00:00In the heart of Lagos, where the roads are alive with yellow damfo buses honking impatiently,
00:06where street vendors shout the prices of roasted corn and groundnuts,
00:11and the rich aroma of suyo drifts through the warm evening air,
00:16lived a man named Chike and his wife, Amoka. They were young, in love, and full of dreams.
00:23They kind of coupled our mid-neighbors smile, saying,
00:28Oh! See how love should be!
00:31Their home echoed with laughter, gentle teasing, and shared meals at sunset.
00:37Chike was proud of his beautiful wife, and Amoka, she believed they were unshakable.
00:42But sometimes, the enemy of love isn't distance, or money. It's pride. And vanity.
00:50Slowly, silently, these two thieves began to creep into their home.
00:56Ready to take everything they had built together.
00:59When they married, Chike stood before friends, family, and God.
01:04Promising to stand by Amoka through thick and thin.
01:08Through sunshine, and through storm.
01:11Now, years later, she was carrying their first child.
01:15The heartbeat of their future, the joy of their home.
01:18But pregnancy had changed her body.
01:22And, tragically, it had also begun to change Chike's heart.
01:27That evening, the soft glow of their small dining room light bathed the table.
01:32The rich aroma of freshly cooked jollof rice with goat meat filled the air.
01:37Mingling with the sweet smell of fried plantain.
01:40Amoka, dressed in a loose Ankara maternity gown.
01:45Said the steaming plate in front of him with a hopeful smile.
01:49Amoka, a gentle, loving.
01:52Chike.
01:53I made jollof rice with goat meat.
01:56I know it's your favorite.
01:58Chike didn't even look up.
02:01He sat slouched, one arm on the table.
02:03Thumb scrolling endlessly through his phone.
02:07A cold glow light in his face.
02:10Chike.
02:11M-M, thanks.
02:14Amoka's smile faltered.
02:16Her eyes searched for the man who used to hold her hand under this very table.
02:21But Chike's gaze never left the screen.
02:24Picture after picture.
02:26Slim, stylish women posing with filters and painted smiles.
02:30The warm smell of food filled the room.
02:34But the warmth between them was fading fast.
02:37Instead of cherishing her.
02:40Instead of protecting her heart in this delicate season.
02:44Chike began to mock her.
02:46Little jabs at first, disguised as jokes.
02:50But each one cutting deeper than the last.
02:53One humid afternoon, Amoka was folding freshly washed baby clothes in their living room.
02:58Her back ached from the weight of the child she carried.
03:03And sweat dotted her forehead despite the small fan spinning in the corner.
03:07Chike leaned on the doorway, arms folded.
03:11His eyes scanning her from head to toe.
03:14Chike.
03:15Amoka, look at you, like you've swallowed a whole sack of yum.
03:20Her hands froze mid-fold.
03:22The soft baby shirt she was holding slipped from her fingers to the floor.
03:27Amoka.
03:28Chike.
03:29I'm carrying your child.
03:32But instead of softening, Chike just shrugged, his voice sharp.
03:36Chike.
03:38That doesn't mean you should look this big.
03:41The words hit harder than any slap.
03:44Her throat tightened, her lips quivered.
03:47But she swallowed her reply.
03:50Choosing silence over a fight she knew she couldn't win.
03:52The room felt smaller.
03:55The air, heavier.
03:58And in that silence, a piece of her heart quietly broke.
04:01Then came sword, slim, stylish, and dripping with confidence.
04:07Always dressed to turn heads, with high heels that clicked on the pavement.
04:11And a laugh that could make anyone forget the world for a moment.
04:16Chike was drawn to her like beast to honey.
04:19Irresistible, intoxicating, and completely unlike the woman who waited at home, carrying his child.
04:27That evening, the neon lights of a leaky cafe reflected off the glass walls.
04:32Casting playful shadows across Soda's perfectly styled hair and sparkling dress.
04:38She leaned in close to Chike, her perfume sharp but inviting.
04:43Sword.
04:44Chike, you're too fine for one fat village wife.
04:48Chike's chest puffed a little.
04:50He grinned, the pride of a man intoxicated by attention lighting his face.
04:56Chike.
04:57You're right.
04:58I need a woman who turns heads.
05:00Meanwhile, back at home.
05:04Amoka sat alone in their small apartment, her hands trembling as she tried to tie her wrapper
05:09over her swollen, pregnant belly.
05:12Her heartbeat echoed in the quiet room, matching the dull ache in her chest.
05:17The laughter, the cocktails, the neon lights, all of it belonged to Chike now.
05:23And she, she was left with nothing but silence and the weight of disappointment.
05:28The contrast was stark.
05:30One woman glowing in the night with attention and desire.
05:35The other, glowing with love, caring his child, and yet completely invisible to the man she
05:40gave her heart to.
05:42One evening, the small apartment felt colder than usual.
05:45The air was thick with tension, heavy enough to weigh down Amoka's aching body.
05:52Chike moved through the room, grabbing his neatly folded clothes from the wardrobe.
05:57Each shirt and pair of trousers slipping into the suitcase with mechanical precision.
06:02Amoka stood near the doorway, her hand clutching the edge of the table for support.
06:08Her eyes, red and swollen from hours of silent crying, followed him with desperation.
06:14Her heart pounded in her chest, begging him to see reason.
06:19Amoka, pleading, voice trembling, teary.
06:22Chike, please, just wait until the baby comes.
06:27Chike paused for a moment, his eyes cold.
06:31And then he shook his head with a firmness that crushed her hope.
06:35Chike, firm, voice tight with finality.
06:38I can't do this anymore, Amoka.
06:42You've let yourself go.
06:44The words hung in the room like a storm cloud, heavy and suffocating.
06:49Amoka opened her mouth, searching for something, anything to make him stay.
06:54But no words could bridge the growing chasm between them.
06:58And just like that.
07:00Without another glance, without a backward step.
07:04Chike walked out of their home.
07:06The click of the door closing behind him echoed like a verdict.
07:10Amoka sank to the floor, cradling her swollen belly.
07:14The silence of the apartment pressed down on her.
07:17A silence louder than any argument, louder than any scream.
07:22The silence of abandonment.
07:25Alone and heartbroken, Amoka poured herself into work.
07:29Her small apartment, once filled with laughter, now smelled of fresh fabric, thread,
07:34and determination.
07:37Sitting by her old sewing machine, she stitched Ankara dresses with nimble fingers.
07:43Each precise cut and careful seam a quiet rebellion against the pain in her heart.
07:48Her hands ached, her back ached, and her swollen feet throbbed.
07:53But her pain became her fuel, each stitch a promise to her unborn child.
07:57I will provide.
07:59I will protect.
08:01I will not let you suffer.
08:04Neighbor.
08:05Amoka, you need rest.
08:08You're working too hard.
08:10Amoka looked up from her sewing, a weak but determined smile on her face.
08:15Amoka, soft, resolute.
08:18I have to, for my child.
08:21Days turned into weeks, weeks into months.
08:25And the small apartment transformed into a tiny workshop, buzzing with others and the
08:29rhythmic home of her sewing machine.
08:32Despite exhaustion, she never missed a beat, never faltered.
08:37Then, one rainy night.
08:39The sound of droplets tapping against the tin roof filled the small clinic.
08:44Amoka, exhausted but resolute, labored through the night.
08:48And in the quiet darkness, a cry pierced the air.
08:53Her baby boy had arrived, healthy, strong, and alive.
08:58Amoka held him close to her chest, tears streaming freely down her face.
09:03Washing away the months of pain, fear, and loneliness.
09:07In that moment, she felt an overwhelming mix of love and relief.
09:12And a silent promise to herself and her son.
09:15We will rise, no matter what.
09:19Meanwhile, Chike's new life, once filled with excitement and aloe, was quietly unraveling.
09:26The neon lights of nightclubs no longer sparkled with promise.
09:30They became a blur of loud music, empty bottles, and fleeting laughter.
09:35Sod, with her dazzling smile and perfectly manicured nails, cared only for luxury, attention,
09:41and enjoyment.
09:43Every Naira Chike had safe seemed to slip through his fingers, swallowed by endless club nights,
09:49expensive dinners, and shopping sprees he could barely afford.
09:54One evening, as they sat in his apartment surrounded by shopping bags and unpaid bills.
10:00Chike's frustration boiled over.
10:02Chike, frustrated.
10:05Sod, things are tight.
10:07We need to cut down on spending.
10:09Sod, leaned back on the couch, flicking her hair with impatience.
10:15Her eyes rolled dramatically, and a sharp laugh escaped her lips.
10:20Sod.
10:21Cut down.
10:23I beg, I'm not ready to suffer with you.
10:26Chike's chest tightened.
10:28He realized then that the woman he thought loved him loved only the lifestyle he provided.
10:34The weight of his mistakes pressed down on him, heavier than any debt or empty bottle.
10:39Then, as if to drive the final nail into his pride, one evening, Sod walked out.
10:46Hand in hand with another man, laughing freely, the click of her heels echoing like a mocking
10:51drum.
10:52And for the first time.
10:54Chike felt truly, painfully alone.
10:58The vibrant nightlife, the laughter, the parties, all of it faded into emptiness.
11:02For once, the thrill he had chased for so long offered no comfort.
11:09He was left only with the bitter taste of regret, and the hollow realization that he had thrown
11:14away were truly.
11:16Mattered.
11:16One bustling Saturday afternoon, Chike wandered aimlessly through the crowded streets of Yerba
11:22Market.
11:24The air was thick with the scent of roasted plantain, fresh spices, and the tone of wet
11:29fabric from the colorful stalls that lined every alley.
11:31Vendors shouted over each other, selling vibrant Ankara fabrics, handcrafted jewelry, and everyday
11:39household goods.
11:40Then, he saw her.
11:43A mocker.
11:43She moved gracefully among the stalls, a vision of resilience and quiet power.
11:50Dressed in a bright Ankara gown that swerved around her ankles as she walked.
11:55She carried their son on her back, securely strapped with a patterned wrapper.
12:00Her hands were busy arranging fabrics for a customer, her posture proud despite the weight
12:05she bore.
12:06Her smile was radiant, not the kind painted on for admiration.
12:10But a smile born from strength, perseverance, and self-respect.
12:16The market noise seemed to fade around her, and for a moment, Chike could see only her.
12:22Chike, softly, to himself, voice trembling with regret.
12:27She looks, happier without me.
12:30His chest tightened.
12:32All the parties, the clubs, the fleeting pleasures, none of it could compare to the life she had
12:38built for herself and their child.
12:40And for the first time, he realized the depth of what he had lost.
12:45It wasn't just a wife he had abandoned.
12:48It was love, loyalty, and the heart of his own family.
12:53Chike's heart pounded in his chest like a drum in a festival.
12:57Every step toward a mocker felt heavier than the last.
13:01As though the weight of his mistakes had physically anchored him to the ground.
13:04Around them, the Yerba market carried on as usual, the shouting vendors, the laughter of children,
13:12the clatter of baskets.
13:14But all Chike could hear was the sound of his own guilt echoing in his mind.
13:18He stopped a few feet away, swallowing hard, his eyes locked on the woman he had once taken for granted.
13:26Her hands rested gently on the fabric she was folding, her posture calm and unwavering.
13:32Their sound giggled softly from the wrapper on her back, oblivious to the storm between his parents.
13:38Chike, hesitant, voice shaking.
13:40A mocker.
13:42I'm sorry.
13:44I was blind to your worth.
13:47A mocker looked up slowly, her eyes steady, filled with a quiet string that caught through him like a sharp wind.
13:53A mocker, calm, steady.
13:57Sorry doesn't erase the night I cried alone, Chike.
14:01His throat tightened.
14:02He took another step closer, desperation creeping into his voice.
14:08Chike, pleading, almost whispering.
14:11I want us to be a family again.
14:14I.
14:15I can't imagine my life without you and our son.
14:18A mocker's gaze softened ever so slightly, but her voice remained firm, unwavering.
14:24A mocker, firm, resolute.
14:27You can be a father to your son.
14:30But I've learned to live without you as my husband.
14:33The words hit him like a thunder clap.
14:36For the first time, Chike truly understood the depth of the consequences of his pride, vanity, and neglect.
14:43The bustling market seemed to grow silent around him, leaving only the stark reality.
14:48Some bridges, once burned, cannot be rebuilt.
14:53And some lessons, must be learned the hard way.
14:57And so.
14:59Chike learned, too late, that beauty fades.
15:03The sparkle of youth, the halo of slender bodies, the thrill of admiration, all of it is fleeting.
15:08But loyalty, kindness, and the quiet strength of a loving heart.
15:15These are treasures that do not fade with time.
15:18They are priceless, and once lost, they may never return.
15:23A mocker raised her son with dignity, her every action a testament to resilience and love.
15:28She worked hard, she laughed freely, she smiled genuinely.
15:33And in doing so, she proved something the world often forgets.
15:38A woman's what is never measured by her size, her looks, or fleeting beauty.
15:43It is measured by the strength of her heart, the depth of her love, and the courage with which she faces lifestorms.
15:50Chike watched from a distance, the city's golden sunset casting long shadows across the market streets.
15:58He realized, with a weight heavy on his chest, that mocking a woman carrying your child is mocking your own blessing.
16:06He had chased illusions while abandoning what was real.
16:10And in the end, the only lesson he could carry forward was regret.
16:15So value her.
16:16Before she becomes the woman who walked away with her dignity intact.
16:21And leaves behind only the echo of what you once had.
16:25The sun dipped low, painting lagos in fiery gold and deep orange.
16:30As a mocker, her son in her arms, walked confidently into the horizon.
16:36And for Chike, the lesson was clear.
16:39Some things you cannot take back.
16:42But some things you can finally learn to honor in memory and in heart.
16:46Remember, true love is measured by loyalty, kindness, and the strength of the heart.
16:52Don't take it for granted.
16:55Value those who stand by you, before it's too late.
16:59If this story touched you, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more powerful African folktales.
17:05Because of us, if you will be doing a lot of people relationship with others.
17:06Like, where are the king of every one who'sisièmeed?
17:08If these storiesOver the heart, drop you up to boost your heart.
17:10And if your heart would allow you to soak up a croisper, you can walk away from a little bit.
17:13Help your heart over your heart become beat Murray's time to be a heart.
17:15I don't think your heart will give someone an old Christmas Effect.
17:17Is that right?
17:17To be
17:22Return your heart to the ability, and the human being...
17:24Okay, what are you to do?
17:24I don't need to have fear.
17:24I don't know my heart.
17:25I don't know my heart...
17:26You don't know.
17:27I don't know my heart...
17:28That's right.
17:29It kind of fact that you can really respect us.
