What do we call him?

Looking at my newborn son in hospital, as I recover from his birth, there is no doubt that he means a lot to me.

I get thinking. What will I do to make his life meaningful and fulfilling? Of course, I need to have a savings account for him for a rainy day, a brilliant investment that will plough back good money for his school fees and the like. But hey! His role here is the biggest. So how do you make him play it? Aha! Give him a powerful name. One that would remind him of what is expected of him whenever he hears it.

‘How is my gal and baby doing?’ my beloved husband startles me back to reality. Just now, I honestly don’t want to talk to him, after our disagreement.

However, one look at his jovial nature and I decide to be calm and more relaxed. After all, I did marry him because I fell in love with him, right? That does not mean that we sweep things under the carpet, though. No.

We will address the elephant in the room, just in a better way.

You see, he did not want us to give his son a name that his mother could not pronounce. On the other hand, I did not want my son to wonder what I was thinking giving him a name without a meaning. For a moment, I believe we had lost track of what was truly important—our son.

Nevertheless, if I remember well, in the olden days most men would be out hunting and others would be busy mending bridges with their other wives. By the time they returned to the homestead of the wife who got baby X or Y, a name would have been given a long time ago depending on time,season or other societal affiliated happenings. So this time he should not use his favourite phrase, ‘… in Africa…’ It gives me the onus to name the baby.

Back to hospital. ‘We are well and Nameless is growing already,’ I say trying to contain my smile, struggling to be the bigger person here. ‘Let us have a truce and meet each other half way. I am sure we will have a name we both like,’ he answers reassuringly as his softer side comes out. ‘We are not arguing again,’ I say in agreement. I answer smiling- with a real smile on my face, this time.

Then again, the boy is no longer ours alone, I think to myself. Once he is born, he belongs to the society. His grandmother will have a special name for him as will all his aunties, cousins, uncles and siblings.

My Verdict: ‘Don’t argue about it girl,’ I say to myself ‘he is your son you can always call him that special name which will mean you love him and steer him the power you want him to walk in; because no one else will call him like ‘Mama.’ What an awakening.

END:BL30/16