I calmly sat on the wooden mortal as instructed by Baba ewenje and watched him chants incantations for what seems an eternity.All along I was just hoping and wishing silently that this unmerited death,this calous bad reaper which continues killing without mercy will just dissapear once and for all.

KoIeosho!I was jolted by Baba's voice
"Baba Ewenje I am with you"I said calmly with a sober laden voice.
"You are not with me koleosho.I have been waiting for your answers to the 'Awise but didn't hear your reply.I Have told you that this is where we called 'gbekumi'Where death is swallowed.Oya chant these words after me.

Biku ba n pa won leworo leworo
Ki e ma ka temi mowon
Mo jawe orijin e foro gbogbo jinmin
Mo ti jawe ahun mu sahun je
Mo...

I was chanting away like my entire life depended on it when Baba Ewenje's daughter ran in with her brother laying lifeless on her arms.

Baba quickly stopped incantations and grabbed the little boy.The boy is baba's heir an arole.

Everything happen very fast.Baba shifted from one incantations to the other.rubbing one ointment or the other and spitting alligator pepper on the-boy's firmly shut eyes.At last he exclaimed bitterly'Ha Akanni mi!'

All hell was let loose.The women agonizing tears sprang into the air.I could not contained myself any longer.The numbers of chaos travailing the land of ikumapayi came back to me.Those fishermen who died at Kutanti river,the hunters killed mysteriously at elegiri forest,the inferno at oja oba and the sudden storm ravaging hamlets all came back rushing at me but wait,is this place not supposed to be called Gbekumi? A place where death is swallowed?Hmm,
certainly the journey for solution has just began.
To be continued......

poeticsoldier:

All hell was let loose.The women agonizing tears sprang into the air.I could not contained myself any longer.The numbers of chaos travailing the land of ikumapayi came back to me.Those fishermen who died at Kutanti river,the hunters killed mysteriously at elegiri forest,the inferno at oja oba and the sudden storm ravaging hamlets all came back rushing at me but wait,is this place not supposed to be called Gbekumi? A place where death is swallowed?Hmm,
certainly the journey for solution has just began.
To be continued......

.. where's the rest of the story?
Is this a graphic novel? It sounds like it would make a great graphic novel.

Kobojunkie:
.. where's the rest of the story?
Is this a graphic novel? It sounds like it would make a great graphic novel.

Yes it is but I edited out the graphics.

Aba Amoo is a wonderful place to be.The green vegetation that cover almost the whole expanse of land makes the scenery a very beautiful one. The presence of edible fruits of various kinds begging to be plucked first called my attention to the loneliness of that place.It must either be they are too busy to pluck those tempting fruits which are already becoming too ripe for harvest or they have a culture that forbids them.

I strongly repressed the passion for plucking the tempting fruits that made my throat tingled for a bite.'I am not here for that 'o jare'

I walked across the rugged path as instructed.Jagun had said the pathway leads to Iya Abere.A wise woman who could direct me to a powerful herbalist who knows the solution to the present predicament.Her full name is Iya Abere ona ki Sina -meaning whoever asks for direction never misses the way.I just hope I would be able to find a lasting solution to this sudden predicament.

At the endoend the rugged path,I was faced with a small hut.I heaved a sigh of relief and was about to knock at the door when I remembered that the door should not be nocked at but rather I should say loudly 'Abere ona ki jebi'
I cleared my throat and bellowed 'Abere ona ki jebi!'

I heard a young voice from inside the hut replied 'Bere ki o to wo,Ejo to tori bo iho Alakan yo jebi'-meaning ask before you make an entry,the snake that enters the crab home without enquiry will regrets.

A young lady of about twenty years of age opened the door.She viewed me critically for a while and returned to the hut.She later came back with a long wooden bench which she placed under a tree.
"I am from Ikumapayi.My name is Koleosho.I am here to see Iya Abere."As I was doing the brief introduction the lady was just smiling.I kept wondering what was either amusing or funny from what I have said?Could it be that she didn't hear what I said or she was just being petty or something?I was not really in the mood for flirting if all she could see at a time like this was a young suitor or someone to admire her.She has made the wrong choice because ....

"Are you through with your self amusement?I heard an elderly voice spoke.I looked around and could not see anyone but myself and the young lady.Wait a minute did she just spoke or someone else?

"I am Iya Abere whom you seek."
The voice is not mistaken this time around.She is the one speaking!
"Don't just stand there.Come and have a seat.For I have many things to share with you.She watched as I sat on the far edge of the bench and smiled more charmingly.

"I am not an evil spirit though a strange being.Let your mind be calm.I don't harm people.You are from Ikumapayi?
I nodded.
'You have three known streams in your place.One is named Kutanti,Ikulende and Ikujebe'
'Yes mama'
"You have three markets space where you congregate at different times and the names of these markets are Ikunibugbe,Makulewe and Oja oba.Mind you oja oba is a short form of Oja Obara ku.And it was named after the demise of Obara the son of the late King.
"Hmmmm"Was all I could say.Everything the lady,I mean woman had been saying are all reality.Obara's death though happened several years ago was still fresh.He died at the same spot where the market was located.He was killed by the bandits of iganniko.
"Have you ever thought why you usually exclaimed doom like words like 'moku',mogbe!',temibami and so much words of doom when you encounter any problem?I nodded negatively.of course I don't other than the words come out of their own accord.
'It is because you submit yourselves to the terror of death.You have more than enough knowledge about what death could do more than what you could do with life.'She pause for a while,looks keenly at me and continues."Yours is a generation that is so wired by death more than birth.This is the reason why you throw big party when someone dies and never care if the mother of a new baby has what it takes to feed the young ones.You are grateful when you encountered a deadly experience and escaped but you are never grateful for the gift of life.You are always full of complaints and never gratitude.

Koleosho,your generation run after shadows and gather vanity.You never appreciate life until death stare at you."
I could not disagree with all she has been saying.All what she said are synonymous with us at ikumapayi.Burial and passage rites are more expensive than bringing forth life.For the first time in several years,I was ashamed of myself.But what then is the solution to the present predicament?As Iya Abere read my thoughts she sigh long and said;
"Abere ona o ki sina.You have come to ask for solution but I don't have it.Jagun also knows that I am just a human being with a special gift.You still have to journey to the mountain side to see Jejeniwa.He is the answer to your predicaments"
I prostrated flat thanking her.I was glad I am taking the final journey to solution." Thank you mama.'A o ma ri yin ba
o'

"Before you go you need to listen to this three instructions.Dont pluck any of those fruits on your way out.They are planted with the tears of those who died without reaping the work of their labour .It is good to learn that not all that glitters are gold.
When you get to Jejeniwa,don't be pompous because he hates the pride hearted and honor the meek.

Finally,Koleosho whatever you learnt there let them be your lifestyle because you may not have another opportunity to come this far if you fail in this mission.Wait for me"
She rose from the wooden bench and went into the hut.She returned a moment later with a bottle of milk and bean cake.

"This will keep you on your way.Dont forget all I have told you Koleosho"
I collected the items and thanked her but a part of me still feel like probing into her age.How could she looked twenty and speak with such deep wisdom?

'Mama I know you have been nice to me. Please can I ask something?'She looked at me and nod in affirmative.'How old are you mama.I am confused'
She smiles for a while and responded calmly."Truth is ageless.No matter how near or far truth is,truth is always fresh and reenergized.Truth gathers no deception and harbors no malice.The sun is going down.You need to get going" To be continued