Madam Nnonye was an septuagenerian who had seen the wake and fall of many tides, she lived in autonomous community of Ekaziba which was known for her deep rooted cultural stance and values.
She had seven children and had raised them single-handedly from infancy to adulthood, children that had all become very successful in various spheres of life. Some were teachers. Medical doctor, political leaders and a lawyer but mama Nnonye could be mistaken for a woman without a child.
For many years mama's children kept dying one after they other, the most painful was the death of her last child, a medical doctor based in the United States of America. That particular death was the last straw strong enough to break the camel's back.
After the funeral, the village council summoned her for interrogation, in attendance at the meeting was Nzuola the witch hunter and Obandiola the Chief Priest of Obandi.
The session began at midnight, several questions were asked, examinations and cross examinations carried out. Her feeble voice could not come out audible enough even as she was asked to stand for hours.
When it got to the point of judgement, she was asked to step on a stone, if a cock crew while she did that, she was guilty but if otherwise then her innocence was established.
Well, no sooner had she gone on the Stone than the cock crew. It was a night of tears. The witch hunter declared her guilty of killing her children and eating them to increase her lifespan.
She was banned permanently to the evil forest of caves. That was to be her new home. What a sad story indeed. It was in that same year that the medical missionaries from the church in Rome arrived the village on an outreach.
When they arrived, they were well informed about the incidence that occurred in the family of mama Nnonye. Medical examinations were carried out and it was discovered that all the children Who died were suffering from sickle cell anemia. That was the witch that killed all the dead and committed Nnonye to many years of solitude and anguish.
Science is a plus to lives everyday because it answers the questions how and why?
Although the lives lost can not be brought back, it was confirmed that mama Nnonye was innocent . The community had long been saved and is now the headquarters of the Anglican Church in the East.
A Colleague we Lost To Sickle cell
I went to see a friend yesterday and she was telling me about her friend's daughter who was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia at the age of 6. They are on a search for a matching donor for a bone marrow transplant to save her life.
I told her that I will find time to come in for the cheek swab to check whether I'm a match.
Then we got chatting, and I told her that since I'm AS, the first question I asked my boyfriend, just like most other men I've dated is their genotype. She then responded "Nkechi, I think it's all about love o. If you love each other and have faith, you will both pull through, no matter the genotype".
And I thought to myself "oh well, people don't learn". Here is a friend of a woman whose daughter is lying critically ill on a life support. They are now taking a very drastic measure to save her life. And she is telling me that "it's all about love o".
I think it is selfish for two people to INTENTIONALLY and/or recklessly bring a child to this world to suffer. You enjoy being in love to the detriment of an innocent life.
I have given up a chance at fairytale love just because we both found out we were AS a day after we started dating.
Medical technology has not been able to come up with a good cure or remedy for sickle cell condition. And until they do, I strongly believe it's only fair for informed individuals to take pragmatic and precautionary measures to reduce the chances of bringing in more lives to live in agony.
I'm a young unmarried woman with an AS genotype, so I'm speaking as an "insider".
My mum started sounding this into my ears as soon as I could understand the logic behind the compatibility, as it relates to genotype and procreation. If I get to have an AS child, (50% chance), I will educate them on all possible ways to avoid having a sickle cell baby, and I will start as soon as they can understand it.
I forgive couples who were ignorant of this fact, but I don't forgive couples who were informed but decided to take chances.
If you are AS and you decide to marry AS, make sure you get medically assisted conception. I heard there are ways you could avoid conceiving or birthing a baby with SS genotype.
I'm not so sure, but embryo selection, and a technology that helps you check the genotype of a child as early as 8 weeks or so, then you can abort, if need be, are currently in place.
But if you know you can't abort and you don't subscribe to embryo selection or any other form of assisted reproduction that could help avoid having an unhealthy offspring, then please consider compatibility when choosing a partner.
Thank you @air-clinic
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fabulous post. This is one topic that needs more audience. The rate at which people, especially children
diebecause of the ignorance of this fact is alarming.welldone @ambdavid
Thank you very much. I agree with you completely @chijoseph
Sorry for the loss of your colleague. No child should be brought into this world to suffer because of selfish love. People should know their genotype and do the necessary.
This post has received a 3.40 % upvote from @morwhale thanks to: @ambdavid.
@anomadsoul I must say am encouraged by your upvote.
Thank you very much