(Episode 9) Deep Sea of Secrets
Few days to the day the meeting will be held, Mama Nnamdi tried talking to her son again for he has kept to himself and not wanting to have anything to do with her.
Mama Nnamdi: ‘we need to talk Nnamdi’ she said to her son who was in the sitting room all alone and lost in thought.
Nnamdi: Mama please do not say anything to me until the day we have the meeting. Its a few days from now.
Mama Nnamdi: ‘is that the reason why you have refused to have anything to do with me? You have refused to eat my food and talk to me, please Nnamdi’ she begged.
Nnamdi: if you so need company Mama, I am not your only son.
Mama Nnamdi: Nnamdi please!
Nnamdi: I have said my own, I do not want to talk with you, talk more of even eating your food or saying anything to you.
Mama Nnamdi: do you hate me that much?
Nnamdi: hmmm…are you asking me that question?
Mama Nnamdi: do you hate me that much as to want to have nothing to do with me?
Nnamdi: for all the lies? Yes Mama, I hate you that much. You must be wondering why I don’t want to go back to Lagos and stay till the next meeting abi?
Mama Nnamdi: this is your home Nnamdi, it is yours and your brother.
Nnamdi: I don’t think so anymore Mama. This is Obi’s home.
Mama Nnamdi: I may have done terrible things, but my late husband your father still loved you as his son till death.
Nnamdi: ‘Did he Mama’ he asked ‘anyway, we will never know because he is nomore. And besides, when all this is done, I am going far away from here. This is not my home’ he said and left the sitting room.
Mama Nnamdi: Devastated on her failure to talk to Nnamdi, she went to Obi’s room ‘can we talk’ she said as she got into his room.
Obi: ‘Good day Mama and what do you want us to talk about’ he asked as he sat up on his bed.
Mama Nnamdi: Nnamdi is behaving badly towards me and even you. Why don’t you want to eat any of the food I laid out to you on the dining?
Obi: Nothing Mama, I am not just hungry.
Mama Nnamdi: Obi you are my son, I know that we don’t use to get along, especially when your father died. I may not have been the best mother but that doesn’t mean I love you less.
Obi: Mother, you have not shown me the Love you shown Nnamdi even before father died. I guess this is my life and I have been dealing with it my own way.
Mama Nnamdi: is that the reason why you had to tell my story to the whole world, why didn’t you confront me in person?
Obi: because I was scared that you may do something terrible to me.
Mama Nnamdi: is that what you think of me, that I am capable of harming my own son?
Obi: Yes Mama, else why didn’t Papa confront you about this when he found out?
Mama Nnamdi: When did he reveal this secret to you and how did he find out?
Obi: I do not know how he found out but he told me few days before his death. I didn’t want to believe him but few months after his death when I came home, I overhead you talking with Chiwedum and I heard you say over your dead body will you reveal your deepest secrets to anyone and if anyone tires it, you are incapable of stopping yourself from what you will do to that person. With that said, I kept everything to myself for I was afraid of my life and what you will do to me.
Mama Nnamdi: so all these years, you have carried this secrets and why now, did you have to reveal it?
Obi: because I felt it’s now time we all know the truth and what better way than the way I did it?
Mama Nnamdi: ‘Very well then’ what do you mean that I love Nnamdi more than I love you?
Obi: because you have always shown Nnamdi affection and care and I have never seen you shown that to me.
Mama Nnamdi: it doesn’t mean that I love you less Obi.
Obi: but it does mean that he is your first fruit and the fruit of your first love isn’t it?
Mama Nnamdi: Yes it is.
==
On the day of the meeting, everyone was present including Ifeoma’s mother, Obi, Nnamdi and Mama Nnamdi for the meeting is usually held in the village town hall.
First Elder: Ermmm since we are all here, can we go straight to the reason why we came here. Mama Nnamdi what your son Obi said about you is it true?
Mama Nnamdi: Yes it is true.
Second Elder: who do you say the father is again, let us be cleared.
Mama Nnamdi: Chiwedum.
Third Elder: can you please tell us how come?
Mama Nnamdi: long before I married my late husband who passed away a few years ago, I was inlove with Chiwedum and we were dating secretly. I was already in-love with him before Obi’s father came to ask for my hand in marriage.
Nnamdi: before he came to ask for your hand in marriage, didn’t he know that you were going out with his best friend?
Mama Nnamdi: No he never knew because we were having a secret affair and Obi’s father lived in Lagos city while Chiwedum was in the village with me.
Nnamdi: so why didn’t you marry Chiwedum my father instead of Obi’s father?
Mama Nnamdi: because as at that time, Obi’s father was more educated and self -established. I was a young girl who was blinded by wealth and so when Obi’s father came to ask for my hand in marriage, I agreed to it.
Nnamdi: if you agreed to marry Obi’s father, how come Nnamdi is Chiwedum’s child?
Mama Nnamdi: before the marriage proper, I found out that I was already with a Child and that Child is Nnamdi.
Obi: who has been quiet spoke up ‘if you were in love with Nnamdi’s real father and carrying his child, why did you go ahead with the marriage?
Mama Nnamdi: because I saw a future with Obi’s father
Nnamdi: so my real father wasn’t good enough?
First Elder: Where is Chiwedum, isn’t he supposed to be here.
Second Elder: My elders, you know that according to our custom and tradition, it is not right for Chiwedum to stand here with us.
Third Elder: we cannot allow him to be here for that is the tradition.
First Elder: of course we all know that but where it concerns him, he has to be here.
Second Elder: and we will be going against the custom of our land.
First Elder: it is just to confirm if the allegation melted on him is true and nothing else.
Second Elder: and if the allegation is true, what else?
Third Elder: I am afraid that everything about Nnamdi and his heritage will not be what it should be.
Nnamdi: My elders, what do you mean? I don’t understand the turn this event is taking. What is it?
The three elders shook their heads.
First Elder: ‘you mean you didn’t tell him’ he asked Mama Nnamdi.
Mama Nnamdi: I haven’t had the chance to do that, he doesn’t want to listen to what I have to say or want anything to do with me.
Nnamdi: Mama, what is it you haven’t told me?
Mama Nnamdi: bending her head in shame said ‘Your real father Chiwedum is an Outcast’.
Nnamdi: What do you mean an outcast?
First Elder: Osu! He said it loud and clear for everyone to hear ‘you are an Osu and Osu do not mingle with the likes of us’.
Question: Are you with me on this story? LOL
Mama Nnamdi: ‘we need to talk Nnamdi’ she said to her son who was in the sitting room all alone and lost in thought.
Nnamdi: Mama please do not say anything to me until the day we have the meeting. Its a few days from now.
Mama Nnamdi: ‘is that the reason why you have refused to have anything to do with me? You have refused to eat my food and talk to me, please Nnamdi’ she begged.
Nnamdi: if you so need company Mama, I am not your only son.
Mama Nnamdi: Nnamdi please!
Nnamdi: I have said my own, I do not want to talk with you, talk more of even eating your food or saying anything to you.
Mama Nnamdi: do you hate me that much?
Nnamdi: hmmm…are you asking me that question?
Mama Nnamdi: do you hate me that much as to want to have nothing to do with me?
Nnamdi: for all the lies? Yes Mama, I hate you that much. You must be wondering why I don’t want to go back to Lagos and stay till the next meeting abi?
Mama Nnamdi: this is your home Nnamdi, it is yours and your brother.
Nnamdi: I don’t think so anymore Mama. This is Obi’s home.
Mama Nnamdi: I may have done terrible things, but my late husband your father still loved you as his son till death.
Nnamdi: ‘Did he Mama’ he asked ‘anyway, we will never know because he is nomore. And besides, when all this is done, I am going far away from here. This is not my home’ he said and left the sitting room.
Mama Nnamdi: Devastated on her failure to talk to Nnamdi, she went to Obi’s room ‘can we talk’ she said as she got into his room.
Obi: ‘Good day Mama and what do you want us to talk about’ he asked as he sat up on his bed.
Mama Nnamdi: Nnamdi is behaving badly towards me and even you. Why don’t you want to eat any of the food I laid out to you on the dining?
Obi: Nothing Mama, I am not just hungry.
Mama Nnamdi: Obi you are my son, I know that we don’t use to get along, especially when your father died. I may not have been the best mother but that doesn’t mean I love you less.
Obi: Mother, you have not shown me the Love you shown Nnamdi even before father died. I guess this is my life and I have been dealing with it my own way.
Mama Nnamdi: is that the reason why you had to tell my story to the whole world, why didn’t you confront me in person?
Obi: because I was scared that you may do something terrible to me.
Mama Nnamdi: is that what you think of me, that I am capable of harming my own son?
Obi: Yes Mama, else why didn’t Papa confront you about this when he found out?
Mama Nnamdi: When did he reveal this secret to you and how did he find out?
Obi: I do not know how he found out but he told me few days before his death. I didn’t want to believe him but few months after his death when I came home, I overhead you talking with Chiwedum and I heard you say over your dead body will you reveal your deepest secrets to anyone and if anyone tires it, you are incapable of stopping yourself from what you will do to that person. With that said, I kept everything to myself for I was afraid of my life and what you will do to me.
Mama Nnamdi: so all these years, you have carried this secrets and why now, did you have to reveal it?
Obi: because I felt it’s now time we all know the truth and what better way than the way I did it?
Mama Nnamdi: ‘Very well then’ what do you mean that I love Nnamdi more than I love you?
Obi: because you have always shown Nnamdi affection and care and I have never seen you shown that to me.
Mama Nnamdi: it doesn’t mean that I love you less Obi.
Obi: but it does mean that he is your first fruit and the fruit of your first love isn’t it?
Mama Nnamdi: Yes it is.
==
On the day of the meeting, everyone was present including Ifeoma’s mother, Obi, Nnamdi and Mama Nnamdi for the meeting is usually held in the village town hall.
First Elder: Ermmm since we are all here, can we go straight to the reason why we came here. Mama Nnamdi what your son Obi said about you is it true?
Mama Nnamdi: Yes it is true.
Second Elder: who do you say the father is again, let us be cleared.
Mama Nnamdi: Chiwedum.
Third Elder: can you please tell us how come?
Mama Nnamdi: long before I married my late husband who passed away a few years ago, I was inlove with Chiwedum and we were dating secretly. I was already in-love with him before Obi’s father came to ask for my hand in marriage.
Nnamdi: before he came to ask for your hand in marriage, didn’t he know that you were going out with his best friend?
Mama Nnamdi: No he never knew because we were having a secret affair and Obi’s father lived in Lagos city while Chiwedum was in the village with me.
Nnamdi: so why didn’t you marry Chiwedum my father instead of Obi’s father?
Mama Nnamdi: because as at that time, Obi’s father was more educated and self -established. I was a young girl who was blinded by wealth and so when Obi’s father came to ask for my hand in marriage, I agreed to it.
Nnamdi: if you agreed to marry Obi’s father, how come Nnamdi is Chiwedum’s child?
Mama Nnamdi: before the marriage proper, I found out that I was already with a Child and that Child is Nnamdi.
Obi: who has been quiet spoke up ‘if you were in love with Nnamdi’s real father and carrying his child, why did you go ahead with the marriage?
Mama Nnamdi: because I saw a future with Obi’s father
Nnamdi: so my real father wasn’t good enough?
First Elder: Where is Chiwedum, isn’t he supposed to be here.
Second Elder: My elders, you know that according to our custom and tradition, it is not right for Chiwedum to stand here with us.
Third Elder: we cannot allow him to be here for that is the tradition.
First Elder: of course we all know that but where it concerns him, he has to be here.
Second Elder: and we will be going against the custom of our land.
First Elder: it is just to confirm if the allegation melted on him is true and nothing else.
Second Elder: and if the allegation is true, what else?
Third Elder: I am afraid that everything about Nnamdi and his heritage will not be what it should be.
Nnamdi: My elders, what do you mean? I don’t understand the turn this event is taking. What is it?
The three elders shook their heads.
First Elder: ‘you mean you didn’t tell him’ he asked Mama Nnamdi.
Mama Nnamdi: I haven’t had the chance to do that, he doesn’t want to listen to what I have to say or want anything to do with me.
Nnamdi: Mama, what is it you haven’t told me?
Mama Nnamdi: bending her head in shame said ‘Your real father Chiwedum is an Outcast’.
Nnamdi: What do you mean an outcast?
First Elder: Osu! He said it loud and clear for everyone to hear ‘you are an Osu and Osu do not mingle with the likes of us’.
Question: Are you with me on this story? LOL
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