ALIMA

ALIMA'S TEMPTATIONS

ALIMA'S TEMPTATIONS.

He had set out to search for his daughter once more. He had searched through the nooks and cranny of Jojo, before scouring the outskirts of neighbouring villages, but Alima was nowhere to be found. He would cry day and night—praying to the gods to protect his daughter.

Papa Alima returned home without Alima like every other day. He ignored the sympathetic stares he was receiving from the villagers and rushed into his little hut. Due to his illness, he had failed to notice the poor state in which they were living, but his sickness was long gone, and now he couldn’t bear to dwell in the dilapidated, rat-infested hut.

He fell unto his rock-hard bed and reread the letter Alima had left for him.

Papa, I hope you’re well now…

If you are reading this, it means I have gone to search for a permanent cure to your disease. Please, don’t look for me.

Take good care of yourself Papa, I will return before the next full moon—my eighteenth birthday.

His tears rolled down his face as he dropped the letter on his bedside. His daughter had done so much for him, but he had done nothing but cause her troubles. He learnt that children were burdens to their parents, but his case was different—he was a burden to his own daughter.

He wiped the tears off his face and jerked off the bed. If his present cure was temporary as she had written, then he would not wallow in his despair any longer. He fastened his khaki shorts and stormed out of the house in search of work—he was going to earn money and rid himself and his daughter of their indigence.

                                                                                  * * *

“Oko!” I called out, but there was no reply.

I found a meadow close to a lake on my way to Ibile. It seemed like a place I could find Oko, and so I decided to summon him.

“Oko!” I called again.

I felt a sudden presence in the moving winds; the green grasses ruffled, the birds in the air hummed to the melody of nature, and I knew Oko had arrived.

“What took you so long?” I asked, looking around the trees, and the dusty wind drifting by.

“Well, babysitting isn't exactly part of my powers or duties," he said, his voice resonating in the air as he spoke to me through the winds.

“Remember when you told me not to find you in the forest because it’s Osanyin’s territory?”

“Yes." he answered.

“Well, I’m on my way to Ibile to find Osanyin. Babalu Aye says he has the herb to heal my father.”

Oko’s reply did not come until few seconds later.

“Where are you now?” He finally asked.

“I’m close to the border, where I’ll then cross to Ibile," I answered.

“May Olodumare be with you.”

“Amin.”

The winds were still again, indicating the departure of Oko.

I slouched my backpack over my shoulder, and continued my journey to Ibile.

* * *

After hours of intense trekking and weariness, I finally arrived at the border. However, I was thrown into a state of dilemma on seeing that the border had three crossroads and I had no idea as to which of the routes would lead to Ibile.