I remember very well it was on Sunday, 28 October 2018, everything fell apart for my family.
My parents had summoned me that evening to the sitting room to inform me of their heartbreaking decision that they have gotten divorced.
“What…?” My countenance had changed because I was having the worst day of my life.
My eyes instantaneously became flooded with tears, my heart ached vigorously and my mind sprinted into a state of enormous fear.
“But why?” I thought the union between my parents was perfect without blemish especially as they’ve always portrayed nothing but genuine love between themselves for as long as I can remember.
What angered me the most was that they did not consult with me before making such a big life-changing decision.
They had already finalized the divorce at the court stating “irreconcilable differences” and they reached a mutual agreement about me since I would now be the only thing binding them together.
Their fantastic excuse was “you were left out of the whole divorce proceedings because we didn’t want you to be messed up psychologically during your JAMB and Post UTME exams.”
Sincerely, I was no longer excited about my brand new admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I just couldn’t stop blaming myself. “What I have done wrong to deserve this pain?”
The agreement reached between my parents about my welfare since I’m their only child was that I would have to jostle between living with both of them at some point in time.
First, I’m to live with my mother (UNN) for only a year and thereafter spend the next four years of my life with my dad (UNEC). And during the four years stay with my dad,
I will have to visit both my maternal grandparents (Old UNTH) and my paternal grandparents (UNTH Itukku Ozalla), especially during the holidays.
Sincerely, all of these arrangements didn’t make any iota of sense to me because I just wanted my parents to be together. Indeed, everything was just happening too fast.
Reality has now dawned on me because tomorrow being the 6th of January 2020, I will finally be moving in to live with my dad (UNEC) after having completed the one stay with my mom.
The one year stay with her (UNN) had been awesome especially as she did not fail to shower me with too much love, care, good food and plenty of goodies.
She had even tried onerously to play the role of both a father and a mother at the same. “I’m going to miss her.”
To be honest, I feel indifferent about going to stay with my overbearing dad. I definitely would have preferred to live with my Mom all year round and maybe visit my dad during the holidays.
My instinct tells me that life with my dad is going to be a lot more difficult than I can ever imagine.
“Oh my God! I just hate dogs.
The creatures make my heart beat faster especially with their intimidating barks. Unfortunately, my daddy has not one or two but three Rottweiler dogs named “Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry” respectively.
At my mom’s I only dealt with creatures I love to play with.
During my stay at my Moms, I had the privilege of sucking unadulterated breast milk (water) as often as I could.
But my dad doesn’t have damn prolactin in his system to provide me with breast milk. Does this mean I will have to buy breast milk every day for the next four years? I’d even heard that twenty litres of breast milk cost as much as fifty to a hundred Naira in my dad’s area.
“I want my Mama.”
The more I think about all the demerits of living with my daddy, the more pain I feel inside of me. Nevertheless, my only assurance and hope are that I have heard about a certain gatekeeper stationed in a place called “Victory Ground” in my daddy’s compound.
Mummy had told me not to worry because this gatekeeper will take care of me and even teach me how to play with the dogs and get the best breast milk I could ever taste.
“Any time you feel down and overwhelmed with problems, always remember to visit the gatekeeper at Victory Ground.”
Wherever you are inside the compound (campus), call on him and he will answer because he will never leave nor forsake you. You will have to learn how to call him using this book (The Bible).
He loves when you sing “my daddy, my daddy, your baby is calling.” She advised me. With this assurance, I know I will have a glorious four-year stay with my daddy with the help of a great gatekeeper because indeed,
“The Dream is Here.”
5th January 2020
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