Her Father's Wife

Chapter 27

Ona was at least four months pregnant before she realized her condition. She did not suffer morning sickness or any of the attendant problems associated with early pregnancy. If there was anything that will betray her, it was her increased irritation with people, especially boys and men. She developed a hatred for them. This is why Obidiye thinks the baby will be a boy. She was still working hard on her farms and her moimoi business. At first, she was going to Ochanja like before to buy her wares, but when her condition became noticeable, she stopped. This was because of Ofiaju. She thought it wise to avoid him. She was almost five months gone before it became obvious that she was pregnant. People were trouping to their house to congratulate her. Many were bringing gifts to her. At last, she had fulfilled her Father's dying wish. Obidiye was very happy. She felt blessed. Elewechi accosted Nwagbor on the road and asked her whether she had heard that Ona is pregnant. Pshaw, Nwagbor said in disdain. For which man? Is that how they get pregnant? She had nothing to do with any man in this village and beyond. Let me tell you, the girl has developed a swollen stomach. Time shall tell. I think we are all in this village. Ngodo did not see action during the civil war, but, they suffered the aftermath. They attributed the fact that the Nigerian civil war did not reach Ngodo to the power of their one of their deities Ajimiri. Ajimiri is a water deity and said to be a feminine deity too. It has a husband too The symbol of this deity, was a river that flowed through Ngodo. Ngodo believed that thery are all descendants of this deity. They boasted that the deity covered the eyes of the enemy soldiers during the war. That was why they neither fired a bullet nor threw any bomb there. Whenever they wanted to do so, to throw (bumbu) bomb, they will see only water. Uzoka swore that he once held a conversation with a foreign soldier who intimated him with the fact that the whole of Ngodo area seemed covered by a mighty ocean when they view it from up. That was Ajimiri. He maintained. Ajimiri did it. It took the form of an ocean to protect its children. The fact is that Ngodo was one of the remote villages scattered all over Eastern Nigeria. Probably, Ngodo was by passed because of it's remoteness and lack of accessible road. One Nigeria, one Nigeria, the shout rent the air as soldiers poured into Ngodo. Gun totting soldiers looking menacing. At least, five people were killed on the first day of one Nigeria at Ngodo.That was how the end of the war was announced at Ngodo. Other atrocities followed later. One of the early victims was Nathy Kombom Nwosu. He was a chronic stammerer. He got the name kombom from his days at primary school. The teacher had asked him to make a sentence with comb. Hitting his thighs and stamping his leg hard on the ground he produced what looked like a rhyme, he goes...' Aaaai comb my hair with kombom'. He earned himself the name kombom' from that day. The soldiers caught him at Eluama, where he went to buy (garri) they asked him to shout One Nigeria. He was beginning to beat his thighs and stamped his leg hard on the ground as he goes...wwwwaaan, he was still struggling with it when the impatient soldiers put a bullet through his head. His brain popped out in a chunk and scattered on the ground as he felled like a tree. A little boy in tattered school uniform turned and started vomiting at the gory sight. Bad new travels fast. His aged mother came screaming, her corpse soon joined that of her son on the ground. Ngodo stood up at its feet. Three other young men later joined the accumulated pile. There offence?, they asked the soldiers questions without shouting one Nigeria first. One Nigeria aa, the people of Ngodo shouted with all the breath they could moister. They thought that will send the soldiers away, but alas! They have come to stay.