'My stepmother has made me completely useless'

It was the search for a son that made my father to get married to my mother and luckily, I was born just a year after. I soon became my father's favourite as he dotted on me and made sure I did not lack anything.

Not that he did not give my half sisters attention or care but when it came to me, I was treated specially and like royalty. My father dedicated one car to me and I was taken to and from school while my father made sure everything that concerned me was given the pride of place.

Though my mother had three more children, one boy, and two girls, the attention my father gave me was undivided. I was like an egg and anyone who dared touch me would have my father to contend with.

I went to the best schools and gained admission into the university when I was just 16 but my father refused to allow me to attend any school in Nigeria and by the time I was 17, I traveled to England for my degree.

After I graduated, I went for my Master's program and when I finished, I got a job with a reputable financial institution. My father wanted me to come back to Nigeria to take over his business but my mother insisted I should remain in England as there were better opportunities over there.

I came home about three times before I was told that my father had developed a serious stroke. I was making plans to take him to England for specialist treatment when my younger brother called to tell me that our father had died.

I was devastated and flew down to Nigeria to commence preparation for the burial. After we had interred my father, the family called a meeting and my uncles insisted I should come back home and take over the family business and keep the family together.

I told them to give me some time to arrange my homecoming and went back to England. Little did I know that my stepmother had a different plan for me because, by the time I got back to my base, I was sacked from my job and evicted from my apartment.

I moved into a hotel and tried to get another job but to no avail. One day, I was called for an interview but when I stepped out of the hotel, a police car pulled up and I was arrested.

I did not know what offence I had committed but I spent three days in jail and on the fourth day, I was deported without any of my belongings.

That was how I found myself in Lagos and decided to put up with a friend for a while before going back home.

All of a sudden, I lost every sense of going back home and no attempt by my people to take me back home proved fruitful. I became and alcoholic and a drug addict as I moved from one slum to the other.

My family had come looking for me on several occasions but I always put up a stiff fight against going back home.

At 48, I have no job, no wife and no family and any money I make from my odd job here and there goes into drinks and drugs.

It was a friend who cared that forced me to his church where it was revealed that everything that has happened to me was caused by my stepmother who locked up my destiny spiritually.

The man of God, after going into serious prayers and fasting on my behalf, told me the woman would confess in not time.

I was surprised when my brother called me two weeks ago to tell me that she had confessed to being behind my life's troubles and begged me to forgive her so she could die in peace.

And suddenly, I have come to my senses and have realized it was not me that lived such a useless life. My people want me to come back home to undergo rehabilitation but I am so ashamed of myself and don't know how to face my family after bringing so much shame to them.

Felix."

Dear readers, Felix has gone through a lot in life due to his wicked and jealous stepmother. After going through his story on Morning Teaser today, what do you think he should do?