I got married to a young girl who was just 15 years old. At the time, I believed love and good intentions would be enough to build a peaceful home together. Shortly after our marriage, she gave birth to our first child. But just two weeks into this new chapter of parenthood, things took an unexpected turn.
One day, she did something I considered wrong. I tried to correct her, but instead of receiving the correction quietly, she responded in a challenging way — raising her voice and even insulting me. I was taken aback. In a moment of anger and frustration, I lost my temper and slapped her. That act, though brief, changed everything.
She looked me in the eye and said, “Who are you to lay your hands on me? Even my parents have never hit me before.” Her words stung more than I expected. She left the room, packed her belongings, and walked out with our child. I felt completely stunned and deeply disturbed by what had just happened.
Desperate to find her and fix things, I traveled to her family’s home to explain the situation and ask where she had gone. But she wasn't there either. Later, a relative who lived in Lagos informed her family that she had seen her in that city. With hope and determination, I joined her father and traveled to Lagos to search for her.
When we finally located her, she spotted us from afar and immediately ran, jumping into a car and driving off without a word. She didn’t want to see me. I felt helpless. There we were, stranded in an unfamiliar place, her father and I. With nowhere to go that night, we booked a hotel and returned to Port Harcourt the next morning.
Now that I’ve had time to reflect on this painful experience, I want to share a word of caution to other men: marriage is not just about age or love — it’s about understanding, maturity, and emotional readiness. A person who is too young may not be equipped to handle the pressures and responsibilities that come with being a spouse and a parent. And no matter the situation, raising your hand in anger only deepens the wounds — it silences communication, breeds resentment, and shatters trust.
I’ve learned a hard lesson, and I hope others can take wisdom from my story before going down a path that might be difficult to repair.