OSUWAKE
Episode 11
I was only seventeen years of age as at then but was surprised when I heard my dad quoting the wrong age and asserting that I was married and living with my husband. they invited me to the witness box; they made me swear an oath of honesty and sincerity of whatever information I will deliver in the court of competent jurisdiction.
I was asked few questions about myself by the presiding judicial officer – like my age[date of birth], occupation and so on. I told them the truth. my dad was lying about my age and that, I had been living with people as house help to keep things in shape to a certain extent. I wore a very transparent clothe and my real figure was revealing. so, my real age could not be countered by anyone.
people in court were so amazed when they saw me and how little I was then for my dad to be claiming I was a grown up – married and living with my husband. I told them everything.
after the event of that day, we left the court hall. my dad approached me immediately
“so you came to support your mum! I have disowned you as my daughter! he said many things and left.
as the case progressed further, it got to a point my dad agreed to accept my mum back for both of them to live as husband and wife again. this was to the surprise of many.
the court agreed and fixed a date to join them together again in holy matrimony. but the next time we went to court, my dad changed his mind and turned back on his previous initiative.
he lied that he was never married to anyone even when that his mistress wife was living with him in his house. he pretended and lied that he was not keeping any woman in his house then.
my mum’s lawyer hatched a plan and went to my dad’s house; he took pictures of the woman with her two kids in the house. the lawyer presented them as exhibits and asked my dad few other questions of which he was unable to answer.
the court disagreed that it was very unhealthy for my mum to return back to my dad because they might be planning to kill her and so, as a result of that fact dissolved their union – the court divorced the both of them officially!
the court further faulted my dad for marrying my mum at the age of fourteen[14] while she was still a child and charged him,the sum of one million naira [1,000,000] for child abuse. in addition, he will be paying her thirty thousand naira monthly for our upkeep.
the aftermath of the court case was very turbulent for my dad’s family members – they weren’t happy with the verdict.
one of my mum best friend supported her financially in the court case – I refer to her as my god mother. she has supported us a lot at critical situations.
she was very happy that my mum won the case. many people were so happy for our victory too. the court decision and verdict calmed the storm and war my dad’s family was waging against my mum then.
after the court case I traveled back to Lagos in search of greener pastures and a way to support my family overcome the pitfalls of life.
according to my mum, my dad paid once for the thirty thousand Naira [30,000] and she used the money to cater for my younger brother’s school fees and other things. the next time she went there to collect the monthly payment; my dad shunned her and complained that, he had no money with him then. even the one million naira [1,000,0000] damages, he has not started paying. he claimed that, the magistrate who delivered the judgement traveled out of the country and will commence payment as soon as the man returns back to Nigeria.
to be continued..
A life story saturated with intrigues, controversies and life struggles.
written by: ©️Emeka Nwobu
stay tuned for more..
