Fixorshub Blog

Mrs. Shoyeni was a hardworking, single mother who had lost her husband just two years after their marriage. Since then, she had been solely responsible for their only daughter, Tinuke. As a psychologist working in one of the biggest hospitals in Lagos, Mrs. Shoyeni’s job provided enough to cover their needs, but it often required her to be away from home for long hours.

One afternoon, while at work, Mrs. Shoyeni received a phone call that made her blood run cold. Tinuke, her eighteen-year-old daughter, had collapsed at her university and was rushed to the hospital. Tinuke, a second-year nursing student studying in Yola State, was supposed to be thriving. Instead, she was now lying unconscious in a hospital bed, hundreds of miles away.

After quickly explaining the situation to her boss, who knew how dedicated she was, Mrs. Shoyeni was granted immediate leave. She traveled from Lagos to Yola, her mind racing with worry. By the time she reached the hospital, a day had passed since the incident. The doctor informed her that a harmful substance had been found in Tinuke’s system. If she hadn’t been brought in so quickly, she might not have survived. Even more troubling was that Tinuke refused to answer any questions about how the substance had entered her body. The doctors advised that she remain in the hospital for further observation, leaving her mother with no clear answers. Was it drug abuse, poisoning, or a suicide attempt?

After a week, Tinuke was discharged. She and her mother returned to Lagos, the trip home marked by a heavy silence, each lost in their thoughts. Mrs. Shoyeni, with her background in psychology, knew the issue was delicate and required a patient approach. She was terrified by the idea that her daughter might have considered suicide, but she held back, choosing not to confront Tinuke immediately. Once they got home, she suggested they freshen up and then have dinner. The chef was instructed to prepare porridge and boiled fish, but neither seemed to have much of an appetite. An hour later, they sat at the dining table, the air thick with an awkward silence.

“Tinuke, you’ve barely touched your food. Would you like something else?” Mrs. Shoyeni asked gently.

“No, it’s fine,” Tinuke muttered, her eyes fixed on her plate.

“Do you want to talk now? It’s been a week,” Mrs. Shoyeni said cautiously, watching her daughter’s expression.

“I’m sorry, Mum. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” Tinuke whispered, her voice trembling as she avoided her mother’s eyes.

Mrs. Shoyeni’s heart ached at the sight of her daughter’s pain. “Tinuke mi, my love. I’m your mother. Tell me what happened,” she said softly, moving to embrace her daughter. She led her to the living room couch, sitting beside her in silence, waiting patiently for Tinuke to speak.

After several minutes, Tinuke began, her voice hesitant and quiet. “I met someone… Paul. We bonded over music. He noticed I was listening to NF at the bus terminal last year. He’s a final-year accounting student at my school.”

Tinuke’s eyes grew distant as she recalled that day. “ I was plugged in one day at the bus terminal and standing right behind him. He was tall and slender, his skin ebony and shining like the walkway models on television. His hair was plaited all back, and his smile was charming and welcoming,” Tinuke continued; she smiled a bit, reminiscing the memories of that fateful day. Mrs Shoyeni paid attention to her daughter, giving her an encouraging smile to continue.

“Is that NF?” Someone in front of Tinuke asked, turning slightly to face her
“What? ” Tinuke replied, taking her airpods out to hear what the stranger in front of her had said.
“Are you listening to”Change” by NF?” He said and then proceeded to sing a line of the song.
“Yes,” Tinuke replied, smiling slightly. NF is a Western artist that Tinuke loved to listen to.
“I guessed right. My name is Paul, and you are,” He said, smiling in an amused way. Tinuke loved his smile and responded with the same energy
“I’m Tinuke,” she said smiling shyly
“That’s was the beginning of everything” Tinuke Said facing her mum.
“I still wonder what would have happened if I never met him,” Tinuke said again. It saddened Mrs. Shoyeni to see her daughter speak out of so much pain. She resented a part of herself, maybe if she was more present or called Tinuke often. She could have prevented what happened from happening.
“We spoke every day henceforth; I never knew one could feel so connected to another human being. We loved the same music and had similar multiple interests” Tinuke continued
“It was so perfect. We went out for weeks and when Paul finally asked me to be his girlfriend, I said yes.”
“Being Paul’s girlfriend came with a lot of baggage; for one, he was quite popular in school, and I had to accompany him to various parties on campus; I even started getting invites to big gatherings. It was a lot to handle, and I started missing classes; my grades started falling, too, but I couldn’t tell you any of this.
Everything seemed to be going well until things started to change and I could not explain why. He became distant, and there were rumors… rumors about other girls. One day, I received pictures from his ex-girlfriend, Selina—pictures of her with Paul. When I confronted him, he dismissed it. He called me paranoid.”

Tinuke’s voice wavered, tears pooling in her eyes. “I should have seen the signs, but I didn’t. I wanted to believe him. He apologized and invited me to a party, saying he wanted to make things right. But at the party, he disappeared. I was left with his friends, and after a few drinks, everything became blurry.”

She paused, wiping her eyes. “I woke up in a strange room with two of his friends. I… I don’t remember much, but I know something happened. I told Paul, and he blamed me and said I must have seduced them. He stopped answering my calls after that. I felt so lost, so ashamed.”
Mrs. Shoyeni’s heart shattered at her daughter’s confession. She reached out, holding Tinuke’s hand tightly. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice breaking.

“I was scared, Mum. I thought I could handle it on my own. I tried to focus on my studies, but then my period was late. I panicked. I told Tolu, my roommate, who’s also Paul’s friend. Paul found out and came to see me. He… he offered me a pill. Said it would fix everything. I took it because I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

Tinuke fell to her knees, clutching her mother’s dress. “I’m so sorry, Mum. I didn’t know what else to do. I found out in the hospital that I wasn’t even pregnant, just late because of the drugs they had given me that night. I’m so sorry.”

Mrs. Shoyeni looked down at her daughter, her tears flowing freely now. She had always feared the pressures and dangers of the world outside, but she never imagined they would come so close. “We’ll get through this,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “But we need to take things one step at a time.”

She helped Tinuke to her feet, leading her back to her room. “Let’s rest tonight. We’ll talk more tomorrow,” she said, kissing her daughter’s forehead. Neither of them slept that night. Both lay awake, staring at their ceilings, grappling with the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

Written by- Ajadi Ayomide

“FixorsHub is a premier platform dedicated to connecting skilled workers and handy people with individuals and businesses in need of reliable, high-quality services. Founded with a vision to bridge the gap between service providers and customers, FixorsHub ensures that every job is handled by experienced professionals who meet our rigorous standards. Whether you are a fashion designer, air conditioning technician, cleaner, makeup artist, photographer, CCTV technician, or in any other field, FixorsHub is the innovative market where you can monetize your skills and boost your income.

Whether you are a solar and inverter technician, event planner, mechanic, rewire, plumber, carpenter, graphic designer, digital marketer, or whatnot, FixorsHub is the innovative shop for you to turn your skills into money and smile to the banks. Registration is completely free — simply sign up at www.fixorshub.com to kickstart your journey as a FixorsHub Partner Service Provider.”