Turning Point

On a fateful Friday evening, the sun was making preparations to wind up the day. The village was still calm as many people had not yet returned from their farms and markets. Nkoyo’s mom had been home all day. As usual, she barely goes out. She stays indoors to take care of her sick daughter.

Nkoyo has been sick for more than a year. All the medications administered to her seem not to be working. The burden of caring for the sick can only be understood by the one who has passed through it. No one prays to be sick. In fact, no one wants to be sick. The pains and discomfort that come with it cannot be borne.

On that fateful day, Nkese had gone to the market to get things for dinner. She had been the only one who stayed at home with her mother. Other members of the family assist their father in the shop.

Nkese had bought almost all the things that she wrote on the list when her phone rang. She pulled it out from her little red colored bag that hung across her chest. It was her friend Blessing.

“Hello” Blessing called out
“Hi” she responded
“Where are you”? Blessing asked
“I am in the market”

Nkese could hear noises and commotion from the background.

“What is the matter?” Nkese asked
She could not hear her response, although the noise was still heard and this time becoming more audible. Nkese knew that all was not well. Her heart started pounding profusely.

She kept saying “hello” till Blessing responded

“What is wrong with your mom?” Blessing asked
“My mom?”
“Yes”
“Nothing is wrong with her”
Before she could complete her statement, Blessing interrupted
“Please come back, it seems your mom has gone crazy”
“What do you mean”?
There was no response and suddenly the call ended.

Nkese could not get the remaining stuff, so she hurried home.

Upon getting close to the house, the street was filled with people from both sides of the road. As she walked through, everyone was just staring at her. No one talked to her, she was just observing things by herself.

Suddenly she sighted her mom with a basin and a stick. She hit the aluminium basin and shouted at the top of her voice, crying at the same time.

“Ekerete community, leave my daughter alone oooo”. “I have no business with you people. If anything should happen to my daughter, I will call your names one after the other,” she added. As she said it, she then hit the basin. This attracted the attention of the people. She walked all around the community.

Nkese stood still, she couldn't walk close to her mom. She was disappointed in her. Why would she do this? She asked herself. Very soon she will be the talk of the town.

Her mom saw her, but she walked past her and still continued with her assignment. She wore a black gown and tied her wrapper across. She wore no shoes. She left her hair open. Her grey hair became very obvious. People who may not have known her could mistake her for a madwoman.

Nkese took her phone and dialled Blessing's number. She wasn't taking her calls. Shame wouldn't let her walk home alone. She stood still till it was dark before she started heading home.

Later in the evening, everyone in the house gathered and Papa Nkese queried the action of his wife as madness.

No one understood the weight of her actions but after a week, Nkoyo was miraculously healed. She was fine, hale and hearty.

Many questions arose in the family meeting and their mother told them a proverb that says “witches and wizards cannot harm a child whose mother is loquacious.

The father apologised to her and said that she wasn't crazy, rather, she was fighting for the survival of the family.