I ran into an old friend whom i had not seen in over ten years. She was so wasted i almost could not recognise her. Lady X ( real name withheld) used to be a girl full of life, kind to a fault and a good christan girl. She was clearly one of the most intelligent and promising.
Lady X was however, was not so lucky at the home front. Her mother separated from her dad when she was barely ten years and she went through hell in the hands of one stepmother or the other. Her father was a tyrant who at little or no provocation would deride her often refering to her mother as a prostitute from whom no good could come out. He said he was sure she would end up like her mother. Then he would rain curses on her, saying she will never meet a good end.
After her college education, so many young suitors asked for her hand in marriage but each time , her wicked father turned them away telling them he could not allow his whore of a daughter marry an innocent man. Once my uncle got curious and asked Lady X’s father why he was being so wicked to his own child. He replied saying,”if she succeeds in life,it will be to the advantage of her useless mother. so i dont want her to amount to anything”. The whole situation got so bad that many people including her paternal grandmother advised Lady X to run away from home.
This was the circumstances under which she left to go and stay with her mother in the city. While there, she met a banker who fell in love with her and eventually married her inspite of her tales of woe. The joy was short lived as Lady X’s new found love lost his job. Fortunately however, she had just graduated from the university and was soon immediately absorbed into the State civil service, so they didnt suffer for long. Her marriage is blessed with four kids two boys and two girls. Her husband never took up another appointment and so the weight of raising the children and tending to her extended family fell on Lady X’s shoulder.
Anyway, let’s get back to the reason why i am writing this story. On seeing Lady X today, my first thought was that,oh why Lord, why Lady X? Has fate not visited her with enough troubles in her life time? How could she be positive? Did she bow to economic pressure and sell her body for money to survive or could this be as a result of her father’s curses? Honestly, i don’t know what to think. For on seeing her, the first thought that would strike anyone is that she has AIDS.
Well, Lady X calmed me down and explained that she was not positive but suffering from diabetes and hypertention. Who am i to say say otherwise. This is still not the gist of the matter. Her young, handsome and very promising son too is in agony. He is a final year student of a University in a troubled city in the North Central zone in Nigeria. The voilence that attended the crisis saw him being soaked in petrol and set ablaze while on his way to church on that fateful day.
I visited the family today after sunday service and what i saw threw me off balance, His face is badly scared with a huge mass of keloids hanging down his left side of the face to the jaw and still bandage s all over his hands and legs.
What should anyone think? Should we blame this on fate or is Lady X living beyond her father’s curses but in agony. pain and sorrow? I hear that the young lad is being referred to India for a plastic surgery which the parents cannot afford. If you are touched be this true life story and would like to assist. kindly indicate and you will be linked directly to the family for further enquiries.
What is your own story? Count your blessings and name them one by one. Some have eyes but they cannot see, ears but cannot hear. Some have legs but they cannot walk and others still have hands but cannot use them. Start now, not later,not tomorrow or the day after to praise God for He alone is good and worhty of our praise.
May this season of Christmas bring you joy, peace and blessings beyond your expectations. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Filed under: Nigeria news
