THE TRUE MEANING OF A "HELP MEET"

After God created man, He said, "It is not good for him to be alone; I will make a help meet suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18). In many places, especially in the church, this scripture has often been interpreted solely within the context of marriage. However, I believe God was speaking about something deeper—the divine role of women as a source of strength and support in a man’s life. Let me share an experience.

In January 2024, after handling some major expenses, I had almost reached zero Naira. With personal financial needs piling up, I decided—perhaps impulsively—to post about my situation in our family WhatsApp group and to some close friends.

The responses were swift, but not necessarily helpful. Clearly, "sapa" (a Nigerian slang for being broke) wasn’t my burden alone. Almost everyone empathized, but there were no financial lifelines. Still, I didn’t feel hopeless.

The next day, after a long game of tennis meant to clear my head, I was surprised to find my mother waiting for me in the office lobby. The moment I saw the concern on her face—the face of the first woman I had ever known—I felt something shift inside me.

"Chuka, are you alright?" she asked. My mother has a way of making me emotional, but in truth, I was fine—just dealing with a temporary case of "sapa" 😄.

Without hesitation, she said, "I don’t have the 2 million you need, but I have 1 million. Will you manage it?" That’s my mother—the very definition of a help meet.

This wasn’t the first time she had shown up for me, and not just financially. In ways too many to count, she has always been there.

Some of my male relatives later told me privately that it was wrong to post my financial struggles in the family group. They quoted Lucky Dube’s song: “So you have a problem, and you want to take it outside?”—suggesting that sharing my struggles would only bring mockery.

But my mother proved them wrong.

For them, I have counter-quotes:

“There is no shame in tears.” — Abraham Lincoln
“It is the child who lifts up his hands that gets carried first.” — Gbenga Peters
“I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.” — Psalm 121

That day, God sent my mother as my helper. Today, I’m grateful to say that I have not just one but two helpers: my mother and my wife.

Happy Mother’s Day to my Super Mum, my Amazing Wife, my Sisters, Friends, and all the Phenomenal Mothers and Women who make our world better.

Shalom.

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