STORIES WITH HOPE
My shocking experience with my four little kids coming out from the bathroom this morning, to take my kids to school. I saw my kids coming out of a Mallam’s shop. I never suspected anything until suddenly, I turned my eyes to hold my last child’s hand. I saw something that looks like a cigarette in their hands. My children are smoking cigarettes and holding it up like professionals, (my goodness), I quickly stopped and yelled at them, they turned around in utter confusion and fear as I rushed towards my first son to hit the hell out of his brain.
Me: ‘All of you stand here!!!’ (you need to hear the loud command in my voice)
My children: The next words they chorused were: ‘yes, mummy’.
Me: ‘Mummy, what?? What are you doing? where did you get those cigarettes???……’ (my blood began to boil) I was about to hit my last child as he immediately replied. ‘Mummy; Daddy promise to buy us cigarette candy but he forgot, so he gave Emeka (my first child) money to get some for us at the nearest Aboki shop…’ My children started laughing at me. ‘Mummy it is not cigar but Cigarette Candy’.
Me: ‘Whaaaaat ???? Candy??? What kind of joke is that???’
By now, people started gathering around us, another man took over the interrogation because I couldn’t control my tears, lo and behold, when the cigarettes shaped sweets were taken from them and opened, candies fell out…… We realized that it was candy. I had to bow my head in shame as my children enjoyed their candy to school that Friday.
A few minutes later, I went to the Aboki shop and I asked him about these Cigarette Candies and he showed me this pack, NGN10 per stick. Who produced this for kids???
HOPE IDADA AYOMEPOSI is a native of Delta state. She is a Content Creator, Storyteller, and a Social Media Manager. She exists to help individuals discover their true self, by developing their potentials and leaving them a better person than she met them. Follow her on Instagram.