“Give me 5 thousand naira for what? He wouldn’t want to be crazy!…Hahahaha” Deola, my husband’s surbodinate’s wife burst out at once. She stood up, arms on her waist and started shaking her head.
“How much does he give you?” I asked, very embarrassed that I tried to form a smile.
“Ah..Anything I want o. Days of 50k, 20k, in fact, he still gave me 25k yesterday to get shoes for myself. This one on my leg, have you seen it elsewhere before? Hehehehe…impossible! I got it specially built for myself” She said and I bent to see the shoes, it was really sparkling.
My eyes glided towards myself and I looked at my shoes- they were nothing to write home about.
“I can’t believe that my husband’s boss’ wife is this gentle to collect 5000 a week! God forbid!” She said, throwing her head backwards and I shook my head. It was my husband I would be embarrassing if I kept quiet.
“But he buys bags of food at home o. The 5k is just for buying this and that. I understand my husband though. We have lots of projects at hand so I understand” I defended my home. She burst out laughing. When she stopped, she sat beside me and held my hands.
“My husband is building a hotel in Dubia, we are renovating a house in Lekki and our pure water factory is about kicking off, are these projects up to the ones your husband is doing?” She asked and I was practically mute.
My husband has actually been buying lands up and down saying landed properties appreciate.
“See, all men cheat…”
“My husband is a child of God, he can not cheat on me” I retorted.
“Issorait my madam! You stay there. When all your body sags and becomes loose, lets see if he will not cheat. See, this is the time to collect everything you can collect. I have told my husband to give me 5 Million Naira which he would give me tomorrow. I will build my business because men…Chai!” She started laughing again. I knew I was actually looking terrible before her.
“Is it easy to collect money from your…” I was asking when she cut in.
“Easy ke, sometimes when I ask and he refuses, I would lock the door and seize his car key. Sometimes we go physical, I will slap him and overpower him till he surrenders” She said and I raised my hand to my mouth in shock, my eyes widened.
“That’s ungodly…” I was saying when she started laughing again.
“Of course you know nothing about men and nothing about the Bible even. The Bible says the heart of men is desperately wicked…”
“That’s talking to all human not only men…” I defended the Word and she laughed as she stood up.
“Sit down there! Okay, didnt the Bible say wisdom is profitable to direct?”
“Yes it does, but not this way. Not by bullying and beating your…” I was saying when she bent, blew me a peck and started going.
“I wonder why your husband isn’t a General Overseer yet. You deserve Mummy G.O title!” She muttered on and on as she went.
I lifted my cocktail to my mouth and spewed it out instantly as it felt like sand in my mouth! I knew my day had been ruined. I stood up, but my legs were so weak.
“Are you ready now?” My driver asked and I nodded as he picked my bag. I dragged myself to the car and couldn’t look up till we got home.
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“Sweetie, welcome. You are back early didn’t you go for the wedding again after your cocktail as you said? ” He asked as he spread his arms to hug me. I walked past him to the windows and shook my head.
“You don’t want me to be back home so you can go meet your girls hmmm? See, I am your one and only wife, no other…” I was shouting when he came close to me, concern and shock in his face.
“Sweetie, is something wrong?” He asked again and I swallowed. I stretched out my hands and he looked into my palm.
“What?”
“Money for this week” I said, panting as I danced, my left hands on my hip. He brought out money and laid it in my hand.
I counted it- one, two, three, four, five, six, seven- He added 2 thousand but my anger could not be pacified, so I tore the money and walked to a chair to seat. My husband obviously thought I had gone crazy as he came close and started looking deeply into my eyes.
“Your subordinates that are not even earning half of what you earn are out there giving their wives countless thousands every week but what have you to give the mother of your four children, measly five thousand naira!” I shouted and he sat beside me.
“But you know what is taking our money away dear. Most of the lands are even in your name, I get to pay the children’s school fees, I pay your driver and cleaner too. When our expenses become bouyant, I would definitely increase…”
“No! All these labour now, maybe it another girl that will come and reap it. Just give me my own share. I want to start a business. Give me four million naira. I can’t wait till when my whole body sags”
“Sweetie, who has poisoned your heart against me? Who is…” He asked innocently that it pierced my heart but I couldn’t stop since I had started.
“Give me the money now or I leave your house for you” I threatened, panting heavily.
“Mum!” I heard Princess my first daughter call shrilly and I was covered with goosebumps as I saw tears streaming down her face, her siblings all lined behind her, behind the curtains.
I was ashamed and here was no turning back, so I picked my bag and started moving out.
“Yahaya, start the car” I said loudly as I locked the central door. I looked through the rear mirror as the car started and saw my whole family lined up outside, looking at the car in shock, my children with tears.
I wiped my tears too as I tried to justify my actions- Akin has been cheating me!
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As we approached Deola’s house (I wanted to go tell her that my husband wouldn’t bulge and I couldn’t raise my hands on him. And that the little I did was already razing down my house even), I saw some cars lined up in front of her house. I could hear some noise from inside so I told Yahaya to park the car while I trekked down.
As I was about opening the gate, I could see Deola with pant and bra running outside of the house. I paused and swallowed as I saw Shola, her husband running after her, holding a belt. I saw two policemen running after them with a wrapper.
“You are a fool Deola! Let people see your nakedness and know how foolish you are!” He lashed her on till a policeman was able to catch him and pin him down.
“Your mates are out there, giving their wives 5k, what do you give irresponsible man? What? You give 1k a month and think you have done your best, ehn…” She continues as she tied a wrapper round herself.
1k per month, not week oooo! I thought as my heart dropped to the bottom.
“Officer, please let me kill this woman! Let me kill her! She can’t wait till the house in the town in completed so I can start giving her more instead, she is sleeping around with various men for money! How can a housewife do that? Ah! I should have known she is a Jezebel!” He shouted as he hit the ground with his leg.
I covered my mouth with a hand as my heart panted severally. What have I gotten myself into? See the person that ‘advised’ me to challenge my husband for money!
“As you have infected me with gonorrhea, its AIDS that will kill you! Oloriburuku!” Her husband insulted her, his eyes very red as the police used handcuffs to hold his hands together.
As I turned to start running away, I bumped into my husband who obviously was behind me all day. I blinked severally as I had goosebumps rush all over my body.
“Sweetie, so it was Deola that advised you? You told Deola about your family?” He asked, looking so hurt that my heart quaked.
There was absolutely nothing I wanted that he didn’t give me. If it happened that he didn’t have, I definitely would understand.
“I don’t know what came over me…” I started. I wanted to touch my husband but he avoided it like a plague.
“You compared yourself with another family? Sweetie, what!!!! Is there any wisdom in that? The Deola that often tries to seduce your husband is the one you listened to. The one who advised you! I am so ashamed of you right now!” He shook his head, jumped into his car as the driver zoomed off.
“Stop talking as whatever you say now will be used against you in the court of law” I heard a policeman say and that was when I remembered that I was still at the gate. I quickly ran as my legs could carry me into the car.
“Yahaya, speed!” I cried and our car zoomed off also as the police helped Shola into their van.
My heart quaked, sweat broke out from their various pores, my jaws were at war against each other, I had sudden fever, my eyes were very heavy, tears wouldn’t obey the instruction ‘stop!’ They rushed down my face as if being pursued.
“Akin I am sorry! Lord, forgive me! Jesus have mercy! Ah!” I cried on as I started imagining what I would tell my children, what will convince my husband that I remained his one and only beautifully submissive wife!
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There are people out there who envy your position. Be thankful! Stop the comparison! Stop blowing your trumpet! Make friends with real believers, still control your mouth! Vain comparison is equal to foolishness!..
2 Corinthians 10:12-…Certainly, when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves to themselves, they show how foolish they are.
Galatians 6:4-5-…then you can be proud of your own accomplishments without comparing yourself to others. Assume your own responsibility.
