Sins of my fathers

Tangled

                  Dedicated to Omam24

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It was dawn in Umuidim, the air was chilly as usual, but something was missing, and that was the smoke that rose up from the kitchen of many compounds, signaling the start of breakfast. However, on this morning, all of Umuidim were at the Chief’s palace. They had come to witness the execution of Nkasi’s father, instead they had been greeted with dead bodies, and among the dead bodies they could recognize the body of another Osu, Dede.
The news filtered back to Dede’s wife and daughter that the head of their home, lay dead in front of the Chief’s palace. They didn’t bother to hear the details, they concluded that it was the villagers who killed him, and they were afraid that they would also come for them. So they packed the little they could and fled the village.
Meanwhile, at the Chief’s palace, the villagers were discomfited, they couldn’t tell what happened, but one thing they were sure of, was that Nkasi’s father was nowhere to be found.
Chief: “Find him before dusk, wherever he is, he must be brought to face the judgment” he barked.
The youth mobilized themselves into groups and went into the nook and cranny of the village. Some went into the bushes and were further discomfited, as they saw the trail of blood, and bits and pieces of mangled flesh. After two days of fruitless search, the village gave up looking for Nkasi’s father.
They believed him dead even though they could not understand the circumstances surrounding his death. In their anger, they burnt down his house, and razed down his farms.
Nkasi accepted Obinna’s proposal to date, they went public with their relationship, and became the most enviable couple in the campus. While many girls were after Obinna, many men were after Nkasi. But Nkasi was not interested in them, only Obinna and her dream of becoming a medical doctor held her interest.
However Nkasi was worried about her parents, the letter she wrote to them and sent through post had come back unopened and she wondered why. It was approaching the end of the second semester and it had been almost a year she saw her parents, so Nkasi decided to visit home and spend the one week holiday at home. When she made known her plans to Obinna, he offered to accompany her to Umuidim. Even when she refused, he insisted, he told her he wanted to meet the people who gave birth to an amazing person such as her.
After the semester examinations, Obinna and Nkasi set out for Umuidim, with the Range Rover from his father, and their family driver.
Obinna’s father: “Extend my greetings to your parents and tell them we will soon come and see them for the betrothal” he said as the driver loaded the gifts he had got for his prospective in-laws.
Nkasi: “Of course daddy. I will also tell them, how you have been good to me” she replied.
The journey was smooth and hitch free, and by evening they were in Umuidim, but Nkasi was not to know what bad news awaited her. When they got to where her father’s compound would have been, she was met with a foundation being raised, and a strange man directing laborers, who were carrying bricks and cement bags.
Nkasi: “Nde wo nu (greeting), please, where is my father?” she asked. The man looked at her, unable to recognize her at first. He had a smile on his face, because he was known to be weak when it came to attractive women, and Nkasi was really attractive in the simple Asos gown she had on.
But he looked at her again and he recognized the girl whose praises had been sung even though she was a second class citizen of Umuidim, because she was smart, and had been the best WASSCE student in the country.
Man: “Nkasi!” he exclaimed in surprise.
Nkasi: “Yes it is me” she replied with a smile. But the man’s smile had left his face; in its place was an awkward look, and a wary gaze.
Man: “What have you come to Umuidim to do?” he asked dryly, casting Nkasi, a withering look. Obinna was astounded by the question; he looked at Nkasi, with questions in his eyes. Nkasi turned to the man and chuckled uneasily.
Nkasi: “This question is funny, or are you just pulling my legs. Anyways, this is my father’s compound and he must have set you people to erect a new building, so please tell me where I can find him, I came from a long journey”
Man: “You must be very stupid; who do you think you are that your father would put me, a whole diala in his employ? This is not your father’s compound, his has been burnt, and the land sold to me by the chief”
Nkasi: “What are you talking about, this is not funny” she said as panic entered her voice.
Man: “Your father killed your mother, and he was to be executed but we don’t know what happened, but we know he is dead, his carcass was found in the bush, mangled” he said.
Nkasi could not believe her eyes; she felt dizzy as her head tried to process the information. Then her legs gave, from under her.
Obinna was quick to catch her before she reached the ground.
Obinna: “Nkasiobi! Nkasiobi!” he called, panic stricken. The driver helped him carry Nkasi to the car, where he laid her on the back seat, and they turned on the air-conditioner.
Obinna: “What kind of a life is this? Someone leaves for school and comes back to this kind of news. Oh God” he felt perplexed; he didn’t what step to take.
Obinna was still pondering, whether to call his parents or not, when he saw Nkasi stir, she had regained consciousness. She looked around her confusedly, and as if the whole occurrence flooded her mind again, she bolted out of the seat.
Nkasi: “Mother! Father!” she screamed and jumped out of the car. Obinna held her but she struggled against him.
Obinna: “I am here for you, I know what you must be going through, but I will not desert you” he cooed to her, but it did nothing to pacify. She pushed him away and ran to Dede’s house, hoping to get more clarification, but she was met with more confusion.
At Dede’s house, she met new occupants and they told her that Dede was found dead, and that her father probably killed him too. She was also told that the surviving members of Dede’s family had fled the village.
Nkasi: “Oh God, what kind of nightmare is this? Please wake me up from this nightmare” she cried. People who heard her screams came out of their houses, but they made no effort to comfort her.
Obinna heard talks of her being an osu, but he didn’t understand what they meant by that. He pushed through the small crowd that had gathered to where Nkasi sat in the sand, her Asos gown was unrecognizable because she had been rolling in the sand.
Obinna: “Nkasiobi, please stand up and let us go. I and my family can never be able to fill the void that has been created in your heart, but we can try to be a family to you. Come, let’s go” he pleaded and tried to pull her up. Nkasi allowed him pull her up, because she was spent, her body was on autopilot because her hands and legs moved of their own accord. She was lost inside her pain, unable to break through the fog that clouded her mind.
Obinna succeeded in taking her back to the car, and he instructed the driver to drive them back to Lagos.
When they got to Lagos, Obinna’s parents were surprised by the state that Nkasi was in. She just had a blank stare, with drawn face. Her lips quivered, but no words came out of them. Obinna took her to her room, and tucked her in bed. Till he left her room, Nkasi still stared at the wall, with unblinking eyes.
Obinna’s father: “Obinna, what happened to her?” he asked, Nkasi had left Lagos, vibrant and full of life, but she came back to them, looking like an empty shell.
Obinna: “Her parents are dead” Obinna narrated what had transpired in Umuidim, while his parents looked on with horror.
Obinna’s mother: “Her father killed her mother. That kind of monstrosity can only be done by an Osu. The only time I have heard of such, it was done by an Osu” she said with a shudder. Obinna noticed the note of derision in his mother’s voice when she talked about Osu, he knew that she would not take Nkasi the way she took her, if he told her that the people at Umuidim had called Nkasi an Osu. He decided to make findings on the term, and know if it was something that would destroy his relationship with Nkasi. He knew that his mother had prejudices against people that weren’t like her. He was surprised she accepted Nkasi despite her poor background, perhaps it was Nkasi’s charm that had captivated her. Normally, her mother couldn’t stand people that weren’t as rich as them.
In any case, he knew there was a battle ahead..

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