EPISODE2
Morning
crept surreptitiously into Alammiri, the crow of haughty cocks and bleating of
goats saturated the air. The radiant beams of the young sun tiptoed into every
compound like a hungry teenage thief, it cheerfully bestowed its daily
blessings of lavish warmth on the commelina flowers and lush alamanda shrubs
that outlined the hedges around Dumebi's abode. The land had drunk it's fill of
the heavenly waters, the sky was brilliant, it seemed like a deep blue sea, with
Colossal lumps of immaculate white cotton wool sauntering over it. The Igwe's emissary
set out at dawn to summon Dumebi the revered priestess who had already woken up
at first cock crow and retired into her narrow pentagonal backyard to pour out
a litany of obligatory libations. Numerous wooden images, elephant tusks, tiger
claws and crocodile hide littered the shrine which was tortured by a horrible
stench of fermenting goat urine. The most prominent of the carvings was the
face of Ajaka the dreaded deity, carved from the gut of the toughest of
Mahoganies. It had blood smeared all over it like a child's feeble attempt at
painting in red colour. A reproachful grin hung around its vicious face "Ogwu,
I already know why you are here, I've seen the signs myself" She spoke
calmly to the Igwe's servant thwacking her rusty metal gong with passion seven
times as she did, her lanky biceps vibrating in tandem to every resonating
sound. The gate to the spirit realm was now open. “nnam ukwu orji abiala, kola
has come” she said as she broke the lobe of kolanut into four equal parts, ate
a quarter and threw the rest unto the face of the deity “protect us from the
mischief of evil doers, and let your gifts of bountiful harvest never depart
from us” “ise” echoed Ogwu. But something was not right, the shrill cry of
crows hung over the giant breadfruit tree which soared into a great height and
stood adjacent to the mud hut where Dumebi lived. She could taste the secrets
of the evil spirits in the tranquil wind that caused the palm fronds in the
shrine to rustle mildly. Her expression was blank and wooden ''Agbara nwanyi, what
exactly is wrong?" enquired Ogwu, curiosity clung to every arc of his
puffy face. ''if a palm wine tapper reveals everything he sees while on the
palm tree, one day he'll reveal the secrets of the gods, tell the Igwe, I'll be
in his palace a fortnight from today'' she replied curtly with a deep sigh and
retired backwards out of the shrine.
Dusk had
just fallen upon the face of Alammiri. Dumebi made herself present in the
Igwe's palace after a fortnight like she had promised. “Igwe! Ezigbo Nsobu di-
there is trouble My King!” Her voice thundered after a number of incantations.
Her fearful blood-shot eyes flashed like lightning. The scary tattoos made of
chalk ran from end to end like contours on her gaunt malnourished and wrinkled
body. “Igwe! The kingdom of the evil Spirits is very unhappy with your entire
household!”. She eventually broke the evil news without a shred of empathy,
which evidently created an eerie atmosphere and elicited fear and horror from
the listening cabinet members. “Ewuooooooh! Isi gini- what did you say?!” Wailed Osodieri Aku, The King's wife. “There
is a curse from the children your grandfather molested and killed unjustly
during his tyrannical reign. Obinnaya must be used as a sacrifice to appease
and assuage the raging wrath of the spirits of these children, he must be cast
to into the Otammiri blue river to drown in the middle of the great Agbuishi evil
forest before the next eight market days! or else!” Came a curt reply from the
priestess. “The people of Alammiri need their peace and tranquility restored! this
is not negotiable Igwe, I have spoken” She thundered “Nnayi!!!- My Husband!
That is impossible! you cannot take Obinna away from me now!” Osodi yelled loudly
as she embraced Obinna who stood there like an apparition, dumbfounded. “Eight
Market days!! Or else!!??” Threatened Dumebi in a strange husky and unfriendly
voice as she stormed out of the Igwe's Obi leaving everyone gob smacked.
The moon had
gone into complete oblivion and the night was so dark like sooth. It was the
eight night of the market day. One could hardly see beyond his nose. Only
screeching and chirping noises from insects could be heard. The 'udara' and 'ube'
that had gone putrid on the ground of the palace emitted very pungent aroma. Also,
the acrid smell of burning incense and 'nchu anwu' filled the Igwe's Obi.
Dumebi accompanied by four shrine acolytes marched in unison into the Igwe's
palace. The Igwe sat calmly praying silently to his 'Chi'. Osodi and other
sympathizers wailed indistinctly as Obinnaya was about to be taken away.
“Agbara Nwanyi! isn't there any other alternative?” The Igwe enquired as he
trembled in grief and despondency. “Only the blood from the royal lineage,
would do, so it is you or him?” Her voice was cruel rude, and without pity. “Let
your reign begin my son. My time is far spent, I have played my part” The Igwe
amidst tears almost dropping off his already cloudy eyes as he tried to hold
them back, embracing his son before parting his Crown and 'Ofor' to him.
"Igwe! Igwe O! Igwe O! O!" wailings from the villagers intensified
even more as he was led away to appease the evil Spirits of the children. Later
that night, it began to shower, drizzle, then a heavy deluge consequently came
upon the face of Alammiri, a new king, a new reign, and a new kingdom had just begun
amidst tears, grief and unprecedented calamity. A new beginning which marked an
abrupt end of an old one “So the gods are here and present?” rhetoricated
sobbing Osodi. “where could they have been, why have they been so silent
Nne?" Obinna sighed, wiping the tears from his mother's pale and teary
eyes as they made their way back into the palace, to meet other mourners and
sympathizers. *******THE END******
Edoziem has great Love for fictional writing and portrays an efficient use of
personification, he had his primary and secondary education in the north,
Kaduna state precisely. He holds a B.Sc. in Physic from IMSU, Owerri and a
Masters degree from University of Lagos. He is Influenced by the literatures of
the renowned author; Chinua Achebe and the exceptional Chimamanda Adichie.
Contact:
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Edozien Sley Tha-element
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