My name is Mama Tobi. I am 29 years old, I live in Ibadan with my three children. I am not a writer, I am just a mother wey dey tired. If you are a mother, please read my story till the end and advise me, because I no know wetin to do again.
My husband and I married 9 years ago. We no get much, but we get love. At least na wetin I think. We rent one room self-contain for Ibadan. My first born Tobi na 8 years, my second Folake na 6 years, my last born Iyawo na just 2 years. Dem be my whole world.
*The Day Our Landlord Gave Us Quit Notice*
It was Monday morning. Rain dey fall small small. Landlord knock our door like say person dey pursue am. He say, "Mama Tobi, I don tire for una. Three months rent una never pay. If una no pay by Friday, I go lock una outside."
I beg am. I kneel down. I tell am say my husband go bring money. He look me, he shake head, he go.
That night, I no sleep. I calculate everything. We get ₦12,000 for hand. Rent na ₦85,000. I no know where the rest go come from. My husband come back from work, he sit down for chair, he no talk. I ask am, "Baba Tobi, wetin we go do?" He say, "Make I go Lagos tomorrow. My friend say work dey there, dem go pay me upfront. I go come back Wednesday with the money."
I believe am. Husband na husband. I cook the last rice wey we get. We eat together that night like family. My children dey laugh. I no know say na the last night we go laugh together.
*The Morning He Left*
Tuesday morning, 5am. He wake up early. He wear him best shirt, the blue one wey I buy for am for Christmas. He carry small Ghana-must-go bag. My last born dey sleep for my chest. Tobi ask am, "Daddy, you go bring biscuit come?" He laugh, he say, "I go bring plenty biscuit and new shoe for all of una."
He hug me. He say, "Mama Tobi, pray for me. I go call you when I reach Lagos." I pray for am. I follow am reach junction. I watch the bus carry am go. I stand for junction till bus disappear. Something for my heart tell me say make I hold am back, but I ignore am. I think say na fear.
I go back house. I count our money again. ₦300. Just ₦300 and small garri for cupboard. I tell my children say, "Make una no worry, Daddy go come back tomorrow with money." Folake look me, she no talk. She just dey look the door.
*Day One Without Him - No Call*
Tuesday night reach, no call. I call him, e ring but e no pick. I call again, e ring. Third time, e don switch off. I tell myself say maybe him phone battery don die. Maybe Lagos traffic hold am. I no sleep. Every motor wey pass, I go look window.
My children ask me, "Mummy, Daddy don reach?" I smile, I say, "Yes, e don reach, e dey find money." But my heart dey beat fast fast.
*Day Two - The Hunger Start*
Wednesday morning. Still no call. The garri don finish small. I make small eba for children with the last garri. I no eat. I tell dem say I don belleful. Na lie. My belle dey cry.
I go meet my neighbour, Mama Chidinma. I beg am ₦500 to buy pure water and bread for children. She give me, but she look me like say she pity me. She say, "Mama Tobi, your husband don call?" I shake head. She say, "Make you call him mama for village."
I call his mother. She pick. I say, "Mama, Baba Tobi don call you? He say he dey Lagos." She quiet for long time. Then she say, "Lagos? Which Lagos? He tell me say he dey go Ibadan to look for work, e never reach? He left Ibadan 2 days ago?" My hand shake. Phone almost fall.
My husband lie to me. He lie to his mother. Where him dey?
*Day Three - Landlord Lock Us Outside*
Thursday na Friday wey landlord give us. Early morning 6am, landlord come with padlock and two boys. He no even greet. He say, "Carry una load comot." I beg, I cry, I hold him leg. My children dey cry. Tobi dey hold my wrapper dey shake. Folake dey carry her small sister.
Landlord lock the door with all our clothes inside. He say make we sleep outside. Neighbours dey look us. Shame catch me. I carry my children go sit for under mango tree for compound. Rain start small. I use my wrapper cover them.
That night, we sleep for outside. Mosquito bite my children. My last born get fever. I no get money for drug. I dey press her body with cold water.
*What My 6-Year-Old Daughter Whispered That Night*
Midnight. Everybody don sleep except me and Folake. She pull my cloth. She whisper, "Mummy, make I tell you something, no beat me."
I say, "Talk my daughter, I no go beat you."
She say, "That day Daddy dey pack bag, I see am put Aunty picture inside him bag. The aunty wey dey sell recharge card for junction. And Daddy dey talk for phone, e say 'I dey come stay forever, I don tire for this poverty life, I don tire for Mama Tobi and children.'"
My whole body cold. My head turn. I no fit breathe. I collapse for that mango tree. Na neighbour wake me with water.
*The Morning After - Worse News*
Friday morning, I wake up for Mama Chidinma house. She carry us enter. My phone ring. Na unknown number. I pick am. Na woman voice. She say, "Na you be Mama Tobi? Your husband dey here for Lagos with me. Make you no dey call am again. He don marry me. He say him no get wife again."
She cut call.
I look my three children. Tobi dey ask me, "Mummy, why you dey cry?" I no fit answer.
[To be continued in Part 2 tomorrow - I go Lagos to find him, but wetin I see for that woman house go shock una. Should I fight for my marriage or leave am for God? Please advise me in comment .