Somethings are better imagined to being experienced in the reality of life, honestly. But sadly, we cannot really have a total control of how some events turns out in our world and immediate environment, and when such happens you can only but shudder in total bewilderment.
Well, the story on our desk this evening is about two couple, who have been married for over five years now, they have been praying and searching for the fruit of the womb as they have experienced countless miscarriages since they got married. They have seeked solutions from all angles; visiting different prayer house, prophets, seers, traditionalist including herbalists and native doctors, etc, to no avail.
But as they say, “God’s time is the best”, as she eventually got pregnant. Their marriage came alive once again, with this new and refreshing joy, happiness and peace of mind. Eventually, they welcomed the first ever bundle of joy in their marriage, an adorable looking baby girl. The birth of their first child became another avenue for the couple celebrate.
Meanwhile, before the birth of their daughter, the couple had often argued which name the child will be named, depending on which gender the baby turns out to be in the end. Unfortunately, that very issue turned out to be the biggest challenge the couple has faced since they got married.
While the wife wanted the baby to be named Ojima, being the name of her late mum, on the other hand, the husband wanted the baby to be named Elle, the name of his own mother, as every first daughter is considered the mother of the man (husband) by tradition. Like play like play it turns out to be a big problem between the couple, such that even families, friends, neighbours, their pastor, etc, couldn’t resolve the problem.
Many equally questioned the duo on what’s so special about who should choose a name for the new born baby, of which the man had often affirmed that he’s the head of the family, as such, that he is in the right position to choose a name for his child/children, while his wife argued that she’s the one who carried the child for nine months in her womb, bearing all the pains, stress and headache that comes with it, as such, that she knows what name best suits all the condition she went through during pregnancy down to delivery.
Meanwhile, with the woman being the one who’s more often with the baby is often calling her new baby Ojima, including tell people about her baby’s name as well. Within few weeks after the birth of the child, she’s already gaining more popularity with the name “Ojima”, including neighbours calling the man “daddy/papa Ojima” and calling his wife “mummy/mama Ojima”. The whole thing was already driving the man mad, and has often shunned those referring to him as “Daddy/papa Ojima”.
With Mr. Jacobs unwilling to let the sleeping dog to be, he made up his mind and hired a lawyer. The matter was eventually charged to court, praying the court to ascertain him as the person who has the sole authority to choose names for his children as the head of the family, and for the court to equally cancel the name “Ojima” already given to their baby girl by his wife. As we speak, the matter is already before the court of law.
This is indeed funny and laughable case, as many people have expectedly picked interest in the case, and eagerly waiting for what will become the outcome of the case. Lol!
NOTE: All the names, places and otherwise mentioned in this work above is purely an act of fiction, and does not represent anyone or otherwise living anywhere.
Story Written by Nigerian writer, Nollywood filmmaker and author, Okwor Maxwell Onyeka – onyekaondeck@gmail.com
(Photo credit: Punch Newspaper, Stutter)