Araba, Funto lives in Bwari, Abuja. TYWA stories may be slightly edited for grammatical accuracy and to better serve TGF readers. The originality of the story is 100% intact. - TYWA 2025
After searching for the fruit of the womb for years, Mr. and Mrs. Azubuike finally had a son. He was barely a year old when he was kidnapped from them on their way back from a visit to his mother-in-law's house in Kogi State. Mr. Azubuike reported the kidnapping to the police, and they assured him that his son would be returned to them hale and healthy.
The kidnappers who took their baby planned to request a ransom for his release, but they lost the child during a cat-and-mouse chase with some night security guards.
Luckily, a woman found the baby wrapped in a customized shawl which had the name “Michael” written on it. She took the baby in, as she had also been searching for the fruit of the womb for years to no avail. She saw the child as a blessing, so she didn’t bother reporting to the police and relocated to Imo State.
The kidnappers still planned to collect the ransom even though the child was no longer with them, but they were caught by the police in the process. They couldn’t provide the child because they had already lost him, so they were jailed accordingly, and the police continued their search.
After about a year, Mrs. Okoye, the woman who found Michael, gave birth to her own son and named him Samuel. Soon, all the love Mrs. Okoye had shown Michael was diverted to Samuel. She later told Michael she wasn’t his biological mother, and he was made to do all the household chores.
Michael and Samuel attended the same secondary school after Michael got a scholarship, as Mrs. Okoye didn’t plan to further his education beyond primary level.
Michael was far more brilliant than Samuel, and this made Mrs. Okoye jealous. She often delayed Michael from going to school early, but it had no effect on his education.
Michael created a single-seater motor vehicle which was presented at the JETS exhibition programme sponsored by Engr. Stephen Azubuike. Michael's invention caught Engr. Azubuike's attention, and he gave him cash prizes and also promised to sponsor his tertiary education.
On one of his visits to the Azubuike’s house, Mrs. Azubuike saw the customized shawl, and that was how she got to know that Michael was actually her long-lost son. Michael reunited with his parents, and they lived happily ever after.