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Fans and followers of the Supermom reality television show are currently at crossroads. No less because they have seen and heard the emotional stories and trajectories of different mothers across the country for the past 12 weeks on the popular television show.

Indeed, all have been touching and exciting but voting for the mother with the best story has been rocket science for many. Yet, a Supermom must emerge at the end of the day to claim the grand prize of a well-appointed home in a choice area of Lagos while the first and second runners-up get a brand new car and N500,000 cash respectively.

Twenty mothers were chosen for this season of the Supermom. Each week, two mothers were paired and the mother with the higher number votes moved to the next stage of the show. While the first episode was devoted to a recap of the debut season which saw Nkechi Rapu, an Asaba, Delta State trader walking away with the grand prize, the second episode saw the pairing of Cecilia Odunaiya and Patience Chioma. But Odunaiya, a widow, won after narrating a more emotive story of how she was involved in an accident which affected her legs and her unborn baby and how she took jests in her strides just to make the challenged child happy. She was also able to send her other children to school with her merger teacher salary and other menial businesses she dabbled into.

In another episode, Ngozi Mark ventured into seven forms of menial jobs, digging ridges in farms for a paltry N200 which she invested in vegetables and oranges she hawked for survival while also washing toilets and clothes among other domestic chores for people. She was hawking oranges one fateful day when the child strapped to her back started convulsing. To stop it, she had to succumb to the tradition of walking naked in the market square. Her story swept viewers off than that of Helen Augustine.

Fourth episode winner, Port Harcourt-based Lovelyn Iyieke stood by her challenged son when he was hospitalised, flouting a rule which forbade visitors from spending the night with patients; she would make her way back there, sleep on the bare floor just to be with her son. Her competitor’s story, Toyin Hamsat, was equally heartrending.

The tales of Grace Jeremiah and Judith Asange on the fifth episode touched lots of viewers but the majority of votes came for Asange. After her son lost his right hand, Asange abandoned everything including her source of livelihood to be with him at the hospital to teach him how to make the best use of his left hand. With her garri business, she was able to send her children to the university including the challenged son who is now a graduate.

Other mothers who have made it into the finals have equally interesting and emotive stories which have made the Supermom a must watch across the nation since inception 13 weeks ago. As the competition reaches its final stages, it remains to be seen which of these mothers who have suffered one form of deprivation or the other to raise their children to adulthood would win the coveted prizes in the Supermom sponsored by Procter and Gamble, Dufil Foods, makers of Indomie Noodles and Promasidor.

—Ayodele Lawal