Was this really home
Baba mi's trial is tomorrow, the sleep got to me.
****
The dreaded day was finally here.
I was reluctant to wake up from my sleep. The task ahead of me was more than I could handle.
Was I to live the rest of my live with the guilt of sending my own father to jail ? The society would tag me a bad child.
"Omo buruku"
Was I to live the rest of my life with the guilt of setting free a man that ruined my life ? I would never forgive myself.
What was I to do
I stared blankly at the leopard print mini gown that Mrs Seila had picked for me to wear. Baba mi bought the gown for me a long while ago. The thought of putting on a dress he bought for me turned my stomach, but what was I to do?
Baba mi bought every piece of clothing i owned.
I stripped off my cloth and stood in front of the mirror on the wall. I was naked.
There was a scar on my left breast.
I remembered how baba mi had fondled my breast roughly. My eyes swelled with tears, but I refrained from letting them out. Today is not a day for tears. I had to be strong. A woman should be strong.
"Kofooo!! Its almost 10am, we have to be in the courtroom by 9:40am." It was Mrs Seila. I slipped into the gown hurriedly and whispered a short prayer as I raced out of the room.
"Dear lord, give me courage to speak the truth"
"Dear lord, forgive my sins.
****
The trip to the court house was a rough one. Mrs Seila had arranged for a "Keke Napep" to convey us. It was my first time in a "Keke Napep".
The driver reeked of alcohol. He had a big pot belly, i could see a loose flab of soil-brown flesh hanging loosely on his laps.
"Madam, wetin you won go do for court ? Shey you hear say our president don invite obodo oyibo people say make dem con catch all this malla wey dey bomb everywhere. I even hear say na government people dey give all this malla money. Madam, you no tok anything?
Mrs Seila was obviously irritated with his rants. She wanted to reply him when he cut her short again.
"Madam, shey u know say mama bikiki no let me touch am again, she say my belle too big. Bet today na today, after all this alcohol wey I don drink, I go finish her for night"
This was the only thing that got my attention. This man was going to forcefully have sex with his wife. I felt like banging his head against the windscreen, but then I remembered ; he was going to do it with his wife and not some random teenage girl.
But still, he shouldn't have sex with his wife without her consent. That was wrong.
I was still making a mental judgment about the drivers situation when he announced that the court house was right ahead of us. He was not allowed to go any further.
My heart skipped a beat. There was a sudden rush of fear and terror through my body. My lips flapped against each other. My hands were shaking.
Mrs Seila must have noticed me. She stopped halfway and reached for my hands. The touch was warm and relieving, but not as soothing as the words that she said to me.
"Kofo, you can do this. You have been through so much, and i know you will make it through. You just have to speak the truth."
I flinched at the mention of "Truth". She noticed again and said
"Kofo, the most important thing is for you to follow your heart"
Yes! that was just what i needed to hear.
"I will follow my heart, even though I knew it was not on any path....
****
The courtroom was a very big room that had been divided into cubicle-sized sections. The paint color was a bright cream and coffee brown. The painter must have chosen the colors to portray lightness and darkness. The cream representing light and the latter dark. A brilliant representation of good and evil. Or may be that was just the best color that suited the room.
A big brown desk rested on the wall, and there were several other desks arranged in front of the very big desk. The Judge occupied the first desk. She was a fat woman, I didn't know women were allowed to hold such positions in the society. The registrar's desk was next. He was a young man with deep tribal marks and the most ugly set of dentition i had ever seen. There were several other officials in the room. The prosecutor (the policeman that had decided to take up baba mi), Defendant (Baba Mi). Baba mi looked more like the man in the mirror, gentle with an innocent face. I could see a big scar on his forehead, that must have been the aftermath of the stool I crashed on his head.
I sat beside Mrs Seila, she was stroking my hand very softly. I wonder what I'ld have done without Mrs Seilas support, she said it was going to be a judge - alone trial. ( The judge decides if the defendant is guilty).
All rise!! (The court was in session.)
Calling the case between Plaintiff (Kofoworola Ajani) Vs Defendant ( Raufu Ajani). The registrar called us to come forward. I was scared. Mrs Seila whispered: follow your heart.
I was asked to step into a brown cage-like podium. A man in a black suit approached me. He had a Bible and a Quran.
I was to swear by the holy book. I had no idea I was going to swear by the bible.
"Ms Kofo, do you swear by your belief and the name of God to speak nothing but the truth: i do.
Can you narrate the event of that night to us:
Yes i can. My voice was shaking now. The man asked me to go ahead and narrate.
The courtroom was silent now, everyone present rested their gaze on me. I felt so naked and vulnerable. I could not decipher the look on Baba mi's face. Mrs Seila had a look that urged me so much to narrate how my father had raped me. My heartbeat was racing, so many thoughts swirling around my head. Baba mi, jail, Jinadu...it was too much for me to handle. I had a mental block.
The Judge was getting impatient now; "Ms Kofo we do not have all day, please speak.
I heaved a sigh, i looked at Mrs Seila, she still had that look on her face. I remembered how her son had molested me the previous night, and then I spoke
"I left the house without my fathers permission and i came home late. He got very worried and gave me a terrible beating after i raised my voice back at him. He was under the influence of alcohol, i ran out of the house with my younger brother when he wouldn't stop beating me." That is the truth.
There was a loud murmur in the room. Mrs Seila looked like she was about to die. Baba mi just stared blankly at me. I had followed my heart. I had failed myself.
"Baba ni jigi, even when he chooses to rape his own daughter."
Baba mi was called next, and he narrated the story in the same pattern as i did . He made the necessary additions and subtractions. His innocent look made him appear sober.
The registrar announced a one-hour lunch recess.
I was thrown into a state of confusion. I had violated my own rights to justice. Mrs Seila left the courtroom. She must be mad at me; but she can't be mad at me; even her son had violated me!
I had to get some air, i was almost suffocating...
****
All rise!!!
The court was back in session, it was time for the judge to pass her judgment.
The courtroom became quiet. The judge cleared her throat, shifting her gaze from left to right. Baba mi wasn't going to go free, i'm sure of that. I only reduced his punishment by twisting the story, he would still have to suffer for child battery.
The judge spilled.
"After a critical examination of stories from both sides, Mr Raufu Ajani is found guilty of child battery and assault. This court hereby sentence you to 6months in jail with hard labor. You will be granted a bail sum of five hundred thousand naira. Kofo Ajani will be in the custody of a guardian while you serve your term"
All rise!!!
There was a loud sound of wood banging wood.
****
Mrs seila clutched my hand like her handbag. She was not saying anything. We were outside the gate of the courthouse now. I had a terrible stomach upset. I was hungry.
A "keke napep" stopped in front of us; just as we were about to enter, i heard the wailing sound of a siren.
It was a black maria van that was conveying baba mi to a prison facility. My eyes swelled with tears. I could see baba mi peering through the window.
He shouted my name and tossed a brown envelope.
"Give it to that woman, tell her to read the contents to you"
The enveloped roamed the air before it finally landed on the floor, i raced to go and pick it up, not being mindful of the careless okada riders.
I bent down to pick the envelope. An acrid smell engulfed me! I could here Mrs Seila Screaming my name!!
Kofooooo! Kofooooo! Kofoooooo!!!!
But it was too late, i was knocked over by him, he grabbed the envelope from me and ran like a mad man!
He was a mad man!!!
A lunatic had the envelope !!!!
To be Continued.
Written by: Odutuyo Adeyinka Sasa-Eniyan
Adeyinkatuyo@yahoo.com Whatsapp :07085178536

just pasing










75% of people online would not complete d reading of this article and i belief u know y

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