My husband is missing

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“Nne I will be back” were my husband’s last words before he embarked on that ill-fated assignment. Obinna who I fondly call Obim is my husband.

Obim is kind and loving, funny and sweet, the kind of best friend any man would want and the kind of husband most women pray for.

But, Obim has hurt me more than a gunshot wound, Obim took my heart and shattered it to pieces.

How will I tell my unborn twin boys that their father went to fight for a country that has failed him?

How will I explain to my bundles of joy that their father may never return?

How will I raise these children alone, without the support of a significant other?

I can’t take this, maybe I should take my own life and leave these children for my mother. If my mother could raise an intelligent woman like me, surely, she can raise my twin boys. Even death can not keep me away from Obim.

As I contemplated these numerous thoughts, I couldn’t help but go down memory lane.

Obinna and I were childhood sweethearts, from the day he came into our class in basic 5, I knew I was going to be his wife ( something told me). He was short, funny, and had this aura of confidence about him. 6 months in and he was made the class captain, this made me hate him because I had to step down since he took over the first position from me.

The hatred was short-lived, it was impossible to hate Obinna, he was a leader and a charismatic one at that even at his tender age of thirteen. He had a way of coordinating the class, despite being the shortest among us. When we graduated from secondary school, most people told us to leave each other since our “silly” romance was bound to come to an end when we get into tertiary institutions.

Like most love birds, we paid them no mind and I am glad we did not. Luckily for us, we got admitted into the same university. The beautiful girls and rich boys of the university did not come in between us, it was our word against there’s and we were winning.

2 years into University, Obinna was drafted into the Nigerian Army because it was his father’s dying wish ( what kind of a father does this to his only son?) Obim was hell-bent on fulfilling his father’s wish despite my pleas. My dead father-in-law is my sworn enemy to this day. He is the genesis of my misfortune.

I didn’t let his plans spoil my joy, I soon joined the student union prayer group with the sole purpose of praying my heart out, God will hear me and keep my sweetheart alive till we are both old and grey.

We got married on the 14th of February 1966 in our local church, St Andrews Catholic Church. The best day of my life. It is worthy to note that my mother was happier than the bride. Ah, what a beautiful day it was.
Dancing hand in hand with my handsome Obinna. My milk-colored wedding gown was the talk of the town, and as we made our way to the entrance of the church, I was so happy that this man was finally mine. We could finally kiss in peace without feeling guilty. Finally, Rev Fr Pious will no longer hear “I mistakenly kissed my boyfriend” during confessions. Mrs. Obinna? yeah, that’s my name.

To my despair, the Biafran war came along and Obinna said he was going to fight. I was devastated, how can I be praying for this man and he will be looking for death by all means? I agreed o, a good wife is meant to stand by her husband they say. And I stood by Obim.

I told Obinna to promise me he will come back, and he did. Obinna is not someone to go back on his words, so I believed him.

It’s been seven months since Obim left our home to fight and he is not yet back, they said he is dead but I don’t believe them because there is no dead body to prove their claims. He can’t be dead, Obim promised to come back home and I believe him.

He is out there somewhere, I am not sure if he is healthy but I know my husband is alive. He has to be. God does not forsake his own they say. I am God’s own.

Will Obim ever come back? Is he dead? Tufiakwa, he can’t be. Obim is alive and he will come back.

• Tufiakwa is an Igbo word that loosely translates to god-forbid

P.S: This is purely fiction, inspired by the Nigerian movie; Eagles Wings. Your constructive criticism and comments will be highly appreciated.