Tales From The MIND

11

I looked at the sun,it was as bright as the face of Ajani deity. It was the day,it was here. The prophecy of Ajani priestess had to be fulfilled for calamity to stop in the land.

"Mmirimma would be sacrificed to Ajani goddess on the next Eke market day" Olaedo,the priestess of Ajani had spoken.

The land was defiled,children were dying,adults were facing misfortunes,the kingdom was tormented and gradually life was slipping out of it. The remedy was to sacrifice a 20 year old virgin who had never been with a man or had feelings for a man in all of her existence.

I was a gift to my mother Chikodi from the goddess of the river,to ease her pain of being barren in the land of Agodo. I had never been or had feelings for any man since birth till now because I didn't see the necessity in it. I was chaste till this moment as I passed the road that leads to the great river. I stood in the river dancing as I sang a heart rendering song to my mother,the goddess of the river.

"osimiri osimiri osimiri
ada gi abiawo ozo

nne nne nne
biko bia zoputam

Agodo nwere ike gwọọ ya,nye ụzọ ọzọ
biko nne m mara mma,biko osimiri mara mma".

I felt a strange presence,the presence of a man,a great man,the prince of Agodo kingdom stood with his guards listening to me and watching my moves. I turned and to my surprise Prince Obinna stood amazed watching me,I instantly grew a strong liking and desire for the prince.

"My prince"I knelt in the water as a sign of respect and acknowledgement

"Stand beautiful maiden" Prince Obinna commanded,"what is your name?" He asked signalling his guards to help me out of the river. The prince was tall,fair in complexion,he was handsome and had the scent of royalty over him,he looked caring and was soft spoken. He was every maidens desire,he was hardly seen in the kingdom as he minded his business regularly,he preferred a simple life to the extravagant life his half brother Prince Obumneye lived.

"What is your name?" He repeated.

"I am,I am Mmirimma Okafor,daughter of Late Maazi Emeka Okafor" I replied, he smiled

"Mmirimma,the great one,I see the river did you no harm" he replied.

True! Nobody dared walked into the middle of the river except the priestess of the river and coincidentally me,I was born of the river,I am the daughter of the river and my mother can do me no harm because I am a part of the water.

"My prince,I have to hurry home,sunset shouldn't meet me here" I ran home as the day was getting dark. The whole village had assembled to watch me be sacrificed for their redemption. I felt a twinkle of emotions run down me,I had fallen for the prince and I didn't want to be sacrificed.

"nnukwu nne osimiri,Biko nyere m aka" I said while crying silently.

"Mmirimma,sleep on that wooden bed that faced the market"Olaedo the priestess of Ajani commanded,as I slept on it,the prince walked in with his guards,I could see the love,the worry,the hatred for tradition written on his face but he could do nothing but stare at me hopelessly waiting for a miracle. "I command the spirits of the ancestors to come now,Eke,Afor,Nkwo,Orie,come and bear witness as we cleanse the land with pure blood" the priestess shouted into the air while spitting dry gin in the different directions that represented the spheres of the earth.

As the knife was about to drop on me I heard someone scream,I opened my eyes and it was the prince "I love her" he said with authority. Everyone had shock in their eyes. "Has the Prince,the crowned prince of Agodo suddenly gone crazy" I heard the whispers. Was this some kind of miracle I thought as the priestess of Ajani has never been interrupted in her procession all her life.

"Ajani says there's another way for Mmirimma to live and to save the village"Priestess Olaedo said.
"Give up your immortality to save your land and yourself"she ended.

Giving up my immortality signified that I would no longer be half human and half spirit,I wouldn't be able to go into the river anymore as I would be killed the day I venture deep into the great river. It was the only remedy to save my life,to let me be with the prince and to save the village. Just as I consented,the four mysterious waist bead on my waist that signified the communion with river was cut and the beads disappeared.

The gods had taken my immortality away and I had to be human all my life,the price was indeed hefty but it paid of.

The land was saved,I was married to the crowned prince of Agodo kingdom,my life was spared and my earthly mother could see her precious Mmirimma again.

I gave birth to my replica and I called her "Ezigbommiri"- fine water as she was given to me by my water mother as a union to communicate with her.

Igbo translations.
The song Mmirimma sang at the river

osimiri osimiri osimiri
ada gi abiawo ozo

nne nne nne
biko bia zoputam

Agodo nwere ike gwọọ ya,nye ụzọ ọzọ
biko nne m mara mma,biko osimiri mara mma".

"River River River
Your daughter has come again

Mother Mother Mother
Please come and save me

Agodo can be healed,provide another means,
Please my beautiful mother,please my beautiful river."

nnukwu nne osimiri,Biko nyere m aka"- Great mother of the river,please help me.

Eke,Afor,Nkwo,Orie- 4 market days in Igbo culture.