I’d always considered myself a strong man.
Now, I had usually been surrounded by women.
Yeah!
On my maternal side, apart from mom, I had this troika of grandmas.
One was Mama Ghana. She was my biological grandmother. A no nonsense woman, she didn’t have the time for my shenanigans.
She called a spade its real name. However, she had her compassionate side.
Iya Kike was her sister. She served as my real grandma. She had a listening ear to all my aspirations and problems.
Iya Pupa was the first wife and Iya Kike was the second in a polygamous set up. She practically adopted me as her child. Her children also adopted me as their brother. She was generous to a fault. So were her children.
On my paternal side, I also enjoyed a lot of love from the women, starting from my paternal grandmother.
She could go without food just for me to have my fill.
Then I had Wewe, Iya’beji, Aunty Doyin etc. They were wonderful.
Together, they gave me a solid footing. I agree that it takes a community to train a child.
I’m a living example.
No wonder on my mom’s wake, when I was told to read one of the lessons, I couldn’t complete it.
The thought of all she meant to me made me end the lesson abruptly with tears!
Here’s wishing all the good women out there a happy International Women’s Day!!
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