Moteni

Moteni's Book(1)

Silent women

Short stories

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The sun was setting over the small village of Okponkpon, casting a warm orange glow over the thatched roofs of the houses. As the villagers returned home from a long day of work in the fields, they noticed something strange. The women of the village, who were usually chatty and lively, were silent. Not a single word was spoken as they went about their business, cooking dinner and tending to their children. The men of the village were puzzled by this sudden change in behavior. They had never seen the women so quiet before. They tried to engage them in conversation, but their questions were met with only silence. The women went about their work with a solemn determination, as if they were carrying a great burden. The men eventually gave up trying to talk to the women and retired to their own huts for the night. As they lay in their beds, they could hear the women whispering to each other in hushed tones. They couldn't make out what they were saying, but they knew that something was wrong. The next morning, the men woke up to find that the women were still silent. They went about their work as usual, but there was a tension in the air that was palpable. The men knew that something had to be done. They called a village meeting to discuss the matter. At the meeting, the men tried to get the women to speak up, but they remained silent. It was as if they had taken a vow of silence. The men were at a loss as to what to do. They had never seen the women behave like this before. Suddenly, a young girl stood up and spoke. "The women of this village are tired of being ignored and mistreated. We are tired of being treated as second-class citizens. We have decided to go on a silent strike until our voices are heard." The men were taken aback by this sudden outburst. They had never considered that the women might be unhappy with their treatment. They had always assumed that everything was fine. But now they realized that they had been blind to the women's struggles. The men agreed to listen to the women's grievances and to work together to find a solution. Over the next few weeks, the men and women of Okponkpon worked together to address the issues that had led to the women's silent strike. They talked and listened to each other, and slowly but surely, things began to change. The women of Okponkpon may have been silent, but their actions spoke louder than words. By going on strike, they had made it clear that they were no longer willing to accept the status quo. They had demanded to be heard, and the men had listened. As the days turned into weeks, the women slowly began to speak again. At first, it was just a few words here and there, but gradually, they became more and more vocal. They spoke up at village meetings, sharing their ideas and opinions. They started to take on leadership roles in the community, working alongside the men to make decisions that would benefit everyone. The men of Okponkpon soon realized that they had been missing out on a valuable resource. The women had insights and ideas that they had never considered before. They had a unique perspective on the world, and they were eager to share it. As the village began to change, the women of Okponkpon found their voices. They spoke out against injustice and inequality, and they worked tirelessly to make their community a better place. They became role models for the younger generation, showing them that they too could make a difference. In the end, the silent strike had been a turning point for Okponkpon. It had brought the men and women of the village together, and it had shown them that they were stronger when they worked together. The women of Okponkpon had proved that sometimes, the most powerful message is the one that is left unsaid.