I walked the bushy path that led to the market square with a mind oblivious of what was to befall me for my aspirations were high but little did I know that my fate was not in my hands nor even that of the elders for a prophecy prevailed even before my birth, this I was to come to knowledge of today...
The much talked about day finally came, the seventh Eke market day counting from the backward decline of the sun. The ring was set, cheering parties chanting the name of their wrestler's, on the right was Chi the tiger representing Umuadia and on the left was Chibuzor representing Ugbuadia.
It was a day to end the frequent invasions and bloodsheld that has ravaged Umuadia and Agbuadia,for though they were sisters villages yet disputes lingered between this two villages seeing there was no clear cut boundaries separating them thus each wanted the subjection of the other, I forget not that the perfect arena was none other but the spacious Umuadia market square.
The village of Agbuadia was the twin sister of Umuadia, according to stories of their origin it was told that they were the daughter of Eri and upon marriage they went their separate parts but their children live close to each other hence founding the two villages.
Although the village of Ugbuadia was younger than my village yet for the sake of tributaries and undermining our ancestral link the people incessantly invaded my village carting away our farm product, animal and young women, to this a reaction was necessitated until a wrestling bout was seen as the only solution to curb this Bloodshedding and the terms both villages agreed on was that the village that lost will give half of their harvest to the other, a hundred cowries,two virgins and never venture again into the land of the victorious village.
With this each village had to search for the strongest man to represent them in the wrestling bout no other name came to mind but that of Chinonso the son of Nwanchukwu.
Chi the tiger as he was fondly called was the son of Nwanchukwu the village piper, Chinonso was very humble yet fierce, a perfect blend of opposites,he stood on the ground like a rock and was very crafty in his device.
Chinonso was a joy to his parents as he single handed farmed an acre of hand during the farming season when his father was down with Iba ( malaria ) and he was the only one man enough to go into the evil forest to search for the horn of the golden antelope that was required to call forth rain when Umuadia was dying of hunger due to lack of harvest.
His strength and resilience made the villagers to nickname him tiger and even when the was war with Ugbuadia, his craftiness saw ambushing and total recovery of all the booties Ugbuadia has taken from my village the previous day,let me not lightly esteem his handsome countenance for the village girls quiver at the sight of him but this he gave no thought for he found love in Amarachi, the orphaned daughter of Mazi Ifeanyi.
Chinonso had just married Amarachi and she was very heavy at about that time that her husband was to wrestle at the market square. little was known of chibuzor his opponent but from hear say,it was gathered that he was very dubious and on one occasion he murdered a man and his four heft sons with his fist because of a dispute over a land that wasn't his this man was his fellow kinsman.
He even forcefully took the wife of his neighbour and beat the man to coma, from that day on no one dear cross his path and all the villagers referred to him as Ekwensu (devil ), this they dare not say to his face for they knew their fate if they dare venture. It took the whole village of Ogbuadia on their knees to cajole Chibuzor to represent them in the bout ,this was with the promise of two virgins of his choice as his wife. Seeing this appeal to his ego and his lust for anything on skirt, he promptly agreed .
On the morning of the seventh Eke market day counting from the decline of the sun, the village priest stood in front of Chinonso compound with trembling feet and eye of despair, he sounded the gong that was meant for war and made a frenzy dance suddenly stopping dead to his trap."
If you know the sought of load the chameleon carries, you wouldn't ask why he takes those gentle strides" he yelled with a voice likened unto thunder, the whole village attention was drawn to the scene in front of Nonso ( abbreviation of Chinonso).
The priest threw himself into the air and came crashing like an Iroko although it didn't pull other smaller trees for it was alone,everybody stood in confusion for no one knew what to expect from this frantic display, suddenly the priest stood up and gazed into the eyes of Chinonso until he looked away, "today you breath your last for our ancestors has connived with your Chi to welcome you home.
They found you too precious to grace Umuadia though I pleaded with them to give you a different route home yet thy Chi saw battle as a long aspired desire" this words from the priest sent the village women wailing uncontrollable, it was tradition for men never to be seen crying but on this occasion tradition gave way as the priest broke down in tears and others soon followed suite.
Nonso confused clichéd to his pregnant wife and sobbed, this sobbing lingered on for a while as rancour saturated the air but amidst this another voice was heard " Umuadia !! Umuadia!! Weep not" this came with a giggle from the priest.
Suddenly there was a deafening silence " weep not I say!!!'" This time sounding like a command, " Chigozie you shall be king and you shall bruise the hand that pluck the choicest fruit of umuadia and also avenge thy fathers death " this the priest said pointing to amarachi's belle( to be continued)...
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