Seasoned Creative Photographer and Art veteran, Mr. Godwin Nkemakonam Anaebonam, shares the moving story portraying the experiences of children especially the girl child living with parents as ‘orphans’.
Relaying his expository encounter in his narration titled ‘A Vessel of Hope’ (Season 0ne), the Art veteran said, ” While relaxing in front of my office at Old Yaba Road, Adekunle, Lagos State, at about 5pm on May 5th 2020, I sighted a banana hawker passing by. I felt a need to have a few of it to relax my nerves after a long busy day and not forgetting Covid-19 social distancing”.
“I quickly made up my mind and called the banana hawker. While trying to negotiate the cost of the bananas with the hawker, who I later got to know as Miss Miracle, my eyes immediately spotted the scares on her body. The scares I guessed for sure, were as a result of flogging and out of curiosity I asked her questions to know more about her.”
“She hinted that she is a native of Ebonyi State and lives with both parents around Makoko, which is in the neighborhood of my office here in Lagos. Her mom, as I got to know, is also a banana seller in market around. She reportedly flogged the young hawker at any mistake without minding the injuries she was inflicting on her skin. Her father on his part is a bike rider (Okada) and usually spends time at home.”
“Further discussion with the hawker, Miss Miracle, revealed that she is 17 years old and in Primary Six (6). This revelation caught my attention knowing that she is supposed to be out of Secondary School seeking admission into a Tertiary institution or should be in a Tertiary institution by now.”
“Curiously, I asked her why she has not finished Secondary School and still in Primary School. She then made me to understand that she was initially living with her aunt, who did not send her to school for over 7 years. You can imagine good seven years gone out of the future mother’s life as we all know that any time lost cannot be recovered.”
“I tried to engage her further in discussion but she was not very free to share details probably because I am a man and she was yet to trust me putting into consideration that we live in a society where child molestation happen to girls of this age all the time.”
“I tried slyly to get further details and Miss Miracle indicated that she will love to further her education in order for her to become a nurse.”
“What a dream I screamed! Looking at her, I was lost in thought trying to figure out how that dream can come true and through considering her very poor background.”
“Like her name, Miracle…Except something miraculous happens, she might end up as another ‘orphan’ living with her parents and never realise her dream of becoming a nurse” Godwin Anaebonam sadly concluded.
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The most touching part in the story is the Banana hawker girl is being maltreated, by her own biological mother, however, this is happening because the country we leave in, a country that does not care about child labor, slavery, abuse etc. it's high time for the government to do more on child right protection.