The Missionary's Journey - Episode 10

 

The next day was the Ogbodu festival. The sun scorched, shining at the inhabitants of the village in extreme intensity. Little children ran across the streets brandishing sticks and pots, hitting the sticks against each other as they shouted and laughed. Ifeyinwa held Gabriel’s hand as she led him across the street, maneuvering through the crowd that gathered in the streets.

"I have never seen so many people in one place since I came to the village," Gabriel exclaimed as he stared at the multitude before him.

"Well, we are celebrating the Ogbodu festival today. Everyone is excited," Ifeyinwa responded.

"What’s Ogbodu?" he looked back at her puzzled.

"The Ogbodu festival is held yearly to celebrate the sacrifices of the brave men that defended the village against a severe threat . Years ago, this village used to be raided by a group of criminals known as the Merume raiders, we didn’t know who they were just that they tormented us and other neighbouring villages so we gave them that name. When people cowered and hid in fear surrendering their money and properties to these criminals, twelve brave men took arms and fought back the invaders although they all lost their lives but they made sure they took down every member of the merume gang. The men ambushed and fought the raiders at the Ogbodu cave not far from our school so every year we hold this festival in remembrance of their heroic act," she explained.

"Wow, that’s crazy

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. Those men are really brave," Gabriel said, as he felt moved by the story.

"Yea, they are not puny like you," she laughed at him. Gabriel shook his head.

They joined the crowd that formed a wide circle. Within the circle, a man narrated the events that occurred on the fateful day, twelve well built men with white paint smeared over their body flexed their muscles and portrayed the twelve Ogbodu heroes. Standing opposite these men were fifteen equally muscled men smeared with black paint and throwing angry glares at the crowd that surrounded them.

Gabriel thought they might be actors portraying merume invaders. He smiled.

The drama before him showed the men with white paint approaching the black painted men who were sleeping in a makeshift cave. The first invader was stabbed with a wooden sword, his cries awaking his companions. The narrator raised his voice as the men engaged in a fierce fight. Gabriel saw the white painted men push back their opponents until they were quickly outnumbered by the awoken opponents that joined the fight. The white painted men fought fiercely, still fighting on even when they were stabbed and hit. They were determined to the very end. At last, one white painted man was faced with two black painted men. They were the last of their group. One of the black painted men rushed towards the white painted man, raising his sword up to strike him down. The white painted man parried the blow and held the hand of the man, dragging the man to himself as he stabbed him through with his sword.
The children shouted and applauded the effort of the white painted man. Before the hero could turn to face his second opponent, he was stabbed through with a sword. The hero went to his knees, wincing and holding his stomach. The black painted man sneered at the hero and spat on him. The crowd booed and threw dirt at the man. The man kicked the hero, turned and walked away leaving the hero to die. The hero brought out a necklace, looked at it and gripped it tightly. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he carried himself up with great difficulty. The hero pulled a dagger from his belt, with a scream he charged at the departing villain. He threw himself on his opponent, driving the dagger through his lungs. The villain fell as surprise spread across his face.

Read " A Tale of Five Bandits " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. He closed his eyes and died. The hero, lying on his defeated opponent, glanced at the necklace in his hand and died with a smile on his face.

 The narrator shouted ‘The end’ and the crowd went wild, jumping up clapping and wiping tears from their eyes. Gabriel and Ifeyinwa joined the crowd as they shouted praises impressed with the play. The actors stood up, held hands and smiled. They offered their appreciation as they bowed to their audience. The narrator thanked the audience for watching, removing his hat to collect money from those that offered to give.

"The play was really nice, wasn’t it," Ifeyinwa said, beaming with a smile.

"Yes, very," Gabriel replied, still clapping.

"Wait, are those tears in your eyes, nawa o so you want to cry?" Ifeyinwa said mockingly.

"Leave me alone jare," Gabriel said wiping his eyes. "Why was the last hero looking at that necklace? It seems his final resolve came from it."

"Oh, the last hero name was Somtochukwu. He was engaged to the village’s beauty queen then, her name was Amara. Before the heroes departed to face the invaders, Amara gave him her necklace for him to remember her as he fought. She believed their love would give him strength. No one knows if the necklace really did give him strength like the play portrayed but they were the village’s favourite couple then, so including that scene in the play would make it all the more dramatic and emotional," she explained.

Gabriel nodded his head in understanding.