Mama, which way should I go?

A few weeks ago, I visited Rwanda’s Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum. The memorial site for where remains of persons who perished in the genocide were buried. A pictures galore welcomes you of some of the weapons people used to kill one another over tribal grievances. Skulls, chains, padlocks, sticks, guns, machetes name it. People were using anything and everything to eliminate each other.

The children’s section is what gripped my heart though. Children are seen to tell stories of the genocide through their eyes at the time. There’s a room filled with pictures of little ones that perished. Parents I bet were told to indicate when their child was born, when s (he) died and what the last words of the child were prior to their death. The one last word/statement I left that museum thinking about was of a 7 year old, besides whose picture memorial were written the words,

“mama which way should I go?” 

He was shot in the head when the genocidaires came to their village shooting in every direction.

I ponder of the many days I run to my mother when am flustered, heart broken, nervous, anxious (these are many days ☺️). I too call my mum to ask which way I should turn. Today I saw a beautiful construction in my neighbourhood – I told my siblings I’d go ask if I could take a look at the architectural marvel before us. I did just that. When I left, I wanted to call my mother to tell her about the house that I dream of constructing one beautiful day!

Mothers bear the brunt of our hardest lives, yet envision being a mother without a solution to your little one asking which way they should go?

In my legal practice, I have handled cases of women suffering abuse. Women who walk into my office praying for audience with their in-laws, bosses, or extended sons evicting them from property of a deceased husband. Last year I journeyed to an up-country courthouse for bail of a woman, who’d been charged with murder of her husband alongside two of her adult children. The police report indicated the deceased had committed suicide and the back-story was that her stepsons wanted space to take all of the deceased’s property without subversions of immediate beneficiaries. To this date that woman has not restored her home of over 35years! 

Many a woman in such a scenario are only left with the will to fight for their offspring. Not them but their children.

Today, I pray that as we celebrate women world over, we will make an effort to make this world a better place for another woman or girl. Each one for equal. It’s what a good loving God would want for all of us. Live as your sister’s / brother’s keeper. 

Happy womyn’s day!

#Generationequality