Episode 1
“…Igwe!! Igwe eeh!!,the worst has happened to me?? Your highness oh!!”Maazi Uchendu’s voie was heard from the entrance of the Palace as
Igwe Ebubedike stood before his throne
thinking and lamenting of what has befallen the land of Umuanyanwu. Maazi Uchendu and his wife ran to the palace carrying their dead male child that was just 3 weeks old. They got to the entrance of the Palace but was blocked by two hefty guards who held spears in their hands
“I want to see the Igwe”Maazi Uchendu said as he struggled with the guards. His wife did nothing but rather cry bitterly looking at her dead Son in her arms
“The Igwe is not in the mood to see
anyone”One of the guards said
“Akuko n’egwu (Folktales), I must see the Igwe today ooh,it has gotten to my neck”He
struggled with the guards.
“Who is that??”Igwe Ebubedike’s voice was heard from within as he heard the noise
outside
“Let them in”He ordered without waiting for their reply to the first question. The guards
paved way and Mrs. Uchendu ran and knelt
before the king followed by Mr. Uchendu who
walked in fastly hitting his walking stick very
hard on the ground
“Maazi Uchendu,what is this and why is your
wife crying??”Igwe Ebubedike asked Uchendu
“Your Highness,you are asking me as if you
don’t know”Mr. Uchendu started
“You claim to be a great king but you are
watching Umuanyanwu suffer and
cry!!”Uchendu added which made the igwe to place his hands on his waist looking above in more confusion.Mrs. Uchendu was still busy
crying on the floor
“Babies and children die everyday and you are here drinking palm wine!! What sort of a King are you. This is the third time my child is dying.
Igwe!! Chaii!! Aru emee m (Calamity has
befallen me)”Uchendu weeped looking up
above
“Maazi,please calm down, were ya nwayoo
(Take it easy). The gods are yet to speak of what ha…”The Igwe tried to say but Uchendu rudely interrupted
“What kind of gods!!! gods mmuo ka o bu gods mmadu. Nke a bu nke ato (This is the third one).
Owutere m ya wee buru nwoke (It pains
me it is a male child)”Uchendu weeped the
more. Lolo Nwaaku hearing the cries from
inside the house came out with Prince Azuka
looking at them piteously.
“Maazi Uchendu daalu kwa (Good Morning)”Lolo greeted
“Mba Lolo jide ekele gi (Hold your greetings)
and as for you Igwe lee nwa m rie ya (Eat my
child) Since you refused to do anything about
this!!”Uchendu concluded,collected the child
from his wife and kept it at the feet of the
Igwe.
“Woman let’s go!!”He ordered his wife who bitterly followed him and the Igwe shook his head not knowing what to do. He went and sat on his throne with his hand on his jaw
“What is all this eeeh, gini n’eme (What is
happening?)”The Igwe asked himself as his wife and son came closer to him
“Nna anyi (Our Father), you have to take it
eas…”Lolo tried to encourage the Igwe
“Woman leave me alone”The Igwe said waving his hand in a low tone
“But Igwe…”She tried to say again
“I said leave me alone let me think!!”Igwe
yelled at his wife and she sighed and left with
his son who the pain of the Land didn’t bother at all..Just then, Onowu Udemba walked in tying a wrapper around his waist,a red cap on his head and topless just crossing a piece of cloth around his neck. He walked in looking behind intervally.
“Igwe..May your reign never end”He greeted as he sat down. The Igwe only waved at him but did not say anything
“Your highness,I feel your pains. But you won’t have to kill yourself Igwe”Udemba said and the Igwe looked at him
“You feel my pains?? What nonsense feeling is that!!”The Igwe yelled at Udemba standing up
“You feel the fact that I am being blamed for
the calamity befalling this community??”Igwe
Ebubedike added walking around
“Just take a look at this!!”Igwe said pointing at the dead child in front of the throne
“Aru!! (Abomination). Who did this
Igwe??”Udemba asked
“Uchendu told me Igwe Ebubedike the first of
Umuanyanwu to eat his dead child!”Igwe said hitting his hand on his thighs and tears flowed down his eyes
“Igwe,it’s alright. The Great Elephant does not cry..
Cheii!! Aru. Was that why I saw him
walking like something who wants to hit down a rock?? Hei!! Uchendu”Udemba lamented
“Well, I don’t blame any of them at all. I blame the gods who kept silent seeing all these calamities befalling Us. Firstly was just twins now male single child has joined. Who knows what is going to be next. Gods of our
Land!!”Igwe cried bitterly as he went and sat on his throne in concordance of the consolation of Udemba…
“Get me the Priestess now!!”Igwe ordered and a guard ran,knelt down before the Igwe and ran out immediately to the Shrine
*
*
“Gods of our land,why do you silence us to this mysery that has befallen us”The Priestess complained sitting on a wretched stool,wearing a read and black gown,eyes painted with white chalk..
The environment was scary as red, white and black clothes was seen everywhere and
moulded images of different kinds
“Nwa adighi eje nna ya si ya eje na (A child
does not run an errand else sent by his father
Adage)..gods of our land,Umuanyanwu is
suffering!!..Will we endure in this forever”She complained to the gods beating her gong and spreading cowries on a white mat shaking her head negatively. Few moments later she heard
running footsteps from coming closer
“Stop there!!”She ordered the guard without looking at him
“Greetings the Great Priestess of
Umuanyanwu”The Guard greeted
“Greetings to you,but greetings and greatness are not important when it can’t solve a bit of the happenings in Umuanyanwu..Tell the Igwe that the gods are still silent to our cries”She said and hit her iron staff on the floor
“But he said…”The guward treis to say
“No buts…Tell him what I said”Priestess
concluded and stood up yet not looking at him
“Ok Priestess”The Guard said and ran out then the Priestess turned around
*
*
“Chaii!!. Chim egbuo nu m ooo (My ancestors
has killed me)”Mrs. Uchendu cried as other
women held her and consoled her
“My only male child”Uchendu weeped bitterly as elders surrounded him also
“What is really happening to Us in this
Land”Maazi Ukanna asked not throwing the
question to anyone
“Cheii. May the gods save us ooo”Maazi Akabue said lifting his hands above….
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