Myself
I love my name so much my name is dear to my mom and I so I can't change my name even for millions I wouldn't do that... A name is one's identity people use it more than how the person makes use of it, here in Nigeria we give a name for a reason mostly with meanings.
UCHECHI is my first name behind this name there is a mystery not known to people, let me explain the meaning of my name. UCHECHI is a tribal name (Igbo) UC in short cut, I'm from the South eastern part of Nigeria the name is a common name and unisex both female and male bears the name but the males are mostly called by uchenna it means the will of the father but UCHECHI means the the will of God.
My mom told me the story of her life on the mystery behind my name when I asked her why she gave me the name UCHECHI...
After my mom got married she birthed her first child a female, in Nigeria when a woman's gives birth to a child especially if the woman birthed a female first, their hope is for you to birthed a male as a second child since you already have a female child, as if she is God who gives genders. Again mom birthed her second child a female, friends and family started talking they said she could have given them a male child instead of a female she already have a female why birthing another one again? their ideology of the gender a woman should give birth to as if she is God who mould children in the womb is quite unfortunate that till date that ideology still exist in south east Nigeria they value more of male gender than a female. They have the notion that is only males that can continue the family lineage not females so women are not regarded in high esteem like males' is a tradition we have come to accept and respect even when it comes to sharing of properties women don't partake in any of it.
My dad too wanted a male child but their hopes were crushed when my mom birthed her third daughter that was me, the gossips increased the mockery increased the hate from family and friends increase this is emotional to me I couldn't help but to cry, is not mom's fault she birthed three daughters why the backbiting, the hate, and mockery? mom wept... the stigma was just too much on her. Many are out there yearning and praying for children or a child and you have one or more and you are complaining of the sex of a child instead of thanking God for their existence you are mumbling, indeed some persons are ingrate!
It sounds weird after people complained of the first female child, the second and boom! The third female child... in this situation my mom found herself after birthing her third female child she looked at me as a baby and named me UCHECHI meaning (let the will of God be done) especially in her life! I thank God for that name because the will of God keep prevailing on every area of my life...
In her fourth pregnancy she wept continuously and went to God in prayers at the church altar She prayed ceaselessly for a male child she told me' God blessed her with three male children in different occasion one after the other, after she birthed her first male child my younger brother she named him SAMUEL meaning (asked from the lord or God heard)...
Baby Samuel
The big guy Samuel
Initially my dad never believed when he was told my mom birthed a male child because baby Samuel was born on 1st April so daddy thought the good news was April fool and when he finally saw the baby boy his joy knew no bounds.
I was pained on what my mom went through just because she birthed three beautiful daughters, there shouldn't have been any ill treatment to her or to any woman in that situation is not a crime to have female as children, my prayer and wish, may God blessed every woman with both genders(male & female).
To me my name is a memory and memory are to be cherish...I cherish my name.
Children are divine, they should be loved, care and regard with high esteem irrespective of any gender they shouldn't be discrimination among them.