Hard Times Never Last

I was 14 when I lost my mother, she died leaving her 3months old baby with me, after two years my father died and left me and 5 siblings alone to cater for ourselves in this wicked world.

I left my hometown to another state to seek for greener pastures. I was living with an uncle of mine, my mother's younger brother who took me in and started mistreating me. When I arrive Lagos from my hometown it wasn't up to 2 weeks I secured a job in a big hospital at Apapa as a cleaner, as a result of this, my uncle's wife became bitter and jealous of me because her children sits at home, do nothing, but cause troubles. She poisoned my uncle's mind and asked him to kick me out. My uncle threw my things out of the house one late evening when I got back from work. I had to sleep at the corridor of our neighbour with their dogs for one week.

One of the neighbours noticed it and took me in. Mr Jite has 3 daughters, his wife usually travel to other neighbouring states for her business. I was still managing my job as a cleaner at the hospital when one of the doctors picked interest in me and asked me to go for secretarial studies because he felt I was a smart girl, patient and will be a good secretary.

I took his advice and started the training. During my secretarial studies I got a job as a secretary and the pay was okay to take care of me and send back home to my siblings living with my grandmother. My grandmother was a tough person who never took good care of us at all. Whenever she cooks good food she will send us away , sometimes she will roast the horns and hooves of goats, made soup with it and gave us to eat, with happiness and joy we will eat the food.

One day when I got back from the work I was managing I was surprised to see my clothes in the gutter, I cried my eyes out, wished the ground would open and swallow me. The neighbour that took me in travelled and left me with his wife and 3 daughters, they have been planning how to kick me out because my uncle told them to send me away that I will cause problems in their family. The mother was the cheerleader, they ate everything in the soup I took pains to the market to prepare and used the remaining to rub my clothes and tossed them into the gutter. It was painful and a bitter experience I can never forget. I left and started sleeping at the company where I was working.

After 3months I was able to save, I got help from other people because I was always favoured and I rented two rooms and brought my five siblings to Lagos. One fateful day my uncle located us and was shocked at what he saw when he came to my house, well furnished and beautiful than where he is living, I served him food and he ate like a glutton, before he left he asked me to lend him money which I did and I made sure I collected it back.

I tried to send my younger ones to school and the little one my mother left for me to take care of, it wasn't easy to take up such responsibility at age as a teenager. After few years I met a man we had a daughter and he died leaving our daughter and my siblings to take care of, because I was young I had to remarry and God blessed my marriage two kids a boy and a girl. Who are both married now with lovely kids.

The people who will betray you are the ones closest to you. Keep doing good the universe never forgets.