SWEET OLEANDER

PROLOGUE/1

              PROLOGUE

"Ekparabong Bossok Ahee!" wafted in the air. Bossok primary school field at Nkpanjen village was where the coronation of the paramount ruler occured. He is  also referred to as the Minen, the  Traditional ruler of Ekparabong. Ekparabong is of the clans of Ekoi, the  Ejagham speaking tribe in Cross River state, Nigeria.
It was 2003. Men were clad in Niger Delta shirts and matching George wrappers and a hat and women were clad in a blouse, two wrappers and headgear. Males and females had their necks adorned with heavy red beads.
       The kingmakers placed a striped cloth on the Minen's shoulder. The oldest woman in the clan placed the Obitor (red cap), on the Minen's head.
After all necessary rites were observed, the Minen walked on a Tiger skin cloth amidst cheers. Highlife music thundered through the atmosphere. It invoked the dance steps of spectators from all the subclans under Ekparabong. Some of these subclans include Opu, Ogabante, Nkanacha, Balep, Abanjor, Olokpo, Nturokim and Nkpanjen.
They came from Ererep to settle by the salt stream After a war against the Iyalla people about eight centuries ago. That earned them the name, Ekparabong meaning "Of elephants and rams"

CHAPTER ONE . Nkpanjen Village.

It was 2004. Ogar didn't feel like an elephant. The pin-like tingling in his feet made him hop. It felt like there was a spring in his feet.
"Make we de go stream eh", a teenage lad in a shirt and shorts called out. He had a fishing line in his hand. Others, dressed like him ran after him laughing. Ogar's shoulders slumped as they brushed past him. They went in the opposite direction. The path led to a downward slope paved with stones.
"Is fishing a bad idea?", Ogar's rubbed his pointed chin. A habit he imbibed  since he turned twelve. Aside his chin his face was nearly a perfect circle. Wide enough to accomodate his forehead. His nose, as wide as a small finger battery. What one will call oyibo nose. His face qidened into a smile. His inquisitive eyes darted back and forth. He frowned and  shook his head to the side occasionally. His skin the shade of loamy soil.
      Only the finger-sized birds tweeted joyfully as the moved from plants to trees and back. The golden ants trembled foward to maintain their formation. Their form, nearly concealed by the beach like sand that held in its grip foundation of storey buildings, bungalows, huts , stores.
     All of this were scattered along Nkpanjen.
Aunty Minen had some change from the items he had bought. He could by a hook and line, from the man down the stream. Afterall she wasn't in a hurry to use them.
"Were you not sent on an errand?," a voice called out. It mid fortyish year old man,Odo. The one  who  sold eggs, fresh pepper, tomato and onions in Ogar's black nylon. His anthill complexion gave him away.
    He was the headmaster at Bossok nursery and primary school. He sometimes attended to customers when his wife was away at the farm or busy.
All except the eggs were in Aunty Minen's garden. They were not yet ripe. She loved to have them in abundance.
"Did I say I was not going?", Ogar snapped, hoping it would send him away.
"Haaahann,"Odo looked scanned the environment suprised. Greenish veins  adorned  his face."Na me you dey follow talk to like that, have you no manners lad?"Odo challenged. Ogar won't nudge.
"Wetin you still dey do here naa?," Odo placed his hands on his waist tapping his feet.
Ogar scratched his dark skin and  peeling red lips. What was his business with this any way? Maybe if he hadn't gone to his shop none of this would be happening. Ogar wished he hadn't gone there now. Odo was reputed for teaching erring youths a lesson. He squared up to dozens of boys notorious for theft at some point. Not one was on his feet by the time he was done.
"Nor be you I dey follow talk?,"Odo quipped. Ogar looked away
" Brother I wan buy fish for my aunty," he prayed that would work
"You lie. Abi you want go and fish?" Odo challenged.
Ogar heaved. He adjusted his black stopped yellow long sleeves shirt and blue Jean. Odo watched him. Pgar didnt budge. He wouldnt be intimidated by Odo. He will not infuriate him either.
Odo tapped his feet on the ground inconsistently "small boy like you don dey lie like this? Later you will say I didnt give you complete change right?,"Odo quipped
"Did I not say I wanted to buy fish for my aunty"
"Which fish? Them no dey sell am there?"Odo pointed in the direction Ogar had come from. Ogar stared into space he placed his hands at akimbo.
This man won't quit anytime soon.
"What do you learn in that ya Sunday school sef? Abi you don't go to church? You want to steal money, buy something and hide it?" Odo had switched from pidgin to English. Ogar realized he was in trouble.
"Brother am I stealing?"
" Is it me you are asking that question. You don't know who your mate is again?"Odo pointed in Ogar's face.
"Will you leave here this instant before I report you,?" Odo thundered.
Ogar knew how thieves are stripped and paraded round the village in rafia with charcoal smeared all over their bodies.
"What did I do?,"  Ogar blurted out.  Odo crossed his chest with his hands. He shot daring glances at Ogar.
Ogar took a handful of reluctant steps foward.
"All these Ojong boys and their tantrums ehn", Odo sighed contemptuosly and walked away. What is that supposed  to mean? If he responded he would be blamed being disrespectful. People will say his behaviour triggered it.Odo didn't have to bring his whole family into this. All Ogar's male maternal relations? Ogar looked left and right, Odo's step were fainter by the second.
Did Odo even know what he was talking about? The money is mine if it's my aunty's . Even if I take it and tell her later will she mind? At least she is my mother's sister.
     What about  those who the adults speak of that embezzle funds daily?
Am I as big a fraud as they are? Ogar wondered. Just because of a hook he is getting into all this.
"After all, she doesn't need to use them urgently", he thought aloud. She had some change left. Ogar counted the notes.
The lustful breeze from stream teased his discomfort as it kissed his feet. The boma and palm clapped their leafy palms to the rhythmic music of the January breeze. Ogar shuddered. The trees continued in their dance without taking Ogar's discomfort into cognizance.
       The squishy sensation of beachlike sand between Ogar's toes further motivated him to decelerate. Golden ants marched back and from their holes. Had Ogar not watched his step, he would have set them on a rampage by altering their formation. He sluggished past the sculpture of a giant warrior who posed in front of the customary court, with a war weapon in his hand, as one making a war cry to his kinsmen.
         Maybe Odo was right. Maybe he should head home, gather some money and create time to come back.
Another boy skidded past Ogar, with his hook and line. He whistled joyfully as he dashed down the step towards the stream.Ogar heaved.
How much was the hook and line anyway, Will Aunty Minen even notice?
"Let me just try and catch one fish", Ogar thought as he turned in the opposite direction.
In no time at all, the sun will set and children will play football on the road.
       Fishermen and hunters would set out later in search of aquatic life and plumped animals. Ogar hoped to eat some bushmeat and fresh fish, as that was what he longed for.
Farmers, especially those who grew cocoa plants, will be returning from clearing, mulching, and preparing their lands for the next planting season. Cocoa seeds from this region had one of the highest export rates in the country.
Harmattan, a whittish foglike element overwhelmed the skies like a blanket on the bed, bellowed. Ogar shivered. His skin whitened and wrinkled.
"Put on a sweater," Aunty Minen said
"I have my sleeves shirt on so I don't need one" Ogar said
"I wouldn't want the boys and girls who were off to fetch water to perceive me as weak"