Posted by ONYEJI DOMINIC on
EXCERPTS FROM:
SEED OF A STRANGER
By
Onyeji Dominic
Tel: 08038431845
E-mail: geme450@yahoo.com
VII.
SIMILAR RIDDLES FROM DIFFERENT MOUTHPIECE OF GODS
a. Before Nze arrived, the meeting was already holding
He arrived in Lincoln Navigator with his driver on steering
He wore native attire and held royal staff as titled baron
The meeting was in progress and the Eze was already on throne
Nze entered, paid homage and render apology for his lateness
The apology was accepted and so, the meeting proceeded in fullness.
b. It was shortly interrupted by Ikoro, an oracle priest
He was the priest of Mgbede, the goddess of truth and peace,
Holding an oracle staff, and priest beads hanging down his chest
He was painted with chalk and his message was a puzzle to the palace.
c. He said that he brought a message for anon member of the cabinet
The anon purchased a part of the village virgin land
And the land was germinating a tree with strange malady of fate
He added that the land would defile if the sower was not found.
d. The message gave a confounded pause to the meeting
It was a parabial riddle such that required deep thinking.
e. At this time in the history of Umudi, Eme was a clown
They used to see him in the village drinking and fooling
And now, he was holding two bottles of beer going down town
He got to the secretariat and met some people waiting.
f. Mazi Uwakwe was there waiting with the others
He felt embarrassed when Eme came pointing besetting finger
“You, I mean you, sleeping moron, he said under alcoholic influence
“I can see you’re still sleeping; when will you awake from ignorance
You were sleeping when a stranger entered your virgin land
And now the strange seed has germinated from the virgin ground.
g. “Eme, respect yourself and behave”, said a police officer on duty
“Oh officer!” replied Eme, “Sure, sir! I didn’t know you’re there
“I know I’m inebriated but Uwakwe doesn’t know he’s drowsy
I’m sure he’ll awake if he seeps from my bottle beer.”
h. At home, Chima, a lad, was carrying a gallon of Kerosene
He had just gone to purchase it from a neighboring shop
His mother, Ulumma, was busy inside the kitchen
She was the only one at home, preparing a pot of soup.
i. “What kept you so long?” she asked in a resentful way
“How long does it take to buy Kerosene from the neighborhood?”
“There’s no Kerosene,” he answered, “It got finished yesterday
I bought this one around Eke sawmill where they sell wood.”
j. You trekked all the way to Eke market to buy Kerosene?”
“Yes mum, and guess what! I saw in-law while on my way
He was in that his big car that looks like limousine
He gave me N500 and said we should expect him today.”
k. “Which of the in-laws? Your sister’s husband or his father?”
“Nnayi Nze himself; I saw him as he was coming from the palace
He was in the car together with Ichie Uzoma and the driver
I didn’t ask but it appears they’re heading to an important place.”
l. “He didn’t say anything about Kate and her husband in the city?”
“Mum, I said I didn’t ask; I observed that they were in a hurry.”
m. Later in the day, Mgbede shrine was visited by the royalty
Ikoro was not around when they arrived in noble uniformity
He was in the bush cutting herbs used for his natural medicine
Intuition alerted him and so, he vanished and reappeared in the shrine
The sudden appearance gave the nobility a terrible startle
But none fled, knowing that they were in the oracle.
n. They came to make consultation as regards the malady of fate
It was an august group of nine including the Eze and his cabinet
The group was first introduced by the Eze as the royal majesty
And next the purpose of their coming was table briefly
He explained that none in the cabinet purchased a virgin land
And there was no strange tree found germinating from the ground.
o. They knew that messages from the oracle remained ever true
If the gods had seen the strange tree that will defile the land
Then something should be done for the land to regain its value
They had no doubt because oracle cannot fool the people around.
p. In his response, Ikoro expressed his loyalty to the royal majesty
He emphasized that the message was not revealed in full,
Saying that their presence here would bring things to clarity
He directed their attention to the mirror hanging on the wall
And referred to it as the mirror of every hidden truth
Two basins of water were presented and after making incantation
Each of the cabinet members was asked to wash his face in both
It was this exercise in oracle that brought about a clearer revelation.
q. The revelation came after Nze had washed his face in the basin
His son appeared as bidder in Uwakwe’s virgin land
The third and fourth figures were partakers of the bidding
And shortly, Akunna, the highest bidder, became the landlord.
r. Afterwards, a strange figure was seen walking in the dark
He was holding farm implement and strange seed in his hand
The mirror revealed him as a dark figure wearing black mask
He entered the virgin ground and planted the seed in the land.