My name is Matilda Okoye. My now dead husband, James Okoye and I lived in a two room apartment at Number 4 Obonide street, Timber housing estate in Enugu state. At the beginning, things were smooth. We were not rich but we were happy. James worked with an insurance company where he was paid a hundred thousand naira. I, on the other hand,was a teacher at a primary school on the next street. I could not get a better job since I had my O' level certificate. My salary was ten thousand naira that is one-tenth of my late husband's.
For the last ten years of my life, everything I have done has been either for or because of James.James and I met during the first year orientation organised by my faculty. We were both freshers in the university and in the same department.We became very close friends and soon started dating. We were always in each other's company so you could hardly see one of us without the other. We even won the department's couple of the year award that year. James parents were late so he lived with his uncle, a taxi driver who had four children of his own, out of which two were in the university as well. James' uncle only gave him(James) his school fees every session and left him to provide his accomodation fees, and 'pocket money' himself. Things were so hard for James and I was disturbed. My parents were not wealthy either but they both had paying jobs with the state government. James was always 'broke' and could hardly buy handouts, pay class dues and feed. Many times, I lied to my parents in other to get extra money which I could give to James. We coped throughout first year and second year.
During the long vacation before the start of 300 level, James lost his uncle to a fatal motor accident. It was obvious that this was the end of James' university since his aunt hardly liked him and even if she wanted to help him, she could not as she was a petty trader. The night James broke this news to me, we both wept bitterly. I later left for my hostel to sleep but sleep seemed to be far from me that night. Many times I got up and walked the room to and fro. My roommates noticed and kept asking me what the problem was but I said nothing. I thought the situation through and made up my mind to drop out of school without my parents' consent so I could channel whatever money I got from them to James so he could continue his education. I believed James would support me with my own education once he was through with his.
Very early the next morning, I rushed down to James lodge. I met him packing his clothes into a big box and told him my decision. James got mad at me. He blantantly refused but I kept insisting until eventually he agreed.
To be continued...
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