CHAPTER ONE
As the heat from the rays of the sun scorched, the
birds fluttering around the branches of the waving trees
sang. Dikachi and Oluomachi worked tirelessly as they
weed their father’s farm. They’ve been working on the
large portion of land for a week now, while their parents
were tending another one.
Dikachi who was bent down working suddenly dropped her
hoe and heaved a sigh. Oluomachi too stood upright and
turned to her sister saying.
“What is it? Don’t tell me you want to rest again”
“Ah, I’m hungry oh! Papa should have highered workers to
assist us, this farm is too big for the two of us” she said
and then searched for a suitable place to sit. She spread a piece of cloth on a log and sat down.
Oluomachi wiped the sweat streaming down her forehead
and replied;
“You know how things are for papa now, he has a project
at hand which is the barn he is currently building, and he
cannot afford to employ workers for this month. You know
their charges are always high, except he goes to another
village to bring workers and you know he doesn’t have that
time, so let’s help him.”
“Alright, the hard working daughter but I suggest it’s time
we had our lunch because I’m completely exhausted” said
Dikachi as she emptied the basket beside her and brought
out two calabash containing boiled yam and oil. Oluomachi
dropped her hoe and came to join her and they relaxed
over their meal.
While they were eating, they heard the approaching
footsteps and the voice of some maidens returning from
the stream. They listened as they ate.
“Guess what Oluchi,” said one of the girls called Ngozi as the four of them stopped to listen to the matter.
“What is it or has your father built you a separate hut?”
Oluchi queried as the others burst out laughing.
“Why did you say that?” asked Ngozi, frowning.
“The other day you told us your father was building a new
hut and you wished it would be yours since you and your
brothers have been sharing one,” the girls laughed again.
“Well, it’s not that,” said Ngozi putting an end to their
laughter.
“Then what is it?” they asked in unison.
“Well, I overheard my father the other night tell my mother
that the prince of our village was finally coming back”
“What!” the other three shouted.
“Guess what he is coming to do?” asked Ngozi.
“Well, it’s been long since he left for his mother’s village to learn how to fight, you know the people of Umudike are
very strong warriors, maybe he has completed his
lessons,” replied Amaka.
“You may be correct. But my father said he is also coming
back to take the Ozor title and before he can do that he
has to get married.”
“So you mean he is coming back to pick a wife as well as
to take the Ozor title?” asked Ndidi.
“Yes, of course! Ha, I know I have always longed for this,”
cried Ngozi.
“What?” asked the others anxiously.
“To become the princess of this village,” replied Ngozi as
the others burst out laughing including Dikachi and
Oluomachi who were eavesdropping. Ngozi’s countenance
changed.
“Why are you laughing or are you thinking any girl in this
village can compete with me the daughter of Chief
Obiekwe of Ikusika? Ngozi boasted rolling her waist and
finally stopping with her arms akimbo.
Oluchi finally putting her laughter to a halt said,
“Ngozi, you know every girl in this village stands the
chance of being chosen, so don’t start dreaming of it.”
“Okay then—let’s wait till then” said Ngozi as they
continued their discussion on their way home.
As distance mingled with their conversation, their voices
finally faded away out of the hearing of Dikachi and her
sister as they laughed aloud.
“I know Ngozi will be the first to start day dreaming of the
prince. She thinks her father’s fame can give her the
privilege of becoming the princess,” said Oluomachi.
“Don’t mind her.I know the prince will be brave enough to
make his choice when he arrives,” replied Dikachi as they
continued eating their food.
They soon went back to work in the scorching heat from
the sun. By evening, they rounded off and set-off for their
home. When they got home, they met their father eating in
front of the house and their mother was sitting next to him
with a tray of unshelled melon seeds resting on her laps.
‘Mama, papa good evening’, they both greeted.
“Good evening my daughters, how was your day?” asked Ubochi while munching a piece of yam.
“Fine papa, even though it was a tedious one,” replied
Dikachi.
“Kachi ‘nwa m! Agu di na nwata’ I know you girls are
strong. God will bless you for me. I don’t know what I would have done without you. By next week I will engage
some labourers to join you. May your children do the same
for you oh! ” Ubochi prayed.
“My daughters, your food is in the kitchen. You can carry it
after you’ve taken your bath,” their mother advised.
“Mama we’ve heard you,” replied Oluomachi and Dikachi
as they both ran straight to the kitchen.
“Come back here, make sure you don’t enter that kitchen
without having your bath,” Shouted Nneoma.
“Nne, leave them alone you don’t know what they’ve gone
through,” Ubochi, their father barked
Ubochi was a hard working farmer, who was a native of Ikusika village. His wife Nneoma bore him only two daughters and he refused to pick another wife because of the love he had for his wife. This made the elders of the village deny him a chieftaincy title he merited for having
contributed much to the village. The villagers treated the
family with hostility; the men often did not include him in
any ceremony that requires the sharing of any item in the
village. The women also taunted Nneoma with her inability
to give birth to a male child whenever she was on the road
to the farm, market or stream. This made her to associate with women from her own village as she was not a native of Ikusika, Ubochi received her as a gift for saving the life of her father on a war field and ever since, he has taken
care of her and their children.
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