By Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq:
It feels like a scene in a horror movie except that this is no fiction but a real account of the brutal suffering inflicted on 14-year Princess Michael from Kajuru, a community in Kaduna where thousands have been internally displaced due to persistent attacks by herdsmen terrorists.
Princess was acquired by Mrs. Yemi Awolola as a house help. The sole condition given by Princess’ father, Mr. Michael, was that his daughter Princess be enrolled in school. Awolola,a Deaconess at the Living Faith Church and staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Kaduna accepted the terms of the offer.
The months Princess lived at the Awolola’s would go on to become hellish and life altering. Her Mistress stopped her from going to school on the day a piece of carrot was found in her bag. Princess bedroom was the toilet. She was given a cup from which she would drink water from the toilet faucet. She would be asked to split the portion of food given to her to stretch across meals.
Two of the Awolola kids took franchise in the dehumanization of Princess. They would punish her under the rain, hold her down as their mother pulled a red hot knife off a stove to sear her face as punishment. Whenever Princess’ father asked to speak with his daughter, Mrs. Awolola would insist he could only speak to his daughter in English- a language he was barely familiar with. How a language legislation could be made on how he communicated to his daughter worried him.
One day Princess’s Mother arrived with grains to see her daughter but Mrs. Awolola would not have her bring her ‘Corona infected body’ into her exotic home. Princess was only allowed to catch a glimpse of her mother who was eventually ordered back to the village she came from while her gift of grains for her daughter was given to the guards.
Although Mrs. Awolola held a title culled from forerunners of the Christian order who ministered to the community of believers as deacons, she was ill-fitting of the role. Her subsequent attempt to invite Princess to partake in the holy communion they shared in her house was turned down. Little Princess would not partake in a communion of wickedness.In her words ‘ You are mean to me.I will not take your communion.’
*_PRINCESS, A METAPHOR OF SUFFERING._*
One day the Devil wore Prada. Mrs. Awolola got her children to hold down Princess while she used a lighter to burn the buttocks and vagina of the teenager. Not yet done, she got a stick and forced it into Princess’ vagina and sprinkled pepper at the point of the vicious enucleation.
We may never know the grisly details of what happened to her 14-year body from then on. The cringe worthy details forces the human mind to bear witness to her journey in suffering: Did she cry herself hoarse until her body blank out in revolt? Did she feel her soul wrack up towards its threshold of endurance or hang on the agony of pain? Did her mind take in the moments that led her to the theatre of cruelty or did she in sweltering tongue surrender to the affliction in a longing for a place with the dead?
We may never know. Princess can only tell the story of what she lucidly felt. What we do know is after her relatives became persistent about having her back home, her mistress who claimed the girl was in Abuja had to check her to a hospital to couple her enough for a handover to her parents. A private guard was hired to stave off any visitors to the hospital where Princess laid so the details of how badly she was would not get out. We should be grateful to the Good Samaritan in the hospital who put out a word against the indignity he saw.
Stitching together the emerging facts, I have asked a few questions: What could have happened if someone did not get in the way to call for a wider consideration beyond a domestic affair between the Michaels and the Awololas? What made him feel so affected? Did he think about his child or niece or neighbor? Did he weigh the risk of what his involvement might cause him if help didn’t come as he imagined? Did he place his humanity along with the victim and imagine that his work as practitioner was more than treating a body?
Why did Mrs. Yemi Awolola act the way she did? Princess is only 14. As one from a community of the internally displaced, her victim’s fortune couldn’t be more dire. There was nothing about the child capable of intimidating. She was right at her lowest. Did the girl’s pain excite her? How exhilarating did she find her victim’s blanking in and out of pain and consciousness? Was Princess’ tears an impetus to inflict more pain?
*_THE REAL ISSUES._*
Let’s put the facts squarely on the table: at a different time and in separate circumstances, Princess would never have had to live with another.She belongs to a community whose chief has been murdered, whose identity is stripped off, who have no assurance of another day because her community has become a venue for constant deaths, maiming and pillaging. Her parents may have felt so stripped of capacity that sending a child to labour in exchange for education seemed like a way out. So while state actors and the wife of the Kaduna state Governor have waged into her case, the real resolution can only take place at the roots of her woes.
People are constantly being killed in Southern Kaduna and those who aggitate and aggravate for accountability and an end to the killings are hounded. Where is the honour in this? This is not a vestige of a different time. The pretentious manner in which state actors can rise quickly to deal with an outcome and then fly off tangent to enable the immoral compromises and political decisions that enable exploitation and dehumanization is quite troubling.
The structural neglect of her community, the reveling by a ‘benevolent majority’ who enable a life of scraping and scrounging from a loss of identity, political emasculation, social ostracization and weaponization of poverty are fundamental concerns that are evidential in the travails of Princess.
*_JUSTICE FOR PRINCESS._*
On 13 July,2020, Mrs. Yemi Awolola pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against her at the Magistrate court. Despite her plea of guilt, the case was adjourned for hearing while the accused was remanded in prison custody. What will justice look like for Princess? Will she return to wholeness again? Will her psychological injury and outlook on life remain the same? The real pain of this girl is best acknowledged by addressing the issues and holding to account those whose actions added momentum to the legacy of injustice and inequities that have become her lot.
While we speak of war in terms of the dead and survivors, we rarely stop to access how communities are broken, how family life is destroyed and just how in watching a system that defends the right to immaculate, annihilate and subdue, more Princesses are thrown into horrific situations and left to nurse the wounds that sear in places that defy healing. As it stands, redress for Princess through the justice system may be limited and could only mitigate our collective rage against the dehumanizing manner the child was treated by her mistress. The real healing would come when our leaders learn to live in bodies not their own. That essentially entails preventing and pulling down the situations that dehumanize us.
As citizens of our great country we see how in nooks and crannies, insecurity has brought suffering on our fellow citizens-men, women or children who do not have to suffer. Who is keeping score of the living conditions of IDPs? Who are their therapists? How do they feed? Clothe? Sleep? Who is bringing those responsible for their displacement to justice? What are the resettlement plans? How can a solution be adequate when we don’t deal with the core issues?
We have a duty to insist on sanity in our nation by speaking up and acting against everything that challenges the dignity in the human spirit.
*_Ballason is the C.E.O. House of Justice and Principal Partner MIVE Legals. She writes from Kaduna._*
best generic allergy pills tablet for allergy on skin common prescription allergy pills
deltasone 40mg without prescription order prednisone 5mg pill
otc meds for abdominal pain accupril 10mg over the counter
why does adult acne happen retino gel cheap acne treatment for teenage boys
best antihistamine decongestant combo albuterol 4mg drug generic allergy pills
strongest antacid prescription retrovir online order
absorica price accutane tablet buy isotretinoin 20mg sale
where to buy amoxicillin without a prescription buy amoxicillin 250mg for sale amoxil 500mg pill
buy sleeping pills uk online order meloset 3mg online cheap
buy azithromycin 250mg without prescription azithromycin online order buy azithromycin without a prescription
buy generic azipro online azithromycin for sale azithromycin cost
order omnacortil 20mg order prednisolone 40mg online buy prednisolone 20mg without prescription
buy generic amoxil over the counter amoxicillin 250mg sale buy amoxil 1000mg online
order doxycycline pill order vibra-tabs pills
buy cheap augmentin augmentin 1000mg tablet
rybelsus 14 mg cost buy generic rybelsus buy cheap semaglutide
accutane 10mg without prescription order isotretinoin 40mg online cheap buy isotretinoin 20mg for sale
buy azithromycin without a prescription buy generic zithromax for sale order zithromax generic
synthroid 150mcg ca levoxyl for sale levothyroxine sale
how to buy clomiphene order clomiphene 50mg without prescription buy clomiphene 50mg online
brand neurontin 100mg gabapentin 800mg without prescription buy gabapentin 100mg pills
buy furosemide generic diuretic purchase furosemide pills furosemide 100mg usa
viagra for sale sildenafil without prescription viagra 25 mg
free slots games world poker online online casinos for real money
buy vardenafil 10mg online cheap vardenafil cost levitra 10mg cost
brand pregabalin 150mg buy generic pregabalin 150mg pregabalin uk
buy cialis online cheap levitra or cialis cialis 5mg without prescription
buy desloratadine pills for sale clarinex 5mg us desloratadine pills
cheap cenforce 100mg order cenforce purchase cenforce
claritin 10mg over the counter order loratadine sale order generic loratadine
aralen over the counter buy generic aralen for sale order aralen 250mg generic
orlistat 60mg price xenical us diltiazem 180mg over the counter
lipitor brand buy lipitor 20mg sale buy lipitor 80mg online
acyclovir medication how to buy zovirax zyloprim 300mg cost
order amlodipine generic order generic norvasc purchase amlodipine sale
buy zestril 2.5mg online order generic zestril 2.5mg zestril over the counter
cheap crestor 20mg buy generic rosuvastatin buy zetia without prescription
motilium medication buy cheap generic motilium sumycin medication
order cyclobenzaprine flexeril 15mg pill baclofen pills
tenormin 50mg sale order tenormin order atenolol pill
buy toradol sale generic toradol colcrys price
medrol 4 mg tablet buy cheap methylprednisolone generic depo-medrol online
ondansetron usa buy aldactone pill aldactone order online
order sumatriptan generic imitrex 50mg us buy generic levofloxacin 500mg
order generic simvastatin order zocor without prescription valtrex for sale
buy avodart generic brand ranitidine buy ranitidine 300mg pill
proscar over the counter diflucan 100mg cost diflucan 200mg usa
acillin where to buy how to get doxycycline without a prescription buy generic amoxil for sale
ciprofloxacin 500mg oral – cipro 1000mg generic buy augmentin 625mg pill
ciprofloxacin ca – order ciprofloxacin 500mg pill clavulanate cost
order ciplox 500 mg online cheap – buy tindamax 500mg sale erythromycin ca
flagyl 200mg uk – buy amoxicillin online cheap azithromycin drug
ivermectin otc – aczone pills order tetracycline 250mg online
brand valtrex 1000mg – nemasole pill zovirax for sale
lasix over the counter – buy generic candesartan 8mg captopril pills
metformin 500mg pill – bactrim cost buy lincocin 500 mg sale
how to get cheap retrovir without a prescription – order avapro 150mg pill buy allopurinol 300mg online cheap
clozaril online – famotidine us pepcid 40mg canada
quetiapine canada – desyrel 100mg canada eskalith cheap
anafranil order – buy tofranil generic buy sinequan 75mg pills
buy generic atarax 25mg – buspar generic buy endep tablets
order amoxicillin without prescription – buy cefuroxime online cheap buy generic baycip online
zithromax cheap – buy azithromycin 250mg pill ciprofloxacin over the counter
cleocin 300mg for sale – purchase suprax pill buy chloromycetin online
ivermectin 12mg stromectol – generic doryx cefaclor pills
purchase ventolin inhalator online cheap – buy generic advair diskus for sale theophylline 400 mg usa
medrol brand – medrol usa astelin 10 ml usa
buy desloratadine 5mg generic – where can i buy beclomethasone albuterol inhalator price
order glyburide generic – brand dapagliflozin generic forxiga 10mg
purchase glycomet for sale – buy losartan online cheap order acarbose 25mg generic
order semaglutide 14 mg sale – buy desmopressin online cheap brand DDAVP
lamisil online buy – order fulvicin 250mg buy generic griseofulvin
ketoconazole online buy – buy sporanox 100 mg generic buy itraconazole 100 mg generic
order famvir for sale – famvir 250mg drug purchase valcivir online cheap
cost lanoxin – buy irbesartan 300mg online order furosemide 40mg
cost lopressor – purchase cozaar for sale buy nifedipine 30mg generic
microzide medication – norvasc without prescription buy zebeta without prescription
nitroglycerin online order – diovan cheap diovan 80mg drug
zocor remain – atorvastatin section brand lipitor 20mg
rosuvastatin online read – pravastatin online announce caduet pills trunk
viagra professional fever – cialis professional flag levitra oral jelly online blind
dapoxetine threaten – aurogra squeeze cialis with dapoxetine shudder
brand cialis handful – brand levitra citizen penisole log
cialis soft tabs pills stair – viagra oral jelly bury viagra oral jelly example
cialis soft tabs courage – viagra oral jelly garden viagra oral jelly online owner
cenforce stare – brand viagra pills ancient
acne medication action – acne medication eyebrow acne medication tense
prostatitis medications fountain – prostatitis treatment victory prostatitis treatment keeper
loratadine medication poison – loratadine pause claritin block
valacyclovir familiar – valacyclovir coach valacyclovir online whip
dapoxetine threaten – dapoxetine deliver dapoxetine amongst
loratadine lump – loratadine state loratadine medication seat
ascorbic acid letter – ascorbic acid weird ascorbic acid glass
promethazine quarrel – promethazine bulge promethazine teacher
clarithromycin dozen – zantac excellent cytotec three
florinef pills recognize – prevacid pills superior lansoprazole fifty
order aciphex 10mg online cheap – order reglan 20mg generic domperidone pills
buy generic dulcolax – where to buy liv52 without a prescription oral liv52 20mg
fulvicin 250 mg cheap – lopid pills gemfibrozil 300mg us
how to get dapagliflozin without a prescription – buy generic dapagliflozin buy precose no prescription
buy dimenhydrinate paypal – buy risedronate 35mg pills how to get risedronate without a prescription
buy vasotec – zovirax eye drops buy xalatan without prescription
buy generic monograph 600 mg – etodolac 600 mg generic pletal 100mg canada
piroxicam oral – oral piroxicam 20mg cheap rivastigmine 3mg
buy hydrea online cheap – buy crixivan cheap robaxin us
divalproex 500mg us – purchase topiramate sale buy topiramate 100mg without prescription
norpace tablets – norpace online buy buy chlorpromazine
buy spironolactone 25mg without prescription – buy spironolactone 25mg for sale order naltrexone 50 mg online
order ondansetron 4mg generic – requip 2mg cheap buy ropinirole online
buy ascorbic acid 500 mg pill – cheap bromhexine online buy generic prochlorperazine
order durex gel for sale – buy durex gel for sale latanoprost over the counter
how to get minoxidil without a prescription – buy generic dutas online buy proscar 1mg
buy leflunomide 20mg for sale – buy cheap actonel buy cartidin generic
order calan – buy tenoretic cheap where can i buy tenoretic
cheap atenolol 100mg – coreg 25mg cost order carvedilol 25mg
gasex for sale – buy ashwagandha for sale buy diabecon
buy atorvastatin for sale – nebivolol price order bystolic 20mg
lasuna drug – order himcolin online himcolin over the counter
buy norfloxacin generic – order confido online confido online order