Urenma episode 27 – 28
urenma
Chapter 27
“Why are the elder gods after my joy and happiness? I won’t let them do this! I will stop them!” “Urenma, you will need help. Don’t forget that without charms Ojadili prevailed over men and spirits in wrestling matches, now imagine what he will do when an elder god possesses him in a wrestling match against Obinze”. “What! An elder god possessing Ojadili! That can’t happen!” “Urenma it is already happening”. “Ntani what is in this for you? Why are you helping me?” “I and the other princesses want what you have”. “And what is that?” “Love.
Urenma you have love. We want to return as the children of the gods to love and be loved. We want to live like you”. “Oh my world! What have I done? The children of the gods want to return to Ukeh!” “Yes Urenma, we want to return”.
THE GRAVE OF OJADILI
To the grave of Ojadili, they journeyed. The amulets around their necks and w–sts jingled and jangeled in the silent night as their feet pounded the dusty earth. The tonji (Locally made lamp light) fastened on their foreheads illuminated the thick dark forest in which they meandered. Akama Oghe had gone to bed and rested peacefully at the time the men ventured out to the grave which held the remains of Ojadili. In their midst was one who was not human, his task was to bring back to the river world whatever remains of Ojadili they find in the grave. At the grave the native doctor amongst them hastily performed a ritual to appease the spirits that watched over Ojadili’s grave and the body in it. To disturb the grave and he who dwelt in it without due permission could have dire consequences, so they had to wait after the ritual had been offered. Beats of drum began to ring out from the thin air; it was the sound of Ikoro music, with the beat Ojadili graced wrestling grounds in his life time. As the beat grew louder, all the men including the one who was not human amongst them, broke into a jig. Their dance did not last for long before the grave which they had come to visit began to crack open and smokes so thick and dark that one could hold them begin to belch from it; something was coming out of the grave, perhaps the one they had come to visit had decided to meet his guests above his grave.
Still dancing, the men watched the grave with keen insterest. Just then the grave caved in and a voice spoke to them, “Who disturbs Ojadili? When he wakes from his rest who can stand? Speak quickly before I demand a fight of you!” All the men stopped dancing abrupily and the native doctor amongst them cast a few pieces of Ezego into the grave and answered the voice, “Great one, a man has been born amongst mortals who holds no fear for spirits or for men. Like you he has journeyed to the spirit world, prevailed and taken a princess of the gods for a wife. The gods are threatening war with the mortals in Ukeh land where this man dwells. The gods in their magnanimity have thought it wise to awaken you to stop this man instead of wasting the land of Ukeh in their rage”.
There was silence as the men waited for a rely. Then it came thoughtfully, “My time amongst men has passed. If another has been born amongst mortals who is like me then let times and seasons deal with him as they dealt with me. This man shall come to fade like I did”. “Great one, if no mortal, dead or alive, is found to fight this man, the gods shall be left with no option than to destroy him and punish Ukeh thereafter. Ukeh is a good land, in your life time you fought there many times and won fight for mothers and children who may be slaughtered if the gods choose to attack Ukeh. Fight to hear the name of Ojadili sung again by ecstatic mem, woman and children. Fight to relive your past glory. Ojadili fight to save a land from the ire of the gods! Great one, fight to destroy the man who fancies himself as the incarnation of Ojadili”.
Chapter 28
“Who is this man whom you speak of?” “He is Obinze the unrivaled wrestler in Ukeh and all the lands around it.
There was yet another pause as the spirit of Ojadili weighed the tempting options which the glib-tongued medince man had dangled before him. “If I chose to fight again with which body shall I engage this man? The earth and worms therein, have eaten my flesh”. “The gods shall give you a body and you shall be possessed by one of the gods to engage Obinze in a fierce wrestling match to kill him!” “All I will need from the gods is a body; I will not need their help to destroy a boy who still bathes his tummy”. “Great one do I then take your words for a yes?” “Medince man, take my bones! Maybe it is fate that I shall fight once again from the dead”. The medince man and one of his aids jumped into Ojadili’s grave and began to dig ferociously to remove his remains. Ojadili’s bones were neatly gathered into a basket and given to the one who was not human amongst them and he left for the river world hastily.
Towards the early hours of morning, just before the break of dawn, Obinze and his wife, Urenma, stirred from their sleep with fits of anxiety. Urenma shook herself and bolted outside their hut.
Obinze opened an earthen jar on the floor of his hut and removed the wooden ring which the messenger from the sky gave to him. Walking briskly like a man who was about to go to war, he entered his children’s hut and woke Obiakor; leading him outside, they sat on a tree tunk which served as a bench in his compound. Above their heads the moon glowed in its full strength. “Obiakor the days ahead of us are dangerous and I cannot tell you what they hold in stock for us….” “Papa whatever the days shall bring, we already have enough to with stand it”. “Obiakor you often use big words that are older than your age. Have you seen a battle before? Have you wrestled beasts and taken human life at anytime Obiakor? The days ahead are dark and gloomy; they fill my heart with fear”. “Papa I may not have seen or tasted the things you listed, but every night I survive perils the sort mere mortals cannot with stand”. “What do you mean Obiakor?”
“Every night in my dreams, beast from the underworld assail me to devour my flesh, but for once I have not feared them, with my bare hands I tear them to pieces”. “Why have you not mentioned this to me?” “Papa, if I let you fight my battles now, how shall I grow into a man?”
“No they could have killed you! You should have told me about these attacks. I have to find out what they want”.
Obiakor still boasting said to his father “They haven’t kill me and will never kill me! I have destroyed many of them but one. Even though I tear off his limbs and arms tonight, yet it refused to die. It did this to me”. Obiakor turned and under the light of the bright moon, his father saw a deep gash on his back. “This is no ordinary wound; now I know the beasts you have been fighting. I have fought them once”. Removing the wooden ring, Obinze held it in his son’s face and said, “A messenger from the sky gave this to me, he said that in the day my strength shall fail me, you shall be remembered. I believe the time has come for you to wear it”. Obiakor took the ring from his father and slid it on his ring finger and observed it for a while. Right before their eyes the ring began to glow and slowly disappeared into his finger. At that Obiakor hit the ground yelling in pain. As Obinze lifted him from the ground he saw Obiakor’s wound heal like no wound was ever there and Obiakor’s stopped crying. Turning around Obinze asked, “Where is your mother?” “I do not know”, replied Obiakor.
Obinze ran into his hut and lit his tonji, with it he began to track her foot prints on the ground. As he followed her foot prints. It led him outside his compound and straight to the path which led to the market square. Behind Obinze, Obiakor tagged along hoping to join his father in the search of his mother.
Turning around Obinze saw his son trotting toward him. He stopped and waited for him to draw closer, “Obiakor I want you to go back and stay with your sister Olachi, we can’t leave her alone in the house”. “Ola can take care of herself, I want to join you and find mama”, Obiakor protested. “No Obiakor! I want you to go back and be with your sister. I need you to do this now. You don’t have to bother about your mother and I, we can take care of ourselves”.
Obiakor threw his father’s machete towards him; Obinze grabbed and jogged away. Obiakor staggered unhappily back into his father’s compound.
To Be Continued…….