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I was shocked when she said “his mother.” I told her we heard back then that the children lost their mother.

She said that was not the case. It was another of her daughter who died during childbirth and the husband brought those children to her.

Meanwhile, the ones I taught were the children of a different daughter who had gotten a job in Bayelsa but couldn't go with them as she wasn't sure of the life waiting for her there. She brought those two kids to live with her temporarily and it was shortly after those ones arrived they brought the ones who lost their mother.

She explained that because so many children came into her house at the same time, people assumed they were all siblings, but they were not.

She said she enrolled Ebruphiyo and his sister in our school, the secondary school at the back, while the other two were sent to the primary school inside the street.

I asked her what really happened to Ebruphiyo and how everything went wrong.

By then, all the children in the house had come outside. Mama even pointed out one of them who was the newborn brought to her many years ago. The girl is now grown.

Mama continued.

She said after the boy finished JSS3 and wrote his junior WAEC, his mother came and took them to Bayelsa to join her. Things were better for her and she wanted her children with her. The boy did well in WAEC later, so she processed admission for him into the Petroleum Training Institute in Warri. He passed the exam and got in.

She rented a self-contained apartment for him off campus and made sure he had everything he needed. He began school, and during one of their short breaks, he came to Mama’s house since Ughelli was closer. That was when the problems started.

He got mixed up with the area boys. Before anyone could understand what was happening, he started coming to the street every weekend without even stopping by her house. One of the grandchildren spotted him in an unbelievable condition at the popular Ughelli guest house and told Mama.

She went to look for him and saw him herself. She alerted his mother. They bundled him to the house. His mom came the next day, angry but calm enough to speak to him.

She went with him back to Warri, cooked for him, washed his clothes and begged him to do better. He promised, but he was already addicted. All the money she sent went into drugs. He eventually stopped going to school and did not even write exams.

His mom took him to rehab, and started another school process for him at the state University in Ozoro. He did not meet the cut off mark. She took him back to Bayelsa and asked him to learn a skill. He refused and just stayed home.

Later, she was transferred to Benin. She took him with her, but he always found a way to sneak back to Ughelli. Mama said the day I saw him was likely one of the days he ran back to Ughelli.

I asked if he was currently in town. She said if I had come earlier that day, I would have seen him. His mother had just taken him back to Benin again.

Mama shook her head and said, “That my fine boy just dey waste. I don tell anybody wey get pikin for this area make dem comot. Once all these small ones grow small, I go tell their papa make he come carry them. Another pikin no go spoil for my hand. Na this area I take born almost all my children and none of them misbehave like this. When dem ready marry, dem marry. But the thing wey dey waka for here now wey make children no dey hear word, I no know.”

I told Mama it was alright. God would help her and I will include the boy in my prayers.

She thanked me and said if I ever saw her outside and she failed to recognize me, I should introduce myself again.

And that was how everything went.

Yesterday evening, I took out time to go see the boy’s grandmother.

Before going, I already made up my mind that I would not give any impression that someone was interested in helping the boy.

I just wanted to hear directly from the grandmother, understand the situation, and maybe speak with the boy if I got the chance.

I got there around 6:30 pm. Mama was obviously preparing dinner. There was a huge pot on the fire in her outside kitchen which stood right in front of the house. She was holding a small bucket, probably to fetch water, but she dropped it when I greeted her.

"Migwo, mama," I said.
"Vrendo," she replied.

I asked after her family and she said everyone was fine.

I introduced myself as a teacher from the school at the back, where her grandchildren attended many years ago.

She looked confused. She even asked if there was a school at the back and which of her grandchildren I was talking about.

Honestly, it has been almost ten years and I had forgotten the children’s names, so I tried to describe them. I reminded her that it was one of her daughters who brought them during the admission process and that she also personally came for their uniforms before they started.

She still did not remember.

While we were talking, a voice from inside the house said, “Maybe na them Precious.” A teenager came out and greeted me. Mama said Precious and her sister attended another school inside the area, not any school at the back.

At this point, I was confused but I kept insisting because I remembered clearly that those children used to come from this same house. I even described exactly where the school was. That was when she asked, “Na Eyaruwe school?” I said yes! She said, “Na Ebruphiyo and the sister.”

I told her I could not remember their names but that I came because I saw the boy some weeks ago and he was not looking good.

She sighed and said, “Na so we see am o. He mama don do tire. Ebruphiyo no want do anything with him life. The girl own dey Agbor. She don almost finish school.”

Good morning, everyone.
Yesterday evening I was able to go to the boy's grandmother's house and it was a very long conversation.
I'll try to drop the full story here ASAP.

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Thank you to everyone who engaged with my business during the sales..

The sales period is officially over and we’re moving forward with fresh energy and new arrivals. I’m still here, still committed and still grateful.

Thank you for being part of this growth. 💛

Thank you to everyone who engaged with my business during the sales..

The sales period is officially over and we’re moving forward with fresh energy and new arrivals. I’m still here, still committed and still grateful.

Thank you for being part of this growth. 💛

Thank you to everyone who engaged with my business during the sales..

The sales period is officially over and we’re moving forward with fresh energy and new arrivals. I’m still here, still committed and still grateful.

Thank you for being part of this growth. 💛

Thank you to everyone who engaged with my business during the sales..

The sales period is officially over and we’re moving forward with fresh energy and new arrivals. I’m still here, still committed and still grateful.

Thank you for being part of this growth. 💛

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This is your final call!

Our sales end tomorrow and once it’s over, every price goes back up.

If you’ve been eyeing anything, this is your sign to grab it now before you miss these once-in-a-year deals. Check our sales thread below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#137702713

This is your final call!

Our sales end tomorrow and once it’s over, every price goes back up.

If you’ve been eyeing anything, this is your sign to grab it now before you miss these once-in-a-year deals. Check our sales thread below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#137702713

This is your final call!

Our sales end tomorrow and once it’s over, every price goes back up.

If you’ve been eyeing anything, this is your sign to grab it now before you miss these once-in-a-year deals. Check our sales thread below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#137702713

This is your final call!

Our sales end tomorrow and once it’s over, every price goes back up.

If you’ve been eyeing anything, this is your sign to grab it now before you miss these once-in-a-year deals. Check our sales thread below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#137702713

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Hi loves❤️
Just a quick reminder, our Christmas Sales ends on Saturday. After that, ALL prices go back up. No exceptions, no extensions.

If there’s anything you’ve had your eye on, this is literally the best time to grab it. These sales were specially created to help you save, and once the window closes, that opportunity disappears.

Don’t wait till it’s too late. A lot of people are already locking in their orders before the price jumps.

If you want to secure yours at the current rate, now is the moment. Follow the link below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#up

Hi loves❤️
Just a quick reminder, our Christmas Sales ends on Saturday. After that, ALL prices go back up. No exceptions, no extensions.

If there’s anything you’ve had your eye on, this is literally the best time to grab it. These sales were specially created to help you save, and once the window closes, that opportunity disappears.

Don’t wait till it’s too late. A lot of people are already locking in their orders before the price jumps.

If you want to secure yours at the current rate, now is the moment. Follow the link below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#up

Hi loves❤️
Just a quick reminder, our Christmas Sales ends on Saturday. After that, ALL prices go back up. No exceptions, no extensions.

If there’s anything you’ve had your eye on, this is literally the best time to grab it. These sales were specially created to help you save, and once the window closes, that opportunity disappears.

Don’t wait till it’s too late. A lot of people are already locking in their orders before the price jumps.

If you want to secure yours at the current rate, now is the moment. Follow the link below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#up

Hi loves❤️
Just a quick reminder, our Christmas Sales ends on Saturday. After that, ALL prices go back up. No exceptions, no extensions.

If there’s anything you’ve had your eye on, this is literally the best time to grab it. These sales were specially created to help you save, and once the window closes, that opportunity disappears.

Don’t wait till it’s too late. A lot of people are already locking in their orders before the price jumps.

If you want to secure yours at the current rate, now is the moment. Follow the link below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#up

Hi loves❤️
Just a quick reminder, our Christmas Sales ends on Saturday. After that, ALL prices go back up. No exceptions, no extensions.

If there’s anything you’ve had your eye on, this is literally the best time to grab it. These sales were specially created to help you save, and once the window closes, that opportunity disappears.

Don’t wait till it’s too late. A lot of people are already locking in their orders before the price jumps.

If you want to secure yours at the current rate, now is the moment. Follow the link below 👇🏽

https://www.nairaland.com/8566720/timearena-christmas-sales-thread-1st/1#up

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