Project 9ja Mag The Revolution. 1st Edition | Page 12

Project9ja
female was dreadful in itself. At fourteen, she
had been cultured to cringe and hide herself, her
dignity had been traded for money and she, just
like other girls had missed a vital stage in human
metamorphosis; infant-child-woman, teenage
hood had been hijacked unjustly from her.

Three months after Adanne started
working at the Girls’ school, she had learned of
the looming bleak prospect of girls being mar-
ried away to men old enough to father them.
She had particularly taken interest in Amina,
who two months ago had been married to Alhaji
Yunusa, making her the third and youngest wife
of his. When she was barely two years old, she
had already been betrothed to him and it was
agreed that upon her turning fourteen years,
he would formally marry her. Adanne had sum-
moned the courage and wits and invited Amina
to see her for the third time. They had birthed a
camaraderie, which afforded trust to solidify.
“I am fine, ma” Amina replied in her usu-
“Amina, how are you?” Adanne asked al subdued voice. This meeting was always after
taking her slender wrist into her left palm and school had dismissed and they would talk until they
offering her the seat that sat facing hers. At both left school premises. Adanne had wanted all
their last meeting, Amina had confided in her the facts and had a plan to legally take the matter
about her harrowing experience at being sexu- up; but she was consumed with the thought that not
ally abused by her uncle. The fact that her moth- just Amina was a victim to this form of abuse and
er was aware and had turned deaf ears was the money marriage, but a bunch of girls were also in
reason she had almost committed suicide a year this boat. How was she supposed to put up a fight
ago. He had promised to pay her school fees and in a land she barely had interest in? She had made
train her through Junior Secondary School until contacts and interestingly had evidence and had
Alhaji Yunusa took full custody of her; hence, made up her mind to fight.
whenever Uncle Musa wanted to satisfy him-
self, he would send for Amina to come and ‘cook’ terrupted by the sounds of movement and a crash-
gwete for him. ing of glass hitting the ground; it was midnight and
At age twelve, she had been emotional- fear had gripped her chest she could hardly breathe
ly bruised, her femininity exploited and her legs right. She knew what was going on. She had started
had been forcefully opened to an unwelcomed receiving life threatening signals because she had
intruder. decided to stage a war against the injustice that
Adanne woke up with startled as she was in-
page 12