To all the lovers of this exciting column, I greet you. Thank you for joining me once again and I hope this new month brings great tidings to you all. I have received a lot of mails over the burnt kiosk and I sincerely appreciate your kind gestures. We are building back the kiosk though someone said, we should move it from being a kiosk to a lounge. It’s such a good suggestion but the Kiosk has its representation, I could have chosen a lounge if I wanted to, but we connect more via the simplest things. Thank you everyone.

On this episode of the series, we are going to be listening to the story of Ajifa, Ajifa is a very young married lady, she got married as early as 17years of age and has three boys now. Ajifa is 22 with a secondary school education but that’s not the end of Ajifa’s story. Why would a young girl be married to a 49year old man as early as 17? Where are her parents you will ask? There are different questions traipsing through your heart right now, don’t worry, all those questions will be answered.

How did I meet Ajifa? She came to the kiosk to get some biscuits and as I answered her, I saw the distance in her eyes,I saw fright and I asked what happened, good enough, she could speak English. Aunty, I am fine. she replied and I let it off but some days later, I saw Ajifa with three boys walking together and guess what? she was pregnant again. I didn’t notice the pregnancy the very first day she came to the kiosk but this time, I was shocked. A young girl, pregnant with three little boys?

There’s more to this. I called her and we exchanged pleasantries, I gave her boys some biscuits and I saw the way they rushed to devoured the biscuits. They were starved! I couldn’t help but call Ajifa aside, Can I buy them some food I asked her.. She bowed her head and nodded, I called them inside the kiosk and got them food. Those children ate in a rush and it almost made me cry. I gave Ajifa food too and she ate just like her kids. What is happening to these ones, I asked myself and then after the food she said, My name is Ajifa and I am grateful to you ma’am. So, you can speak fluent english, I was surprised. 

For the first time, she smiled and said. Yes ma, I can but let me run home, I will try to come and say thank you again. I will be expecting you, I told her. I prayed for her to return and luckily, she came back to the kiosk, alone. Ajifa I exclaimed, it feels so good to see you dear, I am glad you stopped by, have your seat.  That was where the story began…

”My name is Ajifa, I got married at 17years of age… 17 what? I said, 17years ma. I got married immediately after my secondary school education to a  very rich man that comes to zaria. He has developed a lot of places in my area and according to my parents, he was the one that sponsored my secondary school education. So,they agreed that after my secondary education, I should get married to him. After my wedding, he paid my parents 1million naira and took me away to Lagos. Just like that, I said again, Just like that. Ajifa replied me. When I got to Lagos, he housed me in a place with two other wives.

The oldest of us was 21years old from the North too. We are all northerners and have the same story. After my wedding, he slept with me in the car on our way to Lagos. In fact, we had sex thrice before getting to Lagos, I was a pure maiden and didn’t understand the whole process, it was painful and frightening and I lost a lot of blood. He gave me some drug and told me it would me stronger from being a jelly fish. His weight on my small body was really painful and the only advice my parents gave me was, Make sure you take care of him and whatever he says, do it. wow! I exclaimed. Ajifa looked at me and smiled, she gave me that smile that told a story. A story of a young woman who has seen the length and breadth of the world.

A young woman who didn’t bargain for what life has tossed her but she has seen it all and has lived it for 5years and  has 4children to show for it. I tried to run away at some point but I just couldn’t run.  The other wives said, running away is like running into the arms of death. We still eat some food sometimes, and we have a roof over our head which is better than starving completely and with no home.

Madame K, let me start going home. I will finish my story tomorrow. She stood up and left the kiosk and I couldn’t see her off. I watched her as she left and felt so cold. This cold chill that I couldn’t explain and even as I write this story, I still feel this cold Chill…