OBIAGERI
Obiageri - Episode 2
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I couldn't concentrate as I went about my evening chores.
The kind stranger occupied my mind.
I was in our mud kitchen making dinner for my father and I with the bush meat when Mma walked into the kitchen and pretend to be looking for something.
Ever since after our last f!ght which was two weeks ago she has being avoiding me like plågue.
She insulted my late mother and her mother was there encouraging her to insult me very well.
And the moment Mma took the insult to my late mother, I loosed my gùts and unleashed serious béåting on her.
Even her mother who was hïting me to leave her daughter alone could not stop me until I was satisfied with the bëåting, I left her and gave her serious warning never to mention my late mother ever again.
And ever since she avoided me and I stayed off her paths.
I wasn't going to be the kind of girl måltréated by a step mother and her daughter neither will I allow them to disrespect my father or late mother.
If they want peace I'm ready for peace and if they want w@r, I'm out for it.
Ego does not cook or care for my father because he doesn't have any money to give her, she goes and comes anytime she pleases because my father does not have a say over her ever since he stops providing because of the fall he suffered.
I'm here, I will provide and care for him like he deserves because he is good man.
While in the kitchen, Mma later asked me a question but i ignored her.
"Oby, Oby... what is that you are cooking..is that a bush meat I'm seeing inside the pot...the food smells nice. you caught anu nchi (grass cutter) in one of your traps today...?
I ignored as I stir my pot of soup very well so that she can see it clearly and salivate.
"Oby, you are not responding to me, are we still keeping m@lice... just because of that small quarrel... Oya ndo...ndo ewela iwe bikonu ( sorry, don't be angry please)
I told her there was no problem.
"A ma mu na nkolo gi no na ime ofe mu...oya, ga weta afere kam tinyere gi ( I know your throat is inside this my soup, go and bring plate let me put for you)I said
She quickly dashed out and brought a big deep plate which i guess was for her and the mother so I gave her enough soup and meat.
I dish out my father's food and carried it to his eating table which was outside
I went inside his hut to tell him that his food was ready.
"Imela ...(thanks you) you told me that you caught grass cutter...you are really getting lucky with your traps this days..."
"Papa..I could have been bringing bush meat home almost everyday if not that somebody has being stéåling them from my traps...
"...Nduka goes to my traps and stéâls my meat...I manage to collect one from him today.
"... Papa, did you know that Nduka set a wrestling match with a total stranger who tries to save me from him when he was beating me in the bush? the stranger just appeared from no where and ask me to go while he faced Nduka..."
"Obiageri...biko avoid Nduka. avoid him, he is a bùlly. if he wants to be taking the meat from the trap...please let him to take for peace sake. Nduka like to be feared and worshipped because nobody has ever béäten him to a wrestling contest.
"...he is one of the strongest wrestler that we have in this village... I don't want anything to happen to you biko.."
"..e Ji kwamu aha Chineke na ario ghi,(please... I'm begging you in God's name) God will bless that man that saved you...he shouldn't contend with Nduka... did he even know the kind of man Nduka is... the only..."
And there was a noise outside, somebody was shouting.
I ran outside and my father later followed slowly
And it was Nduka, he was came to my house with so much fury, raging and asking for the bush meat I took from his bag.
I told him that I have cooked it, I used the meat to make soup.
he slapped me first and asked me to go and carry the pot of soup out.
I hesitate but my father who was scared of Nduka started pleading to Nduka as he urged me to go and give him what he asked for.
I went into the kitchen and carried the pot of soup to him.
He laughed out and looked at the food I set outside for my father which has not been touched.
Nduka asked me to bring it and I refused.
"O bu nri papa m...(that's my father's food) if you take it now... what is he going to eat...?
"I don't care. bring the food and pour it back into this pot. Obiageri or whatever is your name bring that food... you brought this on your self when you støle my grass cutter from my bag.
"... the stüpid stranger that came to save you should get ready for me. on the next Eke market day I will tear him into pieces, humiliate him before everyone and receive the glory that I deserves.
"...hahahaha! my name is Nduka and I'm the greatest wrestler, the strongest man in this village and even beyond, I have defeated many who claims to be the strongest and with each defeat I add more feather to my wing. who is the man that can defeat the great Nduka... there is none because i have never seen.."
"... obiageri go and bring that food...I hate to repeat myself.."
I quietly carried the food to him and he asked me to taste the food just to be sure that I did not pø!son it and I did.
I package it properly for him inside a bag as I was ordered
Nduka left with our pot of soup and also the the food belonging to my father.
Me and my father did not have anything to eat that night.
Mma and her mother watched the whole drama and started laughing after Nduka was gone with my pot of soup.
I went to Mma and kindly asked her to give me some of the soup that I gave her and her mother earlier so that I can give my father to eat.
I wasn't surprised when Mma's mother said
"That small soup that will not even be enough for Mma, if you have put enough soup for her at least we would have given you part of it but that soup is too small to share... you were too stingy with your soup and bush meat, that's why you gave Mma small thing now look at where it got you... your pot of soup is gone."
"... hahahaha... that serves you and your father right. Ndi aka gum (stingy people)
I left her because I don't even have strength to argue.
My father said I shouldn't worry about him that I should soak garri (cassava flakes) and drink but I didn't have appetite, I was more worried about my father than myself.
I washed up myself that night and slept on an empty stomach.
Even my father slept with an empty stomach.
The following morning after preparing my father's medicine down I left.
I couldn't wait for him to wake up so that I can massage his legs.
I went to the stream and fetch water first before going to plug leave from oha tree. after cutting few leaves, I added oziza to it, I returned and prepared small soup down for my father before entering the bush again that afternoon.
I don't know where exactly to go and search for the stranger.
after checking my traps, only one caught a squirrel.
I decided to change the position of the traps to somewhere better, where Nduka will not easily notice them,
I spread some corns and palm fruits around the traps Just to attract animals, I covered the traps up before leaving.
I walked round the bush as I search for the stranger but all the search was not fruitful, I decided to go home as the sun was going down
I met this same elderly woman again coming back from cutting grass, I walked up to her and greeted
"Nne ndewo.. (I greeted)
And she responded before saying.
"Nwam, onye I na acho no na iyi...(my child, the person you are looking for is in the stream)
I was surprised as I wondered how she got to know, I asked her how she got to know that I was looking for the stranger she told me not to bother about how she got to know but I should run ahead before he leaves the stream.
I quickly did as she said, I ran until I got to the stream, I met people going home from the stream.
The whole place was quiet and the stranger was there, he just finished bathing and was coming out of the stream.
I greeted him before he even noticed me.
He looked up and saw me, he responded absent minded.
I walked up to him.
"Don't you remember me... I'm the girl you saved yesterday from that fat p!g called Nduka...
"I remember, so what do you want from me?
"I just came to thank you, I'm grateful and I also want to warn you...is better you back off now before the wrestling contest is generally announced. Nduka have not been beaten before... he is probably far stronger than you are. I don't want you to be humiliated, just return to your village...is better he assume that you ran away than to hurt you on the wrestling day..."
He still did not respond as he sat on a rock and watch the stream water flow quietly, the whole place became quiet, only the sound of water could be heard.
I sat close to him and continued talking but he did not say anything through out.
The evening sun has gone down and the frogs and bush crickets has began their evening song.
He later spoke out.
"Chi ejibala...biko...laba ( the night is coming... start going)
He said it in a funny way while looking at me, I nooded before standing up. He did not ask for my name I decided to ask for his.
"Biko, ewela iwe dee..aha gi obughini (Please, don't be angry, what is your name) and where do you stay?
He did not reply but I told him mine anyway before leaving.
Few days later the contest was announced I did not see the stranger until few days before the eke market day.
I have gone to the stream that evening again just to check if he will be there and to wish him good luck.
I greeted him again and he responded.
And sat on the rock, I sat quietly beside him without saying anything.
He later spoke by asking me if there's a problem and I told him there was none, I just came to wish him well since the contest is in few days but he still has a choice to back off before the main day.
He nodded quietly, I asked him of his name again but he didn't reply and I left since I know he wasn't ready to say anything.
I silently pray that he will beat the arrogant bëåst called Nduka but I have doubts and great féâr that Nduka may probably béåt him again.
On the eke market day, the big wrestling match has been announced, people began to gather up since everyone was looking forward to watching Nduka, the great wrestler bëāt up the stranger who without fear challenged him to a contest.
People were tired and fed up with Nduka's attitude but they were afraid to say anything or confront him. They cheer him everytime they see him coming but deep down most of them wish him déâd.
The stranger arrived alone, he sat at a far end waiting for the wrestling f!ght to begin.
I was watching him as I move closer to where he was but he did not look at me, and I have never seen him smile.
He wore a straight face all through as he watch the dancers performing.
Villagers whispered within themselves as they stared at him, some ladies asked me of his name but I told them that I don't know his name because he hardly speaks, which makes me wonder the kind of man he was.
Young ladies gushed over his personality, he was indeed handsome but unruly silent.
Which was so strange and nobody has seen him before.
Everyone believes he was from another village.
He refused to even speak to the elders who asked him few questions. He only greeted them and kept watching the dancers.
Mma noticed him and couldn't take her eyes off him as she joined other dancers.
As the villagers gathered, the drummers started drumming, the dancers came out to dance, Mma was among the dancers who danced beautifully to the drummers fine music.
Shaking their waist and throwing their legs in different styles.
Mma was dancing as if her life depends on it as she sometimes look at the stranger who was watching the whole event absent minded.
Nduka has lots of followers who gathered around him cheering and Fanning him like a great man.
When it was time for the wrestling contest to begin my heart began to beat speedily, people began to cheer loudly as Nduka stepped out, waving his hand like a celebrity.
the villagers rose to their feet and began to sing his praises.
Nduka walked majestically all around the wrestling ground, displaying different styles to everyone amusement and the crowd cheer even more
they began to sing his praises none stop
I looked at the stranger who was still seated queitly waiting for the final drum to beat so that he can go in for the f!ght.
I still have fears for him and silently wish he will put Nduka to shame but how possible is that.
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH'S HEART stories)
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