Episode 3
The Umuada summoned Mama because she
went to church.
On the day of the meeting Mama was nowhere
to be seen (or Mama did not show up).
Agbomma was sent to call Mama.
When she got to the house, Mama told her
that she would not go anywhere. Agbomma
returned and told the Umuada what happened.
They were incensed with Mama’s refusal to
honor their summons. They resolved that
Mama would be terribly maltreated such that
she would never go back to church. They
reasoned that since she was a new convert,
she would easily crumble and derail.
Despite all that was done to Mama she stood
strong and refused to bend despite their
maltreatment. She held on and never gave up
the faith.
One fateful day, a pleasantly cool evening,
Mama was in the kitchen with Ugomma
preparing dinner. I was lolling on a bench,
saddled with looking after little Ogechi
sleeping on a mat in a corner. Suddenly a
piercing cry tore through the calming
sweetness of the evening. Startled, I jumped
up from my reverie and scurried towards
Ogechi. She was out of control, wailing at the
top of her longs. Mama came racing out of
the house, fear written all over face, staring
around furtively. She grabbed Ogechi,
examining her all over, while trying everything
to soothe her.
Ogechi kept on crying despite all Mama’s
efforts. I and Ugonma, who was also crying,
stood by helplessly looking on, not knowing
what to do. A passerby came to our aid as all
our frantic efforts failed to assauge Ogechi’s
painful cries. The woman examined Ogechi all
over, touched her forehead, and suggested
that we take her to the hospital. Without
hesitation, Mama scooped Ogechi up,
strapped her firmly onher back with a wrapper
and took off briskly to the hospital. I and
Ugonma raced along, trailing behind her brisk
steps with our half-running and half-walking
steps.
Ogechi got admitted at the hospital after a
long wait, her cries having subsided to
continuous whimperings and sobbing. The
nurses refused to commence treatment after
Mama informed them, with bewilderment on
her face, that she did not possess the required
amount they had charged as the bill. Mama
left me at the hospital, and frantically went to
all her friends for help. All of them deserted
her including Agbomma.
A distraught and very dishevelled Mama came
back to the hospital. Dejectedly and with tears
rolling down her cheeks, she pleaded that the
nurses commence treatment while she sourced
around for the money. The nurses were
adamant and flatly refused to heed her pleas.
They ordered us to go home with Ogechi since
we did not have the money for treatment.
Mama, crying profusely, scooped up Ogechi
and immediately her face registered alarm.
She felt Ogechi’s forehead and exclaimed that
it was burning up. Crying uncontrollably, she
pleaded with the nurses again to help. They
refused to pay her any attention. Sullenly, we
left the hospital and trudged home like a pack
of rejected refugees. Ogechi died that evening.
We had lost our little jewel. Ugomma cried
nonstop and refused to eat.
Mama consoled herself with a verse from the
Bible,”God gives and takes”. Sympathizers
trudged in and out. Wracked by weeping, I
could barely see through the haze of tears
that veiled my sight. Days sped bye. We
slowly readjusted and went about our normal
duties. Slowly,smiles started creeping back to
our faces. Laughter stole back into our
mouths gradually. Eventually we continued
our lives, having pushed the sad event to one
faint corner of our memories. It started
looking once again like nothing happened.
Little did we know that Ugomma was planning
something. She had kept something under her
sleeve since the unfortunate event. It was a
busy Orie market day. People had either gone
to their farms or the market. Mama,I and
ugomma were on our way to the farm. We
walked slowly, I and Ugonma mischievously
trying to escape our short shadows on the
ground with alternating brisk and slow steps.
The sun was hot, almost overhead but not
scorching. When we got to the farm, it was a
merciless glare. We could hear the shrubs
crackle, and the pods of wild legumes burst.
We got busy with work, but the sun did not
relent with its work of breaking sweat out of
our backs. After about an hour and half,
Ugomma excused herself to quickly go down
to the stream and get a refill of our water. Not
long after she left, we heard people shouting
and we rushed quickly to the scene only for us
to see Ugomma, her body lying motionless on
the ground. Mama rushed to her and grabbed
her. Her body was already lifeless. Ugomma
had gone to confront Ugwueke and was struck
down in their scuffle. We were bereaved yet
again! We had lost another soul….!
~Magicfinger
@yourpenship
