AGOZI THE REJECTED CHILD



nce Upon a Time in Nigeria

In a small village in Nigeria, there lived a girl named Agazi. She was a kind and caring girl who lived with her mother, Chin, and her younger sister, Ify. Agazi's father had passed away when she was just five years old, and Ify was only three. Before their father's death, everything was peaceful in their home. Their mother, Chin, was loving and kind to everyone. However, after their father's death, something changed. Chin became angry and aggressive, directing all her anger toward Agazi. It seemed like she loved Ify more and showed Agazi no love at all.

As the days passed, Chin's behavior worsened. She started mistreating Agazi very badly while showing affection only to Ify. Ify, seeing how their mother treated Agazi, began to do the same. She copied her mother's behavior and started mistreating Agazi too. Agazi found herself doing all the house chores alone. She cleaned, swept, cooked, and fetched water while Ify did nothing to help. Whenever something went wrong, Ify would lie and blame Agazi for it. Chin would believe Ify without questioning and would punish Agazi.

When Agazi and Ify started secondary school, the situation became even worse. Ify would get into fights, and whenever Agazi tried to defend her, Ify would lie and say that it was Agazi who started the fight. Chin never bothered to ask for the truth and would just hit Agazi without listening to her side of the story. The mistreatment continued to escalate. One day, Ify purposely burned her own school uniform and switched it with Agazi's. When Chin found out, Ify lied and said she saw Agazi burning her uniform during ironing. Chin believed Ify without even considering Agazi's explanation.

The mistreatment became unbearable for Agazi. She felt helpless and didn't know what to do. She longed for things to go back to the way they were when their father was alive but didn’t know how to make it happen. Despite everything, Agazi held on to hope that things would get better someday.

A Glimmer of Hope

After Agazi finished secondary school, she started receiving suitors who were interested in marrying her. She was known for her beauty and kind heart, which attracted many young men to her. However, Ify and their mother, Chin, did everything they could to drive away Agazi's suitors. Whenever a suitor came to visit while Agazi was away, Ify and Chin would lie about Agazi, painting her as a bad person with a terrible character, hoping to turn the suitors away. This constant interference made it difficult for Agazi to find love and happiness.

Despite the obstacles, Agazi fell deeply in love with a particular suitor. She dreamed of building a future with him, but Ify and Chin continued to sabotage her chances of happiness. At one point, Agazi's life was in danger due to the constant mistreatment from Ify and Chin.

However, there was a kind-hearted woman in their village named Inkim, who knew about Agazi's struggles. Agazi often helped Inkim with chores, and in turn, Inkim would offer her food or money. As Agazi contemplated escaping her family's abuse, she turned to Inkim for help. Inkim had connections in the city and suggested that Agazi could work for a family there as a house help in exchange for pay. Inkim arranged everything for Agazi's departure, and one night, Agazi secretly packed her belongings and left for Inkim's place. The next morning, Inkim helped Agazi board a bus to the city, where she was welcomed by a kind family consisting of a husband, wife, and their young children.

They offered Agazi a warm and loving environment, a stark contrast to the hostility she experienced at home. Agazi quickly adapted to her new life in the city. She worked diligently, taking care of the household chores and looking after the children. She also found a job as a salesgirl in the family store, where she displayed her hardworking nature and dedication. Despite the challenges she faced in her past, Agazi remained hopeful for a brighter future. She was grateful for Inkim's kindness and the opportunity to start anew in the city. With determination and perseverance, Agazi embraced her new life and looked forward to the possibilities that lay ahead. Little did she know, this new chapter in her life would bring both joy and unexpected challenges, but Agazi was ready to face whatever came her way, knowing that she had the strength and resilience to overcome any obstacle.

New Beginning

One day, Agazi received an offer from the kind family she worked for in the city. They asked her if she would be interested in continuing her education, and Agazi eagerly said yes. The family suggested she enroll in a part-time course so she could continue working at the store while studying. Agazi was thrilled at the opportunity. She began her part-time studies while still fulfilling her duties at the store. She worked hard to balance her job and education, grateful for the chance to pursue her dreams.

Meanwhile, back in the village, the king's men grew concerned about Agazi's disappearance. They knew Chin had been unkind to Agazi and demanded answers from her. Despite Chin's efforts to locate Agazi, she remained missing. Faced with pressure from the king's men, Chin and Ify were eventually chased away from the village. With nowhere else to go, Chin took Ify back to her father's house in a neighboring village. However, Chin's brother, who was known for his cruelty, mistreated them both. He refused to allow them to stay and deprived them of any belongings from Chin's past life.

Struggling to survive, Chin and Ify faced even more hardships. One day, while walking in the fields, Chin suffered a severe fall, breaking her leg. Despite her injury, no one in the village offered to help with medical expenses, leaving Chin to suffer without proper care. As Chin's health deteriorated, Ify became increasingly wayward, showing little or no concern for her mother's well-being.

Eventually, Ify ran away with a man who had promised her a better life. However, their relationship soured, and Ify found herself alone with a baby to care for. Disappointed and abandoned, Chin welcomed Ify and her baby back home, despite Ify's previous neglect. Chin's heart ached as she watched her daughter struggle with the consequences of her choices, knowing there was little she could do to change their situation.

Success and Reconciliation

Despite the challenges they faced, Agazi remained focused on her goals in the city, unaware of the hardships her family endured back in the village. As she pursued her education and worked hard to build a better future for herself, four years passed since Agazi had finished her part-time program in the city. She had worked diligently for her guardians while pursuing her education, and now she found herself at a crossroads as her guardians announced their plans to relocate abroad.

Agazi's guardians revealed that they would trust her with managing the store and other responsibilities in their absence. They assured her that they would continue to pay her and promised the possibility of increased salary and even ownership of the business if she proved herself capable. Excited and grateful for the opportunity, Agazi eagerly accepted the challenge. She was determined to prove her worth and make her guardians proud.

As her guardians departed for their new life abroad, Agazi took charge of the store with determination and dedication. True to her word, Agazi excelled in her new role. She worked tirelessly, managing the store efficiently and ensuring its success. Her dedication and loyalty did not go unnoticed, and soon her guardians recognized her exceptional performance. Impressed by Agazi's hard work and competence, her guardians decided to hand over everything to her. They praised her for her commitment and entrusted her with the responsibility of running the business on her own.

With newfound confidence and determination, Agazi took the reins of the business and set out to expand it further. She invested her time and resources wisely, making strategic decisions that propelled the business to new heights. As the years passed, Agazi's business flourished, and she became increasingly wealthy. Her success was a testament to her resilience and determination to overcome the challenges she had faced in the past.

Return to the Village

Despite the hardships she endured, Agazi never lost sight of her goals and remained steadfast in her pursuit of a better life. With her newfound wealth and success, Agazi's thoughts often drifted back to her family in the village. She wondered how they were faring and longed to help them escape the hardships they faced.

As time passed, Chin and her daughter Ify found themselves living a life filled with regret. Chin's health deteriorated rapidly, and her leg began to decay from lack of proper care. Ify struggled to provide for herself and her child, facing hardship after hardship as they barely managed to feed themselves.

After several years of success in the city, Agazi felt a strong urge to return to her village and express her gratitude to Inkim for her kindness and support. Upon her return, Agazi showered Inkim with gifts and helped her set up her own business, bringing joy and relief to Inkim's life. Eager to reconnect with her family, Agazi visited her old home, hoping to find Chin and Ify. However, to her surprise, she discovered that they were no longer there.

Shocking Revelation

Instead, Agazi encountered her uncles and other family members, who revealed a shocking truth. Chin was not her biological mother. Agazi learned that her real mother was her father's first wife, who had tragically passed away during childbirth. Chin had married Agazi's father afterward and had treated Agazi poorly because she was not her own child. Ify, on the other hand, was Chin's biological daughter, which explained the favoritism and mistreatment Agazi had experienced for years.

The revelation left Agazi stunned, but she quickly composed herself and decided to help her family despite the past. She found Chin and Ify living in squalor, barely surviving. Moved by compassion, Agazi decided to offer them financial support and bring them back to the city, where she could take care of them. She provided Chin with medical treatment and ensured that they were well taken care of.

Agazi's success in life became a source of pride for her family and village. Chin, who had once mistreated her, was now filled with regret and sought forgiveness from Agazi. Agazi forgave her and Ify, choosing to move forward and focus on building a better future for herself and her family. Her journey from a mistreated girl to a successful and compassionate woman served as an inspiration to others, showing that with determination and resilience, one can overcome any challenge and achieve greatness.