VVF is a highly stigmatised condition caused by an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina. This leads to drainage of urine through the vagina from the bladder. It is usually caused by obstructed and unsupervised labour. It occurs mostly in people of low socioeconomic status. The condition is curable though surgical. There are some philanthropists and NGOs who help people with this condition. They pay for the surgery and rehabilitate the women.
Though the story below is fictional, it was inspired by true events.
"So,this is how my life would continue," Seyi wondered. There seemed to be no end in sight to her problems. She wondered and wondered. She wished she could turn back the hands of time to a period when life was as simple a ABC. So much has changed since then.
Sixteen years ago, Seyi was born to her loving parents. Her father was a farmer while her mother was a housewife. She had all she wanted. Nothing much though! Food was always available. Not only in your house but also at the neighbours'. What of snacks? Hehehe! What will you do with 'Ever-militant Iya Agba'. She always had yummy snacks for all the village children. God bless her soul. Is it kulikuli, Kokoro, dodo, pongila, eekanna asa,monimoni or baba Dudu? Just mention it. Everything was available.
At age six, she was enrolled in the village mission school. Whenever she missed home, she would quickly take the path behind the school to her house where her mother would welcome her with tears in her eyes as if she didn't just leave that morning. Life was good!
Until one fateful day when she got back from school to see a crowd gathered in her compound. What could be happening? She dropped her slate and ran inside only to find her father weeping. "Baami, kilode, kilosele," she asked. Her father drew her closer and wanted to tell her something but Iya Agba quickly took her from him and backed her, rocking her to sleep. On waking up, Seyi discovered that her mother had died while trying to deliver a baby at Iya Agbebi's place. Her mother had bled to death. She didn't really understand what was happening but she heard people saying that her mother had journeyed into the land of no return.
Two years strolled by. Her father had to remarry. Hmmmm! She was so excited. She was going to have a new mother. She looked forward to her stepmother carrying her and pampering her. Her joy new no bounds on the wedding day. After all she and Aunty Sikira were 5 and 6 already. What remained now was for life to go back to normal. Hopefully with brothers and sisters very soon and she would no longer be eleti kan. Ghengen ghengen.
But haaaa! Aunty Sikira dealt with her. Kilode! It was as if the she was devil sent. She made life unbearable for her. Was it the beating for no just cause or chores to be done or the the lies she told against her. It was bad. Her father also became so distant. It was easier to talk to the king than it was to talk to Baami. The only time she succeeded in talking to him caused her more trouble. Ipadabo Abija Aunty Sikira was not funny at all. She tied her to a tree and beat her with seven-mouthed koboko. She then prepared a potion made with pepper and rubbed it all over her wounds. Hmmm! She thought she would die. Being a slave was better than being in this state.
This was her predicament until she met Lasun. He was an apprentice at Baba Igunnu's furniture workshop. He was very kind to her. He would give her food, help her carry load and run some errands. He seemed to understand her very well. It was a great relief to have someone care for her. She fell in love! Lasun was in love with her too. They couldn't get their hands off each other. They met daily behind the school fence and made love. They just couldn't wait to get married even though she was only 15 years old. Life was beautiful again.
Suddenly, she was pregnant. She was not even remorseful. Ehn! Shebi that was her ticket out of her suffering. She could already see herself as the madam in Lasun's house. She sang happily as she packed her few clothes in a Bagco sac and moved in with him. What more could she hope for. Absolutely nothing! She was with the love of her life. Even though Lasun was an apprentice, he always had some change. They barely had enough but she was happy all the same.
When the pregnancy became advanced, one of her neighbours advised her to go to the hospital. She refused. Was it not Iya Agbebi that helped to deliver majority of the children in that village. Going to the hospital would just be a sheer waste of her husband's hard earned money. Iya Agbebi would do the job. Shebi the woman had told her to buy a pregnant goat and that if the goat delivered safely she would too. Was it not just the week before that the goat had triplets? Who supervised the delivery? Nobody! Haba!
If only she had known. Her labour was not smiling at all. She laboured for three days! She was hysterical. Haaa! That pain was something else. It was after the third day that the Iya Agbebi decided she should be taken to the hospital when all her incantations and herbs did not work. How she got to the hospital, she did not know. The doctor then told them that the baby had died due to prolonged obstructed labour. The child was eventually brought out dead. It was so sad. But that was just the beginning of her problem. Her urine was leaking into her vagina. She could not control the urine. The doctor said she would need surgery to correct it and that it would cost a lot of money. What would she do now?! She looked at Lasun's face and saw rejection. Her heart broke!
When they got back home, she pleaded with her husband to help her. "Where do you want me to get the money", Lasun shouted. "At this point, if go no go, come go come. Shebi we are not kuku really married. It's better you just go back to your family jeje. Me that I am managing my life. I'm just an apprentice and my head is too young for this your Bukaata. Shebi the child don die. Ehn Ehn. Dey go o. Before I come back from the shop, leave my house if you don't want wahala, Smelly woman" he said and stormed out of the house.
"He didn't mean that, Seyi wondered. She would wait for him. Lasun loved her. He was only a bit angry. She cooked his meal and waited for him. Immediately Lasun sighted her, he was furious. He ran to her, kicked her and dragged her out on to the street. He ran back inside and threw out her clothes threatening to kill her if she came back. She cried and cried till she couldn't cry anymore. Where would she go? She decided to go back to her father's house but no one wanted to see her. They all covered their noses as she moved towards them. The stench of urine was too much for them to handle. Her stepmother closed the door in her face. No one would help her. She was rejected by everyone.
That was how she became a beggar. Maybe, only maybe she could raise the #20,000 needed for her surgery. "Life is cruel,"she said as she stood up to change her 4th urine-drenched wrapper.
The end.
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