‘Feeding has always been a thing of luxury to me’

Fending for oneself, let alone a family of five with little proceeds from hawking sachet water in present-day Nigeria, is a herculian task. But this is the pathetic state and tear-dropping story of a 24-year-old widow, Mercy Akan, from Akwa Ibom State, who had heard stories of the bright side of life, yet hadn’t tasted of it.

Our correspondent accosted Mercy Akan at the University of Uyo Town Campus while in a frenzy to sell pure water (sachet water) to some thirsty customers who had beckoned on her from a distance.

She obliged to tell her story of woes to Saturday Tribune, she hoped that she could find help when her tale is made public.

The young Akwa Ibomite from Urue-Offong Local Government Area looked a bit older than her age and worn out. These, she said, were the result of the hardship she’s been going through from the cradle. She narrated how she was born into a family of existential struggles and had to be married off at a very tender age to reduce her dependence on her parents. But cruel fate brought her back to her knees in no time. She lost her husband, her presumed benefactor, early.

Mercy narrated how, in trying to find her feet in life after the demise of her hubby in a fatal accident, she was deceived to go to Lagos by a neighbour for prostitution in the guise of offering her a lucrative business.

Hear her: “My name is Mercy Akan. I’m from Urue-Offong Local Government Area Akwa Ibom State. I’m 24 years old and I have four children – one boy and three girls.

“I was not born with a silver spoon as I was born into a family of hardship and difficulty. My parents gave birth to two children of which I’m the elder. My younger brother is just 14 years old. Because of the hardship that has been plaguing my family since I was little, I decided to get married early. But not long, I lost my mother when I was 18 years old as well as my dad while I was still in primary school.

“I got married in 2010 and in 2014, my husband was involved in a terrible car accident that took his life. By then, I had already given birth to three children and pregnant with my fourth child when he died.

“I was barely 15 when I got married. When I gave birth to my first child, it was my mother who helped breastfeed the baby for the first month because I was so naive. Because of my academic prowess, my mother took me from primary four to write the common entrance exam in Primary Six. I also wrote my SS3 exams in SS2 so I finished school very early.

“After my husband died, I was devastated and didn’t know how to cope with my children. That was when a woman I knew as a family friend while growing up took me to Lagos with the promise of helping me look for a business to do in 2016. I left my kids with one of my husband’s sisters.

“Unfortunately, I later realised that the business she was talking about was prostitution. She wanted me to sleep with men and give her part of the proceeds, but I couldn’t do it because of how I was brought up.

“I had to beg her to return me to my state and let me look for something legitimate to do. She agreed and took me back to my village where I was doing farm work with my mother.

“After my mother died in 2018, one of my uncles brought me and my children to Uyo where I have been trying my hands on different businesses. I sell different kinds of fruits during their seasons. But recently, I have not had enough money to continue so I settled for this pure water business.

“My husband’s family used to help me with cash for the children’s upkeep but recently, they have stopped and I don’t blame them because I know that it is not easy for anyone these days.

“As a result, I have withdrawn two of my children from school because I don’t have enough money to pay for their school fees. The money I make from this pure water business is basically for feeding and the money is not much. On the days that business is good, I sell up to 10 bags of sachet water with just about N1,500 profit.

“Because of the high cost of food prices and other things, that money is not always enough to feed, but God is merciful to us by making us survive.”

Mercy’s pathetic story hasn’t ended. She appears a lady with some residue of resilience for a change of story, especially given her academic brilliance that has suffered setbacks owing to poverty. As a result, opting for another love, as another way of escape from privation, isn’t a good option as of now.

“I don’t have any man that is showing interest in dating or marrying me, and I am not also ready to be in any kind of love situation in the meantime. I just want to hustle the little way I can and take care of my children and my sibling, and I’m trusting God to see me through,” she said.

When asked what she would like to do if help came her way, Mercy said that she could manage any business very well because that is the only tangible thing that could sustain her and her children with whom she’s squatting with a former classmate in a room.

“I can do any type of business. If someone comes to me and is directed by God to help me, I would like a provision shop where I can sell foodstuff because business is one thing I know that can sustain my family.

“I live at Udi Street along Aka Road. I live with one of my secondary school classmates. She is letting me stay with her in her one-room apartment for free,” she disclosed.

Mercy wouldn’t acquaint herself with happenings in the country as all her concerns are on the upkeep of her children and sibling.

“Life has been very hard on me since I was little. Feeding has always been a thing of luxury to me and that’s what I pursue daily that has made me older than my age,” she declared amid sobs.

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