was that arrogant type of person but in many occasions was calmed by her elder sister and late mother, now she could let her arrogance out of the bin since the old man was helpless.
"Ulumma, are you mad?" Uju couldn't help saying such word, "how could you be so rude to someone who's older than your father?"
"Don't tell me you still have pity for this old wizard?"
"Shut up and get some water!"
Ulumma went to get the water and Uju reached to Madueke's side to wash his eyes but he refused to be helped by any of them.
"Don't touch me, you witches," he said bitterly.
He walked in short steps in other not to stumble.
"Somebody help o," he said as he looked for his way out of the compound.
Okoro the wag was the first to see him.
"Madueke, okpotokpo ajo anu! ", Okoro hailed him in his fond name.
"Ekwobirinaya o" , he replied in bitterness.
"What has happened, you seem not to be okay"
"Yes o, I'm not okay at all, please take me to my house o. Ararume's witches have finally done it."
"Who are these Ararume's witches? Do witches really reside in such a holy land as Umudioga?"
"Your second question is what I'm still asking myself."
"This is really serious o," Okoro examined his eyes, "you're close to blindness o, something fast has to be done about this, we need to see Anyike, the medicine man quickly."
"Please take me to my house and invite the medicine man"
Okoro helped the old man get to his house. Madueke house was already on fire on their arrival, it was a real fight going on between his wives with his children helping to fuel the fire.
Mbiaka had stirred the controversy by calling Ahurone an 'outdated woman', she in turn called her, a fruitless ugiri tree and a child eater.
Mbiaka had bore four children for Madueke but three had died as a result of iferenza that befell them, which was described by most as one of the effects of the Ogbunuguru pestilence. The children which died were two male children and a female child.
Madueke had warned the two other wives never to use that against her in words or in deeds else they would be sent packing to their father's house.
"What's happening here," asked Madueke angrily.
"Chei, nnayi!" exclaimed Nwabiala, "what happened to your sight?"
"Get me Anyike," he shouted at them, "I have no time for your irrelevant questions"
"What do we tell Anyike if he asks us to explain our purpose for coming?"
"Tell him that your husband was attacked by witches."
"Eh? Please nnayi, where? When? How?"
"Go and fetch Anyika and stop asking me questions"
"Okala, go and call Anyike!" she called Okala who was busy building yam barn for his father.
"Yes mama," he replied from back.
"Please run as fast as you can and get Anyike for your father"
"Hey mama, what happened to papa?"
"Forget about questions and call Anyike."
Okala ran as fast as he could and invited Anyike over.
It was when Madueke began to narrate.
"I went to my late brother's compound to see how well his daughters were faring, then the next thing I saw the three of them turn into giant snakes, and they came attacking me, not too far, one of them came and spat on my eyes."
The whole house were shocked with mouths all agape at the whole narration.
"Strange!" said Anyike as he shrugged.
"I don't understand," said the perplexed Nwabiala.
Even his wives and children that took side with him against Uju was shocked at the whole story.
"But she looks harmless, are you sure of what you're saying?" asked Nwabiala.
"People may seem harmless but their soul is as restless as the whirlwind," Anyike cut in.
"But the people we're talking about are still alive."
"Do one need to be dead before having a soul?"
"Those people may have connections with witches and water spirits either through their mother or through their father......"
"Its definitely from their mother, " Madueke cut him short. "I know my brother, and non of our lineage have connection with water spirits."
"Its okay," said Anyika, "I'll have to examine your eyes."
Anyike used his fingers to force his eyes open and looked into it, he squeezed some native medicinal leaves into his eyes and then looked at it again and shook his head.
"This problem is more spiritual than physical," he shook is head in dismay.
"I said it o," Mbiaka stood up to go to Uju's place but Ahurone held her back.
"You want to be the next?" she said.
"So you love her like this?" Okoro who has been silent for long put in. "Or are some people trying to tell us that two people have being acting a play here," he said jokingly.
"Okoro we're not here for jokes, this is a serious issue."
"I'm sorry," he apologised "but there are many ways we can handle this issue, we can take this issue right to Igwe."
"Was it Okoro that just spake," said Madueke as he turned looking towards his direction.
"Why ask such a silly question, or did the cobras also spat on your brains."
"The last time you ever said something sensible like this was in your last world before you reincarnated into this."
"Hahaha, even in your condition you are still this bad-mouthed."
The whole house was laughing and smiling at their jokes except Anyike who was busy with some divination and Nwabiala who saw their exchange of words as 'ill jokes'.
She tried to stop them but did it indirectly.
"Is it not time we go and make our complaints to the Igwe before it gets too late?"
"Yes we're going to do that," said Anyike, "let's take things step by step."
"I hope we don't get there when everything has worsen."
"That's why I'm Anyike", he said with fainted smile on his face.
Uju and her sisters were all together in their home. For the first time for a while, they were idle in a blessed Ife-Eke morning, while others where invested in the soil, in expectance of a profit, if it to be stated as it is in modern day idealogy. But one thing that was certain, that even in the Dark Age to the Jet Age or the next generation after the latter, that law must still continue to remain. And that is 'you must reap what you sow'.
"Why won't this devil give us breathing space", that was the thought that ran across Uju's bilious mind.
Madueke's existence has posed a big threat to their well being. They hardly fed from what was theirs. Uju walked close to the raffia window, stretched her slender arms to reach for the window lock. The window was almost falling off, its holds have been weakened by the mischievous termites. The last time the windows were repaired was long before their father's death. Not only that, they also had to manage under the leaking roof, but all they could do was just move from the position of the leak and put a jar to hold the water.
Uju focused her gaze absent mindedly on the road path and the birds that perched on the soil picking seeds that fell from the sowers baskets. Her mind was restored as she saw what alarmed her.
"Oh no!" she screamed to the utmost amazement of passers-by.
"What's it, Uju," Ulumma who was startled by the Uju's screaming asked curiously.
"They've harvested all our crops, were we planted the yams beside that udara tree." Uju said pointing to the spot.
"Madueke, right? Ulumma said biting her lips.
"It must be him. I saw Akwanwa walking out of our farm."
Akwanwa was Madueke's daughter born to him as the only daughter of Nwabiala.
Ulumma was very angry hearing it, she ran mad not on Akwanwa but on Uju. How could her agemate come in and intimidate her and all she could do is scream like a baby, she almost said. Ulumma chased Akwanwa and caught up with her when she had almost got to her father's compound.
"Stop there, you ungodly ripper," she yelled in apoplectic rage.
"Were you talking to me" Akwanwa said as she twisted her body gracefully to the bilious tone of Ulumma's voice.
"Yes, i'm talking to the thief that just walked into someone's farm and harvested what someone toiled for days to plant."
"And you know i'm you elder, so you don't talk to me anyhow, i could be older than Uju."
"Hahahaha, she laughed hysterically. "Oh, i now see elder and you think you can use that to show an act of nuisance on my father's land, eh kwa! You'll have to beat me today and if you win you can go with the yams."
Ulumma moved one leg frontward and the other a bit backward, she showed readiness to fight when its due.
"Please please please, i don't want your problems now, what do you want from me", Akwanwa said in a consenting voice.
"Very good!" Ulumma said panting. "Now keep that yam on my feet before i blink my eyes twice."
Akwanwa wanted to object but she yielded reluctantly just to avoid a fight which she hated very much especially when it has to do with minor issues like this. She felt that she might be wrong though because the yam wasn't theirs afterall, she just ran an errand for her blind father.
Akwanwa got home and narrated to her father all that happened between her and Ulumma.
"Because she started growing breästs yesterday and she thinks she's now a woman enough to challenge 'okpotokpo ajo anu', he grimaced. "Go inside, i know what to do." he said.
***********************
A hard knock fell on Uju's door in an early Afor morning, the loudness and the aggressivenes s of the knock almost scared Uju.
"Who's there?" she asked almost shivering.
"You're left with no option but to open this door and come with us."
The hoarse voice scared Uju as well as her sisters now.
With her wobbling hands, she opened the door and saw hefty men with iron chests.
"Where are your fellow witch sisters?"
"Please, i beg you in the name of our ancestors, we're not witches."
While the words were still in her mouth, the other men went in and forcefully carried the young girls on their shoulders and matched to the palace.
************
While Uju and her sisters sat under the sun dejected with their hands and legs bound together, the council of nd'ichie was put in discord over issues. Those who were friends with the late Ararume insisted that the decision to lynch the alleged witches be reversed.
"You know how that man Madueke have wanted all his brother's family eliminated so he could have everything to himself." Ochiora began.
"Please here is not a place for drunkeness," one of the ichie in the opposing side put in, "if you don't have anything reasonable to say you better shut up. Can't you differentiate between a palace and a palmwine joint?"
"Remember, Ararume was one of us, and we can't wipe out all his lineage just for some accusations without proof and may I remind you that the gods may not forgive us for this."
"Then the gods will be happy if the witches eliminates us all, isn't it?"
"I know they're not. There must be a mistake somewhere."
"Then can you tell me what could have being responsible for Ararume's mysterious death?"
"Ararume died a natural death, stop looking for every reason to shed innocent blood."
"These girls are evil and we must do to them what we do to witches. We must not let witches abound in this kingdom."
"I can see you've been brainwashed even through the way you talk but nevertheless, I wash my hand in innocence, the repercussions that might follow after this act shall not live with and my lineage." Ochiora finally said this when he saw that his couldn't defeat the opinion of the others. So he left the palace together with Nwakamma and Eriobu who were on his side.
Igwe Kalu was now confuse now on whose opinion to go with. As long as he respected Ochiora, he also had regard for Memkpa one of the opposing sides.
He was interrupted by the revulsive sight of Omemgbe entering the palace from nowhere, they were surprised to see him after they had rejected him and sent him to exile after holding him accountable for the Ogbunuguru pestilence that befell them.
"No, you're embarking on a wrong journey," screamed Omemgbe, "you're provoking the gods."
"Omemgbe shut up," one of the ichie's barked at him, "i stopped believing your tricks ever since that pestilence occured, your misinformations shows how you were hell bent at wiping us all from the surface of this earth so that you can have a kingdom of yours."
"Watch your tongue, man," Omemgbe reacted angrily to these allegations.
"Its okay," Igwe Kalu finally spoke, "Omemgbe you know your relevance to this kingdom is history, and I know you know as well that your services are not needed in this palace or anywhere in this kingdom."
"I apologize but I know I've conveyed my message."
Omemgbe bowed his head and moved backwards from the kings palace.
The day was so bright up in the sky yet threats of rainstorms beclouded Umudioga. The birds tweeted harmoniously, in lyrics known only by them. Their tweets of the birds in chorus began diminishing gradually until it couldn't be heard anymore. There could be only a reason for that, and of course, the thick cloud couldn't hold its content any longer, it has began to empty it on the earth's surface.
The land of Umudioga has been blessed that many generations haven't experienced draught, the rain always meet up with its responsibility. But everything with pros must also have cons.
Erosion was one of them, it had affected many, both the ruling class and the ordinary citizens. This disaster had struck the palace in two different occasions which had prompted its relocation twice (though not during the reign of Kalu). The rain had begun to get some worried as it had bitten the soil aggressively for several hours, some had the newly cultivated crops destroyed by the downpour. Myth mongers had begun to tell whatever they bore in mind in connection to the heavy downpour.
Later, the rain had begun subsiding and had rendered many idle for that day, the cold was so immense and the way had being paved way for what was refered to as 'witch mosquito' by its victims.
Ifenna, Kalu's son, had been indoors all these while, that had been his way, albeit fostered by his parents. He was rarely allowed to go out of the palace without guards. He had to put a stop to this, but how? It wouldn't be suprising if he's not known by most of the villagers especially children.
As a lone prince, he grew with the mentality that other people who were not scion of royalty were inferior to him.
But could he display his superiority at the comfort of his home, where virtually everything is done for him? He had come of age, and was now matured to make decisions of his own. Maybe this could be his opportunity to break away from his mother's stronghold, that has kept him in his sedentary routine. He only moved out only during festive periods, but strictly under the watch of citadel of guards, or when he went with his mother on rare occasions, to Amihie, his maternal home to see his grandfather who's also Igwe of Amihie, he was a very wealthy man.
He had gotten tired of this, hence he pull the guts to walk to his mother.
"Nnem, i want to speak to you" he muttered.
"Speak on"
"Nne, i want to go to Amihie alone" he said unsure of what she had in mind. His guess was as right, she ruled out his requests as usual.
"You see", she continued as she took her seat on the stool and signaled her guards to leave,
"You're a lone prince and the adversaries know this and they're seeking for any given opportunity to kill you and ascend the throne."
Same old tales of the adversaries. He wanted to ask who were they but it was just pointless asking because she would recycle those stale tales of adversaries, he put up a look of revulsion and zoomed off the infernal presence of his mother and went and sat beside a defunct well, which was used by his ancestors to draw water from, and later, when the well dried, it was used as a place for putting captives who rebelled against authorities. Igwe Kalu deemed it inhumane to continue with this kind of punishment, so he built a prison house not too far from the spot.
Ifenna took time to ponder about his life as a lone prince, his father had once narrated to him how he had lost his two sons, his missing brothers, in that unforgettable pestilence of all time.
Oh my brothers, he felt an inadvertent wriggle of muscles in his thigh, his thoughts was altered by human voices, precisely that of two young adolescent ladies, which looked like it was coming from the pit initially, one voice sounded melodious, and sounded like the owner of the voice was singing even though she was talking, the other was not bad either, the noise grew louder as some of the words sounded clearer, he could now trace where it was coming from.
Definitely it wasn't from the pit but from the prison house, he drew nearer to catch every glimpse of the conversation.
"If we die then its not bad, we will re-unite with mama and papa and our brothers to make another happy families in a new world." that melodious voice sounded.
"And who tells you i'm interested in such re-union. if you don't want to live, i want to, while not take the blame all on yourself and let them free us. I love to live." the other countered
"Shhhh, do you know you're shouting? Bring down your voice, they may overhear us and you know what that means for us."
Going to die? Who was going to die? It shouldn't be someone endowed with such angelic voice.
He stepped closer to hear more of their conversation.
"I'm sorry adannem but i don't want to die, not the painful one we're about to face."
"And would you rather love to live and see us die so that you can live alone?" that melodious voice said angrily to her almost in tears.
"I'm sorry adannem," the other was apologizing to her sister also in tears.
Ifenna got carried away that he never knew when he stumbled on a big stone, that saw him fell noisely to his feet, and hit his left hip on the door path to the entrance of the prison yard. It hurt him but he managed to get on his feet, luckily there was no guard that came around. The girls now knew someone have been eavesdropping, their heart melted when they saw it was Ifenna, Igwe Kalu's son who have been eavesdropping.
"I assure you that you aren't going to die," he said as he hopped to where they were trying so hard to conceal his pain, "something tells me you're innocent of all the accusations laid against you."
The girls were surprised at his words but could all these change their fate.
As Ifenna drew closer, he was moved to his feet as he approach not two but three pretty damsels, the third one was much younger. The two who were awake were definitely the ones he have been hearing their voice, he longed to know who in particular owned that melodious voice, he had expected it to be Ulumma's being the younger one awake. He initiated a talk that could lead to conversation amongst them.
GLOSSARY
okpotokpo ajo anu - Dangerous Giant Beast (a name given to Madueke because of his dreaded traits)
Ekwobirinaya (aka/okpa) - It (the beast) has been amputated.
Ugiri - An edible fruit whose seed 'ogbono' (which is used for cooking) is gotten from
Iferenza - an infectious disease like a very bad cold that causes fever, pains, weakness, and in most cases cause death.
Ogbunuguru - Literary translated as 'Killer in harmattan'. A very deadly disease occuring mostly in harmattan periods.
Ife-Eke: The third month of the year which falls between April 15th and May 12th in the Gregorian calendar, the month is known as the month of hunger.
Afor: The third market day of the week.
TBC SOON......
