Last June, my mum sent me to stay with Aunty Uzo. On the day I heard the news, I broke down and cried.

Not because I didn’t like Aunty Uzo, but because I was going to miss my family very much. We had never been apart.

My siblings cracked jokes to cheer me up. My mum told me it was only for a little while. She said I’d come back when things got better. We promised to keep in touch.

That first week with Aunty Uzo, I couldn’t sleep at night. Life was different. I was pretty confused. At home, I used to wake up early and make breakfast. But in Aunty Uzo’s house, I didn’t have to cook. Aunty Uzo liked cooking by herself.

Back home, we never had dinner together. Everyone was busy, so we were hardly home at the same time. But in Aunty Uzo’s house, we ate together every evening.

During meals, she asked many questions. She wanted to know how I spent my day. She hoped I was settling down well. She even asked if I had a crush on any guy!

I wasn’t used to opening up to anyone apart from my mum and siblings. I needed to ask my mum what to do. So I borrowed Aunty Uzo’s phone and called her. My mum told me not to worry. She said Aunty Uzo was just getting to know me better. She said I should be myself.

After that, I started gisting with Aunty Uzo. I learned a lot about her. She loved Nigerian music—just like me. She closed her eyes when she laughed. She didn’t treat me like a ‘small girl’ at all.

I started going to the youth centre with her. We played games and hung out with other people. After a while, I told her that I found it hard to speak up. She encouraged me to be strong. She said I should always speak my mind. It felt good to confide in her.

Over time, I learnt that I could tell Aunty Uzo anything. She never judged me or laughed at me. She gave me good advice. I knew I could trust her no matter what.

Living with Aunty Uzo changed me. I became more confident. Even my siblings noticed on the phone.

When I went back home, I was very happy to see my family at last. But I couldn’t wait to visit Aunty Uzo again. Best aunty ever!

From our parents to our siblings, family is everything. But extended family members like aunties and uncles are cool too. They support and encourage us. Just like Aunty Uzo showed Blessing.


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