But for my mother

I would have been a tailor

That was the final decision

The man of the house has spoken

But my mother defied the order

An order she needed not only emotional strength

But huge financial commitment to sustain

I look on helplessly with the thug of war

Between husband and wife

A faint-hearted man awashed in pessimism

Versus a lioness-hearted woman of unseen hopes

It was a melodrama of a family at loggerheads

A sweet sorrow tale of once upon a crossroad

A near battle of supremacy of who dictates the tune

For an innocent son of prideful determination to excel

A family which status quo was redefined by a mishap

Time flies

Soaring my dreams beyond visibility

My hope dwindles

My opportunity keeps drifting further apart

My brain produces zilch then

I thought pessimism had overcome my omega hope

Yet I appease myself with adage of have-nots

“Where there is life there is hope”

One day

The sun felt reluctant to smile

A perfect weather to sleep off my unending worries

There comes a gentle knock on my door

With a strong voice of

Mama is calling

Before the messenger had return to the sender

The called was already there

I stepped into the woman’s room

And the ambience was different

It was as hollow as hole

The glitters were conspicuously missing

I need not to be told

A glaring symbolism of a strong woman

Desire to educate her only first son

She chose my future over her valuables

I was suddenly manhandle by emotions

Emotions drifting ubiquitously and violently in me

I try to avoid her eyes

As I bear my head down in a stormy rain of tears

Sobbing gratefully

My heart truly full of thankfulness

She had no reason to cry

Even though the clouds were imminent on

Her red eyes

“Naawuni deema a suhugu” was all I could murmur

My dream of going to school was reborn

Vim “yaa zo”

But with heavy uneasy heart

I breathe in happiness with pain

Breathe out sadness with joy

I prostrate in veneration

To God for giving me such a solid rock

To lean on

God bless Mma Nafisah for

My mother is I

I am my mother

*Abdulai Hanan R. Confidence*

*confidencegh@gmail.com *

The author is now a nurse, politician, teacher and feminist of principle. A strong believer of positive discrimination that sort to catapult women to the higher pedestal of all human endeavour. The author is a propounder of “Confidence’s Overambitious Theory of Feminine Capability.” This theory puts forward scientific cogent arguments and observations about a situation in the near future where men will take over the kitchen. Women will be the smart and industrious force working to provide livelihood for their families.