TOLD BY
King Oboro Naigba

WRITTEN BY
Solomon Da Stancy

Continue reading, and you can find a life-finding answers to some questions about in those days, before and after the White men came into the country.



CHAPTER ONE

Everytime I recall this little adventure of mine, I feel a sudden unpleasant urge to turn back the clock and begin it all over again.
The memory of them pours back into my mind like a sea tide. And there's nothing I can do about it. All my other memories are exposed to the scorching light of muturity, break up, melt and blur into nothing, like a block of ice left out in the sun. But this adolescent adventure refuses to vanish.
With lonely and heroic obstinacy, it sticks in my mind, filling the gaps left my lost youth. It has become an all-possesive obsession. I maybe depressed or chearful, but it makes nor difference. Because, the impulse absorbs every mood of my life, being romatic enthusiatic, nostalgia indifference, and sometimes bored.
Years ago, I told Kelechi about my adventure before we met each other, but instead she told me it was as usual as the gods of in those days to stop such grievous injustice using a particular person.
No, I would have used words such as "smoking mad" or " hotter than a hijacker's pistol" or just plain. "Flamin furious" such words that fit my frustration with the mule when I began to write this story down. That alone told Kelechi I was grieving or mad that summer. For every Amassoma territory child knows mules will not go where there is danger or attempting to force them into a waste of morning victuals. That alone told us we should be wise.

It was the summer after the tragedy, I date everything from that time. But isn't that often how it is with catastrophes? And I guess for me, that was when it all started.

My own childhood began as the last of three children born to my father, King Oboro IV of Amassoma Kingdom , who got married to one woman named Ebere, the same day he was coronated. As for Queen Ebere, she has two daughters, but got no son on her own. The Elders of the community as threatened to take away his rulership if he has no male child within or after his death, definitely from his family.
And so, the King took another wife for himself named Erima. Erima was pregnant and later gave birth to me.

We, the children of king Oboro grew up so quick, we even made a good loving family. Everyday, we had always gone to the field to play the football game, which was introduced to the community by the whitemen. We play very safe, as royals, both respected by other youngsters like us. We do not go to the field by our selves, but guided by the palace guards, assigned by the king, our father. Especially, Kemepadei, the only guard that was assigned by the king to guard me wherever I go, he was present, most times, he join my group to play against our opponents. It was very funny, and I continue to enjoy it.
.......................
Oneday, Ebiere my half-sister, who is the first child of my father came to our hut, when I was in the kitchen eating 'KEKEFIAI' Yam and palm oil soup. She came in and stood infront of me without saying a word. She looked confused maybe, having something compelled in her mind.
"Do you want some?" I asked.
"Not. Just ate some before leaving the house." She said looking around, the compound, as if it was the first time coming to our hut.
"Have you come to play? Why not sit down, until am done eating. As you can see, am almost done" I said pouring the soup into my mouth.
"We are not playing here" Ebiere told me.
"Then, where are we going? To the field?
"Not there either."
"Then, where?"
"To the forest." She whispered.
"What? To do what, do you have any idea how dangerous it is to play in the forest?"
"Who told you? Apart from the field, have you ever gone to any other places before?" She boasted
"That is why I won't follow you."
"We won't go far, but somewhere close to field. As you can see, I have the Bows and the Arrows. Come on, let's go for hunting."
"Wow! You never told me its hunting." I said excitedly
"Naigba," my mum called
"Yes mother". I replied
"Why are you shouting?" She asked from inside the house.
"Sorry mother, am just playing." Replied her, and looked at Ebiere with lots of smiles on my face.
"Okay son, becareful." She finally said. These was the last words I heard my spoke.
"Okay mother."
Then, I looked at Ebiere again and said
"But, can we ask for guidance from the guards?"
"I don't think, that will be important. We won't stay long, and we won't go far away." She pleaded
"Hmmmm" I sighed.
"Can we go now?" Ebiere asked me.
"Of course, let's go." I shooked. My hand into the bowl of water and washed it softly.
.
Being the first time for me going into the forest, I just get to watch everything Ebiere does. And I was really amazed with the forest creatures, especially the early birds that sang along with the fresh air, which makes the forest a nice place for rest.
"Look at, there is a rabbit over there". Ebiere said and brought out the bow from her back and hang it on the arrow and shot the rabbit.
"Oh. Ebiere, you're awesome." I said to her
"Thank you." She replied in a shy way. She looked at the ground, eyes relaxed and confused.
"Is anything the natter?" I asked.
"Not at all. Come on Naigba, get the Rabbit and let's go home before they start looking for us." She said suddenly.
I obeyed her because she is four years older than me. But we've always lived like agemates. I quickly ran to the place where the rabbit fell and picked it up.
"Ebiere, the rabbit is dead." I shouted, but I got no reply. So I turned back at her, holding the dead rabbit in my left hand, with a faint smile.
The casual smile suddenly disappeard. To my surprise, Ebiere was nolonger at the place where she was standing. She was nowhere to be found. I shouted her name several but got no reply in return.
I took the Rabbit, and began to trace the road we followed before Ebiere killed the rabbit. I tried my best to locate the main road, couldn't. I am lost completely. After much walk around the bush, I became very tired, and feeling much dizzy, I fell on the ground to relax on a tree. I closed my eyes out of tiredness, from there I slept off.
After some hours sleep. I woked up, opened my eyes only to see five grown huge men, standing infront of me. They are dressed in cloths, made up of animal skin. These people stays in the bush, and as not been located by the whitemen of then. Though, they speak the same Ijaw language with us.
"Take him away" I heard one of the men order.
I don't even know who they are. Neither do I know where they come from.
"Who are you. What do you want?Let me go, please." I shouted. But they seemed they never hear all I said.
"Mama. Papa." I shouted again. This angered one of the men. He came forward, and hit me on my head with something I can't really tell. Because I was backing him. I fell down on the ground unconcious and passed out.

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