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Kuna Nuru gizani

 That title reminds me of pastor Pius Mwiru of that title (If you got it, please comment) Laughing. I was young then and we would listen to how there's light in darkness. I am still young by the way, joining the third floor next month. Please prepare gifts and don't make me divert to that! How now? I am asking myself the same question. If you giggled, you got the answer. If you did not, HATER!!! Gifts please!

That's similar to my niece's story. For context (that I don't like to give and you will leave me alone)...she's my cousin's daughter. I have no idea how she came to live with us several years ago when she was only five or so. I should ask my parents that question. Maybe the answer is with God, I will ask them anyway.

She started kindergarten while already living with us and went all the way to class eight. She's an average student that in my opinion can be slow. She got good marks in her KCPE. She qualified to join high school. Her parents seemed excited about it or do I say they disguised in excitement because weuh!

I was excited too. I love education. It has changed my life to levels I can't explain. Oh, those levels are also because I use my brain. My mucus is for biological purposes only and it's not in my head like some people we know! That was wicked! But, huh, we have to keep on. In support, I went looking for a better school than she was called to. I got it, thanks to being friends with principals for the motivational speaker I am. It's true by the way. I am just 'realler' (I am sure that's not English, please tell it to those who have to "motivate" extra hope into people) I handed the letter to the father, who I expected would do as he insinuated. That's right. Insinuated because...keep reading.

Fast forward to a year later when I learned that Nuru didn't go to school. I had a short moment of negligence and carelessness so I didn't follow up as much. I should apologize for this. When I followed up, in 2019, Nuru was married and already with a child. Her father didn't take her to school. What a father (add angry emoji) and the mother thought it would be a great time to make some money so she married her off. Now I want to say I wish but some things cannot be wished. A mother, marrying off an underage daughter to some guy who has no back or front (forgive my coastal background for messing English up. Put some laughter in this tense paragraph, but let me not catch you). 

In the spirit of total disappointment, the "husband's" family had paid about five thousand shillings. 5000!! A Nigerian accent will sort this straight and proper! They should not win Afcon though! Are you as mad as I am? For five thousand my niece was out with an irresponsible man who was still living with his sister and mother and didn't have the decency to work hard. He had my niece work to put food on the table. Ladies, Lozi, please - you know I like, love, and want ladies to work but not burn charcoal when you're underage! You agree, right?  For proof of concept; Lozi would do this I swear! My wife is a great accountant. Learned more than I am. Second the environment, husband! But what broke my limits is that this man used to beat my niece. Weuh! People should not provoke my ability to murder. I have Jesus, He has saved me. Nevertheless, sometimes I worry that if you touch my mother, wife, sister, or daughter, someone has to stop me. I want to go to heaven, please. Will someone get this message to all my brothers-in-law? Someone needs to keep it for my son(s)-in-law as well. I am capable of murder!

So, I showed up at that home my niece was living with that whoever! At least I didn't call him stupid, but I struggled to use that pronoun. It's a long story of how things went down. I have to mention though, that the boy's (this is intentional) mother was so opposed to me being there and was fighting hard. That's the woman she is. How sad! Well, I was braced for everything I had. She couldn't help her course and her dumb boy. My determination crushed it. Imagine I haven't dragged my anger into this yet. If I do, you will read open insults here. (Come down Andrew! Relax!) I forced that boy to take my niece back home. Not to her mother and father. Dead beats (make them read that) He took her back to where she grew up. With everything she had and the baby. 


I put her to school. She had already wasted two years and had a baby. Even more interesting, a few weeks after starting school, she learns that she's pregnant 😳. She shutters and thinks she's lost her chance. I didn't have such a relationship with her, I had to send my sister to do the talking. The message was, that I didn't care that she was pregnant, I cared that she goes to school. 


You haven't met resilience and resolve. You have not met determination and unwavering courage. You need to meet my niece. She continued with school, pregnant! She didn't care, she wanted to get an education. She's amazing. 

We sent her first son to her mother who misbehaved with reluctance and whatnot. Story for another day. Threats worked out, and she agreed to take care of her grandson, neck-sided ( read shingo upande). Nuru went on with school. She gave birth, with divine timing, just before the long holidays started. My mother (she's amazing) helped Nuru and by the time schools opened, she went back to school. 


It's been a journey for her, raising a small baby and worried about another that was with her own mother- reluctantly taking care of him. Despite all the pressure from school, motherhood, and all, she still did school. 

Fast forward to KCSE 2023. Nuru sat for her KCSE examination. With everything in her journey, I was very clear- I didn't care what grade she got. Grades are overrated honestly. I just wanted her to do the best she could and get that certificate. It would open the doors her life needs! 

Hurray!!! Nuru finished school. To endure that and come to the other side is phenomenal! She's phenomenal. When they tell stories of resilient women, can you ask them to ask me about my niece? But also ask them if they have the stamina to listen to the story without grades being involved. That's the measure. 


What a woman! 


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