Escape

    She shut the door. Tears streamed down her face. She could still hear her father's voice ramming with her mum's. Solemnly, she strode into her room with an air of anxiety. 'How on earth would her parents want her to do something against her wish because of their own selfish interest'. 
     Aminat crept into her bed with her hands folded across her legs and her chin placed carefully on her knees. She stared into a blank space for some minutes before her face started welling up tears . With a blink, the tears fell down her beautiful face like a torrent of an angry rain which was withheld for some couple of years. Judging by the present state of her face, one would think Aminat was more than a 15year old secondary school girl. The dark complexion of her skin complimented her beauty with her fine well trimmed eyebrows, long, black and shiny eyelashes, pointed nose,an aggressive cheeks, and bright soft pink lips. Her long soft natural hair describes her ethnic group which is the Northern part of Nigeria. She doesn't  like to be regarded as a Fulani, although her school mates do tease her a times by saying      "Aminat! Fulani girl!". She would correct them amicably by saying " I'm an Hausa and not a Fulani girl". If asked the difference between the two, Aminat was ready to give a lecture on that.

    She hits her legs several times to get rid of mosquitoes buzzing in her ears as if to lure her to sleep with their irritating lullaby. She wiped her dried face, repositioned herself by straightening her legs and rested her back against the wall.
     "Aminat!.. Aminat!!.. Come and eat your  meal, it will get cold". Mrs Abdullah walked slowly to her room when she didn't hear any response from her daughter. Aminat jerked with fear when she heard the sound of the door opened. Her mother was surprised to see her moody.
     " Aminat... Makachi Abinchi ko( come and eat dear). You will have a visitor tomorrow and you have to look good and healthy ". She said smiling. Aminat stared at her mother with a fright.'The beast is coming tomorrow' she thought.
    " Mama I am not hungry. I want to sleep". She laid down and pretended to sleep.
     "Okay, goodnight". Her mother said without further hesitation and covered her with a wrapper to keep her warm and to wade off the notorious mosquitoes hunting for her fresh blood.
   When Aminat woked up the next day, She felt worried and nervous. She couldn't sleep well throughout the night. She got up, had her bath and sneaked out of the room. When she got to the gate, she gave Mallam Bako a token amount of money while he gave her a secret and unique exit. She does that whenever she wanted to leave the house without her parents permission. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She kept moving without looking back. She kept heaving and sighing due to the strenuous unorganised  exercise she found herself.

       She finally arrived at her friend's house who she considered to be her best friend, a friend who she can never hide anything from and a friend who was always ready to listen to her. Modupe as she was fondly called by her friends was the definition of a true friend to Amimat. Modupe smiled when she saw her friend standing at the door but she noticed something was wrong when Aminat didnt return the smile she showed to her. She asked her what  the matter was and Aminat narrated her ordeal. Modupe listened attentively and felt pity for her dear friend. She promised to introduce her to someone who she thinks can handle such situations. Aminat felt relieved and ate the meal Modupe prepared for her judiciously. 
      In the afternoon, they rode in a motorcycle to Mrs Bamgbose's house. She welcomed them. Modupe introduced Aminat to her.
" My father is a farmer who was hired by Mallam Gambari."She started narrating her story .  
 "There was a time my father was in need of money and he had to borrow money from Mr Gambari and he promised to pay back. Mr Gambari gave him 20,000 naira along with five cows. After some time, My father fell sick and had to stopped working and when Mr Gambari demanded for his money he had no choice but to beg him to give him some time to gather the money. Recently, My father wants to marry me off to Mr Gambari to pay of his debts. Please ma, I don't want to marry now."  She pleaded amidst tears. Mrs bamgbose felt pity for her and promised to render her support. Aminat's joy knew no bound. Being an activist against child abuse and girl molestation made Mrs Bamgbose understood the agony Aminat was going through.
       The next day, Mrs bamgbose along with Aminat and Modupe went to meet Aminat's parents. Her parents were excited to see her because they already thought she was missing. They were surprised to see an august visitor among them. They understood who she was after she introduced herself and explained what her mission was.
    "Early child marriage is a barbaric act which infringed our children's right to quality and standard life. These children are too fragile and are not matured for marriage yet. Please give Aminat the chance to study and become the very best she could be." When she ended her speech, Mr Abdullah stood up without uttering a word and entered his room.  After some minutes, he came out with a cutlass ready to butcher Mrs Bamgbose to death While he sworn to disown his daughter if she wouldn't comply to his wish. She fled for her dear life while Modupe  and Aminat trailed behind rejected and dejected. Mrs Bamgbose offered to take care Aminat and as well as sponsor her education.
    Some years later, Aminat graduated as a  medical doctor and worked in the biggest hospital located in her hometown.

X. X. X. X.  X. X X X 
    "Doctor!.. Doctor!!.. a patient had been rushed in just now. He had lost a lot of blood and I told them to deposit some money before you could attend to them but his wife keep repeating something in a Hausa". A nurse said panting. The doctor walked hurriedly to the hospital corridor to attend to the victim who was placed on a stretcher, she moved closer felt the heart beat and saw that the  man had given up the ghost. She looked up to scan the victim's face and was taken aback when she realised who the victim was. She saw a figure coming towards her. It was the woman who turned the baby she was into
to a girl she was but not into the woman she had become.The woman looked so lean and unkempt. She stood transfixed, fighting the dilemma of whether to hug her or run away from her. Tears rolled down her pretty and matured face. Alas!..the poor man lying down on the stretcher was no one else but her father who wanted to marry her off very early and had disowned her some years ago. 

Say no to Child abuse??

By:Wahab Rianat.