Jennifer Ogunsola with her beau Picture Credit: Candace Howe
A Nigerian, US-based freelance writer, Jennifer, in article titled, “who’s going to walk me down the aisle?” shared how the deportation of her dad affected the life of every member of her family, especially hers.
Jennifer’s dad, a Nigerian immigrant, went to America in 1980 for education and better opportunities. In 1983, he met and married her mom, who is from the United States of America and they had three daughters between 1984 and 1992.
In 1989, Jennifer’s dad had been sentenced to 33 months imprisonment for smuggling cocaine into the United States from Nigeria. Even though he had served his jail term, he was deported in 1992.
“Daddy was deported that morning and from that moment forward I was forced to spend the rest of my life mourning his loss. I’ve spent the past 26 Father’s Day holidays wishing I could spend time with my dad, take him to dinner or see a movie together…” she wrote.
For Jennifer, her dad has missed many meaningful moment in her life. From graduations to seeing her off to college and helping to set up her room, her dad wasn’t there when she was told that she had multiple sclerosis.
“He wasn’t there to fuss at me the first time a boy called the house, or to see me get dolled up for my prom. As I thought about all of these missed moments, there was one question eating away at my soul: “Who’s going to walk me down the aisle?” Jennifer wrote.
Knowing her father may never be allowed into the US, nevertheless, she asked her dad on WhatsApp and he said,
“As African parents, we always pray for these things in our lives. First, to be at the naming ceremony of our children and be able to nurture our children.
Secondly, to be at their graduation ceremony and thirdly, to hand over the female ones to their respectful husbands.
Fourthly, we pray to carry our grandchildren on our laps, and lastly to have our children at the burial site when one passes away. You can see that I’m lagging behind. Though, I still pray to God to turn things around for me. You are my first born and I was expecting to be there for you always, but God knows best.”
With the obvious staring hard at her, Jennifer has decided to make sure her dad walks her down the aisle, even if it means coming to Ijebu Ode in Nigeria.
ABC News
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