 Amina ‘Yutong’ Mohammed, who topped news headlines after reporting that armed robbers had mass-rapped passengers on a Tamale-bound Yutong bus, has told News-One that her husband and in-laws have developed a sudden hatred for her and have taken away her two young children against her wish.
Twenty-six-year-old Amina spoke to News-One in an exclusive that also touched on her current means of livelihood and plans for the future.
News-One: You look moody.
Amina: Yes because I don’t like talking.
News-One: You don’t like talking to journalists?
Amina: I just don’t like talking. It is my habit.
News-One: But you would have a lot of fans wanting to talk to you.
Amina: No. Most people do not recognize me. They only know my name and story but do not know my face.
News-One: What do you do?
Amina: I’m learning how to make female dresses. I am a seamstress but I don’t have my own shop. I am still learning; I am not a madam yet. I have two more years to complete my apprenticeship.
News-One: Where are your children?
Amina: Hmm. They are with their father’s mother. I want to take them back but my husband and his relatives are not giving them to me. That is my problem.
News-One: Why take the children back?
Amina: I want to take care of them. They are too young. They are my children and I am their mother and I can take care of them better than their grandmother. She is a very old lady and even weak so she cannot take care of them.
News-One: Amina you are not employed.
Amina: I know that but I can afford the motherly care. Their grandmother is too old and even if they are to attend school, how would she wake up at dawn and dress them up get them ready for school? I want to take good care of them.
News-One: What are their ages?
Amina: The younger one is four years and the other one is six.
News-One: Why were they taken away?
Amina: My husband started to hate me when my case started and he said he was taking the children away and I said no but he insisted on taking them away. My court case was ongoing and I realized he was giving me more problems and might say or do things to make my case worse. I was facing court and facing my husband so i decided to focus on the court first and then I would later have time for him.
News-One: Are you still married to him?
Amina: No. He does not like me. His family does not like me because of the case, especially his twin brother. He does not want to see me.
News-One: What work does your husband do?
Amina: He is an engineer.
News-One: Engineer?
Amina: Yes. He has a (metal) scraps shop. So when they go for the scraps, they bring them to his shop and he melts them. That is all I know. I am a woman and he does not talk business with me.
News-One: How long were you married?
Amina: Eight years.
News-One: You still love him?
Amina: No. I am not interested in him again because of the way he treats me and the way his family treats me. I don’t like the marriage anymore. What I want is my children back.
News-One: Have you told him you want your children?
Amina: I have told my husband and he said he was not ready to give back the children to me today or tomorrow. He said he would never give me the children and I have nothing to do.
News-One: There are laws in this country Amina.
Amina: I know about the laws but I am alone and I can’t use the law myself. He is not ready to give the children back and he says I should go and consult all his family members first but they hate me so how can I do that? They would not even see my face so he is intentionally saying that. He knows his mother has warned me not to step a foot in their house. So I cannot even visit the children. The place is also very far. It is at Sanarugu in Tamale.
News-One: When last did you see them?
Amina: Seven or eight months now. That was on the morning their father came for them. I really want them back. He thought I would physically prevent him but because of my court case and the problems, i did not want to do anything like that.
News-One: What are your plans for your future?
Amina: Well I don’t really know. I am a seamstress. I don’t have any particular plan. I wanted to use my story for a movie to tell my story and let people learn some lessons from it but I don’t know how to do that. Then I also want to be talking to people to stand for the truth and be bold.
News-One: Is it true some Movie producers are fighting over?
Amina: I have not seen any of them. I have heard such reports but I have not been contracted by anybody for any movie. I have not spoken to anybody about any movie.
News-One: So now you are single.
Amina: Yes
News-One: What if a man comes forward?
Amina: I don’t know ooo.
News-One: Let us end it here
Amina: Thank you. |
