WHERE IS HE?

It is a busy evening and customers are surrounding her stall

She must quickly serve them fried potato chips and eggs

They are impatient and demand that she speeds up

The crying baby makes it none the easier

Torn between the agitated infant and the edgy customers

She chooses the latter for ends must meet

She endures some choice words from the customers

Nevertheless, with a smile she serves them

At midnight she packs to go back home

Where is the father of her baby?

Where is he?

She can’t bring her eyes to look across the table

When her aunty asks her who the father of her baby is

Though the older woman threatens to chase her away from home

She is more scared of saying her uncle’s name

After all, when she tried to tell her aunty earlier on

She was never believed that uncle was abusing her sexually

How can she then tell her aunty who is her benefactress?

That her husband is responsible

Though he is seated across the table

Where is the father of her baby?

Where is he?

The mother packs lunch and juice for her daughter take to school

The daughter runs off leaving a screaming infant in her mother’s arms

Such are most of her mornings

She will forever be grateful to her mother

For taking care of her baby while she returns to school

Working in a market with an infant is not an easy task

Not many of the girls in her position have such help

She vows to repay her mother’s kindness and support

By getting good, no, excellent grades at school

She must pass highly and make it for government sponsorship

As she heads to school, she asks herself

Where is the father of her baby?

Where is he?

We see him every day going about his business

We talk to him, share meals with him and have a good laugh

He is the father, the brother, the loving husband, that trusted uncle, our friend who cracks jokes, a classmate

He is that powerful benevolent leader who donates to worthy causes in our community

Some of us know what he is doing but we chose to bury our heads in the sand

We see the girls whose education has ended

We see girls with life changing health consequences

We see fatherless children and young mothers struggling through life

If only we listen, protect, and help when she cries out

If only he makes a choice to hold her in high regard

We would not be asking ourselves

Where is the father of her baby?

Where is he?

Sanyu Centre for Arts and Rights

2023