I lost my father at the age of eight, his properties was shared among his relations. Mother was left with nothing but a small house out of many houses and landed properties my father owned. As I mentioned earlier, my brothers and sisters were shared among our relatives. I being the youngest and the last, was left with my mother who saw to my education. She went through financially challenging times, which meant that there was a threat to my education. Her health deteriorated quite fast due to so much thinking and depression. However, she managed to mask it with some bravely and motherly love. She reassured me that I would realise my dream to become a neuro-surgeon, with God’s help. I would often played with her by saying to her, ‘Mummy, may I take your temperature? You know as a doctor I do not want you to be sick. I need to give you the medicine you need.’ She would smile and give me a hug.
I lost my father at the age of eight, his properties was shared among his relations. Mother was left with nothing but a small house out of many houses and landed properties my father owned. As I mentioned earlier, my brothers and sisters were shared among our relatives. I being the youngest and the last, was left with my mother who saw to my education. She went through financially challenging times, which meant that there was a threat to my education. Her health deteriorated quite fast due to so much thinking and depression. However, she managed to mask it with some bravely and motherly love. She reassured me that I would realise my dream to become a neuro-surgeon, with God’s help. I would often played with her by saying to her, ‘Mummy, may I take your temperature? You know as a doctor I do not want you to be sick. I need to give you the medicine you need.’ She would smile and give me a hug.
I lost my father at the age of eight, his properties was shared among his relations. Mother was left with nothing but a small house out of many houses and landed properties my father owned. As I mentioned earlier, my brothers and sisters were shared among our relatives. I being the youngest and the last, was left with my mother who saw to my education. She went through financially challenging times, which meant that there was a threat to my education. Her health deteriorated quite fast due to so much thinking and depression. However, she managed to mask it with some bravely and motherly love. She reassured me that I would realise my dream to become a neuro-surgeon, with God’s help. I would often played with her by saying to her, ‘Mummy, may I take your temperature? You know as a doctor I do not want you to be sick. I need to give you the medicine you need.’ She would smile and give me a hug.
Leaving Home
One evening, when I was eight years old, a distant relative of my mother, an aunty, came for me, and assured me that I would be looked after like her own child. She said that she was childless and had been married for close to twenty years. She promised my mother that she would assist in my education and well-being, since I would be the child she never had. She came from the city. She was a successful business woman and was married to an influential man. Both were highly respected in the society based on their financial status.
Mother assured me that the aunty would take good care of me, and that she would be waiting for me to come back, on completion of my education and realising my dreams. She was very brave, she gave me a hug and one of her best wrappers as a symbol of her love, protection and prayer. I happily followed this aunty, not knowing that it was to be the last time I would see my mother. I left home with the assurance of coming back to be reunited with her after my studies.
On the evening we left my mother, we spent the night in a beautiful hotel in Enugu. My aunty, to impress my mother, brought new clothes and shoes and gave them to me in her presence. She gave my mother some money and bought her some food items. I never knew that this was to hoodwink my mother’s judgement.
On the evening we left my mother, we spent the night in a beautiful hotel in Enugu. My aunty, to impress my mother, brought new clothes and shoes and gave them to me in her presence. She gave my mother some money and bought her some food items. I never knew that this was to hoodwink my mother’s judgement.
Unfortunately, the ‘show of gifts’ from such a rich relation, was for my innocent mother a sign that her little baby was in good hands.
