The Blade That Mars My Destiny
“Congratulations, Mrs Ruth, you are four weeks pregnant”
Doctor Samson said grinning from ear to ear.
I sank into the nearby chair and screamed.
“Oh no!”
This news should have made a normal woman happy but I’m not normal.
The joy of womanhood has been stolen from me a long time ago.
I shut my eyes as my hippocampus led me down memory lane.
About 15 years ago, I was 12, full of dreams, aspirations and visions. I wanted to be a lawyer. I was bright and purposeful to the admiration of my teachers and envious of my peers.
One fateful day, Mama ushered me into her room. “Ruth, your ceremony is in a few days.”
Mama said with a hint of pride in her tone.
“What ceremony, Mama”
I asked in utter confusion.
“The rite that will usher you into the realm of womanhood.” She replied.
I recalled how Oyiza, my older cousin, lost her confidence and the untold pain she underwent after her ceremony a year ago.
So, I quickly protested.
“No Mama, I don’t want to be in the realm of womanhood”
She looked into my eyes for a fleeting second, “our culture is good and must be preserved”
She sounded resolute and left the room.
That night was one of the longest nights of my life.
I thought of absconding but couldn’t garner the courage to do so.
The day eventually came.
I was led to Mama Ajinomo’s place, the so-called expert in Female Genital Mutilation.
The sight of the blade – the blade that mar my destiny sent a cold shiver down my spine.
Four elderly women held me down forcefully. I was pleading, screaming and kicking altogether to no avail. The blade punched and slashed my flesh sending pangs of pain all over my temple.
In a few moments, my mind went numb from the trauma that ravaged my body and soul.
By the time the ritual was over, I was drowning in my blood.
That ritual didn’t just remove some part of my flesh but stripped me of my confidence, fundamental rights, dignity, pride, happiness,health and sense of purpose.
From acute urinary retention to retention cyst, sexual difficulties which are constantly causing a rift between my husband and me after marriage and now the fear of giving birth because of the trauma.
No girl-child deserves this cruelty!
.
9 Responses
Wow! I’m glad that this story has been posted. I want it to reach as many people as possible. Read through to understand the various consequences of FGM. Thank you.
Concise write up of what is still in practice in our settings. I’m glad I read this. The writer is a very good one.
No girl deserves such cruelty.
Very interesting story. I strongly support this because it mentiones a problem caused by cultural belief despite the work of the non governmental organisation. This practice has negative consequences on the wellbeing of the young girl that will become a woman, have a husband and give birth. The mutilation of the young girl should be stopped! It should be the fight of everybody. Congrats my author Nana Ize
Very interesting story. I strongly support this because it mentiones a problem caused by cultural belief despite the work of the non governmental organisation. This practice has negative consequences on the wellbeing of the young girl that will become a woman, have a husband and give birth. The mutilation of the young girl should be stopped! It should be the fight of everybody. Congrats my author Nana Ize
This write-up got me so emotional for a moment.
Female Genital Mutilation is evil!
I remember watching a movie where a lady got a very terrible infection that makes her bed wet every night even as a married adult all because of Female Genital Mutilation.
She was smelling down there, even her husband rejected her, her story spread like wildfire around the village and people proposed she was under a curse.
It was so bad that she couldn’t conceive.
Any person who mutilates a female child ought to be jailed for 30 years because that’s an attempt to murder.
I say no to Female Genital Mutilation 🛑 😡 🚫
I stan with you 100% against Female Genital Mutilation Ma’am Nana Ize Musa.
Thanks for writing this and God bless you abundantly.
Female Genital mutilation is evil!
End must come to female Mutilation 💯, No girl-child deserves this cruelty!
I don’t have any idea what FGM feels like but I can feel your pains through your words.
No other girl should experience such.