UDEME
©Kikelomo Fadugbagbe
Episode 2
“Go and call Ezeudo,” Ezeudo was a respected Native Doctor in the community, she was busy talking and pleading with the lifeless body of Udeme, before Ezeudo arrived.
“What did you do to her?” Ezeudo asked
“Papa she fell down we have been trying to wake her up since then.”
“Are you sure? With all this bruises all over her body, Mama Maxi, have told you to stop beating this girl.”
“I will stop, I will not beat her again, Ezeudo help me” She pleaded.
“Go and give me water,” He whispered few words in to the water and sprinkle it on Udeme. He put a leaf in her mouth
“Don’t remove this leaf till she opens her eyes, she will be fine”
Mama Maxi and her two sons could not sleep all the night, They were waiting for her to wake.
Mama Maxi jumped up as soon as she opened her eyes,
“Udeme my daughter, thank God you are awake, what will you like to eat.”
Udeme was amused, wondering what the sudden change of attitude is all about
“I’m not hungry” She said
“That is not true let me get you sweet potatoes”
Udeme smiled because that was her favourite food.
“Mama I want to beg you for something” she asked while eating her potatoes
“What is that my daughter?”
“Mama please, I don’t want to be circumcised”
“I will see to it, you know it is not in my power to stop you from doing it, it is our tradition here, if that is what you want no problem eat your food my pikin”
Mama Maxi was nice to Udeme through out that week.
*************************
Copper Jesse walked dashingly to his class
“Good morning class”
“Good morning Sir”
“I’m going to divert a little from our syllabus this morning.
Today we will talking about Female Genital Mutilation.”
He wrote it boldy on the board surface.
“What is female Genital Mutilation? And what are the effects?” He cleared his throat
“Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 18.
The practice has no health benefits for girls and women. FGM can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths. With the effect listed above is it good to under go such act”
“No sir” they all echoed.
“Thank you, I want you to say no to this evil act. Reject it anytime the offer is brought to you. Is that taken?”
“Yes Copper Jesse.”
He felt fulfilled after the lecture, some of the students also shared their experiences.
Udeme woke up feeling weak one morning
“Good morning Mama”
“Udeme my daughter, beautiful morning hope you slept well”
“Yes, Mama please I will not be able to go to market today I’m not feeling fine.”
“Oh sorry, Call Ekene, let him go and help you get you some drug.”
Mama Maxi granted her request and she went to market alone.
Udeme was sleeping when she felt a strange sensation all over her body, she opened her eye to see Maxi on the same bed with her
“What are you doing here?”
“Shut up, don’t talk,” he pinned her leg and began to unzip his trousers.
“Maxi what are you trying to do, somebody help me” She was struggling to escape from him when their mother walked in.
“What is going on here” she exclaimed
Udeme was trying to explain when she shut her up, she dropped her bag and began to beat her.
“This is the reason you are running from circumcision so you can seduce my children, you prostitute. You want to get pregnant for your step brother abomination.”
Udeme ran for her life when the beating was too severe.
“Keep running and don’t return, foolish child” She cursed her
“Maxi is this the first time she’s doing this to you”
“Yes Mama,” he faked his tears
“That girl is evil, a lier and a prostitute, so this is what she want to do when told me she’s not feeling fine this morning,
She should not even try coming back to this house because I will just kill her”
Copper Jesse returned from work that day just to see Udeme lying helplessly in the front of his house.
“Udeme what happened?” He tried to lift her up
“Ah, that place you’re touching is paining me” her tears dropped uncontrollably
“Who beat you like this?” Her face was swollen with bruises all over her body.
He took her in. “Tell me what happened.” He asked angrily, he was ready to fight for her.
She didn’t reply instead she opened her back, she revealed more and severe bruises.
“Jesus!” He screamed so loud
“Your step mother did this to you.” He searched here and there for cutlass, he opened the door in fury. Udeme held his trousers, begging him not to go.
“Please, don’t go to her, she will do worse. Why will she beat you like this, this is child abuse. She won’t go unpunished. But why?”
Udeme took her time to narrate what happened to him
“This woman is heartless” Jesse concluded. And you don’t want me to discipline them, Listen, you are not going back to that house, you will stay here with me.”
“Is that a good decision?” Udeme asked
“Udeme, I won’t allow you return to that house. Let me get you something to eat.”
After few minutes he brought cooked potato for her.
She collected the food smiling, “Thank you how did you know I love potatoes”
“You love it, that’s good.”
She was about taking the first bite when a heavy knock landed their door the type that can break an iron door
“Who want to break my door?”
“Come out you fool”
Udeme jumped up immediately
“We are dead that’s the voice of my step mother”
To be continued…
