Everything, just like that became waste, waste of time, waste of money and waste of love!
Augustine Ofili came a long way in life to be successful. After eventually making it, he cherished nothing more than his career, his supportive wife Uju, his two beautiful daughters and Son.
However, his world came crashing in London during a summer holiday with his wife and kids. Jenny his second daughter, fifteen years of age who was suffering from Iron deficiency anaemia suddenly collapsed while they were having a good time in London. This will reveal an old truth which will unleash Ofili’s worst nightmare.
Ofili and his family reside in Abuja, Nigeria where he manages a Mobile development Tech company with a group of partners.
He met his wife, Uju the first time 20 years ago during an event in Lagos after he secured his first major deal with a new Chinese telecom breaking into the African market. He connected with Uju who was a company secretary on that day and hit it off. They got married after one year of dating.
Two years after marriage, Uju finally conceived, this came after she realised she couldn’t get pregnant easily. She read many books, tried numerous sex position recommend and even tried some few local concussions recommended by friends and family.
When she gave birth to their first child, a beautiful healthy daughter, Ofili thanked God because that was the perfect time for him, the money from his years of hard work had eventually started rolling in, life got better. In 6 years, his wife blessed him with 3 children in total.
Ada, age 18, his first daughter is about to get into University and preparations are in works for her after being accepted in Queen Mary University of London. David, 14, whom people say is the carbon copy of his father enjoy living in Abuja because of the sun-kiss weather and only agrees to travel abroad to get the latest games and toys for his Play Station.
Jenny, 16 was doing just fine in school until she started feeling ill. She went been to a few doctors in Nigeria who couldn’t really specify what was wrong with her. Ever since becoming a teen, she misses school more than she attends, always complaining of pain and tiredness with a lousy headache.
Hence when summer arrived, they decided to have an all family holiday in London so that Ada can visit and find out more about Queen Mary, also so that Uju can be looked at and perhaps get the treatment she needs since doctors in Abuja or Lagos couldn’t really diagnose what is really wrong with her.
Just a couple of days after they arrived London, Jenny’s condition suddenly became an emergency case after she collapsed in the middle of Oxford Circles while shopping and had to be taken to the nearest hospital. The doctor said she needed an emergency blood transfusion. Ofili quickly offered to help his daughter, if one thing is certain, he knows his and Uju blood type is (AA), they found out about this earlier during their courtship days, just to make sure they’re compactable, something very common with middle and upper-class Nigerians. Indeed it was a relationship approved in heaven it was confirmed they were perfect for each other.
While trying to save his daughter, to his surprise, the doctors said he isn’t suitable to give his daughter blood, his genotype and blood type doesn’t match with his daughters who is an (AS).
After a quick investigation, Ofili found out that his other two children, Ada and David are also both (AS).
“It’s possible the children are not yours because a couple with both blood genotype AA can only have children with AA”. The doctor called Ofili into his office to explain and break down the news to him.
Ofili’s world came crumbling, was this even possible? He knows and trust his wife and doesn’t see her as one who would cheat on him.
When they got home that evening, he confronted his wife with the documented doctors report, an evidence. Hearing and seeing the truth, Uju collapsed. When she eventually woke up later that evening, she tried to explain to Ofili what might had happened. She was very shocked herself.
“After we were married for two years without a cry of a baby or any sign of conception, I got so worried and depressed. I read every book known and trying everything that can help me conceive” She cried.
“I had always kept in touch with my ex-boyfriend Kunle, whom you know very well”. She added taking a long breath before continuing.
“I stayed just friends with him after we got married and occasionally spoke on the phone. When I got stressed from not getting pregnant, I panicked and started confiding in him about my worries. We began meeting up for lunch, one thing leads to another, and we slept together.
Months later I found out I was pregnant, It was a one-off with him so I never thought anything of it. Finding out I was pregnant, I stayed away from Kunle for over a year. But we began meeting up again, just to catch up, yet again we slept together for the second time, months later I realised I was pregnant with Jenny, our second child. All this while I had always been with you Ofili and it never crossed my mind that those once every two-year fling with Kunle is the fruit of my children”. She cried.
The last time I slept with this Kunle, I’m sure he used a condom, that was when David was conceived. But then before giving birth, I decided to stop, a true Christian woman should be loyal to her husband. I love you dearly and values my marriage”. Uju said before she lost the courage to speak again.
Uju and her ex-boyfriend Kunle met once at an open place and had a mutual agreement to shut the casual intimacy down. Kunle was seriously seeing someone at the time, he got married and moved on.
This is the confession Uju had to make about her past, the only times she had been unfaithful, what were the odds that her ex-boyfriend fathered all her three children? She cried.
Ofili, a broken man, went for a further medical check-up as his doctor requested and found out that he is actually sterile and can’t father children of his own.
His life, the truth has become a two aged sword.
None of the children knows about the revolutionary dilemma devouring their parents.
What would this man do? Should he forgive his wife and love his children and carry on raising them?
Should he divorce Uju and walk away facing the truth? Should he let Uju suffer together with her spawns whom will eventually find out the truth in the future?
What should Ofili do?
Written by: Noellin .I. Griffiths
