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Deborah Sawyerr wrote:
My mum just told me a story from her secondary schools in Lagos. She went to a very prestigious all girls’ school in the 1950s.
I calculated that the year would have been sometime in 1956. As you know, not every student is equipped to understand physics, chemistry, biology, maths and those science subjects very well.
And then there’s always at least one genius in secondary school who is brilliant in all the subjects.
So, back then in school, my mum said, there was a girl in the year below her. An absolute natural genius at such a young age of approx. 13 years old.
The older students of age 14/15 and above would go to her to explain these difficult subjects. She’d patiently teach her peers so that they understood the subjects well enough to pass. She was always so happy to help out her peers. A real girls girl.
During one end of academic school year holiday, this young genius went to live with an uncle of hers. Just for the summer holidays. Not for any reason such as him assisting her with her education or to be of help to him. Nah! A summer break in a new environment. That was all.
After the holidays was over, the girls returned to school. On the first day during the assembly time, their principal asked everyone to observe a minute silence for the departed.
Departed? The girls were confused. They looked around in shock. Who is departed? Teachers are all present. Students are all present.
Girls will be girls. Who is departed! It wasn’t until later that the girls noticed that their young genius, sweet girl wasn’t at school.
Well, my mum remembered this for some reason she just couldn’t explain. You know those incidents that stays with you forever. Yeah, one of those. She still remembers the girls full name today.
It turns out that her uncle had been having his way with her. She just barely became a teenager that holiday. Her uncle didn’t deny that he was smexually ab^sing her either. This horrific act led her to become pregnant.
You guessed where this story is going. Right!
In his desperation and her lack of understanding or power, he took her to a quack backstreet place to have the pregnancy removed. To cover his nasty ways.
She bled away in that backstreet. Gone. Genius gone. Her young life snuffed out of her. And just like that, their friend was gone.
This happened in the mid 50s. What has changed since then? I’ll leave you to answer that rhetorical question.
Moral of this story: are you still considering sending your young daughter to live with a male relative in your family because of XYZ reason?
Or are you convincing yourself that that uncle, male cousin, wealthy half-brother married with kids of his own, will therefore safeguard your precious daughter?
I’ll say this, it is better you drink garri with your daughter instead of sending her away for whatever reason.
That male relative with kids of his own has already had his way with his kids. His wife knows about his dirty acts. Infact, his wife is the one encouraging him to bring over one of his teenage female relative.
Why? So that her own daughters can get some respite. Some rest from their father who has been busy repeatedly ruining their young mind, body and soul.
I don talk my own ooo. The festive season is upon us. Many folks are excited, joyous and charitable. Giving charities to needy family members in return for your teenage daughter. Before you collect and chop those tuber of yams and big rack of plantain, THINK
May NONE of our young daughters fall into the wrong hands of these predators disguised as so-called male relatives.
And may this young genius who passed away continue to rest sweetly. Chai, she never got a chance to reach her full potential in life.
@highlight