Tears coursed down my face as I listened to her. Her 25- year old son stood behind her, covered with sadness, grief and explosive anger. Her 6- year old son played away, oblivious of the import of the moment.
She told the court that she did not have money to employ the services of a lawyer. It was even difficult for her and her two children to pay transportation fare to be at the court. You could detect features of basic natural beauty in her, but the years of neglect by her husband and 28 years of toiling alone over 5 children had stolen her beauty. She looks worn, empty, faded, but the fighting spirit in her cannot be quenched.
The husband looked very robust. He had money to get a lawyer. He wanted his 30- year marriage dissolved. He wanted his wife to pack out of his house, the house they built together, immediately the marriage is dissolved by the court.
The woman told the court she paid her 2 graduate children's tuition at university. Another daughter just secured admission with fees to be paid, He should give her 3 months to move out of their house .
The son asserted that the father does not know the cost of raising a child. His mother is the responsible parent for all of them since their childhood till now. A chip off the old block, he has come to despise his look-alike dad for treating his mum in this despicable way.
I gave the woman some money for transportation back, patted her hands and said, "Madam,God will take care of you. Your children will care for you .You will surely eat the fruits of your labours over them".
This is a typical happening in Nigerian societies where majority of women are relegated to children- bearers and sole providers for their families and slaves to their husbands who fritter their own money away on inconsequential things. At the end, the woman is kicked out to pave way for another woman. The children are most affected and torn. This scenario is way too many and typical.
This is one of the reasons for Zivan Initiative. Women cannot be maltreated without children and youth affected.
I pray for that Faded Beauty, who is a metaphor for many African women. She is on my mind. Her handsome fury- filled son is on my mind. God's angels will arise
for them in Jesus name.Amen.
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