IN HONOUR OF NKIRUKA

Image Credit: National Catholic Reporter

Do you know how juicy the story is when that overly religious babe in your area gets pregnant? 

So all the Legions of Mary and Catechisms that she used to attend, she used to corner to go collect preeq? Haaaa! She knows too well not to do that!

That was how Nkiru became the talk of the town. The very girl whom everyone loved and was constantly used as an example to her peers and younger ones. Suddenly, her name got on the vile side of the wagging tongues people. 

                                   ...

She was a good girl who loved God. She always spoke about God and the religious activities she was involved with. And she tried to encourage others to walk with the Lord.

So you can imagine how shocked people were when they started noticing that the belly of this fourteen-year old religious girl was growing and her breasts were becoming heavy. 

This isn't your average teenage pregnancy story.  

                                   …

When the news of her pregnancy was still fresh and raging like fire, people remembered an outrageous time. A woman had harassed her on the street once, accusing her of dating her husband. 

Nobody had believed the woman then. What do you mean that a thirteen-year-old upright girl was dating the husband of the most troublesome woman in the neighborhood?

But Nkiru’s pregnancy would later convince them. Who knew that this girl was really a husband snatcher. 

                                    …

It's an established fact that people are desperate to believe the worst of you. You can imagine them having a field day slut-shaming the poor girl because for so long, they had thought she was just too good.

And because of the shame and the constant bullying, she had to stop school. Then, she was just in JSS 1. 

It was easy for people to believe that she was now going for people's husbands. Yet, everyone was on their toes to find out who would be responsible for her pregnancy. But that was where the problem lies.

                                 …

Usually, when an unmarried girl gets pregnant, she will be forced to name who is responsible for the pregnancy.

And since the girl kept boys and men at arms length, it was difficult to make a guess. Also, she lived a triangular simple lifestyle where she moved from home to school to church or her mother's shop. So, where could she have picked the pregnancy from?

                                  …

There was NOTHING her family didn't do to have her name the father. 

They begged her, beat her, threatened her, and even tried to bribe her. Nothing worked! She refused to give a name until her death in 1999.

                                  …

You can imagine the level of dread instilled in her for her to protect the identity of the father of her baby up until her death. And she didn't have an easy, sudden death. She took ill and was bedridden for a long time before she died. 

By then, she had been delivered of a healthy baby boy but she didn't stay to take care of him. 

                                 ...

Her mother had threatened to kill her. Even at then, she said nothing.

Either she knew that her mother was bluffing and would never hurt her or that she preferred taking her chances to die by her mother's hands.

                                   …

Nkiru's best friend assured her that she was a safe place and she would never tell her family but Nkiru refused to talk. 

                                   …

Her uncle, who was a policeman, promised her protection. She had nothing to fear. If the father had threatened harm, he'd be thrown into jail right away. Whoever the man may be, he must take responsibility.

 

And when she still refused, the uncle switched to threatening to arrest her and leaving her to rot in jail. Even at that, she didn't cave in.

                                   …

A few years later, she became sick. The doctors were not seeing anything. After trying orthodox medicine, the family switched to traditional medicine. That too didn't help much. 

Sadly, she died. And she died with the truth. Nobody knows the truth about that pregnancy from her to this day.

And since her death was mysterious and strange, people started pointing fingers. The woman who had accused Nkiru of "dating" her husband must be responsible for her death. I mean the woman had publicly sworn to deal with her.

However, to many, her strange death became proof that Nkiru's hands weren't clean. 

“So true true she was a homewrecker!” People clapped their hands and spit “Tufiakwa!” to that gossip. If her hands were truly clean, no matter what that woman would have done by any diabolical means, God would have fought for her.  

But because she was a husband snatcher, hence, not as upright as she paints herself, the devil won. 

(Brethren, we are talking about a fourteen year old girl. 😪)

                                  ...

She died more than twenty five years ago and she died with the truth. Everyone could only speculate what had happened. And even though, the community is past this, her family isn't. They still talk fondly about her as if she was still alive. Her extended family even! 

You have to know how loved she was for her family to still gush over her. The few pictures they kept of her were ones she took wearing chaplets and scarves. You can tell she was a church girl. Very pretty with smooth dark skin and a lovely smile.

                                    …

This is not a case of a man deceiving a girl with sweets as I narrated in my last story — The girl who broke my heart. This one is deeper. 

And while some had concluded that it must be the husband to the woman who “killed” her. Others were sure that it must be one of those cultists who hung around her school then. 

But I'm convinced the culprit is a priest. And there's nothing anyone but her will tell me now for me to believe otherwise! Nothing!

                                    …

First, she was a church girl. All she knew was her home, school, mother's shop, and church. She wasn't a waka about. A Jegede. She didn't even hang with the boys. She was a good girl who loved God and church things so much she was always talking about it.  

That was why it came as a shock to everyone 'cause where did she pick that pregnancy up? My guess — The church.

                                    …

Next, she was a child so she was easy to deceive and scare. Also, she was really religious and because of this, she was even easier to deceive and scare. 

And for someone to frighten her that much, that means that person had a lot of power over her to do that. Another reason why I believe that it has to be a priest.

                                     …

That priest might have scared her with something beyond this world that even on her dying bed, she refused to talk. We all know how closely religion works with fear, the girl couldn't afford to go to hell. She just couldn't. 

And she never said "I don't know.” She was a girl who didn't like lies. She just refused to talk. Which proves that she was still trying not to go to hell. You know — The devil is the father of all liars.

                                    …

Finally, who would believe her? 

If it was Obi, the street drunkard, it would make sense. Or Obi, the barrow pusher. Or Obi, the igbo-smoking cultist. Most people would believe.

She even had a better chance if she had claimed that it was Obi, the lawyer. Or Obi, the doctor. Or that Obi who has a shop in Ogbete. Anything but Obi, the priest! Who would believe her? Tell me, who?

                                    …

We have seen that children aren't even safe in the church. And despite the fact that the Catholic church has this bad reputation, it is actually everywhere! 

There is nowhere these predators aren't lurking. They are the drunkards on the streets. 

They are the teachers and lecturers in the school. 

They are the priests and men/women of God in the church. 

They are the uncles and aunties in the family. 

They are nannies and home staff in the home. They are everywhere!

I remember my friend telling me that one of her earliest molestations was in the hospital. She was thirteen years old when a “general” doctor fondled her inappropriately without her consent in the name of examination. When she felt so uncomfortable she told her parents and they knew she was sexually harassed.  

                           

                                   ...

There is only so much you can do to protect your kids. And it's not enough to teach your kids to say no.

Teach them to talk. It's one thing for something unfortunate to happen, it's another thing for the perpetrators to go Scott-free. 

And when they talk, I hope you'd have the courage to believe them. 

To believe that your brother whom you've known and loved all your life could hurt you that way. 

To believe that that home staff who had sworn they owe their life to you because of how good you are could be that cruel. 

To believe that the man/woman of god that you stuff envelopes for every Sunday could be your worst enemy. 

Yes, It is very possible.

Then, set a trap to catch them in the act. Take it up legally. And that's how to get justice..

Bonus tip: Instead of teaching your child only fear, teach them confidence. Fearful kids are easier to frighten and deceive. And if they are to

Don't make them afraid of you, they might be too scared to confide in you with the truth.

I rest my case. Verdict: Priest. 👩‍⚖️ What do you think?