Killed By Their Husbands

The voice of a woman could be heard in the street of Lagos, Mushin to be precise. She was yelling loudly, screaming for help. Soon there was total silence. There were people who heard the voice of this woman but did not do anything. They said,

“Na mama Eno de shout again. E be like say her husband don de beat her again. When them do finish, dem go settle. Dem no de separate husband and wife fight”. In other words, it was a fight between a man and his wife, there was no need going to separate them. When they are done fighting, they will stop fighting.

Soon they heard wailings. They saw a man running. That was papa Eno. They wondered where he was running to after beating his wife.

“Neighbours o! Make una come o!” A woman yelled calling the attention of those in the neighbourhood. Some rushed down to know what was happening while others stayed away saying they did not want to get involved in petty fights between a man and his wife. Some wondered where Papa Eno had run off to.

Those who went to see what was happening got to the scene to find a woman lying on the ground in the pool of her blood. Her face was hideous. It was not a sight to see at all. Another woman sat on the ground next to the woman lying on the floor, her hands on her head.

“Papa Eno don kill this woman! Him don kill him wife run o!” The woman cried out stating that the husband killed his wife and has run away. Those who gathered placed their hands on their head, while some folded their arms. Some of the women started crying. While some started talking blaming the woman’s death on the dead woman.

“Leave the man, you refuse. Man de use you do punching bag, na you don die leave your children”. Some said. A man in their midst went to get a tricycle to take the woman’s body to the mortuary.

“This life, na wa o! What kind of life is this? Can’t somebody stay in their marriage in peace and not get killed by their husbands?” A young lady said.

“If this is how marriage is, I’m never going to get married”. The lady said again. She turned to see Eno.

“Eno! You are back from school”. She said stating the obvious. She grabbed Eno trying to drag her away from the place but Eno pushed her. She asked Eno why she was home away from school this early. Eno told her she was driven out from school because she was owing school fees. Tears were already welling up in Eno’s eyes. As if she knew something bad was going to happen, she had pleaded for her younger sisters to remain in school while she goes home alone.

She saw as her mother’s body was carried into a keke (tricycle). She tried to fight back his tears. She ran into the house in search of her father, but could not find him.