MY RICH WIFE

Written by: Ayopo Akintunde

Edited by:Theresa

Episode One.

Right from when I was 9 years old, I had made up my

mind never to be poor, having seen how my parents had
suffered to train us.
My Elder sister, Hannatu, was forced into early marriage
to Alhaji Ayuba, a popular car dealer in Gusua, Zamfara
State as the fourth five, just to alleviate my family's
penury.
Hannatu was just sixteen when she was given out in
marriage, which automatically halted her secondary
education in SSS 1. Unfortunately, her marriage never
brought the desired proceed to the family. The intention
my parents had was to get Hannatu into marriage in
order to help train me and my siblings in school but all to
no avail.
Without doubt, I'd always known that I was a bright
child, but no help from anywhere to train me in school.
When I was fifteen, I had to drop out of school to pick up
a menial job just to assist my family. I was taken to Lagos
by my father's friend who bought and sold kola nuts. He
bought in bulk from the north to sell in Lagos. He
engaged me as one of his truck boys. We often travelled
with the truck from Katsina to Lagos to help load and
offload. The risk of the job was in our numerous night
journeys where we had to narrowly escape death
severally from armed robbers' attacks and accidents.
Even though I was the youngest among Alhaji Danladi's
truck boys, I was hardworking and dedicated to work. I
rarely complained about work knowing where I came
from. My weekly returns meant a lot to my family so I
dared not joke with the work.
After working with Alhaji Danladi for three years, I
opened a savings account and began to save a token into
the account. After two years, I had saved N350,000. By
this time I was already twenty years old, yet to complete
my secondary school education.
I told my dad of my plan to go back to school, but the
idea did not go well with him, considering the amount I
remitted every week to assist the family. I enrolled for
extra moral classes to prepare me for WAEC exam, but I
hardly had time to attend, due to the high demand of my
job.
For obvious reasons, living my job wasn't an option, but I
had to because of my dream of making it in life. I sat for
WAEC exam and NECO exam that same year. I managed
to make four credits in my NECO exam and three in my
WAEC exam. With my results, I applied for admission
into School of Basic and Remedial Studies, an annex
affiliated to Ahmadu Bello University. After the remedial
course, I was offered admission to study Accounting.
It was really a hard time schooling without assistance .
My time on campus was characterized with hunger and
self-denial. However, My suffering on campus became
minimal when I met Jocelyn. Jocelyn was the daughter of
the former Kaduna State Deputy Governor. She lived in
affluence and hardly attended lectures. Within a short
time, I became her "school boy," I helped her do all her
assignments and even tests. As time went by, She bought
me a Chinese bike to ease my movement. I also became
her errand boy, using the bike to run errands for her. In
return, She paid my bills and even helped pay my tuition
fees on many occasions. I practically did everything for
her, including buying her pads and undies. I helped her
make withdrawals at the ATM because Jocelyn would
never stand in a queue. Even some departmental
documentations that required her attention, I would
stand in the queue for her, then called her when it was
her turn to be attended to.
In our final year, she began to take me to their house in
Kaduna and in no time, I became a friend to the family.
Did you know that our relationship blossomed than just
being an errand boy?
Keep your fingers crossed

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Two.
No guy could approach Jocelyn for a relationship in the
whole of ABU because of her status and high-
mindedness. She was very classy for many guys, so she
was avoided. Even lecturers danced to her tune. Her few
female friends were just like a robots; she dictated to
them while they worshipped her like one semi-goddess.
Even though she had money and everything she needed,
one could still perceive an emptiness and loneliness
around her. Money could not give her the true
companionship she craved. Of course, she began to make
passes at me. Her pride would not let her come openly to
ask me out. Even though I knew what she wanted, I
didn't assume. I wanted her to humble herself and ask for
what she wanted. It took Jocelyn so long time to make her
intentions known; she was dying to have a relationship
with me.
Who would reject such a golden offer? If you were in my
shoes, would you?
Jocelyn and I then began our relationship journey. That
type of relationship where you really don't have a say. A
relationship where you are just being used for selfish
interests. Well, I had been her errand boy for closely three
years back in the university days, submitting to her to
keep life going for myself. So, this wasn't a problem
anyway. At a time, I didn't know what I was, whether a
boyfriend or just an errand boy. Even when I was
promoted from an errand boy to a boyfriend, I almost
could not see any difference because I still ran those
errands like before. Everything happened the way she
wanted it. As a matter of fact, I hardly told her "No". . I
was a "yes, yes boyfriend." I was not really bothered
because we were already winding up our studies and I
knew NYSC would post us apart. Frankly, I loved
Jocelyn, except for her pride. The reality of her pride
never dawned on me because our relationship was a
boss-servant-like union. She dished out the commands
and I obeyed, she planned, while I execute etc.
We graduated on the 16th of February and I thought I
would have a temporal relief from Jocelyn, but I was
wrong. She never told me she had discussed with her
father to influence our posting to Abuja. When we
received our call-up letter, I screamed out for joy when i
glanced at mine and realised I was posted to Abuja. She
immediately stretched her letter to me after tearing the
envelope. I took it and opened and it was Abuja too. It
was then I understood it was her handiwork. She wasn't
surprised like I was, so she just put on a gentle smile.
"This is another one year of slavery in Jocelyn's world" , I
told myself. I took everything in good faith, thinking of
the benefits of serving in Abuja, FCT.
After our three weeks orientation, we were both posted to
NNPC Abuja for our primary assignment. Everything
was planned ahead of time.
"What is your plan about us after our youth service?"
Jocelyn asked me without looking at my face.
While I was still putting together my thoughts, she
replied her question.
"My dad has discussed with the Minister of Petroleum to
retain us here after our youth service, but only one chance
is guaranteed. My dad agreed they should retain me
while he will get you another job in another parastatal.
We will wed a month after our" passing out" parade and
settle down here in Abuja,"she said this with a smile,
without given me a chance to say anything in response.
But will I be happy if I marry Jocelyn? Won't she be the
husband and I, the wife? Will she ever take orders from
me? Will she submit to me? Can I maintain this standard
of her lifestyle? Am I doing the right thing? Do I truly
love Jocelyn or her money? Many thoughts ran through
my mind, while I was with her that moment.
Do you think I should marry Jocelyn? If I were your
biological brother, would you advise me to marry
Jocelyn?

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Three
We finished our service and Jocelyn was retained as a
finance clerk in NNPC, Abuja, with a robust and mouth-
watering emoluments. I really couldn't make serious
savings while serving, because my family responsibilities
had grown enormous than usual . Two of my siblings
were to gain admission into the university at the same
year and all their financial burden was on me. The
demands from my parents were more at that time,
especially when they heard I was working with NNPC. I
spent every dime I got on my family during my service
year.
While serving, Jocelyn and I lived in her father's guest
house in Maitama, a part of Abuja with a very high cost
of living. It wasn't my headache anyway, because
everything was available for me.
Though, in truth, Jocelyn's father never wanted us
together, Jocelyn had a way of convincing her father and
twisting his hand to get everything she wanted. I was
afraid of the marriage I was going into, because I knew I
was going to be an elevated house boy, rather than a
husband but I couldn't say "No" to Jocelyn, especially
because of all the help she had rendered to me while I
was in school. I would have been ungrateful if I made her
feel unhappy. Jocelyn made me who I am today. She
helped me when I could not afford my school fees and
now she needed my consent for marriage. I couldn't tell
her "no". Anytime the issue of our marriage was
discussed, my heart was never at peace, but I had no
option but to wave away the fears.
How could I go into a marriage I couldn't contribute a
dime to the wedding plans? The N60,000 in my savings
account could do nothing, considering Jocelyn's high
taste.
We began to plan for our wedding, I was just like a
rubber stamp to all Jocelyn's decisions. Of course, what
do you expect? The rich decides, the poor obeys. Jocelyn's
wedding gown alone was worth about a million naira. It
was ordered from the US. The wedding expenses were
just excessively much; Funds that should have been given
to me to start a good business with.
The promise to get me a job in another parastatal never
materialized. I depended on Jocelyn for virtually
everything. I attempted picking a teaching job in a private
school with a salary of N35, 000 but she talked me out
and discouraged me from picking a job that would
relegate the status of her family.
We got married without my input. My family was
relatively happy as they saw my marriage to Jocelyn as
liberation from poverty.
I had no time together with my wife two days after our
wedding. All attention was on the guests and dignitaries
who attended our wedding. Nobody seemed to bother
about me, as all attention was on my wife. She was
lavished with costly gifts and with many cash gifts. In
fact, The minister of the Federal Capital Territory gave
my wife a Toyota Camry car and all documents
registered in her maiden name. The only gift I received as
husband was a copy of King James Bible, three packaged
shirts and N50,000 cash gift.
One week after our wedding, we didn't act as husband
and wife, not even a kiss. After our wedding, we were
given an apartment of three bedroom flat in central area.
Her father furnished the house with everything, giving a
special attention to her room. The second room was mine
while the third was arranged as a guest room. In this part
of the North, it was our culture to dedicate a room for our
wives in which her father would furnish before or during
her wedding. It wasn't a big deal seeing Jocelyn's room
adorned with costly and beautiful house wares I must
confess though .
Even though we were married, I couldn't go to her room
or initiate any conjugal intimacy. All the time we dated
back in school , we never had sex, not even a kiss. I was a
Christian, so I didn't bother asking her for sex in the days
of courtship.
Even, We never had time to sit and talk about our
marriage. The three weeks of her leave elapsed and we
had no single time of intimacy. She resumed work and
our marriage became more of a "jungle marriage" than
romantic relationship. She left for work as early as 7am
and returned later in the evening, complaining of
tiredness. At times, at the dining table, She barely
finished her food before dozing off. Most days, she would
be so tired that she won't come to the dinning table. I did
all the house chores, including cooking and washing her
clothes. I was married, but lonely.
Saturdays were her work free days but she had a small
boutique in Wuse, where she visited to supervise her
sales representatives. Most Sundays, Jocelyn didn't attend
church service. She used the Sundays to rest and only
attended services whenever she felt like it.
Four months after our wedding, we had not had sex
because there wasn't any ground for it. On my part, it
was difficult for me to initiate it because Jocelyn was not
different from the bossy lady I used to run errands for,
while in the university. My marriage was a web of
wealth.
I began to contact my friends for advice. The first person I
called was Evans. Evans had been married for five years
and his marriage,i would say, was an enviable one. He
taught me how to make the move for sex and how to be
bold, and take my place as the husband.
"I will make the first move tonight using all the strategies
Evans taught me" , I told myself.
My first move was funny.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Four
When she came back from work that day, I began to tell
her sweet things like, "Jocelyn, I love you dearly. You are
a beautiful woman. You are the pride of your generation;
an epitome of dignity and royalty etc." These I had
rehearsed all day, awaiting my wife as I was taught by
my friend, Evans. She rarely gave attention to my rhymes
as she walked pass me waving her hand and heading
straight to her room. I rushed into the kitchen to arrange
dinner for her and take to her while she'd be on bed.
Evans had tutored and advise me to serve her on the bed.
In ten minutes, I was done preparing a well-packaged
meal with a royal touch. When I got to her room, Jocelyn
was fast asleep. She was on her bed with her shoes on
and her office dress intact.
I was really discouraged and disappointed, because of all
the stress I went through to prepare the meal. My
inability to make love to my wife that night was not as
painful as the wasted effort put into preparing the meal. I
stood by her bedside for almost three minutes, not
knowing what to do. I made attempt to wake her up but
she was snoring loudly.
But will this food waste, seeing how much money and
time I had put into it? I asked myself.
I tapped her arm and she made an unconscious turn. Her
left hand went straight for the tray in my hand and it
slipped from my hand and everything dropped to the
floor. The sound of the accident brought Jocelyn back to
reality, but not fully. "What was that?" She asked gently
and continued her sleep.
For about twenty minutes, I was cleaning up the mess. I
gave up on my plan that night and went to bed very sad.
Later that same evening, I called Evans on my cell phone
to update him on what happened and he laughed me to
scorn.
"Why are you laughing at me,Evans?" I asked him with
an angry pitch . He apologised for acting that way and
advised me to repeat the same process the following day.
I felt sorry for myself after I was done talking with Evans
on the phone.
Four months old marriage without intimacy. Nothing
seemed to bother Jocelyn as everything seemed normal to
her. How can a woman be married for four months
without coming close to her husband, even if not for the
pleasure, at least for the sake of raising children? I
encouraged myself and decided I would try again the
following day.
The following day, in the evening, I was preparing her
delicacy for dinner when she called me on the phone to
inform me that her younger sister would be visiting us
that day.
"Please, include her for dinner tonight" she said.
Kauna, her sister, arrived in Abuja at 5:50pm around the
time Jocelyn usually came back home. When Jocelyn
closed from work, she headed to the airport to pick
Kauna. Kauna was to spend two weeks with us for her
vacation. When they came home that evening , I served
them dinner and they ate and talked till midnight. Then, I
began to wonder why Jocelyn was always coming back
home looking so tired everyday. But the stay and the
presence of her sister changed everything in the house.
Jocelyn began to come early everyday. She ate dinner
with her sister regularly without giving me any attention.
With Kauna in the house, my mission was put on hold for
another two weeks. Kauna did not use the guest room for
one day, she slept with her sister on her bed while I slept
alone in my room.
Twenty-five weeks after my marriage, I haven't known
my wife as a husband. "What kind of marriage was this?"
I asked myself.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Five
Of a truth, Kauna was more friendly and more attractive
compared with Jocelyn. Each time her elder sister was
away, only the two of us were left in the house. The
promise to get me a job by Jocelyn or Jocelyn's was
forgotten. I spent most of my time at home. The two
weeks vacation brought me closer to Kauna than my
wife. We gisted , watched movies together and we ate
together from the same plate whenever her sister was not
around.
Before I knew what was going on, Kauna began to
develop feelings for me. As beautiful as kauna was, she
did not have a boyfriend, yet she was in 300 level in the
university. This seemed to be a trend in their house
because of their wealthy and influential status in the
society.
If I had met Kauna earlier and Jocelyn and I was given an
option, dear readers, I would have chosen Kauna.
Within a few days, the unthinkable started happening. I
noticed Kauna began to act funny. She did some
irresistible acts and began to wear provocative dresses
each time her sister wasn't around in the house.
Before this time, I had assumed I was a disciplined
Christian to the core until I began to lust and after Kauna.
All her body languages and seductive moves were well
understood by me, but I didn't make the move.
Two days to the end of her vacation, she went to take her
bath in the general bathroom instead of using the
bathroom in Jocelyn's room. The general bathroom was
such that one had to pass through the sitting room to get
in and out.
She targeted me before acting her antics when I was
deeply buried in a football match between Chelsea FC
and Manchester United in the English Premier League .
By the time she was done taking her bath, she attempted
to step out of the bathroom and walk pass the sitting
room. I felt she was up to something, but I just pretended
and remained glued to the match. She pretended to have
slipped on the tiled floor. She began to writhe in pain and
calling on me for help.
I rushed to assist her but her towel was almost off her
body. Any attempt to lift her from the floor would make
the towel fall off her body. I knew the whole drama was
to get at me, so I played along .
Gently, I lifted her and the towel fell off her body. I
pretended as if I was shy as I turned my face away to
avoid seeing her nakedness.
"I am sorry. Please, pick the towel and tie around your
chest" I said, still looking away.
"Why are you turning your face away? Don't you like
what you had a glimpse of?" She asked me with a
romantic tone .
Her writhing on the floor and scream for help was all part
of her script.
Before I could say "Jack Robinson!", I was all over her. I
committed a sin which was an abomination before God
and before man.
I had slept with my wife's younger sister. My own sister-
in-law! I did my "honeymoon" with my sister-in-law,
instead of my wife after twenty-five weeks of marriage.
That experience was like a mustard seed planted in my
mind. I needed more of such experience. My wife was not
always available, but her sister was available and ready
to give me what her elder sister wouldn't give me, so I
pitched my tent in her arms.
Kauna extended her vacation for one week, all in an
attempt to get enough of me. Our sexual romp became a
daily affair right under her sister's roof for one week and
two days. My plan to make my wife a woman became a
forgotten issue . Her sister had stolen my heart and given
me what she wouldn't give me for more than three
months.
After the one week and two days extension of her stay,
Kauna reluctantly left. For the period she wasn't around, I
missed her so much because my loneliness resumed and
all my experience with her was cut short. My fear for God
was thrown to the waste bin.
Was I the cause or Jocelyn? I knew this was going to
affect my relationship with God and my wife, but I
couldn't resist Kauna when she presented me the
opportunity . Jocelyn was not available, Kauna was
available, so would anyone really blame me?
Kauna and I kept communicating after she left for school.
She gave me emotional appetizer but was not available to
give me the real meal.
At this time, I resumed my plans to get at my wife. "This
time, I must do it or else, I would walk out of the
marriage and pitch my tent forever with Kauna." I
decided.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Six
That day, I became very bold.
"I will walk straight to her room and demand for my
marital right" I told myself. "If she denies me, then that
will be my basis for walking out of the marriage. How is
she able to cope without intimacy with her husband for
close to five months? Maybe she was seeing someone
else?" I thought to myself. I began to imagine what type
of woman Jocelyn was. I didn't bother to prepare any
special meal that time. I mean, why must I lure my own
wife into making love with her?" I will take what belongs
to me today." I assured myself.
That day, She was a bit early. She came back some few
minutes pass five that evening . As she walked pass me in
the sitting room to her bedroom, I followed her behind.
When she entered her room, she sat on her bed and
attempted pulling off her pair of shoes.
"Welcome Jocelyn. How was work today?" I greeted,
trying not to reveal my intention.
"Fine. What can I do for you?" she asked, giving a sign
that connotes "hurry up. Ask what you must ask and
leave."
I was dazed but I kept my cool.
"This time, it isn't money or any material things, I want
you, Jocelyn. I want to make love to my wife. This is close
to five months we've been married and I have never
gotten intimate with you. Today, I want us to do what
husband and wife normally do." I said, looking at her to
reveal I was dead serious.
She looked at me with disdain.
" You want to do what husband and wife used to do, but
you have never done what men used to do. How much
did you spend at our wedding? Since I knew you what
have you ever bought for me? Not even a bra or earrings!
Now you want to do what husband and wife normally
do. Come and do it now! Let me see you. Selfish man, I
will go to work from morning till evening almost every
day just to put food on the table for you, and now you are
asking me for sex without ever considering my feelings
and how tedious my job is?! Come and do it let me see
you."She talked like the marriage wasn't her idea. In fact,
her response left me stunned.
I moved closer to her, trying to touch her but she gave me
a push that landed me on the floor.
I became very furious. How can a woman molest me this
way? This is the time to show her that I may be poor, but
I was still a man.
I stood up from the floor, grabbed her like I was going to
fight her. We struggled with each other for minutes and I
overpowered her and tried to force my way on her.
"Are you trying to rape me?" She asked helplessly as I
pinned her to her bed. I didn't mind her anyway. I took it
by force.
"The kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent
taketh it by force" I quoted the Bible.
By the time I was done, I left her on her bed and went
back to my room.
While in my room, I heard her making a call to her father.
Jocelyn narrated to her father how I abused and raped
her. As I heard her say this, I smiled, but ignored the
accusation.
One hour later, I heard a knock on the door. However,
before i could get to the door, Jocelyn had.
When she opened the door, I was surprised to see two
police officers standing at the entrance of the door.
"Hello ma'am. Is this Mrs Jocelyn?"
"Yes, I am."Jocelyn responded.
"Your father called and reported what happened to you,
ma'am" one of the officers said.
"Oh, that's great!" Jocelyn answered. "By the way, here is
the man who molested me" Jocelyn said, as she pointed at
me.
"Are you Patrick Hassan?" One of the police officers
asked me.
"Yes I am. How may I help you?" I asked, looking calm.
"You are under arrest for rape, physical abuse and
attempted murder" he said.
Immediately , I asked the police officers, "Can a husband
rape his wife?" They didn't answer my question as they
ordered me to move. I was handcuffed like a criminal and
whisked away for making love to my wife after four
months and a few weeks of sex denial, while just stood at
the door, watching .
What should I have done? Continue to look at my wife
like a mirror? I was tortured for three days without
anybody coming to bail me. This was purely oppression
of the poor by the rich.
Jocelyn just used the hand of wealth to slap me. I was
kept with hardened criminals while in the cell.
When I was finally asked to write a statement, I was
forced to write what the police officers at the station
dictated to me. Each time I tried to raise an objection, the
police officer will hit me with his baton. I was made to
write a statement to rope me into what was not the true
picture of what happened.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Seven
I was released after three days with an undertaking that I
was never going to "molest her sexually". I signed the
undertaking, knowing what was in my mind. I made up
my mind that I would only return to that house to pick
my belongings.
I felt tired of the marriage that enslaved me.
That day I was released, I was heading out of the station
when I heard a beeping sound from my phone. I dipped
my hand into my pocket, removed the phone to see what
had made my phone beep. It was a text from Kauna. As I
opened the text to read the content, I realised Kauna sent
me N30,000 to book a hotel for her around Jabi, claiming
they were going to have a workshop that may likely not
finish on time. She added in the test that, coming to her
sister's place may just be impossible after the workshop.
Immediately I read the text, I dialled her number. After a
few rings, she answered the call and I told her everything
that happened between me and her sister, and how I was
locked up for three days in a police cell. She felt sorry and
promised we would talk about it when she came to
Abuja.
Her flight was 11am and by 12:32pm, she called.
"I am at the airport. Please, come and lead me to the hotel
let me have some rest before the workshop".
Immediately, I left where I had waited (under a tree) and
headed for the airport, boarding a cab I chartered.
The same cab drove us straight to the hotel. Kauna placed
order for two plates of food while she rushed to take a
shower.
By the time she was done, she meet me where I was
laying on the bed.
"Patrick, there's no any workshop anywhere. I came to
Abuja just to see you. I have not been able to sleep since I
went back to school. I have been having sleepless nights
because of you."
At the mention of this, I thought to myself. "I have
become a chronic sinner having extra-marital sex with my
own sister-in-law, without a feeling of remorse."
All attempt to preach to myself didn't yield any positive
result as the force of lust in me became stronger than the
voice of my conscience.
By the time we were done making out, Satisfaction was
written all over Kauna's face.
"You had better start going before my sister starts to
suspect you." Kauna advised me at about 3:30pm.
"I am not going anywhere! we will pass the night together
here." I replied her.
Later that moment, She bought a return ticket scheduled
for 8am the following day. I passed the night with my
wife's younger sister. I did that to see how Jocelyn would
react if I didn't sleep at home the previous night.
I assumed that When she got home and didn't see me, she
tried reaching me on my line but I refused to answer her
call. Fifteen minutes later, she sent me a text.
"Patrick, where are you?". I didn't reply text. Later again,
she sent another one.
" I am famished. Come and get me something to eat". Can
you imagine the stupidity of pride?!
I felt a man this wife of mine locked up for three days, she
still had the gall to send such text.
In my mind, I said, "May that hunger kill you!"
I put off my phone and continued my sweet talks with
Kauna until it was some minutes before 6am.
6am on the dot, We checked out of the hotel in order to
catch her 8am flight. I was with her at the airport until
she boarded. However, Kauna begged me not to carry out
my threat to leave the house. I consented because I didn't
want to hurt her.
After Kauna left, I made up my mind that "this time, I
won't be a full-time house husband." I was going to pick
up a job, regardless the salary. I felt it was time I left
home often and got back home in the evening, so that
Jocelyn would at least show some respect . I wanted my
own income, no matter how meagre.
As I left the airport, I switched on my phone and
messages of threat from Jocelyn flooded my phone. I was
not worried, because Kauna gave some money to me that
could keep me on for a few days.
When I got home, I showered, changed my clothes and
took my credentials in search of a job. My first point of
call was the private school that offered me N35,000
before.
"A new employee has filled the vacuum in the secondary
section , but we will accept you if you are willing to work
with us. We only have space in the nursery at the
moment. If you don't mind, you may resume tomorrow
since you have interviewed some time ago." the principal
told me. I was happy and promised to resume the next
day.
****************************
Jocelyn's reaction when she got back home from her place
of work surprised me.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Eight
When Jocelyn got back from work that day and met me at
home, she began to rant, throwing words at me.
"Where did you sleep last night? Where did you go
without a word? You didn't come back home and you
didn't even bother to come back and prepare anything for
dinner, knowing I would be tired when I came back! You
can't provide, yet you can't keep the house! I can't go to
work from morning till evening everyday and you expect
me to come back and still enter the kitchen. I have been
taking care of you since our university days but you
never have appreciated me for one day". These and more
were her words.
I just sat on the sofa, quietly and looking at her mouth
while she ranted. I allowed her finish and asked her, "Are
you the wife or am I? Who is to cook, you or me? When
we were in the university, I was your errand boy. Now, I
am your husband. It's true I have not been able to
provide, but that doesn't make you the husband or the
head. Look Jocelyn, I am making things right soon and
we both will know where he or she belongs. I have gotten
a job and I will be resuming tomorrow. I am also moving
out of this house soon. For the record, I have begun to
look for a smaller apartment I can afford. When I get it,
you will either move with me or stay here and be married
to yourself. For the period I will carry out all these plans,
I won't do any house chore, cook or do anything in this
house again. As for having sex with you, I won't come
near you again to avoid police molestation, but be sure
you can't stop me from doing it elsewhere with another
woman. " I said.
Jocelyn was shocked to hear me speak in such a manner
as I had never talked to her that way before.
Without saying a word, she angrily stormed into her
room.
For four days, we didn't talk to each other. We lived
under the same roof as strangers. I resumed with Alheri
School as a nursery teacher the day I promised the
principal of the school. Back in the house, my relationship
with Jocelyn took a new turn, as I kept to my words. I
didn't eat her food nor touch anything that belonged to
her for four days.
She must have thought I wouldn't be able to keep to my
words or perhaps, I wouldn't be able to survive with her,
but I did and one week gone, I was still standing. She
became restless and desired to know my source of
survival. She persuaded me to reveal to her how I was
able to stand without asking for money, but I ignored her
questions and gave her the silent treatment. She got tired
and managed to say "hi" whenever she came back from
work. One week became one month and nothing
changed. It was better for me, because I enjoyed a relative
freedom for one month, at least I felt like a man again.
I never lost with Kauna because she kept sending me
money and making sure I lacked nothing. When it
became obvious to Jocelyn that I wasn't going to stoop to
return to my slavery lifestyle again, she began looking for
ways to win me back.
For the first time, Jocelyn swallowed her pride and acted
like a woman. That night, I was in my room when I heard
a beep on my phone. As I checked who beeped me, I
realised it was Jocelyn sending me a text message from
her room.
"Patrick, can I see you in my room?"
I waited for about thirty minutes before I replied.
"I am busy now. I will join you when I am less busy", I
texted back.
I felt good momentarily, keeping her on hold; something
that had never happened in our marriage before. After an
hour, I joined her in her room.
"You said you wanted to see me, here I am".
"Sit down and let's talk", she said as she pointed at the
spot on her bed where I should sit. I reluctantly sat by the
edge of the bed.
"How long do you think you can do without me?" she
began.
"You didn't come back home the day you were released
and you didn't even call to let me know where you were.
Worst of it was you didn't come back to cook or do
anything in the house, yet you failed to explain where
you slept till today. You owe me an explanation and an
apology. I have something to tell you, but you must
apologize to me first".
I looked at her in shock. What is this woman saying? Did
she take the time to listen to herself?
"Jocelyn, I don't owe you any apology, okay. you owe me
instead. I may be poor, but I've not lost my senses. You
arrested me for making love to you after close to five
months of our marriage and made me suffer in the hands
of the police and you want me to apologize to you? Do
you even know what you are saying? Frankly, It is you
who owe me an apology, and not the other way round."

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Nine
In all the years I had known Jocelyn, I have never seen
her apologize to anyone, not even when she was
obviously wrong. Hence, I wasn't expecting any apology
from her but I had chosen never to apologize to her. Let
her experience the same wound and pain she had caused
many people.
As I watched her, I noticed she picked her phone and
made a mobile transfer into my account.
"Check your phone", she told me. I checked my phone
and it was an alert of #100, 000.
"What is the money for?" I asked.
"It's for you", she replied. "Thank you," I said.
"So where did you get a job?" Jocelyn asked me. "Same
school that offered me a job before", I told her. "But I
thought we agreed that daddy would get you a more
dignifying job and not this child's play you call a job.
How much will they pay you in a month? A job that has
no iota of security and dignity. Why are you impatient?
Patrick, daddy must not hear this. He will definitely halt
his bid to get you a better job. Please, make sure you
tender your letter of resignation
and I will pay you any amount, beyond that which they
have offered".
After our conversation that night, I went back to my
room. As I laid on my bed, I gave a serious thought to
Jocelyn's words.
After that night, She pestered my life for weeks, and
when I couldn't endure her pestering, I had to resign my
appointment after two months. Besides, those times she
pestered me, she kept transferring #100, 000 every two
weeks.
After I quit the job, We began to act like husband and
wife. However, we could go a whole week without
having sexual intimacy. It only happened when she
deemed it fit.
On the 4th of April, I got a text from Kauna.
"Patrick, I am pregnant". The news shocked me to my
marrow. Immediately, I dialled her number, but she
didn't answer her call. I tried again and again, but she
ignored my call. I kept trying and later her phone was
switched off. I was worried and afraid of what would
happen next. Jocelyn's father would kill me if he heard
about this. I began to think of what to do next.
Should I run away? Should we go for abortion? What if
something goes wrong during the abortion?
Really, I was at a crossroads. I just found out I
impregnated my sister-in-law, the daughter of a former
Deputy Governor.
Throughout that day, Kauna did not switch on her phone.
That made me more worried and restless. It was a burden
I couldn't discuss with anyone, not even my closest
friend, Evans. I was moody and felt sick. Jocelyn noticed
my mood. When she asked, even coaxed me to say what
was wrong, I couldn't tell her what my problem was. I
mean, how could I have told her? In fact, I was likely to
see a beastly Jocelyn if I had confided in her.
All through the night, I kept trying Kauna's number but
to no avail. At this time, I knew I needed God to help me,
but I had been far away from Him . I had abandoned him
to give my flesh what it desired. I knelt down by my
bedside to pray to God. "Father, I am a prodigal son and I
have realized my foolishness. Please, take me back like
the father of the prodigal son took him back." My prayers
carried no weight because my words were weak like a
convicted criminal before a Judge.
By 8am the following day, Kauna called to brief me about
the pregnancy.
"What do we do now?" I asked her in confusion.
"I don't know, and that's why I am calling you. The
pregnancy is already seven weeks and we need to do
something very fast."
Kauna replied with a whimper in her voice from the
other end.
"Have you told anybody about it?" I asked restlessly.
"No. Except my school friend. She was the first to
discover I was pregnant. She took me to her doctor and I
was confirmed to be seven weeks pregnant."
We were on phone for almost three minutes and none of
us could say a word or hang up the phone.
Jeez... It was at that juncture I realised that Kauna's
pregnancy had opened a new path of trial for me.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Ten
Kauna refused to confess to her family who was
responsible for her pregnancy. She endured all the
persecutions and intimidations for a month. I begged her
to let us run away together since she had chosen not to do
an abortion. I also made her realise the implications of
our action but she seemed to have a hidden plan. My
silence became my nightmare. For days, I felt very
troubled. When I couldn't bear the guilt in my heart any
longer, I felt I needed to talk to someone about my plight.
I called my pastor, Pastor Lanre, on the phone to confide
in him and seek his counsel. After narrating my plight to
my pastor on the phone, he was really disappointed on
hearing my confession. His first statement broke my heart
so badly.
"A man who sets his house on fire must inhale the smoke
of the fire. You must take responsibility for your actions, "
he said. "Patrick, what really got into you? Why did you
have to allow the devil a chance to use you?" he enquired,
sounding a bit harsh on me. Suddenly, he began to
express his disappointment. He berated me and
condemned my actions. I didn't say anything. What could
I have said, knowing fully well I was in a fix.
"Patrick," he called on the other side of the phone.
"Yes, Pastor" I replied.
"You have to confess your sin to your wife, your mother-
in-law and father-in-law before they discover you are
responsible for the pregnancy," he advised.
"But pastor, how can I stand before my wife and tell her I
impregnated her sister or before my" no nonsense" father-
in-law that I impregnated his daughter?” I asked, getting
tensed." This is the most difficult thing to do this time,
Pastor" I concluded.
For a few seconds, there was silence from my pastor.
I begged Pastor Lanre to assist me, because I was loosing
my mind. He led me in a short prayer and asked me to
call out him my wife's number on the phone. I dictated
the number and he got it on paper.
"Patrick, you will be placed on a three-day dry fast,
starting right away. I will see you after I must have talked
to your wife," he said at last.
Though the idea didn't really go down well with me, but
I replied with a "Yes sir". Then he hung up the call. I sat
on the sofa in the sitting room, feeling like the troubles of
the entire universe was right on my neck. Remaining in
the house the house was like awaiting brimstones to rain
on me, but where could I run to?
On the third and the last day of my fast, my pastor was in
my house as early as 7:30am. In fact, Jocelyn was shocked
to see Pastor Lanre. All the while pastor Lanre was with
us in the room, my wife tried eliciting the reason my
pastor came around, but Pastor Lanre only told her he
was going to reveal his reason, pending the moment her
parents arrived. About forty-five minutes later, Jocelyn's
father and mum joined us. When Jocelyn's parents came
in, I knew that was all for me. I was shivering like a man
who had been drenched by the rain. No one actually
noticed how much I trembled, I alone felt the ground
should just open up and take me in. Without anybody
telling me, I knew the meeting was the moment of truth.
Pastor Lanre welcomed my parents-in-law and opened
the meeting with a short prayer. Jocelyn was still agitated
and restless because Pastor Lanre hadn't told her the
purpose of the meeting. Pastor Lanre took up his Bible,
preached a long sermon on forgiveness and cited
instances where God and Jesus Christ forgave those who
sinned against them. In short, he was emphatic on the
forgiveness message. Everyone remained quiet, waiting
for the pastor to break the news but he perambulated
from one idiom to the other, after citing illustrations of
forgiveness in the Holy Writ.
After his long sermon, he broke the news.
"Sir, Kauna is pregnant and unfortunately, your son-in-
law, Brother Patrick is responsible."
he had not finished his statement when Jocelyn suddenly
left her sitting position and pounced on me. She hit me
hard with her hands, tore my skin with her nails and bit
me on my right arm. The drama had begun. My pastor
tried to calm Jocelyn but she got more infuriated. All my
years of dating Jocelyn and months of marriage with her,
I'd never seen her that angry.
While the drama was still on, Jocelyn's father went
outside and came in with his security personnel and I
was taken away without a word from Jocelyn's father.
My pastor pleaded with my father-in-law to be patient,
but the old paid deaf ears to his plea.
I was handed over to Garki Area Police Command .
From dry fast to the cell. I was not even given the
opportunity to break my fast before the incident. I was
whisked into the cell on the instruction of my father-in-
law. I remained in the cell with an empty stomach.
Once, I had been kept in custody. But this second time, I
understood the saying that "Your torture is based on who
you offend, and not the gravity of your offence."
When the policemen began to torture me, I fainted
several times because I was on an empty stomach, hence
my body being strong.
 MY RICH WIFE
Episode Eleven
I spent one week in custody, before I was charged to
court and later sentenced to six months imprisonment.
Six months in jail seemed like six years. No member of
my family was aware I was in jail. Pastor Lanre and his
visiting team came once a while to check on me in prison.
I would say that it was on the order of Jocelyn's father.
Visitors were allowed to bring food for us but it had to be
cooked or processed food. Days when Pastor Lanre and
his team came around were like days of victory for me.
They didn't just give me the food, they also fed me with
the Word of God.
Days and nights seemed longer in prison than outside the
prison. 24 hours was like 240 hours. Prison life was better
imagined than experienced. The isolation and boredom
cannot be overemphasised. No friends to relate with, no
place to go to, nothing to keep one busy.
But Instead of just staying idle in prison, I began to invest
my time in prayers and studying of the Holy Bible. I
became a prominent member of the prison fellowship; a
very vibrant fellowship of convicted inmates.
While in person, I began to retrace my steps back to my
Lord. I became closer to God and fully re-dedicated my
life to Christ. Other Christian bodies and religious
organizations always visited us in the prison to
encourage us with God's word and to pray for us. My
commitment and dedication in the prison fellowship
pushed me to the position of the assistant secretary of the
fellowship. My experience in the prison really humbled
me.
Our fellowship president, Brother Ishaku, became my
mentor and role model. He had been sentenced to life
imprisonment and had spent twenty years already in
prison. His faith and trust in God, despite his condition,
was a motivation to all of us who were his disciples. It
really takes a strong faith in Christ for a condemned
inmate to talk about God the way Brother Ishaku did
when he gave us exhortations.
Pastor Lanre was not able to contact my people until a
month to my freedom from prison. When my father was
worried of not hearing from me for such a long time, he
sent one of my uncles to trace me to Jocelyn's family
house where we held our traditional wedding. When he
got there, he was shut out(according to what my parents
told me) on hearing he was from my kindred.
God so kind, they were able to get news that I had been
in Garki prison. When my father and mother finally
visited me in prison, they wept for me, seeing my
condition, but I assured them I was going to be fine, with
the knowledge that I would be out of prison soon.
Even though I stayed beyond six months in prison, I was
released on the 21st of August. That's is eight months
after.
I, who was thrown into prison as a backslider, came out
as a fire brand for Christ . I had learnt my lessons well the
hard way; with hunger and hard labour.
Upon my release, I was warned never to step into
Jocelyn's house or anybody close to her ever, else I was
going to be sent back to prison.
I came out of prison without a place to go. All my things
were still in Jocelyn's house, but I was told never to step
there again. Thanks to Pastor Lanre, a man with a good
heart. He admitted me into the church mission house. He
gave me hope and a new life. My faith in Christ waxed
stronger by the day, seeing how pastor Lanre and the
church rallied round me to give me shelter when I had no
place to lay my head, food when I was hungry and
clothes when I was naked. Pastor Lanre tried to secure a
job for me, but that wasn't realistic without my
credentials. He begged Jocelyn to release my credentials,
but she refused. As a matter of fact, She stopped
attending our church, after I was thrown behind bars.
Pastor Lanre engaged me as one of the staff of the church,
even when there wasn't vacancy. I was engaged to do
special duties. As special duty officer. My job was
nothing more than running errands for the church and
staff of the church. This time, I ran those errands not just
because they were my official duties, but I did them as a
service unto God.
 MY RICH WIFE
Episode Twelve
All my efforts to reach or hear from Kauna proved
abortive as I learnt she later relocated to the UK to cover
the shame our action had caused the family. I was
reliably informed also that she gave birth to a baby girl
and may never come back to Nigeria again. Mrs Kalu
became my informant. She was a member of our church
and a staff of NNPC. She was the one who informed me
that Jocelyn, in annoyance, had burnt all my things in her
house, including my credentials.
After about five months I was released from jail, Pastor
Lanre began to talk about reconciling with my wife and
her family, but I saw this as a pipe-dream that may never
come to fruition. The humiliation done to Jocelyn's family
by my action could never be repaired. The scar would
also be there and would cause the seed of bitterness and
hatred to ever bear fruit anytime they saw me.
I knew Jocelyn would never forgive me. Even if she did
forgive me, not for impregnating her younger sister. Even
though I knew I needed Jocelyn's forgiveness and that of
her family, getting it seemed elusive.
However, I began to give consideration to pastor's
suggestions on reconciliation and restitution, but how
would I go about it? Who would convince Jocelyn I had
become a new creature? Who would tell Jocelyn's father
to take me back again as his son-in-law? It was a difficult
bridge to cross, I concluded.
I started a chain of prayers for God's lead, guidance and
wisdom.
Pastor Lanre had said I couldn't marry another woman
while Jocelyn was still alive.
On the other hand, I was not getting younger and my
parents were getting closer to their graves by the day.
"When are we going to embrace our grandchildren? " was
a popular song on the lips of my parents. I wished I could
tell them they already had a grandchild, but I felt I may
never see the child all my life, let alone they.
I moved out of church mission house to a one room
apartment to enable me start a new life and re-plan my
life. Pastor Lanre, through Mrs Kalu, was able to trace
Jocelyn to her new church. One way or the other, he
became friends with Jocelyn's pastor and began to talk to
him on the possibility of reconciling Jocelyn and I, after
narrating to Jocelyn's pastor all that had happened. The
pastor (Jocelyn's) felt sympathetic and promised he was
going to be of help.
The first meeting arranged by Jocelyn's pastor to discuss
our reconciliation was fruitless. Jocelyn walked out
immediately she realized the subject of the meeting was
on reconciling her and me. It took her pastor a month's
rigorous follow up to be able to make her return to the
church.
She returned to the church, but gave her condition. She
threatened never to attend that church again if any matter
about me was ever raised. The matter was put on hold for
another one year. One year of loneliness and silence.
Meanwhile, Many sisters in the church I worshipped
began to show interest in me, but Pastor Lanre had
warned me never to give attention to any of them. "You
are a married man. You can't date or marry any sister in
this church." This he had said several times to me. Among
these sisters who danced around me in the church, Sister
Eunice was different. She was truly an epitome of beauty
and humility. Her smiles were good enough to heal the
brokenhearted . I wished I could get closer to her, but
Pastor Lanre would not let that happen. Sister Eunice was
a total opposite of Jocelyn's. "She would make a perfect
wife," I thought. Nonetheless,
I could disobey my pastor.
But I could I remain obedient to my pastor's warning
when it was dawning on me that I was falling in love
with sister Eunice?

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Thirteen
I cherished and honoured Pastor Lanre for one thing. He
was one who was always determined to get what he
wanted. No matter what it was, how long it took, Pastor
would eventually achieve what he'd longed for.
After a year, he was able to reconcile me with my wife,
Jocelyn. The conditions for reconciliation put me further
into something I would call "marriage prison". It was
either I accepted the conditions or I remained unmarried
all my life.
Staying unmarried for the rest of my life was a prison on
its own. Going back to Jocelyn, living under the same roof
was also a prison on its own. The decision was to choose
between two prisons. I decided to choose the latter, since
according to the Holy Bible, it was a sin for a man to
marry another woman when his real wife was still alive.
Besides, I had given my life to Christ Jesus.
I returned to Jocelyn's house. The price I had to pay was
to obey all conditions set for me and obey God in all my
dealings. Besides, I had signed an undertaking with the
Garki Police Command never to engage her in any
violent activity. With these conditions and my new
spiritual status, Jocelyn became a "total" goddess and a
monster. The bitterness of what I did to her younger
sister still lingered in her mind. As a matter of fact, the
presence of my wife in the home or around me became a
terror to me. She didn't treat me like a husband should be
treated. I was practically loosing my mind. However,
whenever I told my pastor of what and how my wife was
treating me with disdain in the house, he would pray
with me and encourage me to endure.
He assured me that all would be well and that it was just
a trial I was going through in my marriage. Well, as a true
born again, I would take the advice of my pastor to heart.
Whenever I got back home late, Jocelyn would lock me
outside . I stayed late most times because of the
fellowship and the nature of my job in the church. I was
always the last person to leave the church everyday,
because I had to ensure all the doors and windows were
locked. Sometimes, when she locked me out, I would
return to the church and pass the night with the security
guard's room or in the church auditorium. Dear readers,
the stings and sometimes, the irritating sound the
mosquitoes played in my ears was annoying, but what
would I do? While I went through these untold, or unfair
as you might call it, maltreatment, I sang gospel songs to
comfort myself to sleep. Sometimes, I wept.
Some occasions, I doubted my faith, asking myself if God
truly was watching all I was going through and felt easy
on His throne. And when it was as though I was loosing
my sanity, a small indescribable voice would comfort me
from within.
Other times, to avoid many many questions from
whoever was concerned about my situation , I passed the
night on the balcony of my church . I became a victim of
domestic violence. Initially, it was emotional violence but
it later deteriorated to physical assaults.
Dear readers, especially the men, If you are nursing the
plan to marry a wealthy woman for the sake of escaping
from the clutches of poverty, I beseech you to drop that
ambition today.
Those in the church who saw me in admirable clothes did
not know the agony those scars the shirts and trousers
covering. Many people didn't know why I was always
wearing long sleeve shirts. Well, I wore the long sleeve
shirts because I had a wound around my upper arm, an
injury inflicted on me by Jocelyn with a stick because I
accidentally broke a glass cup.
In addition, I wore those long sleeve shirts to hide the
wound that had refused to heal.
The wound around my forearm was infected badly that
sometimes, it emitted pus and gave a disgusting smell.
Often, I had been to the hospital to get rid of the wound
all to no avail. So, I had to always see the doctor in the
hospital to dress everytime.
It didn't cost Jocelyn anything to hit me as she did this
often with whatever tool she saw around at that moment
over every little mistake I did.
On many occasions, Jocelyn would slap me, and when I
wanted to retaliate, I remembered the conditions and the
words of my pastor, as well as the small voice in my
head. I couldn't hit or scold her in an act of defending
myself, it would be termed as domestic violence against
her.
My life became miserable more than it was before I went
to prison the first and the second time.
I really desired to go to heaven and for this singular
reason, I vowed to myself that no amount of oppression
from Jocelyn would make me turn back to my old ways.
"Nothing again will separate me from the love of Christ,
not Jocelyn nor the things she did to me", I assured
myself, with a wry smile.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Fourteen
All my attempts to retrieve my credentials were futile.
Getting a police report became a headache for me. They
wanted me to grease their palm before the report could
be issued. But I was a new creature in Christ Jesus, so I
couldn't give bribe to them. Besides, the Bible is against it.
All my years of labour in school were burnt in minutes by
a woman I called my wife, just to get back at me for
sleeping and impregnating her younger sister.
Well, who was I to blame but myself. I felt that moment I
was only swallowing what I chewed.
Many things I suffered in the hands of Jocelyn were
unimaginable and cruel. Some, I had never shared with
anyone, not even with Evans, my buddy.
How could I tell people that my wife was beating me?
How could I tell an outsider that my wife denied me sex
for more than two years after our reconciliation? How
well could I explain my emotional pains and my secret
groaning? My marriage was tantamount to living life in
hell fire.
Many times I had thought of committing suicide, but on
second thought, it would hinder me from seeing my
"pilot" [God] on the last day. I couldn't endure the
sufferings here on earth and still end up in hell fire .
Jocelyn's attitude toward grew worse by the day. To
further frustrate me, Jocelyn started bringing in different
men into our matrimonial home. I would serve her and
the men she brought to the house meals at the dining
table. These men she brought home only saw me as
Jocelyn's housemaid, so they treated like one. They did a
lot of things in my presence, yet I didn't react, because I
must not react. Most times, She hugged them , kissed
them and they smooched my wife before my very eyes,
but I held my sanity. At night, those who passed the
night in the house were given sex by my wife. A wife
who deprived me of sex for two years! At night, I would
hear their moans during sex. Gosh! My head was telling
me that moment to react, but my mind and that small
voice just held me still. After each night of free sex from
Jocelyn to those her men friends, she would go to work,
leaving me alone in the house to clean up their mess .
I wanted to marry a wealthy woman, a wealthy woman I
got.
When this continued and became unbearable for me to
bear, I paid a visit to my pastor I wanted a divorce. I told
him I was ready to live all my life outside marriage.
Pastor Lanre tried to discourage me from seeking a
divorce, but this time, the advice didn't move me. I felt
my patience was being tested and I was loosing my
sanity. Besides, my Christianity was not guaranteed with
Jocelyn. Divorce was better than what I called marriage.
I would have been ordained as a minister in the church
but my marriage was the setback.
What would you advise me if I were your brother?
Don't you think the punishment meted to me by Jocelyn
was too much for my sin?
If you were in my shoes, what would you do?
Though the Bible discourages divorce, what would you
advise I should do?
Should I endure this stupidity from my wife and wait
patiently for my wife to die so that I could be free before I
re-marry?
What do u think?

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Fifteen
For weeks, I contemplated divorce, but my pastor never
stopped dissuading from jumping into such mistakes. He
gave me Bible passages to read on divorce and its
consequences. This, I read and within the space of time, I
began to have a change of heart. All this while, Jocelyn
never knew my plans of filing for a divorce. Even if she
did, she would have asked me to go ahead.
After I decided to discard the idea of filing for divorce,
something strange began to happen to me. Maggots
started coming out of the wound I had on my forearm. It
was later I discovered that the knife Jocelyn used to tear
my forearm was not ordinary knife. It was one of those
traditional knives used by Northern warriors to infect
their opponents and leave the wound to kill that enemy
of theirs gradually. These Warriors from her tribe had
their machetes, arrows, guns and other instruments of
war imbued with a special traditional water to make it
poisonous against their opponents. Jocelyn saw all these
happening to me, but she never was disturbed about my
situation.
When all treatments failed, surgeries were performed on
my forearm twice(my pastor paid the bills), but instead, it
grew worse.
The doctor advised that I be taken to the US or India for
another surgery and that it would cost me twelve million
naira.
Where on earth would I get such amount of money?
Jocelyn's father could afford twelve million naira for my
medical bills, but he would not. I took to faith and fate as
I remained in a Nigerian hospital where it was constantly
dressed for eight months.
Adter eight months, the specialist who was often dressing
my wound on my forearm suggested my arm be
amputated. He said the maggots had eaten and were
eating deep into my flesh and marrow, and that if
nothing was done, the maggots would spread its feasting.
I began to wonder, having given my life to Christ, why
would God not show me mercy and let this cup pass over
me? The pain was unbearable. With my pastor at hand, I
told the specialist to give me time to think about it and
that I was going to get back to him. He advised that I
should sleep on it and come up with a decision soonest.
A week after, Jocelyn moved my things outside my room
to a shop attached to the rooms in the boys quarters in the
compound. She did this because she could no longer
stomach the stench emanating from my wound.
My parents, on the other hand, when they held about all I
was going through, they tried to persuade me to come
home to seek the help of a traditional medicine man, but I
felt I couldn't go back to my vomit again. I would never
go to Egypt to seek help. I would prefer getting the hand
amputated to going fetish about it.
My calamity was beyond what I could bear, hence I
began to pray to God to take my life.
In all my predicaments, Pastor Lanre was with me. He
stood by me like a true father. If any pastor was Christ-
like, it was pastor Lanre. He paid most of my hospital
bills.
After much thought about my wound, I met my pastor
and told him the decision I had come up with. We went
to the hospital two days later and my arm was
amputated.
I wept when my arm was amputated but "it had to be
done to prevent a further spread, Mr Patrick" the
specialist had said, consoling me.
A week after my arm was amputated, I began to see
myself as a liability to the church for a year.
My church members rallied round during this trying time
to assist me financially and whatever way they deemed
necessary.
In all that happened to me during my trying time, God
remained faithful.

MY RICH WIFE
Episode Sixteen
[The Final Episode]
After the amputation done to one of my arms, I went on
with life. If not for God, my church members and Pastor
Lanre that God used to assist, encourage and support me
in all spheres, perhaps I would have died out of
frustration or taken the alternative of taking my own life.
In spite of my predicaments, Jocelyn never sympathised
with me. She never showed any feeling of concern, but I
wasn't bother either. This was because, even before
situation(s) turned me to a one-handed person, I had
become used and immune to Jocelyn's attitude. Although,
anyone would agree that it was during a period like this
my wife could have be supportive, instead she became
worse. Despite the fact we were under the same roof, she
avoided me like a plagued. She treated me with disdain
and never honoured our matrimonial vows.
Then one day, Jocelyn fell ill. Her parents came around
and took care of her. I offered to assist but they insisted
that I should not. For close to two weeks, I never set eyes
on Jocelyn. She was in her room on her bed.
Her father had ensured that three mobile policemen kept
watch over her daughter. They guarded the door to her
room, and took turns whenever one felt he was tired and
needed to rest or needed to eat something. This was a
ploy of Jocelyn's father so that I don't go into the room to
see Jocelyn, my own wife.
Well, I went on with my duties at home for those two
weeks and lived under the roof as though I were a
widower. Nobody to speak with. I saw the three
policemen, greeted them but they never responded.
Jocelyn's often came and went with their family doctor.
They never spoke to me and they instructed the family
doctor never to reveal anything to me concerning my
wife's illness.
After two weeks to administering treatment and doing
checkups, Jocelyn was taken to the hospital. Whenever I
realised her parents didn't bring her home, I knew she
had been admitted into the hospital.
All this time, her family still refused to reveal to us, me
and my pastor, what was really wrong with Jocelyn.
During this time, I started praying for Jocelyn. I even
went on dry fasting for a week, asking God to heal her.
A week after I ended my fast, I was at home that day
when Jocelyn's father called me on the phone and told me
softly that Jocelyn needed my presence in the hospital.
After the call, he texted me the address and the
description to the hospital. He concluded the text that I
was permitted to drive one of Jocelyn's cars parked in the
compound. That alone filled my heart with joy.
"After four months she was taken to the hospital, I was
going to see my wife!" I said aloud. Quickly, I dashed into
the bathroom, took a shower, got dressed and off I
dashed to the hospital in one of Jocelyn's cars.
By the time I got to the hospital, I met one of the nurses
and told her the patient I came for. I was directed to the
ward by the nurse. When I got to the ward, what I saw on
the bed made me shed tears. Jocelyn wasn't looking
herself at all.
She had grown thinner. She just laid in the bed, staring at
me, with tears dropping from her eyes. As I moved to sit
beside her, she stretched one of her hands for me to reach.
When I held her hand, she tried saying something, but I
stopped her from saying anything. "Pa... trick..." she
managed to whisper.
"Jocelyn, please reserve your energy.
I am here and will still be here. You can tell me whatever
you wish to say" I told her with a smile on my face and a
tone of assurance. This though didn't stop her from her
weeping. A few minutes later, the family doctor walked
into the ward. I didn't even allow him settle fully when I
enquired the illness that had eaten up my beautiful wife.
"Mr Patrick, your wife is dying" he said. "She has full
blown Aids!" the doctor said.
The news shook me terribly. I just stood, moving my eyes
to where my wife laid and back to the doctor's face.
"I am very sorry, Mr Patrick." he said and left the ward.
I sat beside Jocelyn's bed again, and assured her that I
was going to stay beside her and if she needed anything, I
would be by her side to run the errands. She looked at me
in the eye, with tears still dropping from her eyes, she
slowly nodded her head.
I kept to my words. I stood by her all through the period
she was in the hospital . I prayed for her.
For crying out loud, you may say she didn't deserve my
care, but in God's Eyes, forgiveness is the key.
Besides, when we were joined as man and wife, I made a
vow that, "in sickness and in health," I was going to be
with her. She may have wronged me in my ways, she was
still my wife and I needed her to understand what
forgiveness was all about.
Back to my story,
I didn't pay evil for evil during her sickness. I was not
afraid of contracting her the disease . I preached to her
about Jesus and prayed for her to have an encounter with
Jesus. I desired a second chance for her as I asked God to
perform a miracle.
"God ,please make the sickness to turn her to you, and let
her experience peace Oh Lord". This was always my
prayer. As the days rolled on, the sickness grew worse
and she was flown abroad. According to her father, he
did that because he thought of cloning his "dearest"
daughter. Six weeks later, news reached me that Jocelyn
was dead. My feeling was a mixed one when the news hit
me. I cried and mourned her for a few days. At the same
time, I was very happy, on the grounds that before she
passed on, she had given her life to Christ.
Of a truth, her death was supposed to be a sad news, but
it was the death that set me free from" my bondage." I
didn't wish her dead, but her death liberated me from the
shackles of marriage enslavement.
My case became like "In the year that King Uzziah died, I
saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted
up, and his train filled the temple."
The death of Jocelyn opened another episode in my life.
Oh! I almost forgot. God repaid me with blessings.
Before she died, she had written a will willing all her
properties, her savings and investments to me because,
according to her, despite her actions toward me, I was
with her throughout her predicament. I brushed her
teeth, fed her and washed her clothes while she was in
bed in the hospital.
When the lawyer read the will in the presence of Jocelyn's
parents, I couldn't hold back my tears. Jocelyn was worth
over N100 billion in property, savings and investments.
Everything was willed to me.
Now, I believe the saying, "Those who wait on the Lord
will never be put to shame".
Three months after the death of Jocelyn I was joined in
holy matrimony with Sister Eunice. A month after, I was
ordained as a pastor in my church and since then, God
has been using me tremendously in His vineyard.
My story has changed from "being a slave to being king".
I went to bed a very poor and wretched person, but woke
up a billionaire. Truly, It pays to serve Jesus and hold
unto Him, even during the face of painful trials.
A year after my marriage with Eunice, God blessed us
with a lovely baby boy whom we named" Emmanuel"
meaning "God is with me".
Today, I am very happy. My wife, Eunice, is a Prayer
Warrior I
and a wonderful wife. She is, in fact, an epitome of
beauty (like I mentioned in the previous episode).
Thank you very much for reading. Stay blessed.