Open Letter To My Runaway Elder Sister Doris Ozougwu

I knew her as Doris Ozougwu. She should be in her early 40’s by now. I grew up seeing her as my big sister because she was treated like the favourite child, though she was my nanny; but she left us and walked away.

It was obvious, the little time I spent with her, that my mum loved her more than me. Mum named my immediate younger sister after her and bought her more things than she bought us. Mum often said she is the only girl that has ever understood her into to, even down to her glances. Things were rosy until Doris got into Secondary school. Bad influence and childishness led her astray and she realised that she didn’t have freedom. She started clamouring to leave. Mum pleaded and even forced me to plead with her. I did, my immediate younger sister at that time was only 4, I made her plead too and pointed to my baby sister to plead too. But Doris insisted on leaving. Several peace keeping missions to make Doris stay were carried out but after each one, Doris says she has made up her mind. Even threats were used by mum to get her to stay but she insisted she has had it.

She left with a part of Mum’s soul because she mourns her till now. Any discourse of Doris lights her up. Doris please your little siblings are missing you. You never met your two little brothers. Wherever you are, you can still find us at Oranye in Onitsha where you left us. Or contact me on this number: 07053780217.

Love Oge.