I know everyone will abuse me and call me names that is why I can only say this thing I am about to tell you anonymously. I don’t want to carry the secret to my grave but I can’t tell the people involved, though one person is aware, my father-in-law.
How did I find myself in this kind of situation?
I was a runs girl; oh ho! It wasn’t as if I didn’t know what I was doing then but you see I was in school, with no parental support. How was I to pay my fees and keep myself in school to get a degree? Runs!
After my secondary school education, I was doing all kinds of trade; I was buying and selling second hand grade clothes, I was making just enough to feed us; my parents and two brothers; my father was blind at that time, though he is dead now and my mother roasted corn and other things to survive.
So I had to add a few ‘runs’ to my hustle; it was on one of those second hand trade from office to office that I met this man. Chief who would later become my father-in-law. He was one of those big ogas at the ministry.
He told me he liked me and asked what school I was going to; I told him I didn’t go to any school because I was busy hustling. So he encouraged me to try to go to school because he said I must match my looks with a university degree.
That’s how I started, o. girigiri, I took jamb form, I wrote jamb and didn’t reach cut off point; so Chief, said I should try our state uni, he said he knew someone…I eventually got admission.
I knew Chief was interested in me but he kept saying, “You’re a small girl, I will marry you for my son.” I was 19 years at that time.
But as a babe na, I saw the way he checks me out anytime I go to his office…
So one day; on my 20th birthday, chief invited me to one of his guest houses, that’s how we began an affair…
Why did I sleep with chief?
Girl, I was no saint and well…he was kind to me; he gave me money, helped me continue doing my business and encouraged me to go to school…he also promised to introduce me to his son. I mean, I knew I couldn’t marry chief but I could marry his son.
Ok, see, yes, I know this seems odd, me sleeping with a man who’s son I was to marry but at that time, I hadn’t met the so called son, I was told he was schooling abroad. More so, what if he came home and didn’t like me? And me sef, I had a small boyfriend on campus…so 2 cut 4 bi dat!
But Charles came home one day…of course, before then, we had chatted on Whatsapp, we had spoken on the phone a few times. You know, chief made the connection.
Well, he came home and it was instant love!
I didn’t ever think it would be true. Hummn. Soo, we you know we began to meet and sometimes, chief would be aware. You know but whenever Charles was around, Chief would disappear…you know that sort of thing.
Ok, Charles told Chief that he loved me and would marry me and take me abroad; but you know that sort of thing can’t happen in a day. So he went back and began to get his papers together and I was meant to get my passport ready, get all necessary documents. And oh by this time, I had finished my course at the university. These happened over a period of four to five years.
When Charles came home, I would be exclusive to him, when he left, chief would take over. He said he wanted to chop his own before I start bearing his name. See, I knew chief could ruin what was growing between Charles and I. All he had to do was tell his son to fashi me and I would be gone. So I played ball with him; he wanted to continue to have sex with me, no problem, once I got married to his son, then it would end besides, I would be living abroad.
Towards the time when we were telling ourselves that I would be travelling soon, I became pregnant and even the doctor I approached to remove it told me I would die in the process…but thankfully my papers had come through, my visa et al…so I could travel to go meet Charles.
I gave Charles his father’s baby.
I know this looks bad; I know it sounds like a taboo.
But I didn’t get this pregnancy outside, anyway you look at it, the child is still their own, whether father or son, he is their blood.
Did Chief know about this? Of course!
I told him as soon as I noticed my period was late! He said I shouldn’t worry…I think he also knew my papers were through because all the documents I needed from Charles were routed through chief to me. So maybe he had the papers a long time before he even told me I could travel, I don’t know. Maybe he knew what was going to happen, I don’t know.
But I gave Charles his younger brother as his son…the boy is 13 years old now and we’ve had two more after him. As for chief, he knows the boy is his son but nobody else will never know, neither will Charles; we live far away from Nigeria and there will be no need to confess to something that will destroy this peaceful family I have here.
Let’s remain anonymous biko.
(Series written and edited by Peju Akande and based on true stories)
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https://youtu.be/-2jLIoMmLQM
