In the Loving Arms of Servitude

31. From the Frying Pan

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Femi is still out on his trip to Ijebu-Ode. He will most likely be back in two days time. Uju on the other hand, has been at home since 2:00pm today planning how best to break the news to Amara, without seeming like an agent of satan sent to wreck her home. She knows Amara all too well. That would be the first thought that comes to her mind. Uju also knows full well that Amara has had her under scrutiny, ever since she stepped foot in this house. If she were to spring this news up on Amara now, it might make her explode. Nonetheless, she has no choice at this point, because she has already told other people about it. And whether she tells Amara or not, they will definitely call the police eventually, because it is the right thing to do. However, doing so might regress Uju's plight even more. It's not as though the police will take her in, feed her, clothe her or pay for her education. She is still all on her own. And her welfare as a child is nobody's concern really.

Despite Uju's horrible experience at the Balogun household; if we are being honest, the kind of hospitality she receives here is much more than many Nigerian families would ever give her; rich or not. Many people treat free household help like glorified slaves, meant only to be seen or heard whenever there is a menial task at hand; meant to sit on the floor and eat, while the other children dine at table; meant to scrub the floors and do dishes, while the other children play and make merry. And unlike some families who might even go the extra mile to hinder the development of any house help in their possession, Mr and Mrs. Balogun have done nothing but encourage both Uju's social and academic development. It is quite safe to say that such families are rare to find, and in certain ways should actually be appreciated.

Uju fears for her fate, should she be sent to live with yet another family; which is exactly what Obiageli will do, if she were sent back to her. It is all business to her really; after beating Uju mercilessly again, that is. She might then wait for about another week or so, before selling her to yet another family in need of domestic help, perhaps in Edo State this time. And in that case, the cycle of suffering would continue, until Uju finally became an adult; at which point, she would become a greater liability. She would eventually be chased away or might herself decide to abscond from her captors, after which she would have to venture into the capricious world all by herself; that is, if she did not already get pregnant earlier on, at which point she probably would have been chased her away. The only difference would be that this time, she would have yet another helpless child in her arms, whose life may already be marred by its mother's deplorable predicament.
Such a child would be left at the mercy of fate, and like many Nigerian youngsters, be raised by a biting system and made to imbibe the ways of the rugged streets, ultimately to turn out resilient, bloody-smart and hungry for a future. A child induced to thrive in any form of hardship and to look out for herself or himself, because no one else will; no system will, no system does; such as child, even though not naturally calculating, may need to learn to be exactly that, inorder to survive or to thrive. One could suppose that the advantage here would be that you would hardly ever find a dumb youngster in Nigeria or a dumb Nigerian. However valid that may be, such a breeding in many ways, is bound to perpetuate more harm than good.

While calmly contemplating on her bed, Uju hears aunty Amara's car drive in and she sighs in despair. 'How on earth, will I even begin?' she wonders. It's a good thing that Tobi is currently on a school camping trip. At least, he won't be here to witness it all.
Shortly after Amara arrives, Uju walks into the living room to greet her. "Good evening, ma." she says, while taking Amara's large handbag from her hand and keeping it on one of the stools beside the sofa.

"Good evening, Uju... How are you?" Amara replies, yawning slightly, as she forcefully drops herself on the soft cushion of the sofa. She is obviously very exhausted from work.