Mercy and Ike: “My Mum tried to abort me”

The first episode of Mercy and Ike, which premiered yesterday on Africa Magic Showcase and also comes express to Showmax, has a family theme. The show opens with our lovebirds narrating their life stories, from their childhoods up to today.

Mercy’s is a heartfelt grass-to-grace story. She grew up in Owerri under tough circumstances.

Tough start for a young Mercy

“Growing up, sometimes we didn’t have what to eat, or you have white rice and you won’t have stew,” she recounts. “[That’s] because my dad wasn’t around and it was just my mum and us. My mum used to sell Akara, so from there, she graduated to Mama Put.”

Her story contrasts with Ike’s, who had a “pretty regular” life growing up in the state with both parents around.

First comes love …

The episode features clips of charming moments the couple shared in the Big Brother House. It also features their fights. And it is a pure joy watching them tell tales from the House. In one of the episode’s cute moments, they argue about who fell in love first.

“I think it was love at first sight, you saw me and just fell,” Ike says. Mercy interjects. “But yours was love at first sight, you saw me and started following me everywhere.”

More like Mercy and Ike

The episode’s most shocking moment sees Mercy open up about her mother’s attempts at aborting her. A paternal aunt insulted Mrs Eke for being pregnant with Mercy: “Are you still pregnant after all the kids you have here?” The insult pushed Mrs Eke to the edge and she tried to abort baby Lambo.

“My mum told me that what she does that time is, she will climb a tree and fall from there just to see if she will get rid of me,” Mercy says as she fights back tears. “I just told myself that I have to make it, whatever it takes for me to be something—I wanted to make a point that I am not waste, I have to make her proud somehow.” And she has!

Watch the latest episode of Mercy & Ike on Showmax on Sunday nights, straight after it airs on Africa Magic Showcase.