Joys of Motherhood Alt. ending

Nnu Ego is a mother that has attempted sucide after the death of her first born child. After a divorce that resulted from that death, she remarries to Nnaife but he moves from job to job. He however, leaves money for the famliy. Nnu Ego soon has another son and twin girls. During this time, she has to deal with competition from another women Nnaife inherited from his brother, Adaku and tensions ruin high. Nnu Ego is able to adhere some income from her cigarette stand but it is not enough to provide for the family as well as Adaku and at the same time care for her children. Nnaife is forced into the army, but still sends money and to make matters worse, Nnu Ego has not been getting the stipend. As time passes, her sons realize the importance of education and puts their ambitions over family traditions and accept the opportunity to go to America for the education. Not only that but Kehinde, one of her daughters become "rebellious" In the end, Nnu Ego dies a lonely, sad death, never having to experience the motherhood she wanted but her oldest son, Oshia returns to properly bury her.

To certain extents, if there were micro-financing there may and very well could have been a very different ending for Ona, Ego's mother. She could have had the money for proper maternal care. Since she died giving birth, the money from her business that came from micro-financing could have made things better. Who's to say that if she alive, Ona could have helped Ego in some way to to where she did not have to die a lonesome death.

For Ego, so many different endings come to mind. She had her own stand and was able to provide some income but with microfinancing, she couldve have avoided malnutrition for the family. She could have been the head provider and in turn, Nnaife would not feel as high and mighty to where he would accepted another mate, Adaku. Ego could have had the opportunity to send her kids to school and keeping Oshia, Adim and Kehinde from being compelled to leave because of their ambitions. However, what may be the most significant change maybe the respect of her children; her children may actually care for her well-being. She gave everything and gained nothing. She dreamt of how miraculous motherhood would be but never experienced it but the chance was quite possible with micro-financing.

What crosses my mind as well is her children's ambitions. Even if the financing does change the ending for Ego, one cant help but wonder if their ambitions would run as deep. She may be able to experience motherhood with financing but would the better lifestyle, colonialism, and expectations to adopt the changes that was brought over, drive their ambitions just as it did without financing? Her daughter wanted to choose her own mate so regardless of lifestyle, she would have that same mentality. With micro-financing, Ona may have had a better ending and for Nnu Ego, there were certain aspects that would have definitely looked bright but there are some parts, i believe, that would not change regardless of "what if, what could or what may have been."