Obaa Yaa
She must leave my house
Dear Obaa Yaa,
Having prayed seven years for the gift of the womb, l was blessed with a bouncy baby boy. This has brought about the need to arrange for a babysitter to step in when my maternity leave expires after three months.
Very helpful as she has always been, my mother arranged for a lady who has started work with zeal.
I was really impressed with the performance of this lady, and thought she was the type who l could confidently hand over my house schedules to and be rest assured that everything would be done according to my desire.
The sort of love that has developed between this lady and my first child is quite pleasing and attracts the attention of all visitors to the house.
Pleased with the performance of this lady, l once mentioned to my husband that it would be ideal if we arranged for an entrepreneurial skill training in addition to the monthly allowance we pay her.
This is to serve as a way of compensation for the invaluable services she has been rendering ever since she stepped foot in our house.
Unfortunately, reports from different sources had revealed that this lady was secretly comforting my husband in bed.
Without trying to verify the authenticity of these gossips, l am inclined to believe them because of my husband’s sudden change in character towards this lady.
My husband used to complain bitterly about all that this girl did, but he surprisingly sees no fault in this girl any longer.
What should l do to save my marriage?
Cynthia, Accra.
Dear Cynthia,
This is a dicey issue which must be carefully weighed and the possible options considered before you make a formal allegation.
You should imagine how embarrassing you will feel if this allegation turns out to be unfounded.On the contrary, you may end up worsening an already suspicious atmosphere in the house.
Any rational person with a good conscience will definitely feel uneasy when such matters are being alluded to in a conversation.
This is an opportunity for you to test their bodylanguage at different times to know their reactions. This will give you a clear picture of what is at stake, together with any further investigations you may decide to undertake.
Having done your underground checks, the next step for you to take is to expel your babysitter. Though it will be a difficult decision in view of the invaluable services that she has been rendering, you have to do it in order to save your marriage.
Know that it is not all men who have the ability to keep the marital bed intact.
Dear Obaa Yaa,
I AM 30 years old and the firstborn of three girls. Our mother died six months ago and since then, things have changed in our house.
I travelled for two weeks for work and when I returned, my younger sister, who is 24 years old, had moved all her things into my room. She said our mother gave her the room before she died, which I know is not true. Our mother left no such instruction before she died.
When I confronted her, she insulted me and told me that if I wanted peace, I should move to the boys’ quarters. Our father is not helping; he says we should not bring family matters outside.
I am hurt and angry. This was my mother’s house and I have been taking care of her before she died. How do I handle this without fighting my own blood sister?
First Born, Tema
Dear First Born,
I AM sorry for the loss of your mother. Grief is already hard, and family conflict makes it heavier.
I understand your pain. You sacrificed for your mother, and now you feel disrespected in your own home.
Please do not fight your sister physically or with insults. Once you fight, the family bond may be difficult to repair.
Don’t fight over the room; fight for peace. For now, manage with another space in the house if you can. Winning a room and losing your sister is not a true win.
Call a family meeting. You cannot do this alone. Invite a respected elder in the family, an uncle, auntie or your church elder whom your father and sister respect. Let them sit both of you down and discuss the matter fairly.
Since your mother left no will, everything should be discussed openly. Talk to your father separately. Your father said he does not want family matters outside, which may mean he still wants unity.
Talk to him calmly, one-on-one, and not when you are angry. Tell him how hurt you feel, not just that your sister is wrong.
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Dear Obaa Yaa,
FOR the past year, my mother has been complaining of one sickness after another. Whenever she called to tell me she was in the hospital, she would say the doctor had prescribed some medicines and ask me to send her money. I always did because I believed she was genuinely sick and needed my help.
A few weeks later, she would call again, claiming her condition had worsened. Sometimes it was high blood sugar or high blood pressure, and recently, she complained of sciatica. No matter how much money I sent, there was always another sickness and another medical bill to pay.
I eventually asked her to come to Accra so I could take her to the hospital for a comprehensive medical examination. However, she always had an excuse. She would say her knees hurt too much for her to sit in a car for that long or that her blood pressure was dangerously high.
Every month, I sent her at least GH₵5,000 for medical expenses. The situation became so exhausting that I sometimes stopped answering her calls because I already knew what she wanted to discuss.
Whenever I finally picked up, she would make me feel guilty for not answering.
One day, my aunt called and told me she had something important to share. She sent me a voice recording and warned me not to tell my mother about it.
I was shocked when I listened to the recording. My mother was boasting to someone that she had deliberately refused to come to Accra because she knew I would discover the truth about her supposed illnesses and stop sending her money.
What hurt me most was hearing her say, “If she heals all my sicknesses, what will I eat?”
I was devastated and furious. For an entire week, I refused to answer her calls. When I eventually picked up, she immediately started asking why I wanted her to die.
This time, I could not keep quiet.
Obaa Yaa, am I wrong to stop supporting my mother financially after discovering what she has allegedly been doing? Should I forgive her and give her another chance, or should I maintain my distance to protect myself from further manipulation?
Efe, Accra
Dear Efe,
I CAN understand your anger, disappointment and sense of betrayal. Sending your mother at least GH₵5,000 every month because you believe she is unwell is a significant financial commitment.
Discovering a recording in which she allegedly admits to deliberately avoiding a medical examination so she can continue receiving money from you would understandably hurt you deeply.
The situation is particularly painful because this is your mother, someone you naturally expect to be honest with you.
However, I would advise you not to make your next decision purely out of anger. You have every right to protect yourself from financial and emotional manipulation, but you should also consider the kind of relationship you want to have with your mother in the future.
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