Agnes is the girl I won’t forget in my life, though she is little now, I know I will see her grow to greatness. She is my niece, daughter of my late sister. She is part of my life and success. Though a small girl, she has her own life story. A pathetic one to think of and it also serves as warning to others.
My elder sister, Joke, grew up standing tall among her equal. She was beautiful, smart and seemed to had it all. She graduated with best grade in her class and had a good job. She was the first child, she was also an ideal example for us that came behind her. She was to the family a priceless jewel, though a woman, my father believed in her. He carried her along in his doings and appreciated her. We also loved her and showed her the respect she commanded. I liked her specially because of the strong trait of success she had. She was my pally and I enjoyed all those, you know. She had big dreams and she was determined to get it done. Sometimes I marvelled at how she intended to do it but to her, there was nothing not possible. I am a diehard fan of her spirit and I tell you over two years she had died now, her spirit lived with me and I don't think it is going to part.
Her life was beautiful and thriving until she got married. There hell seemed to wait for her. Her husband seemed to married her to make a show of her. He stopped her from pursuing her dream and tagged her ‘fool house-wife’. Time to time after that wedding, I could see that the beauty of my sister was fading. Her face looked bored and she seemed to have lost her happiness with the richness of her person draining away. He largely subjected her to domestic violence. She did not hide this but my parents were not ready to take the bold step. They called to the husband and talked to him as if he would change, he did not, he continued in his way. I hated what I saw, I moved to speak to her ‘marriage should not be a do or die. Why must this man kill your dream and kill you’. She responded with words dipicting that she dread what the society would say, the fairness of the society to her ’ you know if you don’t have a husband you will not be honoured, the mockery, the glorious wicked laughter and more' She usually said this as if her life was soley founded on others. What did little boy like me know? I don’t know much but I know that if anything gets to the place of destroying one's life, one must run for one's dear life. If you allow anybody at all to waste your life, while you are gone, he or she will enjoy life on.
An incident happened that almost cost her life, this made her to take her little daughter and run back to the house. My parents did not send her back seeing her wounds and pain. Days after, her husband’s family came to beg. His face was like a sorry cat and the family vowed to take care of her. My father said since he won’t marry her, she should go back to her husband's house. She went back amidst many comments, some thought that he was right, a daughter lives in her husband's house. Others believed that she was going for doom, if he had battered her this way the next would be fatal. As the father wished, she went and the prophecy of doom came to pass.
The news came that sister joke had been rushed to the hospital. Before we got there, she had giving up the ghost. We were all taking aback, she was healthy the last time we checked. She did not have any sickness history. When we got to check, her body was full of bruise. Checking thouroughly, one of her hand was broken and front of her head was not in good shape. What came out my mouth was ‘ He has finally killed her.’ I cried in horror, I was mad I wanted to do something crazy but my father cautioned me. I was actually angry with him as well. He saw the future but refused to do anything about it. He didn't use his power when he could do he had to burry strong daughter. Giving a child into marriage is not death sentence, if the life of your daughter was a stake, take her from it or you bear the brunt. We heard that he actuallyy beat her to stupor and left her to die but for the help of the domestic staff.
Her husband ran away. While we were mourning and taking care of what was there to care of. He went hiding for weeks. What can we do? My parents said they left it to God because of Agnes. Some women right activist were the one who took it up to teach him a lesson, but that glory had been cut short. The most painful part of all is seeing Agnes tell the story some times ' My dad would remove his belt and beat her until she falls to her face. They were always shouting and quarelling. That day he vowed to kill her and gave her to dogs. He beat her until she slipped and knack her head on the step. That was the last time I saw mum. I wish she is here’ She knew the things the father was doing to her mother till death. Agnes lives with us not as happy as other children that got it all. She sometimes seats alone, thinking all the days of war through. Couples should know that they are the first people in their children's lives and they were not there to mar them but to make them. That was what brought Agnes to our house. That is her story, the story of many .

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