Ayekoo! My African mother 10th May,2020

Let me tell you a wonderful story.

10 years ago, I was married at age 20 in a far away village somewhere in the forested region of Ghana. My husband is a farmer, whiles I am a petty trader in a nearby town's Saturday market. Weekdays and weekends are very busy for me. Apart from helping with the work on my husband's plot planted with maize, cassava, cocoyams and a few other crops, I bear a heavy burden of harvested produce on my feeble neck, sometimes carrying an infant or little child on my back. In such rurallike setting i am not even spared when a take a seed. I will have to continue doing hard work till birth. After Carrying the produce home with my husband following me with his cutlass, my task doesn't end there. I will have to prepare the evening meal, mostly without the assistance of my husband. After the sumptuous meal is ready, my other half, according to custom, must be served with the Lion's share or I run into trouble. In the night when I am exhausted after cooking and tending the children, I am still not left alone. I don't want to go there because children might happen to read this piece.
The above is the story of millions of typical African mother's. These breed of females do the above as a daily routine without complaining. It is out of their love and neccesity. We say ayekooo!
But, I won't just talk about the rural African mother and leave out the career woman in the cities of Accra, Kumasi, Lagos, Abuja, Abidjan, Nirobi, Johanesburg and the likes. Many, after the hustle for transport to get to work on time and after a hard says routine in their various offices, shops and factories, still pass by the busy market or grocery store to purchase essentials needed for the evening or the week's meal. They return home not to suddenly sleep but to process them into hot meals in wait for the arrival or waiting husband and school-going children. The career woman, equally exhausted at night time, will also fight another 'night war'. As I said, I wouldn't go further than that. I say to all career women turning families in the harsh and fast life of the cities: Ayekooo!
Without you people, this world can never be complete.
To all mothers battling physical disabilities, matrimonial troubles such as physical, emotional and financial abuse from your other halves and in-laws yet, stand strong because of your kids, we say Ayekooo to you all.
For those who gave their all, including selling your valuables such as kente cloths, gold jewelries, quality waxprints, excetera to see your sons, daughters and husband's education, businesses and travel to take off and become a success, we say to you Ayekoooo.
For those who received ungratefulness, scorn, rejection or falsely bmaccusations as witches because your input with time, worn out your bodies and mental health; we plead with Odomankuma to comfort your hearts and plead your case for you. We pray for reconciliation and forgiveness.

*My humble advice*

If you have offended your mother or if she is the one that offended you, try as much as possible to sought out things with her. I don't want to care about the magnitude of the offense. It might have affected your life and I acknowledge that. However, make the efforts to redress it. Even if you are not successful with reconciliation, find a reason to forgive as the old adage goes: ' if you forgive someone their offense, you haven't given up anything'.
Finally, to the mothers who abandoned your kids for your personal comfort due to a failed marriage, spousal neglect or financial hardship, I will beg you to reconsider your decision. If your kids are already grown up, forget your pride and the fact that you are 'older'. Visit them and apologize. If they are young, do your best to invest time, money, advice and guidance in their lives. It is not too late. You will one day reap the positive benefits.
I take this golden opportunity presented today to wish all African mothers a big HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY.
Families are better because of you
Great men existed and continue to exist because of you
Geniuses are because of you
Religion thrives because of you
Economies thrive because of you.
If the world is stable today, it is because you played a major role.
Oh! Our African mothers we say a big big Thank you.
With much love and kisses from a grateful daughter,
Christiana Afua Nyarko