The day our compound went mad - noise blended together with craze…
Have you ever lived in a compound where one person’s voice becomes the alarm clock for everybody?.
Well… welcome to my compound, where our landlady has officially turned into the Chief Noise Maker of West Africa.
Every morning - before cock crow “Chioma! Ikenna! Leave that place!! Stop that thing!!!”
Every night - when the rest of us are begging for sleep - “Did I not warn you? Do I look like your mate?”
My sister, motherhood is not for the weak.
That woman don mental finish. I no go lie. As the story unfold that night, I realized maybe na motherhood dey mentalize all of us little by little.
One hot night, NEPA took the light like they were angry with the whole nation. Everywhere begin boil like pot of ogbono soup.
Nobody fit stay inside. All of us come outside to take breeze.
Next thing, our landlady opened her mouth again:
“Ikenna! Chioma! Will you people rest?!”
As if the heat no reach the shouting, she added more pepper.
Women for compound rush go beg her:
“Aunty abeg, take am easy. Na so children dey behave. Every mother get small craze inside her body.”
Truly… they were right but I no know say the matter go turn confession night for all the women in that compound.
As the landlady dey shout, one aunty begin talk:
“Hardest thing on earth no be to make money. Na to raise children wey get their own mind, protect dem from nonsense, teach dem sense and still keep your mental health intact.”
Another woman join am:
Sometimes person wey never born go tell you say you no sabi train pikin… my sister just ignore am. As we dey talk for Igbo: “Nna gbaghara ya na ihi na o maghi ihe o na-eme”.(Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re saying).
Everybody shout AMEN because e pain all of us from experience.
Then one woman begin tell her story:
Before she born, she dey flog other people children without mercy. She dey even boast:
"If I born my own ehn, dem no go try rubbish because I go train dem well!" but when God finally bless her with pikin?
My sister… her hands break.
Cane finish for market.
Her voice vanish.
The small boy wey she born na full battalion.
Mama Ijeoma was next.
That woman na born-again introvert but her children don drag her destiny from introvert to talkative.
She touch her chest:
“My chest ooo! Children no be joke o. One day I cry tell God say I am tired. Just two children o. I packed my bags in their front and tell them I am leaving - that I am somebody’s child and I no wan die. That day everywhere silent.”
We laugh tire but the truth hit deep.
Motherhood is sweet love wrapped inside madness.
Our neighbour with one child enter the conversation.
"Nah only one I born but this girl dey after my life. Nah everyday I dey take Lucozade boost. Sometimes when I dey shout, piss dey come out because even my bladder don stress!”
The whole compound scream “JEEESUS!”
Only one child o. One, and yet the girl dey drag her mother like generator.
Mama Prince begin talk her own:
“My own na weight loss program. One Sunday I rush to go flog my son, I fall down hit my head for wall. I just stand up quietly, enter my room, i no flog again. My son is after my life. Na everyday temple run.”
Everybody laugh but also pity her because…
Na true trauma she dey speak from.
Then another woman raise her hand:
“My second born na the weapon fashioned against me. If you like shout from morning till night, she no go move. She go just dey look you like Netflix. That girl alone na like five children combined.”
That one nearly faint us with laughter but deep down… we all knew she was telling pure truth.
Our neighbour wey get only boys shook ground:
“If you get only boys for house, you no only dey mad… you go craze join. My sons pass bandits small. Sometimes I dey run commot from house. Sometimes I take small alcohol to make me sleep off before dem go kpai me before my time. My shop na my peace.”
Even landlady forget her anger begin laugh.
Mama Gold, wey her pikin just eight months old begin talk:
“I dey go crazy already. My baby dey shout pass radio. Every day na war. Motherhood na another school of life.”
Women stare at her like:
“Eight months old baby? You never even enter the real madness.”
We no talk am.
We just smile because experience go teach her soon.
Me wey never born join the circle too.
I opened my mouth:
“My elder sister children wan finish me. No be joke, na everyday I drink Fearless on top three children. Children drain life out of you.”
Every woman clap because I too understand even though I never enter labour room.
After all the noise, laughter and lamentation, one aunty raise her hands to heaven:
“God please bless the wombs that are waiting. This madness, this joy, this stress, this miracle… every woman deserves this beautiful experience.”
Everywhere quiet.
Tears begin fall.
Even the landlady calm down small.
“Her children arise and call her blessed.” — Proverbs 31:28
Even when they stress you, even when they run you ragged, they will remember your sacrifices one day.
IGBO ADAGE TO SEAL IT
“Otu aka adighi ezu onwe ya nri.”
One hand cannot feed itself alone.
Motherhood is community.
Motherhood is shared.
Motherhood is support.
Motherhood is love mixed with small madness.
Every mother is slightly mad - it is part of the job description.
Children will test your spirit, your patience, even your bladder.
No two children are the same - some are like five in one.
People wey never born always think it's easy… until dem enter.
You can love your kids deeply and still cry from exhaustion.
Motherhood is a calling, a ministry, a full-time job.
God sees every tear, every shout, every silent breakdown.
If you be mother, aunt, guardian or you get children for your life…
Celebrate yourself today.
Encourage another woman.
Never judge a mother by the noise you hear - judge her by the love you don’t see.
MORAL LESSON
Motherhood no be by power and no be by noise.
It is love, patience, sacrifice and madness blended together by God’s grace.
© 2025 Elizabeth Akudo Stories — All rights reserved.
Follow @Elizabeth Akudo for more real-life stories wey dey touch heart, make person laugh, and still inspire. #MotherhoodChronicles #NigerianStories #CompoundLife #WomenSupportingWomen #RealTalk #ParentingWahala #HumaneStories #InspiredByGrace #ElizabethAkudoWrites #BibleWisdom #IgboAdage #AfricanMothers #StressAndLove #FaithAndFamily
Have you ever lived in a compound where one person’s voice becomes the alarm clock for everybody?.
Well… welcome to my compound, where our landlady has officially turned into the Chief Noise Maker of West Africa.
Every morning - before cock crow “Chioma! Ikenna! Leave that place!! Stop that thing!!!”
Every night - when the rest of us are begging for sleep - “Did I not warn you? Do I look like your mate?”
My sister, motherhood is not for the weak.
That woman don mental finish. I no go lie. As the story unfold that night, I realized maybe na motherhood dey mentalize all of us little by little.
One hot night, NEPA took the light like they were angry with the whole nation. Everywhere begin boil like pot of ogbono soup.
Nobody fit stay inside. All of us come outside to take breeze.
Next thing, our landlady opened her mouth again:
“Ikenna! Chioma! Will you people rest?!”
As if the heat no reach the shouting, she added more pepper.
Women for compound rush go beg her:
“Aunty abeg, take am easy. Na so children dey behave. Every mother get small craze inside her body.”
Truly… they were right but I no know say the matter go turn confession night for all the women in that compound.
As the landlady dey shout, one aunty begin talk:
“Hardest thing on earth no be to make money. Na to raise children wey get their own mind, protect dem from nonsense, teach dem sense and still keep your mental health intact.”
Another woman join am:
Sometimes person wey never born go tell you say you no sabi train pikin… my sister just ignore am. As we dey talk for Igbo: “Nna gbaghara ya na ihi na o maghi ihe o na-eme”.(Father forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re saying).
Everybody shout AMEN because e pain all of us from experience.
Then one woman begin tell her story:
Before she born, she dey flog other people children without mercy. She dey even boast:
"If I born my own ehn, dem no go try rubbish because I go train dem well!" but when God finally bless her with pikin?
My sister… her hands break.
Cane finish for market.
Her voice vanish.
The small boy wey she born na full battalion.
Mama Ijeoma was next.
That woman na born-again introvert but her children don drag her destiny from introvert to talkative.
She touch her chest:
“My chest ooo! Children no be joke o. One day I cry tell God say I am tired. Just two children o. I packed my bags in their front and tell them I am leaving - that I am somebody’s child and I no wan die. That day everywhere silent.”
We laugh tire but the truth hit deep.
Motherhood is sweet love wrapped inside madness.
Our neighbour with one child enter the conversation.
"Nah only one I born but this girl dey after my life. Nah everyday I dey take Lucozade boost. Sometimes when I dey shout, piss dey come out because even my bladder don stress!”
The whole compound scream “JEEESUS!”
Only one child o. One, and yet the girl dey drag her mother like generator.
Mama Prince begin talk her own:
“My own na weight loss program. One Sunday I rush to go flog my son, I fall down hit my head for wall. I just stand up quietly, enter my room, i no flog again. My son is after my life. Na everyday temple run.”
Everybody laugh but also pity her because…
Na true trauma she dey speak from.
Then another woman raise her hand:
“My second born na the weapon fashioned against me. If you like shout from morning till night, she no go move. She go just dey look you like Netflix. That girl alone na like five children combined.”
That one nearly faint us with laughter but deep down… we all knew she was telling pure truth.
Our neighbour wey get only boys shook ground:
“If you get only boys for house, you no only dey mad… you go craze join. My sons pass bandits small. Sometimes I dey run commot from house. Sometimes I take small alcohol to make me sleep off before dem go kpai me before my time. My shop na my peace.”
Even landlady forget her anger begin laugh.
Mama Gold, wey her pikin just eight months old begin talk:
“I dey go crazy already. My baby dey shout pass radio. Every day na war. Motherhood na another school of life.”
Women stare at her like:
“Eight months old baby? You never even enter the real madness.”
We no talk am.
We just smile because experience go teach her soon.
Me wey never born join the circle too.
I opened my mouth:
“My elder sister children wan finish me. No be joke, na everyday I drink Fearless on top three children. Children drain life out of you.”
Every woman clap because I too understand even though I never enter labour room.
After all the noise, laughter and lamentation, one aunty raise her hands to heaven:
“God please bless the wombs that are waiting. This madness, this joy, this stress, this miracle… every woman deserves this beautiful experience.”
Everywhere quiet.
Tears begin fall.
Even the landlady calm down small.
“Her children arise and call her blessed.” — Proverbs 31:28
Even when they stress you, even when they run you ragged, they will remember your sacrifices one day.
IGBO ADAGE TO SEAL IT
“Otu aka adighi ezu onwe ya nri.”
One hand cannot feed itself alone.
Motherhood is community.
Motherhood is shared.
Motherhood is support.
Motherhood is love mixed with small madness.
Every mother is slightly mad - it is part of the job description.
Children will test your spirit, your patience, even your bladder.
No two children are the same - some are like five in one.
People wey never born always think it's easy… until dem enter.
You can love your kids deeply and still cry from exhaustion.
Motherhood is a calling, a ministry, a full-time job.
God sees every tear, every shout, every silent breakdown.
If you be mother, aunt, guardian or you get children for your life…
Celebrate yourself today.
Encourage another woman.
Never judge a mother by the noise you hear - judge her by the love you don’t see.
MORAL LESSON
Motherhood no be by power and no be by noise.
It is love, patience, sacrifice and madness blended together by God’s grace.
© 2025 Elizabeth Akudo Stories — All rights reserved.
Follow @Elizabeth Akudo for more real-life stories wey dey touch heart, make person laugh, and still inspire. #MotherhoodChronicles #NigerianStories #CompoundLife #WomenSupportingWomen #RealTalk #ParentingWahala #HumaneStories #InspiredByGrace #ElizabethAkudoWrites #BibleWisdom #IgboAdage #AfricanMothers #StressAndLove #FaithAndFamily
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