THE TRAVAILS OF THE FLINCHING YEARS

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THE TRAVAILS OF THE FLINCHING YEARS

BY OPURUM TIMOTHY (THE PREGNANTPEN)

Ndokwe, Elokwe’s first son, with great fury and aghast approached the king’s palace for what could predictably be referred to as “the battle of the mouth” between him and the council of elders, the king not being exempted. He has made up his mind to find out what on earth his family has done to the entire community; why members of his own community have decided to dispose of their dirty water on them by casting so many aspersions on them as well victimizing them. They have succeeded in banishing his mother from the community, and now purporting to set ablaze the only thing left for them to claim ownership of – his family house.

His family has been torn apart ever since his mother was banished from the community. Series of slanderous and defamatory labels have been printed against them ranging from a family of the descendants of witchcrafts to a family of cursed generation. Every child in the community has been strictly warned to stay many miles away from every activity that involves anything or one emanating or even associated with that family. This has made things so unbearable for them. Even in the market, they could neither buy stuff nor sell. It was as if the heaven has just collapsed on them. Most times they pray for the intervention of death to take them away from this miserable world where men are no longer men but predators of their fellow men. They wept for help, but none came forth. Even the gods whom they serve were no where to be found in their situation. Things have indeed fallen apart. To whom will they tell their story? To what grace will they fall from? What will they do, for their lives have become like pieces of unwanted rags.

“Ndokwe…Ndokwe…Ndokwe! Please come back! Don’t go, come! Leave them alone for our gods will fight our course!” Olomme panted.

“Did I just hear you say ‘the gods’?  Nodokwe intercepted. What useless gods are you talking about here, Olomme, uugh? Are they the same gods I know; gods who only know how to receive but never give; gods who have eyes but can never see to the injustices and victimization being suffered by those who have fervently served them? Are there other gods aside gumare and guare? Olomme, my sister, don’t dire try to stop me, for we have suffered enough injustices and victimizations, and since the gods have suddenly become dead that they cannot vindicate us, let us vindicate ourselves. Even though they might destroy us at last, but, at least let them realize we are no cowards that they can trample on without being resisted.” He concluded.

He flared up, marching enigmatically with a furious and perturbed mind. He has made up his mind to end this battle today by visiting the lion’s den, where nobody who visited came out alive, except in a few bible stories. He never minded how many lions will prey on him. All he contemplated was to see to the end of this feud which existed between his family and the entire community. As he marched, one needs no foreseer to make him realize that Nodoke was heading for the King’s palace. Not ready or willing to listen to anyone, he accelerated the pace of his movement.

It was so coincidental that that day happened to be a traditional day. The traditional day, popularly known and called Nkure by the community is a long time historical day set aside by the ancient fathers of the community. On that day, no labour is carried out and it is as well devoid of every commercial transaction in every nook and cranny of the society. It is always a hectic day for the entire members of the traditional cabinet. They seat for several hours making decisions and resolutions for the community, also, they resolve long standing feud between warring parties, pronouncing judgements. Land disputes are equally attended to by them in the palace. While they did this, other members of the community will be busy sanitizing the entire community. It is a sacrilege for anyone to indulge in any personal interest commercial activity or work in the farm. They work collectively as a community to clean up the environment. At night, they all, including the royalties, gather in the village square to perform different traditional presentations such as folklores where the eldest man in the village is called upon to tell the entire village everything he knows about the historical antecedent of the village. Also, young men of the village wrestle against themselves and the winner gets to marry the most beautiful virgin of marriageable age and stage. But, such a virgin is subject to the recommendation of and approval by the Women-In-Council which must be consequent upon a three-stage test of virginity and eligibility.

Nodokwe finally arrived the palace – the lion’s den. He met several oppositions who refused him entry into the palace. No amount of threat from the security men who guarded the entry to the palace could dissuade him from gaining entry into the palace, he persisted. Situations have started getting really out of hand. Boisterous noise became the order of that moment. Nodokwe grew more violent and stabbed one of the guards who were giving him the greatest denial of entry into the palace.  Spontaneously, he ran with no restriction into the palace where the meeting of the council has grown to tensed level. Surprises wore on the faces of the members of the council. Immediately, five guards rushed into the arena. When asked what was going on, the guards informed them that Nodokwe has just stabbed one of them to dead when he was refused entry into this place.

“W...h...a…t! Abomination!” They all exclaimed.”

“Do you know the sacrilege you have just committed?” One of them asked, referring to Nodokwe.

And do you know the enormity of what you have done? Asked another, almost on his feet.

Nodokwe decided to keep quiet for some seconds trying to recover from his panting.

“Arrest him immediately and put him in the prison custody!” The king ordered.

Immediately, Nodoke held the nearest chief beside him on hostage and threatened to kill him and then kill himself if they do not listen to him. It was so glaring that some of the chiefs became afraid and shivered.

“If you don’t pay a close attention to what I have come here to say to you all, what happened to that guard out there will happen to some of  you this disgruntled, local, devilish and goddamned old men who take delight in plundering people’s homes, old men who have assigned themselves the duty of inflicting pains on the poor just because they have no one to fight their battles, old men who have desecrated the highly magnified royal seats of our forefathers by championing the acts of injustice and victimization of the innocent in the community just because of their selfish interest…”

TO BE CONTINUED