Øgbanjé. Part 1
“Your womb has been tied by spiritual forces. You can’t get pregnant until you appease your Chi. Adopt a child”. A mad woman said to me on my way to the market.
She even tried touching me and I kept on running away from her.
“Madam hearken to her words. Sometimes the gods speak through them”. A bystander said to me.
“Through”. Another woman concurred.
I didn’t say anything. I proceeded to the market bought everything I needed to get and went home.
I prepared a well garnished and seasoned egusi soup alongside pounded yam. It was just like my husband loves it.
At exactly 6:15pm, my husband drove in. I rushed to welcome him.
“Welcome my husband”. I said genuflecting.
He parted my back affectionately. I carried his briefcase from him.
My husband went straight into the bedroom. I had already prepared his bath of heated water just like he likes it.
While my husband was bathing, I served his food and placed it on the dining.
After bathing, my husband changed into his evening wears and came straight to the dining.
I offered him a bowl to watch his hands.
“Thank you for the meal”. He said before moulding a chunk of pounded yam with his right palm.
He dipped the moulded pounded yam into the soup and took it straight into to his mouth. He savoured it for a while in his mouth before swallowing it.
“You are always the best”. He said smiling.
I poured water from the glass jug into his cup.
“Thank you”. He said before gulping the water down his throat.
I watched with love as my husband ate.
“Thank you for the food. God bless you”. He said when he was done eating.
I cleared the dining and did the dishes. When I was done, I joined my husband in the sitting room.
“Come to daddy”. My husband said with his arms wide open.
Smiling, I went into his arms.
“How was your day?”. He asked whilst caressing my hair.
I narrated everything to him down to what the mad woman said to me in the market.
“You know I’m not pressuring you for children right?”. He said
“I know but I want children. It’s been six years since we got married, I’m bothered”. I said.
“So, what do you suggest?”. He asked.
“We should adopt a child. I think it will pave a way for us”. I suggested.
“If that’s what my queen wants, who am I to oppose it?”. He said smiling.
“You are always the best”. I said happily.
The next week, we started the adoption processes. In less than a month, we adopted a baby girl. She was barely 3months old.
“She’s so cute and tender”. I said excitedly.
“I know right. Her skin is so smooth. What a cutie”. My husband said.
“We should name her Obiageli”. I said.
“Obiageli it is”. My husband concurred.
Obiageli was really a blessing to our home. She brought so much luck to us. From the moment she came into our home, we started receiving favours from people.
There’s nowhere I will take her to that people won’t fight to carry her. They always dash me money even when I didn’t ask for it.
She was a very beautiful baby girl. Her skin was as bright as the sun. Her eyes were blue. When she smiles, her dimples usually pops out adorably.
I was glad to have her as my child.
Unlike other children, Obiageli started sitting on her own at 2months. In less than five months, she was already crawling. At exactly 8months, she started walking.
She said her first word at the age of 1yr and 2months. Her first word was “wanyi”. I don’t know where she learnt that from. I was glad anyways.
In the space of a year and five months since we adopted Obiageli, my husband bought a land and built a mansion in the village. When I say Obiageli brought us luck, I’m talking about real luck.
I got pregnant 2yrs later, my husband and I were so happy.
That was when the trouble all started from.
To be continued.
Written by Judith Onyoyibo
