The industrious Orphan

Ade became an Orphan when he turned 11. He was only a few months old when his father died. And that means he never really knew who his father was unless from photographs of him hanging on the wall in the sitting room.

His father was a soldier and was killed during the country's civil war. He fought on the government side. Ade's father joined the army when he was 18 and has been in service for 30years before the civil war. Although he joined the military as a private but was already a captain before he died in battle.

He was the captain of the 4th Brigade, whose duty was to cut the enemy supply line from the eastern flanks. The enemy got so frustrated on a cold Tuesday morning after a heavy bombardment from the western axis. And their supply line was well blocked off. So, they decided to rain heavy fire on the 4th brigade with a barrage of short-range missiles. It was the strike from those missiles that caused shrapnel that Peirce through Ade's father's abdomen. But he didn't die immediately. He gave up after being rushed to the hospital and before treatment could be administered.

Ade's father's marriage to his mom was only a year and a half and Ade was the first child of his parents. He is the only child too since he died after he was born. So, there is no hope of thinking of another baby to be born.

Ade's mom was a nurse and works at a local government clinic. She took full responsibility for her son since the father died and after the father's gratuity was paid most of it went into Ade's education. But, other expenses on the home front were financed by her salaries. Ever since the father died his pension has not been paid.

Sometimes Ade's mom would stay on the night shift. She goes to work with Ade when he was much younger but since he turned 10, his mom always leave him with their neighbor TUTU, especially during the night when he doesn't go to school and on holidays.

On Ade's 11th birthday his mom woke up with a throbbing headache and a high fever. It got so severe that she couldn't leave her bed.

Ade woke up calling out to mom but she didn't respond. He ran to his mom's bedroom and jumped on her bed as he does each morning when he wakes up before mom. But something was strange that morning. Mom didn't respond to his call and even when he jumped on her, she just kept still looking into the ceiling.

After several attempts to get his mom to play with him, she still couldn't respond but moved her hands weakly. She pointed at the door trying to say something but couldn't say exactly. Ade looks lost and could not understand the strange happening to his mom. After observing he ran outside to call anty TUTU, the neighbor he is so used to staying at her place. He told her, "my mom is not talking". And quickly anty TUTU rush into Ade's house and to the mom's room. On reaching there she met her trying hard to speak but couldn't TUTU rushed to call her husband and both of them took her to the hospital.

She had developed a stroke. And the days she spent at the hospital, Ade was cared for but TUTU.

Only two days after she was admitted, she died. And Ade became an Orphan at that very young age of 11.

While family relatives took the responsibility for the burial rites, nobody agreed to take responsibility for the son she left behind, and then he stayed with anty TUTU until he was 15.

TUTU was a petty trader and her husband lost his job a few months before Ade's mom died. So, the main income of TUTU's Household could barely support her, her husband, and the 5 children they had plus Ade. They lived an austere lifestyle. But Ade's fees were still paid with the leftover of his dad's pension and those paid to his mom.

Even while he had the funds labored for by his parents, he never settled for the luxury of what he hard. He worked hard like other children to finance his basic needs so he doesn't have to border anty TUTU. He sometimes gives her some money out of the pay he collects from his petty jobs.

To be continued...

Thanks for reading.