Thrown Out Onto the Street by Her Father While She Was Pregnant at 14 Years Old. The Struggle of a Mother.

“Good evening, sir. We have heard that you are sheltering a stranger in your house.”

“What? No, that’s false,” the man replied quickly. “I am not sheltering any stranger in my house.”

Suddenly, his wife came out of the room in tears, terrified.

“It’s true, you are right. But please don’t hurt us. My husband brought a young girl this morning. I tried to stop him, but he refused to listen.”

“You broke the rules and brought a stranger into your home even though you knew it was forbidden. Let the stranger come out immediately. She will be sacrificed to the gods of our land, and as for you, sir, you too will be sacrificed to purify the place.”

Ogei came out of the room with tears in her eyes, her daughter in her arms.

“Please let us go. My husband abandoned me and I ended up here. I know nothing of your traditions.”

“Your story does not interest us, young girl,” the spirits replied. “The Festival of the Spirits began yesterday, and it is forbidden to welcome strangers into this land during this period. You and your child will be sacrificed, as well as the man who welcomed you.”

Ogei cried with all her heart. She was lost. She prayed and desperately hoped for a miracle.

“Take her away,” the spirits ordered.

She was taken away by force with her child. They arrived in a remote place in the middle of the forest where many spirits were waiting. One of them stepped toward her, lifted a calabash, and tried to touch her head with it. Suddenly the calabash slipped from his hands and fell. He tried again, but the calabash fell again. The third time, the calabash shattered.

The chief of the spirits cried out, “What is happening? The gods refuse to accept her as a sacrifice. Where did you bring her from?”

“We found her at the herbalist’s house in the middle of the forest,” the spirits answered together.

“She is not a stranger. She is a native. Chase her far away from here,” ordered the chief of the spirits.

She was driven away by the spirits. She ran with all her strength, not understanding anything that was happening. After several hours of walking alone in the forest, she finally found the exit and ended up in a village completely unknown to her.

In the distance she saw a large building. It was a Catholic church. She entered, knelt down in tears, and thanked God for saving her. She took the opportunity to sleep in the church that night.

The next day, the villagers came to the church building for morning mass. She was sitting in front of the building, and everyone looked at her strangely because she was in a terrible state. At the end of the mass, the villagers raised money for her so that she could continue her journey home. She took the money and went back to the station. After two hours on the road, she arrived in Baba’s village.

When she arrived, she noticed a large crowd in front of Baba’s hut. She also saw Emeka sitting in the middle of the crowd crying, even though he was supposed to be working at the base. She wondered what was happening when suddenly Ife, Emeka’s sister, ran toward her. She helped her by taking the baby from her arms.

“What is happening here? Why is everyone gathered in front of Baba’s hut?” Ogechi asked.