MRS NKOYO'S FAMILY

Waking up on Monday morning with the reality of the fact that she just came back from her husband's burial from Calabar was one nightmare Nkoyo will never forget. She wouldn't believe she would be a widow at forty-seven, having gotten married to Dr. Effiong Benson twenty-seven years ago when she was twenty. A young graduate she was from the State College of Education in Akwa ibom State, majoring in Mathematics. She was very happy and hearty. Dr. Benson, who suffered from kidney disorder died while receiving treatment in India after much was spent on him, leaving Nkoyo bankrupt with six children in Lagos.

Nkoyo had not been lucky enough to have an appointment with Government Institutions so she decided to pick up a private job with numerous schools and run private lessons for children in her sister's business premises. She couldn't believe that things had turned bad after her husband's death. Eno and Etim, her first twin children who were students of the University of Ibadan, had no hope of going back to school because of lack of sufficient finance. ldara and Favour who were to write their WAEC exams and Kubiat who was preparing for his Junior WAEC, was a big headache to Nkoyo. She could only be assured of a miracle as her last born was to start secondary school in a few months. She wiped her face and moved to the bathroom murmuring to herself.

“These children must succeed. I believe they have the spirit of their father, whether the Government is ready to pay Benson's allowances or not, they will survive.”

She took the toothpaste, placed a small quantity of it on her pink toothbrush and started brushing her teeth. She had barely brushed for long when she realized that she needed to renew her house rent in two weeks.

“Oh God, why all this now?” She dropped the brush, wiped the paste from her mouth and rinsed her mouth, took her wrapper, tied it around her waist and left to her children's bedroom. 

None of them had shown any signs of waking up in the next four hours. She moved to the kitchen to prepare breakfast while still thinking of any survival means for her family.

In a few hours, breakfast was ready, she woke all her children up and they all showed up on the dining table one after the other after washing their mouths. Miracle was still feeling sleepy while Favour helped her to butter her bread and place her cup of tea in front of her. The family ate in silence for thirty minutes. Mrs Nkoyo broke the silence by informing her children that they were going to back from estate to the mainland to enable her send Etim and Eno back to school, pay Favour, Kubiat and ldara's school fees as well as feed the family well.

“Mummy there's no need for that, I will drop out to start a business to support Eno in school, Favour and ldara WAEC exams, Kubiat exams fees, while you concentrate with the rent, feeding and Miracle's fees, okay.” Etim replied immediately.

“Yes Mom we agree to Etim's idea.” Eno added, Favor and ldara nodded while Miracle concentrated on her meal. 

Mrs. Nkoyo looked confused with tears clouding under the lower lid of her eyes, she touched her son softly, “my son I don't think there is any need to do that, I will......,” 

Etim interrupted his mother. 

“Mummy, I know how hard it will be for you immediately daddy died, so I have submitted my letter of suspension of studies already and I have found a job with a Company in Otta. They are paying me forty-five thousand naira monthly as their Assistant Marketing Officer, I'm starting next week.”

With this Nkoyo left the dining table and moved to her room while Eno followed her immediately. “Mummy, it's okay, everything will be fine. Etim is doing the right thing, we can't afford to leave this place now.” Tears rolled down her cheeks while she consoled her mother who was already in tears.