A Daughter's Sin.
The plight of the girl-child and women in third world countries, or developing countries, like I refer to them is a matter dear to my heart. Whether it is in Africa, Asia, South America or the Caribbean, challenges abound for the girl-child, greater in some countries than others.
Sometimes one often comes to the conclusion, that the girl-child is an endangered specie
In many Third world countries, the Son is the trophy child. Or the golden child if you may in most cultures. And daughters often just make up the numbers. Many a mother in Africa and parts of Asia are not considered to have reached the Nirvana of a complete family if she has not produced a son!
Here are a couple of scenarios that play out in many homes across Africa and Asia
Enugu, NIGERIA
Nkechi started to feel a cramp in her neck, peering through the keyhole of her bedroom door, ears strained to hear what mama ukwu (big mama), her grandmother was saying.
It appeared she was chiding papa, but papa seemed resolute and it was not difficult to hear his words, as the wind carried them without an effort through the keyhole into her young ears.
In many Third world countries, the Son is the trophy child. Or the golden child if you may in most cultures. And daughters often just make up the numbers. Many a mother in Africa and parts of Asia are not considered to have reached the Nirvana of a complete family if she has not produced a son!
Here are a couple of scenarios that play out in many homes across Africa and Asia
Enugu, NIGERIA
Nkechi started to feel a cramp in her neck, peering through the keyhole of her bedroom door, ears strained to hear what mama ukwu (big mama), her grandmother was saying.
It appeared she was chiding papa, but papa seemed resolute and it was not difficult to hear his words, as the wind carried them without an effort through the keyhole into her young ears.
She peered in the dark at her sisters Nkoli, Nneka, and Amara who were fast asleep.
Papa was visibly upset about something. Although his voice was clearer than mama ukwu's muffled tones, Nkechi did not understand what he was saying.
Papa was visibly upset about something. Although his voice was clearer than mama ukwu's muffled tones, Nkechi did not understand what he was saying.
She tried to recall the events of the day, clueless as to the cause of papa's ire.
She had woken up at 6 am that morning as always, and crept out of bed, careful not to disturb her sisters. Being the oldest child at twelve years of age, she helped out with the house chores.
Mama was very heavy with the child and did not do much.
Nkechi had made her way to the kitchen, washed the dishes from last night, swept the kitchen and the living room. And prepared for school.
As usual, papa dropped them off at school.
Amara, the youngest daughter, was only two years old and she stayed home with mama.
The afternoon had been uneventful, until about 5.00 pm when mama complained about contractions and papa drove her to the hospital, telling the girls that mama was going to have a baby. and called mama ukwu to watch the girls.
So what happened at the hospital? When papa got back it was already very late at night.
The girls had long been sent off to bed.
Nkechi did not go to sleep, she had waited for papa's return.
It was hard to tell if mama had the baby had returned because papa did not appear happy. and was arguing with mama mama-uukwu
Nkechi wished she could read lips now, watching mama ukwu talk in low tones, touching papa's hands in gesture like a mother counseling a young child.
What happened at the hospital was a puzzle to Nkechi, her eyes started to hurt from peering through the keyhole for too long. She straightened up and made it towards the bed, to lay down with her sisters.
Tomorrow the story will unravel, she was sure. As she was tiptoeing towards the bed, she heard papa's voice boom like thunder on a stormy night. "Another daughter? Another girl? This will make it five daughters! I don't want another daughter, after training them, tomorrow they will marry and leave my house! Who will bear my name? I have had enough, if she cannot bear me a son, I will have to marry another wife.
Nkechi almost fell to the floor, it felt like someone had hit her with a ton of bricks.
Her secure world was crashing around her.
She did not believe that was her loving papa. The one she had sworn was the kindest man in the world. Who now appeared like a crazy man yelling, with so much venom in his voice. Just because mama had another baby girl.
Was it a sin to be a daughter? her young mind was puzzled.
She was confused and cried herself to sleep.
She had woken up at 6 am that morning as always, and crept out of bed, careful not to disturb her sisters. Being the oldest child at twelve years of age, she helped out with the house chores.
Mama was very heavy with the child and did not do much.
Nkechi had made her way to the kitchen, washed the dishes from last night, swept the kitchen and the living room. And prepared for school.
As usual, papa dropped them off at school.
Amara, the youngest daughter, was only two years old and she stayed home with mama.
The afternoon had been uneventful, until about 5.00 pm when mama complained about contractions and papa drove her to the hospital, telling the girls that mama was going to have a baby. and called mama ukwu to watch the girls.
So what happened at the hospital? When papa got back it was already very late at night.
The girls had long been sent off to bed.
Nkechi did not go to sleep, she had waited for papa's return.
It was hard to tell if mama had the baby had returned because papa did not appear happy. and was arguing with mama mama-uukwu
Nkechi wished she could read lips now, watching mama ukwu talk in low tones, touching papa's hands in gesture like a mother counseling a young child.
What happened at the hospital was a puzzle to Nkechi, her eyes started to hurt from peering through the keyhole for too long. She straightened up and made it towards the bed, to lay down with her sisters.
Tomorrow the story will unravel, she was sure. As she was tiptoeing towards the bed, she heard papa's voice boom like thunder on a stormy night. "Another daughter? Another girl? This will make it five daughters! I don't want another daughter, after training them, tomorrow they will marry and leave my house! Who will bear my name? I have had enough, if she cannot bear me a son, I will have to marry another wife.
Nkechi almost fell to the floor, it felt like someone had hit her with a ton of bricks.
Her secure world was crashing around her.
She did not believe that was her loving papa. The one she had sworn was the kindest man in the world. Who now appeared like a crazy man yelling, with so much venom in his voice. Just because mama had another baby girl.
Was it a sin to be a daughter? her young mind was puzzled.
She was confused and cried herself to sleep.
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