My son, if you keep spending on
a woman and she never asked you
if you’re saving or investing, and
she keeps enjoying the attention,
don’t marry her.
My son, a woman could be a
good wife to you, some could be a
good mother to your children but
if you’ve found a woman like a
mother to you, your children and
your family, please don’t let her
go.
My son, don’t confine the
position of your wife to the
kitchen, where did you get that
from? Even in our days, we had
farm-lands where they worked
every morning . . . that was our
office.
My son, if I tell you that you’re
the head of the house, don’t look at
your pocket; look if you will see a
smile on your wife’s face.
My son, if you want to have a
long life, let your wife be in-charge
of your salary, it will be difficult
for her to spend it when she’s
aware of the home needs and bills
to pay but if it’s in your care, she
will keep you asking even when all
has been spent.
My son, don’t ever beat your
woman, the pain in her body is
nothing to be compared to the
wound on her heart and that
means you may be in trouble living
with a wounded woman.
My son, now that you’re
married, if you live a bachelor kind
of life with your wife, you will soon
be single again.
My son, in our days, we had
many wives and many children
because of our large farm-lands
and many harvests, there are
hardly any land for farming
anymore, so embrace your woman
closely.
My son, under the cocoa tree
that I did meet your mother could
be your eateries and restaurants of
nowadays, but remember, the
closet thing we did there was to
embrace each other.
My son, don’t be carried away
when you start making more
money, instead of spending on
those tiny legs that never knew
how hard you worked to get it,
spend it on that woman that stood
by you all along.
My son, when I threw little
stones or whistled at the window
of your mother father’s house, to
call her out, it was not for sex, it
was because I missed her so much.
My son, remember, when you
say your wife has changed, there
could be something you’ve stopped
doing too.
My son, your mother, Asake
rode the bicycle with me before I
bought that tortoise car outside
there, any woman that won’t
endure with you in your little
beginning should not enjoy your
riches.
My son, don’t compare your
wife to any woman, there are ways
she’s enduring you too and has
she ever compared you to any
man?
My son, there is this thing you
people call feminism, well, if a
woman claim to have equal right
with you in the house, divide all
the bills into two equal parts, take
one part and ask her to start
paying the other part.
My son, I met your mother a
virgin and I took more yams to her
father, if you don’t meet your wife
a virgin, don’t blame her, what I
didn’t tell you is that our women
had prestige.
My son, I didn’t send your
sisters to school because I was
foolish like many to think a female
child won’t extend my family
name, please don’t make that
mistake, the kind of female
achievers I see nowadays has made
the male-gender an ordinary tag.
My son, your mother have
once locked up the cloth I was
wearing and almost tore it because
she was angry, I did not raise my
hand to beat her because of a day
like this, so that I can be proud to
tell you that I never for once beat
your mother.
My son, in our days, our
women had more of natural
beauty, though I wouldn’t lie to
you, some had minor painting of
their appellation mostly on their
arms, the ones you people now call
tattoo, but don’t forget that they
didn’t expose any part of their
body like your women of
nowadays.
My son, your mother and I are
not interested in what happens in
your marriage, try to handle issues
without always coming to us.
My son, remember I bought
your mother’s first sewing
machine for her, help your wife
achieve her dreams just as you’re
pursuing yours.
My son, don’t stop taking care
of me and your mother, it’s a
secret of growing old and having
children to take care of you too.
My son, pray with your family,
there is a tomorrow you don’t
know, talk to God that knows
everything, everyday.