Dear Mama, Happy Mother's Day

"This tiny thing what does she know, Madam Common Entrance Examination is not for babies and sucklings".

"Oga it's your son that's a suckling. Forget her size, my daughter will beat your son anyday in any exam".

That was Mummy speaking in my defense.

It was a Saturday morning in 1998, the day of the Common Entrance Examination for Primary School students. We were at Urhobo College in Effurun, Delta State the venue of the exam and there were hundreds of students from different Primary schools, some of whom were accompanied by their parents.

We were waiting to be ushered into the exam hall and I sat by Mummy alongside other parents in a sheltered space on the school's premises.
As we waited, parents conversed about different issues and that was when a certain Father who had brought his son for  the exams sighted me sitting by Mummy. He was a popular TV Presenter and wanted to know if I was writing or if I accompanied my brother who was also writing on that day and when Mummy told him I was writing he scoffed and told her to let me stay home as the exams wasn't for babies.

Mummy isn't one to take issues about her children lying low and she shushed everyone who thought they had an opinion about my ability to pass the exam.

I wouldn't blame them though. I was barely 8 years old, in Primary 4 and was small, tiny in fact but Mummy always reminded me that my size wasn't the determinant of my abilities. "You are a Queen with a strong Spirit", she would say.

We wrote the Common Entrance Examination and I was the second best from my school, defeating even the Primary 6 students.

On the day I was to write the entrance examination for the Secondary school I was to attend - Fieldcrest International High School, the Vice Principal who was Mummy's customer (she sold fabrics) called her aside and advised her to let only my brother write as I was too young and wouldn't scale through the Exam and rigorous Interview process.

Mummy responded that if my brother could write then nothing would stop me, "just try her and see" she said with a smile.
I wrote the exams and after the Interview with the Principal and other staff, I was carried and cheered by the staff to the reception area where parents and other candidates were waiting. Everyone wanted to know whose daughter I was - I still see the glow on Mummy's face as she sang my praises.

At times when Mummy had to choose between a son or daughter for any task or event, she picked the more qualified person and always reminded us that male or female we all had equal abilities and when I would go report any of my siblings to her after a squabble she would remind me (anyone of us in fact) that an outsider wouldn't offend me like my siblings would, only those we love can really hurt us.

It's Mother's day today and Mama is still dishing advise and cheering me on to great things. I think of you Queen Igho Imonirhua and I know I can never really repay you for always putting my love on top.

As I always say, I owe you success and the best Son In-law.

I hope to be the kind of Mummy you are to my children.

I love you Mama, Happy Mother's Day!