EXCLUSIVE MONDAY BANTER : Obianuju

(Screams and battering)

Mama:    Obianuju, What is this...Bloood?  On your pant...Small girl like you have started seeing blood. odi egwuoo

Uju is confused, not understanding what is going on, having a slight waist cramp and a headache. She was only thirteen and the eldest of two girls and a boy.

All these children of nowadays, when I was your age I hadn't even started growing breast not to talk of seeing period, I saw my first period 2 weeks to my 18th birthday...This was a night mare Uju dreaded.

Poor Uju started seeing her period at thirteen, yes her Menses, a beautiful moment in any woman's life, yet Uju saw it as a devastating time.

She was in class after her Intro-tech teacher left, her classmate Bimbo called her to a corner.

Uju...Your cloth is stained.

Stained??? but I didnt eat yam with palm oil...Uju thought.

Ok look behind your shoulders, your uniform is stained, Bimbo confirmed, Take this cardigan and cover. Bimbo certainly is experienced, she echoed, congratulations.

Uju quickly rushed to the school toilet, pulled her pant down and very frantic at the unmeasured volume of blood she saw. 

She hasnt been given any puberty changes lessons apart from the tales of acne and body changes that might occur during puberty.

Her mother is the last person to discuss this with her. Atleast she will, but definitely the last person to tell her about her reproductive system.

Uju, while thinking of the best way to avoid getting embarrassed, quickly unrolled a tissue and put it underneath to protect herself, washed away the blood stain on her uniform over the running water...And she was done.

Bimbo thank you, I might have to borrow your cardigan home.My uniform is still wet...Uju said with some sigh of relief.

No problem, Bimbo replies with a smile.You are now a lady, your boyfriend will be proud of you.

What the hell is she talking about? "which boyfriend will be proud of what" Uju thought in her head!

Obianuju leaves for home, too many calculation in her mind, Bimbo told her she should get a sanitary pad,to package herself well and avoid staining her uniform by the next day at school, this so-called blood might flow for 3-5 days depending on her body type, yet she has no money...A whole 150 naira for pad...jissuss.

Papa Uju gives her 30 naira daily. I mean what does Uju need money for... I drop her off at school every morning, Your mum packs lunch for the four of you almost on daily basis, While returning from school she laps with a classmate and they share the transport fare, 20 naira each to pako bustop. The remaining 10 naira she can use it to buy HB pencil especially on days her Integrated Science or Fine Art teacher is coming to class...This is a constant response from papa Uju whenever his darling wife request that their daughter's pocket money  be increased.

Its 4pm and the Ada of the house is back from school. Tissue paper is soaked, blood is red... Uju has no money for sanitary pad, she cant tell her mum she needs money for such....

How can she be seeing period at this age, When she developed breast her mother thought boys in the neighborhood pressed it out at 11 years...now period, menses, menstruation hmmm this time around her mum will think these same boys have fondled with her private part and push out this blood...Uju said to herself.

Tissue has gotten soaked badly, she had to tear a shit of paper from her exercise book and place it under...This looks difficult than Bimbo explained.

My mum will kill me today!

my mum will kill me today!   (uju sobs)

*Diary of a growing up Nigerian child in a home where sex education is a Taboo*.

photocredit:globalvillage.org