enquiry of Uju and ran into her.
From then he visited at least, once in a week, and then it became a daily routine. Ifenna had always been paying the visit and later he then obliged to be the host while he invited Akwanwa to the palace. At first she fidgeted at his suggestion but Ifenna gave her an assurance of safety and she took permission from her mother and dressed for her meeting. Dressing to visit the prince was like dressing for a festival, were her mother kept on selecting beads upon beads to adorn her.
She reached the palace and met her greatest surprise.
OBY. She was stunned to see her, not only coming out with Ifenna but also playing with him, also dressed in royal attires like a princess, she looked more prettier than before. Oby saw Akwanwa and her mood changed, she just saw her and waved and told Ifenna that she wants to go and sleep.
Ifenna was surprised because she never looked sleepy, but she let her go because he had another guest.
"Who's she?" Akwanwa asked rather stupidly.
"You mean you don't know her?" he asked dazed by her question.
"Sorry, i mean who's she to you that you two were playing like siblings?"
"We're siblings of course," he laughed just exactly as his father did when he professed it before the elders.
"How?" she asked it in a way that it pissed him off.
"You ask too much question, can we change topic to ourselves and leave the poor girl alone."
"Okay" she laughed, "you invited me here so you will decide the topic."
"Alright, let's start with you." he pointed to her,
"Tell me about you."
She cleared her throat and began;
"I'm the first daughter of Madueke, a brother to the late ichie, the father of the little girl that came in here," she said pointing towards the direction Oby took while heading to her room.
"I've seen twenty new moons already, i grew up being loved by my parents. My father loved me very much that he still kept my mother for my sake. I love my parents too." she finished.
"Just that? You didn't tell me how you came about to be so beautiful."
"I'll leave that for my maker" she blushed.
They chatted and laughed together until it got dark before Akwanwa went back home.
Ozalla-Abo was a neighbouring village to Umudioga, but was twelve miles away from Echezona's place.
The trio of Echezona, Uju and Ulumma visited an old woman, that same old woman who was also an osu just as Echezona had narrated to Uju.
Aruma's was now in a very old age, she had lived in a lonely place for over thirty new moons, she was also an outcast living in the community where lawlessness abide, but she lived a very discreet life in this place. In her ugly looking and tattered hut, it looked like there was noone in there.
As an old woman she worked very hard, that she could cater for her food, and also save money from the little land she cultivated on. The hut she lived in was made by her when she arrived newly in the area. Uju saw the state of the hut and how everything was managed and she bit her lips in regret, they were coming to real hell. She had heard many osus always find a new and better home down down south to the Atlantic ocean, but their case was different, they had sojourned in a neighbouring community, where possibly the memories of home will still linger in their minds.
There were wild grown grasses surrounding the areas, which made Uju wondered the multitude of snakes and other dangerous animal that could sojourn in that bush, it looked scary, she really pitied the old woman, forgetting that the pity should also be on her.
"Dada, i greet you," Echezona greeted the old woman using the name 'dada' which was the name used then to address single mothers or women who didn't get married before they got old.
"Good evening, Eche," she reciprocated. "This one you came to this place not alone but with two good-looking damsel, is all well?"
"All is well, just that I just need little favour from you."
"You know there's nothing you'll ask from me, i won't give to you, so speak on." the old woman said keenly.
"I want these girls to stay with you." Uju frowned at this word but she had to contain it because she had no choice. The old woman too looked perplexed that she had to cut him short.
"Eche, of all the good homes with good people in the whole villages, why here? Don't you think that this pretty girls deserve much more better than this?
"Actually they are osus now!"
"Osu? For what offence?" she gasped. Uju sobbed hard at this word, making the old woman wonder. Ulumma moved forward, held her shoulder and consoled her.
"Nothing in particular, just masterminded by their father's brother."
"Who's their father? Who are they?" she still asked further making the discussion prolonged.
"Dada, don't tell me that you wouldn't recognize the daughter of Ochi, my sister if you see one."
"Are you telling me that this are Ochi's daughters!" she said extremely amazed.
"Exactly!"
She was very happy to see them, but unfortunately at this time when the generous woman had already slept with her ancestors. Ochibiaram had been providing for her ever since she married Ararume till the day she died. She had pity on the young girls for the misfortunes that accompanied their orphanage. She beckoned on them to come and sit by her and they obliged. She wondered the kind of brother their father had to have put them in this kind of situation. She knew it was natural for most men to do like that especially when they found themselves in such positions, but what she couldn't decipher was why an old man would go up to the extent of falsely accusing two harmless lady that he could accomodate and maybe oppress without having to go as far as that.
"Please feel free, my daughters. Your mother was a good woman and treated me with care that i wished i could pay back, not knowing that i'll live to pay her back one day." she said. Uju gave a wry smile.
"I'll like to leave now before it gets dark, please take good care of yourselves." Echezona excused and left. Uju and Ulumma waved back and went into the hut. The hut had a foul smell of an old woman, just like that of skunk. Uju and Ulumma helped and keep the place in order, the woman thanked them and brought them food, the food look as wack as the cook. It was a soup cooked with only utazi leaf, locust bean (ogiri), pepper and salt. The girls just ate a little just to please the woman, the content of the soup tasted raw with the G4rri made with half boiled water making some portion of it raw. This is the indeed the worst food tasted by them. They finished eating and went to bed in that same hut where they were entertained by their host mosquitoes which must have been tired of the old blood of a dying woman, and happy now to welcome fresh blood.
Ozala-Abo was a neighbouring village at the east of the Mmiri Adoko, the area of dispute between the people and the people of Umudioga village. Ozala as it was fondly called was small in land mass hence the reason for their begrudge on their neighbours possessions. They had engaged in incessant conflicts with villages they feel to be a peaceful one and perhaps a weak one too. They were made to leak their a$$ when they launched attack on Ohausara a very small village, little did they know that they had strong ally with the great Aro kingdom (Aro and Nri kingdoms were the greatest then) therefore leading to their heaviest defeat ever. Since then they had being calm for over ten years. No village sent any message of sympathy because of their ruthlessness.
After all these years, they felt they had recovered from the aftermath of their defeat, they deemed it the right time to achieve their aims, and their target was......................yes........Umudioga, the best option in at the moment, a kingdom with a weak ruler and weak army, without allies.
Ozalla has lost several wars to Umudioga but was during the days of Igwe Kalu predecessors.
Umudioga has gotten used to peace after a three score war-free years. This has reduced the efficiency of Umudioga army, and Igwe Kalu has done virtually nothing about this since his ascension to the throne, some ichies have expressed concern about it but he remained in continuous procrastination.
Igwe Konaso, Ozala's ruler sent spies to Umudioga boundary just close to Mmiri Adoko, where mostly young women and children were fetching water. The spies have being watching keenly for close to one hour waiting for an open chance to strike.
Arrrrrgghhh! one of the boys present screamed. Everyone turned their attention to where the young lad was, lo and behold he was stained in pool of blood with a barbed spear which had focally pierced through his chest.
Pandemonium broke out in the crowd, everyone looking for means to elude the horrorful scene, but it was too late, the attackers have besieged the riverside.
Two men that made attempt to escape were smitten instantly, the helpless villagers were unarmed to face their attackers, they had to surrender to their attackers. The youthful men were amputated, meanwhile the young women were molested and penetrated, some children were thrown into the river to drown.
One of the young women molested was Madueke's daughter, Mgborie, who came to take water from the river.
Mgborie was supposed to come to the river the day before but because of some family crisis, Akwanwa refused to come with her to the river.
Akwanwa was the only daughter Nwabiala born to Madueke, she was the dearest to Nwabiala, and also Madueke's favourite amongst his daughters because she was well cultured and brought up by her mother. She was a good cook and was humble, but blows up on anyone found guilty of saying ill of her mother or her father, this has been the reason why she had refused going to the river yesterday with her.
Akwanwa and Uju shared several similarities in features, but slighty in attitude. For example, both were fair, beautiful, curvaceous and slender, but Akwanwa was slightly thinner.
Though both bore no sentiments against each other, both also had no business together. They just greeted casually whenever they come across each other, of which Uju would initiate and Akwanwa reciprocate.
It was gonna be a tough choice for whoever wanted to choose amongst this two. Ifenna is a perfect example.
On the other hand, Mgborie was a tigress, especially in dispersing words when there are war of words. She had a strong revulsion for what she termed as 'woman slavery', she was rebellious just like her mother and she had told her mother on different occasion that never to let herself to be oppressed by her father. She had promised herself that her future husband will never humiliate her the way her father humiliates his wives. She was only two months older than Ulumma, Uju's sister. Akwanwa's beauty has made it look as if she was older than her. Akwanwa's beauty makes her look younger, making it difficult for an outsider to tell who's older between her and Mgborie, Mgborie wasn't bad in looks though.
The story of the whole scenario at the riverside had spread round the village like wildfire. The molested young ladies were now facing the trauma of losing 'woman dignity' to shabby men.
The never-say-die Mgborie wasn't left out of the trauma, she had nearly attempted suicide. Her dignity had been dragged in the mud, all her mother's effort to keep her from trouble had just crashed in one unlucky day.
Ahurone rained all the insults and blames on Madueke, and for the very first time, he didn't reciprocated. He felt guilt in his heart, he had forced Mgborie to go to the riverside that day after strong refusal from her the day before.
Madueke even threatened to lay a curse on her that will live long with her and her offsprings. Madueke was a blind man, he could do nothing more as of then, than to lay a curse or swear for anyone who disobeys. It was believed then that a father's curse is the worst thing that can happen to you, it was also believed that since a father brought a child to the world, he also has all the power to decide the child's destiny by his choice of word, even after his death, he also has power to control his child destiny after his death.
Madueke loved Mgborie just like any of his children, (though he loved Akwanwa most) and now he had led her to this, he thought. He felt guilty of the whole incidence, and blamed it all on himself.
"This is what my brother's witches had caused", he screamed aloud, "I wish i had my eyes, i would have teach these thugs the lesson of their life."
Though Nwabiala has always stand by Uju's side in all Madueke's treatment towards her, she had lost the like she had for Uju in few days. This time around she couldn't help but trust Madueke's story on his mysterious blindness. Same was the case with Akwamma, others were already enemies to Uju without cause.
Okala was an exception, he liked Uju and her sisters and he never wanted to believe his father's claim.
Even if they were witches, they didn't come to his house to haunt him, rather it was the other way round, he thought. He had known his father to be troublesome. He had promised himself to do his best to vindicate the innocently accused persons.
Madueke's family were the new occupants of Uju's father's house, they had expected them to be dead in a few days, probably after a death sentence have been granted to them or banishment to the evil isles.
Madueke's family fully took charge of Ararume properties, they took out every other belongings belonging to Uju and her sisters and burnt them to ashes, having in mind that all members of Ararume's family was gone.
Ifenna started developing fondness for Akwanwa, and the feeling was mutual.
His once or twice in a week visit to Akwanwa's place had turned into a daily routine, such that he sometimes forget to take his meal before leaving. His mother had complained about his obsession with the young beauty.
"Ifenna, you're a begining to behave stupïd these days?" she complained.
"I really behave silly? Maybe its because i'm plucking the best flowers in the garden." he said soliloquizing.
Lolo never knew what he actually meant by that. Many thoughts ran through her mind.
Plucking the best flowers? Does it mean he had disflowered someone's daughter or he's just putting some stunts.
"Whatever that means, i don't know. But marry her if you like her and stop this your obsession that may lead you to commit abomination."
Ifenna's reverie was suddenly choked by her infernal word that he cringed to the the extreme end of his raffia bed. His mother noticed his change in countenance.
"I'm sorry for my harsh words." she apologised.
"I don't know why you always involve such thinking into a serene matter like that of I and Akwanwa." he said angrily.
"I said i'm sorry!"
He shrugged.
"So i want you to tell me, do you have any extra feelings like..........you know," she winked.
He sheepishly smiled in response to her gimmicks, he didn't know how to start narrating his experience with the beautiful one.
"I'll continue saying it that i'm the best gardener in Umudioga." he said with more emphasis on gardener.
"OK, is she from a respectable family? Whose daughter is she? Will she make a good wife?" she asked rather too many at a time.
"Ah, nne, you're too fast. Allow me to answer one first before pushing another to me." he said as he dilate his eyes to the ground, looking virtually at nothing, and then back his mother's gaze.
"She's from a respectable family, infact it may interest you to know that she's the daughter of Madueke." he cleared his throat.
An instant wince of revulsion swept through her face as she frowned at the mention of the name MADUEKE.
"Madueke?" she exclaimed in an unusual way.
Not that she hated Madueke, but she hated his family, particularly noone. She had strong dislike for polygamy, she had even agreed to marry Kalu under condition that he doesn't take a second wife. She was indeed from a royal family and her demand would be respected.
"Yes, and don't tell me that you have an ill feeling towards him," he said as he'd noticed the change of attitude as the name was mentioned.
"Not at all," she said nodding profusely in disapproval.
"Okay, i've planned on taking her to Amihie in the Afor day to see my grand father." he said with a boyish smile.
She nodded in consent and he leaped on his feet to Akwanwa's place.
"You'll have to go to Eche's place to know why he has left us here all this while without visiting us to know whether we're feeding or not." It was Aruma the old osu woman that was giving the message to her newly inducted daughters. The girls kept nodding at every command.
"If you see his wife with him, don't mention my name when delivering your message" she instructed.
What made her think that his wife won't have the same cold feeling she had towards them.
Uju was looking thinner, she'd had a fever few days after her arrival to the hell of the isolated home which won't be unfair to be described as a graveyard. Her skin was looking dryer and bore sores from mosquito bites and other skin cuts. Her constant sickness had made the younger Ulumma assume the role of the elder. If it were then, she would have scold her for her "baby attitude", but now she wouldn't dare, its obvious that they've gone through a lot, and it will take those with only stone hearts to be through all these without grief.
She crossed her arms round her to comfort her.
"It looks like she's not feeling too fine, so she's going to stay while you'll go alone." She said to Ulumma.
"No, she'll go with me." Ulumma protested.
"I'll go." Uju said in support.
"Alright, you'll go together, but take good case of yourselves and stay out of trouble."
They stood to their feet and set out for Eche's place where they'd deliver their message.
GLOSSARY
great father - he actually meant "grandfather" which is his mother's father, who's also the Igwe of Amihie
TBC AT 3PM.
