“What is the story behind your name?” Otu asked his fiancee, who was resting her head on his shoulder.
“You and this question again. How many times will I answer this question?” She asked.
“Pardon me dear. I can't remember what you told me was responsible for the name. Refresh my memory, my love.”
“It's quite surprising how you forget things about me easily. Not a priority I guess.”
“Don't dramatize the question, baby. I can't trade you for anything. You are my priority before anything else,” Otu gave an assurance.
“Three days after my birth, my father received an appointment letter from a multinational company that he had been applying to work for the previous two years. Four days later, he named me Oseiza to keep the memory of the amazing year.”
“You are a child of blessing. I can attest to that. Since you said 'I do' to my proposal, I have been moving from grass to grace,” Otu honored his fiancee with words. “Your parents must have been very appreciative of the success for them to give you that name. Some people give the name to their children when something highly unexpected happens.”
Otu and Oseiza were two love birds who were counting the days to their traditional wedding ceremony. Introduction had been done and Otu was accepted by Oseiza's family.
“The all-important day is at the corner. How far have you worked on your dancing skills? This is our culture and we must not let down our family's expectations that day.”
Otu brought out his phone and played a traditional song on his playlist. He balanced his shoulders both ways, typical of the anuva dance popularly adopted for traditional weddings, and selected his steps carefully to follow the beats, throwing his head back and front as the dance demanded.
“Wow! That's my sweetheart,” a highly impressed Oseiza declared.
“You have convinced me that you are ready for the occasion.” She brought out her handkerchief to clean the sweat gathering on Otu's forehead.
“How is the preparation from your side?” Otu asked. “Has your mother given you the itochi that you will use?”
As the tradition demands, the bride, during the traditional wedding, would wear an attire, itochi, presented to her by her mother. That's the first culturally recognized mother-to-daughter gift.
“My mum has told me a lot about the itochi that she has kept for me. According to her, he will reveal it to me three days before the wedding.”
The duo had a good time together before departing at dusk.
On her way home, the question of the story behind her name came back to her.
“Is it that Otu is not believing my story? Could there be a bigger story behind the name that is unrevealed to me yet?” Oseiza asked herself many questions. “Well, it's not worth my sleepless nights.”
The preparation continued in top gears. Oseiza's older sibling, Ize, has been supportive. They grew up like twins - only 12 months of age difference exists between them. Many people including Otu had wondered why they were so close in age. Ize spearheaded the makeup of the bride and also coordinated the activities of the bride's friends.
“You are such a unique big sister,” Oseiza praised Ize.
It was the day that her mother had promised to unveil her itochi to her. “Like I promised you, you will have the whole of my wardrobe to yourself right now. Search it and pick any of my dresses that you want to serve as itochi. Search the room from jewelry to books, and satisfy yourself by picking whatever you want.”
While her parents and her only sister were in the living room, Oseiza was taking her time to search her mother's belongings to select her preferences.
“The best mum in the whole world,” she declared with a kiss planted on the first picture showing on an old family album.
She had selected the dress and jewelry of choice, she was scanning through books and some family symbols when he sighted the photo album. She flung it page by page before she found a diary in it. "Oseiza for a reason," the title of the diary reads.
She opened the diary and found the shocker.
"I fell in love with the wrong person. I assumed Kunle would die the day I die like he promised when we started dating against the acceptance of my family and his. We promised to stand by each other against any odds.
"I became pregnant and everything about our love crumbled. He rejected me during my pregnancy. Close friends advised me to get rid of the pregnancy and have my peace. I can't stand the pain of deliberately eliminating a soul. I bore the consequences and nurtured the pregnancy till delivery.
"One week after delivering my beautiful baby girl, I can't cope any more. I love you, baby. I don't deserve you. I am sorry for doing this to you.
"To you reading this, if you meet this baby alive and you are moved to save a soul and save humanity, adopt this baby and take care of her. Make her your daughter without discrimination. I will continue to pray for both of you. I don't know you and I can't locate you either. God bless you for saving a soul.
"She is your daughter and you can name her as you wish. If you need a suggestion, I suggest Oseiza (the symbol of history)"
Oseiza's hands were trembling as she read through the note. She went to meet his parents in the living room with the diary in her hand.
“Mum, I found this in your room while searching through your books. I am confused.”
Her mother responded with tears. She could not say a word.
“Oseiza,” Otori, her foster father, called her. “Whatever you read from that diary is true. We are not your biological parents. We were returning 12 months old Ize from an appointment with a doctor and I was pressed. I parked my car by the expressway to ease myself. The cry of a baby, a few meters into the bush called my attention. I located the baby and found a written note beside her. That note is what you read in that diary. We reported to the government and did the proper procedure to adopt you. Since then, we have never heard from your biological mother. No information left behind to trace her.”
Oseiza went numb with shock.
The mother drew her closer and her head on her bosom.
Oseiza opened her arms and hugged her mother tightly. “You are my angel sent from heaven. For 27 years, I never had a reason to doubt you as my parents. I am eternally grateful,” she declared. “As for my biological mum, I don't need her. I hate her.”
“You don't need to hate her,” Otori cuts in. “She refused to abort your pregnancy. She didn't think of killing you in infancy. Her love for you kept you alive till we met you. We hope to find her one day so that we can celebrate you as one big family.
"Your coming into our lives brought us blessings from the beginning till this moment. We love you unconditionally. Go and complete your selection in your mother's room. Don't get disturbed by this revelation.”
Oseiza returned to the room to complete her task.
The true story behind the name Oseiza is revealed. She embraced her existence and forged ahead with her wedding preparation.