The sun beat down on the earth with scorching intensity, so much so that even the fans blew hot air. People gathered on their balconies in search of fresh air, hoping for some relief as the water they had poured on their bodies slowly evaporated. Everyone felt the heat—except Chika.
Chika sat in her bedroom, lost in thought, contemplating her next move.
“Should I do this with Amadi? After all, Ogechi and the other girls have done it,” she asked herself. “What’s the big deal? I love him, and I don’t want to lose him.”
She was still wrestling with her thoughts when her mother walked in. Unaware that her mother had been standing there for several minutes, she was startled by the sound of her voice.
“What is it, Chi?” her mother asked gently. She sat beside her, placing an arm around her shoulders. “Tell me what is troubling you.”
Chika forced a faint smile, her tone casual but heavy. “Mummy, I’m fine. I’m just thinking about starting at my new school. I don’t want to lose all my friends. Must I go? Why can’t I just finish school with them?”
She continued to deflect, trying to make her mother believe that her distress was only about transferring to a new school just twenty minutes away.
This girl must think I am a fool, her mother thought to herself before switching into her firm, no-nonsense mode.
“Bia, Nwada, look at me. Do I look like a fool to you?”
Chika was not surprised by the sudden change in tone, but she was not prepared for the next question.
“Chikadibia, are you pregnant?”
The use of her full name made it clear that something was wrong.
“No, Mummy!” she exclaimed. “I am only trying to tell you that—”
“That what?” her mother interrupted.
It was difficult for Chika to say anything under such pressure. Fear gripped her, and her words failed her. Now she was both scared and worried.
Meanwhile, her boyfriend Vincent was waiting for her at her best friend Ogechi’s house. They were supposed to seal their love with a blood covenant.
Chika’s mother, unaware of her daughter’s plan, would later be grateful for her intervention, as it saved her daughter from making a grievous mistake, one that had become increasingly common among teenagers in the Ezite community. Rumour had it that many secondary school students had been exposed to risky behaviors, including the early use of contraceptive pills with little or no understanding of their effects.
Eventually, Chika was cleared by a negative pregnancy test. However, shaken and frustrated, her mother searched her bag and found a note titled “Mine.”
It was a love letter that revealed what Chika had been planning to accept.
Dear Chi,
I want nothing more than to be with you for the rest of my life. If you truly love me the way I love you, let us make a blood covenant so that we can be inseparable and never betray each other. Meet me at Ogechi’s house on Saturday so we can immortalize our love.
—Vincent
Chika’s mother, Grace, broke down in tears, blaming herself for not being fully present in her daughter’s adolescent life.
It was at this moment that Chika finally opened up and told her everything.
Her father’s early death was not the reason for her decision. She still had uncles who were actively involved in her life. Rather, it was peer pressure, the desire to belong.
Chika’s relationship with Vincent came to an end. Both of them were made aware of the dangers of such a covenant. Life is unpredictable, and decisions involving life and death should not be made solely based on feelings.
In the end, our lives must reflect our core values. The fact that many people are doing something does not make it right said Mrs Ofordile. Chika thanked the guidance counselor, Mrs. Ofordile, as she left her office.
Her mother continued to admonish her as they find their way home “blood covenants are not a dance one performs lightly…..(Light fades)
Be part of your children’s lives, be present. Ndewonu!
I remain your friend and brother,
Maazi Onuora Obodoechi
Pen it down. 