ARTICLE ONE

 ARTICLE ONE

In a small village lived a family of ten. Chioma happened to be the fifth child and the third female. Here is a quick breakdown of the gender of the children. First three children were male, fourth child female, fifth child female (Chioma), sixth child male and last two children were female. This makes a total of four male and four female Children. Now, as beautiful as the composition of this family is, they were very poor.

Chioma's father was a drunkard, having a little farm. He uses most of the little sales he derive from his farm to drink palmwine at the popular palmwine joint.

Chioma's mother was a petty trader. She sells her husband's little farm produce coupled with some other petty things in the village market square and as a submissive wife, she gives the returns of the sales from her husband's farm produce to him so that he gives her and the children what he seems fit (as commanded by her husband).

Life continued in Chioma's family with little or no improvement as the children continue to grow. The only community Primary School in that village was situated at a very far distance from Chioma's house. The first five children in Chioma's family were priviledged to attend this Primary School. Chioma happened to be the last to attend primary school. Her younger siblings were compelled to stay back at home. The male was to work on the farm while the females were to assist their mother in the market. Chioma was the most brilliant of all the five children of her parents attending school. His elder brothers, most especially the first born, were not so serious with school. The first child would leave school during break time and would never come back. That was his own scheduled closing time. He would wander into other people's farm, pluck their fruits, steal their chickens and do whatever pleases him. On many occasions, he had been caught and flogged all through the way home and neighbours would have to beg for his release.