What A Father Told His Daughter A Day Before Her Wedding

Funmi Olanrewaju

My Daughter, tomorrow you will stop bearing my name.
You will be happily married to the man you love. Dont miss

me because I have fulfilled my purpose, it is now time for
you to start fulfilling yours.
From your childhood, I have raised you well by the grace of
God but before you say I do, there are few things I need to
tell you about living with a man and being married.
Do you remember when you wrote your WAEC and JAMB
exams? You came to me and I gave you 20,000 naira for the
registration? Well, even though I gave it to you, the money
was not mine. I know you always thought I paid the fees.
The truth is, I was broke… but your mother gave me the
money. She could have given it to you but she decided to
give it to me to give to you.
Support your husband. Some times things will get tough…
he will be frustrated. Even though he acts tough, in his mind
he has fears… he fear you may not value him anymore
because he has fallen. That is the time to get behind him
and support him!
The best way to show your husband you love him is to
respect him! You may argue with him, you may disagree but
at the end of the day, let him know he has your respect.
Do you remember the day I screamed at your mother?
What did she do? She was quiet! Do you also remember the
day she screamed at me? What did I do? I was quiet! My
daughter learn to be quiet sometimes when your husband
is angry. When one person is hot, the other should be cool.
If two are always screaming at same time, that is how big
problems start in marriage. The first thing to know about
your husband is his favourite food! If he has more than one
then keep them at the back of your mind. Dont let him ask
for it, always prepare it for him.
There was a day your mother caught me touching a
woman’s hand affectionately. I was lust after that woman
but I was not yet cheating on your mum. When she saw
us… she didnt fight the lady, she quietly left. I was afraid of
going home because all hell will break lose. But when I got
home she said nothing. She served me my food. Guilt was
taking control over me. I started begging. From that day, I
never looked at a woman two time. Who knows? If she had
fought and threatened me… maybe I could have run away
from the fight into the arms of the lady. Sometimes Silent
brings better solution than fight.
Forget those romantic novels you read while you were 21.
Remember those Indian and American love movies? Also
remember those too sweet Nollywood films on African
magic? Forget them! Don’t expect your married life to be
that way. Life is different from fiction
The last thing I want to tell you…. Do you remember how
you were born? After our wedding, things were tough and
your mum had to do two jobs to support us. I was working
as well. I get home 6 PM while she gets home 8pm tired.
But when we get to bed… she will not refuse me my night
food. That is how you were born. Dont form a habit of
denying your husband of his night food.
Be a good wife. You will always be Daddy’s girl…