Obaa Yaa
Never again in my life
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I took life easy from the beginning and things were moving on well for which reason I was happy.
I was always in the company of my friends, and we did things that pleased us and considered them as one of the best options in the world.
Nobody mattered to us and we did not hesitate to decline the pieces of advice given to us over the period.
To the best of our knowledge, we knew more than those who claimed to advise us on how best we should conduct our lives.
A few months after I had started moving with Frank, I discovered to my surprise that I was pregnant.
Since I was not prepared for pregnancy and its related problems at that time, my fervent prayer was to see my menses flow to gladen my heart, but that did not happen.
I was, therefore, compelled to carry the unwanted pregnancy and was eventually delivered of a baby boy without the support of my lover who had earlier showered loving words and a few gifts on me.
Having gone through this condition single- handedly without any support from him, what should I do?
Should I revenge in any way conceivable or should I report to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU)?
Maame, Accra.
Dear Maame,
You have done well by laying bare the facts in your narration.
Having read through your letter, I am tempted to say that you are your own teacher and have taken useful lesson from the problem you have gone through.
Let this be your guide through life and do not hesitate to admonish the youth whenever you get the least opportunity.
Try to contact the parents of your lover and force them to live up to their parental responsibilities. This man should not shirk his responsibilities only for the child to grow and he will come forward to claim him.
I am in my final year in the university. My elder sister has been very supportive after the death of our parents.
My sister has a boyfriend who visits often. Anytime he comes around, she wonders why I don’t entertain him and why I suddenly find an excuse to leave the room. She takes it as me being cold, even jealous, and it angers her more than I can even imagine.
She has no idea about what is going on behind her back. He has asked me out on several occasions and looks at me in a lustful manner.
But my problem is that I never told my sister the real reason I avoid her boyfriend. I have kept my distance, not out of hate for her or for him, but because I carry a secret that would break her heart.
Princess, Tema.
Dear Princess,
Why are you keeping this away from your sister? As long as you continue to live under the same roof with your sister, tell her about her boyfriend’s behaviour.
Have you by any chance confided in any relative? I’ll advise you to open up to someone, at least to take the weight off your shoulder.
Act fast before the situation exacerbates.
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I am a young lady of 23 years who lives in a compound house around Kasoa in the Central Region. I live with my auntie.
We are not always at home because she spends most of the time at the market due to her business, and I am mostly on campus.
One sunny afternoon, I overheard some tenants talking about another who takes her bath in a basin and throws the water away. We have two big bathrooms, but just because she doesn’t want to scrub, she has refused to bathe there.
Although she is usually not around due to her work as a nurse, it doesn’t warrant her to do as she pleases. We have spoken to the landlord about it, but she seems unconcerned. What should I do?
Beatrice, Accra
Dear Beatrice,
I am surprised that your landlord seems unperturbed.
Have you considered having a conversation with the tenant to find out why she ignores the chores? She does not seem bothered about the kind of perception the other tenants have about her.
Why would a young lady who is a nurse and an advocate for healthy living be this lazy and unconcerned about her surroundings?
No excuse should be tolerated just because she’s a nurse and mostly not around.
