RAPE AND WAR
By
Abdul King Article
King and Queen Writing Chamber
Dedicated to Halima Bala Wakili
THE PROLUGUE
She was weeping, yelling, and screaming into the darkness but no help ever came, her legs were tightened with chains together with her hands, her body was covered with bruises and swelling, yet no help ever came. The pain she felt, the screaming she did, the apology she asked for, yet he don't showed mercy on her because she was too weak to depend herself. She was just a little girl that need protection, the daughter of someone that need a beautiful future, the mother of people that need to have shield, education and skills, she will one day become the wife of somebody, the mother of somebody and the sponsor of somebody, yet he ruptured her virginity violently, subjecting her into the world of sorrow, world of fear, world of despair. No crime went for nothing, the smaller you did the greater you will have, you reap what you sow here or hereafter.
My name was Monifa Musah, I was the only daughter of my parent, my father was Hausa man and my mother Yoroba, after their marriage broke up, my mother decided to goes with me. She named me Monifa meaning the luckiest in Yoroba language. I was raised and taken care just like any other child in our town. After I finished my secondary school, we moved to Ibadan where we continue to live happily, I studied Mass Communication at University of Ibadan. The story I would like to deliver was all about my life, life of rape and war, a war against rape, most people usually blame men for this crime, but sometimes it was not their fault, women were to blame also. You might think I was fool to wrote this down but do not ignore me, I will get to the point soon. Rape was a crime and we all knew it was, there were so many reasons behind this crime and among them was: Night journey, prostitution, drug abuse, tightened clothes, poverty. All these mentioned were the leading causal of rape, I am going to prove them one after the other together with necessary measures to be taken against this rape.
My life at University was absolutely beautiful, I had everything I need, everything I was supposed to have, but as time goes on things went south, life started treating me malignantly. I tried the best I can to have resistivity toward my arduous situation but the thing was beyond my power, I had no choice than to let it be. I knew it was a destiny, a destiny that cannot be changed nor erased. Now let me tell you about my life at University, the consequences and challenges I met there.....
Episode One
NIGHT JOURNEY
While I was in hundred level, I was a great friends maker, my mother advice me about it but I never listened, I thought she was insane that was why she gave no regard to people, I was well known in my department and other departments, because of this they gave me the nickname famous angel.
" Not all friends deserved you," My mother once said to me, " Some friends could turn enemies, some can even spoil you, so you have to choose wisely who your friends should be." I only laughed and embraced her.
" Have no worry Mumcy, I am not that type that can get spoil easily." I took my leave leaving her in wonder. I can still recall this moments, I never thought it will happen in reality. I continue to live peacefully till I met a boy named Abiola.
" Monifa where are you going in this night?" Mum asked.
" Ma I wanted to collect my assignment from one of my friends, the house was not far from here!" I respond.
" Okay you can go!" I moved out gladly, I crossed the road waving at Abi to wait for me. I climbed his bike in fear thinking about the penalties I will receive if my Mum found I lied to her.
" Where are you taking us?" I asked.
" Watch and see girl!" Abi respond boldly. We kept shut with no word till we approached a place that seemed like club.
" What is this place?" I asked. Abi didn't answer. He grabbed my hand and took me in, I opened my eyes and watched this place as long as I can, it was beautiful indeed, dancers and musicians all over trying to chill it out, I can't believe it was a club, I like the place but I am afraid something strange can happen to us.
" Come on let's dance!" He grabbed my hand.
" No I can't dance I am sorry." Unexpectedly I heard someone calling my name, I turned back to see the person, there I saw my friends Fateemah and Marian approaching, all of them were with their boys. Seeing them here with me encouraged me, we ate and drank and chilled it out. After the party was done. We moved to our various homes. This was how my life started to change from what I thought I cannot become to what I became.
" You said you were going to collect your assignment huh! Show me where it is?" Mum asked suspiciously. Cleverly I brought a paper that I bought on our way back before we made it home and showed her. She only looked at me with smile, thank God she didn't check it out, assume she did she would have find what I did. Early in the forenoon, I made it to the University and attended the lectures.
" Hi sweety."
" Hi abi!"
" We have a long party tonight, hope you were coming with us?"
" Yea why not!" I respond. After I goes home, I lied for the second time and that gave me the freedom to walk out. I followed abi and together we made it to the club but surprisingly my friends Fateemah and Marian were not there. We chilled it out and later he asked something in return as a honour for his friendship.
" I am sorry but I can't sell my body here in the street."
" Come on Monifa! This is nothing to be afraid of, as you see nobody is here just me and you."
" I am sorry!" I kindly moved out. He followed me asking for apology but I never listened. I went home desolately thinking about it. From this day I never allowed myself to goes out alone, Whenever I feel like going to club I will make sure my female friends were there with me. Abi tried his best to make our reconciliation but I never gave him the chance to. I continue to live with my friends happily with a thought that Abi has finally forgotten about me not knowing that he doesn't. There in his mind he was planning for a revenge.
" What do you call a man that often move out in the night?" Mumcy asked.
" philander or drunker." I respond shamefully.
" And what about a girl that often move out in the night! What can you call her?"
" I don't know Ma!"
" You don't know or you don't want to say it." She shouted in sorrow. " Tell me are you a harlot?" She whispered. I kept shut with no word expecting hot slap to visit my face at any moment from now. Luckily she didn't slapped me, she only touched my face casting her eyes on mine.
" You have your father's eyes but you don't have his ability and imagination, your father was a good man not a philander, your mother was never reported seen among harlots, but you.... I don't know what you were trying to turn yourself into."
" I am sorry Mum!" I embraced her shedding tears, " I am done taking the night journey, I will never do it again."
" Good girl." She said with smile. From this day I decided to temporary stop going to club for a while, my mind was that whenever I feel like going to club I will first allowed the night sleep to stole my Mama away. I kept on going to club constantly whenever I wishes not knowing that the plan for revenge was about to befall me. It happened to me in one dark night after we were done the partying at the club, I crossed the road looking for taxi but no one stopped for me, my heart started beating to and fro after I perceived the gathering of cloud, it seemed rain can begin at any moment. I remained standing for about thirty minutes but no car passed by, suddenly a car approached, I waved my hand and luckily it stopped. Quickly I moved in and the driver fired on. After we took fifteen minutes ride I found that the driver has followed the highway road that can lead us to dark forest. I talked to him but he didn't respond. The men in the car casted their eyes upon me, that was when I found who the driver was, it was Abi my former boyfriend.
I screamed calling for help but no one come. He drove in speed till the car approached the dark forest, they pulled me out looking at me foolishly. They tightened me with chain to an extent I can't help myself. Then they began to teared my clothes leaving me with only pant and bra, they laughed at me touching my private parts as they wishes, I screamed and yelled and asked them for apology but no one dare to listened. They followed sequence one after the other starting by Abi. Five men against me. This was the day I will always remember, the day I was betrayed by the person I trusted, the day my virginity was ruptured violently. I cried and cried and cried but there was nothing that can be done. They left me into the forest tightened with chain and pain, I was only lucky the patrol agents had found me, they took me back home where I found my mother was accused of witchcraft. And the penalty for this was dead. I knew it must be Abi, he planned it to ruin my mother's life. Our house was ceased, I was left with nothing apart from the long attire I wore. I was pulled out of the house in malevolent, some people thought I was also a witch like my mother.
The night journey, my first catastrophe, and the question here was who to blame between me and Abi? Abiola did a great crime, but I helped him with it and this made my sins to composed of greater amount than his, first of all I defied my mother's advice, assumed I did as she told me could this happened to me? Going to club was a curse, and that curse was what affected me and my Mama, night journey of any means should be avoided, although Abi and his friends were gangsters but they can only show their powers in the night not during day hours that was why they showed it to me in the night, at the night journey where they knew no one can see them. No one can detect them, Even if they were detected there was no reliable evidences to take them down. The first war against rape was to avoid night journey of any means no matter how important it was, this misery that befell me was because of my bad attitude of moving from here to there in the night.
I didn't think precisely and I didn't accepted my mother's advice, assumed I did what my mother told me then I would not had fell into this calamity. My life turned boring and later on I started to experience difficulty in walking, soreness and depression, all the things I usually do I cannot do them now, my pleasant life has gone, all the fond I usually have with my friends had vanished, I was even ashamed to take myself out but I had no choice than to, I can't remain in one place for ever, I have to do something, something that will bring back my integrity, something that can earn me a way of living, I knew it will be difficult but I have to give it a try, my enemies were happy and my lovers were sad, the town elders cursed me just like the way life has cursed me up.
Abiola never care about these, he got what he want and needed me no more, this meant that not all people needed to be trusted, some usually forget you immediately they were done using you, and some usually forget you immediately a catastrophe fall on you. They will not care about your effort and commitments, they will not think about your sacrifices and time you devoted for them, all what they can do was to blame you for the little mistake you have made, some will not even care to go through your mistakes, some will not even care to find reasons that made you to do such a thing, they will only blame you, curse you and abuse you from toe to head just like what happened to me, Now let me tell you my second quest at the University......
Episode two
PROSTITUTION
I was left with nothing and I have no where to sleep, I didn't hear from my Mama although I knew she must be dead by now, I walked in the street like dog begging for food but no one care about me, after I took longer time with no solution to this my arduous situation I decided to meet my friends Fateemah and Marian, I moved to their house and luckily I found them.
" I am sorry Monifa, this was really boring." Said Fateemah.
" I am sorry about your Mum." Said Marian.
" Okay now how did you plan to earn your living?" Fateemah asked.
" I don't know that is why I came to you!" I respond.
" You don't know!" Fateemah whispered in wonder.
" All of us in this house were female, and we were the one taking care of ourselves" Marian said looking at me.
" And what about your parent, where are they?" I asked them. They laughed looking at me in a reaction I can't identify what it was.
" Life has treated us malignantly just like it did to you that's why we chose to become independent by ourselves." Fateemah said boldly.
" And how did you became independent?" I asked her.
" Have no worry dear you will soon know what we meant, now let's eat some food." Fateemah said with smile. She brought food to us, we ate well and chat well, two days later, things started changing, they started treating me with no respect, I don't know what was happening and I can't ask them about it. The thing was disturbing but no choice I had.
" There is something I need to asked."
" Go ahead." Said Fateemah.
" Why do most women in this house scream in the night, like something strange was happening, but it seemed you never care about it!"
" Why should I!" Fateemah said boldly. " But if I were you I would have do the same like they were doing."
" Tell me why were they screaming in the night?" I asked.
" You can find it yourself." She took her leave. I was in very much surprise about the attitude of these ladies, men often visit them in the night, immediately the men broke into their rooms, the ladies will started screaming softly like they were having fond in it. I continue to search reasons for this screaming and luckily I found it.
" I can't believe this house was brothel." I said in anxiety. " If I knew I am staying with harlots I would have take my leave since."
" I am sorry Monifa, it was never our choice to become prostitutes but we have no choice, it was the only way we were earning our living. Life has treated us malignantly like it did to you, we have no parent and got no one, nobody care about us and no one is helping us with anything. We have to do everything by ourselves." Fateemah said in whispered.
" As you see my parent died while I was in hundred level." Marian started telling us her story. " I went back to my aunties and uncles but none of them care to continue sponsoring me, I had no choice than to become a prostitute so that I can continue my studies." She stared at me before she continue. " Now you have two choice Monifa, you can decide to joint us or decide to continue begging in the street because from now henceforth we are not going to help you with anything." She concluded taking her leave. I remained there for a longer time thinking about the solution, at last I made my final suggestion, I never wanted to become a harlot, but it seemed I have no choice than to become that harlot I hated to be. Within one month I rented a room at the brothel, I paid my registration and continue studying at the University. I continue my life peacefully together with my friends while still enjoying the services of men. Until one day I met a gay named Enyioma.
" I am sorry Enyioma but I can't give my ass for you because I am not lesbian"
" Come on girl I am going to pay, I will give you everything you need."
" You can meet other women I am not the only one here." I said in anxiety.
" I need a fresh ass like yours, an ass that was never been ate before."
" I am sorry but I can't." I walked away leaving him in agony. Enyioma didn't let it go, he continue tracking me cleverly day after day till he one day succeeded. It was dark night again, a man parked his car and horn for me. I went into the car and sat on a sit, he started the car and fired on, he rode for about thirty minutes moving somewhere I don't know exactly, lastly we approached a ghetto area, he led me into his house and gave me some fond, he paid me and took me back to my house. From this day he became my optimal friend, at anytime he need me he will phone me and asked me to meet him at his house not knowing that it was a trap, he was working for Enyioma. The day it happened again was absolutely boring, I had been feeling headache since forenoon. Around 10 o clock in the night, he phoned me to meet him at his house, I moved out after I took paracetamol. I stopped a taxi driver and told him where to take me. After thirty minutes ride we arrived. I went into the house after I paid the driver. I called him loudly but he did not answered. Then I sat down waiting for him to come back, unexpectedly I heard a horn, I smiled because I knew it must be him. Five minutes later I started to hear the voices of men outside, I looked at the window in astonishment but I cannot see anything because it was too dark, although I was not afraid because I thought it was his friends, in less than two minutes, huge men started coming into the house looking at me foolishly.
Enyioma was the last person to broke in together with my optimal friend. I tried to have my escape but before I get to it I was caught, they tightened me with chain after they were done tearing my clothes. This was how I was raped for the second time, I was raped in the ass, seven men against me. They sexed me to an extent I fell unconsciously. I woke up in the morning finding myself in the gutter closer to my house, I kindly got myself out and moved to my house, I washed myself and took a report to police station, the police investigated the case but found no evidence, the house I was raped in was found closed. Because of this the case was cancelled. Two weeks later, Fateemah and Marian started to show jealousy toward to me because I had many boys. They reported me to the mistress and luckily they won, I was expelled out of the brothel shamefully. This was how life treated me for the second time and of course it was my fault, the curse of going to club is still with me that's why I am having problems, I was raped because I was prostitute, this mean that the second war against rape was to avoid prostitution. A prostitute will never have peace because there was probability of coming encounter to a dangerous calamity or having infection with a serious illness. Now let me tell you my third quest at the University.....
Episode three
DRUG ABUSE
I am now going to 300 level but I have no money for registration, I am no more working at brothel so I have no customer, no one to take care of me, all my boys that often followed me had now leave me. Finally I am alone like before, my previous life retuned to me, I started to invent some business with the little money I saved but anything I created will just collapse, I cried and asked God for mercy but nothing seems to change, things grew difficult and life seemed hard on me. The curse is still with me, my mother's advice I defied, I knew it was that curse that continue following me anywhere I goes, I continue to search ways in which I can earn my living but everything seemed scattered, Marian and Fateemah remained my biggest enemies, they allowed no one to visit me, all my friends had leave me because of them, anything I created to earn my living they will never rest till they spoil it by any means, this was how I continue to face calamities, disasters and incident of any type till I one day made it to a big cafeteria, I was employed to work there as a waitress.
" We have morning job starting from 9 o clock to 4:00 PM, and evening job starting from 4 o clock to 10:00 PM, so which of them do you chose?" madam Rose asked me.
"I chose the evening one!" I respond.
" Alright good, your work will start tomorrow, make sure you come earlier." I took my leave pleasantly as I knew I have got somewhere to earn my living. My anxiety has wiped away, now I can continue paying for the room I rented, I am now sure that I can take care of myself appropriately, I didn't allowed my enemies to know about my new job because I was afraid they can pull me out, although I knew it will be hard to, madam Rose was not a type that too much like rumours, she hated unconfirmed statement and hypocrisy.
" Hi good evening." Said Adam, a waiter.
" Good evening Adam how was everything?" I asked him.
" It's good!" He respond. We worked together till 8 o clock PM, madam rose gave us thirty minutes break to chill out.
" Hi girlie what were you thinking?" He sat next to me.
" I am just in depressed and I don't know why?" I respond.
" You ever tried mix up?" He asked me.
" What do you mean mix up?"I asked him. He smiled looking at me, later he brought a bunch of drugs and kept next to me. He bought a drink for me and put the drugs in the bottle. He asked me to drink it up and so I does, immediately I was done drinking I felt comfortable, my depress went away and my body became normal.
" I felt nice!" I said.
" Really?"
" Uhm."
" How did you learn to make this thing?"I asked him.
" Do you like it?"
" Absolutely." I respond. We continue the chat till our break was over. This was how I became adapt to drug abuse, anytime I feel bad, I will mixed them together and drink them up. Sometimes if I mixed I will not feel any good, so I have to meet Adam so that he can help me with it. Because of this I started visiting him to his room for the mix up not knowing that he was a gay, he was only looking for my ass, it happened to me one day after I visited him for the mix up, he bought drugs somewhere and mixed them for me, immediately I drank up I fell asleep, he used this opportunity and raped me up, he raped me in the ass violently. I only woke up finding myself naked and he on top of me, I cried when it was too late and cursed him for nothing. I spent two weeks without going to work nor the University because my buttocks were extremely paining. In the third week I started to experience strange things, I cannot hold excretion for a longer time, the moment I feel it, it will just come out if I didn't take a serious action, I started wearing pampers so that I can avoid being embarrassed. And the worst thing was that I started to have desire for lesbianism. I often felt itching in my ass, and no matter how hard I scratched it will not go away till I suck dick in my ass, I started meeting Adam regularly so that he can use his dick in my ass, it was the only thing that can relief the itching. This was how I turned lesbian, I began to met gays that need female's asses so that they can relief me, my life turned boring and boring and boring but I had no choice, it was all my fault, the curse is still with me, my mother's advice I ignored, the going to club I did, and finally the drugs I abuse, this meant that the third war against rape was to avoid drug abuse, assumed I didn't abuse the drugs Adam will never have the chance to rape me up and spoilt my life, now let me tell you my fourth quest at the University...
Episode four
TIGHTENED CLOTHES
I am now in 400 level, final year at the University. My life turned normal after I met an imam who helped me with prayers. My desire for lesbianism had now vanished, I am no more feeling that itching, I broke up with Adam and all his friends, madam rose expelled me after I found that she was also a lesbian, and the main reason she works with Adam was because she need his dick, it served as the only thing than can relief her itching. I started to think about how to earn my living at this final year, I knew it will be hard to figure it out but I never allowed myself to fall in despair, I continue my life till I one day made it to a Dancers Association called Bonifa. I was employed to work there after they found that I was a great dancer. There were bunch of singers and dancers in the association, I like my staying there because I was among the superstars, I was always called upon to create an entertainment, we started creating a public show for the whole world to see, there my face became famous, anywhere I goes people used to stare at me, after the end of first semester, I bought my own house and car, my life turned pleasantly great.
" Hi Monifa, I can't believe I am seeing you in reality, this your tightened attire was making you sexy!"
" Oh thank you!" I respond in appreciation.
" Please can I have a pic?"
" Yea why not?" Most men do appreciated my beauty especially when I wore tightened clothes, although I loved to wore such clothes since I was in hundred level only that I never got the chance to till now, it made me look beautiful and sexy as they said, I like this extolment very well, I loved someone to appreciated my beauty and because of this I continue to wear tightened clothes, clothes that shows my body naked, men often looked at me in a reaction I can't identify but I knew they only have fond of me, some of them do speak their mind to me but some only looked at me in a way I can't described. I never care about them especially those that look at me with no extolment, I only give regard to those appreciating my beauty not knowing that most of them were philanders, they need nothing apart from my body, but none of them ever uttered it to me and I don't know why, perhaps it was because I was celebrity or they were thinking like I am going to ignore them.
" This was an invitation from from Kings Boys Club, they were going to have a great party tonight, so your mission was to go there and entertain them with all what they need." Said the president of Bonifa.
" Yes sir." I respond politely.
" Their cars are ready waiting for you, take your girls and go with them now." He took his leave. I quickly prepared my best female dancers and go with them. They rode for a longer time before we finally arrived at one old building. I wondered what we were going to do there. My girls were asked to remained in the car while I was pulled out violently into the building.
" What are you doing?" I asked dreadfully.
" Relax, you don't need to be afraid of us, we are only trying to help ourselves." Said one man in mask. I was laid downward and tightened with chain. " But this is not out fault, it was your fault, we have been seeing you in tightened clothes in television for so many times, we tried to resist our thirsty but now we can no longer hold it."
" This is not my fault, why don't you tell me my dressing was affecting you?" I shouted in anxiety.
" It didn't matter, assumed you have think precisely that your dressing was inducing men interest on you, all this will not had happened."Said the man.
" I am sorry please let me go, I will dress as you wishes if you release me."
" I am sorry too dear, it was too late already, maybe you should try it next time." Four men went naked in front of me, they followed sequence one after the other till they felt satisfied. This was how I was raped for the fourth time, four men against me, they raped me violently with no mercy, after I made it home, I told the president about the happening and immediately he reported the Kings Boys Club to police, their leader said he didn't sent anybody to meet us, perhaps it was a trap to destroy our friendship, the case was cancelled because there was no evidence, the men that raped me where in mask, I can't recognized them, the man that brought the invitation to our president was wearing dark glasses and Cap, this meant that he cannot be easily recognized, I had no choice that to let it go, I knew it was my fault, everything that happened to me was my fault, assumed I never wear tightened clothes all this will not had happened, most women feel sad if they were raped, thinking like it was a destiny from God not knowing that it was their fault, no matter how ugly you were, as far as you were dressing nakedly then men must go after you, no matter how smart you were, if you didn't think precisely then calamity could befall you. I was raped for the first time in hundred level because of my inability to think precisely, not all friends deserved me but I never care about that, I ignored my mothers advice and here I received the result of my actions, Abiola was an evil, he was the first to ruptured my virginity violently, and the first to got me separated from my mother, all these calamities I came encounter of was because of him, the second year in 200 level was a curse to me, I thought prostitution could save me but it didn't, it only add disasters on me, making my trusted friends to betrayed me, Fateemah and Marian, I never thought they can turn against me but they did, not all friends needed to be trusted, some can turn against you at anytime, the year at 300 level was the most complicated, things grew difficult and life went hard on me, Adam deceived me easily because I trusted him with all my heart, drug abuse was an evil act, if not because I gave consideration to it Adam would never had betrayed me. My final year at 400 level was the sweetest and pleasant, but things went south and I was to blame myself for the clothes I wore.
All these calamities that befall me were my fault and I have profound weapons to discuss with you now, you can use those weapons to wage war against rape, the first of them was:
Night Journey: Avoid night journey of any means, as you see from the first episode, I was raped because I often move in the night, assumed I maintain my integrity by not moving in the night Abiola will never have the chance to rape me up.
Prostitution: Prostitution was a curse, I was raped for the second time because I was a prostitute.
Drug abuse: It was against the law to take anything that can turn you unconsciously, drug abuse was against the law and the reason why I was raped for the third time.
Tightened clothes: The main reason why women get rape was because they often induce men interest on them by exposing their private parts on their tightened clothes. Tightened clothes were the reason I was raped for the fourth time violently.
Episode five
POVERTY
God was indeed most merciful, most forgivable, most great. With all these sins I had committed I was now a graduate, most of my friends that often worship their books day and night had not make it, some were withdrawn and some were going to spill over. But I graduated successfully although I never read any of my notes for five good minutes, I don't even know how I was passing because all I usually do was skimming during test or exam, after the NYSC portal was opened, I filled the form and luckily I was to go among Batch A, my state of servicing was Cross River, I prepared my things and went to transportation unit in the forenoon. I found a bus going to Cross River waiting for one passenger, I paid the seat and moved in, the driver started the bus and fired on. He keeps on driving with concentration and care, I just feel I like the guy, he overtake cars very carefully unlike some drivers that can overtake five cars at the same time, some don't even care to horn. My eyes started blinking meaning I was feeling sleepy, so I lowered my head down my laps and fell asleep, I can't remember how long I had been sleeping, I only woke up finding ourself in a new event, the passengers were yelling dreadfully, on the road stood a bunch of men holding guns, we were asked asked to come out and lied on the road, I can't believe we were on the trap of armed robbers, on my way out I sighted a man I knew before, he looked at me with concentration and smiled.
" Hi Monifa!"
" Hello Abi, so you were....!"
" - Armed robber!" He interrupted. " Goodbye Monifa." He activated his gun and pointed it on my forehead. I closed my eyes shedding tears, I knew my end has come, I am going to die just like my mother, before he released the trigger I heard his terrible screaming, He released the gun and fell down, blood started coming out of his mouth and nose, all his crowd do the same, within five minutes they all died, police started coming out of the bushes devoting an apology to us for coming late. That was when I perceived what happened, Abiola and his crowd of armed robbers where shot by the police. It seemed the police knew they were following us that was why they invented this plan to shield us. We moved back into the bus in serenity, the driver started it and continue driving. We reached our destination in the night, I paid another bus going to Ububra, I was dropped at Obubra Local Government Area where I found a taxi that took me straight to NYSC orientation camp, there I found a new situation at the camp, Boko Haram terrorist had attacked the camp and succeeded in taking two armies down, while the soldiers were able to gunned seven of them down. I took myself to the corpses looking at them one after the other, surprisingly I knew them, it was Enyioma and and his six friends that raped me, I can't believe they were Boko Haram members. We were told at the camp that, our servicing was to begin next week, soldiers are going to take necessary measures to shield us against any attack, so we were discharged and there I was left with no choice than to move to Ibadan because I knew no one there.
" Hi girlie, what were you doing here alone?"
" Hi, I am Monifa and you?"
" I am Rukky!" She respond.
" Dark is starting, and it seemed you knew no one here huh?"
" Yea of course." I respond.
" I have an aunty here, if you didn't mind you can come with me so that we can stay together till next week."
" Thank you, I appreciated!" Rukky became my friend, she was also corper like me, she studied Microbiology at University of Jos, we goes to her aunty's house and found her weeping.
" Adam was a bad boy, I told him to stop it but he never listened." said aunty Deeja.
" I am sorry aunty, it was his destiny!" Rukky said trying to chill her.
" What happened?" I asked.
" She lost her son."
" What happened to him?"
" He was found naked with his mistress, some said they extremely had sex and that led their dead." said Rukky.
" Look at them, police sent me the pic today." Aunty Deeja gave us the pic. I collected it and stared at it with concentration, it was Adam and madam rose lying dead. I kept shut with no word in astonishment.
" Aunty, was this boy really your son?" I asked her.
" Well, actually I didn't gave birth to him, he was the son of my sister, his parent expelled him because they were tired with his trouble, and I thought I can handle him so I asked him to stay with me, but why did you asked?"
" Because he didn't resembled you!" I pretended.
" There is going to be fishing festival in this night, we are going there now, aunty are you coming with us?" Rukky asked.
" No! You have to be careful, bad things often happened there!" Aunty Deeja said in advice. Rukky grabbed my hand and together we goes to a horrible water body, many people gathered there trying to watch the game, among the gamers I sighted the four mask men that raped me while I was working at Bonifa Dancers association, I easily recognized them because I knew how they walks, how they talks, I can still remember their voices at that moment they tightened me with chain, laughing at me foolishly, before they later raped me up, the gamers were called to begin the game, and I stood intently watching how it would be. The four mask men remained in one group, and the other groups to compete with them called their people, canoes were brought to them, and the aim of the game was to catch the biggest fish ever see, the game begin with much fond but later turned disgusting, the water started rising upward horribly hitting the gamers violently, a screech coming into the water drew our attention, we moved back in feared, people started running trying to escape, all the five groups that were trying to catch fish made their escape, only the mask men group were sank into the water, the River King was called to help them, he started incantation and later he asked his men to swim inside. In less than five minutes the four mask men were brought dead, no one knows what happened, some said it was the attack of spirits, some said it was the attack of ghosts, some said it was the attack of mermaids, there was no reliable answer concerning what happened. We went home dreadfully and told aunty what happened. I can still remember this day, a day I never expected, all the men that raped me were killed in this day. I remained with Rukky at her aunty's home, I told her a little about myself and she did the same, she told me a story of a man named Wale, their first met up and consequences she met, her story made me to confirmed that life was bind together with calamities and disasters, and the only weapon for these calamities and disasters was patience, no matter how life treated you, immediately you look upward you will see someone beyond you, someone you were better than.........
" Wale was my first love." Said Rukky, " He was very poor and also a man with great ambitions, he was a graduate from University of Jos but he has no job, he studied Lab Science, for the last seven years he was searching to become civil servant but things went south, because of this he decided to start farming so that he can earn his living, I first met him at his farm and there I fell in love with him, I wanted to tell him but I was too shy to. Although it has never been done in our village, for a girl to propose to man no matter how ugly she was. I continue to hide my feelings till when I can't hold it anymore. I proposed my feeling to him, he appreciated but with one condition, if I can sell my virginity to him he will marry me, I rejected his offer and there I decided to leave him permanently. Wale was tired of being very poor, he was eager to become rich so he took himself to diviner.
" You will become rich," Said the diviner. " But first you have to do one thing."
" Tell me what you want me to do!" Wale said eagerly.
" You have to rape a small girl of not less than two years."
" What?" Wale shouted.
" Take this," The diviner gave him a powder. " Any girl that smell this powder will follow you and do whatever you requested, do not allow any girl to smell it except the one you wanted to rape up, don't forget she should not be less than two years." Wale collected the powder and goes home in anxiety, he don't want to rape any girl although he was a professional philander, all the girls he often had affair with usually visit him, he never forced anyone of them to have sex with him, but now he was asked to rape, how would he do that? Wale wanted to maintain his integrity so he decided to used this magic powder on me instead of the two year old girl, he allowed me to smelled it after he visited me, immediately I smelled it I started following him out of my senses, he used this opportunity and raped me up, later he goes to diviner and told him that he accomplished the job.
" My eyes are everywhere." Said the diviner in sorrow, " You were asked to rape two year old girl but you went and rape twenty year old girl! How did you expect to be rich."
" How did you know that?" Wale asked in surprise.
" Like I told you my eyes are everywhere, now go and do what I asked you to do, and do not come back to me till you accomplished it, you were even lucky because little girls are easy to find, one man with same ambition of yours came to me, and I asked him to rape old woman of not less than eighty years, and if he didn't do it he will never become rich. So now go and do it." Wale went home in puzzled thinking about the solution for this matter, he was tired of being very poor with no suitable job, farming cannot give him satisfactory money and he has no opprtunity to become a civil servant, what he need now was money and to have money was not easy. Six months later my parent found that I was pregnant, they asked me who impregnated me but I don't know, they expelled me out of the town wildly, children were asked to throw stones on me and so they did, everybody blamed me not knowing that it was not my fault, I don't even know how it happened. I continue walking in the dark without knowing the exact place I was going to, I have no torch light no shoes no nothing, only the long attire I wore, I continue moving till I approached a hut, there I found a seer, she welcome me and told me what happened to me. That was when I perceived that I was under spell, and the one that impregnated me was Wale, I remained with this woman till I gave birth to a beautiful girl. I started to raise her with care and love till one boring night while she was left alone in the house, at this time she was two years old, we went to market to do some trade, immediately we came back we started to hear screaming, we moved into the hut in feared, what I saw frightened me, it was Wale raping her violently after he tightened her in chains, she was dead already but he was still raping her. Before we take any action he quickly made his escape, I cried and cried and cried but there was nothing that can be done, I wondered what kind of father would rape his own daughter to dead just because of wealthiness, what surprises me most was how he knew about her and how he knew our location, but afterward I found that, this was nothing to be wondered, with the help of magical powers it can be easy, his diviner must have tell him about it.
Together with this seer I moved back to my town, the seer told my parent what happened, and later my parent told the town elders what had happened, the seer was honoured with gifts and sent away, a report was taken to police station but Wale was never found, I was left in anxiety, although she was bastard but I just felt I love her. At this time I was in final year studying Medicine, but because of tension and grief I cannot read my books, I was withdrawn and redeployed to Microbiology Department, on later time I heard that Wale has became rich, he owes many petrol stations and supermarket in the city. Two years later he started to experience hallucination, he was seeing a little girl following him anywhere he goes, his sickness grew worst and later on he died leaving a bunch of wealthiness he never enjoyed. This was just life, life was bind together with calamities and disasters and the only weapon for these calamities and disasters was patience, assumed Wale has exercised patience then all these would not had happened. He did what he think was right and there he received what we knew was wrong, this was the punishment for who ever refused to exercise patience. God was together for those that exercise patience, no matter how life treated you just exercise patience, somehow someday your time will come, you will receive what you want. Based on the above story, we have found that poverty was among the causes of rape, if we can be able to fight poverty and take it down then there was assurance that 75% of rape can be reduce, the main reason why Wale raped his daughter was because of his poverty, he cannot bear it any longer, and because of this he took himself to diviner who coerced him to perform this illegal act. Most people were like Wale, they don't exercise patience to what ever come their way, they only think about earning they don't think about losing, just like they think about life without thinking about heaven. Poverty was malefic and the main reason why disasters occur on earth. Number of terrorism and voodooism had increased because of poverty. Fighting this poverty involved the creation of available vacancies to citizens, invention of organization and companies, public enlightenment on trade hand jobs, rape incident has often resulted in many effects, among them are: Bruising, Bleeding (vaginal or anal) Difficulty walking, Soreness, Broken or dislocated bones, Sexually transmitted infections, Pregnancy, depression, etc.
After I am done with my servicing, I moved to Ibadan where I continue to look for employment, then one day I met my old friend Marian.
" I am sorry Monifa, I am sorry with all what I did to you." She said weeping.
" You have did nothing." I embraced her wiping away her tears.
" Where is Fateemah?" I asked.
" Fateemah was dead, after you were gone, calamities started to befall us one after the other, HIV and other diseases started affecting us, most harlots at that brothel were dead, I am the only survivor now."
" I am sorry!" I embraced her again, " So what do you do for a living?"
" I was withdrawn from the University, but thank God I had my diploma, I am now a civil servant."
" Oh, congratulations dear!"
" Thank you." We exchanged our phone numbers and moved separate ways. Two days later I met a woman at market, a woman I knew before.
" Monifa, I can't believe you were alive."
" Mumy." I ran and embraced her tightly. " Mumy I thought you were dead!"
" No I am not, your father helped me, he never allowed them to hurt me, and now we have reconciled, I am following him to Kano what about you?"
" I am always with you Mumcy." We moved to Kano, my mother continue to live with my father gladly, I got my employment offer to work as a civil servant, as I am giving you this story now, I was already married to a Hausa boy named Sulaiman, and there we continue to live happily ever and after.
THE END
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