There’s this man I would like to marry because of my father. He’s rich and is ready to give me the world if I accept to be with him. He has come to see my father and my dad wants me to accept him as soon as possible. He’s a fifty-seven-year-old man whose first child is even older than I am. He has been married before. His wife died three years ago and he has four children.

I’m only twenty-six. I have a boyfriend I’ve been dating for the past two years now. He’s a good guy and has dreams of making it big in life. At his age, he has three companies he’s nurturing. The future is bright and I would have loved to be part of his future.

My father’s problem is poverty. He sees this man as the channel out of poverty, not for himself, but for me and my other siblings. My dad has suffered to take care of us. His suffering became worse when my mom died but he didn’t give up. He soldiered on to take care of us through school and through life. I will do anything for my dad including marrying this old man just to make my dad happy.

My issue is, I don’t love this man. I like him as a person. He’s very honest and straightforward. He doesn’t behave like an old person. He doesn’t even dress like one and I like that about him. They say love grows. I want to believe that and marry him based on that assertion, hoping it wouldn’t be long before love shines in my heart for him.

I want to know if I’m making the right decision. It’s hard for me now but it will make my dad happy. I want to go all out, breaking my boyfriend’s heart including mine and marry this man. But tell me, will I regret it? Those who didn’t marry for love but love came along the way, how did you do it? How long did it take for love to find a place in your heart?”