My Bad Son

It was a sunny day in the afternoon which ruined by my youngest, third wife, Ojiugo. Before that, this week is the week of peace in our clan. It was a week of between harvest and planting yams. The thing or mistake that I had done in this week is something out of my mind.

          This serious mistake I had done was started when I was just come back from my farm. I entered my first wife hut and rest there in about 30 minutes. After that, I felt hungry and wished to eat with my family. As usual, I would eat my first meal from my first wife in her hut and my second and third wife would send their meal to my first wife hut after that. I hope all of my wives would cook me a very delicious meal for me. After a while, my first wife served her meal to me. I ate the meal with her and our children. In about 30 minutes, we finished up our meal. My second wife, Ekwefi sent me her meal to me. I ate the meal with her also and our daughter, Enzinma. In about 30 minutes, we finished up our meal. Now is my youngest wife, Ojiugo turn to send me her meal. I started to worry when she had not appeared with her meal and children. I went to her obi, to see what she was doing. There was nobody in the hut and the fireplace was cold. I asked Ekwefi about that matter. She said my youngest wife has gone to plait her hair. I tried to find children. My first wife said that they were eating with her children in her hut. I felt extremely angry and it was increased when I knew that Ojiugo did not feed our children. I waited for 1 hour and when she returned, I beat her very heavily and had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. My first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with me that it was the sacred week but I did not care as I was extremely angry. Some of the villagers came over to see what was happening and were shocked as it was unheard of to beat somebody during the sacred week.

          As for the consequences, Ezeani who was the priest of the earth goddess, Ani called me to have a talk about this serious event in his obi.  I was very nervous and truly repented my action. I brought out kola nut as a symbol of my respect but he refused it. I was also tried to explain the reason of my action but Ezeani did not pay attention to it. According to him, I had done a great evil which the evil I had done could ruin the whole clan. It was because I had insulted the Ani and might cause her to refuse to give us her increase, and shall all perish. I was asked to bring to the shrine of Ani tomorrow one she-goat, one hen,   a length of cloth and a hundred cowries. Another consequence that I had to face was the clan accused me of not respecting the Gods of our clan. They also called me the little nza for forgetting me after a heavy meal that I challenged my chi. I received that as I was repented much of my action.   

Church,Trading Store, Hospital, School… and Isaac.

Seven years away from the clan, I am aware that I have lost place among the clan. The clan was like a lizard; if it lost its tail it soon grew another. As soon as I left, someone else rose and filled it. So, I have planned to build a bigger barn, marry two new wives, and get title for my son in order to raise my position in the society. I am confident that all those plans will succeed, and I can imagine myself taking the highest title in the land.

But, Umuofia indeed change during my absence. The church has converted a lot of our kinsmen, even a man who had taken two titles, Ogbuefi Ugonna. Besides, they had built a court, and the kotma is the one who responsible to brought men for trial. The kotma use their authorities in unreasonable way by beaten them and threatened them like a slave. I felt extremely sad and anger at the same time after hearing the stories from Obierika. I felt deeply grieved towards my clan, so sad that I could not make changes as what I planned. I can feel how my clan breaking up and falling apart. Umuofia indeed has changed from a strong and powerful to a weak village.

I had returned to Umuofia five months earlier, and the missionary, who known as Mr Brown came and paid me a visit. He told me about Nwoye, who was now called as Isaac was sent to the new training college for teachers in Umuru. I was very angry by drive him away and promise that he would be carried out if he came into my compound again. Obierika was indeed true; we cannot fight the white men when our own brothers have turned against us. Now, my own son, Nwoye, has chosen to follow the strangers by betraying our ancestors’ belief. Perhaps he is no longer my son, he did not resemble me at all, he changes his belief, and now he changed his own name.

My Suicide

As soon as the fine was paid, my fellow prisoners and I were finally set free. I could not force myself anymore to listen about good government from the District Commissioner and decided to keep quiet. 

When we had finally reached the village, I guessed that the clan knew about the fearsome looks plastered on our face and edged out to give us way to pass with no “nno” or “welcome”. At night, I could not put myself to sleep. Before I went to bed, I suddenly got excited and began to look back at my war dress which I had not touched since my return from the exile. I had also shaken out my smoked raffia skirt and examined my tall feather head-gear with my shield. I thought that they were all satisfactory. Vengeance. It is the word that began to fill my mind. The day after, I went to the marketing place and looked for one man in particular, whose tongue is dreaded and despised so much. I did not care anymore to what he does to others, I shall fight alone if I choose to do so. “Worthy men are no more,”. “Isike will never forget how we slaughtered them in that war.”. Unfortunately, he did not showed up, so Okika, the orator, spoke to the crowd but his voice was not strong enough to silence the crowd. So, Onyeka was asked to greet the village. I was very anxious to see what is going to happen. Suddenly, while Okika was talking, from the side I was sitting, five court messengers appeared.

            

          The moment I saw them, I sprang to my feet and confronted the head messenger, with hate, without words. When he asked for his way and, “The white man whose power you know too well has ordered this meeting to stop.”, I was furious and drew my machete. The next minute, I saw the man’s head on the ground. I just stood there and looked at the dead body while the rest of the messengers fled. I heard voices asking, “Why did he do it?”. At that moment, I realized that Umuofia is not going to war because no one followed the messengers to give the last strike but instead, they let them escaped. I dropped my machete and left. I walked helplessly until I had reached my compound. I was feeling nothing. Not despair, not anger, not hatred, but only one thought, a question, ‘why?’. I cannot let whites dig up the whole Umuofia, for they had scratched it enough. I cannot let the ancestors go against me once I am dead, for not restraining on what has upheld the clan for so many years. I saw no effort among the clan to fight for our rights but questioned my action. If I were asked to accept their changes, then I would rather die. And I did, I still believe in the old Umuofia.