My Love, My Pain

 

Meeting Ijeoma was the best thing that had ever happened to Chike. Loving her brought him so much happiness for some reason he couldn’t explain. Her beauty and tenderness captivated his heart, and he knew he would definitely marry her.

They were from neighbouring villages in the same state, and Chike did not think his family would have any problem with Ijeoma. He introduced Ijeoma to his mother, and his mother adored her immediately.

Chike was a businessman who sold electronics at Gudu market in Abuja, where he had two shops. His business was doing very well and at the time he met Ijeoma, he had 6 boys under him, and he was building his house somewhere in town. Ijeoma was rounding up her HND and about to go for NYSC.

Chike informed his parents of his intention to marry Ij, but they asked him to hold on so they could make some findings about her.

One Tuesday morning, his mother came visiting. She told him in clear terms that he could not marry Ij, the love of his life. She said their findings revealed that Ij carried bad luck; anybody she married would never make progress in life, and there was also a high tendency of this bad luck affecting Ijeoma’s children.

Chike could not understand what his mother was saying. This was the first time he would have a disagreement with his mother. His mind was made up to marry Ijeoma.  Chike’s sisters paid Ijeoma a visit and asked her to leave their brother alone, but their efforts proved abortive.

Chike went ahead with the wedding and turned his back on his family.

Three years into the marriage, Chike’s fortunes had taken a turn for the worse, seemingly proving his family right.

He had lost everything he’d worked for over the years. He could not pay his house rent, had sold his 3 cars and his uncompleted building, yet his business was doing so badly that he had become heavily indebted. Chike had become a subject of gossip in the market; everyone was talking about how bad things had become for him.

Ikenna, Chike’s friend and colleague in the market, took him to a pastor, and the pastor told him exactly the same thing his mother and family members had told him; his wife Ijeoma belonged to a water spirit, and there was no way he would make progress with her in his house. The pastor also told Chike that their two daughters had the same spirit. Even giving money to Ijeoma or the children would always work against him.

Based on this, Chike decided to take his wife for deliverance. However, after going for more than 10 deliverance sessions at different churches, their situation remained the same.

Frustrated, Chike took another decision to separate from his wife and children. He sent them to his wife’s parents’ home.

To his greatest surprise, things turned around for him immediately. The association of traders to which he belonged at Gudu market contributed 2 million naira for him to invest in Chike’s business. According to them, they knew he was not a lazy man- he was just going through tough times and needed help.

Right now, Chike is confused. He is doing so well now that things have improved for him, but his heart still goes out to Ijeoma and his children. How can he be enjoying a comfortable life while they suffer? The thought breaks his heart. Is it not wickedness, he wonders.

What should Chike do?

Go and bring them back, and risk his life and business crashing again?

Marry another wife and start a new family?

Will God be angry with him for abandoning his wife and children?

“Poverty is not a good thing,” Chike says. “I don’t want to experience it again.” Yet his heart aches for his love, and their kids.

If you know any other way out, please advise Chike.