By Sunmola Olowookere

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A guy impregnated a young lady in her mid 20s and he was forced by her father to take her as his wife. He did not deny the pregnancy and he brought her in to live with him. The young lady’s father gave her away unceremoniously as soon as Michael, the lover confessed to be responsible.

When she came to live with him in our neighbourhood, she had this innocent and pitiful look; such look that explains fright, regret and dejection. She had no mother that could sympathize with her situation and her father who was her remaining parent could not be bothered. He simply washed his hands off her case as he had a new wife who has other children for him.

After she became his wife, the situation became different as the guy changed totally from the guy she fell in love with. The game outside marriage is filled with great imaginable pleasure; many love to play but it’s indeed dangerous.

She was naive, young and immature.

Things only got worse after she moved in because Micheal had his mother and sister living with him. As they saw how indifferently he treated his girlfriend, they became emboldened and heaped more abuse on her. They treated her as an interloper who wanted to share out of their breadwinner’s wealth.

Following this, Michael younger sister started treating the lady more harshly.

She was treated like a maid. She does virtually everything needed to be done in the house; and all she got, was ridicule. Jest and abuse.

Neighbours felt uncomfortable but there was little they could. A neighbour met with Michael and shared his reservations as man to man; but he was shocked when he told me he was aware of all the goings on in his household.

He told the neighbour not to worry himself and assured him that things will change.

However, from observàtions, nothing changed. It got worsened until the girl took her future in her hands.

One day, we can’t really tell what happened between Michael’s sister and the lady; the young lady received severe beating.

Some other occupants in their building came around; they were all surprised when they saw Michael’s mother, seated and unconcerned watching her daughter beating a pregnant girl. They were shocked at the elderly woman’s attitude

“What ‘ll you do? I will beat you again and again.” The sister threatened.

Residents looked at her with scorn. What a wicked lady.

Of course the poor girl couldn’t do anything than to sob.

Another day, a similar situation happened while Michael was away. So they decided to starve her.

She came to a sympathetic neighbour to beg for food and money. She had approached another occupant before coming to him but that one could not help. The lady looked very unkept and out of sort.

She needed food.

He sat her down and talked to her about her situation. He gave her sound advice when he realized that she had no mother or a relative that cared about her plight.

The man had earlier wondered why she will be going through the humiliation and decide not to tell her mom. mothers won’t abandon their daughters for whatever reason at all.

“How many months old is the pregnancy?” He asked.

“5 months sir.” She replied.

“Okay! You have less than 6 months to decide your freedom. What I mean by deciding your freedom is, you must start planning on how to move out and then move on, have your baby. Heal fast. Get a job and get something doing. You can’t continue like this.”  He explained more.

“You need to be strong and you also have to endure for now.” He told her.

Powerless young ladies who’d fall victim to unwanted pregnancy do face a lot.

The neighbour was very helpful towards her. She persevered although it was not easy for her.  Months after she. gave birth, she got a job, a sales outlet in town.

Things began to change for her. She started to look good. They were shocked and threatened by the transformation.

 Michael’s mother accused her of dating other men. They requested she stopped working.

Michael as usual agreed with his mom. The young lady who had tasted freedom was wary of letting go of her source of joy. She refused their order. They threatened to send her away while they collect the baby. The pressure was much.

She came to her friend in the neighbourhood again. He asked her what she wanted. It was a matter of personal decision and choice.

“Do you want to stop working?”

“No! of course, I don’t.”

“Okay. Is it true you are seeing another man?!”

” Let me be honest, Yes! ” she confessed.

“Okay! Do you have money to get a room?!”

“Yes. I can afford a room.” She had saved some money.

“Take some days off in your work place and pretend you stopped working, because you can’t afford to leave your baby.”

He needed not to tell her much.

The girl had gotten smart and noted the message. She got a room secretly from her savings although it took a while. They had no inkling of her plans.

One afternoon, she ran away with her baby.

Michael returned home, only to find out that his wife had run away with his baby.

He was mad and sad at the loss. He had begun to realize that he loved his baby mama. However his family were unsympathetic and they accused her of running off with a man.

Things got worse between them and he ended up angrily sending his mom and sister packing as he now realized that they were the cause of his woes.