Family Issues: My Love My Genotype

Story Title: MY LOVE MY GENOTYPE By Caleb K. Onuoha

Mama has been so fond of me since Baba died.
Though Baba died at a very old age of 76,
mama still missed him because he was the love
of her young age. I became the eldest since we
lost the two first children of the family and as
a grown young man of 26, Mama has all her
hope on me to be successful and give her
grandchildren. Hannatu and Nana are my

younger ones of twenty two and nineteen years

respectively. Anytime Mama remembers Baba’s
death and my two elder ones, it breaks her
heart and my sisters try to console her but end
up releasing springs from their eyes. Though
I’m emotional too, I try to get them out of such
sorrow as a man, it’s always tough but I do try
my best. We barely know the cause of Haruna
and Kauna’s death as they both died in two
years interval at twenty five and twenty three
years respectively.

Haruna was a sharp boy right from his primary
school days and his teachers always
commended his brilliance and said he had a
promising future. Kauna as her name, was
loving and showed care beyond normal to the
family and in the neighbor-hood also. When she
was on her sick bed the night she died, she said
to me, “I wish I have a chance to love my
siblings and Mama again. I wish my dream of
being successful and taking the family out of
poverty will be fulfilled. But my condition have
suffered Mama and I fill so ashamed that there
is nothing I can do about it. Mama doesn’t
deserve this stress at all because I love her so
much.” Tears flowed down my cheeks and hers
when she spoke. I never believed when the last
words came from her mouth “Mama your
suffering is over, Musa take care of the family.
I love you all” and she gave it up. I and mama
could not hold ourselves as we fill the room
with tears and whaling.

I have never had a girlfriend because I am a
focused person. I have a dream of being a
banker of which I achieved last year after I
obtained my degree in accounting and finance.
I promised myself that I will fall in love only to
the person I will get married to. Thank God for
making me successful at the young age of
twenty six and I am the bread winner of the
family. Mama never played with my decision
though am sometimes nonchalant on some
vital issues I need to know.

I was in church one Saturday as we prepare for
a very special service the next day when I
noticed especially for the first time, a descent,
beautiful lady who was new but very hard
working. A sight of her moved my spirit
abnormally and a soft voice from my heart
whispered to me “its time “. Every bit of her
was just descent and moderate and of course
her smile also.

I made her a friend, of course casual because
my mind was not going for anything beyond.
For one year, my family became used to
Chioma and loved everything about her. She
was always there when Mama’s memories of
her lost come, and to my surprise, consoles
more perfect and quicker than I did. Nana once
said to me “I like Chioma so much because she
has a heart like Kauna’s”. Well as friends, we
gist, played and share life’s experiences
together. I can remember a time I told her when
she’s about getting married, she should give me
a special handmade card different from the
usual which we both laughed it out.

When I became twenty nine, as normal I felt
something missing in me and Mama intensified
her urge for a grandchild Baba never had.
Being a nonchalant person, I never attended
any seminar on marriage nor read their books.
Also my concentration was on my family
welfare and success in my carrier.
One fateful night, I just couldn’t sleep. As I
wonder in my thoughts, Chioma called to chat
with me before we slept off. That was the night
we couldn’t hide our feelings and our emotions
grew stronger. I waited till the morning when I
called on her and formally proposed to her.
When I told Mama and my sisters the good
news, they were extremely happy that our best
friend was going to be part of the family. I told
Chioma to come over as we celebrate and your
guess is as good as it was, the celebration was
really off the chain. That was the first day
Mama mentioned “at last my son is becoming a
real man”.

After the celebration that night, Aunty Celina,
Mama’s younger sister arrived from Kaduna
and was glad I will be getting married soon .I
didn’t have to waste time as the plans have
started. Chioma is someone I know and she
knows me too so no need for too long
courtship. Aunty Celina says she’s going to be
around for the next two weeks and will help the
family in the wedding preparation. I have told
my friends, her parents and also my Church
knows about it. Seeing how perfect match we
are, nobody tend to require any other proof.

When Aunty Celina wanted to leave for Kaduna
after her two weeks stay, she asked us to visit
the doctor for a genotype test. Though she
believed it will match, but for formality sake,
we should go to visit the doctor.
I seriously never want to visit a doctor just for
genotype test but Chioma playfully insisted and
arranged a means for the visitation. in two
days time, we were already in the hospital. We
were referred to the laboratory where our blood
was taken. The nurses and lab-scientist became
fund of us and one lady couldn’t help but
asked “I believed you two are engaged?” We
replied “yes”. She then said “the way you are
free with yourselves and play, the union will be
great “.”You can say that again“ we both
replied with smiles. Everybody says this union
will be great of course I don’t think heaven is
saying something different. Moreover both of
us are God fearing and will have kept ourselves
waiting for that ‘D’ day.

While waiting for the result in the consultant’s
office, he walked in some minutes later with
dim smile on his face. He then said “lady and
gentle man, Chioma and Musa, both of you
have ‘AS’ as your genotypes and I will advise
that you two don’t get married as you have a
high risk of having children with sickle cell
anemia which is dangerous and you could lose
them at a tender age except God intervenes“.
That speech from the doctor sounds funny as
we stared at ourselves startled. I as a person
never took it serious as I was really in Love. We
left the hospital as though nothing would ever
separate us for life as long as I am concern
love is thicker than blood. I told Mama about
it, she never really understood and altered “No
doctor, no nurse nor any body will stop this
blessing.”

I am close to Pastor John whose wife is also a
doctor. I shared the genotype thing with him
and  told him how I never fell in love until
now and I fell in the deeper part of the love.
When pastor heard my story, his face changed.
I was so surprised when he said “Musa my
friend, the doctor was right .You can’t just
marry Chioma unless you choose to be unfair
to your unborn children and of course
posterity”.” What!!” I exclaimed “pastor John!
You too have joined them?” For the first time, I
angrily walked out of his office and banged the
door behind me. Immediately I left the office,
my phone rang, and lo and behold it was
Chioma. She was crying on phone telling me
nobody wants to support her into marrying me
again. I then knew it was a serious issue. I
found it so hard to believe and my day turned
to night as I couldn’t fathom anything around
the world anymore. I called the office to give
me a two weeks leave because I wasn’t myself
anymore. Though mama was worried, she was
no longer surprise. Everybody in the house then
looked gloomy as I couldn’t eat and became
very sick. Mama entered my room, tapped my
back and said “Musa my son, I understand how
you feel .But it is going to be ok. What do you
think is the cause of both Haruna and Kaunas
death? If we had such knowledge of sickle cell,
I and Baba wouldn’t have married and Haruna
and Kaunas would have still be alive. Now my
heart bleeds anytime I remember them. Musa,
though you feel pain now, it can never be
compared to the one you will feel if you don’t
listen to the voice of wisdom and be
wise .Think about it.” Mama left my room as
tears rolled down my cheeks. To me the world
have just ended. Is there nothing be done to
reverse this? Should I make up my mind and go
ahead with the marriage or quit? All these
thoughts flashed through my mind and its time
I choose between MY LOVE AND MY
GENOTYPE.

As I ponder about my thoughts, I heard the bell
to the door, Nana helped to get the door and
behold she exclaimed “Chioma!!!” I rushed out
of my room to welcome her. I offered her a seat
and she sat. She looked straight into my eyes
and tears flowed from her eyes .Then she
began “Musa, all my life I have wished to marry
a man I dearly love. When I found you, I felt my
prayers were answered. I never believed
anything could come between us, not even an
angel. But here we are fighting with love and
genotype.” As she spoke, I couldn’t stop the
stream in my eyes from overflowing. So she
continued “love has different perspective and
am about taking the greater path“ I felt calm
when I heard this. “Musa“ she continued “I love
you so much that I never want to leave a scar
of everlasting hurt on you. I believe in your
dreams, your future and generation and I now
understand how genotype can destroy such“
She then went on her knees and said “Musa my
love, if I really love you, I must not marry you
so I have made up my mind to give it up for
the future generation. You and I are not
compatible and we shouldn’t be wicked to force
ourselves to get married .Am sorry if it hurts
because I feel the pain too. i wish you well as
you seek for the right person. Just be strong
and don’t lose courage.” She stood up to hug
me but feeling very pissed, I snubbed her. She
cried as she bid farewell to the house and
family. I entered into my room to cry my heart
out. Hmm, what a day. Chioma relocated and
never dropped her contact so we could not find
her again.

After the sorrow for sometimes, the morning
came with joy as life must go on. I fell in love
again and got married to Jumoke whose
genotype is ‘AA’. We have two lovely kids
Jimmy and Joy, seven and four years
respectively and we live happily as a family.
On a faithful day while I was in Abuja, I was
driving and was held up in the traffic when I
heard a shout from the car by my side “Musa!!!
“ I looked and behold it was Chioma. I

 
screamed and we both looked for a place to
park our cars. We came out and jumped on
each others body with excitement. “Chioma,
were have you been?” I asked. “I base here in
Abuja with my husband and three kids ““Wow!”
I exclaimed, “That is lovely and what are you
doing?”

 I asked. ”I work with an oil company
here as a manager of the marketing department
while my husband is a business man who
always fly abroad for his businesses” she
replied. I also told her about myself and my
family. Of course she knows am a banker
though managing director now. We exchanged
numbers and were happy we never married
therefore having children without sickle cell
anemia.

Dear reader, do you know your genotype and
that of your partner you want to get married
to? If not, visit a doctor.

Written By:

Caleb K. Onuoha,

Founder of SloveITout Lounge.




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