JUST A LITTLE BLOOD: #EndFGMng

Editor’s note: Hey people, how are we doing? Quick one, you all know I just completed a series on the cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation in the name of Female circumcision. An ardent reader of this blog was inspired by that series to come up with this short story. I love it at first glance. It resonated deeply with the message we are trying to pass across. Let us end FGM in Nigeria. #EndFGMng

It’s the best experience any girl could pray for I was told

Mama says the best moment every girl wanted

The birth of the woman in me
Admiring my image in the mirror was all I seem to do daily

As I await my glorious day as mama called it
For weeks myself and Ougene talked about it

Making us the envy of the younglings 

She would twist her neck and say “I will soon be a woman now”
The long awaited day came

 My friend was to go in before me

With our cheery attitudes we wore the clothes given to us

Bursting forth with joy she entered the sacred place
Then it was my turn

Getting suspicious I asked

“Excuse me ma, Ougene is not out” the pityful woman shook her head and said “she is resting”

Why will she be resting? Perplexed I went with her
“Only the shedding of a little blood is required” mama said

Then I saw ‘her’

With the expression of the devil coming to take his dues

And mama behind her wailing as my friend lie lifeless

A mistake the ‘she-devil’ called it
Realising what I was there for

I turned attempting to escape

Suddenly strong hands held me down trying to free me of my clothes 

It was then I remembered

The agony in mama’s eyes

The feeling of helplessness

The watery smile that will always come with the talk of womanhood
A girl to surrender her genital and lose her soul because of the so called *Circumcision*

There and then I knew I too will be condemned to a life worse than death

Oye Olufe Glory