under a man.
A suggestion I repudiated and took it upon myself to fund my daughter's education.
Gọzie strong dislike for our daughter's education grew bigger each day, he never for once protected the interest of his daughters rather he was so eager to sell them off as he never hesitated to collect money and gifts from every single suitor that came for them not minding if they were worthy of his daughters.
When it was so clear to Gọzie that I was never going to support his stance regarding my daughter's future, he decided to leave the entire family burden on me under the excuse of being sick. Same sickness Gọzie refused to recover from but rather left me and the kids in Cameroon and traveled back to Nigeria never to come back.
Gọzie's decision to return to Nigeria without us came after he said we should sell everything we had and return to Nigeria since business was no longer moving fine.
I looked at Gọzie with so much disappointment and asked him about his plans for the children and me and if we should all relocate to Nigeria, again he answered selfishly as always.
Gọzie looked at me and said...
" We have a farm in the village where you can start farming and as the kids, I already told you to let's give the girls out for marriage and then use the money gotten from their marriage to fund the boy's education".
I was so disgusted with Gọzie's response that I gave him an angry look and then asked him how he intended to pay back all the loans he took for his medications and treatment when he was sick, a question Gọzie never answered but rather walked away.
Three days after Gọzie came to me with news of him leaving for Nigeria in four days, and that I should make provisions for the necessary things he would be needing including his transportation money.
I was shocked and super vexed but knowing who Gọzie was and what he was going to do next if I did not oblige, ị decided to give him the little money I had been saving for the children's school fees. He took the money and did not even bother to ask me if I had any money left with me or how I was going to cope with his children.
Gọzie left for Nigeria and I had nothing left with me except my hopes on God for survival.
I began hustling all over again alone for myself and the children it was very tough and lonely for me, there were days I thought of selling everything and relocating to Nigeria with the children, but the fear of what their fate would be in the village did not let me to so I did not relent.
I did all this with so much pride, joy, and faith in God that someday am going to be very proud of my sacrifices, and today looking at my children am proud that I did not give up. Am proud of the sacrifices I made because that is the joy of motherhood.
My children did not just make me happy and satisfied with their success in academics and careers, but they also made me a grandmother of beautiful children.
And a mother-in-law to great and honorable men and women.
As for Gọzie I forgave him and learned to live with him because he never changed and never would.
With how good everything turned out for me, it is safe to say that there is always life at the end of the tunnel.
Nothing would have been possible if God had not stepped into my life, which is the reason why till my last breath I will continue to worship him.
My name is NGOZI and this is my story.