Mirani

******Ejiyui,1843*****

  The sun was at the brink of it's setting, the children are all back from gathering woods in the farms.I watched my seven younger ones march in groups of two and three into our large compound which houses six huts. Each dumping their bundles by the wall ends separate from the other's. The woods are tied with unique colored ropes for easy identification while the youngest rushes to notify Daada of their arrival. He would pick his chalk and flat board to take records and announce the best wood amongst all. The child that fetched them would lead in morning offerings the next day and as well eat from Daada's plate throughout that day. This was something I longed for as a younger child. One continues to gather woods until they've reached maturity which begins by hairs sprouting in the groins. I remembered the day I first saw mine;how I ran very fast to show Maami. I pulled and showed her while I covered my face,ashamed.

She only smiled and took me to Daada.

"Give him the best of food from today and gorogoro as well. He should not bathe along with the younger ones when the day has broke and darkness elapsed!".Daada pronounced with authority that glorious morning.

     My life transformed from that day,I was firstly exempted from gathering firewood. In addition,Daada gave me his role of checking the woods which the younger children had gathered. He sits in front of his hut every evening and watches me as I march in gallantry to the wood place.I would carry his chalk and usual flat wood to take records just like him. I would announce the winner with my shoulders high and watch father radiate in smiles from his sitting place. Proud that his offspring has become man enough.

         Daada is a good man favored by the gods. He has large lands, huts and two fertile lands  for cropping. His only regret is not having any female child. It hurts him and we all know. He even dreads every first market day of the new moon as the village messenger sends in invitations of marriage ceremonies of daughters of his fellow chiefs. Men he started producing children with the same year. He sits sadly to watch the supposed grooms shower men of his age with boxes of gold and cowries while he goes home with the rest of the elders with a cock and two yams.

On one occasion, I overheard him lament as he cursed the male seeds that may come from him again in the future. That was a day after chief Igbiyi gave out his twin daughters the same day;giving the elders just a set of their share instead of double the entitlement. Daada came home that evening and threw the bird and yams into a shallow well behind his hut and threatened no one goes there that they were cursed items. Maami and I understood it all but never questioned him.

        A week after this incidence,he brought a young girl to our home, his supposed new wife. She is called Mirani and a daughter to the village herb man too. I remember Maami telling me we were both born on the same market day. None of us knew how Daada paid all of the girl's dowries in a short period;especially now we had made no sales from the farm due to poor harvest. He never confided in us. On Mirani's arrival, I hurriedly went to Daada's chambers to move mother's wrappers and jewelry out. While I left, I bumped into the young wife at the entrance and spat at her face. She smiled and walked past while I went out in disgust.

     Each night,I sneak out of my chambers to peep at Daada and Mirani as they get intimate but I leave each time disappointed. This continued for three new moons and Mirani's tummy never bulged.

    One evening, after the usual routine of checking the woods,the village herb man walked in with his box,a black box which he uses to perform the last rites on a person about to die. Then I remembered Daada.I hurriedly ran to inform father of his arrival who instructed me on how best to welcome him. While I carried out my duties,I pondered on his purpose of visit. Father has not used a walking stick yet nor his back bent which marks the last year of one's life in my village. My younger brothers  gathered round Daada in sober while the herb man performed the rites. Maami and the young wife stood some distance away,women are not involved in such sacred acts. In the end, the last part of the rite was done;after which he announced that father's death day is in the next new moon.

   Later in the midnight,while all had retired,I summoned Daada in his chambers for a late night discussion. There he revealed answers to most things that troubled me. Daada has become unable to give a child to Mirani after seeing her unclad. Death is the penalty for such calamity upon any man it befalls. It shocked me for I never heard of it before. If only father was satisfied with his eight sons,he could have aged well. On one note,I was not sorry for him,even the coming generation knew he deserved it.

"Let every man pay for their sins",I muttered.

"I know very much,everyone would pay for their sins"he added. I was stupefied at how he  had heard that. I remained still for a while then stood to leave.

"Son,my life is in your hands now".He added again and I knew very much what it entails. I scampered out of his hut and didn't look back. After a deep rumination,I made the hardest decision any lad could think of.

           Maami began to prepare me for the task.I drank more of gorogoro, a bitter drink extracted from leaves and roots believed to boost child bearing.I chewed almond nuts too,drank less water and stayed out of the sun.

"I have full faith in you" those are Daada's soliciting words. It encourages me each time it was time to force gorogoro down my throat. 

        The day broke so fast, I arose with a bizarre feeling different from the other nights. I led in morning offerings that day and ate from Daada's plate too,taking the place of Kalomi the youngest who got the best of woods the previous evening. Father gave his blessings finally while I approached  Mirani's chambers that night. We were all hopeful and prayed the gods. They indeed heard us,as father's young wife was confirmed to be of a child just two nights to Daada's supposed death day.

    After nine full moons,she bore a girl child. We all celebrated greatly. Daada's joy was inexplicable.

Years after father's demise,Mirani and I moved into his chambers. The child was only ten then. Everyone knew she resembled the  father.A miracle too that prolonged Daada's years.I loved her in the best way Daada ever loved his sons...

   

The end!