At exactly 3.50pm, Onoseh starting clearing up her table. She did everything simultaneously; shutting down her computer, arranging her files back on the shelf, putting away her water flask and handing over her office key to Antonia who shared a space in the office with her. “Please, I must get to the Airport before 5p.m to pick my husband. The flight from Abuja should arrival at 4.30p.m and I wouldn’t want to keep him waiting for too long. Kindly understand with me,” she pleaded.
“Just drop it on that table as usual”, Antonia replied without bothering to raise her head up from what she was doing, “ by now I should be getting used to it that your Fridays of even some Thursdays as the case may be, are not 100 per cent for us here.”
That did not worry Onoseh anyway, as she picked her bag and made for the door. “See you on Monday”, she said. But just before she shut the door after her, Antonia gave her one for the road. “My greetings to your weekend hubby ”, she said laughing out loud.
Onoseh’s is just one out of so many couples who live apart due to job demands. The challenge of getting a good-paying job and sustaining it has made many a couple to relocate to towns other than places where the family made out to stay.
When situations as this happen, the spouse who has the good-paying job is forced to go and start off a new life, with hopes that the other partner would also relocate with time. But has it always been so?
When situations as this happen, the spouse who has the good-paying job is forced to go and start off a new life, with hopes that the other partner would also relocate with time. But has it always been so?
Different experiences have shown that many of such couples end up living apart owing to countless excuses; some say they have settled in the first town and would not want to move; some others may not want to move with their
spouses because of their children’s schools; while for some, the complaint is about the high cost of living in the new place.
spouses because of their children’s schools; while for some, the complaint is about the high cost of living in the new place.
The last decade saw a lot of such situation as couples living apart due to job demands in places like Lagos and Port-Harcourt grew. This development cuts across males and females, depending on the person who got the passport to greener pastures.
While jobs took some husbands or wives to Abuja or Port-Harcourt, others found their ways to Lagos or Abuja from
Port-Harcourt. There was also relocation to other towns. They serviced their relationship via the mobile phone, and in cases where the networks decided to fail, so be it.
While jobs took some husbands or wives to Abuja or Port-Harcourt, others found their ways to Lagos or Abuja from
Port-Harcourt. There was also relocation to other towns. They serviced their relationship via the mobile phone, and in cases where the networks decided to fail, so be it.
Of course, we all know that this turn has not been the best for marriages. While some planned their visits for every weekend, others only get to see their spouses on a monthly basis.
Spouses have paid impromptu visits only to find their wives or husbands in messy relationships. While some accept the weaknesses of their spouses, others have simply walked out.
Spouses have paid impromptu visits only to find their wives or husbands in messy relationships. While some accept the weaknesses of their spouses, others have simply walked out.
In my opinion, if a spouse must relocate to another city for reason of better job, then the other spouse should be ready to move over shortly after.
This is important because a couple should be together to support each other emotionally just as financially. This decision will help their relationship. What do you think?
This is important because a couple should be together to support each other emotionally just as financially. This decision will help their relationship. What do you think?
Situations are different. A man who works in an oil rig cant help being away for weeks on end. For a couple that has jobs at different cities home has to be where the kids school. and with the economic situation in the country one needs all the kobo they can lay their hands on. Its not ideal but what can they do? not accept a job especially if it pays well because its far away? if the income of one of them can sustain then especially if its the man then fine. But in situations where its the woman who has the job and the man lost his job and got another one in another city or was transferred to another city. You can imagine he wouldn't want to depend on his wife.
True talk Kiki. If the pay wld meet the needs abi. The situation is so challenging, but the couple must find the best way to stay intimate. God help us all.