“I have been denied the honorary marriage feast
Mother, I have been devoured by a hungry beast
I have been humiliated to say the least
Oh, father did sleep!
For my pride he could not help me keep
Where was he when the beast unzipped
Could Father not have risen from the grave when he wanted to dip?
How disappointed you must be my mother
For now there is no chance for another
And for the time yonder
I hope on this you will not always ponder
I wanted to, indeed, I wanted to
I desired to keep it but he took it by force
Oh mother, I took none of your words as an empty threat
Why, oh, why?
Why has fate made me so
Why has destiny risen to be my worst foe?
Could it have been for my skimpy dresses?
The pride I showed in my addresses
My arrogance, that I could never be defiled?
How did I not consider that it is the creator that preserves the dignity of a woman?
And that on my determination, I could not solely rely?
Mother, kill me now!
See he has destroyed my vow!
What else can bring one so low?
How shall I receive your ‘well-done?’
When my pride, oh mother, is gone?
He now boasts around that he did it
He has unclothed the ‘untouched’
Oh, mother! Dear mother!
See my pains and disgrace
The trouble life has made me face
No, the one he has made me face
Or rather, I have made myself face
…
Listen, oh men of all race
Do not be controlled by your selfish sexual drive
Lest you fall into a pit of strife
If you must do it, get a wife
Do not, by your lack of self control, destroy another’s life
Motherhood gives a curse
Yes, womanhood pronounces a curse
When a damsel you take by force
Even father shall rise from his grave and fight with rage
Do not be another’s source of shame
Even if she is lame
Nature respects her consent
Doing otherwise is to your detriment
Cursed are you, oh rapist, if you do not cease
Vengeance shall have you pay the fees!
…
Oh, save us, we pray thee
Save these damsels for their husbands
Let him be the one to lose the band
Let them remain at honour’s stand
Yes, keep the dignity of these lasses
I am only but a child
But I have seen other sisters
Well brought up in feminity
I have seen mothers
Crying and warning their girls,
“Be clean, until a wife you become!”
I stand as the voice of womanhood
Rape must stop!
Written by: Adegbite Joy Asepeoluwa
Edited by: Kukogho Iruesiri Samson
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