Neglect not women’s strength

WHAT do you have to say about a young man called Mazi Ikpechi, who got married to a lovely damsel called Elemma?.

  Elemma gave birth to her first issue, behold it was a set of twins – two beautiful baby girls .

  Though Mazi Ikpechi was not very excited but he believed that the second one might be a set of two baby boys and he named his two baby girls Adamma and Adorah. Not too long, Elemma became pregnant again. This time around, Mazi Ikpechi, her husband was so desperate to know the sex of the baby she was carrying. After all said and done, his wife later gave birth to a set of twin baby girls named Nnenne and Nnenna . Mazi Ikpechi became so unhappy and decided not to take care of his wife and his new babies again but little advice from people kept him back. Later, he decided to try his luck for the third time .

  Why was Mazi Ikpechi unhappy over the fact that his wife, Elemma had only baby girls for him? Does it mean that females are not valuable? Are they not humans?

  Now, It’s time for Elemma to give birth. Mazi Ikpechi rounded up his dirty decision right in his mind as he awaits the breaking of the hidden coconut .

  That early morning, it happened that Elemma gave to triplets, all baby girls. Immediately, Mazi Ikpechi heard the news ,he made up his mind to marry a second wife who will bear for him a baby boy because of an avid reason that he needed someone who will succeed him when he’s no more and that person must be a boy. He needed a successor who will continue from where he stopped when he’s no more so that his name will not be forgotten . Elemma, who cherished her baby girls without looking back named them ,Nkeiruka, Ngozika ,and Anurika .

  Why must it be so? Must the craving to have a son bring fort the disvalue over the power and strength of the females?

  Mazi Ikpechi married a second wife whose name was Chizoba . Chizoba became pregnant immediately and bore him a son. Mazi Ikpechi became so excited as he named his son Onochie . After the birth of Onochie , Mazi Ikpechi hated Elemma and her seven daughters so much that he neither took care of them nor treated them as a father . Chizoba, the second wife became the apple of Mazi Ikpechi’s eyes and Mazi Ikpechi cared for her and her son, Onochie most expensively. The kind of love he showed his second wife, Chizoba, made her to play pranks on the first wife Elemma. Sometimes, Chizoba will lament, “look Elemma ,I, Chizoba is now the second choice that won the crown so find your way ooh “.

  Oh! This is really painful. Elemma could no longer bear the insult and relocated to her father’s house. By that time, Adaorah was already getting matured and one thing about her was that she was very intelligent and clever. She came out to be the best amongst all her sisters. As time passed , Chizoba gave birth to three more boys, namely Obinna ,Chimobi and Ikemefuna .

  It happened that Mazi Ikpechi needed a boy who will succeed him and not a boy he will orient . His boys continued to grow as hooligans and touts. They were interested in his properties and prayed he dies soon. Onochie later turned his father into a punching bag.

  On the other hand, Elemma relentingly trained her girls in a decent way and never toyed with their education even though the society seemed not to value women.

  After so many years, Mazi Ikpechi became old and decided to share his properties ( lands ) among his male children .Onochie decided to sell his own portion, travel abroad with the money and start a new life there . Later, his papers were ready and he decided to travel to Indonasia .

  On that fateful day, it happened that when Onochie got the embassy, there was a minor controversy and he was ushered in by the receptionists to see the Ambassador of Nigeria to Indonesia for a more clarification. Behold, the ambassador he was to see was Miss Adorah Ikpechi, his step sister.  Adaorah recognized him but Onochie did not recognize her . Adaorah then denied him access and asked him to go and fetch his old father, Ikpechi.

  Mazi Ikpechi came and could not recognize Adaorah but when she called the name of her mother, Elemma and made some explanations, Mazi Ikpechi fell down and fainted.

  Later, he was restored and he  immediately called his family members together, went on his kneels and began to plead for forgiveness. Elemma did not hesitate to forgive her husband. She also forgave Chizoba, her co- wife as she pleaded with heavy tears rolling down her cheeks. She also pleaded with Elemma to help bring up her boys in a more decent way. After the great reconciliation, Mazi Ikpechi spoke for the last time before he died.

These were his words: ”   “My sons, Onochie, Obinna, Ikemefuna and Chimobi, please never neglect anybody in life, never discriminate and never engage in any thing called sex-based discrimination (against women). It can be disastrous.  If baby girls, also value and give them your best. If you have baby boys, value them and give them your best for  God is the giver of children.

 Everyone has his or her own destiny to fulfill whether male or female,  Those girls you hate and refuse to care for just because they are girls may end up being your helper tomorrow and those boys you pamper and value more may because they’re boys may end up destroying you tomorrow. Never reject anybody “. After saying this, he fell back and died. Mazi Ikpechi died smiling because he kept his house in order.

  From that day onwards ,Elemma and Chizoba began to live as twin sisters with their children. Both of them built up the family of Mazi Ikpechi and made his name great all over the community. Adorah remained the bread winner of the family. She supported her step brother, Onochie greatly and they both joined  hands together to help others . She later got married to a senator known as Senator Nkem Echidime ,but Adorah never threw his father’s name away. She continued to answer, Mrs Adorah Ikpechi Echidime .

 Till today, Mazi Ikpechi’s lineage never collapsed but kept spreading. It remained the most peaceful and most decent family. The caliber of men that go to Mazi Ikpechi’s house to pick  wives are all prominent, great men of the society and non of his daughters threw away their father’s name. Adaorah laid the foundation.

  Now tell me, between Adaorah and Onochie who met Mazi Ikpechi’s  expectation of the true meaning of  succession ?

 Neglect not the strength of a woman. If not because of Adaorah, Mazi Ikpechi’s lineage would have been a mess and a reproach to the society because Onochie was not wise and disciplined enough. He would have gone oversea and commit a crime that may convey him back to the village empty handed, but because of Adorah, he was tamed and he followed her footsteps.

  Women are indeed strong and of great potentials. They should not be discriminated against but must be valued!