I am 50 Now!

“Hello auntie”

“Aburo, how are you? I have not seen you in years?”

“I have been busy with life auntie. Just work, family, and work!”

“The last time we saw or spoke was when you attended the burial of your uncle, my late husband ten years ago. How is your family?”

“Very well auntie. We are all doing extremely well and in good health too.””

“Now that you have come to see me, I hope all is well.”

“All is well auntie. The family elders sent me to you. They are not happy with you at all.”

“Ha! What did I do wrong?”

“Plenty auntie. Where do I start? They said they had visited you last year for the first time after the death of your husband, but you did not cook for them like you used to do when your husband, my uncle was alive and you would spend a long time in the kitchen cooking them a variety of meals served with the best of wines and give them money and foodstuffs to take home. Rather, you only sat with them, greeted them, served them water and nothing more. They said you disrespected them.”

“Ok”

“They complained that after the death of your husband years ago, and following their takeover of the properties you and your husband jointly worked for, you had the audacity to relocate to another place without first informing them.”

“Ok”

“They said the Pastor of the church you once attended with your late husband saw you at a social event with a glass of red wine, dancing to Buga. The Pastor reported that you seemed to have lost your focus on making heaven.”

“Ok”

“They complained that you refused to marry your late husband’s uncle as his fifth wife in the village, a man who is now 80 years old and is renowned for his wisdom. Rather, they learnt that you had started dating a man 2 years younger than you! They said you even told one of your friends that you had suffered abuses and discriminations in the hands of people, especially men that were close to you and your husband, following the death of your husband and that now, you have found a man that respects and loves you dearly despite your differences in age, religion and ethnicity. You even boasted to that the man has been of support to you financially, emotionally, and psychologically. They wonder why you would decline your late husband’s family member and date a man younger than you, of a different religion and ethnicity. They find this to be culturally unacceptable.”

“Ok”

“They said they learnt that some of the people closest to you and your husband including some of his business associates and friends either abandoned you or asked for sexual favours to assist you and the children. They said you opened yourself to ridicule because you did not marry your late husband’s uncle. You have therefore put the family in disrepute.’

“Ok”

“They said your two children who now live in Canada have refused to assist their extended family members in the village who need financial and other assistance. They stated further that you told a friend of yours that you raised the children alone as a single parent after they had taken everything you jointly had with your husband from you. They added that you did not appreciate that their prayers at the family traditional shrine resulted in the success of the children”

“Ok”

“Auntie I am not happy with you also. You told one of your friends that I met recently, that despite the fact that my late uncle and you funded my education after the death of my parents, and even funded my wedding; that I had abandoned you and did not check on you even though I lived in the same city as you and was doing well financially. I heard that you did not appreciate that you once came to visit my office to solicit for funds to support your children’s education but that I told my secretary to take a message and that I would call you but that I never did. I am not happy auntie because you should understand that we all live in a fast paced world now. I have simply been busy.”

“Ok”

“The family are unhappy that because you are now very successful and doing well, you have abandoned the family of your late husband. They said without their son, you would not have had your two children, who is their blood. With everything I see here, I also attest that you are doing well auntie. The spirit of my late uncle has remained with you and has made you to be successful.”

“Ok”

“They even accused you of political sabotage. They were told you support a political party that the family is against”

“Ok”

“Finally, they said you have refused to contribute to the development of the family and the village. You have not given any financial support to the family shrine since the death of your husband. They want you to know that unless you mend your ways, the family god will be angry with you”

“Ok”

:Auntie, you keep saying ok. What could be responsible for your behaviours?. You were once a kind, supportive and accommodating woman. You were there for us all. You served us. You cooked for us. You housed us. You helped send us to school. You donated to the development of the family and village. You gave generously. You and my late uncle supported us emotionally, financially and so on. I keep asking myself what happened to auntie? What do I tell the elders?”

“Tell the family god and the elders that I grew up and wiser. I walk with my ears and eyes open. I pay attention to my environment and the people around me. I have decided to live the rest of my life for me and not for anyone else, a happy woman, because I am 50 years old now!. I am at peace. My security staff will see you out.”