What If I Never Met Evidence?

Lost in the song I was singing as I walked back home from church, I sighted this little girl from afar. She was seated on the floor with a big tray by her side and was wailing miserably. 

“My aunti go kill me today”, she kept shouting with tears welling up her face.

My attention was drawn by this repeated statement she repeatedly screamed out and I walked up to her.

“What happened to you, why are you crying?”, I asked.

She looked lost and found it difficult to fathom my words, immediately, I understood what the problem was — the language.

“Wetin do you wey you con dey cry like this?”

On hearing this, she stood up and began her story, she told me her name and explained that she had been robbed by some guys of that day’s sales of pure water which she hawked in the market.

Poor Evidence was so afraid of going home because according to her, her aunt would kill her for the loss. Out of expressing her grief, she painful shipped in how the death of her parents retired her to the fate of staying with her aunt, living with whom she prefers death to, for survival. I felt pity for her as I reminded myself that I had no money on me.

“How much be de money?” I asked.

“Na big money I lost, my aunti go kill me today, shey God no fit make me go meet my father and mother, who go….”

I cut in and asked again

“Evidence, how much be de money?”

“Na 500 naira be de money” she answered.

I gulped some quantity of my own saliva but then an idea came.

I went back with her to the church and fortunately I was able to source for help. On delivering the money to her, she nearly jumped at me but paused almost immediately, I drew her close and hugged her.

“Aunty, thank you, God go bless you for me, you no go suffer my suffer” she prayed.

“Thank God my dear, con dey go house” I said and she happily hopped away.

As I watch her go home, my eyes streamed and my heart filled with pain and pity.

I wondered how she would survive life like this. 

Obviously, we have many young children in the street suffering like Evidence and having no one to rescue them. A voice has to be raised for these young ones. 

#CHILDMATICS

#VisionariesSayNoToChildMaltreatment

#WeChooseToBeAVoiceForTheUnheardAndVoiceless

– OLJIDE DEBORAH

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