The Child of Thunder 25

By
Ifeoma Isabella Okeke

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Previously on Ogbanje:
“Your mother was the only daughter and child of the Sun god and goddess, Anyanwu. Your father and I were the servant of Anyanwu. You see Anyanwu (Sun) was the first creation ChuckwuOlisa had created. He became fast friends with ChuckwuOlisa and their friendship blossom. Anyanwu, the Sun god, was the mouth piece of him”. Nnenna began. Ancient Story: “Well your mother, Chi, and your father were so much in love with each other. But they kept their love hidden away from her father. Her father wasn’t someone that jokes easily. Anyanwu (The Sun God) called up his daughter one day and told her she has a suitor coming to seek for her hand in marriage. Not wanting to let her father knew that she was already in love, she agreed to meet this said suitor. She met Agwusi and didn’t find any love in him. Despite showing her dislike for the god, her father insisted on her getting married to him. All her pleads fell on deaf ears and a day for their wedding was fixed. She confided in her mother that she was in love with someone and even revealed who she was in love with, which turn out to be a gravely mistake”. Nnenna said as her vision dim out. Her memories faded back. “So what happened Nne?”. Ebuka asked his mother. Nnenna blinked her eyes solemnly. “Sorry my children I was only remembering those hay days”. Nnenna replied and then continued. “Well, after Chi had informed her mother. The goddess quickly told her husband who got your father arrested and slain him….”. Nnenna was interrupted by the outburst of Ogbanje. “What? You mean Anyanwu killed my father?” Ogbanje questioned aghast. “Well, what he did angered ChuckwuOlisa, the creator of all things. Chi went ahead to seek the face of ChuckuwOlisa. When he heard her story and the reason Anyanwu killed one of his creation. ChuckwuOlisa decided to revive him but this time he would be born as a mere mortal. Your mother followed suit. And I decided to follow your mother, but we all came as mortals”. Nnenna said as she stare at the two thoughtful faces in front of her. “So how does your story connect with the fact that my mother is alive?” Ogbanje asked once she saw Nnenna wasn’t saying anything after she had finished telling them the story of how they came down to dwell on earth. “Well, her father wasn’t happy with the way things took a turn around. So he assign a spirit to kill any children of Chi and told Agwusi that he would punish his daughter that she would regret ever defying him. When Chi learnt of this, she called I and your father, and told us of her plans. She sacrificed her life for you to live. She made me to join the witches so that I would know what Adaku plan but I was carried away. She made Adaku belived it was her witch craft that was killing your siblings. Before your mother died she went and pleaded with mother Moon to let her live as one of her children. The moon agreed and make her soul a star so she became one of her daughter immediately she died, that way she would watch over you”. Nnenna said in finality, she turned to look at Ogbanje squarely at her. “I am sure your father had shown you the star, am I right?” Ogbanje nodded her head in acknowledgment. “Good”. Nnenna said and turn to stare at her son. “Ebuka I am very tasty, please help me with a cup of water”. Nnenna said out of blue to Ebuka. Ebuka stood up and left to get water for her at the back of Nnenna’s own hut. As soon as she Ebuka was off earshot. She moves closing to Ogbanje. Ogbanje was surprised when she saw Nnenna doing so. “What is it mama?” Ogbanje asked. “The new girl in your compound is Adaku’s daughter” Nnenna said lowly. “What? Adaku’s daughter? But how?” “I don’t want Ebuka to know yet, even Okoro doesn’t know about this secret I want to tell you now”. “What secret mama?” “Your mother specific told me that Uhammiri is Okoro’s daughter”. “I don’t understand you mama” “What I am trying to say is Uhammiri is your half sister who wants to end you. It has been her mission. So you must trend with caution”. Nnenna said. Ogbanje was bewildered with what she heard. “And tell Ebuka to ask your Mother, the queen Mother of Ogbanje’s, to return back your memories. Returning back your memories will automatically return your full powers back. Be ahead of Uhammiri, use your brain my child”. Ebuka immediately came back and handed the cup of water to Nnenna who drank it hastily. ********
At The Farmland: Ebuka was in his farm harvesting Yams, Maize etc that hot afternoon when he felt the presence of Uhammiri approaching him silently. Pretending not to noticed her presence he continued with his harvesting. Uhammiri cleared her throat to let Ebuka know of her presence. Ebuka halted in what he was doing and feigned in pretense on seeing her. She was holding a well covered calabash of food in her right hand as she stare seductive at Ebuka. Again, Ebuka was dazzled by her beauty but never the less he found it strange to why his spirit keeps warning him about the beautiful maiden, in fact his spirit is not with ease on her being here. “The glorious sun, olamma, you are so beautiful to the core, the one whom the creator had made wonderfully with his own hands. I would have carried on and on with praises of how beautiful you are but I have to ask what really brought you here?” Ebuka finally asked after making sure he had heap enough praises on Uhammiri to make her head swelled like a peacock. Uhammiri smiled with pride on hearing Ebuka showering her with praises that would means one thing. He had noticed her. She smiled very well at that thought. “Well, I came here to give you the food I specially prepared for you today”. Uhammiri answered. “Really? That’s so wonderful and thoughtful of you. I am really grateful for your kind gesture, thank you”. Ebuka said thankfully. Smiling, “You are welcome Ebuka”, Stretching out her hands towards Ebuka with the plate of food. “Here is it, you can take it from me. I will wait until you’ve finished eating the food”. Uhammiri said amidst in smile. “Sorry to turn down your food you prepared, has no one in this entire village or Ada ever told that Ebuka, me, doesn’t eat while he is working? And besides, come to think of it, we don’t really know each other, we’ve only met once and you suddenly woke up this fine morning to prepare what I did not ask you too? How did you get to know about this farmland when you just arrived a few days ago in this village? Anyway to cut this long lectures, I am not hungry. You can take the food back home or better still I can direct you to where an old widow lives, Ada do help her once in a while, so she will be appreciative to you when you give her this food”. Ebuka finally stopped his talk and return back to his work, dismissing Uhammiri quickly. The hurt Uhammiri felt by the rejection of Ebuka was evident on her face and she didn’t hide it most especially when he made mention of her arch enemy. “Are you trying to telling me you won’t eat this food I prepared for you with my very own hands?” Uhammiri asked for the umpteen time. After showering her with praises and making her believe he had interest on her, he decided to turn down her beautiful gesture. Not stopping from his work, “Did I carried water in my mouth when I told you I won’t eat it? I even told you I would help you and direct you to where an old widow live so that the food won’t be a wastage”. “How dare you?” Uhammiri suddenly bursted out livid and continued. “How dare you insult me? Who do you think you are? Do you know who is standing in front of you?” “The gods of this land knows very well I did not in any form insulted you and to the last question you asked. Are you not Uhammiri, the stranger Adaku brought to live with them from I don’t know, who else can you be if not what I just said now?” Ebuka asked in wonder. Closing her eyes to swallow her anger which was fast developing. “You are just lucky Ebuka, just count your stars”. With that she walked out of him in a angry manner leaving Ebuka astonished even more. He said it, this strange beautiful girl is a puzzle to crack. He would find out who she is. Something about her smells fishy.
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Okoro’s Hut: Uhammiri walked angrily into the compound of Okoro and went straight to the kitchen where she knew Adaku was. Adaku was startled when she saw the look on her. “O gini? What is it? Who provoked you this hot afternoon eh?” Adaku asked immediately she saw the monstrous look on Uhammiri’s face. She knee it might connect with the food she went to give Ebuka. “Did Ebuka not like the food?” She added as Uhammiri wasn’t showing any form of answering her previous question. “That would have been better if he didn’t like the food. He rejected the food. Can you imagine Adaku, Ebuka rejected the food I brought for him. He made me appear like a fool to him today, he should count himself lucky that my feelings for him are unalloyed if not he would have tasted my wrath by now”. Uhammiri told Adaku in a very loud angry tone. Adaku was glad she has send her children with Ogbanje to the stream to fetch water for her, if not they would have heard the outburst of Uhammiri now. And thankfully enough Okoro wasn’t at home, he had left to visit a friend of his. “Shhhhhhhh, do you want to tell the whole villagers, hush down a little bit biko”. Adaku said trying to reprimand. “I don’t bloody care, they should hear for all I care”. She shouted. “Do you also know that he made mention of that stupid Ogbanje in my presence”. Uhammiri added. “Ewooooo, it will feel like rubbing salt to an injury…” “You don’t need to tell me that”. Uhammiri interjected. “So what are your next steps, I mean your next plan since this one could not work?” Adaku questioned as she stare bewildered at her daughter. “Clear off Ogbanje from the surface of the earth, but first I would need to plan. Ogbanje might have the powers to prevent my attacks but I have the brains to make my attack work on her”. Uhammiri replied with a confident, her face facing the sky, that Adaku was surprised by that. “And how do you intend on doing that?” Uhammiri lowered her head to look at Adaku sheepishly. “It’s none of your business woman”.
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“Papa do you know it has been so long you told us a folklore story”. Ugochi began that night after they had all eaten to their satisfaction. Uhammiri had earlier on retracted into her hut giving a flimsy excuse of being tried hence her early retirement. Adaku followed suit immediately. “Yes papa”. Uzochi said in support of her twin sister. “I know that my daughters. But there would be no stories for any of you today. Truth be told, I am not in any mood of telling story”. Okoro said apologetic to the twins. “Okay papa, but tomorrow is another day and you must not fail us by telling stories to us”. Uzochi said warmly to her father. The twins understand. Uzochi and Ugochi stood up and quickly retired to their hut leaving only Ogbanje and Okoro to themselves. “Did Nnenna told you anything today?” Okoro questioned softly when he was no one was listening. “Yes papa, she told me everything”. Ogbanje answered truthfully to Okoro.
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Njoku Ji Abode: “What brings you here my beloved brother, is it Ikenga again?” Njoku Ji asked once he saw his brother, Amadioha, in his abode. “I am not here because of Ikenga, since these past days I haven’t heard or seen Ikenga but like I said that is not the reason why I am here”. Amadioha told his brother. “Really? What then can that be. Tell me what troubles you than Ikenga’s own”. “Someone, a stranger, is living with my Alaolisa. She came with Adaku but I am very suspicious of her, that is why I am here to seek your help into looking after this stranger for me”. Amadioha finally told his brother his troubles. “And who can that be?” Njoku Ji asked. “She is being know as Uhammiri”, Amadioha said and proceeded in showing Njoku Ji the sleeping form of Uhammiri. But Njoku Ji was smitten to the ground when he saw how beautiful and angelic this Uhammiri was. She was truly beautiful. He wasn’t listening to whatever Amadioha was saying again. He was already in Love with this Stranger.
TBC