OJADILI The Mystery Boy Episode 10 by Erasmus Ugochukwu Okafor

OJADILI The Mystery Boy Episode 10 by Erasmus Ugochukwu Okafor

**The Apocalypse**

The weather wasn’t smiling down on the people of Amachara as usual. It was ominous; showing that both the gods and humans were in deep anguish. On the Nkwo market day, everywhere was calm because it was the last day king Azuamailo was expected to open his eyes. The people were mournful as they braced themselves for the impending humiliation.

The mood was sorrowful while the great Ikoro in different clans began to sound; not only in Amachara but in neighbouring villages.

The powerful, song ‘Oke osisi adaa’ (the mighty tree has fallen) began to filter into the ears and minds of everyone.

Serenity stole the moment while fears and melancholy thrived without seeking for people’s permission. The weather suddenly became fickle; depicting that the king was not only being stripped of his royal titles but being bid welcome into the afterlife.

The princess was so worked up as she suffocated in that abysmally dark moment of her life. She felt that the king was not just dying but disappearing forever with lots of secrets yet unravelled. She was drowned in the gloom as speechlessness became her meal. She lived without food and cursed her favourite fruits but that never brought back her dad.

The great Ikoro (mighty drum) kept droning far and near making different animals scamper for safety because they were all afraid too. Six chief priests from different clans were to attend the Ije Ifele (show of shame) ceremony.

The people were even more frightened because of the great sorceress and a strong diviner known as Ifenkili, who would be attending the Ije Ifele. She wasn’t just to be in attendance but would be the officiator.

Ifenkili was a great Dibia who had lived for many years but remained young like she was still in her early twenties. She’s so powerful that her presence alone is considered a threat to the people. Her name Ifenkili means someone whose presence should be admired but it works in both positive and negative ways. Even though she’s Ifenkili, no one ever dares look at her except the six chief priests that would be attending the festival too.

Ifenkili is known as the woman of beads because she has a lot of beautiful beads that adorn her beauty. Her cloth is entirely made of beads of high value.

Ifenkili was both a blessing and a curse. If one sets his or her eyes on her, the person is enslaved for life. On the other hand, if anyone is lucky to pick any of the beads that fall from her apparel, that person is blessed with riches and fortunes. Due to the dual nature of being a blessing and a curse, Ifenkili was nicknamed OgbumAzom (my killer and my saviour).

The palace Ikoro was the last expected to sound before Ifenkili arrives, so the people became more frightened as they expected that.

When the six chief priests arrived, they began to dance the surugede (dance of the spirit) as they displayed their talents in the palace. The people gathered and waited in fear. Being that many people love the leadership of King Azuamailo, they were all in sorrow as few women were sighted crying. They all had to cry all they could before Ifenkili arrives. Once she steps her feet on the palace, no tear is expected to drop. Crying is a taboo before her; not that she was a wicked creature but that was how she was created. She always addresses herself as the scorpion whose nature is to sting; even against her wish.

The princess and the queen spent their time crying in the king’s chamber. They had to cry before Ifenkili arrives. They imagined how their royal robes would be removed and burnt before everyone. The heartbreaking thoughts made them cry in excruciation.

Onodugo was the most heartbroken because he blamed himself for being the reason why the kingship was leaving Azuamailo’s family. If not for Uremma who kept consoling him, he’d have committed suicide.

Onodugo wanted to strip himself of his royal status even before the Ije Ifele ceremony but that would be abominable too. Uremma tried hard to make him understand the implication and the penalty. He had to wait for him to be stripped of his titles by the six chief priests. As for the king, it’s only Ifenkili that is meant to strip him naked; a show of shame indeed.

The princess kept thinking deep to the extent that she became absent-minded. She knew that the entire punishment coming to the king was from Adadimma. She believes that if the king didn’t murder the innocent girl, she wouldn’t have denied Onodugo the gift of offspring. She considered it better for the king to be the one that was punished by denying him children; instead of Onodugo who knew nothing about the father’s abomination.

The queen knew that her daughter was hiding something but didn’t know how to approach her to make her come out clean. She knew that Chinonye was playing the game of secrecy by holding her cards closer to her chest. If the queen knew her daughter well, she knew that there was something fishy but didn’t know the best way; to make her divulge it.

The princess was prankish as she tried to sweep her disturbed state of mind under the carpet of wilful tears. She cries whenever she feels that her mom was about to start a talk or ask her questions.

The game continued between them until the palace Ikoro was heard, making them all weep bitterly for the last time. It was time for the Ije Ifele to start.

Some strange and deafening sounds of the Ogene (metal gong) were heard. The sound was accompanied by the song of Ijele (a dignified masquerade).

Immediately the palace Ikoro was heard, other village drums stopped except the strange sounds of Ogene and Ijele songs. There was grave silence as this happened.

“Oh chim…ooo (OMG)! She’s approaching,” The queen mother moaned in fear, “When I was young,” she began to narrate to Chino, “my dad told me the story of Ifenkili but I thought it was just a mere folktale. Even if Chukwu Abiama came down from above to tell me that I’d be inviting the mighty Ifenkili this day, I wouldn’t have believed. Now my fears and nightmares have visited without apologies or my permission. Do not cry when we’d be stripped of our royal robes,” she encouraged her daughter with a pat on her back, “Do not look at the face of Ifenkili to avoid Ikikere eze (gnashing of the teeth). I know you’re always curious but please,” she said and pulled the princess closer, “do not act stupid so that you wouldn’t be the foolish grasshopper than ends up in the gizzard of a bird,”

The queen’s warning didn’t commove the princess because hearing the palace Ikoro suddenly consoled her instead of making her agitated. She began to adorn her face with uri onu (lipstick), otangele (eyeliner), and Nzu otite (powder). She picked her best wear which she got from her chamber and dressed up. She hadn’t been so embellished with a makeover as she did that day.

The queen was so surprised because the royals weren’t expected to appear so beautiful because it’s a show of shame and not of dignity. She couldn’t understand why her daughter was celebratory instead of being mournful. The queen kept looking furtively at her daughter but couldn’t say anything. She was numb to words as her tongue clung to the roof of her mouth. She was just an observer that was stripped of words except to gape and meditate.

“How do I look, Nne (mom)?” The princess asked as she admired herself using the mirror.

The queen stared at her for a while and shrugged away her dismay without saying anything.

In an exceedingly short time, a knock was heard at the door. With the great silence in the palace, it was obvious that Ifenkili was already there or about to arrive.

“We’re ready!” The princess said to the knocker as she felt that her mom was so shocked and unable to talk. “Bataba (you can come in)” she added and admired herself one more time.

It was surprising to the queen mother that her daughter concealed her mirror in her cloth. She knew that Chinonye was always up to some bold stunts that may end up spelling trouble for them. She had to ask her questions to know her reasons.

“Why did you hide the mirror in your dress?” The queen asked looking confused, “I hope you’re not trying to be unscrupulous,”

“Nne, relax,” the princess said smilingly, “for the first time, let me say this,” she added and held her mom by the shoulders while her eyes fixed on hers, “history would be made today because this man lying still here,” she said pointing at the king, “will be revived. His helper is close; even though I may not know him or her. It could even be the so-called Ifenkili that would revive him instead of stripping him. But all I can say is this; if it’s not Ifenkili, I’ll buy more time for us until the helper comes. I feel the helper’s presence already and beginning to feel happy once more. These strange feelings inside of…”

“May the gods help you,” the queen said stringently and opened the door for Ujuamara who was already waiting. Looking back at the princess, she added: “Whatever stupid or wise moves you’re about to embark on, think twice before you leap. Most importantly, may the gods be with you in that. If not, we’re doomed in this already trying period. Don’t destroy the last respect and honour left with us,”

The princess smiled and said: “Azu anuka (the back doesn’t hear)” This was a way of displaying her unconcealed stubbornness for the first time before her mom. “Nne, this is mmiri ana agbasa n’okwute (the water that is being poured on the stone)”

The queen was shocked by the pigheadedness of her daughter; even to the point challenging her with a duel of words. She couldn’t understand if Chino was still the calm and obedient daughter she gave birth to. She simply shook her head and began to follow Ujuamara who held her hand as they proceeded to the Ije Ifele square.

The princess followed behind them in majestic and sedate steps that made people wonder if she knew what she was going for. At this point, the people rumoured among themselves against the princess. They saw Chino as a small child whose mom is being buried but seen playing around thinking it that a festival is going on.

“You must need this,” Ujuamara said and handed over a blindfold to the queen, and the other to the princess.

“Please, Uju,” the queen pleaded, “help me by blindfolding this daughter of mine by yourself. I suspect she’d want to take a look at Ifenkili out of curiosity,”

“Tufia, aru! (Abomination). What did you just say?” the chief priest blurted and snorted, “It’s abominable enough that she danced the surugede and got spared by the gods,” he mouthed angrily “But trying to behold the face of Ifenkili will make you an Osu; outcast oo,” he stressed and began to blindfold the princess.

The princess was a bit stubborn but had no choice but to allow him to do it. “Please, don’t clean my facial makeover or blemish it with this rag,” Chinonye warned.

The chief priest considered the princess as merely exhibiting her youthful exuberance, so it wasn’t necessary battling with her.

“I think, it’s done, my queen,” Ujuamara said sadly, “I’m disturbed because this may be the last time to address you as my queen,”

Those words of Ujuamara almost invited tears in the eyes of the queen but she had to prevent it because Ifenkili could be watching.

The entire people blindfolded themselves except the six chief priests.

Everywhere was silent but Ifenkili wasn’t there yet, even though some abracadabra and sounds of the ornaments where heard; announcing her arrival.

In a jiffy, the great Ifenkili was in their midst; with her presence introduced by a loud cry from her. On hearing her voice, everyone trembled.

“She’s here,” Ochomma whispered to Chizaram and Omasiri, “Listen attentively to know when the beads will fall. Even if it is just one that I picked, my life is changed,”

“Onye uru ahia (the profit maker)” Chizaram murmured, “why must you mention that you’d be the one to pick the beads. You’re so selfish,” she mocked.

“Soon you two would be in trouble,” Omasiri muttered and pinched them both.

“Aww, that was painful, biko (please),” Ochomma grunted and hissed, “Until I pinch you back, you wouldn’t understand what it means to say you’re sorry,”

Chizaram hushed her, “Were you the only one she touched? Must you show your noisy and pugnacious nature?”

Omasiri didn’t reply to them but kept calm and listened too to know if the sounds of a fallen bead would be heard. Aside from the maidservants, others were attentive too; hence the grave silent.

Ifenkili raised her voice and said: “Gbuo dike, gbuo dike (kill the mighty) is usually on the lips of some men but when it’s done, the clan becomes haunted by misfortune and regret. The mighty is lying speechless and lifeless, so we shouldn’t be happy. We should be in a mournful mood. I know that there are speculations about who the next king would be. The family that succeeds the king would be happy but let them not rejoice until the mighty king is buried. My name is Ifenkili but nature has tortured me for many years,” she said and began to smile. After a while, she began to shake her body to the rhythm of unheard music. “The egwu ngala (prideful dance) is the one exclusively made for me but I feel so sad that no one could look and admire me, for this reason, I never married,”

The entire chief priests bowed before her in reverence.

“He who is fortunate to behold the great Iroko should make firewood from it because it’s rare to be found,” Agbisi Igwe, the chief priest from Ugoloma said in compliment to Ifenkili, “the Igwe was a good friend to me. I am Agbisi Igwe, the Onyiringugba (the one that defied capture) of Ugoloma village. I am happy to lay my eyes on your beautiful face but sad that my friend is facing the Ije Ifele ceremony. Wherever he is now, his spirit wouldn’t be at rest, therefore; let’s not celebrate but mourn. You have my respect, my goddess,”

Hearing the name; Agbisi Igwe sounded so familiar to the princess. She was eager to meet him because he was the same man that gave the king the charms against Adadimma’s spirit. Even though she was blindfolded, she was restive and eager to behold the faces of the guests.

Ifenkil began to dance in style again, displaying her beauty as the egwu ngala lasted. The chief priests admired her while the people listened to the sounds of beads as fortune calls.

As Ifenkili danced and began to approach the king’s chamber, the princess’s sonorous voice was heard singing a sorrowful dirge. Her voice towered in the palace and beyond, making Ifenkili stop because of her bewilderment. She looked at the beautiful princess with admiration and came closer to her.

The sweet melody rang in Ifenkili’s head, making her shed tears for the first time in many decades. She was surprised that she was moved to tears even though it’s an abomination for anyone to cry when she’s present.

Everyone was so afraid; especially the queen mother because she warned her daughter against being showy.

There was grave muteness as the endearing song watered the heart of Ifenkili and made her sober and pathetic. At a point, Ifenkili felt like shushing the princess but the sweet song already swept her off her feet as she became emotional.

Ujuamara wanted to stop the princess but Ifenkili gestured that the young girl should be allowed to pour out her heart with that sensual acapella.

To the greatest surprise of the chief priest and OgbumAzom, the princess dug her hand into her dress and brought out the mirror she hid there. As if that wasn’t enough, she removed her blindfold, making the chief priest yell at her. He tried to stop her but couldn’t.

The princess didn’t look directly at Ifenkili but looked at her using the mirror reflection.

“Wow, what a beauty,” she exclaimed with great surprise, “I thought I’m beautiful but I just beheld the real face of beauty,”

There was confusion everywhere among the people because they were expecting the princess to either go blind or start eating the sand; that’s usually the first sign of punishment.

Ifenkili was so surprised that the princess wasn’t tormented or tortured, so she came closer to her and touched her on the shoulder.

“Finally, she’s the one,” Ifenkili yelled and collected the mirror from the princess, “Look at me, my daughter,” she encouraged her and held her by the nape, “feel free because I feel a connection with you already. Look at your mom and be free to do that,” she whispered to her, “You don’t need the mirror anymore,”

The princess was forced to follow her advice and looked.

It then became so clear to the chief priests that the princess and Ifenkili were almost identical.

They were surprised because it was as if a mom and daughter were starring at each other.

“Who is this princess?” Ujuamara asked bewilderedly, “I think we don’t really know who she is. Her birth has always been vague to me but now I understand. You’re a chip off the old block,”

The princess couldn’t help but shed tears with Ifenkili. They embraced each other.

“Ifenkili anaram nwam (Ifenkili has possessed my child),” The queen mother yelled and groped for her daughter but Ujuamara stopped her.

“She’s not taking your daughter away but it seems there is more to what you know about her birth that you’ve been hiding,” Agbusi Igwe whispered to her, “I guess you need to tell your daughter the secret of her birth. Don’t pretend that you don’t know,”

There was confusion everywhere as the moment lasted. As the people kept listening to hear the sound of a bead from Ifenkili’s wear, the long-awaited fortune dropped. But instead of it to fall on the ground to make the people scrabble for it, it felt on the palm of the princess.

Princess Chinonye grabbed the bead and slowly opened her palm; revealing it to Ifenkili who still held her close.

Ifenkili was so surprised; first, for the princess to see her face without punishment, and secondly, for her to be the lucky one to have the bead.

“It’s now confirmed that I’ll soon gladly join my ancestors after the long wait,” Ifenkili said with great joy and smiles, “I’ve waited for this moment for donkey years. Now, It’s here with me and I’ll soon be dying,” After saying that, she began the egwu ngala again and danced to the gods. As she danced, she chanted some songs of victory.

It was to the utmost surprise of the chief priests that Ifenkili suddenly began to age fast. The swift aging was characterized by weakness and pulsation that struck Ifenkili hard. Her real age suddenly appeared on her, making her so old as if she’d reached the age of one hundred and fifty. Even in that old age, she still radiated beauty.

The princess was so surprised to see what was happening, making her pull backward to have a clearer view of Ifenkili who aged with happiness.

“Why are you aging this fast?” The princess asked looking befuddled and amazed.

“Because there was an apocalypse that had it that whenever I behold the face of my daughter,” she said blissfully, “it’s time for me to join my ancestors. This is the time that I long-awaited. I came for the Ije Ifele but I ended up with Ije Anuri (show of happiness)”

“And the king?” Chino asked as she tried to understand Ifenkili’s claims that she was her mom.

“The Ije Ifele ceremony continues,” Ifenkili said making the princess daunted and stripped of hope. “The king must be stripped stark naked,”

“No, it wouldn’t go on,” Ojadili said and entered their midst.

The hairy Ojadili who looked like a wild animal got the onlookers perplexed.

“Wow, he’s here,” The princess yelled in great happiness, “I never it knew was you that would come but I knew that someone must come for my dad’s rescue. I didn’t just buy some time for the king but achieved a lot,”

Ojadili was expected to blindfold himself but he didn’t. He simply passed them all, went straight to the king chamber, and revived him.

To everyone’s greatest surprise, he came out holding the king who looked even younger than he used to be.

The king was surprised as he saw everyone blindfolded. He shut his eyes wildly because he already knew that Ifenkili was in their minds.

Ojadili encouraged king Azuamailo to look without being afraid.

“Everyone should remove their blindfolds and behold the face of OgbumAzom. This is a message from the gods,” Ojadili snarled.

Ifenkili was astonished as he peered at Ojadili to understand who he was or where he came from.

The king was uneasy to open his eyes but Ojadili urged him to look.

When the king finally conjured the courage, he opened his eyes and saw Ifenkili who looked so old already.

“The gods are wise,” The king said, “I’m alive and stronger. I haven’t been this strong,” he yelled as he observed his body and saw that he had no corporal blemish on him.

The people were so surprised when they heard the voice of the king; this made them all remove their blindfolds.

Ifenkili genuflected before Ojadili and said: “Finally, the one holding the key to the end of Iwenwanne (the brotherly war) is here. The apocalypse is being fulfilled and I’m dying happily. I think the main reason I’m here is for my funeral and not Ije Ifele. The gods are wise. I thought I was coming for you all but truly, you all came for me. May I die in peace now,” After saying that, she smiled and humbly knelt before everyone.

Everyone saw great Ifenkili. They were all surprised and shocked as they mobbed her just to see her face clearly or pluck a bead from her dress.

“The beads are no more effective, so you all shouldn’t bother about it,” Ifenkili said in a quaky voice looking at the faces of the villagers. She bowed to the people and yelled: “Ajani ajani uwalaka ajani,” After that, she fell on the ground and died.

Ojadili was so surprised that Ifenkili just spoke the same language he heard from the child, Umuabani. He was dazed and filled with questions but was sad that Ifenkili couldn’t even interpret the words before her death.

There was a celebration amid the great surprise among the people as they danced around the king and celebrated his revival.

The princess was so happy to see Ojadili but was surprised that the mysterious boy left without talking to anyone. She rushed to the palace gate to see if she’d stop him or ask him to stay back but Ojadili was long gone. She became saddened but had no choice but to join the celebration of the life of her dad.

The king and the queen also wanted to properly thank Ojadili but his unannounced exit incognito made it impossible at the moment.

As the celebration, went on, the guards in accordance with the King’s order, placed the lifeless body of Ifenkili on a special podium.

The chief priests began to dance surugede for OgbumAzom while the princess danced the egwu ngaga (prideful dance); first to be done by a human, after Ifenkili.

OpraDre

To be continued…

Drop your comment