Prologue: Rebelling to Survive

My name is Ameena and this is my story. I am an 18 year old 3rd year medical student or rather I was. A few months ago, I was forced by my parents into a marriage which I do not want. I had two choices, accept the marriage proposal, go through with it and spend the rest of my life miserable and suffering just like all the other Nigerian women I’ve seen but still have my family. Or I could run away with no help and little money and stand for what I believe in. I chose the latter.

I had about a thousand dollars which I had saved up in the past few years. I am now in Sudan where I school, or rather used to, in hiding. I don’t know who to trust here and certainly don’t plan on going back to Nigeria. My friends have abandoned me after various tricks to force me back home to my sealed fate. The embassy has been informed to deport me upon sight stating I am a mentally unstable girl whose parent wants her back home. As Sudan is a ‘so called’ Islamic country, it doesn’t care about the rights of a child, whatever my parents agree is how it will be.

I am running out of money and disguise. My anti depressants and anxiety pills are finished and I am scared of getting into a panic attack anytime soon. I’m running out of legal options to sustain my self cause the place I’m managing to rent has taken up all of my money. I can’t return back to to the gruesome fate that awaits me. I’ve seen what happens to girls who runway from arranged marriages. The torture they are forced to endure upon their return Is intolerable. They break you down mentally and physically up until the point you begin to believe it truly is your fault.

I can’t go back to that life. I want to live the life I dreamed about as a kid though now, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. This is the 21st century, girls shouldn’t be treated like objects or materials to be given off at anytime. I reserve my rights to be treated as a human being. If islamicly, a woman has the right to decide who she gets married to, then who gives these people the right to say otherwise.

I came to this radio station today because I have no where else to go. I’m tired of running and hiding- I’m running out of options. I need to get my story out before I Lose the little sanity I have left. Some may say I’m lying, some may think I’m insane but maybe, just maybe there is someone out there who might just believe my story and help me before. Though I don’t think that is possible. But hope is the one thing I have to hold on to, for the mean time.

After this, I’ll probably be arrested and deported back to the life they think I belong in. But at least, I’ll be able to say that I did my best. I owed it to myself to rebel and that is enough for me. Maybe this is how my story is meant to end. Maybe this isn’t meant to be my story, but someone else, who is listening to this will stand up, fight for her right and be successful.

This is purely a work of fiction 🙂