Part 1
In a society of pride, culture, and family expectations, Adebayo’s failure to marry his wife the right way leads to devastating consequences. Will Jane get the justice she deserves? Read and learn.
Adebayo was a man who had everything, wealth, influence, and the respect of everyone around him. Living in Lagos, Nigeria, he had become a powerful businessman, running a network of companies that spanned the country.
He wasn’t a man to settle down. He had his share of casual relationships, but when he met Jane, things changed. Jane was unlike anyone Adebayo had ever met. She was beautiful, intelligent, and warm-hearted.
Her laughter was infectious, and her presence seemed to light up any room she walked into. From the moment they met at a friend’s party, Adebayo was captivated by her charm and grace.
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It didn’t take long before their relationship blossomed into something deeper. They spent countless hours together, discussing everything under the sun.
Their bond grew stronger with every passing day. Adebayo loved her. There was no doubt about that. And soon, their lives were entwined.
It wasn’t long before Jane was pregnant with their first child, and the couple began living together as a family. Despite the growing family and the life they shared, Adebayo never formally paid Jane’s bride price.
It was a traditional part of marriage in their culture, but Adebayo didn’t see the need. They lived together, they were committed to one another, and they had a child—wasn’t that enough?
“Don’t you think you should do things properly?” Adebayo’s mother would ask him every time she visited. “Aren’t we already married, Mom?” he would reply, brushing off her concerns. “We’re living together, and we’re happy.”
But his mother’s words haunted him. The longer he ignored the tradition, the more it seemed like a looming shadow in their lives. As time passed, Jane’s family began to press the issue.
They weren’t angry, but they were concerned. In their culture, the bride price was a crucial part of a marriage, a mark of respect from the husband’s family to the bride’s. Without it, they didn’t consider the marriage valid.
Timi, Jane’s brother, was the first to bring it up. “Jane, when will Adebayo come to pay the bride price?” he asked one evening, his voice calm but firm.
“I don’t know,” Jane replied, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice. “He says we’re already married.” “Does he? Does he know that we don’t recognize a marriage without the bride price?” Timi’s words were blunt, but they made Jane pause.
The pressure from her family started to build. Her father, a traditional man, had always emphasized that no woman was truly married without the bride price. “It’s a matter of honor,” he would say. “Without it, a woman is nothing more than a live-in girlfriend.”
Jane loved Adebayo, but her loyalty to her family and their traditions weighed heavily on her. The calls became more frequent. “Adebayo must come,” her father’s voice echoed in her mind. “If he truly loves you, he will make it right.”
But Adebayo continued to delay. “We’ll get to it,” he would say dismissively when the topic came up. “I’m busy with work.”
The months turned into years, and the gap between Jane’s family and Adebayo’s lack of action grew. Tensions were rising, but Adebayo remained unmoved.
The longer Adebayo waited to pay the bride price, the more strained things became between Jane and her family. It wasn’t just about the money—it was about respect, tradition, and the acknowledgment of the union.
Jane had hoped that Adebayo would understand the importance of the bride price to her family, but he continued to put it off. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for her—it was just that he didn’t see the value in following traditions he considered outdated.
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As the years went by, Adebayo’s success in business grew. His empire expanded rapidly, and he began to acquire more properties, more cars, and more influence.
But with this newfound wealth came a sense of superiority. He began to feel that he was above certain customs. “I have everything I need,” he would say. “Why does a bride price matter?”
But Jane’s family didn’t feel the same. They continued to call, to press, to demand that he come and settle the matter. “What’s the point of all this wealth if you don’t honor your promises?” her father would say when she called him to explain. “If you love my daughter, do what’s right.”
Jane found herself torn between her love for Adebayo and her loyalty to her family. She could see both sides. She knew that Adebayo didn’t mean any harm, but she also knew how important this was to her father.
The storm was gathering on the horizon, and neither side was willing to back down. One morning, a call came that shook Jane to her core. Adebayo had collapsed suddenly at work and was rushed to the hospital.
Despite all attempts to save him, he passed away before the doctors could do anything. It was an unexpected tragedy that rocked their lives.
Jane could hardly believe the news. Just days ago, Adebayo had been fine—busy as usual, making plans for the future. How could he be gone so suddenly? Her mind reeled with the grief, but it was also filled with questions.
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