I used to live in the same house with my mother, sisters, and the children of my sisters. My eldest sister, who was married, was also living with us and her children. Because things were not going well financially for them, the family pitched in to help. You couldn't tell which child belonged to which parent the way we lived. That was how close we were.


Outsiders witnessed our affection for one other and hoped they could live with us. Everyone looked after everyone else. It became an issue when it came time for two of my eldest sister's children to begin their tertiary studies. Because my sister and her husband couldn't pay the fees, they nearly let their children's education finish at the high school level.. My other sisters, mother, and I, on the other hand, refused to allow this happen. 









We all pooled our finances and returned these youngsters to school. My sisters and I covered their school costs until they both graduated. My mother also fed them when they were at home and purchased them groceries and other school supplies when they had to leave for school. It was a family event. We had all hands on deck because we felt these children belonged to us and it was our responsibility to provide them with a brighter future.


Everyone appeared content the entire time we were caring for them. There were no complaints or issues of any kind. Things began to alter once they graduated from high school. My sister's son was unable to find work, therefore he was incarcerated. He was at home doing nothing with his life. His sister, on the other hand, married just a few months after finishing her national service. I'm not sure if marriage transformed her or just gave her the courage to show her real colours.









This young lady got really loud and rude. Every time she spoke to one of us, she made us feel inferior. The way the lady of the house would order her maid around was how she began speaking to us. She accused my mother of witchcraft when we tried to correct her.


Her brother was sitting at home, unemployed, while she was putting us through all of this. This youngster has not earned any money for five years. We fed him and met all of his needs like if he were a child. Nobody objected. We only did all we could to help him. I feel my mother did an excellent job for all of us who lived in the house. At Her age, she would go hungry if it meant we could eat the last meal in the house.








Someone approached me six years after he graduated from high school and stated he was a guarantor for my nephew. "Guarantor for what?" I inquired. "He applied for a student loan, which I guaranteed." "But after all these years, he hasn't made any payments," the guy answered. I was perplexed. This youngster, to the best of my knowledge, lacked nothing. We covered his school expenses and met his basic needs. So, what did he do with the loan? We inquired, but he was unable to provide us with any logical answers.


Even after all of that, we didn't abandon him. The youngster was then hired as a public school teacher. That's when he revealed his real colours to us. He slashed me and my mother. off as if we didn't matter to him. He also started calling my mother a witch.


I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't occurring right in front of my eyes. How can you label a lady you've known since infancy till you started working a witch? She wasn't a witch all those times she took care of you and sacrificed her meals for you. She only became a witch when you no longer need her care? What about your own grandmother?


The most troubling element of it all is that they did not keep their accusations to themselves. They informed everyone in the room. Someone in town would ask, "Why are your children going around calling their grandmother a witch?" "What exactly is going on?" I mostly shrugged and kept mute.


"Your niece said your mother is a witch, so I shouldn't give her money anymore," my wife recently informed me. "What happened to your family's love for each other?" That's when I realised that these kids were spreading false rumours in order to avoid having to help people who had aided them. What else may be the cause?


Except for their mother, they never longer phone or visit anybody. They have no interest in my mother, my other sisters, or me. They do, however, phone and visit my wife on a daily basis while I am not around. They may not realise what they are doing, yet their acts might cause strife within the family. How would you handle this problem if you were in my shoes? I'm going to need all the help I can get to solve this problem before it ruins our family.





KWADJO