THE CRY OF AN AFRICAN CHILD

It was late in the afternoon when Obby arrives home from school. She got shocked when seeing a crowd of people gathered under the tree. She thought maybe something bad has happened to her father who has been sick for the past three months. Her knees began to tremble with fear and the pounding of her heart could be heard by anyone passing close to her. She stood still for a while and made a silent prayer ‘oh God, let it not be what I am thinking,’ my father is the one taking care of us, what if….’

Suddenly her mother called out, ‘Obby! Obby! We are waiting for you, could you please hurry up.’ Obby went straight to her mother. She knelt down as a way of showing respect and greeted all the strangers who were among the gathering. Her uncle cleared his throat and said to her in a deep voice, this people you see here have come to ask for your hand in marriage. Obby did not believe her ears, at the age of thirteen she was being given away to be a wife to an old man. She asked her uncle again as if she did not hear what he said. Dux, as he was affectionately known, was a very strict man. Everyone in the village was scared of him more especially his terrifying voice. Obby knew deep down in her heart that she has to follow the African custom no matter what, but she decided to be stiff necked and refuse to marry someone who is not her choice.

Obby’s mother became speechless not knowing what to do next. One thing that frightened her most was her brother- Obby’s uncle. He respects tradition more than anything else in the village and whoever tries to flee away from it and behave anyhow face the consequences. Obby faced the consequences of breaking the custom by refusing to go through a traditional marriage. Her uncle ordered the village boys to take her by force and throw her in the middle of the bush since she has no value in the society. That was the end of Obby. Her parents never saw her again, perhaps the jackals had a very delicious dinner with her body.