My name is Ayo; I sit at the gate of society these days. I watch people troop in with expectant looks on their faces, taking their time strolling into the society, my society.
I thumb my nose at them waiting for when they will run out of the gate with arms in flail and eyes as wild as one who has lost their mind, probably they did lose their minds while in the society, who wouldn't? After all, I was like them once, hopeful with a clear-cut plan to a bright and promising future until my society happened. Yes, my society!
I remember the turning point of my life, that day, oh that day. I tell this story for the ones about to join me at the gate of society, so they know they are not alone. The light has gone dim in their eyes, their limbs have gone weak and their flesh bears the marks from my society.
I was a young girl of fourteen, gradually blossoming into a beautiful woman, so they said. From the time I was a child I heard daily from my parents especially my daddy, how I must make distinctions in all my subjects, distinctions are for those who have a bright future. Well, I believed them; I took my studies seriously, after all, I must become a lawyer s to get all my father’s properties back, so they said, I never wanted to disappoint my parents being an only child.
Above their wishes, I wanted to be quite successful so I can buy the things I have always wished for and enter the places they restricted me from entering because I was just Mr Adeolu’s daughter, no title and no portfolio to the name. For every time I came back home with less than a distinction result, I cried myself to sleep after seeing the look in my father’s eyes. I doubled my efforts each term until that fateful day.
I was at the cyber café waiting for my West African Examination Certificate result to come up on the internet, my heart was beating so fast, my one chance at proving that I can make distinctions was just a few clicks away on the computer. When I thought my patience was going to be at its end, my results showed up, and guess what? I had the distinction in all subjects, I couldn't contain my joy, my home that was a few walks away from the cyber cafe now look far just because I couldn't wait to share the good news and see the pride in the eyes of my father.
Looking back to this time brings so much joy to my heart but this joy didn’t last for long. It was already late in the evening when I rushed out of the cyber café with people shaking their heads at me and some saying congratulations which I was deaf too. In my bid to get home faster, I decided to take a shorter route which I take during the day but never when it was dark. I tripped and fell, I thought I fell over a stump until I stood up and I saw the glow of cigarette, before I could register what was going on, a hand clamped over my mouth, threw me to the ground, ripped my skirt and my pant from my waist and without preamble pushed his manhood into me as two other men I did not see in the cloak of darkness held my hands and my legs. Horror tore through me as my mind was numb to believe what was happening to me.
-victoria Ukpaka