lay his head, hence his much concern about the palace. Kalu came from a lineage of nobles, his predecessors traded with the whitemen on oil palm and they had acquired wealth from the bargain. Their edifice was an evidence of high class. Kalu's weakness had led to the decline of a powerful kingdom that was ruled by his powerful predecessors. The most powerful and most influential Umudioga ruler of all time which was the Great Igwekala, Kalu's grandfather, had ruled the kingdom for 95 years, he ascended the throne when he was 14, after his father mysterious disappearance which was suspected to have being spearheaded by ojukwu, a god that strikes with sickness, especially pox. Some worshiped him as god because many powerful chief priests who predicted his downfall were proved wrong and the king ordered for their hanging. He was believed to have sweep away a great kingdom, Abo Odede, and expanded his kingdom. The victim kingdom went and settled in a mountainous area, where they built houses and make their homeland, but Igwekala still didn't give up in his tyranny, he drove the young kingdom further into the forest, were it had to manage its survival. The place the kingdom was driven to was without rivers, spring and was prone to famine, that was why the place was called "Ozalla Abo", or better called "Ozalla". Ozala means wilderness. Ozalla had made several futile attempts in the past to reclaim their land, but it got even worse as they ended up recieving the bitter side of it. Kalu's weakness gave Ozalla people hope. Konaso was not as powerful as his predecessors that failed in their time of the reclaimation, but his opponent gave him the unmerited success.
Konaso felt insecured in his new conquered home, he always bore in mind, the possibility of him being attacked by his subjects whom might be red on him for killing their king and now coming from nowhere to occupy the throne. That was a great insult but Konaso had no choice than to enforce it on them. He also thought about his children and the possibility of being attacked, especially Olieze who always would go to an unknown destination at the slightest provocation. His mind was more troubled than ever, he would warn her of the new environment but would she listen?
Konaso had surrounded himself and the palace with batalion of armed soldiers. He was very comfortable with the new home he found, where he had everything except peace of mind.
One day, he called his children and fortified them with amulets and talisman. He cautioned them against moving out anyhow and gave them instruction on how to use the charms to their favour. Olieze rejected hers because she was scared especially about the side effects. Her brothers assured her of her safety, but yet she resented the idea of giving a young lady such dangerous charms which was made for men with strong heart. Her father boiled red hot in anger at her refusal and wanted to use a strong hand on her, but her brothers held his temper.
"You must take this, or you'll hate my next line of action." Konaso threatened.
"You can't say that, father. Do you want her to run away and run into danger." Aneke pleaded.
"Let her run to wherever pleases her, she'll taste my wrath if she doesn't obey me." Konaso forgot his words so soon as a result of his anger. When the thought first came into his mind, Olieze first came into his mind and her attitude of sneaking out without anyone's notice, and here is he now sending her out because of anger.
"Kill me if you like," she was shouting behind Mba's back where she took refuge. Konaso was already mad with anger that his forceful push overwhelmed the hold of Aneke, he pushed Mba aside and pounced on the poor lady trying to force the amulet round her waist even while she was defiant. On the process, the amulet cut into two as a result of the struggle. Konaso bit his lips just as if he was thinking about his next action, Aneke sensed that his father's next line of action could be crazy. He dragged his sister in and locked the door inside. Konaso hit the door hard with all kind of woods.
"Do you know how it took me to prepare this charm that you destroyed," his voice was louder enough to draw the attention of the guards. They came his temper but he barked at them and ordered them back to their duty posts.
His anger subsided soon in the evening as normalcy was restored, he apologised casually for his action but Olieze saw no reason for that as she had got used to the routine.
For the people of Umudioga, it was a mourning galore for them, having lost most of their powerful and vibrant youths in the war. Some parents had lost all their sons in the battleline, which they had given out for the duty just because they were threatened to do so, now it was back to zero point for them. Mothers weeping for their sons, sisters weeping for their brothers and children weeping their fathers.
Madueke and his family wasn't left out of the weeping fest, as they, like every other families, had lost loved ones too. Akwanwa and her parents were left to their sorrows, weeping all day long and in the night. Against Nwabiala's wish, her three sons she bore to Madueke whom happened to be the three eldest had recruited into the troop and had zoomed to battle their adversaries. But as it got fiercer, Onyema eluded the battle scene, not minding anybody he went with. Afterall, he that runs from the battleline is not a coward, but a wise man who shall live to fight another day. Nweke was among the first set of people that were hit by spears, and there he laid with his ancestors. For Okala, he was running away from the battle field when he encountered two archers from his enemies' side, and there he was made to die a slow and a painful death. So it was only Onyema who had successfully escaped amongst all Madueke's son. He came back and broke the news as at when he left. He actually did left after he had seen Nweke with his eyes being shot, and where he laid in pool of blood. The whole house was put to mourning immediately and then the next morning, the whole of Agbu-Ukwu had been drenched with the tragic news.
"Please, tell me nothing happened to my Ifenna," she said with great anxiety amidst tears. Onyema was red hot with anger at his sister's lame question. How could she have lost her two brothers and here she's much concerned about a lover.
"Akwanwa, you're mad." he let the words outta his mouth.
"I ever regret the day i stepped my foot into Umudioga, i curse the day when my people accepted my dowry and married me to a person from Umudioga," Nwabiala lamented to everyone's hearing.
Other wives of Madueke consoled her, and made her see reason to calm down. Madueke himself was as quiet as a stealing mouse, he was shocked indeed beyond expression. For him, it was near the end of the world. He was a blind man, so he wasn't opportuned as others to see things for himself.
Just sooner than soon, he felt backwards from his stool where he sat, everyone's attention was directed towards where the old man laid subconsciously.
"Bring water! Bring water," Nwabiala screamed to Onyema and Akwanwa who was fidgeting. Before they could move their feet, Ahurone had already rushed in with a jar of water.
"Please let's take him to a medicine man before he dies here," Mgborie who was worried just like any other person spoke with fear.
Their stay in Agbu-Ukwu had turned to be a blessing in the life of their family, since they had stepped foot there, there had been no case of quarreling, fighting or backbiting, either it was because they found themselves in another man's house where everyone was to comport themselves with unity.
As at this time of war, all the medicinemen and diviners had left the troubled village to a safer ground. Too bad, Umudioga, as big as it was, had no indigenous chief priest, diviner or medicine man, they had always depend on other villages even smaller ones for any of these. For most of the spiritualists, Umudioga was a good business ground, considering the fact that there was much work to do which means more cowries and other divination requirements. The late Kalu decided to monopolize all the duty to Omemgbe from Item, whom he trusted more than others, whom he believed had come to just take advantage of the village. After the pestilence which saw most of their male children dead, Omemgbe was banished for false divination leading to the pestilence, and then Anyike, a medicine man was brought to do divination. Anyike had given Kalu assurance of victory in the fight against Ozalla and gave him assignment to carry out, which he did. But yet, the war was lost, and Anyike was nowhere to be found. Madueke was having breathing difficulty after he had been revived from fainting.
"There's a powerful herbalist in my village where we can take him to. The man treats any kind of sickness" everybody's eyes was directed to Mbiaka, Madueke's third wife, who was an Aro woman. Her words lightened their minds with confidence and relief, she seemed to be very sure of what she said.
"Who is he then?" Nwabiala asked while she paid rapt attention to all she said.
"I don't know him very much because he's not from our town, but we call him, AGUMBA!
The journey to the great Aro kingdom was an all morning journey involving a trolley cart which was used by only rich and influential men from powerful kingdoms.
Mbiaka with the aid of her mother had borrowed one from her uncle with on the grounds that her husband was seriously ill.
Her mother didn't hesistate to help her only daughter borrow one from her rich brother, who was one of the lawmakers of the confederacy. Even if she knew it would be a tough decision to go by, but she have to do it to make her daughter happy.
At first, the old wealthy man was reluctant to give it out the highly valued cart to her because he was not sure of its security, but later gave in to her pleas, but gave her one of his guards to drive her back home on the cart. Mbiaka was very thankful, she had always thirst to ride on that lovely five feet long and four feet wide wooden cart dragged all over by a well fed bull, that was why she used the stance of her husband's illness to cunningly take a ride on what she had envy her uncle's family for. Her uncle was one of very few men in Aro who had this cart and it was something too precious to be used or given out anyhow. Mbiaka could have done without this, they had plan to help Madueke to use the road, no matter how slow, to Aro.
The young gentleman drove her all the way to Agbu-Ukwu, and on their way, there was stampede in the villages where they passed. A gridlock of villagers who served as awed spectators who were on the run, wondering what creature or maybe object embroidered in such way to take people around on a journey without stress. Children and a good number of adults have heard stories of the existence of this cart, used by powerful men from Aro but haven't seen one with their näked eyes. They suspected the person who was inside unseen to be one of the opulent elite men of Aro, who knows what they were looking for. People swept and cleared the road paving passage for the beast of burden. Trust Mbiaka, she would want the world to know how important she was, she moved her hands to open the small window of the cart, but the guard with her in the inn, dismissed her intention while they proceed. Mbiaka felt bitter about this but tried to keep it unnoticed. They soon got to her home and the whole compound was soon filled with spectators in and out of the village. Some left their villages and traced the cart to its destination, but were surprised that it was a woman with someone who seems to be a guard that descended the cart.
Like it was expected to be, all members of Madueke families jostled to get a space in the vehicle, almost neglecting the sick man who was the reason for the appearance of this rare object. But their self-pride wouldn't allow them, both old and young were all vying for a seat in the royal cart, so that the guards couldn't curb the belligerent struggle.
Gbosaaa! the cart was down in pieces, the roof and the left window were badly damaged. The furious guards did all their best fixing the amendable parts and then zoomed off with anger not minding who was on their way.
It now dawned on them how foolish they had been because of a cart which they all wanted to ride on.
They've now learnt their lesson the harder way.
Meanwhile Ozo Achuka, the owner of the cart, was burning red in anger, seeing his much valued cart damaged to that extent. He blasted the guards with words, while they tried to explain the turn out of things.
"They were so many that they overpowered us" they pleaded.
"Wouldn't you have done the wise thing instead by coming back immediately than having them destroy my much valued and expensive cart." he grew hotter in fury.
"My lord, we're sorry and it will never happen again."
"Do I blame you? Isn't it I for being so kind to help an only sister, that is to be blamed? Now this is the reward i got for my generousity." he bit his lips. He would never in the world, here any plea even from the gods to give out his cart again.
**************************
The sacred shrine of that powerful spiritualist who had been the talk of the town of lately was situated in Aro, where have always been the top destination for consultation and healing. He was named Agumba because he was versatile, he was good in administering drugs and herbs, and also in divination and fortune telling. There had never been a man of this kind before in the history of Aro.
Agumba had told tales of himself, when some top elites of the confederacy had come to make enquiries. He had told them that he wasn't born of a woman but was created in the evil forest by the gods, whom had sent him on a special duty. They thus believed and welcomed him to their land with open arms, they felt honoured that their land had been the top choice for the gods to send their messenger. Agumba had done many wonders, curing madmen, blind, lame and sick, people were amazed at his powers. His influence grew past Aro land to other villages, far and wide. And sooner, he was touring from village to village doing what he knows best. Many other spiritualists saw him as a pain to their skin, because he had always won the praise of all villagers and have been endorsed to be the true mouthpiece of the gods. Too bad for the envious spiritualists that they didn't have power to render Agumba's power futile, they didn't even give a try because it might be disastrous to them. His influence grew even bigger.
Madueke's family had also heard about him, so they made out a day to journey to his shrine at Aro, what would have been made easier if not for their indiscipline and lack of self-control.
All of them embarked on the journey except Akwanwa and Mbiaka with her 8 year old daughter.
They finally got to the place, where the patient was ushered in, with Onyema, Nwabiala and Ahurone following behind. The rest were ordered to remain outside because the sacred shrine was not suitable for kids, as he had termed them. Mgborie saw red in that word but she concealed her feeling, in her thought, she was a fully grown woman.
The stood in awe of the sacred objects that adorned the shrine. It looked like anyone with evil intention would be tracked down there if care is not taken, it was not really far from the truth.
They were even more amazed beyond speech when they saw a man in his youth approaching them. They were still expecting an elderly man to come out from anywhere, maybe this could be his slave boy.
How wrong they were. Before they could open their mouth to express their shock, as if he read their mind, he said,
"Look forward to noone else, I am Agumba, the man you're looking for," he said with slight smile. Their amazement hadn't subsided yet, even with their eyes, it was still hard to believe what they're seeing. Is this the boy that have been shaking the whole villages? Or was this still a trick?
"Be careful and thoughtful not to despise the servant of the great Amadioha," he said, again as if he read their mind. They were stunned by his word, they still wondered how he managed to know what their thought were. Maybe they had just began to learn about this weird being.
"Why bring a dead man to the sacred temple of Amadioha?" they were startled by his words and looked towards Madueke, he was still breathing.
"What do you mean by that?" Onyema said with mixed feeling of anger and confusion, he wouldn't have asked such kind of question if it was an elderly dibia who spoke.
"Remember my words. Don't despise the servant of the gods." Agumba still repeated like a sound of warning. Onyema soon came to his real mind,
"men do go to any length even to give their life as ransom."
Madueke suddenly screamed and everyone was wide open in anticipation.
"You shall not die until you confess your did, or it will be done more illustratively." Madueke cried the more, showing how embarrassing it would be. Something like a scale of a snake fell off his eyes and he could see clearly. He moved towards his wives and son, and was surprised to have found himself in such a place, seeing a boy whom he perceived that virtually all his sons would be older than. He frowned, while he turned to his wives,
"Who brought me to this place?" he said angrily.
"Please, nnayi, calm down," they pleaded with him, while he was making advance towards the exit door.
"You know i could make you worse than you were before you were brought here." Agumba said sternly. His wives soon turned their pleas from Madueke to the spiritualist who was getting furious.
"Please, servant of the gods, you've done your best in the world, making him regain his sight and well again. Please don't reverse it." Nwabiala pleaded solemnly. Agumba pointed, as if he was waving her pleas aside, to a shallow bronze pot which was beside him, and signalled them to come closer. They went and saw what shook them to their feet.
The cat was let out of the bag in this horrific image which was displayed in the pot. It was that of Madueke when he had gulped the palm wine he brought back from his way to his farm, alongside with the peppersoup meal that Mbiaka who was pregnant then had made for him.
After he had finished, he told Mbiaka who was closest to his heart then, as his new wife, that he will be going to Aro, where her uncle will be bestowed an Ozo title. She begged to go but he declined it even when she had given reasons that the two senior wives would maltrect her these three days he was going to be away. But he gave her full assurance of her safety, and made her see reasons why it won't be possible because of her condition. She later obliged. But far from what he had told her, he diverted to a far away land at the bank of an evil river called 'Mmiri Adaola', it was named so because that river sheltered witches and evil goddesses.
At that time, witches were given strict banishment from the land of Umudioga, hence they settled in the river, stirring the water to a danger zone for an enemy, and a solution zone for whoever came for such. People from Umudioga who still believed in witches, patronized the river secretly.
Madueke reached there with the items he was told to bring for sacrifice, of which a white hen, a live crocodile, a peacock and a python was among. Catching the crocodile was the toughest job he had done in his entire life but for the help of divers, which the fare cost him much, they were able seal the mouth with hook and weave its scale. For the python, it was harmless, provided it was handled the right way. At the bank of the river, he was settled waiting for one to appear.
After sometime, a fair lady with skin glittering like gold, while the water she stood on glistened with sparkling light. Madueke, immediately bowed in reverence of the weird creature and first of all she demanded for the sacrifice requirements which Madueke threw into the river, one after the other.
"I can see how loyal and committed you are to this course, your wish have been granted." she said.
"But i haven't........"
"I know!" she cut him short, "you want your brother's wealth and the community to blindly support you, and keep shut to your approach on your brother's family, isn't it?
Madueke nodded but added,
"I want to gain full control and influence on the king's decision." The creature laughed hysterically and said,
"You ask too much but you'll have a tough task to do, by coming here for bathing every new moon, and you shall continue this trend and make a bigger sacrifice by presenting these requirements every seven years as an act of renewal."
"Just as you wish, my queen" he snapped.
"Not so fast!" she called back, "here are the consequences for negligence." Madueke stood back and paid rapt attention to her.
"If you fail to perform the renewal, you and your family will be at the receiving end." she said sternly.
He squeezed his face slightly like he wanted to object, staking his family in this was sort of a dangerous gamble.
"I can see your mind is not made up, but too late, there's also a price for stirring the still river of Adaola in vain." her voice was more strict now than friendly.
"No way!" he said bravely, "There's no way i can back out on this journey. I will prove to you why i'm called "okpotokpo ajo anu". The weird being made a long and wild hysteric laugh as she descended the river and reascended after sometime coming to the bank of the river, handing a big jar of concoction to him. Madueke looked in it and wonder how he was going to drink up such large quantity of concoction, but he need not provoke the more, who looked like she was going to strike him down if there be any objection from him. He gulped the liquid until he finished it, next he was on the floor because he had taken overdose.
Nwabiala and the rest of them were watching in great amazement and perplexity. The first phase of the revelation had just finished, but they're yet to see what will shock them to their feet.
Right still in the mysterious pot was Ararume in his sitting room where he was taking in his snuff which was a routine for him. Onyema wondered what evil Ararume might have involved himself in to be part of this revelation, he had many question running through his mind at the moment.
Ochibiaram served him his akpu meal and okazi soup, which he sat up to eat, Uju joined her also in preparing the meal, and she was also serving the meal.
Sooner than later, Madueke knocked on the door and was ushered in and given a sit.
Madueke again.
Ararume invited him to dine with him but he declined giving excuse of how he was over-fed by eating different meal from his three wives. His brother let out a chuckled.
"I knew that one day, you were going to complain of overfeeding," he laughed, Madueke laughed along but the hypocrisy in his smile was visible to Nwabiala and her other fellow family members, but unnoticed by Ararume who was the actor in the scene.
Madueke soon let out his evil powers through his eyes. His manipulation with his eyes wouldn't be visible in the real world but was very clear and visible there in the mysterious pot. As Madueke opened and closed his eyes, and then blinked it severally, the bad effect of his bad eye manipulation had hit in his meal. Madueke looked forward to doing the same thing to the other which was the food made for the children.
So this wicked man had intention to wipe the whole family.
Immediately his eyes transmitted the deadly poison into the food which Uju held in her hand. Soon later, Uju's hand was shaking until the food fell off her hand.
Madueke was angry with that, as well as Ochibiaram, who had started scolding her.
"Uju, are you pregnant?" she asked a rhetorical question there, while Uju who was so emotional, shade pool of tears. She left her mother's presence to a secluded place where she wept her out.
Only if Ochi could see this the way Nwabiala and co were seeing it now.
While Ochi was going after Uju, her husband began coughing profusely, he tried helping himself with his water, but it persisted. He fell on the floor, and that was it. Uju, haven heard his strange cough rushed in to know what was wrong with her father, only coming to see Ochi and Madueke making all effort to revive him, which was futile.
Madueke wasn't slow to accuse Ochi and Uju for poisoning his brother, even if she denied the allegation, even by swearing in shrines, drinking all sort of dangerous liquids continuously to reaffirm her innocence.
Madueke had made effort to acquire all his brother's legacy but Ochi wasn't that type of woman you would just push aside. She was strong hearted and could be somehow aggressive if pushed to the wall. Ulumma must have had this gene passed to her from her mother.
She fought tooth and nail to preserve her husband's property. Madueke then saw her as a big barrier to his agenda, eliminating her would be the solution.
Madueke dug in a charm in her farm where she came to harvest crops she would sell in the next market. Uju was the first to go to the farm, she had unknowingly stepped on it while she went into the farm to harvest the cassava crops. Madueke who was watching from the sides was shocked at what he saw. Though, he hadn't prepared the charm for the young lady, but he felt the charm had no effect.
Ochi was sighted from afar approaching her husband's farm, she hath stopped along the way discussing with one of her friends, while Uju who waited for long couldn't wait any longer for their discussion to end, so she went ahead of her mother to the place.
Not so long, Ochi's scream was heard by Uju, as she rushed to help her mother but she couldn't stand to her feet.
Madueke jubilated at this success he had made. Anwuguru, the witch doctor who made the charm for him, must have been wise enough to have made it to hit noone but its target, or maybe still there could be something about Uju that would be interesting to know.
That was how Ochi, Uju's mother became ill.
The hollow of the mysterious pot was now as dark as midnight, Nwabiala, her son and her co-wife had seen a lot with their eyes. Nwabiala felt a sense of guilt in her, she had supported her husband unknowingly and also packing to live with him in a house in which he had killed the owner to have to himself. For Ahurone, she thought it was time to know the full truth and not half way. Madueke got blind after visiting Uju, she'd like the witch to be exposed also. She made the request to Agumba, and he did it wholeheartedly by stirring the hollow of the pot again.
TBC AT 5PM
