ESTHER’S DIARY
ESTHER’S DIARY
We have a concept of destiny and that includes the hope to live beyond our grey hairs to see the grey hairs of our Children and cuddle their grandchildren according to the scriptures
Some have their dreams come true while others have theirs truncated and never recovering from the shattered dreams until they danced back to their ancestors
I had dreams, lofty dreams! I knew what I wanted in life and how to achieve them. I knew the concept of right and wrong right from when I could make its distinction’
I grew up in a large polygamous house. There was rancor, rivalry or jealousy I was shielded or too young to see them I only remember the love, the happy times and the joy that surrounded me while playing with some of my 23 siblings.
My father was a cocoa farmer and he travelled a lot for his other business. The businesses took him even far away Benin republic as well as Ivory Coast. Two of his wives were the trophies from those countries. My mother was the last wife whom he openly showed affection to the knowledge of everyone and the chagrin of other wives especially mama akanni. He equally showered me with love and attention because of my mother. Unlike others, my mother was a daughter of a king. I still do not understand why mother chose to marry my father instead of the many princesses who lined up seeking her hand in marriage
My mother was young and must have been an impressionable man to win the heart of my mother despite the many suitors that sought her hands and his harem!
I am the 20th child but the first of my mother.
My father was called “mista Thompson” a name he adopted out of great love and respect for his trading partner who was British, who helped him in business a lot, he was who made him become a Christian. Becoming a Christian was very hard for my father because he did not want to do away with his wives. My father was Atanda but he was always very quick to remind them that he was “mista Thompson”
Therefore, barely after my 12th birthday, my father the emperor of Thompson household, the great cocoa farmer and merchant, went on one of his numerous journeys to the land of no return. To some of us it was the saddest day of our lives but for akanni and his mum, it was a great relief.
Then the drama began to unfold. The beginning of shattered dreams the raindrop of tears, the seemingly stringent hardships and the rainbow of happiness
My name is Esther; this is the beginning of my story
