Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Prelude 1

1  Introduction 5
1.1. Mother’s hopes as I can recollect 6
1.2. Her marriage & children: a total of six 7
1.3. The death of her first male child when I was a baby 10
1.4. The sacrificial Mother, the sacrificial lamb 11
1.5. Her convalescence & back to Togo: when she first saw me, she looked for a sign 12

2  Her daughters and daughter-Mother relationship: I was the “mamanyee” 15

3  Me and my Mother: some significant moments 17
3.1. Me-the student and my Mother: the quarrels: mostly patriarchal in nature & lack of maturity on
my part 17
3.2. Me-the new worker-teacher and my Mother: Agbemenyawo 20
3.3. I robbed her of my brother’s son, her grandson 21
3.4. Me by her hospital bed when she was beginning to breathe her last breath 23
3.5. It hurts and so badly to see her go 24

4  Evaluation of the short-lived Mother-Daughter Relationship & Some Reflections on Older Siblings 29

5  Mother and her Last Name: Ŋɔnɔmi “the Sweet Smelling-Tasting Oil 57

6  Unanswered Questions 61
6.1. Do we get to recognize them again? 62
6.2. But why has the life been so spoilt and become so bitter? 67

7  Conclusion 77

References 81