Odoziaku - S01 E02

3 months ago

Odoziaku - S01 E02

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 2

Odoziaku, Episode Two

"Why are you looking like this? You don't look good to me at all. Look at your hair. You just look like a housemaid. And you don't even have a child yet. Why are you not taking good care of yourself? Is it money? But you have a good job? What is going on in your life Odoziaku?" Chichi asked. Chichi and Odoziaku became friends the very first week she resumed work as the branch manager at Jumbo bank. Chichi is junior to her in rank, but she enjoys her company. Chichi is the head of customer service at the branch.

It all started when Chichi gave Odoziaku a ride when they were closing from work one Friday evening when her official car had a flat tire. That was how she discovered that they live in the same estate. They became close from that day.

This particular Sunday evening, Odoziaku had visited Chichi's house because she desired to eat good food. It was as if her life became worse after she got the N800k job. No money enters her hand. Her salary goes into her husband's account.

She has now worked as the branch manager at Jumbo bank for six months and she does not have a dime in her personal account. Her salary of six months amounting to N4.8 million have all gone into her husband's account.

Aku does not give her any money to take care of herself as a woman. All her weavons are old. The undies she uses are the ones she bought in Enugu. Her shoes are equally old and all her clothes look as if they are meant for a housemaid.

They do not eat well at home as her husband always insist on going to the market to buy food items by himself and what he buys look like food meant for dogs.

Odoziaku has even had two miscarriages in the space of two months. It all happened when she tried to ask her husband for money to maintain herself and he beat her up like a house help.

That was how she lost the pregnancy for their first baby. The second was when Aku her husband sent her with N1000 note to buy bottled water for him. She used the change to buy cheap okrika undies for herself. When she came back, Aku gave her several slaps and kicks and she miscarried the second baby.

"You have become a shadow of yourself. What is happening? This was not how you were when I met you. Please, open up to me, I can help you. "Chichi said. Chichi is not married yet, so she lives alone. She had offered Odoziaku a plate of very delicious rice and stew with a bottle of Malt to wash it down. That particular Sunday felt like Christmas for Odoziaku.

"Chichi! I'm dying silently and gradually. Any day you wake up and you don't see me at work, know that I'm dead." Odoziaku said. She has started to cry. Her tears were pouring like water and her nose started running like that of a kid. Chichi gave her a white tissue to wipe her nose.

"You can trust me. You can confide in me. Tell me whatever it is. I might be of help." Chich said.

"It's my husband." Odoziaku said. She drank the malt a little and scooped a spoonful of rice and put it in her mouth. Even as she cried, she continued to eat. Hunger has dealt with her a lot.

"What is it about your husband? Is he sleeping with other women?" Chichi asked.

"If he is sleeping with other women that would have been better for me." Odoziaku said. She finished off the rice and drank the remaining malt. The fried chicken in the rice felt like gold in her mouth. It has been ages since she ate meat as her husband refuses to buy meat. She then sat properly on the sofa and told her story to Chichi.

"My husband has been the one collecting my salary since the last six months. I gave his account number instead of mine to the bank. He threatened to kill me if I ever change it. This is why I look like this. I'm working, my husband is collecting the money. Monkey dey work, barboon the chop." Odoziaku said.

"Is this a kind of joke or you are serious? How do you mean your husband is collecting your salary? You mean you gave the bank his account number instead of yours? So that the N800k goes into his account monthly?" Chichi asked. She just wanted to understand things very well because the whole thing sounds very unbelievable to her ears.

"Exactly my sister! Unbelievable but very true! This is my situation. As it stands now, I have no bathing soap, no undies, no cream, I can't make my hair. This is why I keep plaiting all back. Nothing that a woman has that is in my room. Chichi please, am I a stick? Why am so unlucky?" Odoziaku asked with a pitiful tone.

"How have you handled all these and still showed up for work everyday? mean, without telling anyone about it?" Chichi asked.

"I have even gone through worse my dear. I have had two miscarriages because my husband beats me. If I ask of money, he beats me. Money that I work for, money that is my sweat. My dear, my story will full this house." Odoziaku said.

"Oh! My God. I never knew you had miscarriages. Why have you not told me? You know what? We are going to change your salary account first thing tomorrow morning when we get to work. I will personally do that. I will personally go to staff directory and do that for you." Chichi said.

"Please don't do that, except you want him to kill me. I don't want to die yet. This is a man that nearly stabbed me because of N800 change after he sent me to buy bottle water. He will kill me if at the end of the month he does not receive alert." Odoziaku said. She was still crying. She broke down and buried her face in Chichi's lap.

"How could you be so stupid? I mean, I look up to you in many things. Oh God! I thought you were wise. How can you give all your money to your husband? Is he idle? Why are you so scared of him? Is he a monster?" Chichi asked.

"Exactly! He is a monster and he is idle. He resigned his job immediately got mine." Odoziaku said. She picked some more tissue and wiped her eyes and nose.

"So, with all these things he is doing against you, why are you protecting him? Why not free yourself? Do you like slavery? I'm personally changing the account number to yours tomorrow when I get to work." Chichi said. She felt a lot of pity for Odoziaku. She secretly prayed that God should not make such a man to come her way.

"Please, I have been praying for him. I have told my pastor too and he is praying with me so that he will change one day. I believe that God can change him for me. He will turn around and take good care of me. My pastor has told me not to change the account number yet. He said it will amount to a disobedience to my husband and that Bible is against a woman disobeying her husband." Odoziaku said.

At that point, Chichi did not know what to say again. What kind of pastor gives such advice? She kept quite because it seemed the battle to save Odoziaku is lost.

As Odoziaku stood up to leave that evening, Chichi squeezed N10,000 into her hand. Odoziaku was very happy. It has been so long since she touched money that she can call her own.

But when she got home, she mistakenly placed the money on the fridge while cooking. Aku her husband saw the N10,000 and picked it up.

"Who gave you this money?" Aku asked.

"My friend gave it to me." Odoziaku said.

"Shut up you stupid liar. There is no truth in your mouth. You have been stealing money from me." Aku said. He descended on Odoziaku and beat her black and blue. He also seized the money from her.

That night, when Aku came to make love to her, she refused but he forced himself on her. When he was done and climbed down, and slept off, Odoziaku thought of using her kitchen knife to kill her husband, but she changed her mind.

"God will change him one day. God will fight my battle." She said as she slept off with sadness.