The Battle of Destiny

Philip C.

Description

Mr. and Mrs Kelechi suffered reproach of abject poverty and prolonged childlessness in marriage. At old age, contrary to nature and against the anticipation of the globe, they bring into the world their ambassadors - a set of twins: Amechi, a boy and Ogechi, a girl. Ogechi as expected is given in marriage to a hunter at a very tender age as female children are believed to be of little or no importance. Before long, Amechi becomes an orphan having lost his aged parents. He thereafter comes face to face with many challenges.

Sujets

• Coming of Age
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Pekan Publishers Ltd
• Date de parution: 19 juin 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789785236484
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

THE

BATTLE

OF

DESTINY

Philip C. Opone

© 2015 by Pekan Publishers Ltd

First Published January, 2015 by PEKAN PUBLISHERS LTD Suite 9  10, Noble Plaza 8, Bishop Lasbrey Close, Irete P. O. Box 65 Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Email: pekanventures @yahoo.com Website: www.pekanbooks.com Tel: [phone]

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the copyright owner.

This book is a fiction. All the names of people and places herein are the imaginations of the author. Any resemblance to the names of people ( dead or alive) or places are coincidental.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. The publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN 9789785236460

ii Creative Minds Series

CHAPTER ONE hat Chidinma and her good man, Mr. Kelechi, defiled the bar of barrenness in Kel T of a new born baby, via this couple, was fictitious. echi lived, the sight It was a their marital life remained an enigma not only to themselves, but to the globe at large. To the inhabitants of the village of Okilos, where Mr. and Mrs. concluded affair that no baby would be introduced into this world through them as they were old and had never given birth to a child. Okilos was a village environed by forests and streams which gave her a good deal of natural supplies. The lack of a social infrastructure such as a school in this village made it impossible for most indigenes to be educated. However, the zealous ones travelled daily to a nearby townAbbian for their academic pursuit. Abbian was a town of about twenty thousand inhabitants. The advent of the missionaries gave her most of her social and infrastructural amenities. There were primary schools, post primary schools and a university called Abbian University. These and many other fundamental structures gave her a posture of significance. Mr. and Mrs. Kelechi never experienced the nurture of a personal baby right from Adam. And then, child ownership was a yardstick for recognition and opulence. One without a child was considered a nonentity. Mr. and Mrs. Kelechi were a scorn; an object of ridicule and disdain, seen as evil and bad omen to their generation. They were talked at unreservedly; detestably spoken to with abandon. “O kismet! Kismet! Must this be your dictate on us?” Mr. And Mrs. Kelechi would cry everyday. All hopes had gone as she was in her sixties, quite beyond menopause. Peace was against their soul. They were daily in the ocean of disquiet. “Barrenness! Barrenness!! Barrenness!!!” they lamented daily. “But the wind of life cannot be predicted,” someone noted. When Mrs. Kelechi took in, it was a puzzle.  “Could this be a permanent overfeeding? Could it be an ailment? Is this ordinary?” People reasoned. The world was on the watch. The couple was in the stream of pleasant surprises, looking forward to seeing the day when a scientific knowledge would be defiled and the hopelessness of the hopeless will become haven. Nine months had past, the tenth month had gone and then the eleventh month. The globe came again. Her assumption became vehement. The buzz that the posture of Mrs. Kelechi was calamitous saturated the air. Mr. and Mrs. Kelechi irresistibly got their ears filled with this buzzing noise of their “misfortune”. They wailed for a panacea to their imbroglio. It was a fortnight after they prayed to their maker to dry up their river of shame that it happened.

 1 The Battle of Destiny

Two robust babies had joined the globe via Mr. and Mrs. Kelechi  babies of opposite sexes. Tears of blissfulness flowed down her checks. She turned speechless, and the husband, driven scanty and batty for joy. Jiggered, the world streamed to their abode. Yes, the tidings intrigued her. It was not untrue. The maker of Mr. and Mrs. Kelechi had obviated their sorrow. Their day break had emanated. Now, sorrow had been supplanted by happiness and darkness by light. It gave a stop to the chapter of ridicule in their marital life. Their faces beamed and became luminous. Serenity and tranquility of life dawned on them. The world became worth living. On the eight day, the christening ceremony of the babies took place. The boy, fair was named Amechi, and the otherOgechi, that is, “who knows tomorrow” and “God's time” respectively. For about seven thousand, nine hundred and twenty hours, these babies were in the warm womb of Mrs. Kelechi and were now out to execute the lives in them. While the babies grew up the parents drew nearer to grave. Mr. Kelechi was a good fisherman and farmer. He would go fishing with hooks and local nets. The children were seven years old. They grew up to meet their parents in this primitive setting. Farm lands and fish ponds were things to be inherited and taken good care of after one's parents passed on. Mr. Kelechi wanted his dear son to be kept abreast of his belongings even though he was a child. Girls were married away and were of little importance. Amechi and Ogechi were now due for primary school but the parents were living from hand to mouth. This debarred them from being sent to school. Their father had risen to seventy years of age. Amechi who was now ten years old had to start primary school made financially possible by his uncle in Lagos. Amechi was the oldest among his contemporaries (at school). Ogechi had been betrothed to a committed hunter. The financial aid by the uncle could only take care of Amechi till Primary three. “The beginning of crisis,” the parents thought The distance from Okilos to Abbian was eight kilometres. Amechi had no choice but to trek to school. He would leave by six a.m and was always late at school. He was always flogged. Amechi was advised to stop by his parents as they saw his hardship daily. But Amechi was unusually determined to forge ahead. He was a lad of extraordinary academic acumen. He was unusually unusual in this wise. “Papa, I want to work in a company,” Amechi had always told his parents. Amechi, a boy of supernormal intelligence, was a laughing object. He was a boy of ten having kids of five and six as his contemporaries while they were in

2 Creative Minds Series

Primary One. And so they continued. “Papa don come,” they would mock him daily. Yes, he was a father to them. With 'eaten' sandals and severally patched clothes he went to school. He was always tired before he got to school because of the long distance. He always slept in the classroom. The pupils would make jest of him, saying, “Papa is suffering from trypanosomiasis.” Amechi didn't have to be blamed. When examinations came, he performed excellently. Essential text books could not be afforded by Amechi due to the poverty of his parents. He had to pluck leaves for sale in their local markets, and could not go to school on those days. He was able to raise fund that could get him a few of the important books. “Papa Aje,” they would greet him in their dialect. But he always bore it. His brilliance got to every nook and cranny of Abbian and even his own village. Never in the history of Abbian had a primary school pupil been brilliant to that degree. Amechi's state of destitution was not a hidden one. Everybody knew this. But all that could be done was 'Sorry'. He was yet in Primary Four when he received a double promotion to Primary Six. Preceding that exaltation, he had represented his school in (the) various inter school programmes such as debates, quiz competition and so on. He always carried the day. Before he went for any programme, he was given his colleague's uniform that was good. His own was always patched and unfit for any extravaganza. Whenever he returned, it was taken back to the owner. Now, Amechi was in Primary Six. How would he cope with those pupils? He never went through primary five. Would he be able to measure up? Amechi was outstandingly brilliant. He showed the pupils that he really was. People heard of his brilliance and would come to know a poor boy in a shaggy, patched uniform. An examination that involved all the primary schools in the state was organized with selected ten pupils from each school. Thirty schools participated. The result came out. Amechi took the first position. His average mark was ninety percent while the person next to him had seventy percent. A boy of wonder! That never happened in the academic life of Elovian Primary School where Amechi was a pupil. Amechi was then awarded a scholarship for four years. The image of the school had been projected. The scholarship exhilarated both Amechi and his parents. It illuminated the dark path of Amechi`s academic ambition. Ogechi who was now fourteen years had been given in marriage to a hunter and had had her first child. Age was not on the side of their parents at this time. In due season, Amechi would follow his aged father to their local pond. At times, the

3 The Battle of Destiny

whole extended family would go for bailing of pond. Songs and beatings from local drum would excite the youths in the bailing and fishing processes. Whenever a big fish was killed, there was this loud shout for joy. The women were busy dancing and cooking for their husbands and children, while the children would be busy looking for and roasting small fishes. Amechi now had a luminous four years, that is, when he was sure of his academic sponsorship. The father was happy. But at the expiration of the four years, what would be Amechi's situation, worried him. “Even when he gets support and accomplishes his post primary education, will he think of getting married? Won't I see Amechi give me a grand child before I pass on,” Kelechi thought. Mr. Kelechi preferred Amechi going no further to continuing hopelessly. He wanted him to be with him in the village to be engaged in farm work, thereby taking care of his assets. Amechi never had any visions of his parents` suggestions. He was never myopic. He was always futuristic and determined. One, who would believe a time would come when somebody from his home would win a scholarship. Even though the scholarship would terminate when he would be in class four, he believed another way would open. He was not to spend his precious life primitively and being unfruitful. He must make a mark. Living the whole of his life unprofitably in such a lowdown, primitive environment, where vulgar tradition was observed would never give him any satisfaction. He knew full well things were not working well and that at times it may become worse. But he was determined to face misfortune boldly. His reasoning ability was unusually high.

Creativ 4 e Minds Series

CHAPTER TWO n Examination was conducted after which Amechi got registered with on fo A no more sleeping in the classroom for boredom. No more wearing of patchedot, Oseke Grammar School, Abbian. This time he was in the hostel as he was on scholarship. Everything about him had changed. No more going to school and tattered school uniform. There were free food, free uniform, free books, name it. It was a propitious atmosphere for the grave students like Amechi. He was truly a bookish boy. Amechi was popular with his colleagues. His academic acumen followed him in a large proportion to secondary school. No one could stand as an academic rival to him. He was a footballer, the gallant type. “It is because he is more mature (than we are) that is why he is brilliant and plays so good,” someone said one day. “Big papa like you,” others would intimidate him. Actually, Amechi was relatively more mature than they were. “But age does not create cleverness,” someone had observed. There was this big John in the same class with them that was a block head. What would they say of him? Now, they were in class two and Amechi was still the flag bearer. As the days progressed so also his academic life. “I love him because he hides his light under the bushel,” Tessy, an elegant girl with a protruding backside commended. It was true. Amechi was far from being the proud type. He was always humorous and amiable. His decency was also a stimulant of his popularity. He was clean and modest in dressing. Although he was in class two, he deported himself with high dignity as if he was in class five. Girls in the senior classes made passes at him. He had a potential successful future that was clear to his colleagues. A hot cake he was! Amechi was a faircomplexioned young man of about six feet tall. He was strongstatured with a well developed hairy chest that was obviously too much for his age. He had such a built that was a temptation especially to his female colleagues. His handsomeness manifested largely whenever he walked. In short, he was the dream of every girl. At school, whenever Amechi got up from his seat for any reason, girls would be struggling to occupy it before he would be back. It was an opportunity for them to be talked to by Amechi. Amechi was a help not only to his classmates, but also to his seniors. Problems, especially in Mathematics and English language were brought to him of which he addressed. He was a brain, an unusual one. He was far away the cleverest among his contemporaries at school.

5 The Battle of Destiny

Amechi was always found playing football. But he knew his way. He never slept without kissing his books “Good night”. “Amechi uses charm. Otherwise, why is he always taking over when we all play football,” said a bigheaded John. Amechi was a boy that had a schedule for everything he did. He hardly went out of schedule. He had time for play. Whenever he spent more than necessary time playing, he adjusted other things in favour of his studies. He was always in love with his books. Now, they were in class three, the last term of it. The cleverness of Amechi had circulated the whole of Abbian and its suburb. People were looking forward to knowing such a specially made boy. Amechi never left school without a lovely gift, especially from the opposite sex. He was even begged to accept them. And whenever he did, it was a joy to the giver. The catechism was, 'Why was it that people gave gifts to him happily?' One of the holidays he spent with his parents in the village was a historic one. Now, Amechi was eighteen, the father an octogenarian and mother, in her seventies. Despite the age of Mr. Kelechi, he was strong. “My son,” his father began, “you’re the only son I have. Your sister is married and has little or no say here. Consider what will happen to our farmland, fish ponds, name it. I inherited most of them from my father. It will be unjust to let them go in your time. Now that your scholarship is coming to an end, come and establish here in your father's land. Age is not on my side.” “Besides, my son, I want to use this avenue to remind you of certain things. It should be renewed in you that it is our convention that we do not eat rabbit. Rabbit travels to the spirit world to get information and gives same to home squirrel. Then, home squirrel finally communicates same to our native doctors. You must not eat them. Before a child is born, a message is passed across through them. They play no little role in the existence of humanity.” “Furthermore, we do not eat tortoise. Tortoises are our ancestors who exist in that form to watch over us. They ensure our safety in the bush. That is why they freely visit us in our village.” “More still, we do not go to the bush on “Eke” days. The spirits of our fathers meet on this day to discuss the affairs of man.” “Whenever you have a delayed childbearing, you must lay the complaint at the feet of Ogboguda  the god that gives children. Whenever you are returning from farm be positive you give it foodstuffs.” Amechi knew all these. But he had been skeptical of them. “How could it be a tree gives children?” He was even aware of how the married women went there to dance naked in celebration of it. The renewal of these traditions made him scatty. Not that he abhorred tradition. But all that his father had said, to him, was irrational. The speech of his father was a death omen. His mother was becoming

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passive, his scholarship coming to a terminus. “Where am I heading to? What is my fate? What is the dictate of the nearest future for me? Amechi thought. Amechi's mother was very humorous. She would call Amechi all sorts of pleasant names. “Amechi my unequalled prince,” she would exclaim, “ The one that will make a hallmark in his generation. Go on my husband, no one can hinder you.” Those words always made Amechi feel elated. But that of 'my husband' always made him shy. “Go on my…, none can hinder you. You will make a hallmark in your generation.” These threw him into a sober reflection. He knew a storm was ahead of him. “My parents who are of little help to me will soon pass on. My scholarship is terminating before long.” The future was obviously becoming hazy and husky. School had resumed for over a week. Amechi had not gone. Besides the fact that his father was slightly indisposed, he enjoyed being with his father and humorous mother, the kind of soup specially prepared in the native way, especially the one called ikele which, when eaten with Akpu(fufu) puts smile on a sorrowful face. Besides that, leaving them means solitude as only the two of them would constantly be at home. Ogechi was there in her matrimonial home paying little or no attention. At school, the absence of Amechi meant the absence of a thousand and one things. Everybody, including the teachers knew he had not come back. “I do not know Amechi's village. To God, I would have gone for him,” Tessy reasoned. “To do what?” replied Jane tentatively. “Baby, forget it. Whether you go to his village or not, he knows his own,” Jossy came in. “Do you all think he has time for you? He's got no time for anybody, even me,” Jane added. “Forget it! I know my way,” said Tessy triumphantly. Little did it occur to these aspiring girls that they were being watched by their form master. At the perception of this, they ignominiously rushed into their classroom. The second Monday after resumption had come. Everybody was wondering why Amechi had not resumed yet. The atmosphere was saturated with the expectation of this makethemrunmad boy, a boy loved by pretty all boys and girls alike. It was the break chapter of this second Monday. Everybody had the latitude of movement. Suddenly, a motorcycle ran into the premises, towards the hostel. On it was comrade Amechi. It was a lovely and most welcome scene. At the knowledge of this everybody was excited. Pleasant noise overtook the atmosphere. The noise was so sudden that teachers wondered what was happening.

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