“My mother had become a obsession for me, a religion, and the very thought of referring to another woman as Mother seems sacrilegious, a betrayal of the woman who had given up her life for me to live.” — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“It would take a while for me to realise that each of my children had given me as much as they took. My memories of them, bittersweet and constant, were as powerful as a physical presence. And because of that, as a bus bore me into the heart of a city I did not know, while my last child was… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share
“Didn’t think it was possible for the world to change so suddenly. I was aware of other people moving up and down the corridor:… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“The reasons why we do the things we do will not always be the ones others will remember. Sometimes I think we have children… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“I had expected them to talk about my childlessness. I was armed with millions of smiles. Apologetic smiles, pity-me smiles, I-look-unto-God smiles - name… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“So love is like a test, but in what sense? To what end? Who was carrying out the test? But I think I did… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“I understand how a word others use every day can become something whispered in the dark to soothe a wound that just won't heal.… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“She said the word 'beautiful' as if beauty was a bad habit Bolu had developed, something bordering on criminal behavior for which she would… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“Sometimes I think we have children because we want to leave behind someone who can explain who we were to the world when we… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“I loved Yejide from the very first moment. No doubt about that. But there are things even love can’t do. Before I got married,… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“The reasons why we do the things we do will not always be the ones that others will remember. Sometimes” — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“I was armed with millions of smiles. Apologetic smiles, pity-me smiles, I-look-unto-God smiles—name all the fake smiles needed to get through an afternoon with… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
“OK, we'll tell her you dug the grave." It's the truth - stretch, but still true. Besides, what would be left of love without… — Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Copy Share Image
