Forest Of The Dead

``Ngelina iya abia ka anyi naa, ima na ibu afo eju ana"

That was Akwuaka calling on her insatiable friend Angelina who regardless of the darkening dense forest of Oshia-udo, let down her load of firewood for more.

Awator na Diaba, a twin village in Nimo was from ancient a sacred home of the community. Story has it that no diviner has carried any form of charm into the village until the coming of the missionaries . It was the tradition of Awator na Diaba that their dead ones won't on no account be buried within or near their homes, hence Oshia-udo, a thick forest that extends to iyi-avo stream was and till today serves as a place for burying any responsible native of the twin villages. Communally owned Oshia-udo also provides Awator na Diaba with wood reserves for lumbering and of firewoods.

The missionaries had established their church, with the cathecist who was also the interpreter. The mission  was as at then left on the care of these few cathecist who still battles with the pagans on some idolatry customs and traditions that have beclouded most of the people of Awator na Diaba to join other less in number villagers to St Bonaventure Catholic mission.

Angelina, Nwaaku and Akwuaka had gone to Oshia-udo that fateful day to fetch firewood as usual. The thick forest of tall trees and bamboos could not allow them to see the sky, hence the night caught them unawares. Chi na emezi odonye odonye, the darkness was about stealing the clear visita when they found this dead wood lying on the ground as they're making their way out of the forest. Its branches has been taken, leaving the dead stem, Angelina could not let go, she let down her load of firewood and drew her axe that she'd tied together with the firewoods, haven begged her friend to exercise a little patience.

The three friends was in their late thirties, though unlucky with marriage and with their sturdy body structure, one can tell of the hard labour they had known for.

``Ngelina ashubalukwom gu, anyi ya ashafukwo ghu na oshia naa" Akwuaka and Nwaaku had distasteful frown at the insatiable desire of their friend to fetch more firewood, regardless of the beclouding dark.

Osha-udo have been thickened with darkness, the grave silent atmosphere was being disturbed by the sound of  bats, Owl, squirrels, wasps and blumbees, all ushering the scaring cry. Akwuaka and Nwaaku, still having their load of firewood, kept matching their feet to keep away the blood-thirsty mosquitoes from off their legs. Angelina had let out a deep breath after lifting the load with no helping hand and followed her friends who had led the way with murmur. At few steps away, she remembered her axe she'd impaled to the laid dead wood.

``what's all these" cried Nwaaku, ``kedu ishe mmadu Jinu isi kotelu ngeli"

Both sighed as they pause to wait.

On reaching the spot where the dead wood lies, Angelina was stunned at what she's seeing. She moved backwards, not knowing when her load fell from her head. Her feet became too heavy to move, Still oblivion of what was going on, she raid on her load, watching the dead stem rising up with her axe.

``Ngelina iya abia ka anyi fua nkoo" that was Nwaaku calling on Angelina with a hoarse voice. As they couldn't wait any longer but to continue their way out till when they heard Angelina let out a clarion cry.

`Nimo doooo! Awator na Diaba gbatanu osoo!!!"

Akwuaka and Nwaaku threw their load and rushed to help their friend, who they met pointingat the rising dead wood. They we're frozen with fear, but managed to scamper their way home.

News had spread the both villages  before midnight and villagers were trooping in the house of the trio to hear from the horses mouth, who where yet to return to their normal frame of mind

Angelina whose father was yet to be converted kept blaming the missionaries. He had believe that oshia udo is the home of the dead, to teaching of heaven, heal and pogatry was to him another of white man tales.

'they came with tales, demanding that we do away with our custom and tradition. They gave you their chaplets, for you to throw away the fortified anunu ebe. They bring the white good image, that we may give them own own imagine' this he told the villagers that came to hear the ordeal from Angelina as they were all seated with fear and trembling.

``Unu afugonu, okwa onye ocha sii na ndi mmuo adiro, Anyi buru ozu gbagobe ifite, ngwanu omee. Gwazie mu ihe Angelina too n'oshia udo Chi wee jibido ha"

The argument rose among the converted and the pagans in the villagers of wether the missionary teaching about Paradise were true, until an aged man stood up and said.

`mechienu onu umuunu, ka chi fogodu ka ejelue ebe umu siri na ihea mee, ka anyi malu nke bu nne.' He urged them to remain calm till morning so they will all go to oshia-udo because seeing is believing.

The following morning, all roads leads to oshia-udo, save Angelina and her friends who had earlier described the area of the incident.

All the spectators were dumbfounded on seeing a dead tree standing erect with an axe on it.  Those who had seen it before on ground also confirmed the mysterious happening. Most heathens all went home and came back with coins money and kolanut, dropping them at the tree in appeasement to their gods and fore fathers that Angelina with her friends disturbed their peaceful abode.

 On their way home, the yet-to-converted ones was happy that their fore fathers have proved the white men religion wrong, hence Oshia-udo is the home for the dead. While the converted ones went home more confused about the teaching of Pogatry, heaven and hell.

On Sunday, they had hope that Rev.Fr Wilbert  will clear their doubt of the mysterious tree, but sadly enough, it was a Latin mass .

This work is base on a historical event that took place in 1970s at my hometown when a dead fallen wood rose up in Nimo, Anambra state, Nigeria. As was narrated by my late Granny.