A distraught rural mother has voiced a heartbreaking complaint: that her husband left home recently with the only car key, leaving her to take their three children to school on foot through heavy downpours.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said the incident occurred last week in [Local Area / Town], when heavy rains pounded the community early in the morning. According to her, her husband stated he was travelling for business, but took the car key with him—without informing her—and left no alternative means for her to convey their children to school.
“I woke up to strong winds and rain,” she recounted. “I called him to ask: ‘Where is the car key? Why didn’t you leave it? How will I take the children to school?’ But he was already gone. So I had to bundle the children up, cover them as best I could, and we walked in the rain to their school.”
The journey was not without hardship. The two older children braved muddy paths; the youngest, in his kindergarten uniform, was soaked through despite her shielding umbrella. Neighbours who saw them offered little succour, as most homes are not within easy walking distance of the school, and many roads in the area become slushy, flooded, or clogged when rain is heavy.
Residents in the community have long complained about deteriorating infrastructure, especially poor drainage and pothole-filled roadways that become treacherous after rains. One local trader, Mrs. Ada Udo, observed, “Many women walk their children to school when it rains badly—this is nothing new—only that in this case the husband’s actions have turned it worse.”
Legal and social welfare observers say this case underscores deeper issues of domestic communication, shared responsibility, and gender expectations in rural families.
A local social welfare official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “In many households, men control mobility—who drives, who moves, who has access to the vehicle. When that access is withdrawn, intentionally or not, women and children are the ones who suffer. Add to it poor roads, torrential rain, and lack of public transport in rural areas, and you have a recipe for hardship.”
While there is no law preventing a spouse from having sole access to the vehicle, experts say that such behavior—leaving one spouse without means to move essential household tasks—can be seen as inconsiderate, negligent, or even coercive, depending on motive and continuity.
When contacted, the husband’s phone went unanswered. His neighbours say he often travels for business—but usually leaves the car with his wife when he leaves town. Some suspect this time may be different, possibly a quarrel or breakdown in marital understanding.
Meanwhile, the children’s school principal, Mrs. Blessing Ekanem, confirmed that the school recently recorded increasing absenteeism on rainy days, especially among pupils from outlying settlements. She appealed to parents to plan ahead, and to government agencies to improve access roads to schools.
