Eunice could not fathom how she got into this mess. Save for the lawyer and Greg, her husband of 14 years, nobody knew what was going on in her marriage, not even her parents. Greg had warned her not to tell anyone, including his parents and siblings. If only she had not allowed him to travel abroad. If only she had advised him against marrying a 'fake wife' in order to get citizenship. She never knew things would turn out this way.
Five years ago, Greg, whose business was crumbling, had sought ways to get out of debts. They had to sell their house at a cheap price! With no shelter and money to cater for their three children, the couple agreed that Eunice should relocate to Greg's parents. After sometimes, he was able to make some money to process his visa and buy a ticket.
Before he travelled, he got a one-room apartment for her and the children in a Lagos suburb. She trusted him and he kept assuring her of his undying love.
After Greg left, life became easier and the family got back on track. He started sending money for their upkeep and was always calling. Everyone, especially her friends, envied her again. Within two years of his stay abroad, he sent money for a house to be built in Lagos. After the third year, he sent for another to be built in his village in the East. Life was sweet and Eunice would not have wished for more.
By the fourth year, she started agitating for the family to relocate abroad too. Whenever she told Greg, he would reply that he was not a citizen yet. One day, he called Eunice and explained an 'arrangement' to her.
According to him, this was the trend abroad and if she really wanted to relocate with her children, she must allow him marry another wife. Initially, she disagreed. According to Eunice, another wife would not allow his family from Nigeria move to the United States. In addition, she didn't want to share her husband with any other woman.
Greg explained further that the 'fake wife' was a white woman and that she was only interested in the money he would pay her after which they would go their separate ways. There would be no strings attached. So, Eunice agreed and a 'fake marriage' with another woman took place abroad.
After a few months, she observed her husband hardly called them again. Whenever he did, he would speak in low tones and quickly hang up whenever she started asking him about their relocation.
The cat was let out of the bag when Eunice called him one day and left a message on the answering machine. Greg called back and was abusing her on the phone. He said his 'wife' listened to the message and was angry. He warned her never to call him on the line at home again.
Eunice was puzzled. Her husband had changed from the man she married. She was forced to ask who his wife was and Greg said the 'fake marriage' he had was not fake. Though he had married the white woman to get his citizenship, he was now stuck with her and she was not ready to leave him. She was also expecting his baby!
Eunice almost passed out. So, what would happen to his family in Nigeria? Greg replied that he would still send money, talk to them on the phone but he must make another arrangement on how they would relocate to another state abroad. This was because his wife must never know he was married!
He kept calling once a week and sent money for their upkeep. Almost a year after his marriage abroad, he called her and said he wanted a divorce. He confessed that his white wife now knew he had a family in Nigeria and threatened to leave him. That meant he would lose all he had worked for abroad and outright deportation. The only condition she gave was for him to present a certificate of divorce. He got a lawyer in Lagos, who helped Eunice with divorce procedure. After some months, a divorce took place and she sent the document to her husband. Though Greg said it was meant for his stay abroad, Eunice has been troubled. She has not seen him in five years and now, there is an arranged divorce. At 35, with no man to 'legally' call her own, she lives in agony.
Note: All names and events are fictitious
