Today, there’ll be no fresh episode of The Fourth Finger.
Sorry ?
I’m also not going to be on radio. I canceled for personal reasons. It’s also why I’m not posting anything here today.
I hope to be back next week, as God desires.
However, I want to talk about the last episode and the relationship that existed between Christie and her brother, Solomon. I got two messages from two separate readers. One, good and the other that made no sense to me.
The other that made no sense to me was basically angry (and I don’t know why) that I brought up the topic of incest and ‘blamed’ it on Christianity. Then he went ahead to remind me that I was a child of God and I should not be writing such things that don’t edify the body of Christ. And in the end, he adds, ‘cool down with the sex scenes.’
I did not reply him. See the thing is, he’s not the first. I get this from time to time. People telling me what I should and shouldn’t write. Telling me I’m a Christian and should write Christian literature. I used to be upset but now, I don’t bother. Rather I encourage them to go write theirs.
Quoting the concerned brother: why is it Christie, the Christian that is a cheat and the one that committed incest. What are you portraying?
Chai. Idiots do exist on our plane.
Oga, please write about your perfect Christians and please share it with us.
I’m tired of you spiritual bullies.
My stories are a depiction of life. Sometimes I’m not teaching any lesson. I’m simply telling it as it is and leaving the reader to learn from it because that is life; no one stops at a milestone in their lives to ask you if you’ve learned from observing them. We gain knowledge with time and experience. My writing imitates life. I bring to you imperfect people, sinners and the flawed and you love them because that is what we all are. If you’re looking for saints, go to heaven. Them yapa for there.
So back to Christie’s abominable past.
It’s a true story, altered by me. I knew the family back in Jos. I’d give more details but I don’t know who I might be hurting.
Here’s the account according to gist:
There were three kids. Two boys, one girl. Rich parents but very strict. They were home schooled. Nobody knew the age difference between them but they all looked about the same height, with the elder brother being taller. It was said the girl and the younger brother were twins. No one knew. The first time people recalled seeing those kids in school was during junior WAEC. Each day during the exams, they came with their driver and stayed in the car until the exams started. The driver would wait until they finished and then they’d get into the car and drive home. They didn’t talk to anyone.
Three years later, they were back for the mock exams that often preceded SSCE. The boys were more sociable but the girl was withdrawn. The elder brother, it was learned, was a dunce and had barely passed junior WAEC. It didn’t seem like he was going to pass the mock or SSCE either. He was more interested in girls. According to gist, the school authorities insisted that they attended classes after mock or find another school to do their SSCE. Thus, the kids started classes.
Both brothers continued to be friendly while the girl remained withdrawn. But soon she made friends with a couple of girls in her class and began to tell of their life at home. No TV, no radio, only educational books and no friends. The minute they got back home each day, they had lunch, napped and woke up to study. After that was dinner and bed. They hardly even saw their parents, who were both always busy.
But the girl didn’t stop there with her stories. She told more, shocking tales that left her mates baffled.
She had engaged in sexual relations with her elder brother and was scared that she might be pregnant, having missed her period. She didn’t know what to do. Of course she had told these ‘friends’ of hers in confidence but in no time, it became gist and it got to the school authorities.
The last anyone ever saw of those siblings was when their mother came to the school herself to pick them. There were rumors that the girl aborted the child. Another rumor that she had the child. Another that they flew them out of the country.
Well nobody ever knew what happened to them but I remembered wondering, each time I passed their house that had the high fence and tall trees, if they were still locked in.
So that, my people was my inspiration for Christie’s story.
I want to thank the other person who sent this email.
Hi Sally,
I jus read episode 13 of TFF and I’m speechless. Thanks for bringing the topic of Christie’s Incest up. These things happen,, I know that for sure. I’ve experience something similar in my family, tho the baby was aborted at almost 6months.it shook our entire Fam up. Till today, we have not recovered.
People that are saying Christie should talk, how does she tell her hubby this type of abominable thing. Is not easy o.
Sally I love you cos you know how to make fiction reality.
God bless you mama
So my people, there you have it. Shit happens, whether we like to hear about it or not. Incest occurs a lot more than we can ever hear. There are children birthed from such relationships. It’s depressing to know but hey, that’s life.
And this leaves me with a question for you guys:
Should Cyrus Junior ever be told the truth about his real father?
People will always be assholes, Sally.
You cannot write yet you wan to tell sombori how to write. Nansense!
Ignore them abeg. And concerning CJ, Christie should not tell him anything but she should tell her hubby
Can’t wait for next week
my Dear, please do not get upset by peoples’s comment about your work. They were not forced to read it. were they? It is not like you promised them a christian literature.
I love your work, and i love that it is real.
Christie’s case happens but people rarely talk about it. And i am not surprised Christie has not opened up. She will be shamed for life, if she did to her parents earlier. and trust me she is in torture all day, not to talk about the fact that there is cyrus junior. Many girls are in christies shoes, even from their father.
I was almost molested or even molested by our house boy when i was like 7 years, he fingered me and tried to penetrate me, but thank God he did not penetrate. I have not told a soul about it. So if it had happened, i would not have been able to talk about it, except if he was caught or i got pregnant, and he is not even family sef. And i was not locked up. But i felt so ashamed that the thought of it brings shame on me.
So my people. this world is not perfect and people are monsters. Big monsters. Only God protects.
Sex happens everyday and it never made it right and it is right of you to portray it. I understand literature to be a mirror of the society, hence when it is told as it is seen, there nothing wrong it it.
Sally u r such a wonderful writer and I’m happy that u say it the way it is. Naija and their way of sweeping things under the carpet. These things happen everyday. My cousins slept togada for more than four years before we found out.
Naija biko let’s embrace these things and talk abt it to make a better future. Incest and sex happens everyday.
Sally pls leave all these hyprocite.
This is the bane of most strict families.this tinz happen and the victims, especially the females are always scared of speaking out. Incest is a very terrible thing to happen to any family, and it takes the grace of God to pull through and live with it
my dad is a pastor bt his nt perfect, amnt perfect made lots of mistakes seen lot of tins in d pastor and spiritual mentors cycle makes u wonder u go dey heaven. all d high emotional christian dat are talkin wack dnt knw shit and dey are deep in sin livin a lie. so cool down sally its normal
Sal, we always tend to cover up these things but they happen and they dint start today. I had d same experience with my cousin, he tried to penetrate but couldn’t. I told my parents sharp sharp. let us speak up, about rape, incest, sex! Sally, Cyrus junior will b maimed for life if he is ever told.it will mess with his mind and psychological make-up. Thank you so much for your stories. my hubby was irritated that I always read moskedapages ,until I narrated this story to him and he hasn’t stopped asking for updates. God bless u and ur family, Ma
Hmmm! Ppl get problem o. Instead of him to learn from d story, hin dey form spirikoko. I pity you. Something weird n unimaginable happens everyday. Thanks Ms Sally for bringing it to our knowledge. God bless you more.
Happy weekend writer and reader. Christianity is supposed to bring freedom but unfortunately many use it to masquerade their ill behaviour. Incest, rape and other sexual perversion are real, the issue is people don’t speak up and when they do, the victims are not rehabilitated psychologically. It is a secret to the grave. Christie should tell her husband who I guess already knows and they can both tell Cyrus if they desire.
Ermmm…..xtian literature is not all about biography of saints. It is also about the struggle of sinners
Today, I will comment……….I really don’t understand why Christians follow blogs and pass nonsense comments. I find it annoying. I know people who have similar cases like christie and they go to church……I wish some people wud just get off their high horses and find a way to heal the society.
SALLY, I want to appreciate all the efforts you put into your writing and I want to encourage to do a toyin aimaku on people who send you judgemental comments. Thank you and well done
What is wrong with some people sef? People who are product of abuse don’t find it easy to talk and now Somone is putting out fact fr us and u blame it on Christianity or whatever u call it . Sal, if they don’t want to read let dem not cos u ddnt force anybody.one thing I realize frm ds story is dt it’s usually not d fault of d victim(s) dey get abused . It is usually due to a thing or d other. But I feel if Christie opens up to folarin he would understand and forgive her. It might just take a while (u don’t have to agree with me .it’s my opinion). Don’t let words bring u down. Gods blessing fr all d stories and facts u shed light to.
Gosh….tellin cyrus will not be a bad idea buh……. Chai I can’t even explain how it will shatter him cos each time he think about it,he will feel irritated and like a cursed child from an abominable act.But if am Christie I will tell my husband but will make it look like solomon rapped me. As in I will try to paint it like am the good gal type but was force and cos of the shame I couldn’t open up to any1 on time and that it happened only once. After all it will still end @ I got pregnant and couldn’t abort it bla bla bla. Ki olohun shanu. And for the Christian brother who is good at editing other pple’s story without having a clue of how to write one “u need help and I pray for u”
How does one begin to tell a child he/she is the product of incest? How will the said child go through life? Will there be enough therapy after such revelation? Sorry I have more questions than answers. Christie though, needs to speak to someone about it. She’s an accident waiting to happen.
She is. And to answer your questions, I have no answers. I don’t know if he will ever recover.
Thank you, Nwanne
Gosh! What is wrong with some people? Someone is writing about things happening every day and you are criticising. Bros, if you don’t like what is being written, jump and pass. No one forced you to read. I also hope you make heaven!
Sally, you are an exceptional writer. I love the way you portray your stories. Never mind the “perfect people”. Thanks once again for the shout-out and bonus episode. I love you baje.
I hope baby is doing well. Send all my love
U see y these things are recurring. The victims never speak out! Its heartbreaking when u hear how d victims are easily disbelieved like they r terrible liars. Its worse when its between father n daughter. My God! These stories get me emotional.
Same here
I hope they know that Sally is a Pastor Daughter, and trust me, the things we the children of pastors hear ehn, from what other families , christian families come to tell our parents ehn…my dad will say that “the grandfather of evil is inside the church”…..and incent happens, yorubas will say “e ni kan lo mo” that is “it is when it happens to you that you know”
Sally, if dem like make dem fire kataput of spirituality, we are so rocking this fourth finger to the end…
For cyrus jnr, babes, nothing is eva a secret, if the guy no hear from the right source, he go hear him ancestral gist from the wrong source, by the way, can wat was done for Bashorun in Novocaine knight be repeated on oga Solomon, plzzzz, np police go catch us….
My dear, if we start telling pastor pikin gist ehn, ears go fall. Make i no open chapter on this thread
How are you, hon?
Big ups sally, things happening nowadays is not of those days that we’ll be fearing of letting it out, if you hear some other people situations, you will be shocked to your bone marrow, we have to hear about this stuffs so as to get educated and watch out for it, as d yoruba will say “oju ti laa dee agbari (eye don tear), abeg make d guy dey jare, don’t let it bother you, they will be forming holy holy bt Wtin dem dey perpetrate henn, no be here. As we say fe me syd, kip d faya burning. Boom boom
Before i say any other thing, Happy New Year. Where have you been? I’ve missed you around here
I hope you’re good, though
Thanks for your words
I still don’t understand why some parents lock up their children. It is not fair.
I don’t think Cyrus junior should be told, at the same time I think if knows it might fuel his passion or desire to set up an NGO or something to help people in such situations. Issues like this are quite delicate and you can only pray for wisdom on how to handle it.
It is well, Sally you are a brilliant writer and I appreciate your ability to discuss life experiences from an objective point of view.
And on my end, I appreciate your presence here, Kemi
You’re one person I so want to meet
*hugs*
Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion, the fact that he doesn’t like the sexual part doesn’t mean he should type that, he wasn’t forced to read the story in the first place and he could have skipped the Sex part and let those interested read , it’s not easy to write, so the few people that do need our encouragement. We all know all these things are real. I feel he is trying to convince himself that it doesn’t happen.
Christie should tell her husband, Folarin is a reasonable man I guess. Cyrus should be told who his real father is, if he get to hear it from someone else other than his mother, it might not go down well with him.
Thanks for the story so far dear, God bless you
Oyin, thank you
And bless you too, and yours
This reminds me of how Nigerians (Christians especially) will criticise government, judge everything from fornication to adultery to homosexuality, but when it comes to corruption in the church, it becomes a leave it to God matter, or a (my favourite) touch not my anointed.
Nigerians Christians – for the most part – have generally proven to be inept and biased when it comes to facing the reality of what goes on in churches and christian homes.
I can’t remember where I heard it – a character in a movie or one of my fav TV shows said, you know it’s good writing when you’ve pissed people off.
This incest topic was always going to be controversial, and it’s so well written, so people were always going to be pissed off.
So, i’m not going to go all, aww, eh-ya on you. I’m going to say, walk it off. I need more episodes lol
Really though. This is Nigeria, a country with the biggest collection of self-entitled ass-holes. Shit like this will always happen. You should never let it bother you. Most of all, you should never let it ruin your craft.
Can i hug you, The Word?
You’d probably say no but I’m very huggable
Thank you for always being here
Me, say no? Lol It’s like you’ve forgotten you’re a babe. Who doesn’t wanna hug a babe?
Sally you don’t have to bother yourself about such people. He should just take a walk if he is not pleased hypocrite. Sex happen everyday and incest have destroyed a lot of home and young people too. I know an SU family when I was growing up that it happened to their children they couldn’t abort the child but gave her up for adoption and relocated most of the time it’s the fault of the parents that’s why you shld be there for your children and earn their trust so that they can confide in you no matter what. Even lesbianism can be introduced by housegirl to your daughter at a tender age and you won’t know if you are not vigilant. A six year old girl that I know is going through therapy already so let every woman pay attention to her wards no matter how busy. Christie shld not make the mistake of telling the boy it will destroy that boy and I don’t know if any therapy can help. what of the supposed father? She should tell the husband though that will stop his blackmailing brother becos they both committed the act she shld stop him from milking her
Nykky,
Thank you for your words, dear
Bless you
Like I will always say Sally, big ups to you. Many people don’t know how ‘easy’ it is to string words together. When last year I wrote something about writing without handbrakes, I knew what I was saying.
Someone wants to read, yet they want to tell you what and how to write it. That simply won’t work. Of the evils we got in this country, religion and ethnicity are chief. Viewing things from the religious angle is a recipe for a lot of avoidable issues. So it shouldn’t have been Christie, but it should have been Salma abi? That’s plain crap. So what if a Muslim reader says why make Raji the unfaithful husband, forgetting that Mark is the same? Many thought processes have to be worked on. Many of us should unlearn some things and re-learn better things.
As for Christie revealing, it’s a dicey one. We all deal with different people. I personally like it when nothing is hidden from me but I have come to understand that some people cannot handle the truth. Folarin may be able to handle it, but can CJ handle it?
Many of us should unlearn some things and re-learn better things – Bless you for that Seye
Thank you for sharing
I had wanted to comment same as yours until I found out someone thoughtful too had done it. You dont need to come here and form holy holy when things are REALLY HAPPENING. Different types of atrocities are committed on a daily basis regardless of which religion you belong to. Fathers are having sex with their daugters, mothers with their sons, sisters with brothers, cousins, a lot. “Religious leaders” are not left out too. Parents should be more vigilant and give listening ears to their kids. Some kids might want to open up at the start but when they are shut out, they remain in their shells for life
Sally i knw of a friend dat was constantly being raped by her step mums brother cos he was staying wit dem.she cldnt talk cos outward d man was a saint. Do u knw it affected her later cos she realised over d yrs dat if d sex is not rough bd hard she wnt b satisfied. As at last we spoke she cheated on her hubby cos he was alwys too gentle wit her in dat aspect.so dis things r real nd affects one psychologically. Christie nids counselling nd her son shld not btold now bt ll b told eventually wen he is matured. For her hubby since blackmail is involved he has to b put in d knw asap..
Thank you for sharing darling
I do feel for your friend 🙁
People have spoken well! I think there’s the need for the truth to be told, it might hurt but it heals. It is written in the bible that ‘my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’. people should stop hiding under religion, unthinkable things happen every day, under our very noses. We should learn to open our minds and learn…Sally, God bless your writing skills, may your fire never go down!
Amen, Bunmi
You have spoken well also
Thank you
something tells me the sender of that post is a perpetrator of such an act abi y shd he go all defensive on such a matter these things happen so if an individual decides to hide under religious canopy he shd blame himself nd not the person trying to bring the matter to the forefront.. me likey this story n more ink to yr pen,more inspiration darl.ow family
My family is doing well, Shawty
Thanks muchos
@tymz I do wonder Y people don’t usually lyk facts being said to der faces. We always want D truth to B painted/masked in such a way it won’t B too revealing. Y D heck did dat modafucka com here to criticise dis beautiful work dat SALLY is doin, was he evn forced to B here? Nope I guez. Yu won’t move/Yu won’t still want anoda person to move (Oboi yu B Devil?). Sally I love D work you’re doin, so many tinz re hapnn in our society but people re being scared to speak up coz of D shame. Using diz medium to kind of reveal all diz truth hapnn in D society isn’t such a bad idea. Kip it up Sally, may D Lord God continue to guide/protect yu from all dem bad belle.
#BadBelleIsAllowed.
Yes, o! it’s very allowed. If not how would life be sweet?
Thank you, LegittWilliams
Today I will break my silence code. TFF was never meant to be sanctified read, it’s about married women who cheat except I’m wrong. If I am right why is an Holy brother be reading such. All the best Sally in your endeavors, I wouldn’t lie but I have learnt a few lessons here and there from your stories. My mum says from every story no matter how stupid there is a lesson. Please reply the brother to wait till the story ends to comment or he should dust his eyes of that story and wait for the next ( we don’t want to loose readers). Have a lovely day.
Thank you for breaking your silence, Simi
You’re always welcome here. And I totally agree with your mom
The truth is that abominable acts like this happen everyday in our society and we cover it all up. What pains me the most is that most people especially Christians (can’t comment on other religion cos i don’t practice them) act sanctimonious. Most of us hide under the guise of religion and we refuse to accept and/or believe things happening before us because they don’t conform with what we’ve been told all our lives.
I had a friend in the university who we strongly believe was having an incestuous relationship with her brother, though she never mentioned it out-rightly, the signs were visible. She sleeps in the guy’s room in the boys hostel, anytime he sees her with another guy, she gets the beating of her life, the jealousy was out of this world. He picks out her clothes for, calls her incessantly when she’s in school, when school is on vacation he does not allow her travel. She once told me she would never forgive her brother for all he’s done to her, asked her what he did but she evaded the question.
That been said, instead of criticizing the work of an amazing writer, why not just open up your mind at the possibility of something like this happening? It has nothing to do with religion or tribe, this is a malaise eating deep into the fabric of our society regardless of age, culture, and race. And why do you think all Christians are saints? Some so called Christians are worse than the devil himself.
I see this as an education. Locking up your children in the guise of protecting them from the evil of the society is foolishness. After all, there are cases where the children either gets impregnated by the househelp/driver/security man or they impregnate maids, friends of the family or cousins who came on vacation in their house.
Thank you Sally for TFF, may your light never go dim. More inspirations to write till you are old and grey with your great grand children bringing their friends home to you to share the wealth of your mind. God bless you!
Dearest Sally,
TFF is a story I would love to read again and again, reason being that it brings to life one of the things we all shy away from. Some so called Christians have incestuous relationships & hide under the guise of “Christianity” The earlier we wake up to the realization of all that is happening around us the better for us!
Thank you for bringing this out & please press the ignore button whenever the “holier than thou” come calling. Just keep being you & always remember you are appreciated…
Regards.
More power to you Sally for raising this topic in your writing instead of pretending situations like this don’t happen….and I’m speaking as someone who has worked with abused children, it’s a subject that we need to be more open about.
Howdy Salz.
Let me begin by saying that the “Christian” guy who wrote you is ignorant of the ills that happen in this country in the name of religion. I will love to have a recording of his “pure” life and “sin less” thoughts. I bet he is one of those “follow follow” Christians who do not have the sense to sit down and reason about what their pastors drum into their ears every Sunday.
Madam Salz, I have always told you that your stories have deeper meanings to me than to every other reader here. You capture life and happenings like you were there when the mankind was created and still there watching our every moves. You point our thoughts towards societal ills that we know are happening but turn a blind eye to because it has had no direct negative effect on us.
To cut my long talk short, Abeg burst that self righteous reader comot from among your worries and keep doing what you do. He should either unsubscribe or fling his phone over the 3rd mainland or into the Bermuda Triangle.
For me, Christie should tell her husband about Cyrus but they should keep it from him till he becomes able to control his emotions. Telling him at such a young age might make him disoriented for life.
Sorry also for my not dropping comments for sometime. Head is in shatters of disoriented pieces
Well, being a christian doesnt mean you don’t face temptations, so the fact that Christie is a christian and she shouldn’t be portrayed in that light is wrong. And also overprotecting children oftentimes affects them negatively cos if they gain little freedom they can go haywire and misbehave. Incest is real and it does happen, such is life. Welldone Sally for using life’s practicality in your stories, more inspirations dear.
Hmmmmmm this is suicidal oh, telling CJ might be killing….It’s better they keep the secret to themselves n Solo should behave bcuz for me oh it is going to be double or triple murder case. But for her to keep it secret Solo needs to be out of the picture. Awwh Christie is really in big shit…..gosh I feel for her oh, really bad.
God will reward you abundantly dearie. Your brain n body system won’t shut down IJN, God bless you well.
Thank you so much madam…..xoxo.
First of all,I will not comment on what our Christian reader said because I do not want to get angry and the weather is terribly hot. I don’t think Cyprus Junior should ever find out but then this secret must be sealed and the key should be buried some where he will never find. I know telling Folarin is going to be crazy but to be honest,it is the best thing to do. U can’t carry such pain till death na!Besides her mistake is living under his roof and he has a right 2 know so that she can heal and he can understand her.
Sally,allow people criticise ur writing and hug transformer if they want to eh!But truth doesn’t hide behind religion or fanaticism;it must be revealed. The world must see that writing is not all fun n games, It is truth that must be told n u r telling it so…KEEP PREACHING SALLY!!!!?