Miss Jennifer Uchenna had proposed in her heart to get to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria under any circumstances. The big city of dreams!!. Mrs Jemima her mentor always spoke about it during her lectures. She was 23 years old and not about to become the fifth wife of Chief Donatus. The man responsible for caring for her father's medical bills whilst he was sick until he passed away leaving 6 children and a grieving widow behind.
She wiped her face as the tears blinded her vision, slowing her down. She was determined that she must become a great personality all by herself as she had been taught by her mentor. Getting married was not a solution to her family's financial condition.
But her step mother disagreed with this concept. She believed Jennifer's getting married to a very wealthy man is the family's own remedy from their financial hard times. Her step mother Mrs Chioma Uchenna was interested in raising money for the family by getting her married to Chief Donatus. He is a councilor at a ward in their local government. This marriage had since been long planned from when Jennifer was 20 years old and she had finished her teachers training college program in Agbor. Her teaching job was too meager to bring in any substantial amount for her father's treatment at that time or in paying for her siblings school fees.
Jenny as she was called intended to go for a more sophisticated teacher's training program to become one of the best teachers in the world. She desired a degree in the university in other to be able to compete with world class tutors.
She had always been interested in sharing knowledge even with her younger ones. She was a teacher and a farmer. Her little farm not too far from the house was a testament to her hard work. She grew vegetables for her family consumption, cassava for garri to sell and had 6 old laying birds for eggs in a little cage besides her father's house. She learnt how to bake during her home economics practical in secondary school and since then, she bakes and fries pastries to sell at the school she was teaching. Her pastries tasted so delicious that they hardly spend hours inside the show glass displaying them.
Everything Jennifer had learnt had only been possible with Mrs Jemima's help.
The woman mentored Jennifer into seeing the possiblity of becoming great despite your background. She would always tell Jennifer to start small and watch it. Mrs Jemima was an amazing lecturer at the local teacher's training college Jenny attended. From the way she spoke, to the way she carried out things in the in the school,Jennifer wanted to be like her.
She was the perfect lecturer. But her mother said school was not the solution to a woman's problem. Chioma believed that Jenny's going to school was a waste of money. Everyday, while Jenny schooled, she ranted about how much goes in the education of a child especially the female child. She believed that a woman need not be smart to keep a great home.
She also told Jenny that all she had to do was, be beautiful and a little knowledgeable about how to manage her husband's monthly housekeeping money. What a mentality! Jenny thought.
Jennifer's father Mr Amaechi became bedridden due to his last attempt at palm wine tapping. He broke his back after falling so hard. Hence, every funds in running the house was used in caring for him until he died.
Jenny loved her father so much and she did not plan to run away today leaving her siblings behind. She wanted to raise them up, teach them and provide for them as she promised her father during his funeral ceremony.
However she overheard Chioma telling her uncle that the bride price will be paid in a few days time. They needed the money to pay the debt incured during the burial. She resolved that she would work, send money home but never, will she trade her future for a life of being a 5th wife!! NEVER!!!!
With that, she ran faster, not looking back!