In the flat above me is a neighbour (I'll call her Barrister Amaka) from hell. A two-time divorcee and someone so disagreeable and contentious that no one has a good opinion of her.
Before she moved into my compound, her law office was close to where I stay. The first time I saw her, I told my wife that this lady is not a good person. My wife thought I was being unfairly judgemental since I hadn't even met the lady before.
It was with shock that I heard news that she was going to become a co-tenant in the property where I stay. I called my landlord to voice out my displeasure but he reassured me and told me to try getting along with her the best way I could. I did that for three years or so. Even pumping water for her to use without paying a dime. The borehole is on my prepaid meter.
Over the years, her character became obvious. She broke her brothers marriage, convinced him to chase his wife away and took the only child they had. The girls father has called severally for his daughter to be returned to no avail. She beats this girl endlessly.
It was with shock that I heard news that she was going to become a co-tenant in the property where I stay. I called my landlord to voice out my displeasure but he reassured me and told me to try getting along with her the best way I could. I did that for three years or so. Even pumping water for her to use without paying a dime. The borehole is on my prepaid meter.
Over the years, her character became obvious. She broke her brothers marriage, convinced him to chase his wife away and took the only child they had. The girls father has called severally for his daughter to be returned to no avail. She beats this girl endlessly.
Imagine beating an eight year old as if you were beating a thief. At the slightest offence, she'd pounce on this girl. There was a time she beat this girl from 11pm till 5am in the morning. Not having it, the neighbours across the street came knocking the next day and she told them to go to hell and there'd be nothing they'd do since she was a lawyer.
Her first husband ran away with a HIV positive woman even after Barrister Amaka caught them together, showed him proof of the woman's HIV status. She tried everything to get the man to return but he refused. He had had enough of her character. Not long after that, she locked up a man who worked for her.
Her first husband ran away with a HIV positive woman even after Barrister Amaka caught them together, showed him proof of the woman's HIV status. She tried everything to get the man to return but he refused. He had had enough of her character. Not long after that, she locked up a man who worked for her.
The man's wife was close to her EDD and she pleaded for her husband's release to no avail. Even the police, the catholic bishop of their parish and their cultural union pleaded with barrister Amaka to allow the man be released so he could be around his wife during her labour. She refused.
The pregnant woman, as labour pains set in, held her stomach and placed a curse on barrister Amaka saying that her womb will never carry a child. Barrister Amaka got remarried and with pregnancy not forthcoming for years, the second husband got angsty and made inquiries. That's when he was informed that his wife was under a curse. He fled the marriage shortly after.
Last year, she got involved in a grape case. A minor (12, I'll call her Peace) got graped by a 45 year old married man and father of 5 children. Peace got pregnant and gave birth to twins. One died.
Last year, she got involved in a grape case. A minor (12, I'll call her Peace) got graped by a 45 year old married man and father of 5 children. Peace got pregnant and gave birth to twins. One died.
In her craftiness, she convinced Peace's father to allow Peace come stay with her and that she'll look for a couple to adopt the baby. She also convinced the father not to allow the case go forward. The grapist had been locked up in prison but since there was no one to testify against him, the man walked free. My neighbour stopped Peace and her dad from acting as witnesses for the prosecution. I didn't understand what her aim was until much later.
Barrister Amaka sweetened the deal by telling the father of Peace that the person coming to adopt his daughters child had agreed to train Peace till she completes secondary school. The man, a bricklayer, agreed.
Barrister Amaka sweetened the deal by telling the father of Peace that the person coming to adopt his daughters child had agreed to train Peace till she completes secondary school. The man, a bricklayer, agreed.
Peace came to stay with her and my wife had to help Peace through with everything a new mom needed to know. She would bath her every morning, bath the baby as well and show her how to breastfeed him. My wife however noticed that Peace wasn't producing much breast milk. It turned out that my neighbour was starving the girl. The portion of food she'd give the girl was too small for someone breastfeeding. We later had to be sneaking food to the poor girl to eat.
That wasn't enough. Barrister Amaka would practically work Peace to death. A breast feeding 12 year old, on starvation rations was doing work that 5 previous house helps has fled from. It wasn't long though before Peace started recieving beatings. Oh! How my blood boiled.
Later on, my neighbour got adoption papers and called Peace dad to sign. She lied to him that she'd gotten someone to adopt the child. Peace though, clearly mentioned that she'd rather prefer to raise her child herself but her dad threatened to throw her out of his house. With documents signed, Peace enrolled in a cheap school, Barrister Amaka kept the baby for herself and renamed him. Neither Peace nor her dad know.
Recently though, Barrister Amaka got caught bypassing her meter. Instead of her to show remorse, she picked a fight with AEDC staff. The power company disconnected the whole house as a result.
That wasn't enough. Barrister Amaka would practically work Peace to death. A breast feeding 12 year old, on starvation rations was doing work that 5 previous house helps has fled from. It wasn't long though before Peace started recieving beatings. Oh! How my blood boiled.
Later on, my neighbour got adoption papers and called Peace dad to sign. She lied to him that she'd gotten someone to adopt the child. Peace though, clearly mentioned that she'd rather prefer to raise her child herself but her dad threatened to throw her out of his house. With documents signed, Peace enrolled in a cheap school, Barrister Amaka kept the baby for herself and renamed him. Neither Peace nor her dad know.
Recently though, Barrister Amaka got caught bypassing her meter. Instead of her to show remorse, she picked a fight with AEDC staff. The power company disconnected the whole house as a result.
I had no issues with them and couldn't understand why I had to be in darkness due to her actions and I clearly told AEDC staff that if I wasn't reconnected, I was going to write their head office in Abuja since they were scared of her. I got reconnected and finding out that I was reconnected, barrister Amaka went to the meters and destroyed all the wires. Not one to lay my hands on a woman, I simply called my landlord and informed him of what was going on.
I do fight dirty though and I have gathered every evidence of her bypass and I've made inquiries on the proper adoption measures the law in Nigeria permits. She clearly hasn't gone through that process. That child can be taken away from her. My landlord though has pleaded that I hold my peace for now. Otherwise, I'm ready to forward petitions to AEDC and the Legal Practitioners Council of Nigeria.
There is nothing worse than living with a neighbour from hell. Nothing is more regretful than showing someone kindness and yet they take that to be weakness and stupidity. Lessons learnt.
I do fight dirty though and I have gathered every evidence of her bypass and I've made inquiries on the proper adoption measures the law in Nigeria permits. She clearly hasn't gone through that process. That child can be taken away from her. My landlord though has pleaded that I hold my peace for now. Otherwise, I'm ready to forward petitions to AEDC and the Legal Practitioners Council of Nigeria.
There is nothing worse than living with a neighbour from hell. Nothing is more regretful than showing someone kindness and yet they take that to be weakness and stupidity. Lessons learnt.
First off....The papers for the child is signed and no one can take the baby away from her so dont go there.....Despite her being allegedly wicked, i am happy that she has a child of her own now.....All other thing you accused of is allegedly cos i may meet her and she would treat me differently...There are just some people that we can never agreee with but we also see them being friends with someone else...
That woman that cursed her, she is not God !!!
🤔 hmmn
ReplyDeleteI have so much to say but no time to type it all. You don’t judge a story until you know why people act the way they do. Even if she’s a ‘terrible’ person, it was wrong of you to go to your landlord to stop her from getting an apartment in your compound. You don’t have that power or right. The best you could have done was keep your distance.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, you and your wife secretly giving ‘Peace’ food was also wrong. It could have gotten you into trouble with her. What if something had happened to her and you were blamed for the meal you served her?
Some people aren’t nice, but the truth is, something must have made them that way.
©️ TEEJAY
Teejay, we all have traumatic experiences that could have shaped us to be lesser versions of ourselves but most people choose to take the high road, internalise their hurts and don't let it affect how they relate with others.
DeleteRegarding feeding Peace, what do you suggest my wife and I should have done? Ignore a breastfeeding mom in hunger? I'm not built that way.
Please,I think you should fight the fight that concerns you and leave the adoption issue for the owners.I understand to an extent how frustrating it can be living with such neighbours but don't let anger push you to that adoption side,Nigeria no dey protect whistle blower,they will even inform her without her asking that it came from you.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a very troublesome neighbour like her before,he didn't pay for the waste being,we had to share his own part of the bill with other tenants.He didn't pay the gate man when we had one but he used the services of the gateman more than other tenants,he will send the gateman on errands and people who pay the gateman will be opening the gates themselves,most times when it is his turn to pump water,he won't recharge his prepaid meter,he destroyed the tap outside used for washing cars and said everyone should be fetching from their houses because the tap was connected to their tank but rushed to start using the tap when we connected it to ours.We saw hell,thank God it's over.
Just keep managing her but don't do anything you will regret when the anger passes
Your last paragraph makes a lot of sense thank you. The frustration got the better of me I guess.
DeleteBV Dogdety how old are you.
ReplyDeleteYou shaa like trouble and doesn't mind your business.
Bring on something interesting
My family staying in darkness for close to a month because of the criminality of a neighbour surely makes it my business don't you think?
DeleteStella you are wrong
ReplyDeleteAdoption has to be formalized in court
In Nigeria, there is no such thing as signing off child papers
I’m with the writer on this
Did you guys not see where’s she starves and beats a child from night till day break. If the child dies nko
Involve the authorities
She’s a sad excuse for a human being