Ayobami Adebayo Quotes

The things that matter are inside me, locked up below my breast as though in a grave, a place of permanence, my coffin-like treasure chest.

There were no incisions on my daughter's body, no lacerations, no scars, not one single lash mark from a previous life. Still they named her Rotimi, a name that implied that she was an Abiku child who had come into the world intending to die as soon as she could. Rotimi - stay with me.

A mother must be vigilant. She must be able and willing to wake up ten times during the night to feed her baby. After her intermittent vigil, she must see everything clearly the next morning so that she can notice any changes in her baby. A mother is not permitted to have blurry vision. She must notice if her baby’s wail is too loud or too low. She must know if the child’s temperature has risen or fallen. A mother must not miss any signs.

I did not ask questions because I did not want to know the answers. It was convenient to believe my husband was trustworthy; sometimes faith is easier than doubt.

If the burden is too much and stays too long, even love bends, cracks, comes close to breaking and sometimes does break. But even when it’s in a thousand pieces around your feet, that doesn’t mean it’s no longer love.

The world crackled in my ears, iyale - first wife. It was a verdict that marked me as not woman enough for my husband.

This is it then - fifteen years here and, though my house is not on fire, all I'm taking is a bag of gold and a change of clothes. The things that matter are inside me, locked up below my breast as though in a grave, a place of permanence, my coffin-like treasure chest.

Every time her married a new wife, my father would tell his children that family was about having people who would look for you if you got kidnapped. He'd then add that he was doing his best to build an army just in case one of us did get kidnapped. It was a bad joke and I was the only one who ever laughed. I laughed at all his jokes.

A good mother’s life is hard’, she said. ‘ A woman can be a bad wife but she must not be a bad mother.