Chapter 4 - mother's wealth (continuation)


Erinma was full of anger when she saw Nkoli.
" What do you want?" She shouted angrily amidst tears. She accused Nkoli of causing her son harm. Ifeyinwa tried to mediate between her mother and Nkoli but to no avail.
" Get out of here! Now!" She screamed. Nkoli left Oke's house.
For the next two days, Nkoli came down with something. She didn't go outside and didn't talk much. Akpugo tried to find out what the problem was but Nkoli remained silent. Her silence scared her mother. Akpugo tried everything she could to cheer her up or to get her out of her bed but it failed. So she let her be.
On the third day, one of the servants called to Nkoli from outside the hut.
"Nkoli. The chief and elders want to speak with you" he announced
Nkoli promptly stood from her bed and came out of the hut. She then walked towards the thatched tent where the Chief usually met with his council. Two hefty warriors stood at the entrance of the tent. The council of chiefs were seated. Several young men stood in the midst of the tent, the others stood on the side. They listened to the chief scold them.
" You are cowards!" He screamed.
There were five young men. The men had been in the market that day when Oke was taken. The chief was angry that they didn't resist the kidnappers from Alammiri. Instead they ran for their lives. He asked them to pay a fine of ten yams, a goat and a bag of cowries each. They begged for mercy.
" Leave my presence! " Ide ordered.
The hefty guards ushered the men out of the tent. Ide shouted complaints about cowardice in the village to his council. Then he turned his attention to Nkoli. She greeted him and the elders.
" Young maiden. I have heard some disturbing news" he began " The envoy has described the other culprit who killed the warrior from Alammiri. He said it was a maiden. It is quite strange that the description fits you alone in Ofonri"
Nkoli was shaky but she knew she had two options. She could lie about it but then she would be forced to swear and the gods would punish her for her lie. On the other hand she could say the truth and explain that the man had tried to have them killed. This is what she did. She narrated everything that had happened to the elders.
" If this is true, why did you hide the body?" One of the elders asked.
" We were afraid no one would believe us"
Chief Ide sighed.
" Elders what do you think?" He said, calling for suggestions. The elders made several suggestions but one suggestion stood. Mgbembu suggested that someone should bring Oke back to Ofonri so that they could prove the facts of the case.
"This is correct" Ide said " Who would bring him back?" The chief asked.
Ofor volunteered but his condition was that Nkoli should agree to become his wife. Nkoli blatantly refused this condition.
" I would bring him home" she declared.
The elders disagreed with the idea but Nkoli would not budge.
" Young maiden, you cannot take on the warriors of Alammiri by yourself. You are not a warrior" Ide said.
" I would find a way to bring him back"
Chief Ide lost his temper.
" You have been trouble" he said. Ide angrily blamed her for the violence, kidnap, murder of the young hunter and a possible war with Alammiri.
" But I didn't ask anyone to fight" she retorted.
" You can end this by marrying someone who would help prove your innocence. Why do you refuse?" Ide asked.
" Why do you have to force me?" She replied.
An elder asked her to keep quiet. He said she was being rude to the Chief. The others agreed with him. They asked Nkoli to excuse them for a while. They would call her when they reached a decision. Nkoli moved away from the tent and waited outside.
After a while a servant called for her. The Chief informed her that they had decided to banish her until Oke returned. She had three market days to leave the village. Nkoli was shocked by the decision. She ran back to her hut and wept.
She told her parents all that had happened. Nkata asked her to go to his maternal uncle at umuobia to wait while he thought of a way to free Oke. They all agreed.
That night Akpugo woke her daughter up. She had an oil lamp with her. She asked Nkoli to follow her. They went outside the compound and walked for about an hour.
" Where are we going?" She asked
" You would know when we get there"
They got to one of the farms. Akpugo began digging. She dug up ten big bags of cowries.
" This is my hidden wealth. I have set these aside for years. I want you to use it to find the young farmer. " She said.
Nkoli was moved by her mother's generousity.
" Oh mother!" She exclaimed in tears. They hugged each other.
" Listen. I have a plan"

Chapter 5 : Where the heart lies

To be continued....
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