.......I AM ZAINAB ALIYU,,,this is my story
I am the first child of four children,the only daughter actually,my three younger siblings are boys,,, I am from a very poor family, nevertheless I have the most amazing mother, though not educated because her father didn't believe in female education,she loves education,and her greatest wish was for us her children to be well educated,, thankfully I was a very smart child and that made her a very proud mother..
Baba my father, wasn't really different from most Africa fathers,he loves us his family and tried so much to put food on our table, at least two square meal,,he wasn't really interested in my education,but he allowed me for mother's sake,he didn't have a stable job,but works at the farm lands of anyone in need of a worker, that's how we had managed..we were proud Muslims,and faithful ones at that,,,our focus was to do the will of Allah,and obey his teachings.....
At school,I didn't have all the books like others,neither did I have good uniforms or shoes,but it didn't stop me,I was focused and willing to do my best,,I had a dream of being the first female doctor in my town...My small town was suffering all because no medical personnel were available at our dilapitated health center,,those posted there, come only once a week,leaving us to die of different diseases, pregnant women who weren't able to push their babies die of pain after much labour,since the health center was not available...
I already had idea of what science is and my dream,I was 14,we were very few females in the class, those whose parents were okay,and two who had come from a near by town because their town had no high school,,I was the only one from my kind f background in school,,, that's because I had a mother who saw my dream with me,and wanted to push me to the top,,, amongst the girls,I was the most intelligent,I had some number of male students who were very intelligent, for this I became the most loved by the teachers,they would always use me as an example to other girls who were lacking behide,,, Zainab doesn't have any textbook,yet she tries so much to be the best,,,you that are previllige to have all you need,you can't even sit down and study your books,Teacher Ibrahim would always say,,,of course,this caused the girls to regard me as an enemy,,,they hated me so much,they would not talk to me,infact they say I smell,,,only Aminat saw me as a friend,,she was very close to me,and she would always defend me when those other girls tried to bully me,,,she loved me and was very supportive,she was an average student,but was very willing to learn,she was from the other town.
We were preparing for our promotion exams ,I was in Junior secondary school 2,,I had to study hard to pass,so that I can be promoted,the other girls need not study hard, whether they passed or not,their parents had money to give to the principal inorder for them to be in the next class,,, but my parent cant afford that,and even if they could ,l would still prefer I earned my promotion,,,,
That Saturday afternoon, I was studying, when uncle suleman came and saw me,he had actually came to see baba his elder brother,,,,baba heard his voice and came out,,they exchanged pleasantries,and uncle told baba that he's still feeding a grown woman in his house,when She should be married,,,baba looked at him,and told him to stop,that I was only 14,you call 14 only,my daughter who is 13 is already in her husband's house,you are hear wasting your food on her,,is that why you came visiting,baba asked,trying to change the conversation,,,,no ohhh,I came to borrow your rake,I will be needing it tomorrow morning,,,baba went in and gave him the rake and he left....
I was very happy uncle suleman had gone ,and more pleased about baba response to what he said,,,some parent gave their daughters hand in marriage at a very tender age,in my place,but I was very thankful to Allah, that my parent didn't belong to that school of thought...
The exams came ,and I did my very best,when the results came ,I had passed in flying colours,only I and Aminat were the female who passed,,,the others, their mothers had to see the principal for them to be allowed to move to the next class instead of them to repeat,,,this is my country where you can buy what you do not Merrit.....
by Rejoice Igbinovia Aluyi
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