45 Ogbanjes (2/2)

”So he has been talking to you; why am I hearing it for the first time?”

”I didn't see it as anything worth mentioning to you but after observing your reaction to what he said today. I thought it was high time I told you”.

”Alright, what other thing did he say?” Ego asked.

”It was a cold night. I laid in darkness with him trying to put him to sleep. Then all of a sudden he called me ”Nda Oluchukwu” to which I responded ”Dim oma”. He then said ”Do you know I used to have another mother. Her name was Uka”. This was the first time he was saying something of that nature to me. I thought he was bluffing. So I asked him what happened to her. He pulled closer to me, and then whispered into my ears saying ”She slept beside me and never woke up”. I jumped out of the mat in fear. I think that frightened him as he began crying aloud as I had hit him. It took some time for me to muster enough courage to return back to the bed”.

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”That must be scary and cold,” Ego said eyes goggled with surprise and fear.

”Since we are talking about reincarnation, let me tell you a story”.

Ego kept mute but nodded signaling a go ahead.

”When Amuwa my cousin was born, the chief priest was invited by the child's father to come to identify who reincarnated as their son. The Dibiaafter laying out all the objects needed for the consultation asked Azuka the child's mother to sit and carry her baby on her laps; while a raw egg was placed on the child's right palm. The dibia went ahead and said some uncommon incarnations before commencing to ask the child who he returned as?

”E wu Okoro?” the dibia asked. Nothing happened.

”E wu Okonkwo?” he inquired again and yet nothing happened. He went on asking as the parents provided names of late family members, yet nothing happened. Then the grandmother suggested a name and immediately the dibia inquired from the child whether he came back to ask the mentioned name, the egg shattered violently as the child began crying and did not stop till consoled by the grandmother.

When Amuwa was four years of age, grandmother came visiting. Immediately Amuwa saw her, he ran over to welcome her shouting on top his voice ”Mma! Mma! Mma!” These were his first words. She carried him up and he whispered something into her ears. These words brought tears to her old eyes. When asked later on why she shed tears when Amuwa came to welcome her, she decided for the first time to share with us the story of the strange man who our cousin came back as.

”Long time ago, when our grandmother Nnenne was still young, wild and beautiful. One beautiful day, she was returning from the stream, when suddenly a stranger jumped out from the bush and startled her; her clay pot fell and broke. Nnenne quick to anger didn't wait to hear from the innocent man, she landed him a dirty slap. Which she quickly regretted because you can't slap a man for any reason and walk away without him returning the favor to avoid been a laughing stock to his age mates. The young man with his palm gently romancing the affected cheek forced the most beautiful smile Nnenne said she had seen and apologized for his wrong; promising to follow her home and explained what transpired between them to her parents.