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Petals

This story is set in Nigeria. This was written in 2018 and it hints a lot at what widows face here, especially those in the villages. Enjoy🤗🤗🤗

              
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When she was just a little girl, Adesewa Ododo Abidemi always pitied the widows in her village. They, unlike others, pass through unfair hardships after their husbands die. Adesewa always hated how they were treated by the town's people or by their own relatives.

These widows were faced with so many plights by everyone. Their hairs were shaved off; most of them were locked in a room or forced to sleep with their late husband's corpse in order to ‘confess their sins of having a hand in their deaths’ or whatnot. Worst of all, they were forced to drink the water that was used to wash the dead body.
To add more insult to injury, they were either publicly and unfairly disgraced by being branded as a witch who killed her husband; or they were passed on to their late spouse's closet relative for marriage like an extra baggage when said relative comes for the husband's property.

Adesewa hated it. She hated how these women where given no choice in matters concerning their lives. She hated how these women were discriminated against for no good reason. At a young age, she took it upon herself to visit the widows, apologizing on the behalf of ignorant, barbaric fools that hurt them.

On several occasions, elders or people have warned her to stay away from them and not to socialise with them, but like the stubborn girl she was, she completely ignored them.

Adesewa did everything in her power to make these widows enjoy life. The moment she came back from school every weekdays, she'll take her bath, eat and hurriedly do her assignment before she zoomed out of her house – her destination always being the town's Widows Home. She usually went with gifts her middle class parents gave to her to give to them and she rightfully distributed it among the widows – be it money or food.

Adesewa had six big brothers, two sets of triplets. The elder set were Oluwatoyin, Oluwatoni and Ogunwale; while the second set were Ololade, Oladayo and Adewale. Before they left and settled in Abuja, they helped their father in building a new Widows Home, causing their younger sister great joy.

Soon, after years have passed, it was time for Adesewa to head to the city for her university education. Lots of tears were shed that day, mostly from the widows. Adesewa promised to send them letters every week to both her parents and the widows. Although she was afraid to leave the widows, in fear that the...