Maggie proud to be a mum, lawyer

By LEMACH LAVARI
MAGDALENE Opotio is the first woman from her village to become a lawyer.
It took her longer than she expected – eight years in total instead of the normal five – because she had to drop out of law school twice to have children.
Maggie, as she is known to those close to her, is from the remote village of Koi Mangiai in the Usino-Bundi district of Madang.
She is the eldest of 10 siblings. Dad John is an accountant while mum looks after the home.
“My siblings and I were raised depending entirely on my dad for financial support. My mum kept the household running. I would go to my village every holiday and school break. I know all the routes to my village. My uncles and papas are my best friends and my aunties and mamas are my lewas.”

She joined UPNG in 2011 and sailed through the first three years “just fine”.
“Then I fell pregnant to my boyfriend. He was an architecture student at the University of Technology (Unitech). I left school and went home to begin my life as a married woman (de facto marriage).”
In 2015 she returned to school. But after a year, she was pregnant again and had to return home.
Maggie decided to go to the village and raise her two children there. Her partner continued his studies and went on to graduate in 2015. She later found out that he, the father of her children had another woman pregnant.
Maggie was heartbroken at the “betrayal”. She decided to seek out this other woman. She went to Lae to face her. She already had three children.
“I accepted everything and made up my mind to go back to school. 2018 saw me at UPNG doing my final year. I graduated in 2019 with my LLB degree.”
The fifth year for law students has to be spent at the Legal Training Institute before graduating.
“I completed it with a lot of struggle. I had to sacrifice being away from home, sacrifice time with my children, and most of all the father of my children.”
She decided let her partner “live his life”.
“I never once disturbed him and hoped that would give him enough time to find what he needed.”
On graduation day at the institute, her family was there – the two children and their father.
“I allowed him to be around us not because I am loser but because I believe that we both have a lot to live for and offer our children.

“ Being admitted to the PNG Bar, I had proved to myself that yes, I am a strong woman, daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife (yet to be legalised). No matter my circumstances I held my head high and pressed on.”

“Being admitted to the PNG Bar, I had proved to myself that yes, I am a strong woman, daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife (yet to be legalised).
“No matter my circumstances I held my head high and pressed on.”
And she is proud of what she has achieved and who she is.
“I am the first woman from Koi Mangiai to become a lawyer. My name is Taindi, after my grandmother. We are Yandera women. Nothing is impossible.”