According to Vanguard, In May 2019, Mrs. Blessing Odion and her family attended a burial ceremony in Okpohumi village, Afuze, located in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The event was a somber occasion to bid farewell to her late father-in-law. On that fateful day, she retired to bed with her husband, James Austin, a Police Sergeant, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. However, the next morning, Mrs. Odion woke up at 5:00am to find her husband’s side of the bed empty. His disappearance that day marked the beginning of a difficult and emotional journey for Mrs. Odion.
James Austin vanished without a trace, leaving his family in confusion and despair. The disappearance happened under mysterious circumstances, with no clues as to his whereabouts. Despite efforts by family members and well-wishers, there were no leads or explanations to account for his sudden absence. The uncertainty surrounding his disappearance created a vacuum in the lives of those closest to him, particularly for Mrs. Odion and their children, who were left to grapple with the emotional and financial strain that followed.
At the time of her husband’s disappearance, Mrs. Odion was two months pregnant with their third child. The pregnancy, already a challenging experience, became even more difficult to bear. With the absence of her husband and the emotional toll it took on her, she struggled to manage the situation. Her physical and mental health suffered, and the weight of the circumstances became almost unbearable. The support she received from her mother’s family was vital in helping her navigate this challenging period.
As the months turned into years, Mrs. Odion was left to raise her children on her own, facing the harsh realities of single motherhood. Her third child, who was born after her husband’s disappearance, has never met his father. The impact of this on the family has been profound, as the children continue to grow up without a father figure. Mrs. Odion’s struggle to provide for her family in the absence of her husband has been a constant challenge.
Despite the hardships she has faced, Mrs. Odion has had to continue life as best as she can, juggling the responsibilities of being both a mother and a breadwinner. The emotional strain of losing her husband, coupled with the financial difficulties she encountered, have been overwhelming at times. The uncertainty of her husband’s fate remains a burden, casting a shadow over her and her children’s lives.
She said: “I was two months pregnant with our third child when my husband disappeared, and now that child is four years old and has never known his father. Coping with the pregnancy was incredibly difficult. If it weren’t for my mother’s family, who helped me, I don’t know what would have happened. I was in the hospital at one point, and I didn’t even know how I got there. I thought I had lost the baby, and to be honest, I wanted to lose the pregnancy because the suffering was too much. I had no food to eat and was in a desperate state.“
Courtesy: Vanguard