There was wriggling of hands and silence for a time. There was a problem already and wriggling hands would not be the answer and solution. Like a smouldering log which could spark into a flame. The crowd stood waiting. Oputa stood up to speak and greeted the silent crowd.
“Asiegbu, you have spoken well. None of us here are kids. It’s no need wriggling our hands. We must help. We have long been suffering from the silence of this torture and it is no longer for our good. The owl is one of the wisest of all birds because the more it sees, the less it talks. It is no time to talk, but action. You have spoken like an old man who sucked the breast of Oja’s wife. Before now, I was daunted by the thought of addressing my good people, but I have seen an evidence of seriousness in you all. Emenike and Nduka should go with you. We have watched Emenike closely that he is the type of man that children would be kept in his care and be properly cared for. Nwodu is known from hairy body. He might be the god’s favourite and gods might choose to speak to him. Age is regarded, but sometimes wisdom goes with exposure. He is widely thought of and newly initiated into the ozo society; he too needs to know these things. That is all I have to say.”
Emenike who had not thought it real going into such at that moment of his life, started shivering out of fear. As grandees gradually started returning to their home, he had prepared his heart to join the group for the visit. To him, the sky had enshrouded the sky. Life was another line to death. It was either he came home alive or died in the process. He was only a young man with one wife and two sons. If he died, the children would suffer or die. That would be bad.
The day they visited the inaccessible place of Orimiri was not like any other day in his life. It was better heard than experienced. There were many reasons why it was difficult for one to be a man and be known. Greatness was a burden. When a child washed his hands well, he ate with the elders. That was what kept him going with bravery. He had washed because of his greatness to dine with the elders, to do things for the elders. In the company of the old man and Nduka they met the place finally on the third day. It was the dwelling place of Oduma since its existence. A deep and fearsome part, many things existed there, that were not seen in the outside world. It was to be so, and the secret was to be for him alone and those with him. Oduma could allow no one to tell what he saw with his eyes, at least for the first seven days.
For the whole period it lasted, they neither ate nor drank anything. They were as silent as sin, walking and talking in gestures and unheard whispers. They made many discoveries and met it all as they were told. For three days, the sun heat on them had dried them and made them look weary and tired. They met neither man nor woman. Even when they did, it became something unreal to them.
Finally, at the shrine, Asiegbu signalled the two young men to wait for him outside and went deeper into the shrine. It was not too long; he came out with the morsel, the thought of the great one. Given each of them, one each in hold, Nduka started shivering and sweating for the morsel was becoming heavier, but Emenike, though sad-faced, held his own strongly. Suddenly, a noise like that of a thunder blew and he began to speak. The voice was so fearful that Nduka fell down.
“Now, Umudi would be at peace with his favourite son, Nwadimma. The young man was god’s favourite choice. He was ordained from the beginning of Nwadimma the great ancestor of Umudi clan to represent him well. People like him are not found in every clan. He has a great outing with the gods. He must not have had a son, even when he has, he should not be asked for it, but if it does, it is nothing to deliberate on. It should be given here. The entire clan would bear the burden of providing the gods with what they want. The gods need a young man that is yet to see the nakedness of a woman and a virgin girl as sacrifice. They are hungry for young blood. A sacrifice like this could not be repeated for a lifetime and for now, young man, prepare your heart for many things that lie ahead, many challenges and many hard times. You will be equipped for it all….,” her voice rang clear in the farthest part and echoed so loudly and gradually faded and the morsel was snatched away by the violent wind and it disappeared.
It was over and Emenike quickly remembered his first son, the only child he knew that took to him and how he was taken up as a sacrifice to the goddess of Oduma. He paused for a while, wanting to say more, but had a blockage on the throat. It was bad for one to bury his heart in his son. In the event of death and danger, he could die for him. Emenike buried his heart in the boy. They were friends from the time he was born. He held his son, his ever first son, as a young father and looked at him lovingly. He was full of life and strength bubbled forth from all over his body. He was a child that had come to live. Ndirim was his name. He was a lively young boy till that morning he was taken away and he never came back. The young boy in his few days was his father’s left hand, his running partner who was always by his side. They were inseparable; they went to the farm, market and home visits and spent their remaining time in his small obi. He called his young father Nna and his father called him Enyi. Enyi was a traditional name for a friend. So the young boy was not only a son, but a friend.
The next day after their return, there was like in the beginning, the gathering of the elders and now a call had gone forth to know who would go and the gods had chosen Ndirim. He was a boy with a pure heart who would have grown to be a good reflection and perfect image of his father. The old man who led them to the shrine had grownup sons who had all married. They had seen the nakedness of women. Nduka had two daughters, and the wife was pregnant for the third. If he were a boy, he could not be good enough to be used. It would be late. A newborn would not be useful to the gods. He had no blood of human. Then, a girl from another family to make it a perfect collection. So it was Emenike. He had a young son, a perfect gift to the clan.