A NEW LEASE

Hello Friends,

Welcome to my blog , which contains stories I have written over the years. I will appreciate you comments and opinions.

Thank you. 

 CHAPTER ONE

Life sometimes isn’t fair, from the day one is born till the day he dies and the soul returns to God, however for some people before the end a change takes place that brings about a new a better lease of life.

Ekaete Bassey was born into a polygamous home; her father was married to 4 wives, two he married himself, the other two he inherited from his late brothers. Her mother was the first wife and she was married for five years to her husband before he decided on another wife because he wanted male children. Ekaete mother had four girls she was the last of them all.

The arrival of the second wife and her subsequent delivery of twins 2 boys changed the cordial and peaceful atmosphere in the house. Eno the second wife become the king of the whole compound. She lost total respect for Ekaete’s mother even though she was barely the age of Ekaete’s Auntie from her mother’s side who resides in the same compound.

According to tradition in those days, when marrying, ones younger sister is expected to go and live with her, she becomes the responsibility of the family and also she is of assistance to her older sister since there were no maids available except you were absolutely rich.

There was constant quarrel and even fights because Itoro could not stand to see anybody, her own mate insult her older sister. Peace took complete leave from that home but Uwem was unaware of all the trouble. He was carried away by the arrival of the boys that no other child mattered. A major reason he gave his first three daughters away in marriage at a very early age. Their mother had no say since her husband was the lord master of the house. The dowry he collected in form of farmland and money, he used for the upkeep of his sons and their other things, Ekaete and her mother became outcast in their own home. They both prayed things would return to normalcy but alas it worsened. Uwem said it was waste of money to send Ekaete to school since she’ll so become another man’s responsibility this was disheartening to the poor girl.

 Afterwards Ekaete’s mother took ill, it was so bad that she was carried from hospital to hospital soon Uwem become tired and went to dump her in a native doctor’s place. Ekaete had being told several years ago by her mother that her family came from Duke Town which was the other side of town by river which meant they were so far away. Her mother met Uwem when he came with the white men to do some construction work in their town for about a year. She was selling cooked food with her sister to the site workers. So taking her to her people was out on the question. Even if Itoro who was learning to be a seamstress wanted to go home, the funds she required were not available his sister health wasn’t improving  because funds were not given to the native doctor. So Itoro took a very painful decision unknown to anyone, she sold her body in exchange for payment for her sister’s treatment. With time Mama Ekaete’s health improved but things had gone out of hand for Itoro. She realized she could earn more and also have enough to share for her sister who she told that she had gained her freedom and so was been paid as she worked for her madam. Suddenly things improved for Ekaete and her mother who now began to sell bean cakes and pap every morning with the little she got, she enrolled Ekaete in a public school even though she was bigger than everyone in the class.

Itoro stepped up in her trade she began to move with even white men it was on one of the occasion of her visit to the hotel for her business that Mama Clement, Ekaete’s mother friend who was a cleaner in the hotel saw her. Although Itoro didn’t see Mama Clement that day, Mama Clement was so shocked to see Itoro held by the waist by an older man and waited to see them collect a key to one of the rooms. As soon as she closed that day, she left straight for her friend’s house.

“Mama Ekaete well done o, how market?” she said

“Fine bo my friend how them Clement and work now?”

“Fine I say make I come quick tell you wetin my eye see for my work place today, where Itoro dey, she done return?”

“No o, na evening around that kind 8.00 nahim she dey enter”

“Na waha na asawo Itoro dey do o, I see am today with one man as they enter together, collect key enter room I no fit see that kind thing and nor tell you”

“Hen wetin you talk Mama Clement my own sister asawo, if no be say you be my friend na hot oil I for pour your body, a beg begin de go thank you, you hear but you disappoint me o”

“You think say I dey tell you lie, okay no vex, I dey go you hear no vex”

After she left Ekaete who overheard all they were saying came out to her mother and said:

“Mama I think what Mama Clement said is true, I saw Sister Eyo Auntie Itoro’s friend in the tailor’s shop when I was coming back from school today she was asking after Auntie Itoro, she said she has not come to work for over 2 months and she has not even finished her training. She said always she planned to come here and ask but work would not allow her. And see what I found on Auntie Itoro’s bag when I was looking for a pencil”

It was makeup, eye pencils of different colors and lipsticks which Itoro has never used in the house.

“Eh, Itoro has finished me, she has brought shame upon my family, ah what am going to do?” She lamented.

Not less than 20 min after Itoro came in looking tired and sick. “Sister well done, good evening”

Mama Ekaete jumped up barely answering

“Itoro what is this” she stretched all the make up and stuff to her

 “Tell me Itoro why have you reduced yourself to this why? So what I hear is true? Wetin push you go dey follow man? ha Itoro who teach you? ”

 Caught red handed Itoro said when she saw the stuff with her sister no use denying she said to herself. She burst out in tears bowing her head in shame and on her knees

“Sister I am sorry I did it for you, I could not let you die just like that and I could not bear to see us continue in suffer, the suffering being dey to much Sister”

“Itoro e for better if I die than this one that you dey do so. You don scatter your life” she began to cry

“Oh Itoro why? Why?”

Itoro was all in tears Ekaete joined. After a few days, Ekaete’s mother was able to gather some money from her sales, she called on Itoro and said

“I don think Itoro and I think say you too must agree say make you go back home to our family. The bad things when you enter I nor want make you enter again. I want make you commot from here go another place because you nor know how many people don know say na asawo work you been dey do before.  Your Madam tell me say you sabi the work only to do man cloth you nor sabi, so that one go do you manage for house take this money for transport and  some things, I know  say you follow me gree. 

“Sister, well done, thank you I know what has happened is not a good thing and I nor want make you tell our family. I will do as you have said, thank you for everything, I’ll always send word to you as time goes on”

 She embraced her sister, packed a few things she had acquired and left that evening.

Ekaete couldn’t stop crying, the only person she could relate with apart from her mother left in the house has gone. It was very sad day, Uwem must have been aware of all that was going on, not that he asked any questions anyway he was so blinded by his sons and their mother. There was still so much bitterness and bad blood in the house.

Something strange happened one night while Mama Ekaete left her room to use the toilet, she saw Eno carrying a pot of sacrifice and was chanting incantation as she walked round the compound. Her first reaction was to hide, she was so shocked that such a thing could be taking place in their compound. Quickly she used the toilet and went back to her room; she couldn’t sleep anymore because of what she had seen.

“If I mention this matter to Uwem my husband, he will never believe me, why didn’t I even shout to attract the attention of everyone” she thought.

By morning, she quickly dressed up and went to see her friend Mama Clement they had since resolved their misunderstanding. Mama Clement listened to all she had to say and advised her to follow her to see some man she knew somewhere. Although Mama Ekaete was reluctant, but Mama Clement pointed out that was it until Eno killed her children but she would get protection:

“Don’t you know that is how she was able to turn the face of Uwem from you and your children. It is not ordinary I tell you”

 With this point Mama Ekaete quickly followed her friend to see the man who turned out to be a native witch doctor, without saying anything the man said

“Hm a mother who seek to protect her children from the hand of the wicked one”

 This shocked mama Ekaete, “this man must be very powerful, he even knows before I spoke” she said within herself 

“Your other children are not with you, but the one with you must be brought here, I will perform some sacrifice on behalf of others and put incision on that one with you and you, yourself. This is the mark evil will see and run from you. It would only cost you one white cock and one keg of palm wine for the spirits”

“Thank you sir, I’ll be here tomorrow with all and my daughter, I don’t want evil for anybody, I only want to protect my children and myself”.

When they left the place Mama Ekaete said to Mama Clement:

“I thank you Mama Clement I no for know wetin I for do Oh thank you”

“das why we be friends now, I don know that man since I dey small he does not grow old and he is very powerful, everything will be okay, make sure your go see am and quick quick o okay bye bye, I don already late for work.

“Bye bye”

Next day, Mama Ekaete got all that was required and took Ekate with her to see the old man Ekaete could not 

understand what was happening, all for the best her mother told her. Incantations were chanted and finally 

incisions were made in the middle of their heads and backs. It was very painful, but since her mother told her 

it was for the best she didn’t complain. This was the beginning of problems for Ekaete.

QST: Was Itoro's move the best ?
         Was Mama Ekaete's move the best?