The Child of Thunder 9

By
Ifeoma Isabella Okeke

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“So does that mean Ogbanje is unstoppable?” Adaku queried her great grandmother.

“I did not say so Adaku, I only said Ogbanje isn’t someone you would toy so easily. A strange powerful god is with her and have always protected her right from day 1, so Adaku my granddaughter you stand no chance against her”. Said Amumamirri as she stares at her great granddaughter, not in pity though

“So mother, does that mean Ogbanje can not be killed?” Adaku questioned.

“Everyone has his or her own weakness in life, Ogbanje has hers. Have you ever heard of a god whose name has been forgotten with time? A god powerful than any? A god whose presences makes other gods hid?”

“I don’t understand you mama, does it have anything to do with Ogbanje and her weakness?”

“Maybe. Listen, once upon a time, there where three brothers who love and cherish one another . One of the brothers became jealous and planned against the downfall of the first son. A day came and the elder brother committed a sacrilege, by nearly wiping out the entire creatures his father, Olisa (Chukwu) had created. With sorrow embedded gravely in his heart, he went away and was never seen again. He was forgotten alongside with time, and no body, no one ever remembered him again. I believe he is back and he is strongly behind Ogbanje. The first son of Olisa (Chukwu) is the most powerful god amongst his brothers and other gods, but, he has a weakness and it was his weakness his second brother used against him for..”

Interrupting her great grandmother Adaku query almost immediately. “What weakness does this god you just spoke of has?”

“Anger Adaku, anger. His weakness was anger. The second son of Olisa used that against him. So you must find Ogbanje’s weakness so that you can use it against her”. The old woman, Amumamirri, said as she finished explaining to her daughter who had been listening attentively to every of her words.

“Mother you don’t get it, Ogbanje is a girl I had known for many years; in fact all my life. She doesn’t have any weakness as far as I am concern”.

“I understand you Adaku, but the girl you seek to hurt cannot be defeated easily, you have to use her weakness to win over her”.

“But how will I know her weakness mother. There is nothing on earth that can move Ogbanje into showing her weakness, she doesn’t have any weakness mother or any human sympathy. There has to be another way for me to suppress her powers and kill her father”.

“The tears of a little child attracts the vultures to his own feast. I had once told you not to follow the ways of your great grandfather, but you defy me and went ahead to serve his god, Aku. Do you know your precious Aku went to meet god Ikenga to acquire more powers? Follow the god who I serve”.

“If I follow your way mother, will I obtained more powers and strength than Aku?”. Adaku asked.

“Yes. The story which I just spoke about, Olisa Children, do you still remember?”, Adaku nodded her head to signify that she was following her words. “One of Olisa son is Ikenga, serve him and he will make you strong, stronger than Aku himself”.

“But that hasn’t given me the answer I have been seeking for”, Adaku catechize.

“The answer has always been in front of you”.

“I don’t understand you mother, what answer”.

“The answer to Ogbanje weakness is Ebuka. Use Ebuka against her. Turn him against her, only him can get rid of Ogbanje”.

“Ebuka?”

Amumamirri stood up from her sit and motion to Adaku to follow her.

“Come with me, I have to fortify you so that god Ikenga would give you enough strength to face Ogbanje. But Adaku, I will still warn you, whatever happens to you in the future (moves closer to her ears) do not blame me, for I have told you, Ogbanje isn’t someone you can defeat easily. The ears that has refuse to harkens to the voice of wisdom follows the head along when the head is cut off (© Ifeoma Isabella Okeke). I am only helping you Adaku, because you are my great grand daughter”. Amumamirri said as they both disappeared.

***
The Child of Thunder 9

Adaku Back from her Travel:

Thunder and Lightening followed one after the other above the sky that early hot afternoon when Adaku came back to the village from her strange travel. She walked with pride, the air filled with her arrogance as she walked by. Her head held high like a peacock as reaches Okeke’s massive hut.

Uzochi and Ugochi ran out of the hut to meet their mother.

They both hug her.

“Mama welcome”, Uzochi was the first to speak.

“Mama, we have missed your presence a lot”. Ugochi said elated on seeing her mother.

“Where is your sister, Ogbanje?” Adaku asked as she uses her eyes to roam around searching for Ogbanje.

“We don’t know, she left since morning”. Uzochi answered

“Or maybe she went to Ebuka’s house you know those two are inseparable”.

Ugochi took her mother’s things from her and together they went inside.

***

Ogbanje and Ebuka Along The Village Stream:

Ogbanje and Ebuka were on their way to the village stream to fetch some water when Ogbanje stopped all of a suddenly and turn her neck to look directly at Ebuka.

“Ebuka, take this Ahịa- necklace”, Ogbanje said as she produce the necklace beneath her waist beads.

“What for Ada. I mean it’s beautiful but why are you giving it to me and not your sisters?” Ebuka asked collecting the Ahịa necklace from Ogbanje out stretch hand.

“I don’t know Ebuka, but that voice spoke to me yesterday and told me I should protect you at all cost so I made this Ahịa-necklace for you. It will be a protection to you against any evil forces if I am not there with you”. Ogbanje answered as Ebuka place the necklace around his neck.

“On no account should you remove it no matter what. Even if later on I told you to remove it, do not do so. This necklace should always be with you at all times”.

“Ada, I will as you have instructed me to do. I don’t really get what you are saying but I will never remove this necklace from my neck”.

“Good, very good Ebuka. Let us continue our walk to the village stream”. Ogbanje said in a happy mood. “Tell you what, let’s race ourselves to the stream. The winner gets to do whatever he or she wants to do to the loser”.

And they ran together towards the village stream.

****
The Child of Thunder 9
Witches meeting:

“I am no longer interested staying in this coven”. Adaku began slowly as her fellow witches listen attentively to her. “I am no longer a member of this coven”.

“You dare not Adaku. We all here are one sisters, you will not come and mess this up for us”.

“I now have powers to eliminate Ogbanje, that which Aku, the weak god we serve, had failed to do since I made my request known”. Adaku told Eze Nwayi in jeer.

“I see you have made up your mind Adaku. I will not stop you but know this, your end is near”.

***

Realm of the gods:

“Why did you give the young evil woman some powers to destroy the girl you have your eyes for?” Achuguayo, a smaller god asked Ikenga in his abode. Achuguayo was the god of the Moon, he was among the other gods Olisa (Chukwu) had created from the beginning.

“I know what I am doing Achuguayo. I want to know the god that has been protecting her. Something in me tells me that my going to get her as my wife would prove abortive if the god protecting her is strong”. Ikenga replied Achuguayo.

“But why the woman, she might get herself killed in the process”. Achuguayo said as his thoughtful eyes follows Ikenga about.

“She was warned severely but she wouldn’t listen. If she lost her life it is no business of mine. I want to see the powers that follows Ogbanje. I want to know which of the gods is behind this. I want to know the hidden god that was able to occlude my powers from Aku”.

Achuguayo nodded his head seeing meaning to Ikenga’s choice of words.

“So if this girl, Ogbanje, defeat Adaku what would you do?” Achuguayo asked carefully.

“I will know I have a tough battle ahead of me and start to prepare myself. To get the girl and make her my wife, I will have to go through this strange god to get her”. Ikenga answered almost immediately.

*********

“The girl you wish to have came from the Ogbanje world. She is a princess from that world who had came to dwell in the mortal world permanently. You can’t have her”. Agbara Nwayi told Obinwanne.

“Okay, so are you saying there is nothing your goddess, Idemmili, can do to make Ogbanje fell in love with me”.

“Idemmili said you should let go of that girl, she belongs to someone else. If you wish for death, then go after her. If you wish to live, stay clear from her (look at Obinwanne directly into his eyes) these were the words of Idemmili”.

“To hell with her, I only came here for a very powerful charm I would use to win over her and you are here telling me something else”.

“Do not provoke me child. Idemmili do not want to pour her wrath on you, now leave here quick”.

“I will go Agbara Nwayi, but be rest assured to tell Idemmili that Ogbanje will soon be mine”. Obinwanne said in abhorrent towards Agbara Nwayi.

“The cock that refuses to listen to the warning bell finds his way into the boiling water prepared for his funeral(© Ifeoma Isabella Okeke)”.

Obinwanne left Agbara Nwayi’s shrine, determine to get Ogbanje at all cost.

**********

Ebuka smiled to himself. He was laying on his bamboo bed, preparing to sleep when he started smiling all of a sudden.

They will never know the truth yet. He would still be pretending until the truth gets out. Ogbanje had listened to the voice.

He once again touched the necklace around his neck. No one would dare hurt him, with or without the necklace.

The time is drawing near when he would soon reveal who he really was to Ogbanje.

No one one was aware he was actually Amadioha in disguise.

The Child of Thunder 9
To Be Continued