“Yaaruwan” Part 1 (Wardship and the Wicked Foster Mother!)

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By Amie Sillah Professor Nyoohor Taanor is a cultural nationalist and a Yaaruwanphilanthropist; he studied and lectured for many years in Europe and finally decided to come home with his wife Yaate Njombat; they decided to stay in the village where Prof erected a comfortable cottage and used windmill and solar for his energy consumption and drilled a borehole for his water supply. He brought his friends from abroad to come and invest in eco-tourism; beautiful eco-friendly edifices were erected and it created employment for the village youths and youths from the catchment area, as it attracts tourists to visit the places on a yearly basis. The couple was not blessed with children although both of them were examined and found fit to have issues. Prof is down to earth and has brought development to his community who honoured him by unanimously electing him as their chief. Yaate did not conceive until it finally happened three years after returning home and the family was thrilled. What did the birth of Baby Diborr Yaate bring to Prof’s family? Read to find out. Baby Di    She brought a lot of blessings to the family and was liked by everyone who comes in contact with her; she is easy going and smiles to everyone who holds her. “Prof your daughter is a darling who seems to like everyone unlike some babies who are selective,” Dr. Maadi posited. “She is an angel from the heavens and since she became part of this family, it is from one blessing to another; all my projects have got funding and I even won an American lottery which has translated to 2 million dollars. I am just thrilled and have decided to invest in a lot of cottage industries to support the whole region, especially devices which will help lessen the drudgery of rural women. We will hold a naming ceremony befitting this lovely ‘little woman’,” Prof announced with excitement. The Naming Ceremony Prof decided to make it special. During the ‘nyambo’ (informal naming) the religious ceremony was done. Now it is the formal naming ceremony and Prof decided to make it really cultural. He invited all the ethnic cultural groups to perform; traditional dishes from each cultural group were cooked and people attended in various traditional attires from far and wide, as well as the some tourists who happened to be in the country. The songs were entertaining and educative; they sang on sovereignty of the person, diversity, tolerance on all aspects of human life, good neighbourliness, cleanliness in general and particularly personal hygiene to ward off disease and ill health as well as protection of the environment through eco-friendly activities. The naming ceremony was film and was the talk of town for many years to come. The couple was clothed in traditional attires as they changed from one ethnic group to another to expose our rich culture and diversity. Good News As the couple played with Baby Di, Yaate disclosed the good news. “Darling guess!” “You know I am a professor, bad at guessing! Please help me with the news.” “My news is for sale, how much are you ready to offer?” “Name your price and consider it done!” “Family holiday to Tinapa in Nigeria!” “Is that’s all for now? Consider it done, can I get the news now!” She took out a slip and showed it to him. “What! Are you preg…nant?” “Yees! 4 weeks and the scan is female!” Prof is thrilled as he swept off Yaate from the floor and whirled around with her. “Another daughter? That is another blessing from baby Di!” The couple kissed her all over as she smiled up to them. “She is a darling and since she is born, it is only one blessing to another!” Prof caressed Yaate’s belly with all smiles and excitement. A New Family Member Yaate was flown abroad to give birth to the baby, because Prof does not want anything to happen to his dear lovely, loving wife. Exciting Phone Call “Darling Sweetie! Guess what!” “Have you given birth to our second daughter?” “Correct darling, I have and she is very beautiful, an epitome of both of us. May Allah be praised for giving us two beautiful daughters.” “When are you coming back, my sunshine?” “In a month’s time; the OBG (Obstetrics/Gynaecologist) wants to work on me to return to my former shape.” “Take all the time in the world to return to your former shape, I am by you,” Prof reassured his wife. Second Naming Ceremony It took the trend of the first naming ceremony and became the talk of town for many more years to come. Change of Attitude After the naming ceremony, Yaate switched allegiance to her second daughter Ndaxte and totally forgot about Baby Di. Prof noticed it and protested. Prof    He waited until they were in bed and he said to Yaate. “Sunshine! Haven’t you noticed something?” “What thing? I haven’t noticed anything.” “All your concentration is on the new baby, what about our first daughter, the beautiful Di who has brought us all the best tidings and smiles?” She became a bit edgy and defensive. Yaate “Darling that is not true, Di is now grown up, 2 years to be precise. Now it is Ndaxte’s turn to receive all our attention.” Prof “But that is wrong, are you not a lecturer in Psychology? Baby needs to be drawn into the world of Baby Ndaxte, so that there will be no hatred and jealousy between them; let her babysit her younger sister to bond them and not play favouritism, which is very dangerous for their personality. As for me, I’ll not abandon our first daughter who gave us luck and an opening for Ndaxte to come along.” Yaate She hissed and rebuked Prof, since their marriage for 20 years when they married at 18 and 25 years respectively. “Suit yourself and choose your Baby Di and leave me with my Baby Ndaxte.” A Bad Precedence    Prof got a baby sitter Yaa Horejah for Baby Di. Prof He called Yaa Horejah aside and educated her. “Tanta Hor! Take good care of my first daughter (Taaw) who was my blessing at my dire need of a child, she made me a father; I don’t know what’s wrong with my wife, she completely changed after the birth of our second daughter and completely ignored Baby Di. I travelled a lot, let her not infect you with her biasness towards Di; you are now her ‘mother’ and nanny at the same time. I trust you with my daughter and will pay you handsomely.” Prof confided in Yaa Hor a neighbour and a good widow, who lost her husband and is rejected by her husband’s family and is feeding her two boys and two girls from hand to mouth. As some of her fringe benefits, Prof sponsored all her four children and promised to do so up to university. To be Cont.]]>