THE JOURNEY 4

Just before mid night, they arrived Okpanri.  Okeosisi led the way and they made for the oracle of Okpanri.  Akidi was restless and beads of sweat had gathered on his fore head, he thought about his young son and then about his dream on the way to Okpanri, he was soon brought back to life by the sound of the chief priest's gong.
The chief priest motioned them to seat on the dark cloth placed on one corner of the shrine while he continued with his incantations, he is a stoutly built man with a round belly that had the shape of the oku`(clay bowl), he had  different designs on his body and eye that were drawn with a white chalk.
After about twenty minutes of his incantations, the priest turned to face Akidi and Okeosisi with an expressionless face shaking his head as if he was in deep sorrow.   He already knew what they had come to seek and told Akidi that a sacrifice to appease Nnuka's spirit had to be made as her cause had been the main reason why all his children had died at infancy and for Ozoemena, his son to live he would be betrothed to a
a child from Nnuka's father's family.   The child to whom Ozoemena would be betrothed to was being born at that hour and Akidi would make his intentions known to the girl's family with lots of gift and must make sure his son follows up with the plan as he grows into a man if not they would be wiped out.  He also advised Akidi not to bother taking another wife for procreation sake as his man hood had been destroyed as a result of the strange illness that befell him.
Akidi thanked the dibia and they set out for Okeosisi's maternal compound to pass the night as he had a sacrifice to offer to appease Nnuka's restless spirit the next day. 
They were welcomed with lots of food and drink because the journey was a far one, Okeosisi's uncle's were so happy to see their nwa nwa who seldom visits and wanted to stuff them with variety of food items. 
After their meal, they had a bath and settled in, Akidi could not help but think about all the good times he had with Nnuka and why he had given up on her when she was accused of harvesting cassavas and yams belonging to other people.  In Owa, the punishment for stealing is banishment and Nnuka was banished without hearing her own side of the tale, he should have just found a way to help her but he was young and stupid, he didn't know how he let his parents deceive him into accepting that someone he knew for so long was a thief and yet he never found out, now they are not here to help in his sufferings.
He thought about his son again, his only survivor and heir, what if the child he is to be betrothed to doesn't turn out well, what if there was something about the child, why does Nnuka demand that before sparing his son's life.  Shouldn't she have asked for something else, he didn't want all this but he brought it on himself and now his son has to bear the greater consequence.
Akidi drifted off in his thoughts, he dozed off and next he saw himself lying inside his Obiri, a very beautiful maiden appeared and called to him "Nna dim, your food is ready" the maiden looked so much like Nnuka and he was confused as to how someone he didn't know addressed him as "Nna dim", suddenly the maiden disappeared and he saw his parents and Nwayinma at one corner of the Obiri laughing hysterically in a confusing manner, Akidi tried to reach out to them for an explanation but they laughed even harder until he jumped up and discovered it was another dream.....
Ifunanya Ononiwu (c)  2016