STIGMA

CHAPTER 3

It was few minutes past the hour of 7 p.m and Salamat was alone in her room thinking about her earlier conversation with Habib and also updating her diary.

Salamat was the only child of the Ademolas. Her father was a businessman who was into the oil business as well as the importation of cars. Her father came from a very poor background which was why he was doing all he could to provide for his only child.

Mr. Ademola was an emotional man with a weak heart. He had been an orphan right from childhood and he saw himself through his education with the help of his uncle.

Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Ademola on the other hand was a very beautiful strong woman from a middle-class family. Her father was once involved in politics while her mother was a local trader. Her mother, Adenike buys goods from other neighboring villages and sells them in their village. They lived in Ira land and that was where Mrs. Ade was given birth to.

Tragedy struck when Mrs. Ade's father popularly known as Pa John was murdered in cold blood. Pa John's wife and only child fled from the village.

Adenike's younger brother who was a Muslim and a resident of Ogun State accommodated them.

Ibukun's father was a Christian while her mother was a Muslim. Her uncle saw her through her tertiary education till she met Ademola Yusuf who stole her heart at first sight. They both attended the same institution.

Mr. Ade studied Business Administration and management while Mrs. Ade studied Accountancy at Mashood Polytechnic, Abeokuta. Two years after their graduation, they got married.

Salamat was born three years later.

Salamat was a strong-willed child with a sharp brain. She loved school, reading, and writing poems. With her grandmother being a storyteller, Salamat's interest in books and poetry increased.

At age 5, she told her grandmother that she would love to be a banker someday like her mother or a businessman like her father. After the incident that changed her life totally, she decided that she would like to study law to protect the interest of all victimized children out there or become a nurse.

After the incident, Salam was traumatized and she was forced to see a therapist. She meets with her therapist every week for two years. After two years of counseling, Salamat told her parents that she was no longer in need of a therapist.

Two months after, she started having nightmares and was forced to go back for therapy.

Salamat was about to put her diary back into her drawer when she heard the horn of her father's car. Her mother, Mrs. Ibukun Ademola who was a financial banker was not due to be home.

Salamat was surprised when she heard her mother's voice calling to her. She stood up, picked up her phone from the bed, and went out of her room.

She met her mother halfway looking tired and angry and her father right behind her.

"Welcome ma, welcome sir", Salamat said bending down to greet her parents.

"Let's go to the sitting room dear, there is something we need to ask you", Mr. Ademola said.

Salamat nodded and followed calmly.

Salamat was closer to her dad than her mum because she felt her father was way more understanding than her mother.

Her mother sat down on the couch opposite her husband's while Salamat sat close to her dad.

Salamat began to wonder what the problem was but couldn't think of anything that she might have done to offend the couple looking at her furiously.