'VICTIM' OR 'SURVIVOR'
"Welcome brother
Samuel, how was your day sir? Let me help with your bag sir." That's the
voice of innocent respectful Moriyike as she welcomed brother Samuel a
neighbour and family friend respectfully. At 8 she had understood moral
and godly behaviour because her parents had taught her well to be
respectful to all irrespective of age or tribe. She had been taught to be
an exceptional person in the society.
On this fateful day,
it all happened like magic or drama as that was not the first time she would help
Brother Samuel. She had been looking up to him as a father-figure as he was very close to the
family especially Moriyike's father. She
never knew that he was a wolf in sheep cloth and a devourer in human
form.
Brother Samuel
apartment was upstairs while Moriyike's family lived downstairs. As she
mounted the staircases, Brother Samuel persuaded her to stay behind him so as
to allow him open his living room. Brother Samuel entered before Moriyike
and went straight to his bedroom as he was using a room and parlor, he quickly
opened the door to his bedroom which led to the corridor and locked the living
room door from outside as quick as possible, he had locked the both doors now
and trapped Moriyike in his apartment. He highhandedly dragged
Moriyike to his bedroom and alas! ‘What are you doing sir, cried Moriyike, ‘please
my mummy would be waiting for me, stop touching me, stop! stop! please don’t hurt me sir. She continued to
scream at the top of her voice but it was a pity, nobody could hear her to
rescue. Hmmmm… the poor girl was devoured by a father-figure brother Samuel;
she was actually raped at 8.
‘Sorry Moriyike’
pleaded brother Samuel ‘I found it difficult to take you off my mind because you
are such a beautiful girl, I have been trying to control myself but I couldn’t hold
it anymore, please don’t tell anybody especially your parents because they
would be highly disappointed. Let’s keep this between us and I would be nice to
you forever’. He cleaned Moriyike and
sent her away.
Moriyike was very
scared to narrate the unpleasant incident to her parents but she could not hold
the pains and the tears. ‘What is wrong
with you!!’ Moriyike’s mother yelled at her when she came back from work and
saw her mood and how she walked.
Moriyike’s mother pressurized her and she eventually opened up. ‘No it can never be, not brother Samuel, no!
Moriyike no! What did you even know
about what you are saying, where did you see that, you have to stop saying
nonsense’ Moriyike’s mother continued to
rant without listening further to see the plight of a poor girl that was
devoured at 8.
The matter was
delayed till arrival of Moriyike’s father and when he was told about the
incident, he totally turned it down; he called his daughter, Moriyike different
odd names, that she was so frustrated and depressed, it was a lone battle for
her, nobody was there for her even her mother kept quiet about the whole thing because she was claiming protection of family's name and image of her daughter.
One way or the other,
the story got to the neighbourhood and she became mockery of the neighbourhood.
‘Iyawo boda Samuel’ (meaning brother Samuel’s wife) that’s one neighbour calling
out to Moriyike sarcastically. She was
clothed with garment of shame. She lost
her dignity and glory in the neighbourhood, she could not raise her head in the
midst of her mates, she was molested and raped at 8 but there was nobody to
fight her case at that moment of her life.
On the other hand, Brother
Samuel denied the whole incident; he claimed it was all lies that a child of
that age would know nothing about rape.
He was proved right while the victim was proved wrong. The society too did not help the matter as
they see Moriyike as a wayward girl that could not scream and shout well for
people to rescue if she did not really enjoy the moment.
Poor Moriyike, she was
going about with the stigma
All alone she carried
the burden in her heart
All alone she was
crying in silence
All alone she bored
the pain
All alone she was
sinking in more abuses that came her way
All alone she lost
her voice to say no to abuses
All alone she became
a pretentious person that smiled but embittered at heart
Even though she’s
married but the pains of rape and abuses never left her
All alone she’s
living a life of regret
Moriyikeee!!! Can you
ask yourself this question:
Am I a VICTIM OR SURVIVOR?
Ø TO EVERY MORIYIKE OUT THERE
Ø SAY NO TO RAPE AND ABUSES
Ø SPEAK OUT BEFORE IT GETS OUT OF HAND
Ø ONLY YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AND LET GO
Ø ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE A ‘SURVIVOR’ NOT ‘A
VICTIM’
CREATED BY: VICTORIA KISIRA-ADAMS '07/19'
