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UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS, IGBO AND OTHER NIGERIAN LANGUAGES

A TRANSLATION OF OLIVER TWIST BY CHARLES DICKENS: PROBLEMS AND PRINCIPLES

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements of the Award of (M.A) in Translation

By

EZIKA, CHIDOO G. PG/MA/09/50560

PROJECT SUPERVISOR: PROF. I. U. NWADIKE

FEBRUARY 2012

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A TRANSLATION OF OLIVER TWIST BY CHARLES DICKENS:

PROBLEMS AND PRINCIPLES

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CERTIFICATION PAGE

This research work has been read and approved on meeting the requirements for

the award of the degree of Master of Arts in Translation.

By

Prof. Inno Nwadike Date ( Supervisor)

Prof. C.N. Okebalama (Head of Department) Date

External Examiner Date

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DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to

St. Jerome,

The Patron Saint of Translators

And to

My late Postgraduate Friend,

Mbanugo, Basil Chibueze (1984-2011)

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With a joyful heart, I give honour and thanks to God Almighty for this

unmerited favour granted to me. Humanly speaking, it is only by His grace that I

reached this far in my academic pursuit.

So many hands were indeed on deck to see me through. My lecturers, Prof.

Inno. U. Nwadike; my supervisor, Dr B.M Mbah and his wife Dr. Mrs E. E. Mbah,

Prof.(Mrs) R.I. Okorji, Dr. Chris Agbedo, Dr. E.S. Ikeokwu and Dr. J. Uguru deserve

special thanks for their contribution to my academic struggle. I extend my gratitude

too to other lecturers of the department.

Next are my parents, Sir and Lady G. C. Ezika (KSJI) who sacrificed a lot for

me. My brothers and sisters: Nnaemeka and Nonso and their wives, Fr Toby, Onyinye

and Chioma and their husbands. May God bless and keep all of them for me.

To my teacher friend and his wife, Mz. and Mrs. Chuma Okeke, I am glad to

be the first to address you this way in a work of this nature. Your company and

academic advice is wonderful. Chukwu dobe unu!

My friends Ijeoma Anarado, Obinna Ofojeama, Ekene Nwankwor,

Kenechukwu Akabuogu, Uju Okudo,Val Ughonu,Chris Ebomuche, Ignatius Edogor

and others too numerous to mention, I thank you for your friendly companion. My

room mates, Amos Melladu, Jeff Akpoo and late Chimdiya Egbuchulam, I appreciate

your company and pray God to grant Chimdiya eternal rest.

Lastly, the family of Catholic Association of Postgraduate Students (CAPS), I

never regretted being with and serving you. Remain strenghtend.

Once more, may the name of the Lord be praised both now and for ever more.

Amen.

Ezika, Chidoo G. Dept. of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages. University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

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ABSTRACT

Translation as an academic field of study is a young discipline in this part of the world. Its importance in language is not arguable in the sense that it involves all spheres of life which are engulfed in language. It decodes that which is encoded in another language thereby making the information flow freely and the audience wider. In this research work, the literary piece Oliver Twist which is a prose text and foreign in its entirety to the culture of the researcher is translated. The main aim of the translation is to show the possibility of translating a foreign text, making it an Igbo literary piece in all its ramifications. The problems encountered in the process of doing the translation were highlighted and handled with the techniques and principles laid down by the scholars of translation. In the course of translating this foreign text, the researcher finds out that retaining the characterisation and the settings of the original text does not make it truly an Igbo literature. This work translated therefore, is a plus to the number of the Igbo literary texts and also showcases to the translators of literary texts, the tenets that would be of immense help, most importantly in translating a foreign text.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

Abstract vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of Study 1

1.2 About the Novel : Oliver Twist 2

1.3 Statement of the Problem 3

1.4 Purpose of the Study 4

1.5 Research Question 4

1.6 Scope of the Study 4

1.7 Significance of the Study 4

1.8 Limitation of Study 5

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Theoretical Studies 6

2.1.1 Theories of Translation 6

2.1.2 Principles of Literal Translation 7

2.1.3 Types of Translation 7

2.1.4 Types of Literal Translation 13

2.1.5 Problems of Translation 15

2.2 Empirical Review 17

CHAPTER THREE: THE TRANSLATION 23

3.1 The Source Text: The Bibliographic Information 23

3.2 The Target Text: The Translation Proper 23

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CHAPTER FOUR: THE ANALYSIS 91

4.1 Introduction 91

4.2 Methodology 91

4.3 Problems Encountered 91

4.3.1 Characterization 91

4.3.2 Cultural Problem 93

4.3.3 Stylistic Problem 98

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 99

5.1 Summary 99

5.2 Conclusion 100

Bibliography 101

Appendix- The source Text 104

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Translation is a very old language activity and a very young academic activity

which came into limelight in the 70s. The term ‘translation’ is a concept which no

field of study or a sphere of life can claim a single ownership of. According to

Wikipedia (2011), the term translation is taken from a Latin word “translatio” which

is from “trans” and “fero” meaning “to bring across” or “to carry across”. Some

spheres of life where the term is used include:

Physics: Changing the position of all objects according to the formula.

Mathematics: The affine transformation of eulidean space which moves every point

by a fixed distance in the direction.

In Catholicism: The transfer of a bishop from one diocese to another or the

placement of a saint’s relic from the tomb to the church.

One would notice that there is always a movement from one position to another

once translation is involved. In linguistics, Applied Linguistics to be precise, as

Robinson (2007) and Schaffner (2007) observe, translation, literally, in its

etymological sense is “bringing across” from one language/ dialect to another

language/dialect. The language with which the source text (ST) is written is known as

the source language (SL) while the language with which the target text (TT) is written

is known as the target language(TL) that is, the language with the translation is done.

Venuti (2008) observes a rewriting of what is written in an original text to another

text. Nida (2001) also makes it clear by saying that it is the transferring of meaning of

a text from one language to another. A more illuminating definition is that given by

Bassnett (2008:11). She observes that translation “involves the rendering of a source

language (SL) text to the target language (TL) so as to ensure that (1) the surface

meaning of the two will be approximately similar and (2) the structures of the SL will

be preserved as closely as possible but not so closely that the TL will be distorted.”

These definitions are appropriate but the definition given by Darbelnet (1977),

as quoted in Nwadike (1997:2) would be more succinct in capturing the essence of

this research work. For him, “Translation is the operation which consists in

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transferring from one language to another all the elements of meaning of a passage,

and only these elements while ensuring that they retain in the target language their

tonality, and also taking into account the relative differences presented by the cultures

to which the source language and the target language correspond respectively.” A

translator therefore is the one that does the transfer. He renders the source text (ST)

into the target text (TT) following the dos and don’ts of translation. Blanchot, as

quoted in Venuti (2008:265), says that, “The translator is the secret master of the

difference of languages, a difference he is not out to abolish, but rather one he puts to

use as he brings violent or subtle changes to bear on his own language, thus

awakening within it the presence of that which is at origin different in the original.”

The importance of translation cannot be overemphasized. In literary translation

for instance, a lot of works have been translated to reach a wider audience. According

to Medolu (2010), Achebe’s Things fall Apart have been translated into 135 languages

of the world, Nwana’s Qmenxkq has been translated into the Yoruba language by

Clara Ikekeonwu. Also, through translation, the gospel of Jesus Christ and other great

men has reached a wider audience. This research work is the translation of a foreign

text – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (2010) from the English language to the Igbo

language. Culturally, the ST is far different from the TT which involes the culture and

the Igbo world view. The setting of the novel is domesticated in the translation to

make the text wear the cloth of the Igbo race in its entirety. This concept of

domestication which Venuti (2008:40) says is a process “in which the foreign text is

imprinted with the values specific to the receiving culture” is brought to bare in this

work. The aim is to pave way for the Igbo translators, armed with various principles

which would be seen properly in this work to bring home those texts which are

foreign to our culture.

1.2 About the Novel: Oliver Twist

The fiction (Prose) Oliver Twist is written by Charles John Huffam Dickens

(1812-1870) in 1839 and since then, because of its aesthetics, it has undergone several

reprinting and has been simplified for better comprehensibility of the readers. The

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very copy with which this work was done is the eighty sixth (86th) impression, printed

in 2010 by Longman plc Malaysia.

The story is about an orphan Oliver Twist who is the chief character in the story.

He tearfully endures a very hard life in the workhouse – a place where orphans are

kept. He almost spent his life in agony due to maltreatment from people he stays with,

his stubbornness and company. Oliver is however adopted legally by Mr. Brownlow

with whom he lives happily.

The novel which is a social criticism, according to Nwadike (1997:15) is a

“symbolic novel which portrays the weak, the innocent, the helpless and the

defenseless before the forces of evil, corruption and cruelty.” Wikipedia (2011) also

notes that it “exposed the cruel treatment of many a waif-child in London, which

increased intentional concern in what is sometimes known as ‘The Great London Waif

Crises’: the large number of orphans in London in Dickens’ era.” Nwadike (1997:15)

again highlights that it (the novel) has a global view “except for the cultural and

historical consciousness which are English. . .”

In conclusion, we have seen from above that there is a sharp contrast between

the cultural background of the novel and the Igbo culture in which it is translated to,

thus, the need for proper domestication.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

The opposite of a good translation is a bad translation. That which is properly

observed in a good translation is not observed in a bad translation. Some translators

who may be referred to as quacks have caused problems to the profession time

without number. Translators too, who lacked the basic principles required in a

particular type of text can not do well in translating the text. Translation problems that

could cause ill translation of literature include:

1. The problem of providing equivalence for figurative expressions.

2. The problem of reconciling the cultural perspectives of the languages

involved,eg. the English and the Igbo languages.

3. The problem of style. The way the author writes poses problems for the

translators.

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4. The problem of translating cultural words and expressions where there is no

exact equivalence.

It is therefore the intention of the researcher to tackle these problems above

using the Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist (2010)

1.4 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to:

1. Unveil the ways and principles for domestication in Igbo translation.

2. To raise the consciousness of the Igbo language translators towards the

possibility of translating and domesticating a foreign text.

These will be done through

(a) Translating Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (2010) and

(b) Examining the difficulties encountered in the translation

1.5 Research Question

In order to achieve the aims of this research work because of the need and the

importance of a faithful translation in literary works, answers for the research

questions below would be provided.

(i) What are the best ways through which a foreign text can be domesticated?

(ii) How would the consciousness of the Igbo translators be raised?

1.6 Scope of the study

Due to the nature of this research work, the scope is restricted to the translation

of the text Oliver Twist, a prose fiction written in the English language, to the Igbo

language. The problems encountered in the course of the translation were highlighted

and tackled.

1.7 Significance of the Study

At the end of this work, more exposures would be made on the best ways of

handling a foreign text, embedded with alien cultures. Translators of the Igbo

language would be encouraged to surmount any problem inherent in the foreign text

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placed before them. It would also assist scholars of comparative stylistics who “study

the stylistic characteristics of one language in comparison with those of another in

their field.”( Brini 2000: 494)” The translated version of the text would also add to the

existing piles of Igbo literature.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The unavailability of a complete dictionary of the Igbo language/metalanguage

is a great challenge to this work. Also, accepting the fact that the English language in

which the source text is written is not the researcher’s mother tongue, succinct

equivalencies of some of the extremely cultural expressions appeared difficult but the

researcher was able to tackle them with the available principles and techniques.

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CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter is divided into two parts, the theoretical and the empirical studies.

In the theoretical studies section, those theories and areas that are vital to translation,

especially in relation to this work, are reviewed. They include types of translation,

types of literary translation, problems of translation and the principles of translation.

In the empirical studies, the problems encountered by various translators of literary

works in practical situations, and the effects of ill translation of literary texts as

highlighted by various authors are also explored.

2.1 Theoretical Studies

This section of the research work x-rays the different theories by different

scholars in relation to the research topic. Below are some of these theories.

2.1.1 Nida’s (1964) Formal and Dynamic Equivalence

Munday (2001) notes that literal, free and faithful translation which was the

bone of contention in the theories of the early translators was discarded by Nida(1964)

and other theoreticians. These theoreticians moved to attempt more systematic

analysis of translation. Nida as Munday (2001) exposes replaced them in favour of

formal and dynamic equivalence. He claims that formal equivalence is very much

oriented towards the Source Text (ST) structure which exerts strong influence in

determining accuracy and correctness.

Dynamic equivalence on its own part is based on what Nida calls ‘principle of

equivalent effect’. Here, the relationship between the receptor and message is of the

same value as that which existed between the original receptors and the language as

Hervey and Higgins (1992) stipulate. Fawcett (1997:2) notes further that this type of

equivalence is a sociolinguistic aspect of translation in the sense that it describes the

way translators can adapt texts to the needs of a different audience. This approach, as

Munday (2001) explains, considers adaptations of grammar, of lexicon and of cultural

references extremely important so as to achieve naturalness.

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With this approach, Nida (1964) says that the foreignness of the ST setting is

minimized and that correspondence in meaning must be above that of style if

equivalent effect is to be achieved. This theory is a sharp contrast from strict word for

word translation (literal translation). For Nida, the success of any translation as quoted

by Munday (2001) is to achieve equivalent response which is one of the Nida’s four

basic requirements of translation which according to Munday include:

- Making sense: The translated text (TT) must be meaningful and must

correspond with that of the source text (ST).

- Conveying the spirit and manner of the original: The TT must possess the

qualities and form of the ST.

- Having a natural and easy form of expression: The linguistics of the ST must

not be altered.

- Producing a similar response: The effect which the ST produces on the audience

must be similar to that of the TT.

2.1.2 Newmark’s Semantic and Communicative Translation

Newmark (1981) notes that communicative translation attempts to produce on

its readers an effect as close as possible to that obtained from the readers of the

original. Semantic translation as closely as the semantic and syntactic structures of the

second language allow the exact contextual meaning of the original.

This is similar to Nida’s dynamic equivalence on the effect it intends to create

on the target text reader as Munday (2001) notes. However, the problem with the

Nida’s principles of equivalence for Newmark (1981) is that the effect will not work

or be felt if the text is out of target language space and time. He gives an example with

a modern translator translating Homer’s works like Iliad and Odyssey. To produce the

same effect would be impossible since the source text was for the audience in ancient

Greece.

2.1.3 The Skopos Theory

Skopos is a Greek word meaning ‘aim’ or ‘purpose’. This theory was introduced

by Hans J. Vermeer in the 1970s. This theory, as Fawcett (1997) shows, upholds that

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translation is determined by the function of the translated text, which may not be the

same as that of the original. In confirmation, Munday (2001:79) posits that “It focuses

above all on the purpose of translation. . . . In skopos theory, knowing why an ST is to

be translated and what the function of the TT will be are crucial for the translator.”

The underlying rules of this theory, according to Reiss and Vermeer (1984) as

Munday (2001:79) are:

- The target text (TT) is determined by its skopos

- A TT is an offer of information in a target culture and TL concerning an offer of

information in a source culture and SL.

- A TT does not initiate an offer of information in a clearly reversible

way.

- A TT must be internally coherent.

- A TT must be coherent with the ST.

The five rules above stand in hierarchical order, with the skopos rule

predominating.

2.1.4 Principles of Translation

(a) Pre- Twentieth Century Translation Principles: Bassnett (2008) gives

some early theories of the early translators propounded centuries ago. One of the first

writers, Etienne Dolet in his book entitled How to Translate Well from One Language

into Another (written in French) establishes five principles for the translator and they

are, according to Bassnett (2008),

- The translator must fully understand the sense and meaning of the original

author.

- The translator must be grounded in both the Source Language and the Target

Language.

- He should avoid word for word translation.

- He should use forms of speech commonly in use.

- Should choose and order words appropriately to produce the correct tone.

Another person in this era is George Chapman who gave his as follows:

- A translator must avoid word for word rendering.

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- Must try to reach the spirit of the original.

- Avoid overloose translation.

Bassnett (2008) observes that in the 17th century, Richard Fanshawe, John

Denham, Abraham Cowley and John Dryden were the key players in the gallery of

translation. Fanshawe is of the view that the translator must cover the formal aspect

and the spirit of the work but warns against using the same principle of handling

literal translation to translation of poetry. Denham places both the writer and the

translator on the same status, but notes that they are operating from differentiated

social and temporal contexts. Abraham Cowley on his path gives freedom to

translators, noting that they are free to handle the work of the writers the way they

want. In other words, they are free to add or remove what they want. John Dryden as

Bassnett (2008) and Munday (2001) expose, clearly gives his principles as follows:

Metaphrase: This, according to Munday (2001), is ‘word by word’ and line by

line translation which corresponds to literal translation.

Paraphrase: This means sense for sense translation. Changing the whole

phrases, and this, more or less corresponds to faithful translation.

Imitation: This is the act of forsaking both words and sense; it corresponds to

very free translation and is more or less adaptation.

Bassnett (2008) notes that in the 18th century, Goethe and Tytler as notes were

the most popular translators. Goethe gives his recommendation as follows and

notes that the three recommendations must go in tandem. He states that:

- The foreign culture must acquaint herself with the culture of the target language.

- The translator absorbs the sense of the foreign text and reproduces it in his own

terms.

- The next is a perfect identity between the SL text and the TL text.

Tytler on his part sets up three basic principles for a perfect translation. This,

according to Bassnett (2008) and Munday (2001) are:

-The translation should be able to give a complete idea of the source text.

-The source and manner of the work should be the same with that of the original.

- The translated text should have all the ease of the original text.

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However, it would be necessary to observe that Cicero in the first century and St

Jerome in the late fourth century stand for ‘sense for sense’ translation.

(b) Twentieth Century Principles

The principles adopted in this work are those of Vinay and Darbelnet which

Armstrong (2005:148) and Vinay and Darbelnet (2000:84-93) showcase. These seven

principles or procedures which according to Munday (2001) are the classical model

and has had a wide impact include:

(a) Borrowing: This is one of the processes through which every language renews

its lexicon. Certain words that were not in the target language originally were

brought into its lexicon due to some social factors like intercultural contact,

trade etc. In the Igbo language for example, according to SPILC (1982) certain

words were brought into the language to help cope with the demands of the

modern world. Vinay and Darbelnet (2000:85) also in confirmation of the above

assertion note that to fill a gap in translation, “usually a metalinguistic one (e.g.,

a new technical process, an unknown concept) borrowing is the simplest of all

the translation methods” Examples include:

1. school- skuulu, almanac- almanaak[. etc

(b) Calque: Here, the concepts borrowed are translated following the syntax of the

target language. Vinay and Darbelnet (2000) observe that in calque, each

element is translated. It has the following types;

- Lexical Calque: Here, a calque respects the syntactic structure of the TL while

introducing a new mode of expression. Eg.

2. Good morning –xtxtx qma.

- Structural Calque: Here, a new construction is introduced into the TL

language. Eg.

3. Reverend Father – Revurendi fada

(c) Literal translation: This is word for word translation or morpheme by

morpheme translation. It concerns syntax rather than the lexicon (Armstrong

2005:147). When it is necessary to use it to arrive at a better translation, the

translator applies it to achieve his aim. This method is however limited in the

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sense that most times, when it is used, problems are encountered. These

problems make literary translation unacceptable. The unacceptability of a

message, according to Vinay and Darbelnet (2000) when translated literally (a)

gives another meaning , or (b) has no meaning, or (c) is structurally impossible,

or (d) does not have a corresponding expression within the metalinguistic

experience of TL or (e) has a corresponding expression, but not within the same

register.

(d) Transposition: This involves grammar. It involves replacing a source text

word or expression with the target text word or expression from a different

word category. Hervey and Higgins (1992) aver that it is “the replacement or

reinforcement of given parts of speech in the SL and the TL.” Thus, it operates

at the level of parts of speech. For Vinay and Darbelnet (2000), it involves the

substitution of one word class with another without altering the meaning of the

message. An example of this is replacing an English noun or a figure of speech

with another category in the Igbo language like the pronoun. Eg.

4.I si ad[gh[ ha mma- They are crazy.

‘Isi’ is the synecdoche and has been replaced by a pronoun – ‘they’.

(e) Modulation: This has to do with the semantic level of the sentence. A change in

the way we view things that will make us represent the same in another

phenomenon. Baker and Saldanha (2009:270) aver that it is “[a] translation

method consisting of changing a point of view, an evocation and often a

category of thought.” It operates at the level of message and Pizzuto (2011)

says that it requires an excellent knowledge of both languages involved in the

translation which includes knowing the mechanics of the languages like:

- The manner in which negative and positive formations are used in the two

languages.

- The general register of the language.

- The use of passive voice.

Pizzuto (2011) and Munday (2001) also expose several types of modulation and

they are mainly explanatory in nature and are mostly based on metonymy where

there is a substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing

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mearnt by the ST author/ writer. They provide example of most of these in the

Italian language with the English translation.They include:

• Abstract for concrete. Eg.

5. I haven’t heard a word from him – Non ho avuto sue notize ( I have not heard

news from home)

• Cause for effect. Eg.

6. Blind flying – Volare senza visibilita – ( Flight without visibility)

• Means for result. Eg.

7. I’ll drive you home – Ti accompagno a casa in auto (I’ ll take you to your house

in (my) car )

• Substance for object. Eg.

8. Brain drain – Tuga di cervelli (The exodus of experts.)

• A part for the whole. Eg.

9. The cathedral’s ceiling draws the eye as soon as one enters - The cathedral

ceiling draws the eyes.

• A part for another part. Eg.

10. Hand to hand combat – Combaterre corpo a corpo. ( Body to body combat)

• Term reversal. Eg.

11. This cage cannot hold an animal of this size – Questa gabbia non mantiene

animali did questa grandezza. ( An animal of this size will not fit in this cage)

• Negative contrast. Eg.

12. Make sure you call us everyday- Non dimenticatre did chiamere ogni

settimana. ( Do not forget to call us all of the weeks)

• Active to passive voice or vice versa.

• Space for time . – In time, Eg.

13. See you in a week - We’ll see each other in 8 days from today. In space, Eg.

14. No parking between signs – Limit of parking.

• Change of symbol : He earns an honest dollar. – He earns a living.

• Sensory modulation. Eg.

15. A thick cloth. – Una giacca pesante. (A thick coat)

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(f) Equivalence: This is used to refer to cases where languages describe the same

situation by a different style or structural means. It is most useful in translating

idioms and proverbs. Munday (2001:58) warns that “equivalence in this

restricted sense should not be confused with the more common theoretical use”

which is the Nida’s (1964) dynamic equivalence as a theory of translation.

(g) Adaptation: This principle is culture specific. Here, another culture is

employed to salvage another culture. According to Vinay and Darbelnet (2000),

it is used when the type of situation being referred to by the SL message is

unknown in the TL culture. In such cases, translators have to create a new

situation that can be considered as equivalent. Adaptation can therefore be

described as a special kind of equivalence, a situational equivalence. Baker

(2006:31) calls this a cultural substitution. He notes that “it gives the reader a

concept with which he/she can identify something familiar and appealing.”

Eg. 16, A father kissing his daughter on returning from a journey in a French

country may be a sign of greeting, but such is a taboo in the Igbo culture. It may be

substituted with a hug or a tap on the back.

Another important principle used here is what Baker (1992) refers to as

translation by omission. Where a word or an expression is not vital or in the case of

idioms where there is no equivalence, this principle can be applied to aid translation.

2.1.3 Types of Translation

Various authors have provided various types of translation from different

perspectives but the most encompassing classification is the one given by Jakobson in

Venuti (2000:114) and Munday (2001:5). He classifies them as we can see below:

- Intralingual translation: This involves translation within a language. The

translator translates for instance from a dialect to another dialect of the same

language or to the standard language. It is also known as rewording.

- Interlingual translation: In this type of translation, translation is said to have

taken place when a text is translated from one language to another. This is also

known as translation proper.

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- Intersemiotic translation: This is all about rendering what is in a text into a

non-verbal sign. It occurs for instance when a written text is translated into

music, film e.t.c

Apart from these types above, some translators like Rosinka (2011) gives another

classification which include

- Legal translation: A translation of texts within the fields of law and other

scholarly writings.

- Technical translation: This is the translation of texts related to technological

subject areas. For Bryne (2006), it has to do with technology and technological

texts.

- Literary translation: Translation of works of literature like novels, drama,

poems and stories from a language/dialect to another language/dialect. Wechsler

(1998:4) observes that “it consists of a person sitting at a desk, writing literature

that is not his, that has someone else’s name on it, that has been written.” Here,

the translator translates not only the sense of the text but also the hidden

meaning (Deep layer).

Ngam (2004:65) also points out clearly that the literary translator has the

“duty to make the target language reader feel the same emotions that the source

language reader felt. He also has the duty to make the target language reader

laugh where the source language reader laughed, and cry where the source

language reader cried.”

The three genres of literature which include drama, poetry and prose fall under

the category of literary translation and thus known as drama translation, poetic

translation and prose translation respectively as Steiner (2000) and Bassnett

(2008) uphold. These genres are works of imagination arising from man’s

capacityfor invention whose primary objective is to give pleasure and entertain

the audience.

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2.1.4 Types of Literary Translation

(a) Prose Translation

This is the translation of prose literary works. It is a translation of fictitious

stories of book length from the source language to the target language. This genre of

literature has some elements like characterisation, setting, diction, etc, and is always

beautified with figures of speech and other literary devices which must be considered

in translation. KazakoBa (2003:102-103) warns and advices that:

The translator should be very careful in reconstructing metaphors and epithets which require deep knowledge of source culture and greater creative efforts. . . .When we translate a piece of literary prose, we take into consideration its narrative type and do whatever is possible to reconcile the national traditions within this type. When those traditions coincide or do not differ greatly, it may be easy to follow the source text narrative. When the source tradition differs greatly from the target one, it is productive to pursue a middle course between the source and the target traditions in the target text.

(b) Poetry Translation

This is simply associated with translating poetry. The poetic language is greatly

different from others. The Swiss thinker, Max Picard in confirmation of the above

claim notes in Omine (2000:7) that “with ordinary language, human beings hear what

they are saying about people and things. With poetry, humans hear what the thing is

saying about itself.” In other words, language is intricately used in poems. In

translating poetry, therefore, the translator is faced with fathomless problems.

(c) Drama Translation

Drama, according to Oha, (2008) is a literary genre which is realised in

performance. It is designed for the theatre because characters are given roles which

they are to play on the stage. The translation of such a text is therefore known as

drama translation or in the words of Bassnett (2008), “theater translation”. A text is

24

translated in such a way that it achieves the same effect the work originally had but

with an audience from a different cultural background.

2.1.5 Problems of Translation

In translating a text, there is every tendency that the meaning is altered. The

very intention of the author is most times mistranslated. This problem is what

Sokolovsky (2010:288) confirms and notes that “one of the axioms in translation

theory is the fact that a translator always misses something, that translation lacks some

of the original.” Again, the text loses its taste because of the negative disposition of

the translator. All these happen because the translator is faced with numerous

problems’ These problems according to Nwadike (1997) Mahmoud (2010) and Mbah

(2011) include the following :

1. Cultural Problems: There is always a problem of identifying the accurate

words with which to substitute from the source language to the target language those

items which are not in the target language culture. Semantically, some constructions

like figures of speech and thought that are found in one language may be difficult if

not impossible in the other language. This may also be classified as the problems of

equivalence. Foreign text translation is always problematic due to cultural variations.

The translator is frequently confronted by some problems that cannot be handled

culturewise. According to Ngam (2004), this sets up a constant conflict between

‘freedom’ and ‘servitude’. Freedom which is the right of the translator to change

things for the good of the target text and the target text reader .Servitude on the other

hand, is the translator’s choice to remain faithful to the source text which according to

Ngam (2004: 77) “ retains most of the initial ideas, arrangement and vocabulary as the

source language author set them down.”

Another problem here is the concept of faux amis- (false friends) where words

or expressions have the same written form in two or more languages but have different

meanings. Munday (2009:188) confirms that it is “a word in a TL, which because of

similarities in form or pronunciation to a word in an SL leads language users to

believe that they have the same meaning.” Seeing such words or expressions may

confuse a translator who is not wary of the ‘trick’. Observe the examples below .

25

Eg. 17, English - The Okapi is sharp. Igbo- Okapi ahx na-aghq nkq

An English translator would gladly take Okapi to be the animal with a giraffe-like

feature, while the Igbo translator would see it as a popular brand of knife.

2 .Grammatical Problem: This has to do with the syntax and morphology of the

language. Eg. 18, The Igbo pronouns “Q /O” are “He/ She and it” in the English

language. In a single sentence translation therefore, which gender is being addressed ?

It is a problem for an English translator. In the French language also, words have

genders – feminine and masculine genders. For a French translator to domesticate a

concept that is not in his/her language, he/she faces the problem of giving such a

concept a gender.

3. Phonological Problem: These are problems that are related to sound prosodic

features and effects. In the translation of certain literary units like assonance and

alliteration in the Igbo language for instance, problems abound. The translator must be

able to provide equivalence in the target language.

4. Stylistic Problem: Style is part and parcel of meaning and effect. Every writer has

his own way of writing. The translator is faced with the challenge of the writers’ way

of writing. Here, the author may flood the source text with idioms, proverbs and other

figures of speech and thought. He may also have so many conversations in reported

speech. Handling such a text is problematic.

5. Psychological Problem: This problem is usually seen when belief is the issue, the

belief of the translator and that of the audience. The translator is faced with the

problem of being biased especially when what is to be translated offends his or her

belief.

2.2 Empirical Studies

In this section of the research work, we review the works of various

translators/authors which they have penciled down as they concern literary translation.

Also, the problems encountered during the translation and their effects on the target

26

audience were also explored. Many literary works have been translated but few

articles and writings that discussed the work and their effect on the target audience are

available. Attempts were made to gather and review the available research works.

The effects of mistranslation are enormous. On translating foreign texts to other

languages, the problems are enormous in the sense that the translator is faced with the

challenges of understanding the settings used by the authors. Emenyonu’s review of

the work earlier done on Charles Dicken’s Oliver Twist by Nnabuenyi Ugonna

(Nwadike 1997). The problem which captures Emenyonu’s attention as seen in

Nwadike (1997) was the caption of the book Akwxkwq Qgxgx Igbo nke aha ya bx

Oliver Twist .The blurb sees the novel as that which shows how the Igbo parents

maltreat children in the olden days. Obviously, it is not. Nwadike’s stand as also seen

in Wikipedia (2011) is that the novel is an unromantic portrayal of criminals, their

dirty lives and the maltreatment of orphans.

Nwadike (1997) also exposes Emenyonu’s metaphorical critic on Maduka’s ill

translation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Maduka retained the English title and

also all the foreign taste except the rendering of the text in the Igbo language. On this,

Nwadike (1997: 15) points out clearly that “we have not achieved anything in the

way of domesticating any literature irrespective of our couching it in our own

language.” He advised that “the principle of translation is that the piece to be

translated must conform and relate adequately to the expected distances and cultural

sensibilities of the target language.” Mokobia (2011) notes that cultural factors like

differences in cultural practices are partly responsible for improper translation.

Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard which was translated into German by

Walter Hilsbecher is not void of such a problem (Adeaga 2008). This novel written in

the “Yorubaenglish” as Adeaga (2008) posits, was said to be because of incomplete

western education of the author. Critics observe that this usage gives the novel the

local traditional flavour which would not be easy to be rendered into the western

culture. Adeaga (2008) also observes that the publishing house of the novel refused to

rewrite the English because it was it (the diction) that gave it the flair. The German

version of the text could not provide such a flavour because the German language will

distort the text narration. Also, Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Sozaboy: A Novel in Rotten English

27

which was also translated by a German translator Grotjahn Pape has a similar

problem. His translation could not give the taste which the original has because the

German language does not have the quasi-creolised version as it is with the English

language in Nigeria.

Another problem encountered by the translator is Saro-Wiwa’s idiomatic use of

language. The Niger Deltans cannot pronounce some letters like “n” and “j”. They

produce “l” for “n” and “y” for “j” instead. All these problems were difficult for

German translator to handle. It is as a result of all these that the German translator did

not succeed in his translation.

Wole Soyinka’s Death and King’s Horseman, according to Adeaga (2008), was

translated into the French language by Thierry Dubost. It was also translated into the

Yoruba language by Akinwumi Isola. Both of them have the French and the Yoruba

languages as their native languages which are a big plus in any translation exercise.

Despite this fact, problems were encountered. Soyoye and Banigo (2010) in their

analysis of these problems use two theories, one which is source text oriented and the

other which is target text oriented. By source text oriented, which is same with

Newmark’s semantic translation, they observe that their preoccupation was mainly on

the source text being very much protected in the translation. In the target text oriented

theory, same with Newmark’s communicative translation, the primary aim is to enable

adequate communication to take place across cultural barriers.

Using the source text oriented theory, the translator of the French translation La

mort et l’e@cuyer du roi encounteres two major problems : the information/message

item the source text carries and the language used by the author. The communicative

content of the Death and the Kings Horseman was based on the Yoruba society/world

view. This according to Soyoye and Banigo (2010), is also manifest in the characters

and the geographical location of the scenes which are mainly Yoruba influenced.

Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman has a lot of code-mixing. A lot of Yoruba

words are in English sentence structures. The problem of the French translator

therefore is the lack of linguistic structure that would correspond and capture the code

–mixing in Death and the King’s Horseman which is a problem for most of the

European languages. In his attempt to be faithful to the translation and the text, he

28

translated the English words and left the Yoruba words as they were in the original

text. The question now is: who and who are the target audience?

Using the second theory, the target oriented theory, Soyoye and Banigo (2010)

quarrel with the notions that the source text is a mere tool for the realisation of

communicative functions. Furthermore, they posit that the translator should focus

primarily on the message and not the text. They uphold that the source text contains

the culture, language and the message that the target audience expects and desires the

translation to grant them access to. In the Yoruba translation, the translator’s infidelity

to the author’s style of language use is glaring. He code-mixes where the author did

not code-mix in the original text. In conclusion, Soyoye and Banigo (2010) suggest

that the source text oriented theory is better if the target audience is the literary critic

and the target text oriented theory for the audience who are not specialised in literary

criticism.

Another literary work which we are to look at is The Second Sex, written by a

French author Simone de Beauvoir in the French language- Le Deuxieme Sexe, a

feminist literature. According to Wikipedia (2011),many commentators have shown

that the translation of the novel by H.M. Parshley in 1953 is poor because of the fact

that “ the delicate vocabulary of philosophical concepts is frequently mistranslated

and great sweats have been excised.”

Wikipedia (2011) also reveals that the author, Simone de Beauvoir in 1985

requests that another translation of The Second sex that would be complete and

faithful be done. This was done in 2009 by a team of translators. This

notwithstanding, a literary critic, Toril Moi, again criticized its style, syntax and

philosophical and syntactic integrity.

Ejizu (n.d.) on the problems of ill translation notes that the problem the Roman

Catholic Church had on arrival in Igbo land was because they relied majorly on the

services of local helpers. In their case, the full effect of the maxim “every translator is

a traitor” was realised to the letter as local assistance constantly betrayed their little

understanding of the instruction more in their poor translations. Wrongly translated

prayers, sacred hymns and catechetical materials from either of the English or the

Latin languages to the Igbo language were for a long time a common feature in

29

liturgical books in Igbo land. This problem of ill translated religious texts is also

evident on the Roman Missal which the Wikipedia (2011) says is the “liturgical book

that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of mass in the Roman Rite of the

Catholic Church.” Before the Second Vatican Council, the language of worship in the

Catholic Church was the Latin language. It was so sacred that any other language was

a ‘taboo’. The adverse effects of ill translated religious texts as Ejizu observes were so

negative that the Church authorities in the Second Vatican Council between 1965 -

1967 totally approved the use of vernaculars. This led to re-translation of the missal.

In the course of the translation especially to English, the Latin language lost a huge

chunk. Lately, the Church in 2001 stepped in for another re-translation to the English

language. This of course affected the Igbo language, an effect of colonialism. An

extraction from Paulines publication of the new translation in comparison with the old

translation goes thus:

Eg.19.

Latin version:

“Dominus Vobiscum - Et cum spiritu tuo”

Former English version:

“The Lord be with you - And also with you’

New English version:

“The Lord be with you – And with your spirit”

This recent translation to a great extent captures the omissions in the former

translation. One of the criticisms of this new translation (Johansen 2011) however, is

not majorly with the translation proper but can be summarised in Nida’s (1994)

assertion that the most complex translation is that of a religious text because of its

sociolinguistic complexity. This, according to him, is because of long history involved

in such translation, the strong emotional attachments to vocabulary and style, and the

political implications for deviating from traditions.

In translating Igbo songs into English, Nwaozuzu (2002) encountered among

others, the semantic and rhythmic (phonological) problems. She observes that the

translators should be abreast of the two cultures so as to make a meaningful

translation. Phonologically, she also observes that Igbo songs are characterized by

30

special rhythms and when the rhythms of English fail to fit in, it alters the original

meaning of the song.

It is worthy of note that in this chapter,we have reviewed some of the problems

of translators and what they encounter in their profession. Works done on this area

have not however exhausted. In all the problems touched, though there is no perfect

translation, translators are to put in their best so as to curb or at least reduce these

problems.

In concluding this chapter, we have to point out that the theory adopted in this

research work is the Nida’s Dynamic equivalence with the principles of Vinay and

Darbelnet which Munday (2001) says have a very wide impact. The principles are

very explicit and can easily tackle the translation problems.

31

CHAPTER THREE

THE TRANSLATION

3.1 THE SOURCE TEXT : The Bibliographic Information

The Text: Oliver Twist

Author: Charles Dickens

Publisher: Longman Group Ltd,

Printed with Permission by Peason Education

Limited

Year of Publication: 1966, 2010 Edition

Place of Publication: Malaysia

The source text is attached as appendix.

3.2 AKABXQGX

ND{NA

1) MBIDO NDX AKABXQGX

2) AKABXQGX ASAKWUO AKA QZQ

3) O BIDO QRX

4) AKABXQGX AGBAFUO

5) O TINYE ISI N’QN{CHA

6) OTIKPO NA ND{ OTU YA

7) AKABXQGX ABAA OTU ND{ OHI

8) Q HX XLQ KA MMA

9) Q LAKWURUKWA ND{ OHI AHX

10) AMXMA QHXRX

11) AKABXQGX NA QKPQKA

12) HA AGAA OHI QZQ

13) AKABXQGU ALAFEREKWA QZQ

14) XLQ QHXRX QZQ

15) IHE HA ATXWAGH{ ANYA

16) IKEM NA ONYE QB{A

32

17) NNEKA AMATA IHE NZUZO

18) NNEKA AGAA HX NKEM

19) AKABXQGX NA MZ. XNAMBA AHXKWA QZQ

20) NKA$TA @ NDEERI

21) E GBUO NNEKA

22) QKPQKA AGBALAGA

23) AKA AKPARA NNAJI

24) QNWX QKPQKA

25) AKXKQ AGWX

1

MBIDO NDX AKABXQGX

N’ime xlq niile e nwere d[ n’otu obodo, e nwere xlq ebe nd[ ogbenye na-

anq. Ha na-aga ebe ahx mgbe ha enwegh[ ego ma q bx ebe ha ga-ebi. A na-

akpq ya xlq qrx.

A mxrx Akabxqgx n’xlq ahx. Nne ya emebegh[ okenye nwaany[ tqgbq

n’akwa qr[a. Otu dib[a bekee na otu agadi nwaany[ kwx n’akxkx ya. Q r[qrq ha

ka ha kutere ya nwa ya ka q hx ya anya tupu q nwxq. Dib[a bekee ahx gwara

ya na o kwes[gh[ [d[ na-ekwu maka qnwx ugbu a. Agadi nwaany[ ahx s[r[ ya,

“Mba, nne, [ kabx nwata [nwx ugbu a”.

Agadi nwaany[ ahx hihiere isi, nara ya aka ya ka o ruo ebe nwatak[r[ ahx

nq. Dib[a bekee ahx kuru nwa ya, kunye ya n’aka. O bitxrx ya aka ya na-

achaz[ qcha nke qbara ad[gh[ were kubie.

Dib[a bekee ahx gwara ya bx agadi nwaany[ na q nwxqla. Agadi

nwaany[ ahx nwere mwute maka qnwx nwaany[ a, kupxta nwa o ku n’aka s[,

“ewuu, nwaany[ qma”. Ka Dib[a bekee ahx na-ekpupxta okpu ya, na-

agbanyekwaz[ akpxkpq aka ya, o kwuru s[, “Q bx nnqq nwata nwaany[ mara

mma.” Q jxrx ebe o si. Agadi nwaany[ ahx zara ya s[ na e butere ya ebe ahx

xnyaahx.

“O dina n’akxkx xzq. Q gara oke ije nke na akpxkpq xkwx ya

erichachaala. O nweghi onye ma ebe o si ma q bx ebe q na-aga.” Dibia

bekee ahx weliri aka ekpe nwaany[ a nwxrx anwx elu s[, “Otu akxkq ahx, o

33

nwegh[ mgba aka d[ ya n’aka! Q lxgh[ di. Ka chi fo!” Q lara, [ga ri nri anyas[.

Agadi nwaany[ ahx nqdxrx ala n’oche n’ihu qkx q mxnyere bido iyiwe

nwatak[r[ ahx a mxrx qhxrx akwa. O yiwere ya akwa ochie e yiwegoro

nwatak[r[ amxburula n’xlq qrx ahx mgbe gara aga – nwa enwe nne, enwe

nna, a mxpxtara n’xwa enwegh[ [hxnanya ma q bx obi ebere ebe q nq.

E mechara kpqga Akabxqgx n’xlq qzq ebe xmx ntak[r[ xwa na-atx n’qnx

d[ iri abxq ma q bx iri atq nq. Otu nne nwaany[ a na-akpq Ork. Udoka na-

elekqta ha anya, a na-enye ya obere ego iji lekqta xmx ntak[r[ a mana q nagh[

ewepxtacha ha niile. Nri xmx ntak[r[ a na-eri na-epe oke mpe nke na qtxtx

niime ha nwxrx n’ihi agxx. Akabxqgx anwxgh[ mana q na-acha hiori hiori,

takwaaz[ oke ahx. Agxx na-anyx ya [kpakwx mgbe q bxla.

Xbqch[ q gbara afq iteghete kpqm kwem, ya na xmx ntak[r[ xmx nwoke

abxq qzq jekwuru Ork. Udoka gwa ya na agxx ji ha. Ork. Udoka tipxrx ha

qkwxrx n’anya, kpqrq ha kpqchie n’ime xlq bx sq qch[ch[r[. Ka ha nq n’ime xlq

mkpqrq ahx, Mz. Ikem, bx onye qkwa ya gbalitere n’xlq qrx ahx b[ara [hx Ork.

Udoka. Ka q b[ara, q s[r[ Ork. Udoka na o nwere ihe ha ga-akpa, q s[ ya,

“Nwata ahx a na-akpq Akabxqgx d[ afq iteghete kpqm kwem taa, ka q

bxgh[ eziokwu?”

“Q bx eziokwu – ezigbo nwa ahx”. O weteere Mz. Ikem mmanya, na -

ekwu s[, “Xmx m niile bxcha ezigbo xmx ntak[r[.”

Mz. Ikem gwara ya na ha ahxbegh[kwa nna Akabxqgx nke o ji

enwekwanx ihe ha ma gbasara nne ya.

Ork. Udoka ajxq ya s[ “Kedu zi ka o siri nwete aha?” Mz. Ikem gwara ya

na q bx ya gxrx ya aha,

“G[, Mz. Ikem?”

“{ mara ihe ekwe na-akx”.

Obi tqrq Mz. Ikem xtq. Q n)uchapxrx mmanya ya, gwa Ork. Udoka s[,

“Ugbu a, ka any[ kqq n’ubi onye any[ b[ara; Akabxqgx etofeela [nq ebe a, any[

ekpebiela [kpqghachite ya azx n’xlq qrx. Ab[ala m [kpqga ya ebe ahx. Ya bx,

kpqpxtara m ya ozigbo,ma q bxrx na [ chqq?

“Aga m akpqta ya ozigbo”

34

Ork. Udoka si n’ime xlq ahx gbara qch[ch[r[ ebe q kpqchiri Akabxqgx

kpqpxta ya, kuru mmiri sachaa ya ihu na aka ozigbo ozigbo, kpqrq ya kpqgara

Mz. Ikem. Mz. Ikem jxrx Akabxqgx ma q ga-esokwa ya laa. Akabxqgx s[r[ ya

na q ga-eso ya laa ebe qbxla. Ozigbo ahx, q hxrx xd[ anya Ork. Udoka lere ya

ebe q kwx n’azx Mz. Ikem, were ire ya gxq eze ya qnx. Q jxrx Mz. Ikem s[,

“Ork. Udoka enwere ike iso any[?”

“Mba, q gagh[ eso mana q ga na-ab[a eleta g[ oge xfqdx”.

N’agbanyegh[ na q kabx nwata, Akabxqgx maara ihe nke qma iji

aghxghq mee ka nhapx q na-akwado [hapx Ork. Udoka na-ewute ya. O bidoro

ibe akwa n’ihi na ume ad[gh[zi ya, agxx anyxqla ya anya. Ork. Udoka makxrx

ya, nke kacha mkpa bx na q nyawanyere ya ach[cha ka agxx ghara [gx ya

nnukwu mgbe q ga-eru n’xlq qrx. Mz. Ikem kpqqrq ya pxq n’xlq ebe q nqqrqla

gbaa qtxtx afq na mbido ndx ya, ebe a nagh[ ele ya ezigbo anya nke o ji anx

okwu d[ mma na nt[ ya. Q kpqrq ya kpqchighaa azx ebe a mxrx ya.

2

AKABXQGX ASAKWUO AKA QZQ

Obi atqchagh[r[[ Akabuqgx xtq n’xlq qrx. Q na-arxzi qrx ugbu a nke mere

agxx jizi agx ya kar[a. Sqqsq ihe q na-eri ugboro atq n’xbqch[ q bxla bx ntak[r[

ofe. Ka e si esi ya bx ofe a bx site n’isi obere anx na qtxtx ihe nd[ qzq d[ iche

iche, were mmiri gbajuo ya. Q na-eri nri naan[ xbqch[ xka.

Xlq ebe a nq enye Akabxqgx na xmxaka ibe ya nri bx nnukwu xlq. Otu

nnukwu ite d[ n’otu akxkx n’isi aja. Oge e ji eri nri ruo, onye na-ekere ha nri

na-esi n’ime ite ahx ekunyere ha ihe oriri. Otu nwaany[ ma q bx xmx nwaany[

abxq nd[ odibo ahx na-enyere ya aka.

Sqqsq ihe a na-ekunyere xmx ntak[r[ a bx naan[ otu efere ofe. Xmx

ntak[r[ a na-eji ngaj[ ha rachachaa efere ha, q d[ ka a saala ha mmiri. Ha

richaa nri ha, sachaa efere ha, ha akwxlaa na-arq ite anya ka a ga-as[ na ha

ga-arachacha ofe d[ n’ime ya.

Akabxqgx na nd[ enyi ya r[ara oke agxx a qnwa atq. Agxx asxqla ha

akwx nke na obi ad[gh[z[ ha mma. Otu onye n’ime ha gwara ibe ya s[ na q

35

bxrx na-anagh[ enye ya efere ofe qzq kwa xbqch[, o nwere ike iri onye dina

ya n’akxkx otu abal[.

Agxx na iwe d[ ya na mkpxrx anya nke na nd[ otu ya kwenyere n’ihe o

kwuru. Ha gbara izu, hqpxta otu onye ka q gakwuru onye na-ekere ha nri ma

ha richaa nri abal[ gwa ya ka o tinyekwuoro ha nri. Onye ha hqpxtara bx

Akabxqgx. Ka mgbede ruru, xmx ntak[r[ a anqdxchaala ka ha si anq. Onye

na-eke nri nq n’akxkx ite, nd[ odibo kwxdebere ya, ha were na-eke ofe.

Ha richapxrx ya, gbaa izu n’etiti onwe ya, meere Akabxqgx aka. Nd[ nq

n’akxkx ya kpatxrx ya aka. N’agbanyegh[ na q bx nwata, agxx emeela ya q

waa anya nke mere ka obi sie ya ike.

O si na tebulu kulie kpara efere na ngaj[ ya gakwuru onye na-eke nri. Q

fqdxrx qbere ka xjq txq ya. Q s[ nwoke ahx,

“Biko nna any[, achqkwuru m qzq”.

Nwoke a na-eke nri buru ibu, ahx d[ ya nnqq mma mana q d[ nnukwu

qcha. O lere nwata a anya. Omume ya gbara ya ghar[[ nke ukwu. Q

gbakwaaz[r[ xmx odibo ahx ghar[[, xmx ntak[r[ ahx ji xjq gbachikwa nk[t[.

Nwoke ji olu dakpuru n’ime jxq ya,

“G[n[?”

Akabxqgx a s[ ya, “Biko nna any[, achqkwuru m qzq”

Nwoke were ngaj[ o ji kxq Akabxqgx, nwude ya n’aka, tie mkpu. Mz.

Ikem na nd[ qrx xfqdx gbabatara n’xlq ahx. Q gwara ha ihe Akabxqgx mere.

Ha etie,

“Q s[ ka e nyekwuo ya nke kar[r[ ihe o kwes[r[ iketa n’abal[ a?” Ihe a

ekwegh[ ha nghqta. Otu onye n’ime ha nqrq ebe q nq s[ na a ga-eji xdq

kwugbu ya. Ha kpxxrx Akabxqgx kpxpx, kpqchie ya n’xlq bx naan[ qch[ch[r[.

Ka chi foro, ha nyadoro akwxkwq n’ebe e si abata n’xlq qrx ahx. Ihe d[

n’akwxkwq ahx bx na a ga-akwx onye q bxla kpqqrq Akabxqgx puku na[ra iri

ise. Otu onye qrx nq ebe ahx kwukwara qzq s[ na a ga-ejir[r[ xdq kwugbuo

nwat[k[r[ a.

Akabxqgx nqrq n’xlq nga ahx oyi na-atx nnukwu otu izu xka. Xtxtx

qbxla, Maaz[ Ikem na-eji xtar[ p[apxta ya, q b[a zachas[a iro. Xbqch[ nd[ qzq, a

na-akpqpxta ya ebe xmx aka ibe ya na-eri nri, Mz. Ikem anqrq n’ihu onye

36

qbxla p[a ya xtar[. Q na-ebe akwa mgbe qbxla, xra anaghikwa aga ya n’anya

n’abal[.

O nwegh[ onye b[ara ka akwxq ya puku na[ra iri ise ka q kpqrq ya. Mz.

Ikem were kpebie [kpqga ya na mmiri ka o bido rxwa qrx n’xgbq mmiri. Otu

xbqch[, n’ihu xzq xlq qrx ahx, Mz. Ikem zuru Ahamba. Ahamba bx nwoke toro

ogologo d[ g[r[g[r[.O yi akwa ojii kara nka. Q na-arx akpati ozu. Qtxtx akpati

ozu nd[ q na-arx bx maka nd[ ahxgh[ txtxrx rachaa nwxrx n’ime xlq qrx.

Ahamba gwara Ikem na ya arxqla akpati ozu xmx nne nwaany[ abxq nwxrx

n’abali gara aga.

“Eji m n’aka na [ na-enwete ezigbo ego n’qrx a.”

“Q bx ihe i chere?”

“Qnx ego a na-ewepxta maka xlq qrx na-epe oke mgbe.”

Ahamba dapxrx n’qch[, ch[kata qch[ q fqdx obere ka ngxgx ya gbajie. Q

gwara Ikem s[,

“N’eziokwu, q bx nri nd[ mmadx na-eri n’xlq qrx na-eme ka akpati ozu

ha d[ wara wara ma pekwaa mpe. Mana osisi e ji arx ya na-ada qnx. Mgbe

xfqdx, nd[ buru ibu na-anwx ngwa ngwa. Q ga-eme ka m rxq nnukwu akpati

mana agagh[ m enweta ezigbo ego.”

“Mana cherekwa o, o nweghi onye [ maara na-achq nwata ya na ya ga-

ebi.? A ga-enye ya puku naira iri ise.” O welitere mkpara ya, rxq ya n’xzq ebe

a mapadoro akwxkwq e dere ya na ya.

Ahamba gwara ya na q bx ya ka q chqrq ka ya na ya kpaa. “Ana m

agbal[ ike m [nyere nd[ ogbenye aka, ya bx e chere m na m kwes[r[ [d[ na-

erite ihe n’aka ha. Q d[ ka m ga-akpqrq nwatak[r[ ahx.”

3

AKABXQGX EBIDO QRX

A kwadola ka Akabxqgx soro Ahamba laa gaa bido qrx. Mz. Ikem kpqrq

ya na mgbede ahx gaa n’qdx ah[a Ahamba. Akabxqgx malitere bewe akwa.

Obi ad[gh[ ya mma. O dokwara ya anya na onye q bxla kpqrq ya as[. Ahamba

emechiela ah[a, were mpanaka ejichagh[ ahx xzq nke qma na-ede ihe

n’akwxkwq.

37

“Mz. Ahamba, akpqtala m nwata ahx” Akabxqgx hulatara ala kelee ya.

“Q d[ mma, q bx nwatak[r[ a?”. O welitere qkx mpanaka ya elu iji hx ihu

Akabxqgu nke qma. Q kpqrq nwunye ya,

“Ork. Ahamba. Nne biko, [ ga-enwetx obere ohere pxta ebe a?”

Nne nwaany[ d[ mkpxmkpx, d[ t[n[ t[n[, ihu ya d[ ka ihu enwe si n’obere

xlq d[ n’azx pxta.

“Nne, lee nwatak[r[ ahx m gwara g[ maka ya ga-esi n’xlq qrx b[a”.

Akabuqgx hulatara qzq kelee ya. O kwere Akabxqgu ekele s[,

“Nwatak[r[ a pere oke mpe”. Ikem elee Akabxqgx anya s[kwuo na o pere

mpe n’eziokwu ka a ga-as[ na mpe o pere si ya n’aka. Q gwara Ork. Ahamba

na q pere mpe. “Q bx eziokwu mana q ga-eto...q ga-emechaa too”.

“Eee, ana m ele anya na q ga-eto,” Iwe d[ nwaany[ a n’obi.

“Q ga-eto, na nri na mmanya any[. {zx xmx aka a na-eri ego. Ngwa,

gbadaa n’ala qs[[sq, mpekere akpa qkpxkpx d[ ka g[”. O meghere xzq d[

n’akxkx, kwabaa Akabxogu n’xlq gbara qch[ch[r[ e jibu mere usekwu. Otu

nwatak[r[ nwaany[ tukwu ebe ahx; o yi akpxkpq xkwx na akwa kachara nka.

Ork. Ahamba as[ ya,

“Chinwe, were xmx mperimpe anx ahx e doweere nk[ta nyee nwata a

ebe q bx na nk[ta alqtabegh[ kemgbe xtxtx; q gagh[ erizi ha”.

Anya Akabxqgu mxkere ka o chere maka anx a. Ha nyere ya otu efere

nri nk[ta. O ripxrx ya n’otu ntabi anya. Ork. Ahamba nq elele ya; obi ad[gh[ ya

mma [hx ka Akabxqgx si jiri anya agxx eri nri ahx.

Q gwara Akabxqgx ka o sowe ya,

“Ngwa so m.”

O buru mpanaka ruru unyi buru xzq na-apx.

“A $kwa$ g[ d[ n’xlq ah[a. Eji m n’aka na [ gagh[ enye nsogbu [rahx ebe

akpati ozu d[cha. Ma q d[ g[ mma, ma q d[gh[ g[ mma apxtagh[ ihe q bxla

maka na o nwegh[ ebe qzq [ ga-arahx. B[awa qsq qsq, egbuzila m oge.”

Mgbe Akabxqgx nq n’ime xlq ahx naan[ ya, egwu jidere ya. O nwere

akpati ozu a ka na-arx arx d[ ebe ahx mere ka xjq jituo ya. Osisi a

38

kwxwachara n’aja yichara ya nd[ mmxq. Xlq ahx na-ekpo qkx nke na q d[ ka

ebe ahx a na-esi akpati ozu akpati ozu. A$kwa $ o dina d[ ka ili ozu.

Ebe ahx ka q nq naan[ ya; o nwegh[ enyi q bxla nke o ji enwe onye na-

eledo ya anya. Nke a na-ewute ya nke ukwu. Ka q na-akwado idina ala na

wara wara a$kwa$ ya, q d[ ya ka ya bxrx n’ime akpat[ ozu nke ya, ka q rahxrx

xra gawazie ebighi ebi. Ka chi foro n’xtxtx, q nxrx ka a kxsiri aka ike n’xzq. E

ji iwe kuzuo aka a ihe d[ ka ugboro iri abxq na ise.

“Meghee xzq ahx qsq qsq”

Akabxqgx nqqrq n’ime xlq za ya,

“Ana m ab[a ugbu a”, na-emepe xzq.

“Eji m n’aka na [ bx nwata qhxrx ahx, ka q bx na [ bxgh[?”

“Q bx m”

“Afq ole ka [ d[?”

“Afq iri”

“Ya bx, aga m eti g[ ihe ma m bata ebe ahx”

Akabxqgx meghere xzq. O nwegh[ onye q hxrx kar[a otu dimkpa nq

n’ihu xlq, o nwere obere anya na imi wara wara. Akabxqgx jxrx ya ma q kxrx

aka. Q s[ ya “Eee”

“{ chqrq [zx akpati ozu?”

“Eji m n’aka na [ magh[ onye m bx”

“Mba”

“Abx m Obigwe Nze, na nke m ka [ ga-anq na-arx qrx. Meghechaa

windo niile a qsq qsq, Onye ume ngwx d[ ka g[.” O tiiri Akabxqgx ihe banye

n’ime xlq.

Mz. na Ork. Ahamba gbadatara ozigbo ihe a mechara. Akabxqgx soro

Obigwe banye n’usekwu iri nri xtxtx. Chinwe gwara Obigwe ka q b[a nso

n’akxkx qkx, s[ ya:

“Esi m n’ime nri xtxtx nna any[ ukwu wepxtara g[ anx.” Q kpqrq

Akabxqgx,

39

“Mechie xzq ahx b[a buru ihe nd[ ahx m tinyeere g[. Lee akamx g[, were

ya gaa n’akpat[ ahx d[ ebe ahx. Mekwa ngwa ngwa maka na ha chqrq ka [

gaa ledo xlq ah[a anya.”

“ { na-anx?”

Obigwe gbqjara ya.

“{ na-anx, isi qkpxkpx?”

Chinwe gwara ya ka q kwxs[ [kpq ya aha ahx

“G[n[ mere i ji akpq ya isi qkpxkpx? Ahx ad[gh[ g[! { gagh[ ahapx nwa

mmadx aka?”

“{ si [hapx ya aka? Onye q bxla na-ahapx ya aka. Nne na nna hapxrx

ya aka tinyere nd[ be ya niile. Q bxgh[ eziokwu, Chinwe?” Chinwe dapxrx

n’qch[

“Cha[, qchq okwu d[ ka g[”

Obigwe dapxkwuru n’qch[, ha abxq elee Akabxqgx anya ebe q nq n’isi xlq

ebe kacha atx oyi, atara onwe ya ach[cha ochie kpqchara nkx.

Obigwe bx nwa ogbenye mana q nqgh[ n’xlq qrx. Q maara nne na nna

ya. Mama ya bx qsa akwa ebe nna ya bx onye agha n)xgburu chi ya na

mmanya. Xmx aka xmx nwoke nd[ qzq mesiri ya ike, ya ka obi ji d[ ya mma [

mesigwara Akabxqgx ike.

4

AKABXQGX AGBAFUO

Ka a bara qnwa qzq, Akabxqgx amxtala qrx nnukwu. O sozi nna ya

ukwu Ahamba aga qrx, na-enyekwaaz[r[ ya aka n’ebe a na-eli ozu mgbe a ga-

adonye ozu n’ala.

Akabxqgx chqpxtara na mgbe a na-eli ozu nd[ qgaranya, nd[ ezi na xlq

ha obi anagh[ ad[ mma mgbe nd[ ahx nq ndx na-enwe an)xr[ ma ha nwxchaa.

Xmx nwoke na-anq jxx ma nwunye ha nwxq. Xmx nwaany[ na-eyi akwa ojii

ma di ha nwxq mana ha na-achqs[ ka ha maa nnukwu mma n’ime akwa ahx.

Akabxqgx chqpxtakwara na nd[ na-ebegbu onwe ha n’akwa mgbe a na-eli

ozu na-enweta onwe ha ozigbo ebuputara nri.

40

N’oge a kwa, Obigwe Nze mekpara nnqq Akabxqgo nnukwu ahx. Maka

ihi otu a o si emekpa ya ahx, Chinwe sorokwa ya akpaso Akabxqgx agwa

qjqq. N’ihi na Mz. Ahamba na Akabxqgx d[ na mma, nwunye ya burukwuo

agha nke ya buso ya. Ebe mmadx atq a anagh[ ekwe ya n)xq mmiri tqgbq iko,

ahx afqgh[ Akabxqgx chaa chaa.

Otu xbqch[, Obigwe mesiri Akabxqgx ike. Q dqdoro ya na ntutu merxq

ya ahx na nt[ n’ihi na q chqrq ka Akabxqgx bee akwa. Q jxrx ya s[,

“Kedu ka mama g[ mere ?”

“Q nwxqla”

“{ gagh[ ekwu ihe qbxla gbasara ya?”

Ike gwxrx Akabxqgx mgbe q jxrx ya ajxjx a. Obi mapxrx ya. Obigwe ajxkwa

ya qzq.

“G[n[ gburu ya?, Anxmanx”

“A gwara m na q bx obi mgbawa. Obi ad[gh[zi ya mma [nq ndx gawa. E

chere m na m ma ihe q pxtara [nwx n’obi mgbawa”

“G[n[ mere i ji ebe akwa?” Obi tqrq Obigwe xtq ka q na-ele anya mmiri

na-apxta n’anya Akabxqgx.

“Ngwa, o zuola, ekwuzila ihe qbxla gbasara mama g[, emela isi ike. Any[ niile

na-emere g[ ebere, mana nne g[ abxgh[ ezigbo mmadx. { maara na q bxgh[

ezigbo mmadx!” Ihe a metxrx Akabxqgx n’ahx. Q jxq Obigwe,

“G[n[ ka i kwuru?”O were anya wxnye ya n’anya.

“As[ m na nne g[ bx ajq mmadx. Qnwxnwx q nwxrx magburu onwe ya.”

Iwe ji Akabxqgx nke na q kwapxrx oche na tebulu d[ ebe ahx tqchie Obiagba

aka n’akp[r[, kwaghar[a ya were kwatuo ya n’ala.

Ka q gatxrx qbere, Q d[ ka Akabxqgx nqrq jxx mana okwu qjqq a

metxtara nne ya na-agbaka ya isi. Obiagba tqgbq n’ala na-ebe;

“Q ga-egbukwanx m oo, Chinwe!, Ork Ahamba!. Akabxqgx na-ayikwanx

ara oo!”

Mkpu pxrx Chinwe n’qnx ka ya na Ork. Ahamba si n’ime xlq gbapxta na-

agbaba n’usekwu.

Chinwe jidere Akabxqgx bido iti ya ihe.

“Ajq nwa d[ ka g[”.

41

Ork. Ahamba jidere ya were mbq see ya eserese n’ihu. Obigwe ekulie

ebe q tqgbq si n’azx tie ya ihe. Mgbe ike gwxrx ha iti ya ihe, ha buuru ya

bubaa n’ime xlq bx sqqsq qch[ch[r[, kpqchibido ya ebe ahx. Ork. Ahamba gara

nqrq otu ebe bewe akwa.

“Any[ niile kaara [nwxchaala ebe any[ na-ehi xra” Ama m na nke a ga-

akxziri di m ka q kwxs[ [kpqta xmx ntak[r[ xmx nwoke n’xlq qrx.”

Chinwe s[r[ ya na a mxrx ha niile ka ha na-egbu qchx, na-ezu ohi.

“Cha[, q tqgbuchakwaala Obigwe”

Ork. Ahamba nwere mwute ebe Obiagba nq were jxq ya ihe ga-eme ebe

q bx na o nwegh[ nwoke nq n’xlq. Chinwe gwara ya ka q gaa kpqq nd[ uwe ojii

mana q s[ ya mba. Q gwara Obiagba ka q gbaa qsq gaa na nke Mz. Ikem gwa

ya ka q b[a n’xlq ozigbo ozigbo. Obiagba hxrx Mz. Ikem mgbe o ruru were

tiwe mkpu,

“Hei, Mz. Ikem, Akabxqgx, Akabxqgx ____!”

“G[n[? G[n[?” Ihu ya egosigh[ na ihe q nxrx na-emetxta ya

“Ama m na q gbapxbegh[, q gbapxla? Eee? Obiagba.”

“Q gbapxbegh[ kama, q lxsoro m qgx chqq igbu m. Q chqkwukwara

igbu Chinwe na Ork. Ahamba… Haai! Ahx niile na-afx m xfx.” Q meghar[r[

ahx ya ka a ga-as[ na ahx niile na- egbu ya mgbu n’ihi ihe Akabxqgx mere ya.

Mz. Ikem gxgxrx ya, gwa ya na q na-esochi ya n’azx ozigbo. O were

mkpara ya, soro Obigwe gawa n’xlq ah[a Mz. Ahamba ozigbo. Q gara n’xlq

ebe a kpqchiri Akabxqgx, sxlaa olu n’ime kpqq ya.

“Akabxqgx!”

Akabxqgx anqrq ebe q nq tie,

“Kpqghere m xzq”

“{ ma onye nwe olu a?”

“Eee”

“Q pxtara na [ nagh[ atx ya egwu? Egwu anagh[ atx g[ ma m na-ekwu

okwu?”

“Mba”

42

Olu Akabxqgx gosiri na obi kara ya. Ihe a gbagwojuru Ikem anya n’ihi

na qs[sa q na-enweta abxgh[ ihe q txwara anya ya. Q kwxchighara azx n’qnx

xzq, txghar[a lee nd[ kwx ya n’azx anya.

Ork. Ahamba gwara ya na q ma na q bx ara ka nwa ahx na-aw[. “Q

nwegh[ nwata anya d[ mma ga-esi otu ahx gwa g[ okwu” Ikem gbachitxrx nk[t[

obere s[ ya,

“Q nagh[ aghq ara, nsogbu ya bx – anx!”

“G[n[?”

Ikem agwakwa ya qzq na q bx anx. “I jirila anx nyejuo ya afq. Q bxrx ihe

[ na-enye ya sqqsq ofe otu any[ si enye ya n’xlq qrx, q gagh[ ad[ otu a.”

“Qbxkwanx obi qma m.”

Mz. Ikem gwara ya ka ha hapxkwuo ya n’ebe ahx otu xbqch[ ma q bx

xbqch[ abxq, ma gharakwa inye ya ihe q bxla kar[a ofe. Ezi na xlq o si pxta

jqgburu onwe ya.

Ka ha kpx okwu n’qnx, Mz. Ahamba batara. Ha kqqrq ya ihe Akabxqgx

mere. O meghere xzq, dqgbxpxta Akabxqgx. Akwa ya dqkachara adqka, ihu

ya kawachaa akawa, iwe jupxtakwara ya obi.

“Ugbu a, [ bx ezigbo nwa? Eh?” Ka q na-ajx ya ka q na-ama ya xra na

nt[.

Akabxqgx gwara ya na Obiagba kpar[r[ nne ya mana nke ahx abxgh[ ihe

nwunye Ahamba chqrq [nx. Q nq ebe q nq nyxnyxpx okwu.

“G[n[ were mee? Nne g[ kwes[r[ ka a gwa ya xd[ okwu ahx ma kwukwaar[

nke ka njq”. Akabxqgx nara okwu n’qnx,

“Q bxgh[ eziokwu”

“Q bx eziokwu”

“Q bx as[”

Nwunye Ahamba dapxrx bewe akwa. Di ya chqburu imere Akabxqgx

ebere mana mgbe nwunye ya bidoro bewe akwa, o tiwere Akabxqgx ihe qzq,

tikachaa ya ahx, kpqchie ya n’ime xlq. Ka chi jiri, a gwara ya ka q gaa d[na ala

n’a$kwa$ ya d[ n’xlq ah[a. Ka naan[ ya nq n’ime xlq, o bidoro bewe akwa. O

gburu ikpere n’ala, were aka kpuchie ihu were bee akwa ar[r[.

43

Q nqtere otu ahx aka n’emeghar[gh[ ahx. Qkx q mxnyere na-anyxz[

anyx. O meghere xzq, lepx anya n’iro. Oyi d[ ma qch[ch[r[ gbakwaaz[r[

nnukwu. O mechiri xzq, ch[kqrq akwa ya niile kechie n’obere akwa, nqrq ala

na-eche ka chi fo. Ka chi na-eme ka q na-efotx, o kuliri meghee qnx xzq. Q

leghar[r[ anya n’xjq, mechie xzq, m[px.

5

O TINYE ISI N’ QN{CHA

Akabxqgx lere anya aka nri na aka ekpe, q magh[ ebe q ga-agawa aga.

Q chetere na ya na-ahx nd[ qkwa baro ma ha na-apx na-agbago ugwu. O

tinyere isi n’xzq ahx.

Xzq a gara n’ihu xlq Ork. Udoka. Obi bidoro kxwa ya akx mgbe q hxrx

ya mana q chqgh[ i chigha azx na-agbanyegh[ na chi ka bx xtxtx [txwa egwu

maka [hx ya.

O ruru n’xlq ahx, ebe niile dara jii. Q kwxs[r[ lee anya n’ugbo d[ ebe ahx.

Qbere nwata nwoke nq ebe ahx arx qrx. Q bx otu n’ime xmx aka nq n’xlq qrx

ma bxrxkwaaz[ enyi Akabxqgx. Afq juru Akabxqgx mgbe q hxrx ya. E tikqqla

ha ihe ma kpqchikqq ha qnx ugboro kwuru ugboro. Ka nwata ahx ji qsq ab[a

n’xzq, Akabxqgx gwara ya ka o mee ngwa ngwa. Q jxrx ya ma q nwere onye

nq ya, ma nwata ahx s[ ya mba, Akabxqgx as[ ya,

“Agwakwala onye qbxla na [ hxrx m Obinna. Ana m agbafu agbafu. Ha

etigbuola m etigbuo, mee m ihe qjqq d[ iche iche. Ana m apx apx. Ahx ad[gh[

g[ mma, Obinna!”

Obinna jiri ihu qch[ jisi ike pxta s[ ya na ya nxrx mgbe nd[ dqk[ta na-agwa

ha na ya bx Obinna na-anwx anwx.

“Obi d[ m xtq [hx g[ Akabxqgx mana akwxs[kwala, akwxs[kwala.”

“Q d[ mma, aga m ab[a qzq [hx g[ Obinna, ama m na m ga-ahx g[ qzq, [

ga-ad[ mma, [ nxla?”

“Eji m n’aka, mana q ga-abx mgbe m nwxrx, q bxgh[ tupu m nwxq. Ama

m na ihe dqk[ta kwuru ga-abxr[r[ eziokwu Akabxqgx maka ana m arqta

eluigwe na nd[ ihu ha gbasapxrx nke qma na nrq mana ahxtxbegh[ m ha ma

44

m mxrx anya. Makxqnx m” Q r[gotere n’elu obere xzq d[ ebe ahx makxq

Akabxqgx s[ ya,

“Ije qma! Chukwu gqzie g[!”

Nke a bx izizi mmadx d[ ndx na-ar[q Chineke ka q gqzie Akabxqgx. N’ime

nsogbu niile na ihe niile q gabigara na ndx, o chefugh[ qfq qma a Obinna

gqqrq ya.

Akabxqgx gbara na-aga, ch[r[ uche n’aka na e nwere ike [ chxwa ya

nwude ya. Q nqdxrx ala n’okwute d[ n’akxkx xzq bido iche echiche ebe q

kwes[r[ [ga na ka q ga-esi bi ndx.

Okwute q nq n’elu ya bu a@ka$ra$ gosiri na q fqrq mailx iri asaa ka o ruo

Qn[cha. Qn[cha! Oke Obodo ahx na-ewu ewu ! O nwegh[ onye ga-ahx ya na

ya q bxlad[ Mz. Ikem. O kuliri, Kedx ka q ga-esi rue ebe ahx? O ji otu ibe

ach[cha, otu efe obi merela ochie na uwe akpxkpq xkwx abxq.E kechiri ihe nd[

a niile n’akwa tinyekwara naira iri abxq o ji. O chere n’obi ya na ihe nd[ a

aghagh[ [nyere ya aka [ga mailx iri asaa n’qkqch[.

Q gara mailx iri abxq xbqch[ ahx. O nwegh[ ihe oriri bere sq ach[cha ahx

o ji na mmiri q r[qtara nd[ mmadx be ha. Mgbe chi jiri, q rahxrx xra na mbara.

Xjq txrx ya na mbx, oyi na agxx jikwu ya. Ikuku na-ekusikwaaz[ ike mana

maka ihi ike gwxrx ya, xra buru ya, o chefuo nsogbu ya niile.

Ka chi foro, oyi na agxx nyxrx ya anya nke na o ji obere ego o ji n’aka

zxrx ach[cha. Q gaala ihe ruru mailx iri na abxq mgbe chi jibidoro ya qzq.

Abal[ nke abxq, oyi txrx ya mere ka q ka njq. Q merxchara ahx n’xkwx, [ga ije

bxxrx ya nsogbu. Ka xbqch[ na-aga, ike na-agwxwanye ya. Otu nwoke nyere

ya ach[cha tinyere otu agadi nwaany[ nyekwaaz[r[ ya nri ma gwakwaaz[ ya

okwu nkasi obi. E wepx ihe nd[ a niile, nsogbu Akabxqgx kaara ibi ka nke nne

ya; q kaara [da, nwxq n’xzq.

N’xtxtx xbqch[ nke asaa, Akabxqgx ji nwayqq banye n’obere obodo –

Xmxokwe, d[ nso n’Qn[cha. Anwx na-achawapxta; nd[ mmadx anqkebegh[

n’okporo xzq. Akabxqgx nqdxrx ala n’otu qnx xzq. Uzuzu juru ya ahx niile,

qbara d[cha ya n’xkwx. Nd[ mmadx bidoro [gafe. Xfqdx n’ime ha kwxs[txrx lee

Akabxqgx anya mana o nwegh[ onye txpxxrx ya qnx. Q hxrx otu nwata

nwoke na-ele ya anya. Nwata ahx b[akwutere ya jxq ya,

45

“Nnaa, q bx g[n[ bx nsogbu?”

A machagh[ ka nwata a d[ ad[: o ruru oke unyi, sxq mkpx mkpx, anya ya

d[ ka nke nkakwx. Ya na Akabxqgx nwere ike [bx qgbq mana q d[ nnqq ka

dimkpa mmadx. O yi akwa okenye na-eru ya n’xkwx na okpu nna mmadx d[

ka q ga-esi n’isi ya dapx. Q jxrx Akabxqgx ihe na-eme ya.

“Agxx ji m tinyekwara ike qgwxgwx, esi m ebe tere aka. Ana m aga ije

kamgbe abal[ asaa, ” O bidoro ibe akwa.

“Abal[ asaa cha! Q d[ mma, nri ka ahx g[ chqrq, [ ga-enwete ya. Ejigh[ m

nnukwu ego ebe a mana m ga-akwxrx g[ xgwq. Kulie!”

O nyeere ya aka kulite ya, kpqrq ya gaa n’xlq ebe a na-ere nri, zxnye ya

nri na mmiri. Akabxqgx na enyi qhxrx ya riri nnqq nri ahx d[ mma.

“{ s[ na [ na-aga Qn[cha?”

Akabxqgx as[ ya “eee”

“O nwere ebe i nwere [ ga-anq?”

“Mba”

“Maka ego?”

Akabxqgx as[ ya mba, jxq ya ma o bi n’Qn[cha. Q za ya,

“Eee, mgbe m nq n’xlq. Ama m na [ na-achq ebe [ ga-arahx n’abali a, ka

q bx na [ chqgh[?

“Achqrq m ya n’eziokwu; o teela aka m rahxdewere n’xlq” Nwata nwoke

ahx s[ ya,

“ Echegbula onwe g[ maka nke a, aga m anq n’Qn[cha n’abali a, ama m

otu agad[ nwoke ga-enye g[ ebe [ ga-arahx n’abali a. Mx na ya ma nke qma”

Akabxqgx chqpxtara na aha nwata ahx bx Ikenna. Ikenna jxrx na qgagh[

aba Qn[cha tupu chi ejie. Q fqdxrx ntak[r[ ihe ka q kxq elekere iri na otu tupu

ha eruo. Q gasiwere ike ma Akabxqgx nakwa achxso ya, ha banyere n’ime

ogbe ruru oke unyi. Ebe niile na-esi isi, nd[ mmanya na-egbu, ma xmx nwoke

ma xmx nwaany[ jupxtara ebe niile.

Akagxqgx bidoro chewe na o kwes[r[ [gbachigha azx mgbe Ikenna

gxdoro ya n’ike, kwaghere xzq, ha abxq banye n’ime xlq. Qch[ch[r[ gbara

mana Akabxqgx hxrx otu nwoke si n’akxkx enyopxta anya, s[ ha,

“Unu d[ abxq, onye bx onye nke qzq?”

46

“Q bx enyi m metere qhxrx” Q na-aza ya na-adqkpxpxta Akabxqgx, q

jxrx nwoke ahx ma Otikpo anq ya,

“Q nq ya mana q na-asx akwa. Gaa hx ya”

Ikenna jidere Akabxqgx n’aka, ha ji qch[ch[r[ gawa ebe Otikpo nq. Q

kwaghere xzq otu qnx xlq, kpqbata Akabxqgx na ya. Ahx aja xlq ahx na-ejizi

oji n’ihi na o meela ochie tinyekwara unyi o ruru. Otu tebulu d[ n’ihu qkx. Otu

mpanaka d[ n’elu ya, otu ogbe ach[cha, iko mmiri abxq ma q bx atq. Ite anx

d[kwuaz[ n’qkx.

Otu agad[ nwoke kwx n’akxkx qkx. Aha ya bx Otikpo. Akwa o yi ruru oke

unyi, ihu ya gosiri na q bxgh[ ezigbo mmadx. Uche ya ad[gh[ otu ebe, q gaa

ebe anx ya d[, q gaa n’xlq ebe q gbasara akwa. Akwa ghasachara aghasa

tqgbqcha n’ala ebe ahx. Xmx ntak[r[ anq ma q bx atq gbara tebulu ahx okirikiri

na-an)x igbo. Ha gbara Ikenna okirikiri mgbe q na-agbanyere Otikpo izu. Ha na

agadi nwoke ahx txghar[r[ lee Akabxqgx anya, ch[tx obere qch[.

Ikenna agwa Otikpo s[,

“ Q bx nwata ahx d[ ihe a, Akabxqgx.”

Agad[ nwoke ahx ch[txrx obere qch[, kelee ya. O jidere Akabxqgx n’aka

s[ na ya ma na enyi ha abxq ga-eweta ihe qma. Xmx ntak[r[ xmx nwoke ahx

jicha anwxrx ha na-ese b[a kwesie Akabxqgx n’aka ike, q kachas[ n’aka ebe o

ji jide akwa o ji eficha ihu. Otu onye n’ime ha d[ njikere [nara ya okpu ya kosa,

onye nke qzq manyere aka n’akpa ya, ch[pxtachaa ihe nd[ d[ n’ime ya ka q d[r[

ya mfe mgbe q ga-ehi xra. Otikpo gwara ya na obi d[ ha xtq [hx ya. Ka

Akabxqgx na-ekiri akwa ghasa n’ala ebe ahx, q s[ ya,

“O!, { na-ele akwa nd[ ahx ghasa ebe ahx. Any[ ch[tara ha ka a sxq ha

mmiri. Ha ha ha!”

Xmx ntak[r[ xmx nwoke ahx ch[wara qch[ mgbe o kwuru ya. Ha bidoro

riwe nri anyas[. Akabxqgx soro ha rie, ka ha richara, ha nyere ya ute, q

tqgbqrq ozigbo rahx.

47

6

OTIKPO NA ND{ OTU YA

Akabxqgx ekulitegh[ n’xra n’oge ka chi foro; q nwegh[ onye nq n’ime xlq,

bere sq Otikpo, na-eme akamx ha ga-an )x n’xtxtx ahx. Ka q mechara, q

txghar[r[, kpqq Akabxqgx mana q ka na-akwado [teta n’xra, ya bx, q zagh[ ya

oku. Otikpo chere na q kanq na nnukwu xra were kpqchie xzq, kpxghaa

akpati osisi d[ ebe e gwuru ala na nzuzo. O bukwasara akpati ahx n’elu

tebulu. Q nqdxrx ala wepxta elekere mgbanaka na ihe olu d[ iche iche e ji ola

edo were kpxq. Obi tqrq ya xtq,

“Cha[, nd[ nke m, uche ha na-ad[ n’ihe ha na-eme mgbe q bxla. Ha

anagh[ ekwu ihe q bxla gbasara Otikpo. Maka gin[ kwanx ka ha ga-eji kwu? Q

karagh[ [ me ka aghara igbu ha. O tighachiri elekere mgbanaku ahx,

wepxtakwa isii qzq. O kirichara ha niile. E nwechakwara mgba aka na ihe olu

d[cha n’ime igbe ahx. Q gwara onwe ya s[,

“Igbu mmadx amakakwanx, nd[ nwxrx anwx enwegh[ ike inwe ihe

mwute q bxla. Nd[ nwxrx anwx anagh[ akq akxkq. Ehee, q d[ mma n’qrx any[

a. Ha aghqqla nd[ nwxrx anwx, q nwegh[kwa onye n’ime ha ga-akq akxkq

gbasara ihe mgba aka na ihe olu nd[ a.”

Ka q kakpx okwu n’qnx, anya ya gara ebe Akabxqgx nq. Akabxqgx were

anya wudo ya n’anya. Otikpo mara na Akabxqgx hxrx ihe q na-eme. O

mechiri igbe ahx qs[[sq, m[r[ mma e ji awa ach[cha d[ n’elu tebulu gawa ebe

Akabxqgx nq.

“G[n[ mere i ji mxrx anya? G[n[ ka [ hxgas[r[, kwuo okwu ngwa ngwa tupu

m sxgbuo g[!”

“Xra ekwezigh[ atx m, gbaghara m ma q bxrx na m nyere g[ nsogbu.

Ugbu a ka m na-etete n’xra” Nwoke ahx jxrx ya ma q hxrx xmx qmar[cha ihe

ahx o wepxtachara. Akabxqgx zara ya,

“Eee”

“Q d[ mma!” O weturu mma ya, s[ ya

“Ha niile bxcha nke m, Akabxqgx. Ihe m ga-eji lee onwe m nka.”

Ka ha na-akpar[ta, Ikenna kpq otu nwata nwoke aha ya bx Umekwe

bata. Otikpo jxrx ha,

48

“Eji m n’aka na unu nq n’qrx n’xtxtx a”

“Ikenna na Umekwe zara ya n’qrx siri ike.

“Q d[ mma, xmx qma, kedu ihe unu wetere, Ikenna? Ikenna zara ya,

“Akpa ego abxq” O buru akpa ahx bunye Otikpo. Otikpo etie,

“Q d[gh[kwa arx ka ha si buo ibu mana q mara qrx ya, ka q bx na q bxgh[

ya Akabxqgx?”

Akabxqgx zara ya na q mara nnqq qrx ya nke qma. Umekwe dapxrx

n’qch[ nke txrx Akabxqgx n’anya n’ihi na q hxgh[ ihe tqrq ya qch[.

Otikpo jxrx Umekwe “Kedx kwanx ihe i wetere?

“Akwa” Q ch[pxtara akwa atq

“Ha d[ mma mana [ hxbagh[ ha ama nke qma Umekwe. A ga-akxziri

Akabxqgx ka q ga-esi mee ya. Akabxqgx, qbxkwa ya?” Q dapxrx n’qch[

“Nna any[, nsogbu ad[gh[.”

“Q ga-amas[ g[ [ kp[tanwu akwa d[ ka Umekwe si eme ya. { nxla?”

“Eee! nna any[, ma q bxrx na [ ga-akxziri m”

Umekwe dapxkwara n’qch[ qzq

Ka ha richara nri xtxtx, Otikpo na xmx aka ahx bidoro igwu egwu gbara

Akabxqgx ghar[[. Nwoke a were otu mgba aka tinye n’otu akpa akwa ya, were

otu ngwungwu ego tinye na nke qzq, werekwa ihe olu na akwa e ji eficha ihu

tinye n’akpa efe obi ya. O ji osisi na-agaghar[ n’ime xlq ebe ahx ka nd[ okenye

si aga n’xzq. Q gatx ntak[r[,q mara xma kwxs[, leghar[a anya n’qdx ah[a,

leghar[kwa anya mara ma nd[ ohi a na-eso ya. Q na ebitx akpa akwa ya aka

mgbe q bxla ka q mara ma o nwere ihe ya na-efu efu. Q mekatara ihe a nke

na Akabxqgx ji qch[ emeruzi onwe ya ahx.

Mgbe nwoke a na-eme ihe nd[ a, xmx ntak[r[ ahx na-eso ya nwayqq

nwayqq. Mgbe q ga- atxghar[ lee anya n’azx, ha ezoo. N’ikpeazx, Ikenna

zqdoro ya xkwx ebe Umekwe si n’azx kwaa ya aka. Ka nke a na-eme, ha

manyere aka n’akpa ya ch[kqrq ihe niile d[ na ya. Nwoke a bitxrx akpa ya aka,

bee, tie mkpu. Ha mere ihe a ugboro kwuru ugboro.

Ka ha gwukatara egwu a, xmx agbqghq abxq batara [hx Otikpo. Otu

n’ime ha bx Qlamma; nke qzq bx Nneka. Ihe ha tere n’ihu na-egbu vam vam,

49

akparamagwa ha d[txkwa mma. Akabxqgx chere na ha bx ezigbo mmadx. Ha

so Xwakwe na Ikenna pxq.

Otikpo gwara Akabxqgx s[,

“Ha apxqla nke taata,” Q jxrx ya na ahx qd[kwa ha mma. Akabxqgx jxrx

ya ma ha arxchaala qrx ha nwere [rx xbqch[ ahx.

“Eee, sqqsq ma q nwere qrx qzq ha hxrx n’xzq. Mee ihe ha na-eme, otu

xbqch[ ha ga-abx nnukwu mmadx. Ha nwekwara ike nyere g[ aka otu xbqch[, i

soro ha bxrx nnukwu mmadx.” Q jxrx Akabxqgx ma akwa o ji eficha ihu ana-

apxta apxta?

‘‘Eee”

“Mara ma [ ga-ewepxtanwu ya mgbe mx amagh[ d[ ka ha si mee

n’xtxtx.”

Akabxqgx ji otu aka tudo mkpqchi akwa uwe ya ka o si hx ha mgbe ha na-

egwu egwu n’xtxtx, jiri otu aka zepxta akwa nhicha ahx. Otikpo jxrx ya ma o ji

ya?

“Lee ya ebe a” O gosiri ya akwa ahx.

“Nwa m, [ d[ egwu, jiri ego a machie akpa. I mere otu a gawa n’ihu, [ ga-

abx nnukwu mmadx n’egbugbi oge qbxla. Ngwa b[a ka m gosi g[ ka e si

ewepx akara a na-ad[ n’akwa a”

Akabxqgx aghqtagh[ ka xd[r[ ihe a ga-esi mee ya ka q bxrx ezigbo

mmadx mana q kabx nwata, o chere na ebe Otikpo bx okenye, q ga- aka

mara ka q ga-esi mee.

7.

AKABXQGX ABAA OTU ND{ OHI

Kwa xbqch[, Akabxqgx na-anq n’ime xlq Otikpo na-ewepx akara d[ n’

akwa nhicha. Mgbe xfqdx kwa, o gwutx egwu ahx a kxziiri ya. Q mechara

chqq ka q na-apx apx na-eleghar[ anya wee r[q Otikpo ka o soro Ikenna na

Umekwe pxwa.

Otu xtxtx, Otikpo hapxrx ya ka o soro Ikenna na Umekwe pxq. Ha atq

pxrx, jiri nwayqq na-aga. Akabxqgx na-atxghar[ n’uche ya ma q bxzikwa ihe a

kara ka a na eme. N’otu ntabi anya, Ikenna kwxs[r[, were aka gwa nd[ otu ya

50

ka ha mechie qnx, dqchighaa ha azx. Akabxqgx jxrx ya ihe na-eme. Q gwara

ya ka o mechie qnx, jxq ya ma q hxrx agad[ nwoke ahx nq n’qdx ebe a na-ere

akwxkwq.

“Eee, ahxrx m ya”

Umekwe nq ebe q nq tie,

“ Nke a dabara”

Akabxqgx leere ha anya na mgbagwoju anya. Ikenna na Umekwe gafere

n’xzq ebe nwoke ahx nq kwxrx ya n’azx. Akabxqgx so ha n’azx, q magh[ ihe

q d[ ya ka ya mewe emewe.

Isi awq juru nwoke ahx n’isi, o kpukwa nnukwu ugegbe anya e ji qla edo

kpxq. O yi akwa na-acha mmee mmee jirikwa mkpa. O wetere akwxkwq d[

n’ebe a na-ere akwxkwq saghee, uche ya niile d[ ebe ahx.

Ihe gbara Akabxqgx ghar[[ bx ka Ikenna si manye nwoke a aka n’akpa

ch[r[ akwa nhicha ya. O were ya nye Umekwe ozigbo, ha abxq ejiri qsq

gbafuo. Mgbe ahx ka Akabxqgx jiri ghqta ebe mgba aka, ihe olu na akwa

nhicha a si ab[a tinyekwara ihe kpatara ha ji egwu xd[r[ egwu ahx ha na-egwu.

Q kwx otu ebe, xjq jidere ya, mgbe ahx ka o ji gbapxkwuo qsq nke ya.

Ozigbo ahx ka nwoke ahx tinyere aka chqq akwa ya ma q hxgh[ ya. Q

txghar[r[ hx Akabxqgx ka q na-agba qsq were chee na o ji akwa ya. Q

chxwara ya ozigbo.

“Q bxkwa onye ohi o!”

Onye q bxla nq n’okporo xzq so ya chxwa Akabxqgx. Mgbe Ikenna na

Umekwe nq ebe ha nq hx ihe na-eme, ha sokwara chxwa Akabxqgx.

“Nwude ya oo, onye ohi o!”

Otu onye kxrx Akabxqgx ihe, q wee daa n’ala, etum ejx ya ahx niile.

Qbara jxkwara ya n’ahx. Mgbe ahx, nd[ mmadx ejula. Ha jxrx nwoke ahx ma

q bx nwata ahx nyxrx ihe na-esi.

“Q bx ya, cha[, o merxqla ahx”

Otu onye uwe ojii si n’etiti igwe mmadx pxta, tqchie Akabxqgx n’olu,

“kulie ebe a qs[[sq”

“Q bxgh[ m oo, q bx xmx aka xmx nwoke abxq qzq, ha nq nso ebe a”

“Mba, ha anqgh[ ebe a”

51

Ihe onye uwe ojii ahx kwuru bx eziokwu n’ihi na Ikenna na Umekwe

agbafuola. Agadi nwoke ahx e zuru ohi r[qrq onye uwe ojii ka q ghara [ merx

ya ahx mgbe q na-agwa ya ka o bilie. Onye uwe ojii bidoro [dqkpxlite

Akabxqgx n’ike, kpxrx ya wuru wuru na-aga n’xzq. Ozigbo ahx, otu nwoke yi

akwa kachara nka b[akwutere ha.

“Chere! Akpxpxla ya, Chere!”

Onye uwe ojii ahx jxrx ya,

“G[n[ kwanx ka a ga-akpq nke a? Onye ka [ bx?”

Nwoke ahx gwara ya na q bx ya nwe qdx akwxkwq ahx.

“Ahxrx m ihe merenx. Ha d[ xmx ntak[r[ xmx nwoke atq ma q bx atq nd[

qzq na onye nke a. Mz. Xnamba na-agx akwxkwq mgbe otu onye n’ime ha

b[ara miri akwa ya. Aka nwata a d[ qcha, ka o si kwxrx gosiri na ihe ha mere

riri ya qnx”

Onye uwe ojii ahx hapxrx Akabxqgx n’olu q tqdoro ya. Akabxqgx

enwetegh[ onwe ya; q daa n’ala. Onye lere ya anya n’ihu ga- ama na q hxrx

ihe.

Ihe a wutere Mz. Unamba nke ukwuu. Q chqtara nd[ nyere ya aka, chqta

xgbq ala. E kubara Akabxqgu n’ime ya. Mz. Xnamba bara nqrq n’akxkx ya.

Ha nupuru ije were kwxs[ n’otu xlq mara mma n’ime Qnicha ebe jxrx oyi. A

kpqbara Akabxqgx na ya, doziere ya akwa ebe ahx.

Mgbe Ikenna na Umekwe laruru, Otikpo nqzi na-eche ha eche. O jiri iwe

jxq ha ebe Akabxqgx nq,

“Ebee ka q nq?”

Ha lere Otikpo anya, lekwaazi onwe ha anya n’ekwugh[ okwu qbxla.

Otikpo tqchiri Ikenna aka n’olu.

“G[n[ mere nwata ahx?; Kwuo ihe mere ya ugbu a ma q bx [ nwxnyxq

anya.

“Onye uwe ojii kpxxrx ya. Hapx m aka!”

O si n’aka ya dqgara onwe ya, m[a mma tqgbq n’elu tebulu. Otikpo

txtxxrx iko tqgbq n’ala txq Ikenna n’isi mana o zere ya. Q fqdxrx ntak[r[ ka q

txta otu nwoke na-abata n’xlq ahx mgbe ahx.

“Onye txrx m ihe a?”

52

Nwoke a bx onye otu ha siri ike nke ukwuu nwere ike [ d[ afq iri atq na

ise. O yi akwa ruru unyi. Anya ya na-eke kpqq. Aha ya bx Qkpqka. Otu nk[ta

qcha, qnya juru ahx niile so ya bata n’ime xlq.

“Otikpo, g[n[ ka [ na-eme xmx aka a? Q txrx m n’anya na ha egbufubegh[

g[.”

“Mechie qnx Qkpqka, ekwusizila okwu ike. Q d[ ka iwe ad[ g[ n’obi taata.”

“O nwere ike, Otikpo kunye m mmiri ka m n)xq.

Ka Qkpqka na-an)x mmiri. Ikenna kqqrq ha maka Akabxqgx na otu e si

nwude ya. Xjq jidere Otikpo na Akabxqgx ga-agwa nd[ uwe ojii gbasara ha

were tinye ha na nsogbu.

“Any[ ga-achqtar[r[ ya”

Qkpqka kwukwaz[r[ otu okwu ahx. Ha niile bara n’oke echiche. Onye lee

nwanne ya, nwanne ya elee ya. Ozigbo ahx, xzq meghere, Qlamma na Nneka

bata.

Otikpo nqrq ebe q nq s[,

N’okwu a akpx n’qnx, Qlamma ga-aga, nne [ gagh[ aga?

“Ebee?”

“Na be onye uwe ojii - [chqta Akabxqgx. A kpxxrx ya mana any[ ga-

akpqlatar[r[ ya”

Qlamma gbara isi akwara na o nwegh[ ihe mekatara ka ya gaa.

Otikpo akpqq Nneka,

“G[n[ ka i nwere i kwu?”

“O nweghi”

Qkpqka akpqq Otikpo s[ ya,

“Q ga-aga”

Nneka gwara ya na o nwegh[ ebe o ji azx eje. Qkpqka ajx.

N’ikpeazx, Nneka kwetere na q ga-aga chqq Akabxqgx. O yinyere

ezigbo akwa, buru obere nkata. O doziri nnqq onwe ya nke qma.

Q ma xma mee ka onye na-ebe akwa.

53

“Ewuuu…, nwanne m nwoke Akabxqgx, Akabxqgx,! G[n[ mere ya, Ebee

ka ha kpq ya gaa, Ewuoo! chi moo, biko merenx m ebere gwa m ihe e ji

nwanne m nwoke were mee!”

Otikpo na Qkpqka nabatara ihe o mere s[ ya,

“Q d[ mma! { chapxrx achapx Nneka, gaa hx onye uwe ojii ahx ugbu a”.

Mgbe Ezeaka lqtara, q kqqrq ha ihe mere Akabxqgx.

“Otu nwoke kpqqrq ya, nwoke a na-akpq Mz. Xnamba – nwoke ahx nwe

akwa nhicha ahx Ikenna m[[r[ mana ha amagh[ ebe o bi.”Otikpo e tie,

“A ga-achqtar[r[ ya, Umekwe, [ ga-anq ebe ahx a na-ere akwxkwq kwa

xbqch[. Nneka any[ ga-achqtar[r[ Akabxqgx. Jide ego a. Aga m agbachi xlq a

ozigbo. { nq ebe a agagh[ ad[ mma ugbu a. { maara ebe [ ga-achqta m. Unu

niile enwekwala onye b[ara ebe a. Gbaanx mbq chqwa Akabxqgx!’

Ihe a ka o kwuchara, kwapx ha niile n’xlq ahx, buru akpat[ ahx

Akabxqgx hxrx kpanye n’abx pxq.

8

Q HX XLQ KA MMA

Akabxqgx nq n’xlq Mz. Xnamba. Ahx ad[gh[ ya nke na q nqrq n’akwa

qtxtx izu xka. Mgbe q na-ad[tx mma, o bidoro [nq n’oche ka ya na Ork.

Nneqma were nwee ike [kpar[tanwu xka. Ork. Nneqma bx nne nwaany[ na-

elekqta xlq Mz. Xnamba anya. Ha na-eleta Akabxqgx anya nke qma. Mz.

Xnamba ch[nyere ya akwa qhxrx na akpxkpq xkwx qhxrx. Ork. Nneqma na-

enye ya nri ahx d[ mma ga-ezu xmx aka nar[ atq na iri ise nq n’xlq qrx ma a

gbanye ya mmiri nke qma.

Otu xbqch[, q nq n’ime xlq Ork. Nneqma were lelie anya elu hx foto

nwaany[ ko n’aja, o legidere ya anya nke na Ork. Nneqma jxrx ya,

“Q d[ ka foto q na-amas[ g[?”

“Amagh[ m, ahxbegh[ m qtxtx nke m ga-eji mara. Ihu nwaany[ a amaka”

“Nd[ na-ese ihe ma nnqq eme ka xmx nwaany[ maa nnqq mma kar[a otu

ha d[.” Akabxqgx jxrx ya,

“Foto onye bx ihe a?”

“Amagh[ m, g[n[ mere i ji ajx, q mas[r[ g[?”

54

“Q mara nnqq mma d[ egwu”

Ka Ork. Nneqma hxrx na Akabxqgx ji xjq ele foto ahx anya, q jxrx ya.

“Iji n’aka na q nagh[ atx g[ xjq?”

“Mba o, mba! Mana mkpxrx anya ya d[ ka onye iwe na-ewe. Ebe qbxla

m nq, q d[ ka q na-ele m anya. Q d[cha ka q na-eku ume ma chqkwaa [gwa m

okwu mana o nweghi ike”.

Nwaany[ ahx dapxrx n’qch[, “Nnaa, ekwuzila xd[ okwu a, ike ad[gh[ g[

kemgbe [ r[achara ahx. Ka m bughar[a oche g[ ka [ kwxs[ [hx ya”

Akabxqgx ka na-ahx ya na mmxq ya mana q s[ ka ya ghara inye

nwaany[ qma ahx nsogbu, o miri qnx qch[, riwe ihe q na-eri.

Mz. Xnamba gbadatara [b[a hx ya. Ka ha na akpar[ta xka, Mz. Ahamba

lere anya na foto ahx tie,

“Ork. Nneqma!, legodu anya” ka q na-ekwu okwu, q txq foto ahx aka, q

tx q n’ihu Akabxqgx. Ihu, isi na qnx ya bx otu ihe. Akara niile d[ n’ihu

Akabxqgx d[kwa na nke ya.

Ihe a gbara Akabxqgx ghar[[, obi mapxrx ya, maka ihi na ahx

esichabegh[ ya ike, q dapxrx n’ala n’ume mmapx.Ka chi foro echi ya, ka q

batara n’xlq Ork. Nneqma iri nri xtxtx, foto ahx ad[gh[zi ya.

“G[n[ mere unu ji wepx ya?”

“Q d[ ka q na-atx g[ xjq”

“Mba o, eziokwu q txgh[ m xjq, q d[ m mma”

“Q d[ mma, [ ga-agba mbq gbakee n’qr[a g[ a, [ gbakechaa, e kowekwa

ya qzq ebe ahx. Ugbu a, any[ ga-ekwu ihe qzq. Q d[gh[ anya, Akabxqgx

gbakechara ma sikwaa ike. Obi d[ ya mma n’xlq Mz. Xnamba q nq. Otu

xbqch[, Mz. Ahamba kpqrq ya, jxq ya ihe q ga-achq [ bx n’qd[niihu. Akabxqgu

r[qrq ya ka ya na ya biri.

“Biko achxpxla m. Ka m nqrq bxrx odibo n’xlq g[”.

“{ ga-anq, o nweghi ihe ga-eme ka m s[ g[ pxq sqqsq ma o nwere ihe i

mere. Mana, kqqrq m maka onwe g[, Akabxqgx. Ebee ka i si? onye lekqtara g[

mgbe i pere mpe? Kedx ka i si were banye otu qjqq m hxrx g[ na ya? Ahx

ad[la g[ mma ugbua [kqrq m maka ya. Gwa m eziokwu, aga m eledo g[ anya

ruo na m anwxq”.

55

Akabxqgx bidoro bewe akwa, kqwara Mz. Xnamba maka Mz. Ikenna na

xlq qrx. Ozigbo ahx, a kxrx aka n’xzq, q bxrx Mz. Uche. Q bx enyi Maaz[

Xnamba b[ara [tx ndx mmanx. Akabxqgx jxrx Mz. Xnamba ma q bx ya

pxwazie,

“Mba, nqrq ebe a” Q txghar[r[ gwa Maaz[ Uche,

“Lee nwata ahx m gwara g[ maka ya, Akabxqgx”

Akabxqgx hulatara kelee ya. O lere Akabxqgx anya. N’uche ya, q maara

na Mz. Xnamba bx nwoke nwere obi sara sara na nwatak[r[ qbxla a kpqtara

n’xzq nwere ike [ghqgbu ya. Q jxrx Mz. Xnamba,

“Ya bx, q bx nwatak[r[ ahx d[ ihe a, ebee ka o si, onye ka q bx? G[n[ ka q

bx? Kedx mgbe any[ ga-anx banyere ndx nwatak[r[ a? Mz. Xnamba gwara

Akabxqgx ka q b[a ka ha niile kpaa ya bx nkata.

“Q d[ mma, nna any[”

Mz. Uche bidoro takwunyewere Mz. Xnamba na nt[,

“{ ma ihe m chqrq [gwa g[, nwata a agagh[ ab[a ebe a xtxtx echi. { na-

atxkwasa mmadx obi ngwa ngwa, nwata a na-aghqgbu g[”

“Q bxgh[ eziokwu”

“Q bxgh[ eziokwu, ka m ghara ifo chi”

Ka ha na-akpar[ta, Ork. Nneqma ch[ akwxkwq xfqdx bata, gwa Mz.

Xnamba na a ga-ach[chighar[r[ akwxkwq nd[ ahx n’qdx ah[a na mgbede ahx.

Mz. Uche gwara Mz. Xnamba ka o zie Akabxqgx ya bx ozi ebe o s[r[ na q bx

ezigbo mmadx ka q gaa dowe ha. Akabxqgx nq ebe q nq s[ ka a ch[nye ya ka

q gaa dowe,

“Aga m eji qsq gaa ngwa ngwa”.

Mz. Xnamba achqgh[ ka Akabxqgx si n’xlq pxq mana q chqrq ka o gosi

Mz. Uche na nwata a q na-eche na q bx ajq mmadx bx ezigbo nwa.

“Nnaa b[a gaa, gwa nwoke ahx na-ere akwxkwq na [ ch[latara nd[ a azx,

ya na ka [ kwxkwuo ya nar[ naira iteghete m ji ya n’xgwq. Jide otu puku na[ra

a, i nwere ike [welata otu nar[ na[ra’’ Akabxqgx naara ya ego ahx,

“Nna any[, agagh[ m egbu oge”

O tinyere ego ahx n’akpa akwa ya, kpanye akwxkwq n’abx, kelee ya,

pxq.

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Qpxpx a q pxrx metxtara Ork. Nneqma n’obi. Mz. Xnamba gwara ya na

q gagh[ egbu oge q lqta mana Mz. Uche ekwegh[ ya kwuchaa okwu q kpx

n’qnx,

“Ee? { na-eche ka q lqta?”

“{ nagh[ eche otu ahx?”

“Mba o, chaa chaa kwa, nwata a yi akwa qhxrx, q kpa ezigbo akwxkwq

n’abx na otu puku na[ra. Q ga-achqrq nd[ otu ya jewara jiri g[ mere ihe xka

qch[. Nwata a lqghachitekwa azx n’xlq a, mee m ihe qbxla d[ g[ mma!”

O kwuchara okwu a nqrq ala, ya na Mz. Xnamba chewe Akabxqgx.

9

Q LAGHACHIKWURU ND{ OHI AHX

Akabxqgx gagidere ruo n’ebe ahx a na-ere akwxkwq. Otu ntabi anya, q

nxrx ka otu nwa agbqghq na-eti mkpu. Ozigbo q na-achq ka o lee anya mara

ihe na-eme, aka mmadx gudoro ya n’olu.

“Hapx m aka, onye ka [ bx, g[n[ mere i ji akwxs[ m?” Nwaany[ ahx tiri

mkpu qzq,

“A chqtala m ya o! Ajq nwa si owere baa nne ya afq, [ taala m nnukwu

ahxhx, b[a ka any[ laa. Chukwu daalx ka a hxrx g[ ” Nwa agbqghq ahx bidoro

bewe akwa. Nd[ mmadx bido [gbakq. Xmx nne nwaany[ abxq na-agafe jxrx ya

ihe na-eme.

“Q bx nwanne m nwoke, q gbapxrx ihe d[ ka otu qnwa gara aga. Nne na

nna any[ bx ezigbo mmadx. Q gbapxrx baa otu nd[ ohi, q fqdxrx ntak[r[ ka obi

gbawaa mama any[. Otu n’ime ha kpqrq Akabxogx “ajq nwa”, onye nke qzq

baara ya mba s[ ya,

“Laa ngwa ngwa, anx qh[a’’

Akabxqgx ekwegh[ ya kwuchaa ihe q chqrq ikwu,

“Abxgh[ m anx qh[a, amagh[ m onye nwaany[ a bx, enwegh[ m nwanne

nwaany[ nke m ji enwe nna.” Nwa agbqghq ahx e tie,

“Nwata a as[gbuola onwe ya n’as[“

Mgbe Akabxqgx jiri lee anya nke qma, were hx na q bx Nneka na-eme

ihe ahx, o tie,

57

“Nneka! Q bx g[n[ kwanx?” Nneka ghqchaara ozigbo ahx,

“Unu ahxla na q maara onye m bx. Bikonx r[qnx ya ka q laghachikwute

nne na nna ya. R[qnx ya ka o kwe soro m “Qkpqka na nwa nk[ta qcha ya si

n’otu xlq ah[a pxta s[,

“G[n[ bx nke a? Akabxqgx lakwuru nne g[, anxmanx. Ngwa, lawa qs[[sq.

Ka q gxdoro Akabxqgx. Akabxqgx bidoro tiwe mkpu,

“Amagh[kwanx m nd[ a oo! Bikonu nyerenx m aka oo.” Qkpqka baara ya

mba,

“{ s[kwa inyere g[ aka, aga ma enyere g[ aka, anx qh[a nwxrx anwx.

Akwxkwq g[n[ ka i ji ihe a? { ka na-ezu ohi, ee?

Ch[nye m ha ngwa ngwa”

O sekqqrq akwxkwq nd[ ahx d[ n’abx Akabxqgx, kxq ya n’isi. Otu onye

n’ime nd[ ahx gbakqrq mgbe ihe nd[ a na-eme a s[ Akabxqgx.

“Q bx ihe d[ g[ mma, q bx xd[ ihe ahx g[ chqrq”

Onye nke qzq nqrq ebe q nq s[,

“Ihe a bx nnqq ihe d[ ya mma.”

Ike ad[gh[ Akabxqgx [lx qgx. G[n[ ka obere nwa a ga-emenwu mmadx

niile a juru ebe a. Ha kpqrq ya gbadawa n’otu xzq d[ wara wara.

Ka chi jiri abali ahx na be Mz. Xnamba, Nneoma kwx nnqq ka onye nche

n’qnx xzq o meghere oghe. Otu nwa odibo ha chqgidere Akabxqgx elu na ala

ma q hxgh[ ya ebe Mz. Xnamba na Mz. Uche nq na-echekwa.

Nneka na Qkpqka kpqrq Akabxqgx si na wara wara xzq ahx gbapx. Ka

q mechara ihe d[ ka nkeji iri atq, ha ruru n’otu ogbe ebe xlq ah[a akwa qk[r[ka

juru. Nk[ta Qkpqka gbakatara ruo n’otu qnx xlq ah[a enwegh[ ihe d[ n’ime ya

mmadx anqgh[ kwxs[. Qkpqka kxrx aka, e megheere ha xzq. Ka ha banyere

n’ime otu qnx xlq qzq. Ha nxrx xda qch[ Umekwe,

“Lee nx ya oo! Otikpo leenx akwa ya na akwxkwq ya.” Q dapxrx n’qch[.

Otikpo kpqrq Akabxqgx na – eme ya akaje s[ ya,

“Obi d[ m xtq [hx g[. Ahx d[ g[ mma. Umekwe ga-ach[nye g[ akwa qzq [

ga-eyi ka [ ghara imebi qmar[cha nke a i yi ugbu a. G[n[ kwanx mere na i zigh[

ozi gwa any[ na [ ga-ab[a ka any[ gbaghar[a chqq ezigbo nri any[ ga-eri n’abal[

a.”

58

Mgbe ha ka na-ekwu, Umekwe manyere aka n’akpa Akabxqgx m[pxta

otu puku naira d[ na ya. Otikpo hxrx ya tie,

“B[a, g[n[ bx ihe ahx?” ka q na-ekuli, Umekwe ewerela ya ozigbo,

“Q bx m nwe ya, Otikpo”

“Mba oo, Umekwe wete ya biko, q bx nke m. { ga-ewere akwxkwq”.

Mgbe nke a na-eme, Qkpqka gwara ha s[,

“Q bxrx na m ewegh[ ego a, aga m akpqch[gha Akabxqgx azx”

“Q bxgh[ eziokwu”

Qkpqka nq ebe q nq si Otikpo,

“Ma q bx eziokwu ma q bxgh[ eziokwu, mx na Nneka chqtaara unu

nwata a, biko weta ego ahx, okenye arxrx ala”.

Q pxnara Otikpo ego ahx ozigbo s[ ya na q bx xgwq qrx ha rxrx. Q

gwakwara ya ka o jide akwxkwq ma q bxrx na [gx akwxkwq na-amas[ ya nke

ukwuu ma q bx q ree ha eree.”

Akabxqgx sekpuru ala, r[q Otikpo ar[r[q s[ ya na akwxkwq ahx bx nke

nwoke ahx lekqtara ya mgbe q na-ar[a ahx,

“Bikonu, ch[laaranx ya akwxkwq ahx ya na ego ahx. Ya na Ork.

Nneqma ga-echekwanx na m zuru ego ahx ezu. Bikonu, chilaanx ya azx. Ha

bx ezigbo mmadx.”Otikpo bidoro ch[wa Akabxqgx qch[. Mgbe ahx ka uche

Akabxqgx ji d[ n’ihe na-eme. Q maliri ozigbo, tiwe mkpu, gbafuo. Nk[ta

Qkpqka so Umekwe na Otikpo chxwa Akabxqgx mana Nneka tiwere mkpu s[

ya jide nk[ta tupu q taa Akabxqgx. Qkpqka jxrx jxwaa isi, s[ Nneka,

“Q bx ihe d[ ya mma, pxq n’xzq ka m jide nwata a ma q bx m kwaa g[ isi

n’aja!” “Mba oo, ihe q sqrq g[ mee m mana ekwela ka nk[ta ahx merxq

nwatak[r[ a ahx”

Qkpqka kwapxrx Nneka, kwatuo ya. Ozigbo ahx, Otikpo na nd[ qzq

sekpx Akabxqgx bata. Ka Otikpo batara hx Qkpqka na Nneka, q jxrx ha ihe

na-eme. Qkpqka zara ya na q d[ ka Nneka apxwala ara. Otikpo kpqrq

Akabxqgx s[ ya,

“Ya bx [ chqrq [ gbapx. Ee?” O welitere osisi d[ n’akxkx ebe ahx,

“{ na-achq nd[ ga-enyere g[ aka? Q d[ ka [ chqrq [kpq nd[ uwe ojii. Any[

ga-akwxs[ nke a mgbe ad[gh[ anya.”

59

Q kxrx Akabxqgx osisi. Ka o welitere osisi ka q kxq ya nke abxq. Nneka

ji qsq gbakwuru ya napx ya osisi ahx txnye n’qkx. Q n)xrx iyi na ya agagh[ anq

nke a emee. Q jxrx Otikpo ihe qzq q chqkwara ebe q bx na o jidela Akabxqgx.

Q gwara ya ka q hapx ya mana Qkpqka baara ya mba.

“Mechie qnx!” Otikpo gwara ya na o kwuzie okwu qzq, o merxq ya ahx.

O ji iwe jekwuru Otikpo mana Qkpqta gbochibidoro ya. Otikpo kpqrq n’ubu s[

“Xmx nwaany[ bx nnqq nsogbu mana ha d[ mma n’qrx any[ a. Umekwe,

kpqrq Akabxqgx kpqbaa n’ime xlq.” Ka Umekwe na Akabxqgx banyere n’ime

xlq, q ch[nyere ya akwa ochie napx ya akwa qhxrx o yi. Q hapxrx Akabxqgx

n’ime xlq ahx bx sq qch[ch[[ pxq.

10

AMXMA QHXRX

Mz. Ikem nq na-agx akwxkwq nta akxkq were hx qkwa a mara na ya.

Qkwa ahx kwuru na a na-achq Akabxqgx achq. Qkwa ahx mekwaz[r[ ka a

mara na a ga-enye onye qbxla ga-enye aka [chqta Akabxqgx puku naira iri

abxq. Q kqwakwara ka Akabxqgx d[ tinyekwara akwa oyi, aha na ebe Mz.

Xmamba bi. Mz. Ikem pxrx ozigbo [ga hx Mz. Xnamba.

Ka o ruru, Mz. Xnamba nabatara ya. Ka Ork. Nneqma hxrx ya, o chere

na q b[ara [gwa ha maka Akabxqgx. Mz. Xnamba enwegh[zi ndidi tupu q jxq

ya,

“{ maara ebe nwatak[r[ ahx nq? Biko nnaa, kwuonu okwu, gwa any[ ihe [

ma gbasara ya.”

Mz. Ikem kpupxrx okpu ya bido okwu. Q gwara ha na nne na nna

Akabxqgx bx ajq mmadx nke pxtara ihe ka o si ebi ndx. Q kqqrq ha ka

Akabxqgx si lxso Obigwe qgx ya na ka o si were gbapx n’xlq Ahamba.

“N’[gwa unu eziokwu, nwata a bx ajq nwata. Onye q bxla na-arx n’xlq

qrx ma nke a, o nwegh[ onye nwere ike iji ya mee ihe q bxla.

Mz. Xnamba kwetere ihe niile Mz. Ikem kqqrq ya. Mgbe Mz. Ikem lara,

Mz. Xnamba kpqrq Ork. Nneqma s[ ya na ebe nwata ahx ji otu puku naira

were px, na q bxgh[ ezigbo mmadx. Ork. Nneqma s[r[ ya na q bxgh[ eziokwu.

Mz. Xnamba ekwetegh[ chaa chaa.

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“Q bx eziokwu, Mz. Ikem agwala m [he niile banyere ya”

Ork. Nneqma jxrx jxwaa isi,

“A gagh[ ekwete nke a, mba! Ama m ka xmx aka si akpa agwa.

Akabxqgx ad[gh[ otu ahx [ na-eche. Mz. Xnamba gbqjara ya,

“Taa, mechie qnx! Ka m ghara [nx aha nwatak[r[ ahx n’qnx g[ qzq. {

nwere ike [pxzi. Ork. Nneqma, gee nt[, anagh[ m egwu egwu, anwakwala

anwa kpqq aha Akabxqgx na nt[ m qzq.

Iwe d[ onye qbxla n’obi n’abali ahx na be Mz. Xnamba. Ebe Akabxqgx

nqkwa, obi ad[gh[ ya mma mgbe qbxla q chetera Mz. Xnamba na ezi naxlq

ya. Q kaara ya mma na q nxgh[ ihe Mz. Ikem b[ara kwuo maka ya maka na

obi kaara [ gbawa ya kpam kpam.

Otikpo kpqchibidoro Akabxqgx xzq ihe d[ ka otu izu xka. Q kqqrq ya

akxkq maka xmx ntak[r[ nwarala ka ha gbaa qsq na otu e si gbufuo ha. Q

kqwaara Akabxqgx xd[r[ qnwx ike ha nwxrx. Q gwara ya na q ka mma na q

nwxgh[ xd[r[ qnwx ahx. Ahx kxnwxchara Akabxqgx mgbe q na-akqrq ya

akxkq ahx. Q kqchara ya akxkq ahx ghara ya pxq.

Akabxqgx enwegh[ xzq q ga-ezi gbapx. Naan[ ya nq bido n’xtxtx ruo

n’abal[. Q na-echeta nd[ ezigbo enyi ya mgbe niile na ajq qy[ ha nwere ike

isowela ugbu a. Ya bx echiche na-ewute ya mgbe niile.

Otu abal[, Otikpo pxrx gaa n’otu xlq d[ n’ogbe ahx merela ochie ma

rukwaaz[ unyi ka nke ya. Olu si n’ime xlq ahx jxrx ya “Onye nq ebe ahx?”

“Q bx m Qkpqka, naan[ m so”

Nk[ta qcha gbqqrq Otikpo xja tikapxta. Qkpqka kpqbatara ya n’ime xlq

n’ihi na akwa o yi meghar[r[ ya anya. Mgbe Otikpo yipuru akwa o yi, nk[ta ahx

hxziri ya nke qma were chighaa azx ebe q na-anq. Otikpo na Qkpqka kelere,

jxchaa qha.

Otikpo lere anya hx Nneka. Mgbe ahx Nneka anagh[zi ewe iwe. O

butere Otikpo oche n’akxkx qkx n’ihi na oyi na-atx. Ka q na-anya qkx, Qkpqka

gwara Nneka ka o wetere ya mmanya qkx. Ha nq ebe ahx na-an)xrx xwa ha

mmanya qkx, ka ha n)xkatara. Qkpqka as[ Otikpo,

“Ka any[ kqq n’ubi onye any[ b[ara, kedx nke i ji maka ya b[a?”

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Q bx maka xlq ahx d[ n’Okotu, kedx mgbe any[ ga-aga h[qkqrqchaa ihe

nd[ e ji chqq ya mma. Ihe nd[ ahx d[ egwu. Kedu mgbe a ga eme ya Qkpqka?”

Qkpqka weturu olu,

“Mbaa, nke a agagh[ eme” Otikpo ji iwe jxq ya,

“Chaa chaa?”

Qkpqka gwara ya na nkata ha kpara maka ya agagh[ enwe isi n’ihi na

Nwaka anqqla n’akxkx ebe ahx ihe kar[r[ izu xka abxq ugbu a mana o

nwebegh[ nwa odibo nq n’xlq ahx ga-enyere ya aka”

“Okpoka, [ na-achq [gwa m na o nwegh[ onye nq nnqq n’xlq ahx a ga-

asqchinwu aka ka o nyere any[ aka?”

“Eee, nne nwaany[ nwe xlq ahx na xmx odibo xmx okorob[a abxq a

ebiela ihe kar[r[ afq iri abxq. { nyegodu ha nar[ puku naira, ha agagh[ enye aka

qbxla.”

Otikpo jxrx ya maka nd[ nke xmx nwaany[,

“Q pxtara na Nwaka agagh[ achabanwu otu onye n’ime ha anya. {

magh[ nd[ xmx nwaany[ bx Qkpqka?”

“Hapx nke ahx, Nwaka na-eyi ike akpati ya mgbe niile i ji nweta xmx

agbqghq, nke a adabagh[” Otikpo gwara Qkpqka na q d[ mwute na ha

emenwugh[ ihe ha chqrq n’agbanyegh[ na ha tinyere obi ha niile na ya. Ha

gbachitere onwe ha nk[t[ ebe ha na-eche echiche. Nneka nqkwaaz[ ebe ahx,

nqdxrx xwa ya n’akxkx qkx.

Qkpqka kpqrq Otikpo oku n’ike, jxq ya ma q ga-atxkwasara ya puku

na[ra ise ma e si n’ ezi were zubanye. Otikpo kwere na ya ga –akwx ya bx

ego. Qkpqka s[r[ ya na nsogbu ad[gh[. Q kqqrq ya otu ya na Umekwe si

wxbanye n’ime mbara ahx n’abal[ gara aga. Q gwara ya na ha lere anya n’xzq

na windo niile d[ n’xlq ahx, a na-ekpochi ha nke qma abal[ qbxla. Qkpqka

gwakwara ya na o nwere obere windo ha ga-ekpoghenwu nke na ha ga-achq

obere nwata nwoke ga-abanwu na ya.

Otikpo nq ebe ahx ozigbo gwa ya na Akabxqgx ga-emenwu ihe d[ na

ya, ka ha bido n’oge nyejuo ya afq maka na xmx nwoke nd[ qzq buchara ibu.

Ka ha na-akpar[ta xka, Otikpo gwara Qkpqka na Akabxqgx ga-eme ihe niile a

s[ ya mee ma e yie ya egwu nke qma.Qkpqka kwere ya s[ ya na ha ga –eyi ya

62

egwu nke qma ma qrx a bido. Q gwara Otikpo na q chqrq ka Akabxqgx hxta

onwe ya ka otu onye n’ime ha. Ka o buru n’uche na q bx onye ohi. Qkpqka

jxrx ya ihe mere o ji enye onwe ya nsogbu ebe nwata ahx nq. Q gwara ya

Otikpo na xmx aka xmx nwoke nd[ qzq na-arahx n’iro abal[ qbxla kar[r[ akar[.

“I nwere ike hqta otu onye n’ime ha.”

“Onwegh[ uru nd[ ahx baara m. Ihu ha gosiri na ha bx nd[ ohi mana nke

Akabxqgx d[ iche.” Nneka jxrx ya mgbe ha ga-eji rxq qrx ahx, Qkpqka zara ya

na q bx n’abal[ abxq na- ab[a. Otikpo kwere n’isi,

“Q dabara adaba”

Ha kwekqr[tara na Nneka ga-aga na be Otikpo xtxtx echi ya [ kpqta

Akabxqgx. Ha n)xkwuru mmanya qzq tupu Otikpo ekulie kelee ha lawa be ya.

11

AKABXQGX NA QKPQKA

Mgbe Akabxqgx kulitere n’xra n’xtxtx, q gbara ya ghar[[ na akpxkpq

xkwx qhxrx d[ ya n’xkwx. O nwere an)xr[ mana ya bx an)xr[ bere ozigbo Otikpo

b[ara gwa ya na q ga-akpqga ya na nke Qkpqka n’abal[ ahx. Akabxqgx jxrx ya

n’ike,

“Q - - Q bx ka m nqrqzie ebe ahx?”

“Mba, mba, any[ agagh[ achq ka [ pxq ebe a, egwu atxla g[, Akabxqgx. I

kaga alqghachite”

“G[n[ mere m ji aga ebe ahx?”

“Nwee ndidi, Qkpqka ga-agwa g[”

Otikpo enwegh[ ihe qzq q gwara ya ruo oge mgbede q ga-eji gawa be

Qkpqka. O nyere ya akwxkwq q ga na agx ruo mgbe ha ga-ab[a kpqrq ya. Q

dxkwaaz[r[ ya qdx.

“Kpachapx anya n’ihe niile [ na-eme. Qkpqka bx mmadx obi qkx. Mee

ihe niile q s[ g[ mee.Ka chi fo.” Akabxqgx kwekwaaz[r[ ya. Ka Otikpo pxrx,

Akabxqgx bidoro [gx akwxkwq ahx e nyere ya. Akwxkwq ahx bx maka nd[

ohi, nd[ na-egbu mmadx na nd[ nwxrx anwx. Ya bx akwxkwq txrx ya nnukwu

xjq. Akabxqgx tqgbqrq akwxkwq ahx n’ike, tqgbq ya n’akxkx. O sekpuru ala

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kpee ekpere, r[q Chineke ka q b[a nyere ya aka. Ozigbo ahx, q nxrx ka

mkpqtx mere n’ike, q bxrx Nneka. Ka Nneka batara, q hxrx Akabxqgx ka q

nq n’ekpere, akpata oyi wxrx ya. O ji aka ya kpuchie ihu ya mana Akabxqgx

jxrx ya,

“ Nneka, Q bx g[n[?”

“Nsogbu ad[gh[, [ kwadochaala? B[a ka any[ gawa be Qkpqka, [ ga-

anqkwa nwayqq maka na [ nyee nsogbu, q ga-ebutere any[ nsogbu. Nye m

aka g[ ka any[ pxwa ozigbo”

Mgbe ha ruru be Qkpqka, q jxrx Nneka ma o nyere nsogbu mgbe ha na-

ab[a. Nneka gwara ya na o nyegh[ nsogbu qbxla. Obi tqrq Qkpqka xtq, q

kpqrq Akabxqgx oku,

“B[a nwatak[r[ a, b[a ebe a” O kpupxrx okpu d[ Akabxqgx n’isi tqgbq

n’ala, welite obere egbe d[ ebe ahx jxq ya ma q ma ihe o ji. Akabxqgx kwere

ya na q ma ihe q bx. Qkpqka kere nkwxcha, tinye mgbq n’ime egbe ahx, gosi

ya Akabxqgx s[ ya,

“ Ugbu a etinyela m mgbq n’ime ya” Akabxqgx kwere ya n’isi. Q txdoro

ya egbe n’isi s[ ya,

“{ nwa anwaa kwuo okwu n’iro n’abxgh[ mgbe m gwara g[ kwuo okwu, e

were m egbe a gbasaa g[ isi. { nxrx ihe m na-ekwu? Ka any[ rie nri anyas[

were malite” Nneka siri nri abal[. Q ga-ekwe ghqta na Akabxqgx achqgh[ iri

nri nnukwu. Ka ha richara nri, Qkpqka buuru onwe ya txq n’elu akwa, gwa

Nneka ka q kpqtee ya ma elekere ise xtxtx kxq. Nneka nq ala n’akxkx qkx

n’ekwugh[ okwu qbxla. Akabxqgx dina n’ala nk[t[, o mxgidere anya ruo mgbe

xra mechara buru ya. Mgbe o kulitere, chi efobegh[. Mpanaka q mxnyere ka

na-enwu, mmiri na-ezo, ihu eligwe ad[gh[kwa elu igwe mma.

Mgbe Qkpqka kulitere n’xtxtx, q gwara Akabxqgx ka o kulie mee ngwa

ngwa ma q bx q ghara iri nri xtxtx. Akabxqgx jikere ozigbo; ya na Qkpqka

pxwara hapx Nneka n’xlq. Nnukwu mmiri bu oke ikuku na-ezo. Mgbe ha ruru

n’xzq ha ga-esi, chi efochaala. Ka ehihie pxrx, ha batara n’otu obere ogbe,

mgbe mgbede ruru, Qkpqka banyere n’xlq ochie ebe a na-ezu ike zxta nri ya

na Akabxqgx riri. Ka ha richara nri, Qkpqka sere anwxrx ya ebe xra buuru

Akabxqgx ozigbo n’ihi ike qgwxgwx.

64

N’xzx xtxtx, Qkpqka kpqtere Akabxqgx, ha bidokwa njem ha. Nnukwu

oyi na-atx, o nwegh[ onye ghere ibe ya qnx. Ha gagidere ruo mgbe ha hxwara

qkx n’ebe d[z[ nso. Ha ruru n’otu akwa mmiri, Qkpqka ahapx ebe xzq d[ o si

aga tinye isi n’akxkx xzq mmiri ahx. Ihe b[ara Akabxqgx n’obi bx na Qkpqka

kpqrq ya b[a ebe ahx ka o gbufuo ya. Ka o leziri anya, q hxrx otu xlq ochie d[

ebe ahx obere qkx na-enwu n’ime ya. Otu olu siri n’ime xlq ahx tie ka ha

batara,

“Onye nq ebe ahx?” Qkpqka zara ya s[ ya jiri nwayqq kwuwe okwu. O

mechiri xzq gwa Nwaka ka o weta qkx. Nwaka pxtara, bute qkx. Isi ya na-

acha anwx anwx, o yi nnukwu akpxkpq xkwx ma gbajukwaa mgba aka na

mkpxrx aka ya bx sq unyi. Q gwara Qkpqka s[,

“Obi d[ m xtq [hx unu, q bx nwata ahx d[ ihe a?

“Eee, otu n’ime xmx Otikpo”

“Nwata a d[ nnqq mma, q ga-aba oke uru n’[kp[ta ihe d[ n’akpa xmx

nwaany[ n’xlq xka”.

“Nwaka, biko, chqqrq any[ ihe any[ ga-eri na nkwx any[ ga-an)x, biko,

Akabxqgx, nqdx ala n’akxkx qkx, [ ga-esokwa any[ px n’abal[ a mana

ebe any[ na-aga etegh[ aka”.

Akabxqgx lere ya anya n’ekwugh[ okwu qbxla. O boro aka n’isi. Nri

ekwegh[ ya eri bere sqsq qbere nri o tinyere n’qnx n’ihi na q ghqtabegh[ ebe q

nq na ihe q b[ara ime. Nwaka na Qkpqka dinara ala rahxtx qbere xra, xra

buurukwaz[ Akabxqgx, o were rqq nrq ka ha si were b[a, xzq niile ha gara

n’qch[ch[ na [kpa ha gafechara. O tegh[ aka, Nwaka maliri n’ike tie,

“Chi na-achqz[ ifo! Egbe q d[la? Ma igodo a ga-eji gbaghe xzq niile ? Q

bxkwa na e nwegh[ ihe nd[ e chefuru?”

Qkpqka zara ya na ihe niile ad[la njikere. Ha pxwara, kpqrq Akabxqgx

jewara.

65

12

HA AGAA OHI QZQ

Nd[ ohi a kpqqrq Akabxqgx pxq, Akabxqgx nq n’etiti. Qch[ch[ gbara, oyi

na-atxkwaz[. Ha gafere akwa mmiri ahx ha so were b[a gara na-agbada ebe

qkx na-enwu. Qkpqka takwxnyere ha ka ha gawa ogologo n’ihi na o nwegh[

onye ga-ahx ha n’abal[ ahx.

Ka ha gakatara ruo ebe ha na-aga, ha kwxs[r[ n’ihu otu xlq e doro aja

okirikiri. Nwaka magoro n’elu aja ahx; q gwara Qkpqka ka o kunye ya

Akabxqgx. Tupu Akabxqgx amara ihe na-eme, Qkpqka nwxchaliri ya elu.

N’otu ntabi anya, ya na Nwaka masazi n’ala n’ofe nke qzq. Qkpqka sochiri ha

azx, ha niile gbadawara n’ebe xlq ahx d[.

Xd[ xjq txrx Akabxqgx xbqch[ ahx atxbegh[ ya mbx ka q hxrx na ha na-

aga n’xlq izu ohi ma q bx igbu mmadx. O bere akwa, gbuo ikpere n’ala.

Qkpqka were iwe baara ya mba, m[pxta egbe,

“Kulie qs[[sq ma q bx e jiri m egbe a gbawaa g[ isi”

“Bikonu hapunu m, hapx m ka m nwxfuo n’[kpa. O nweghi ihe ga-eme

ka m b[akwa Qn[cha qzq. Bikonu meere nx m ebere, unu ekwela ka m zuo

ohi!”

Qkpqka sxdoro egbe n’isi Akabxqgx mana Nwaka napxrx ya egbe ahx

kpuchie Akabxqgx aka n’qnx. O weturu olu gwa Qkpqka na Akabxqgx kwuo

okwu qzq, ya akxrie ya isi n’ihi na xda egbe ga-eme mkpqtx. Ha kpqrq

Akabxqgx gaa n’azx xlq ahx. O nwere qbere windo d[ n’azx xlq Qkpqka

meghere. O pere mpe mana q ga-aba onye ha ka Akabxqgx. Qkpqka kpqrq

Akabxqgx bunye ya qkx, gwa ya na q ga-ekufe ya ebe ahx, s[ ya,

“Buru qkx a baa n’ime xlq a, soro xzq a gaa megheere any[ xzq ka any[

bata.”

Nwaka mere ka o hulatara ala; Qkpqka r[gooro n’elu ya, kuru Akabxqgx

kufee na windo ahx. Qkpqka gosiri ya ebe q ga-esi ma gwakwa ya na q bxrx

na o meghegh[ xzq ahx, q gbarie ya isi. N’uche Akabxqgx, o kpebiri na q

bxrxgodu na ya ga-anwx, na ya ga-agbar[r[ mbq [hx na ya kpqtere nd[ nwe xlq

ahx n’xra. Q pxrx ozigbo ime ihe uche ya gwara ya. Ka q na-aga, Qkpqka s[r[

ya n’ike,

66

“Chighata azx! Chighata azx!!” Mkpu a txrx Akabxqgx xjq nke na q

txhapxrx qkx o ji. Q hxrx xcha qkx chara, hxkwaaz[ dimkpa abxq kwx n’isi

xlq. Ka ihe nd[ a na-eme, a gbara Akabxqgx egbe, o tie mkpu daa n’ala.

Qkpqka tqchiri ya aka n’olu ka q ghara [rapxta ha, m[r[kwa egbe ya gbakwuo

xmx okorobia ahx ebe ha na-awx qsq. O si na windo ahx dqkpxpxta

Akabxqgx. Q gwara Nwaka ka q ch[nye ya akwa ka o jiri kechie ebe qbara si

awxpx n’ihi na egbe ahx merxrx Akabxqgx ahx nnukwu. Mgb[r[mgba bidoro [

da. Xmx okorobia ahx bidoro iti mkpu. Qkpqka buru Akabxqgx tqgbq n’ala.

Akabxqgx amagh[z[ ebe q nq. Qkpqka kusara ahx Akabxqgx n’ikpere ya,

kpqwa Nwaka ka o chighata azx buru ya. Nwaka kpxxrx xkwx n’ala b[awa

mana Qkpqka gbqjara ya, m[pxta qbere egbe ya

“Qs[[sq!” Mgbe ihe nd[a na-eme, xfqdx xmx okorob[a si n’aja na-awxbata

ebe ahx. Nwaka hxrx ha tie mkpu, gwa Qkpqka ka q hapx Akabxqgx zqwa isi

onwe ya. O tipxrx ozigbo, Qkpqka ch[r[ akwa q ch[ kpuchie Akabxqgx

tipukwuo qsq nke ya.

Xmx okorob[a ahx tibatara mana ha ahxgh[ ha. Xmx okorob[a ahx -

Osita na Qkpara chighara azx. Osita gwara Qkpara na ya kaara [gbu nd[ ohi a

ma a s[ na ha nwxdere ha. Ha chighara azx n’xlq ha. Akabxqgx katqgbq ebe

q tqgbq n’oyi niile na-atx na mmiri na-ezokwu n’emeghar[gh[ ahx qbxla.

13

AKABXQGX ALAFEREKWA QZQ

Akabxqgx mechara kulite n’oke ahx mgbu. Qbara juru ya n’aka ekpe

niile. O bu aka ahx ebu n’ihi na o nweghi ike i megharinwu ya. Ume d[ ya

n’ahx gwxrx agwx nke na o nweghi ike [nqdunwu ala. Naan[ akwa ka q na-

ebe. O mere ka o kulie mana q sxrx ike n’ala.

Q mara nke qma na qnqdx ebe ahx na ya ga-anwx. Q mechara kulie,

gatx ije. Ije ya d[ka nke onye ji nkwx merxq onwe ya ahx. Q magh[ ebe q na-

aga. Nnukwu mmiri na-ezo mgbe o ruru ebe xzq d[, q hxrx xlq d[ n’akxkx. Ihe

gbatara ya n’obi bx na nd[ bi n’xlq ahx ga-enyere ya aka. Q bxrxgodu na ha

enyegh[r[ ya aka, q ga-akara ya mma na ya nwxrx n’akxkx ebe nd[ mmadx nq

kar[a [nwx na mbara.

67

Ka q b[ara xlq ahx nso, obi ya gwara ya na ya ahxla xlq ahx mbx. Q

chetere na q bx ebe ahx ka ya nq r[q Nwaka na Otikpo ka ha hapx ya. Q bx

n’xlq ahx ka ha chqkwaaz[r[ [ba. Mgbe o chetere nkea ihe gbara ya n’uche bx

ka q ga-esi gbafu mana qtq ekwegh[ ya akwx ma ya fqdx mgbafu. Ebee ka q

ga-agbaga?

Q kwagheere qnx xzq ama xlq ahx, jiri nwayqq, kpxrx ka eke banye.

Ahx mgbu ya kawanyere njq. Ka o ruru n’xlq ahx, q kxrx aka, daa n’ala n’ihi

ahx mgbu na xjq ji ya. Mgbe nke a na-eme, Osita, Qkpara na xmx odibo nd[

qzq nq na-an)x akamx xtxtx. Osita na-akqrq ha ihe mere n’abal[. Q chqrq ka o

gosi ha ka o si were sie ike. Q gwara ha na mgbe ya nxrx ka mkpqtx mere na

q chere na q bx na nrq,

“Mgbe m nxkwara ya qzq…”

Tupu o kwuchaa ihe q chqrq i kwu, nwaany[ na-esiri ha nri jxrx ya xd[

mkpqtx q nxrx, q zara ya na q bx mkpqtx d[ ka a na-akwaghe ihe d[ka qnx

xzq ma q bx windo,

“Mgbe ahx ka m kulitere nqdx ala n’akwa gee nt[, otu obi gwara m kpqq

Qkpara n’ihi na achqgh[ m ka e gbuo ya n’elu akwa ya.”

Mgbe q na-akq akxkq a, xmx odibo nd[ qzq nq ebe ha nq na-emetere ya

ebere. Q kqqrq na-aga n’ihu,

“E siri m n’elu akwa bilie, m[r[ egbe m gakwuru Qkpara.”

Qkpara weturu olu jxq ya ma q bx ihe mere eme. Osita gara n’ihu kqqrq

ha na ka o ruru ebe Qkpara nq, q gwara ya na nsogbu d[ mana xjq atxla ya.

Nwaany[ na-esiri ha nri jxrx Osita ma xjq q txrx Qkpara,

“Chaa chaa”

Nwaany[ ahx tiri mkpu s[ na ya kaara [nwx ma q bxrx na q bx ya bx

Qkpara. Osita gwara ya ozigbo ahx na q bunu nwaany[. Osita gwara ya na ihe

Qkpara na-ekwu bx eziokwu. Q gwara ha s[,

“O nwegh[ ihe qzq a txwara anya na nwaany[ ga-eme. Nke any[ ji bxrx

xmx nwoke, any[ buru qkx pxta”.

Mgbe ha kakpx okwu n’qnx, ha nxrx mkpqtx mere n’iro. Nwaany[ ahx

na-esi nri tiri mkpu,

68

“G[n[ na-eme ihe ahx n’qnx xzq?” Osita gwara ya ka o meghee xzq na q

bx aka ka a kxrx. O nweghi onye n’ime ha meghar[r[ ahx. Osita kwuru s[ na q

nwere ka q d[ [kx aka n’qnx xzq n’xzq xtxtx a. Q gwara Qkpara ka o meghee

xzq na ha kwx ya n’azx.

Ha kpxketere nso n’ebe xzq d[. Nk[ta ha bu xzq. Qkpara meghere xzq,

onye ha hxrx were bxrx Akabxqgx ka q tqgbq n’ihu qnx xzq. Ka Osita hxrx

ya, o tiri mkpu, nwxchalie ya n’otu aka na xkwx, dqgbxbaa ya n’ime xlq, welite

olu s[,

“Leenx ya ebe a, lee otu onye n’ime nd[ ohi ahx ebe a mana agbara m

ya egbe”. Qkpara budooro ya qkx o ji ahx xzq. Mgbe nke a na-eme, otu nwata

nwa agbqghq nq n’elu kpqq Osita oku. Osita zara ya s[ ya atxla xjq na ya

anwxdela otu onye n’ime nd[ ohi ahx. Nwata nwa agbqghq ahx s[ ya wetuo

olu n’ihi na o ga-eme ka xjq txwakwa mama qzq. Q jxrx ya ma Akabxqgx

emerxrx ahx.

“Eee, o merxrx nnqq nnukwu ahx” Qkpara gwakwara ya na q d[ ka q na-

akwado [nwx anwx. Q jxrx nwata nwa gbqghq ahx,

“Q bx na [ gagh[ ab[a hx ya?” O zara ya s[ “Mechie qnx, chere ka m jxq

mama ihe m ga-eme”

Q pxrx, pxtakwa ozigbo gwa ya ka o kuru Akabxqgx gaa kusa n’ime xlq

Osita. Q gwara Qkpara ka o buru any[nya igwe baa n’ime obodo gaa kpqq

dib[a bekee ozigbo. Osita jxkwara ya ma q bx na q gagh[ ahx ya tupu o mee

ihe q gwara ya. Q jxrx nwata nwa agbqghq a ajxjx a ka a ga-as[ na Akabxqgx

bx nnunu q gbaturu n’qh[a. Nwa agbqghq ahx s[ ya gawa na ya ka ga-emecha

hx ya. Q gwara Osita ka q lezie ya anya nke qma, txghar[a pxq. Osita ji

nwayqq kurukwa Akabxqgx pxq baa n’xlq ya ilezi Akabxqgx anya.

14

XLQ QHXRX QZQ

N’ime otu qnx xlq bx sq mma, xmx nwaany[ abxq nq ala na tebulu ebe a

na- eri nri. Osita yi qmar[cha akwa na-etinyere ha nri. Otu n’ime xmx nwaany[

ahx emeela agadi ebe nke qzq kabx nwata agbqghq. Q mara ezigbo mma

tinyere mkpxrx anya ya na-eke ka qkx na qmar[cha qnx qch[ ya. Aha ya bx

69

Nkem Ezeaka. Agadi nwaany[ ahx bx nwanne nna ya, aha ya bx Ork. Ezeaka.

Mgbe ha na-eri nri, Ork. Ezeaka jxrx Qkpara s[,

“Q kwa Qkpara anqqla ihe kar[r[ otu awa ebe q gara?”

Osita lere anya n’elekere d[ ebe ahx gwa ya na q nqqlar[ otu awa na

nkeji iri abxq. Ork. Ezeaka kwuru s[ na Qkpara na- ad[ nwayqq mgbe qbxla.

Osita s[ ya na q bx ihe mere eme. Qkpara agbaala odibo ihe kar[r[ afq iri na

atq na be Ork. Ezeaka mana a ka na ewe ya ka nwatak[r[. Ka ha kpx okwu

n’qnx, otu qgba tum tum kwus[r[ n’ihu xlq, otu nwoke buru ibu d[ qcha ji qsq

tibata, kelee Nkem na Ork. Ezeaka.

“Anxkwara m ihe mere unu n’etiti ndeer[. Anubegh[ m xd[ ihe a mbx!

Ama m na xjq ga-atxgbu unu atxgbu!” Nkem gwara ya ozigbo s[,

“Any[ d[ mma, Dkt. mana o nwere onye nq n’ime xlq mama chqrq ka [

hx”.

“Q bx ihe Qkpara gwara m, Osita qbxkwa g[ gbara ya egbe? Ebee ka q

nq? Gosi m xzq. Aga m ahx unu ma m pxta Oriakx”

Dqkita soro Osita baa n’xlq. Ya na Osita nqtere n’ime xlq aka nke na ha

nqrq kar[a ihe Nkem na Ork. Ezeaka txrx anya na ha ga-anq. Q nqrq kar[a otu

awa. E kotere akpa ya d[ n’qgba tum tum. Xmx odibo Ork. Ezeaka na nnqq

n’agbaghar[ aka nri na aka ekpe n’ihi na a na-akpq ha oku mgbe niile.

N’ikpeazx, Dkt Okoli pxtara ebe Nkem na nne ya ukwu nq s[,

“Ihe nke a gbakwara m ghar[[ Ork. Ezeaka” Q jxrx ya ese Akabxqgx,

“Eji m n’aka na nsogbu ad[gh[ ?”

“Echegh[ m na nsogbu qbxla d[, [ hxla onye ohi ahx?”

Ork. Ezeaka s[r[ ya mba.

Dkt Okoli jxrx ya ma o nweela ihe q nxrx gbasara ya. Q sakwara ya

mba.

Osita gwara ya na ya na-eme ka ya kqqrq ya gbasara ya tupu dqk[ta

ab[a. Nke bx eziokwu bx na ihere na-eme ya ikwu na ya gbara obere nwa

egbe. Ork. Ezeaka gwara ha na Nkem chqrq ka q gaa hx Akabxqgx mana o

kwegh[ ka q gaa. Dqkita gwara ya na o nwegh[ ihe ga-atx ya xjq. Q nqdx ya

d[ mma ugbu a. Unu achqrq [hx ya mgbe m kanq ya? Ork. Ezeaka azaa ya s[,

70

“Ma q bxrx na q d[ mkpa?” Dkt. bu xzq banye ebe Akabxqgx nq,

meghee xzq. Ka ha hxrx Akabxqgx, ihe ha hxrx riri ha qnx. Ha na-atx anya

[hx nnukwu dimkpa dina n’elu akwa mana ha hxziri nwatak[r[ nwoke nq n’oke

ahx mgbu na-arahx xra. Aka ekpe ya tqgbqrq n’obi ya ebe o ji aka nke qzq

hiwe isi. Ha lere ya anya n’ekwughi okwu qbxla maka na o riri ha qnx. Ka ha

na-ele ya, Nkem hulatara h[q ya aka n’isi. Ka q na-ah[q aka a n’isi, anya mmiri

txpxrx ya n’anya, txsa Akabxqgx n’ahx. Akabxqgx meghar[r[ ahx, mxmxrie

qnx qch[ n’xra. Ihe a txrx Ork. Ezeaka n’anya nke na q jxrx s[,

“Kedu ihe nke a pxtara? Nwatak[r[ nwoke a agagh[ akpacha anya bxrx

onye ohi”. Dkt Okoli zara ya,

“Onye ma?” A nagh[ ede ya n’ihu, ihe qjqq qbxla d[@ ka$ qnwx nwere ike [d[

n’ime okenye ma q bx nwata”. Qnqdx nwatak[r[ a ka na-ewute Nkem n’xzq

pxrx iche. Ihe q hxrx ka agbara ya ghar[[. O kwuru si na nwata ahx ka bunu

obere nwa!

“Q d[gh[ m ka q ma nne ya nke o ji ebi n’xlq d[ mma kamgbe q pxtara

xwa. Mana, mama biko, meere ya ebere! Ekwela ka ha kpqchie ya n’xlq

mkpqrq!” Ork. Ezeaka kpqketere ya nso,

“Nwa m, i che na m ga-atxbi otu eriri ntutu isi ya? Xbqch[ m ga-anq

n’xwa a agbadaala. Ka e meerenx m ebere otu m si emere nd[ qzq”.

Akabxqgx rahxtere xra aka. Ka mgbede pxrx, o tetere n’xra. Dkt Okoli

kpqrq Nkem na nne ya ukwu ka ha b[a nxrx ihe Akabxqgx nwere [gwa ha. Ha

kpatere nkata a aka. Akabxqgx kqqrq ha akxkq banyere ndx ya. Ha gwara ya

ka q kwxs[zie [kq n’ihi ahx mgbu q na-enwe. Q d[ mwute [nx ka obere

nwatak[r[ ahx ad[gh[ na-akq banyere ihe q gabigarala na ihe nd[ obi qjqq mere

ya. {he nyere ya obi an)xr[ bx ihu qch[ na [hunanya ha na-ele ya.

N’oge etegh[ aka, Akabxqgx siwanyere ike were nwee ike ikele Nkem na

nne ya ukwu maka [hunanya ha nwere ebe q nq na ka ha siri leta ya anya.

Otu xbqch[, q gwara Nkem na q ga-amas[ ya [rxrx ya qrx iji mee ya obi an)xr[.

Nkem gwara ya ka o nwee ndidi na ya na Ork. Ezeaka ga-akwapx mgbe na-

ad[gh[ anya.

“Any[ ruo ebe ahx, i nwere ike inyere any[ aka n’ubi”

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Ebe ahx ha kwagara d[ ha niile mma. Ndx Akabxqgx gbanworo kpam

kpam. O so Nkem na nne ya ukwu aga mkpaghar[. Q na-ege ha nt[ ma ha na-

akpa maka akwxkwq ha gxrx. Mgbe xfqdx kwa, q na-anq Nkem nso ma q na-

agxpxta akwxkwq q na-agx. Nkem na-agx egwu, q nakwa ege nt[. Q na-enye

aka n’ubi. Q na-azxkwa xmx qkxkq nne ya ukwu ma na ekulite n’oge xtxtx

qbxla, zachaa ime xlq na mbara.

Qnwa atq agaala, qnwa nd[ juputara n’udo. Akabxqgx nwere ezigbo

an)xr[, Nkem na nne ya ukwu leziri ya anya nke qma nke na o ji obi ya niile

were hx ha n’anya.

15

{HE HA ATXWAGH{ ANYA

Udummiri b[ara gafee qs[[sq, qkqch[ wxchie. Akabxqgx na nd[ o bi na be

ha kanq ebe ha kwagara. Akabxqgx na-agbakekwa n’ike n’ike ma na-

enwekwa an)xr[.

Otu xbqch[ Akabxqgx na nd[ o bi be ha pxrx mkpaghar[. Ebe ha gara

tere nnqq aka. Ka ha batara n’xlq, Nkem bidoro igwu egwu. N’egbugh[ oge

qbxla, o mewe ka onye ahx na-ar[a. Aka ya bidoro mawa jijiji. {hu ya gbarxq

ozigbo. Ork. Ezeaka kpqrq ya jxq ya ihe na-eme ya. Q zara ya na o nwegh[

ihe na-eme ya.

“Ike gwxchara m. Ka m gaa dina ala zuo ike were d[ mma echi”.

Ka chi foro, ahx Nkem kawanyere njq. O doro ewu na qkxkq anya na

nnukwu ahx ad[gh[ ya. Ya bx qr[a ya mere ka Ork. Ezeaka nqrq na nnukwu

xjq. Q kpqrq Akabxqgx gwa ya na a ga-akpq Dkt. Okoli ozigbo. Q gwara ya na

ya edegarala ya akwxkwq ozi iji kpqq ya mana ya na-achq onye ga ezigara ya

ya bx akwxkwq ozi ebe q nq. Q jxrx Akabxqgx ma q ga-eweganwu ya bx

akwxkwq ozi n’obodo ebe Dkt. Okoli bi. Akabxqgx nara ya ya ozigbo tipu qsq.

O ji nnukwu qzq pxq, gbaruo n’obodo ahx were dobe akwxkwq ozi ahx d[ ka e

si were gwa ya.

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Ka o si n’xlq ebe q gara dowe akwxkwq qzi ahx apxta, q fqdxrx ntak[r[

ka ya na otu nwoke toro ogologo yi akwa ojii kwakqrita. Nwoke ahx gbqjara

ya.

“B[a! Kedx xd[ ekwensu bx ihe nke a? “Akabxqgx r[qrq ya ka q ghara iwe

iwe n’ihi na q d[ ya ngwa ngwa na qbx ya mere na o hxgh[ ya.

“Anx qh[a!” ka q na-aba mba, q chadoro Akabxqgx anya n’ihu.

“Onye ma na [ ka ga-ad[ ndx were bxrx nke i pxta ebe na- kwxchiri m xzq.”

Akabxqgx r[qrq ya mgbaghara,

“Biko ewela iwe, ama m na emerxgh[ m g[ ahx?” Nwoke ahx ekwegh[

ekwe, kanakwa abara ya mba,

“Ozu nwxrx anwx ! G[n[ ka [ nq ebe a eme?.

Q b[ara Akabxqgx nso ka a ga-as[ na q chqrq [kx ya ihe were daa ada.

Akabxqgx lere onye ara a anya (n’ihi na ochere na q bx onye ara) gbachighaa

azx n’ime xlq ichq enyemaka. Xmx okorobia qle ma qle gbapxtara buru

nwoke a bubaa n’ime xlq. Akabxqgx tipxrx qsq ozigbo gbalaa n’ihi na nwoke

ahx egbuola ya nnukwu oge. O chefuru ihe a mere ngwa ngwa n’ihi na qr[a

Nkem na-akawanye njq nke na onye o bxla chere na q ga-anwx.

N’etiti abal[ xbqch[ ahx, Dkt. Okoli wuchiri ozigbo baa n’xlq ebe Nkem

nq. Akabxqgx na Ork. Ezeaka chere ya ka q pxta. Ka q pxtara, ihe pxrx ya

n’qnx bx,

“O nye kwara nsogbu, ezigbo nwatak[r[ nd[ mmadx hxchara nnqq

n’anya, mana obere olile anya d[“.

Ka xbqch[ na-aga, xlq niile jxrx oyi. Q nwezighi onye na-ekwusi okwu

ike. Ihu anagh[ ad[ nd[ na-abata ahx ya mma. Xmx nne nwaany[ na xmx

ntak[r[ batara [b[a hx Nkem na-ebe akwa apx. Akabxqgx gbara qsq gaa n’xlq

xka r[q Chineke ka q gwqq Nkem. Ka q lqtara, Ork. Ezeaka nq ala n’xlq ebe

nd[ qb[a na-anq sqqsq ya. Obi mapxrx Akabxqgx n’ihi na q maara na Ork.

Ezeaka na-anqkar[ n’akxkq akwa qr[a Nkem mgbe qbxla. Q gbara ya ghar[[

ihe nwere [me o ji pxta nqrq naan[ ya ebe ahx. Ka q batara, q chqpxtara na

Nkem nq na nnukwu xra nke na o nwere ike kulite nwee ike ma ya ekulitela.

Ya na nne ya ukwu nqdx ebe ahx na-ekwugh[ okwu qbxla. Onwegh[ onye

txpxrx ibe ya qnx; xjq ji ha. N’ikpeazx, Dkt. Okoli pxtara. Ozigbo q pxtara,

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Ork. Ezeaka tiwara akwa jxwa ya ka Nkem mere. Dqk[ta bidoro i meda ya obi

mana q na-ar[qsi ya ike ka q kqqrq ya otu Nkem d[,

“Biko gwanx m otu o d[; q nwxqla? Q na-achqzi [nwu ? E ji m aha

Chineke ar[q g[ biko.” {he a wutere Dkt. Okoli, q zara ya,

“Mba! Ebe Chineke d[ ndx, q gagh[ anwx. Q ga-anonyekwuru any[ afq

kwuru afq na-ab[a” obi tqrq Ork. Ezeaka xtq nke ukwu nke na o gburu ikpere

n’ala bido [kpe ekpere. Akabxqgx amagh[ ihe q d[ ya ka ya mewe emewe.

Akwa ekwegh[ ya ebe nke okwu ji ekwe ya ekwu.

Nkem na-ad[wanye mma ka chi na-efo mana ike ad[begh[ ya [pxta iro.

Onwegh[zi onye na-ekwute maka mkpaghar[ mgbede. Akabxqgx na-anqkar[zi

n’ime xlq na-agx akwxkwq.

Otu mgbede, anwx chara nnqq nke ukwu. Akabxqgx agxteela akwxkwq

ya aka. Ike agwxla ya nnukwu, o were rahx xra nk[ta. Ozigbo ahx, ime xlq ebe

q nq bidoro ime ya otu d[ an ‹aa n’anya. Q d[ ya ka o chighara azx na be Otikpo

qzq. Otikpo nq ala na-atx ya aka, lefuo anya na-agbara otu nwoke izu. Q d[ ya

ka Otikpo q na-egosi ya nwoke ahx. N’az[za nwoke ahx zara Otikpo; q si ya

na q nwegh[ ihe ga-eme ka ya ghara [ma ya bx Akabxqgx, q sqkwa ya bxrx

na e liri ya n’ala na ya ga- amar[r[ ya. Iwe na-ekupu nwoke ahx n’ahx mgbe q

na-aza Otikpo ajxjx ahx. Nke a mere xjq ji b[a Akabxqgx n’anya, o were

malie,

G[n[ mere ya ihe a? nke na o kwughi okwu nke o ji emeghar[ ahx. O lere

anya hx Otikpo ka q kwu n’isi windo. Ya na agad[ nwoke ahx o zuru mgbe q

gara dowe akwxkwq ozi Dkt. Okoli. N’otu ntabi anya, onwegh[zi onye q hxrx

n’ime ha niile, mana q hxrx ha, ha hxkwuo ya. Ihe a gbagwojuru Akabxqgx

anya; q kwxtxrx qtq obere oge, si na windo mapx tiwe mkpu ka nd[ mmadx

gbatara ya qsq enyemeka.

Xmx odibo nq ebe ahx gbatara. Sqqsq ihe Akabxqgx na-eti bx,

“Otikpo! Otikpo!”

“Q bx nwoke? Kedx xzq o si?”

Akabxqgx rxrx ya aka. Osita tipxrx ozigbo, Qkpara sochie ya n’azx.

Akabxqgx na Dkt. Okoli sochikwara ha azx mana o nwegh[ onye ha hxrx. Dkt.

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Okoli gwara Akabxqgx na o nwere ike [bx nrq ka q rqrq. Akabxqgx s[r[ ya

mba. Q gwara ya na ya hxrx xmx nwoke abxq ahx nke qma,

“Ahxrx m Otikpo, a ma m ihe m na-ekwu. Ahxchasiri m ha ike otu a m si

ahx g[ ugbua”

Dkt. jxrx ya onye bxkwanx onye nke qzq; q zara ya na q bx nwoke ahx

o zuru n’ebe q gara idobere ya akwxkwq ozi mgbe a gwara ya na ahx ad[gh[

Nkem. Q gwakwara ya na anya ha abxq kakqrq nnqq nke qma na ya ma ihe

ya na-ekwu. Ihe a gbara Dkt. Okoli ghar[[. Ha bidokwara chqwakwa ha qzq

mana mkpxrx ad[gh[ n’xkwa ha na-ap[. Ka chi foro, e zipxrx Osita ka q gaa

n’xlq nd[ qb[a niile d[ okirikiri obodo ahx chqq ha ma q bx onye nwere ike [ kq

ihe qbxla gbasara ya? Echi ya, Akabxqgx soro Dkt. Okoli pxq n’obodo ahx

[chq Otikpo na onye otu ya mana isi apxtagh[. Ihe a riri onye qbxla qnx.

16

MZ. IKEM NA ONYE QB{A

N’xlq qrx ebe a mxrx Akabxqgx, Mz. Ikem nq n’akxkq qkx anya qkx. Q

na-agx akwxkwq o ji n’aka mgbe otu nwoke batara [hx ya. Nwoke ahx toro

ogologo yirikwa akwa ojii. Q bx nwoke ahx Akabxqgx hxrx n’xlq ebe q gara

idowe akwxkwq ozi Dkt. Okoli ma bxrxkwa onye ahx q hxrx ya na Otikpo

n’ime xlq ebe qnq. Ka nwoke ahx batara, q s[r[ Mz. Ikem,

“Ihu g[ d[ ka ihu m mma, [ bx onye so elekqta xlq qrx ka q bx na q bxgh[

g[?”

Mz. Ikem weturu olu s[ ya,

“Q bx m bxzi e jechaa q gwx n’xlq qrx ugbu a, qga kpata kpata” Nwoke ahx

gwara ya na o nwere ihe q chqrq ka q kqqrq ya,

“Asigh[ m g[ kqqrq m ya na nk[t[, were nke a jidegodu.” Ka q na-ekwu, q

manyere aka n’akpa wepxta ego dowe n’elu tebulu. Mz. Ikem were ya ozigbo

tinye n’akpa ya, Nwoke ahx gwara ya ka q gbal[a chete ihe q chqrq i jx ya. Ya

bx ihe mere afq iri na abxq gara aga. Q gwara ya na o nwere nwata nwoke a

mxrx ebe a mgbe gara aga. Mz. Ikem gwara ya na xmx ntak[r[ nwoke a mxrx

ahx ehiela nne. Nwoke ahx gara n’ihx kqwaara ya ka nwatak[r[ ahx d[,

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“Nwata ahx pere nnqq mpe, o nwere obere ihu. E dupuru ya ka q gaa

nyere aka ebe a na-arx akpati ozu. O si ebe ahx gbafuo,” Mgbe ahx ka Mz.

Ikem jiri ghqta onye a na-ekwu maka ya.

“Echetala m onye [ na-ekwu maka ya, Akabxqgx. Ajq nwa ahx”. Nwoke

gwara ya na q bxgh[ maka ya ka q chqrq [nx.

“Q nwegh[ ihe m ji ya eme; q bx nne nwaany[ ahx letere nne ya anya.

Ebee ka q nq?”

Mz. Ikem gwara ya na q nwxrx afq gara aga.

Ike gwxrx nwoke ahx. q gbachiri nk[t[. Uche ya akpakqtazighi qnx. Q

kuliri ka q pxq mana Mz. Ikem gwara ya ka o chere. Q gwara ya na o nwere

enyi agadi nwaanyi ahx nwere tupu q nwuo ka nq ugbua nwere ike inyere ya

aka.

“Kedx ka m ga-esi hx ya”

“Naan[ m ga-emenwu ya”

“Ole mgbe?”

“Echi”

Nwoke ahx gwara ya mgbe q ga-ab[a. Detuoro ya ka q ga-esi b[a be ya

n’akwxkwq gwa ya ka o jiri nzuzo kpqtara ya nwaany[ ahx be ya. Ka q pxrx,

Mz. Ikem hxrx na aha ad[gh[ n’akwxkwq ahx q dere. O kuliri chxrx ya pxq. Ka

q metxrx nwoke ahx aka n’azx, nwoke ahx txghar[r[,

“G[n[ ka [ chqrq? Kedx ihe [ na-esoro m n’azx?” Mz. Ikem gwara ya na q

bx ka q jxq ya aha q ga-ajx ase ya mgbe q ga-achq ya b[a. Nwoke ahx gwara

ya na aha ya bx Nnaji ghara ya jewara ozigbo.

Na mgbede otu xbqchi, okpomqkx d[. Mz. Ikem gbadara n’akxkx mmiri o

nwegh[ onye nq. Ya na otu agadi nwaany[ nq. Xlq qle ma qle kachara nka d[

ebe ahx. Ha d[ nso n’ikpere mmiri. Mz.Ikem lere anya na mpempe akwxkwq

ahx o ji s[ na ebe ha na-achq kwesiri [d[ nso ebe ahx ha kwx. Ka ha kwx ebe

ahx, otu olu si n’ime otu xlq d[ ebe ahx daa s[,

“Lee anya, unu abxq batawanx ebe a” Ha banyere, nwoke ahx mechie

xzq s[ ha,

“Ugbua, ka any[ kqq n’ubi onye any[ b[ara. Q bx nwaany[ ahx d[ ihe a?”.

Mz. Ikem kwere ya. Q gwara nwaany[ ahx na Mz. Ikem gwara ya na ya na

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nwaany[ nwxrx otu abal[ n’xlq qrx ha nq mgbe q nwxrx. Q jxrx ya na ya ma na

Mz. Ikem zunyere ha ohi xka tupu ha ab[a. Nwaany[ ahx kwetere s[ ya,

“Qbxkwa banyere nne Akabxqgq, ee, q bx eziokwu”. Nwoke ahx jxrx ya

ihe o kwuru?” Tupu nwaanyi emeghee qnx, Mz. Ikem jxrx Nnaji ego ole q ga-

akwx tupu q nweta ihe o chqrq n’aka nwaany[ ahx. Nnaji gwara ya na o nwere

ike ma ihe q ga-anx agagh[ ada ego qbxla nwee ike q daa naira puku ise

mana ka m nugodu qnx mmiri okwu nwaany[ a. Mz Ikem gwara ya s[

“Tukwasakwuo ya naira ise. A ga m enye nwaany[ a oke ruru ya. { ga-akpa m

ego ahx n’aka tupu o bido kwuwe okwu. Puku naira ise na nar[ ise.”

Nnaji tiri mkpu na ya bx ego kar[r[ akari mana Mz. Ikem siri qnwx kwxrx

n’okwu o kwuru. Nnaji gwara ya na o nwekwaranx ike q bxrx na ihe nwaany[ a

ga-ekwu agagh[ enwe isi mana Mz. Ikem jxrx jxwaa isi,

“Ihe e kpuchiri kemgbe afq iri na abxq ka [ nq ebe a ekwu na ego kar[r[

nkar[; q d[gh[ g[ mma, hapx ya.”

Nnaji gbachiri nk[t[ qbere, manye aka n’akpa ya wepxta ego. Q gxpxtara

naira puku ise na nar[ ise nye Mz. Ikem were gwa ha ka ebido akxkq. Agadi

nwaany[ ahx bidoro akxkq,

“Mgbe nne nwaany[ ahx nwxrx naan[ mx na ya nq” Ka q kpx okwu

n’qnx, Nnaji jxrx ya na q bx na o nweghi onye nq mgbe ahx,

“O nwegh[ onye nwere ike [nx ihe unu na-ekwu ma q bx ghqta ihe unu

na-agwa onwe unu? Nwaany[ ahx gwara ya na o nwegh[ onye nq mgbe ha

na-akar[ na q bx sq ha abxq nq mgbe q nwxrx” Nnaji kwere n’isi. Nwaany[

kqrqkwa na-agbada,

O kwuru maka otu nwa agbqghq mxrx nwa n’ime xlq ahx na n’a$kwa $ ahx

kwa. Nwata ahx bx nke Mz Ikem gxrx Akabxqgx. Q gara n’ihu kqqrq ya na q

nwere ihe nne nwat[k[r[ ahx nyere nne nwaany[ ahx tupu q nwxq r[qsie ya ike

ka o dowere ya nwatak[r[ ahx. Nnaji jxrx ya ma o doweere nwatak[r[ ahx ihe

ahx. Nwaany[ ahx gwara ya na o nyegh[ ya na q mechara were ya res[ ya

n’ikpeazu mgbe Ikem hapxrx xlq qrx ha. Nnaji jxrx ya ebe ihe ahx d[ ugbua. Q

zara ya na ya ji ya ebe ahx. O nwere obere akpa tqgbq n’elu tebulu. Nnaji

tqghere ihe di n’ime ya. {he di n’ime ya bx qmar[cha ola edo na otu qmar[cha

mgba aka. Nwaany[ ahx gwakwara ya na e dere ‘Ogechi’ na mgba aka ahx,

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“Q bx aha nne ya”

Nnaji lere ihe nd[ ahx e wepxtara anya jxq ya ma q gwxchaala ihe nd[ d[

n’ime akpa ahx. Nwaany[ gwara ya na o gwula. Ebe niile dara jxx. Mz. Ikem

gbachiri ha nk[t[ mgbe niile ha na-akar[. Q nqkatara s[,

“Enwere m ajxjx abxq m ga-ajx” Nnaji gwara ya ka q jxq mana ma q

zara ma q zagh[ bxkwa ihe qzq. O bidoro jxq

“Nke mbx, q bx ihe a ka [ na-ele anya inwete?”

“Eee, g[n[ bx ajxjx nke abxq?”

“G[n[ ka [ chqrq iji ya mee? E nwere ike iji ya megide m?”

“Mba oo, a gagh[kwa eji ya megidekwaz[ mx n’onwe m. Ngwa soro m ka

[ hx ihe m ga-eji [he nd[a mee.”

Nnaji duuru ha pxta gbadaa na mmiri. Mmiri na-ezo mgbe ahx nke mere

ka mmiri ahx na-ehusi ike. Nnaji were akpa ahx txnye na mmiri s[,

“Okwu ebiela. O nwegh[zi ihe qzq a na-ekwu. Unu abxq ga-emechikwa

qnx unu gbasara ihe a. Mz. Ikem gwara ya na nsogbu ad[gh[, kelee ya. Obi

tqrq Nnaji xtq ka q nxrx nkwa Mz. Ikem kwere ya. Q gwara ha ka ha mxnye

qkx ha jiri qs[sq pxq ebe ahx, lawa.

17

NNEKA ACHQPXTA IHE NZUZO

Qkpqka dina n’elu a$kwa$ kpuchie a @kwa$. Q nqqla n’akwa qr[a qtxtx izu

xka. Nk[ta ya makpu n’akxkx a$kwa$ ya. Otu nwa agbqghq kwx n’akxkx windo.

O siri ike [chqpxta na q bx Nneka n’ihi na q tachala ahx. Nneka jxrx Qkpqka

otu q d[. Q gwara ya na otu ume na-anwx anwx ad[gh[ ya n’ahx. Xzq

meghere, Otikpo bata. Ikenna na Umekwe sokwa ya bata buru igbe. Ihe a

gbagwojuru Qkpqka anya. Q jxrx ha ihe butere ha ebe ahx. Otikpo zara ya,

“O nweghikwa ihe bx any[ b[a iche. Ewetere m g[ ihe ga-amas[ g[ [hx.

Ikenna, meghere akpati ahx wepxta ihe niile ahx any[ ji ego any[ gote nye

Qkpqka”.

Ikenna, meghere akpati ahx mee ihe a gwara ya. Umekwe were buru

ya busa n’elu tebulu. Ikenna gwara ya na q bx qmar[cha nri na anx tinyekwara

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ihe qn)un)u d[ mma. Q gwara Qkpqka ka q n)xq ya. Qkpqka nara ya ihe ahx

n‹xchapx ozigbo. Otikpo kwere n’isi s[ ya,

“{ na-agbake Qkpqka, ana m ahx ya” Qkpqka gwara ya na ya na-ad[

mma. “Q teelar[ m kaara [nwx tupu unu ab[a leta m. G[n[ ka unu bu n’uche unu

jiri hapx m ebe a izu xka atq ka m nqrq n’qnqdx a?”

“Unu ana-anxkwa ihe q na-ekwu, mgbe any[ gotecharala ihe nd[ a niile”

Qkpqka gwara ya na ihe ha gotere d[ mma ma jxkwaa ya ihe o nwere ikwu?

G[n[ ka i ji hapx m ebe a n’akwa qr[a n’enyegh[ m ego qbxla?”

Otikpo gwara ya na o bxgh[ ihe ya ga-anq ebe ahx kwuwe

n’agbanyegh[ na o nwegh[ ihe o nwere ike i menwu, ka ya kwanyere onwe ya

ugwu. Qkpqka ekwegh[ ya kwupu ihe q na ekwu s[ ya,

“{ s[ ugwu, ugwu! o nwere ugwu [ nwere? Biko, kedx xmx aka a? Otu

onye nyetx m anx ebe ahx.” Otikpo r[qrq ya mgbaghara,

“Biko ewela iwe Qkpqka, echefugh[ m g[ chaa chaa. Mgbe m nxrx ka

nkata any[ kpara si ghasaa na ka i si hapx Akabxqgx. Echere m na q ga-aka

mma [nqte nnqq aka obere oge”

“Q d[ mma, e wepx nwata nwagbogho a, akara m [nwxqla” Otikpo

chetaara ya na o bx ya kpqtaara ya nwagbqghq ahx. Ka ha na-agbagha,

Nneka gwara Qkpqka na o bx eziokwu. Otikpo gwara Qkpqka na ha ga-

achqtar[r[ Akabxqgx, kpqlata ya,

“Q d[ m oke mkpa Qkpqka”, Qkpoka jxrx ya etu o ga-esi mee nke a. Q

gwara ya na ya na Nkem nq be nwanne nne ya.

“Echere m na ugbu a bx ohere any[ nwere. Ha b[ara Onicha ugbu a, ha

nq n’xlq nd[ qb[a d[ ebe a na-ezu ike. Any[ ga-anwa qzq, ka any[ kpqlata ya.

Nneka ga-enyere any[ aka qzq. b[a, Nneka, g[n[ na-eme g[, nke a [ na-acha

mmiri mmiri”.

“Mmiri mmiri?” Ihere mewere Nneka, o kpuchie anya ya.

“Q d[ egwu. G[n[ ka [ na-eme onwe g[?”

“Q nwegh[kwa, bere sqqsq [nq n’ime xlq a xtxtx, ehihie na abal[, izu xka

kwuru izu xka.

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Qkpqka gwara ya na o nwere ike [pxzi, ka o soro Otikpo gaa wetara ya

ego n’ihi na kqbq ad[gh[zi ya n’aka. Q gwara ya na ya ga- arahx xra ma q pxq.

Otikpo gwara ya na ya enwegh[ sh[sh[ n’xlq mana Qkpqka gwara ya s[,

“{ nwechara ego, ego d[ be g[ buru ibu” Otikpo tiri mkpu, chilie aka elu,

“Eee? Enwegh[kwa m ole….”

“Amagh[ m ka ole [ nwere ha mana ama m na [gx ya ga-egbu oge. {

ga-enyer[r[ m xfqdx taata. Kpqrq Nneka laa ka o wetara m ya.”

Obi ad[chagh[ Otikpo mma n’ihi ihe a Qkpqka na-ekwu mana n’ikpeazx,

q kwetere lawa n’xlq ya. Nneka sochikwara ya azx ozigbo. Ka ha laruru, q

gwara Nneka ka ya gaa wetara ya ego ahx.

“Nke a bx igodo obere akpati ebe m na- ezolahxrx xmx aka a ihe.

Anagh[ m ezofu ego n’ihi na enwegh[ m nke m na-ezofu! - ha! ha! ha! O

nwegh[ chaa chaa!!.”

Ka ya na Nneka ka na-akar[, q nxrx mkpqtx mmadx. Q gwara Nneka ka

o mechie qnx, ch[nye igodo ahx n’akpa. Ha nxrx olu dimkpa nwoke, Q

takwxnyeere Nneka s[,

“Q bx nwoke m na-atx anya [hx. Anwakwala anwa kwute okwu ego

mgbe q ga-anq ebe a. { nxla? O gagh[ anqte aka. Otikpo buru qkx gaa n’xzq.

Otu nwoke yi akwa ojii kwx ebe ahx. Nwoke a bx Nnaji. Ka q hxrx Nneka, q

laghachiri azx. Otikpo gwara ya na q bx otu n’ime nd[ be ya. Q gwara Nneka

ka q ghara [px. Ka Nnaji batara, Otikpo jxrx ya ma o nwere ihe akxkq mere.

Nnaji gwara ya na i he mere magburu onwe ya na mma. Q gwakwara ya na q

d[ ya qs[[sq. Otikpo kuliri, ha banye n’xlq qzq. Nneka yipxrx akpxkpq xkwx ya,

jiri nwayqq sochie ha azx kwxrx n’akxkx qnx xzq, q nxchara ihe niile ha

kwuru.

Ka q nqchara nkeji iri na ise. Q laghachiri azx. Nnaji pxtara lawa. Otikpo

chighatara azx. Q jxrx Nneka ihe na-eme ya nke mere o jizi achas[z[ mmiri

mmiri ike,

“I ji n’aka na ahx d[ g[?”

“Nsogbu ad[gh[ chaa chaa, b[a nye m ego ka m chighaa azx”

Anya mmiri d[ ya n’anya mana Otikpo ahxgh[ ya. Q gxrx ego Qkpqka

nye ya. Nneka naara ya ego, kelee ya, pxq.

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18

HA AGAA HX NKEM

Ka chi foro, Qkpqka siwanyere ike. Nneka pxrx gaa were ego ahx

Otikpo wetere zxta nri na [he qñuñu. Qkpqka ñxjuru nnqq afq. O lekatara

Nneka, kpqq ya, gwa ya na ihe Otikpo kwuru gbasara otu o si acha bx

eziokwu,

“Gba mbq weghachite ihu g[ ka q d[bu mbx ma q bx eweghachitere m g[

ya. Biko gbanyekwuoro m mmanya ka m n)xq”.

Nneka ekwugh[ okwu qbxla banyere ya, na-ekiri ya ka q na-an)x mmanya

ya. Qkpqka ji azx daghachi n’akwa ya, mechie anya ya. O meghekwara ya

qzq, mechikwaa qzq. Ka q nqtxrx ntak[r[, q wxliri n’ike, dinarakwa ala qzq

were baa n’xra miri emi. Nneka gwara onwe ya s[,

“N’ikpeazu, mmanya a emeela m ka q rahx xra. Aga m apx ugbua ma q

bx agagh[ emecha ngwa ngwa”. O kpunyere okpu ya jiri xjq kp[ghee xzq pxq.

Q banyere n’ime obodo ozigbo ozigbo ahx, gaa n’xlq nd[ qb[a ahx d[ n’akxkx

ebe a na-egwu egwu. Ka o ruru ebe ahx, otu nwa odibo hxrx ya ka o si acha

ma takwaa oke ahx, nqrq n’ime ya yiri akwa kachara nka jxrx ya ihe q chqrq

bia ebe ahx. o gwara ya na ya chqrq nwagbqghq ahx nq n’xlq ahx a na-akpq

Nkem. Nwa odibo ahx jxrx ya aha q ga-akpq ma ya baa n’xlq mana Nkem

gwara ya na o d[gh[ mkpa na ya chqr[r[ [hx ya. Ka q kpx okwu n’qnx, otu n’ime

nd[ xmx odibo ahx kwaara ya kwaga n’qnx xzq gwa ya ka o jiri aka ya

gawazie mana Nneka bere akwa jxq ha ma q bx na onwegh[ onye ga-eziri ya

Nkem ozi. Otu n’ime xmx odibo ahx meteere ya ebere, kpqq ya jxq ya ozi o

nwere izi Nkem ka ya ziere ya,

“Gwa Nkem na otu nwa agbqghq chqrq ka sqqsq ha abxq hx, gwakwuo

ya na q d[ nnukwu mkpa”.

Nwa odibo ahx bara n’ime xlq. O tegh[ aka, o chighatara azx, Nneka

soro ya baa n’ime xlq. Q kpqrq ya kpqbaa ebe Nkem nq. Ka Nkem hxrx ya, q

nabatara ya nke qma, jxq ya ihe o ji chqq [hx ya. Xd[r[ nnabata a txrx Nneka

n’anya nke na anya mmiri pxwara ya n’anya. Q gwara Nkem na a si na nd[

dika ya buru ibu n’xwa a, nd[ d[ ka ya bx Nneka ga-ad[ mkpxrx mmadx ole na

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ole. Nkem nyere ya oche,s[ ya, “q bxrx na o nwere ihe na-esogbu g[, obi ga-

ad[ m mma imere g[ ya. Nneka s[ ya,

“Ka m kwxrx qtq …… xzq a, o mechiri emechi?”

“Eee, kedx ihe mere i ji ajx?”

“Q bx maka na m na-ewere ndx m na ndx ndi qzq na-etinye g[ n’aka. Q

bx m bx onye kpqchighara Akabxqgx azx be Otikpo n’anyas[ ahx o si be Mz.

Xnamba pxq,

“G[!”

“Q bx m bx ekwensu ahx ya na nd[ ohi bi n’ xlq. Agagh[ m echeta na

m ebitxla ezigbo ndx kemgbe m matara ha”

{he Nneka na-akq wutere Nkem nke ukwuu. O meteere Nneka ebere. Nneka

nwekwaz[r[ afq ojuju ebe Nkem nq s[ ya,

“Chineke gqzie g[ maka obi oma g[. Eziokwu, [ mara m, [ ga-emetere m

ebere. Nd[ mx na ha nq ga-egbu m ma ha chqpxta na m nq ebe a. Mana

achqrq m [gwa g[ ihe m nxrx. { ma nwoke a na-akpq Nnaji?”

“Mba”

“Q mara onye [ bx, marakwa na [ nq ebe a. Otu ahx ka m siri mara na

[ nqkwaa ebe a “

“Anxbegh[ m aha a mbx”

“O nwere ike q bxrx na o nwere aha qzq e ji mara ya. Anyas[ xnyaahx, a

nxrx m ka ya na Otikpo na-akar[. Ha mara na Akabxqgx nq ebe a were na-

akpa nkata ka ha ga-esi nwude ya. Nnaji chqrq ka q kwxq Otikpo xgwq ka q

kpqta Akabxqgx ka ya na ha zuwekwa ohi qzq”.

“Maka g[n[ kwanx?”

“O kwegh[ m nghqta. Anxchagh[ m ihe ha kar[r[ nke qma mana anxrx m

ka Nnaji gwara Otikpo na eziokwu niile gbasara qmxmx Akabxqgx d[ n’ike

mmiri. O nwekwara ihe o kwuru gbasara iweta ego ya” Ihe nd[ a niile gbasara

Nkem anya mana Nneka mere ka q ghqta na ihe niile o kwuru bx eziokwu

n’agbanyegh[ na q bx n’qnx ya ka o si apxta.

“Nnaji chqrq ka Otikpo mee ka Akabxqgx zuwekwa ohi qzq, mekwaaz[

ya ka q gbuo mmadx nke ga-eme ka q txfuo ndx ya. Ka Nnaji siri kwu ya, ‘

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nke ahx ga-abx ka nke nwanne m nwoke bx Akabxqgx si ga- ebi’.” Nkem tiri

mkpx, “Nwanne ya nwoke!”

“Q bx ka o siri kwu ya, chi ejiela. Ka m laa”

“Alalaa, nqrq ebe a. O nwegh[ ihe ga-eme g[. G[n[ mere na any[ agagh[ aga

gwa nd[ uwe ojii?”

“Aga m alar[r[. o nwere otu onye n’ime ha m hxrx n’anya. Agagh[ m ahapx

ya”.

Nkem jxrx ya ihe q ga-eme. Nneka dxrx ya qdx ka q chqq otu nwoke bx

ezigbo mmadx gbanyere izu ahx ka q dxq ya qdx. Q gwara ya hoo haa na

Akabxqgx anwagh[ anwa so ha qzq. Nkem jxrx ya s[

“Kedu kwanx ebe m ga-ahx g[ ma q d[ mkpa?”.

“{ na-ekwe m nkwa na naan[ g[ ga-eso b[a ma q bx g[ na onye qzq maara

maka ya?”

“Nsogbu ad[gh[”

Ha abxq kpar[tara t[mkqm t[mkqm ole ma ole tupu Nneka alawa. Nkem r[qrq

ya ka q nqkwuo obere oge,

“G[n[ mere i ji alakwurukwa nd[ ohi a qzq ebe m ga enyenwuru g[ aka?

Nqtxkwuonu ma q bx i were ego ka i jiri baara onwe g[ uru n’qd[nihu? Achqrq

m [ nyere g[ aka”.

Nneka bidoro bewe akwa

“Enyela m ego q bxla. Aka kacha mma [ ga-enyere m bx iwere ndx m. Q

nwegh[ uru m bara. Chukwu gqzie g[”.

Q txghar[r[ besiwe akwa ike were pxq n’iro.

19

HA EZUKQQ

Akabxqgx jxrx Nkem ma ha aga-ahx Mz. Xnamba qzq ugbu a ha nq

n’Qn[cha. Q kqqrqla ha ka Mz. Unamba siri bxrx ezigbo mmadx na otu ya na

Ork. Nneqma siri leta ya anya nke qma. O teela o ji achq ka ya na ha hxkwa

anya qzq. Nkem kpebiri na ya ga-ahx Mz. Unamba, gwakwuo ya maka ihe

Nneka gwara ya. Ya na Akabxqgx kwadoro gawa. Ka ha ruru be Mz.

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Xnamba, nwa odibo nq ebe ahx gara gwa Mz. Unamba, na o nwere nd[ chqrq

[hx ya,

Ka a s[ ha bata n’ime xlq, q hapxrx Akabxqgx na Osita n’ezi soro nwa

odibo ahx banye n’ime xlq, ka q batara n’ime xlq, q hxrx otu agadi nwoke ihu

bx qch[ qch[ na otu nwoke qzq nqdebere ya ihu atqgh[ qch[ chaa chaa. Q

kelere ha, kpqqrq ha aha onye q na-achq – “Mz. Xnamba”, na-ele ha abxq

anya ka q mara onye ga-aza. Nwoke nke ahx ihu toro qch[ zara ya s[ ya na

onye ya na ya nq bx Mz. Uche enyi ya nwoke. Q r[qrq Mz. Uche ka o nyetx ha

ohere obere oge. Ka nke a na-eme, Nkem chetere ihe Akabxqgx na-agwa ya

maka Mz. Uche. Q gwara Mz. Xnamba na q bagh[ uru na o na-enye Mz. Uche

nsogbu isi ebe ahx pxq ebe q mara ihe butere ya. Mz Uche kelere ya,

nqrqkwa ala. Nkem as[ ha,

“O nwere ihe m ga-agwa unu ga-atx unu n’anya. Ama m na obi ga-atq

unu xtq [nx gbasara otu nwatak[r[ mx na ya d[ ezigbo mma unu letara anya

nke qma oge gara aga. Aha ya bx Akabxqgx.” Ka q kpqrq aha ya, Mz.

Xnamba wuliri n’oche ebe q nq. Ya bx ihe gbara ya na Mz.Uche ghar[[. Mz.

Xnamba tiri aka n’obi s[ na xjq na-atx ya n’ihi na e duhiere ya xzq ikpebi na

Akabxqgx bx ajq nwa. Mz. Uche napxrx ya okwu n’qnx,

“Nwata ahx bx ajq nwata, k[t[kpa rachaa m anya ma q bxrx na nwata a

abxgh[ ajq nwa” Nkem ekwegh[ ya kwuchaa ihe q na-ekwu,

“Q bx ezigbo nwa. Obi ya amaka.” Mz. Xnamba r[qrq ya ka q kqqrq ha

nke qma gbasara nwatak[r[ ahx.

Nkem kqqrq ha ihe niile mere Akabxqgx. Q gwakwara ha na ihe na-

esogbukar[ Akabxqgx bx na q hxgh[ Mz. Xnamba bx ezigbo enyi ya nwoke

qnwa ole ma ole ugbu a. Mz. Xnamba kelere Nkem were jxq ihe mere na q

gwagh[ ha ebe Akabxqgx nq ma q bx kpqrq ya b[a. Q gwara ha na q nq n’iro.

Tupu Nkem emechie qnx, Mz. Xnamba ji qsq tipu ezi. Ka q pxrx, Mz. Uche si

n’oche ya kulie, na-agaghari n’ime xlq, gakata kwxs[ n’ihu Nkem, makxq ya.

Xjq b[ara Nkem mana Mz. Uche s[ ya atxla egwu na ya ruru ogo [bx nna nna

ya. Ka Mz. Xnamba du Akabxqgx bata, Mz. Uche chighara azx n’oche ya

qs[[sq. Akabxqgx ji qsq makxq Ork. Nneqma ka ha hxrx onwe ha,

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“Nnaa … Chineke ahxka m n’anya. Amagh[ na [ ga-emecha chighata.

Ebee ka [ nq kemgbe? Echefubegh[ m g[.” Ka Akabxqgx na Ork. Nneqma na-

akar[, na- enwe an)xr[, Mz. Xnamba duuru Nkem baa n’ime xlq ebe Nkem

kqqrq ya ihe niile Nneka kqqrq ya. Ihe a riri Mz. Xnamba qnx. O kwuru na ha

agagh[ emenwu ihe d[ na ya ganye na ha ahx Nnaji. Nkem gwara ya na q bx

sqqsq Nneka bx onye nwere ike i nyere ha aka mana q gagh[ enwe ike [hx ya

ruo xbqch[ xka qzq n’ihi na ya na nne ya ukwu agagh[z[ anq ya. Mz. Xnamba

gwara ya ka q kqwaara nne ya ukwu ihe na-eme r[q ya ka ha nqkwuo otu izu

xka ma q bx izuuka abxq tupu ha alaghachi azx n’ihi na ha agagh[ enwe ike

[hx Nneka tupu xbqch[ xka. Nkem gwara ya na nke ahx agagh[ ekwe omume

n’ihi na ha ahaziela ya otu ahx. { meghar[ ya d[ ka Mz. Xnamba siri chqq h[ara

ahx. Ha abxq kwekqr[tara ka q d[ otu ahx ruo xbqch[ xka. Mz. Xnamba dqrq

ya aka na nt[ ka onye qbxla ghara [ma ihe na-eme tinyekwuoro Akabxqgx

n’onwe ya. Nkem kwere, gwa ya na ha ga-agba mbq ghara ime Akabxqgx ihe

ga-anapx ya an )xr[ q na-enwe.

Ha abxq bakwuuru nd[ qzq n’ime xlq. Ka ha na-aba. Mz. Xnamba r[qrq

ya ka o soro ha rie nri tupu q lawa.

20

NZUKQ NDEERI

N’anyas[ xbqch[ xka, mgbirigba xlq xka kxrx; ha jiri ya mara ihe na-akx.

Elekere iri na otu nke abal[. Qkpqka na Otikpo na-akq akxkq mgbe q kxrx

mana ha na Nneka mechiri qnx. Mgbe ha chqpxtara ihe na-akx, Qkpqka

kwuru s[ na q fqdxrx obere ka chi jimie. Maka ihi na oke qch[ch[ gbara n’abal[

ahx, o kwuru s[ na abal[ ahx d[ nnqq mma i ji rx qrx. Otikpo gwara ya na q

nwegh[ qrx ha d[ njikere [ ga n’abal[ ahx. Qkpqka kwuru s[ na ihe ahx ya chqrq

bx [ga qrx n’abal[ ahx. Ka ha na-akpar[ta xka. Nneka yiri akwa ya na okpu ya

na-apx n’qnx xzq. Qkpqka jxrx ya,

“Nneka, ebee ka [ na-aga n’etiti abal[ a?”

“Anagh[ m agate aka”

“Inyebegh[ m qs[sa qbxla, ebee ka [ na-aga?”

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“As[ m g[ na o tegh[ aka”.

“Ebee? { nxrx ihe m na-ekwu?”

“Amagh[ m ebe m na-aga”

Qkpqka nyere ya iwu ka q nqrq ala. Nneka gwara ya na ahx ad[gh[ ya,

na ya chqrq inara ikuku. Qkpqka dxrx ya qdx ka o si na windo nara ikuku

mana Nneka jxrx ajx s[ na ya chqrq [px apx. Qkpqka jxrx jxwaa isi na q gagh[

aga ebe qbxla. O kuliri kwachie xzq, sechara okpu Nneka kpu n’isi tqgbq

n’ala,

“Ngwa nqrq otu ebe qs[[sq!”

Nneka gwara ya na o nwegh[ ihe okpu ahx q napxrx ya gbochiiri ya,

“Hapx m aka ugbu a ka m pxq!”

“O nwegh[ ebe i ji azx eje”

“Otikpo, gwakwa ya ka q pxqrq m n’xzq ugbu a, q ga-akawara ya mma

otu ahx!”

Qkpqka bara mba s[ ya na ya nx p[m n’qnx ya qzq, ya akpqghepxtara ya

nk[ta. Nneka tiwara mkpu akwa, sekpuru ala gwa Qkpqka ka q hapx ya ka ya

pxq nqq naan[ otu awa. Qkpqka jxrx ajx, jichie ya n’aka,

“Kulie qs[[sq!”

“Agagh[ m ekuli ma [ hapxgh[ m”

Qkpqka sekpxrx ya, sxsa ya ike n’oche. Ha abxq gbaghar[katara ruo

mgbe q kxrx elekere iri na abxq nke abal[ tupu q nqrqzie nwayqq. Qkpqka s[r[

Otikpo,

“Nnaa, ahxtxbegh[ m xd[r[ mmadx a!” Otikpo gwara ya na ejigh[ xd[

agwa a mara ya. Q ka na-eche, na-echesi ike,

“G[n[ mere Nneka jiri kpaa xd[ agwa a?” O chere n’obi ya s[:

“Ike Qkpqka agwxla Nneka. Q hxla enyi q hxrx qzq. Q d[ ka m ga-eji ya

memila Qkpqka. Xmx nwaany[ na-arxbu xd[ qrx a mbx. Aga m ahazi ka

Umekwe soro ya hx ebe q na-aga n’abali a”. O kwupxtara s[ Qkpqka,

“A ga m apx ugbu a, Qkpqka. O nwere onye ga-echere m qkx ka m hx

xzq pxq?”

Qkpqka gwara Nneka ka o cheere ya qkx. Ka Nneka so Otikpo apxta ruo

n’qnx xzq, Otikpo kwus[r[ jxq ya ihe na-esogbu ya,

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“G[n[ kpatara ihe nd[ a niile. Q bxrx na Qkpqka na-emekpa g[ ahx, q bx

na [ gagh[. . .?” Otikpo kwxs[r[ [ga ije, ch[r[ anya ch[nye Nneka n’anya s[ ya

“Any[ ka ga-akpa qzq. { mara na mx na g[ d[ na mma. O nwee onye na-

emeso g[ omume ka anx qh[a, b[akwute m. { ma m nke qma. Ka q bx na i

magh[ m Nneka?”

Nneka ch[r[ qch[ s[ ya na ya mara ya nke qma. Ka ha kar[chara, Nneka

txghar[r[ s[ ya,

“Ka chi foo”

N’abal[ xbqch[ qzq kwa, qfqdxrx obere ihe ka q kxq elekere iri na abxq

nke etiti abal[. Mmadx abxq pxtara n’xzq e si aba ime Qn[cha. Ha bx Nneka

na Umekwe mana ha zoro n’ime qh[a. N’oge etegh[ aka, otu nwa agbqghq na

otu agadi nwoke b[ara. Nneka gwara ha ka ha bata n’akxkx qh[a ebe q nq n’ihi

na egwu na-atx ya [kqrq ha [he ahx n’etiti xzq. Ha niile banyere n’akxkx qh[a.

Ka ha ruru ebe d[ ha ahx mma, Mz. Xnamba jxrx Nneka [he mere n’ahxgh[ ya

xbqch[ xka gara aga. Nneka gwara ya na ya enwenwugh[ ike [pxta n’ihi na e

gbochibidoro ya [pxta n’ike. Mz. Xnamba jxrx ya onye gbochiri ya. Q s[ ya,

“Q bx nwoke ahx m gwara Nkem maka ya. O siri ike [px ma q magh[ ihe

mere m ji apx. Enyere m ya mmanya mere ka xra buru ya xbqch[ m gara hx

Nkem ebe q nq”

“O kuliri tupu [ lqta?”

“Mba, q magh[ nke o ji enwe onye ma ihe q bxla gbasara ya”.

“Q d[ mma, ugbu a, any[ ga-achqr[r[ Nnaji were mara ihe ahx mmadx

amagh[. A ga-ejider[r[ Otikpo tukpuo ya n’xlq mkpqrq. Akabxqgx agagh[

ezu ike ma q bxrx na ahapx [kpqchi Otikpo. { ga-agwa nd[ uwe ojii maka

Otikpo”

Nneka tiri mkpu s[ ya na nke a agagh[kwa ekwe omume. Q gwara Mz.

Xnamba hoo haa na ya agagh[ eme ya n’agbanyegh[ na Otikpo d[ oke njq.

“G[n[ mere na [ gagh[ eme ya”

“Nkem maara ihe m na-ekwu. Q bxrx na nd[ uwe ojii kpxrx Otikpo, ha

ga-akpxrxkwu Qkpqka – ahxrx m ya n’anya”

“Q d[ mma, nyefee any[ Nnaji n’aka. O nwegh[ ihe any[ ga-eme Otikpo

n’agwagh[ g[ agwa. Gwa any[ ihe niile [ ma gbasara Nnaji”

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Nneka bidoro kqwawa etu Nnaji d[,

“O toro ogologo, anya ya na-enwu ka qkx. Q bx nnqq nwokorob[a nwere

ike [d[ ihe d[ ka afq iri abxq na asatq. Q na-aga ije, q na-ele anya n’azx,

olee n’aka nri, olee n’aka ekpe. Mgbe xfqdx, o mee ka onye ihe mere n’isi

bido tawa mkpxrx aka ya n’qnx”

Ka q na-akqwa ka q d[, ihe nd[ q na-akq gbara Mz. Xnamba ghar[[ nke

na Nneka jxrx ya ihe mere o ji d[ ya otu ahx. Mz. Xnamba gwara ya na o

nwegh[ s[ ya kqwakwa ihe q na-akq. Nneka malitere ebe q kwxs[r[,

“Q na-eyi akwa ojii. O nwere ihe d[ ya n’olu…” Mz. Xnamba napxrx ya

okwu n’qnx –

“… d[ ka ebe qkx gbara” Nneka jxrx ya ma q maara ya.

“Q d[ ka onye m mara. O nwere ike ma q gagh[ abx ya.” Uche Mz

Xnamba pxrx, q na-ekwu n’obi ya na q ga-abxr[r[ onye ahx q na-eche maka

ya. O were ego ka q nye Nneka mana Nneka jxrx ajx. Q gwara Mz.Xnamba

na q bx maka Akabxqgx na Nkem ka o ji mee ihe o mere”

Nkem r[qrq ya ka o were ego ahx jiri gboo mkpa ma q dapxta. Nneka

kelere ha, were lawa. Ka q pxrx, Mz. Xnamba na Nkem pxtara lawa. Mgbe

ahx, Umekwe awxrxla qsq ka ele gbalawa be Otikpo.

21

E GBUO NNEKA

Q fqrq ihe d[ka awa abxq ka chi foro. Otikpo nq n’ihu qnx xzq be ya. Ihu

ad[gh[ ya mma chaa. Anya ya na-acha mmee mmee ka qbara qkxkq. Q

txghar[r[ lewe anya n’ebe mpanaka d[ n’elu tebulu d[, gbanye aka n’agba. Ya

na obi ya na-akar[ nnqq. Umekwe ka tqgbq n’ala na-agwq xra. Otikpo nqtx

ntak[r[, o lee ya anya. Ihe q na-eche n’echiche d[ egwu: Iwe Nneka ewegbuola

ya, onye obi kara were jekwuru nd[ mmadx kqqrq ha ihe q kqqrq ha. Iwe ji ya

n’ihi na nkata q kpara agbasaala ewegbuola ya tinyekwuoro xjq ji ya na a

kpara ya aka, q bxrx nga mkpxrx qka na qnwx.

Q nq nnqq ala na-emeghar[gh[ ahx ruo mgbe q nxrx xkwx mmadx na

mbara. O meghere xzq, ya na Qkpqka bata n’ime xlq. Qkpqka buru akpa o bu

busa n’elu tebulu. Q gwara Otikpo ka o buruzie ya bx akpa,

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“Lee ya, buru ya. I bute ya nyere m nnukwu nsogbu. Eche m na m ga-

anq ebe a awa atq gara aga. Nd[ uwe ojii akparala Ikenna aka. Q nq n’xlq

mkpqrq ugbu a”.

Otikpo buuru akpa ahx na-ekwugh[ okwu qbxla, ch[r[ anya wxkwasa

Qkpqka n’anya nke na Qkpqka jxrx ya,

“Q bx g[n[? G[n[ ka [ na-elere m xd[ anya a?” Otikpo weliri aka elu mana

okwu ekwegh[ ya ekwu. Qkpqka jxrx ya ma q bx isi mgbaka b[ara ya.

“Mba, Qkpqka, q bxgh[ maka g[ ka m na-eche mana q nwere ihe m ga-

agwa g[”

“Ngwa nx kwube qs[[sq tupu Nneka echee na m efuola”.

“G[n[? O chebelaar[ ya echebe Qkpqka” Nke a gbara Qkpqka ghar[[ nke

na q tqchiri ya aka n’olu s[ ya,

“Kwuwe okwu qs[sq, meghee qnx kwuo okwu – anxmanx” Otikpo bidoro

kqwara ya,

“Ka e were na Umekwe mere ihe d[ an)aa” Qkpqka txghar[r[ lee ya anya

ga- as[ na q hxbegh[ ya mbx. Otikpo bidoro kqwakwa ihe q na-akq.“Ka any[

were na q gwara nd[ mmadx banyere any[. Kqwachaa ka any[ d[, ihe any[

mere na ebe any[ bi. Ka any[ were na q pxrx n’abali na nzuzo gwa nd[ ahx

ebe ha ga ahx any[ ka nd[ uwe ojii b[a nwxkqrq any[. Ka any[ were na o mere

ihe nd[ a, g[n[ ka [ ga-eme?

“G[n[? Ihe m ga-eme ya? Egbunyxq m ya anya”.

“Q bxrxkwanx na q bx m mere ya?”

“Agbarie m g[ isi”

“{ ga-emenwu ya?”

“Na m ga-emenwu ya? Nwalee m.”

“Q bxrxkwanx na q bx Ikenna, Nwaka ma q bx Qlamma – ?”

“Achqgh[ m [ma, onye q sqkwara ya bxrx, otu ihe ahx ka m ga- eme ha”

Otikpo lesiri Qkpqka anya ike, kpqtee Umekwe na-arahx xra. Ka q na-

akpqte ya, q s[r[,

“Ike ad[gh[ ya. Ike gwxchara ya n’ihi na q na-ele ya mgbe q na-agbxs[s[

ihe juru ya qnx”

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Qkpqka jxrx Otikpo ihe q na-ekwu mana Otikpo gwara Umekwe ka q

kqqrq ya ihe q kqqrq ya mbx. Umekwe jxrx ya n’anya xra,

“{ s[ m kqq g[n[?

“Maka Nneka”

Otikpo ji Qkpqka aka ka a ga-as[ na q chqgh[ ka q pxq tupu q nxjuo nt[“

Umekwe bidoro kqwara ha ihe mere na ihe q nxrx. Ezigbo iwe jidere Qkpqka.

Q kwapxrx Otikpo ji ya aka, jiri iwe si n’ime xlq tipx. Ka q na-apx, Otikpo kpqrq

ya gwa ya ka o jirikwa nwayqq mee ihe qbxla q chqrq [me,

Qkpqka atxpxgh[ qnx, kwaghepx xzq tipx.

Ka q laruru, q banyere n’ime xlq ya, kwachie xzq. O buuru nnukwu

tebulu kwachibido ya. Nneka dina n’elu akwa arahx xra. Q gbqjara ya s[ ya ka

o kulie qs[[sq. Obi tqrq ya xtq na Qkpqka batara mana Qkpqka achqpxtagh[

nke ahx.

“Kulite!”

Nneka weturu olu jxq Qkpqka ihe o mere. Qkpqka lere ya anya qbere

oge, sedo ya aka na ntutu, kwxba ya n’etiti xlq, kpuchie ya qnx, Nneka kpqrq

ya,

“Qkpqka! Qkpqka, agagh[ m eti mkpu. Gwa m ihe m mere!”

“{ ma ihe i mere, ekwensu. O nwere onye hxrx g[ mgbe [ gara kqq ihe

juru g[ qnx. Anxchara ihe niile i kwuru”

“Bikonu gbaghara m, biko, zqqnu m ka m si were zq g[” Mgbe q na-ar[q

Qkpqka biko a niile, q were aka konye Qkpqka n’olu r[q ya ka o chete ihe niile

o meere ya.

Qkpqka mere ka o sepx ya aka ya mana q kwegh[ ya. Q ka na-ar[q

Qkpqka ka o wetuo obi,

“Nwoke ahx na nwaany[ ahx ga-enyere any[ aka. Ha nyere m ego. Ka

any[ hapx xd[ ndx a any[ na-ebi bidonx biwe ndx d[ mma. O sikwanx taata

d[wa mma, q d[wakwaranx gboo.”

Ka q kakpx okwu n’qnx, Qkpqka sepuru aka ya, m[pxta egbe ya. Q hxrx

na q gbaa ya na q ga-eme mkpqtx. O jiri ike ya niile were egbe ahx kxq ya

n’ihu ugboro abxq. Nneka dara n’ala; qbara juru ya ihu niile. O ji ike ya niile

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mee ka o kulie, r[q Chineke mgbaghara na mwute. Ka nke a na-eme, Qkpqka

seere osisi d[ ebe ahx kxq ya, q daa n’ala.

22

QKPQKA AGBALAGA

Ka chi foro, ihe chabatara n’xlq ebe ozu Nneka tqgbqrq. Qkpqka sachara

onwe ya na akwa ya nke qma mana o nwere nd[ enwegh[ ike sxchapxnwuo.

Q bekapxrx akxkx ebe nd[ ahx suo ha qkx. Ala niile bx sqqsq qbara qbara.

Xkwx nk[ta niile bukwu sq qbara.

Q pxrx, kpqrq nk[ta ya, gbachie xzq pxq. Q gara ije ngwa ngwa were

pxq n’obodo ahx. Ka chi jiri, o d[nara ala n’otu akxkx xzq rahx . Ka chi foro, o

bidokwara njem ya.

Ka elekere iteghete nke abali kxrx, ike a gwxla Qkpqka. Nk[ta jis[zi ike

aga ije. Q pxtara n’otu obodo hx ka qkx na-enwu n’xlq ebe a na-ere nri. Q

bara, zxrx nri na mmanya, kpqrq nk[ta ya gaa n’otu akxkx riwe ya. Xmx

nwoke nd[ qzq nq ebe ahx na-akqrq xwa ya akxkq gbasara ihe ha kxrx n’ubi.

O nwegh[ onye ma na Qkpqka nq ebe ahx.

Xra na-eme ka o buru ya mgbe otu nwoke aha ya bx Xkandx batara ebe

ahx. Nwoke ahx na-ebughar[ ah[a ya – ncha na ude, mma d[ nkq na ihe qzq d[

iche n’ime obodo.

Otu onye nq ebe ahx jxrx ya ihe d[ n’ime akpa ya. Q jxrx ya ma o nwere

ezigbo ihe a na-eri eri d[ n’ime akpa ya mana Xkandx zara ya s[ “O nwere ihe

m nwere ebe a bx sq mma e ji asxchapx ihe qbxla d[ n’akwa. Na[ra iri atq

maka otu mkpq. Naan[ ihe [ ga-eme bx itesa ihe a ebe ahx ihe tere, q ga-

ewepx ya n’egbugh[ oge qbxla”

Xfqdx nd[ nq ebe ahx zxtara ihe ahx. Nwoke a kwuru okwu na-aga

n’ihu. “Q ga-asxchapx ihe niile gburu akwa- mmanx, qbara na ihe nd[ qzq d[

iche iche. Lee ihe gburu okpu nwoke a, aga m ewepx ya ugbu a.” O weere

okpu Qkpqka iji gosi ihe o kwuru mana Qkpqka jxrx ajx,

“Mba, nyekwa m ya!” Nwoke ahx kqwara ya na ya ga-ewepx ya mana q

bxgh[ Qkpqka ka q na-agwa. Qkpqka pxnara ya okpu ahx n’ike jiri qsq si ebe

ahx pxq ozigbo.

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Ka q na-agbada, o zuru nwoke si Qn[cha ach[lata akwxkwq ozi nd[

mmadx. Nwoke ahx ji qgba tum tum ya gbafee ya. Ka nwoke ahx kwxs[r[ n’

xlq ebe a na-atxnye akwxkwq ozi d[ n’xzq. Qkpqka jekwutere ya. Q nxrx ka

nwoke ahx na onye nche na-akar[. Nwoke ahx jxrx onye nche ahx s[, “O

nwere nke mere n’ Qn[cha na nso nso a?”

“Nd[ mmadx na-ekwu na e gburu mmadx, q bxkwa nke d[ egwu”

“Nwaany[ ka q bx nwoke?”

“Ha s[ na q bx nwa agbqghq mana gawazie. Q bxgh[ qnx ka m ga-

ekwuchagide ebe a chi efo”

Nwoke ahx na-ekesa akwxkwq ozi pxrx ozigbo. Qkpqka jere na-agbada

mana xjq ji ya nke d[ egwu. Ihe niile q na-ahx n’xzq na-ad[ ya ka q hxrx onye

mmxq ma q bx onye nwxrx anwx. O chere na Nneka na-eso ya na-azx ebe

qbxla q na-aga. Otxghar[r[ lee anya n’azx, q d[ ya ka ihu ha abxq ezuru.O

chere n’ime obi ya na o nwegh[zi ebe q na-aga,

“Agagh[ m arahx n’iro qzq, aga m echigha azx n’Onicha. Q ga-enwer[r[

onye ga-adx m qdx ebe ahx. Nd[ uwe ojii agagh[kwu atxwa anya na m ga-anq

ebe ahx. Aga m ezo ebe ahx otu izu xka, si ebe ahx dabaa Obodo-qj[.

Otikpo ga-enyere m aka. Aga m anwa oko m”.

O chighara azx, sizie xzq qzq lawa. Okpebiri iji anyas[ were bata Qn[cha.

Ka q na-aga, o chere maka nk[ta ya,

“Nd[ uwe ojii ga-eji ya were na-achq m. Q ga-enyere nd[ mmadx aka iji

ya were chqta m.” Maka ihi ya, q kpebie na ya ga-egbu nk[ta ahx. Ka q pxtara

ebe obere mmiri d[, o butere otu nnukwu okwute, were otu akwa ya kechie ya.

Nk[ta ahx welitere ihu lee ya mgbe q na-ekechi ya bx okwute.

Ka q gbadara n’ikpere mmiri, nk[ta ahx ekwegh[ eso ya. Q kpqrq ya oku

ka q b[a mana q kwegh[ ab[a. Nk[ta ahx jiri nwayqq chighaa azx gbafuo.

Qkpqka kpqrq ya elu, kpqq ya ala ka o chighata mana q hxgh[ ya. N’ikpeazx,

o kulie, tichaa ike, bidokwa njem ya naan[ ya.

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23

AKA AKPARA NNAJI

Chi na-eji mgbe Mz. Xnamba bataruru be ya kxq aka n’xzq. Xmx odibo

ya abxq pxtara nyere nwoke ya na Mz. Xnamba so bata aka, si na qgba tum

tum kutuo ya, kpqbaa ya n’ime xlq. Nwoke ahx bx Nnaji. Mz. Xnamba kpqrq

Nnaji ka ha nq ala n’oche s[ ya,

“Ihe any[ ga-akpa kar[r[ akar[. Nnaji jxrx ya s[,

“G[n[ mere i ji meso m xd[ omume a? Mz. Xnamba gwara ya na q bx

maka na ya na nna ya d[ na mma kaa o ji kpqq ya ka ha kar[a tinyere

[hxnanya o nwere ebe nwanne nna ya nke nwaany[ q kaara [lx ma a s[ nnqq

na qnwx egbuchugh[ ya.

“Q bx maka [hxnanya a niile ka m jiri chqq ka mx na g[ kar[a Ezinwa.

Nnaji weliri isi ozigbo jxq ya,

“Kedu ka aha a si metxta ihe any[ na ekwu? O nweburu mgbe m zara

aha ahx mana anagh[ m azazi ya ugbu a”

“Obi d[ m xtq na [ gbanweela ya. Q bx aha nwanne nna g[ nke nwaany[

ahx. Agagh[ m echefu ya”. Nnaji jxkwara Mz.Xnamba ihe o ji kpqta ya qzq.

Mz. Xnamba bidoro gwawa ya okwu,

“I nwere nwanne nwoke” Nnaji gwara ya ozigbo ozigbo na ya enwegh[

nwanne nwoke qbxla.

“{ maara na m bx naani otu nwa, g[n[ mere i ji ekwu na m nwere

xmxnne?”

“Gee nt[, a ma maka ezi na xlq g[ nke qma. Ama m na nna g[ lxrx

nwaany[ ya na ya mechara gbasaa. Nna g[ ka d[ n’okorobia mgbe ahx. O

mechara mete enyi atq qhxrx qzq. Otu nwoke na qmar[cha xmx ya nd[

nwaany[ abxq. Otu n’ime ha gbara afq iri na iteghete ebe nke qzq ka bx

qbere nwa”.

Ka Mz. Xnamba na-agwa ya ihe nd[ a, q jxq ya s[,

“G[n[ kwanx ka m ji ihe nd[ a niile eme?” Q gara n’ihu na-akqrq ya ihe q na-

akqrq ya,

“Nna g[ mechara nwee mmas[ ebe nwata nwaany[ ahx d[ afq iri na

iteghete. Akxkq a bx akxkq na-agbawa obi. Otu onye ezi na xlq ya ji nnukwu

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ego nwxrx were hapxra ya nnukwu ego. Nna gi mechara nwxq n’ike.

Nwaany[ ahx ya na nna g[ nwere nghqtahie na nwa ya, ya bx g[, kere ego

ahx”

Nnaji jxrx ya s[ “Q gwxchaa ihe i nwere [ gwa m?” Mz. Xnamba ledoro

Nnaji anya n’ihu s[ ya,

“Mba, nna g[ b[ara hx m tupx q nwxq”

“Anxbegh[ m nke a mbx”

“Q b[ara hapx xfqdx ihe ebe a nke gxnyere eserese otu nwa agboghq q

hxrx n’anya nke ukwu. Ya ji aka ya see eserese a. Q na-akwado [la mana q

gagh[ ejinwu ya were laa. Ya mere o ji gwa m ka m ledoro ya ya bx eserese

anya. Q na- achq [ kpqrq nwata nwaany[ a laa obodo qzq tupu qnwx egbuo

ya.”

Mz. Xnamba gbachiri nk[t[ obere oge, bidokwa ebe q kwxs[r[ ,

“Agara m [hx nwata nwaany[ ahx ka q nwxchara, ahxnwugh[ m ya,

ahxgh[zi ya anya qzq. O mechara mxq nwa ya n’xlq qrx. Nwatak[r[ ahx bx

nwanne g[ nwoke - Akabxqgx. Amagh[ m ihe nd[ a niiile ruo mgbe akaraka

Akabxqgx dutere ya be m.” Nnaji tiri mkpu,

“G[n[? Amagh[ m ihe nd[a niile”

“Any[ ga ahx, ka m kwurukwa na-aga.”

“Mx na Akabxqgx nqrq qbere oge. Amagh[ m onye q bx mgbe ahx mana

ahxrx m ka ya na foto ahx siri yie. Mgbe ahx ka m jiri gbakqwa ma wepxwa

mana q d[gh[ mkpa [gwa g[ na a pxnara m ya bx nwata.” Nnaji gwara ya na q

nwegh[ ihe q ma gbasara ihe nd[ ahx niile. Mz. Xnamba gwara ya na nsogbu

ad[gh[, kqrqkwa na-aga.

“Ahxgh[zi m nwata ahx qzq. Maka ihi na nne ya anwxqla, ama m na q bx

sqqsq g[ ga-enyere m aka. O teela m ji achq g[”

“Ugbu a [ hxrx m, kedu ihe d[ iche. I jigh[ okwu qbxla. Q d[ g[ ka

Akabxqgx o d[ ka onye esere na foto. O nwere ihe qzq? { magh[kwanx ma

nwaany[ ahx q mxtara nwa.”

Mz. Xnamba zara s[ “Amagh[ m, mana n’ime izu xka qlemaqle gara aga,

a matala m ihe nd[a niile. { mana q nwere nwanne nwoke. Nna g[ nwere

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akwxkwq q dewere mana nne g[ dqkara ya. Ya bx akwxkwq kwuru maka

nwatak[r[ a na ego a ga-enye ya.” Nnaji wxliri n’ike tie,

“Asi!

Mz. Xnamba gara n’ihu gwa ya s[,

“Amacha m ihe nd[ a niile. { kpaala nkata niile ka i were memilaa

Akabxqgx. Q bx na [ gwagh[ Otikpo na ihe niile ga-enyere Akabxqgx aka ka q

bxrx mmadx d[ n’ike mmiri. { ga-ekwu na ihe nd[ a abxghi eziokwu?”

Nnaji gbara nk[t[. Mz. Xnamba gara n’ihu kwuwekwa ihe q na-ekwu

“Agagh[ m agwa nd[ uwe ojii mana [ ga-agbar[r[ mbq hx na Akabxqgx nwetere

ihe ruuru ya n’ego ahx. Aga m enye g[ akwxkwq ka i binye aka. I nweziri ike

gawa ebe qbxla mas[r[ g[ ma [ mechaa ya. I kwere otu ahx?” Xjq d[ Nnaji

n’ahx d[ egwu. Q gbagoo, q gbadaa. Okwu ekwegh[ ya ekwu. Xzq meghere,

Mz. Uche batara s[,

“Akxkq gbasara mmadx ahx e gburu na-agbasa. E nwere ike ijide nwoke

ahx n’abali a. Nd[ uwe ojii ejidela nk[ta ya. Gqqmenti wepxtere qkpxrxkpx ego

maka onye ga-ekwu ebe q nq.

“Mz. Unamba tinyekwuru ego nke ya maka onye qbxla ga-ekwu ebe

nwoke ahx nq. Q jxrx ese Otikpo mana q gwara ya na a kpxrxbegh[ ya mana

a ka ga-akpxrx ya.

“Eji m n’aka na nd[ uwe ojii ga-akpxrx ya izu xka a.”

Nnaji lere ha n’xjq, oke egwu ji ya. Mz. Uche gara n’ihu gwa Mz.

Xnamba na Mz. Ikem abatala, jxq ya ma q chqrq [hx ya. Mz. Xnamba zara ya

s[,

“Eee. Na mgbe etegh[ aka.”

Q txghar[r[, wetuo olu, jxq Nnaji s[,

“{ kwere n’ihe m kwuru?”

“Eee, nsogbu ad[gh[. { ga-ezokwa ihe niile any[ kwuru?”

“Nsogbu ad[gh[, { ka ga-anqkwa n’ime xlq a ugbu a. { chqq ka aka hapx i

kpara g[, ebe a bx sqqsq ebe ga-enyere g[ aka. Mz. Uche duru Mz. Ikem bata

n’ime xlq ebe ha nq. Ka ha kelechara, Mz. Ikem gwara Mz. Xnamba na obi d[

ya xtq [hx ya. Q jxrx ya ese Akabxqgx,

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“Kedu maka Akabxqgx? Ejighi m nwata ahx egwu egwu chaa chaa.

Ahxka m ya n’anya”

Mz. Xnamba rxrx Nnaji aka, jxq ya ma q maara onye q bx mana Mz.

Ikem s[ ya na q magh[ onye q bx. Mz. Xnamba jxrx ya qzq,

“ I ji n’aka na [ magh[ ya?”

“Ahxbegh[ m ya. Kemgbe nne mxrx m”

“O nweela ihe i res[r[ ya?”

“Mba”

“Q nwegh[ ka i si were hx qla edo na mgba aka bx sq mma, otu agadi

nwaany[ nq n’xlq qrx ji?”. Mz Ikem gqrq s[,

“Mba o!, g[n[ mere unu ji kpqta m ebe a ka m b[a zawa ajxjx enwegh[ isi

na qdx”. Mz. Xnamba gwara ya s[ “Q bagh[ uru [gqwa ka a ga-as[ na [ magh[

ihe na-eme. Nnaji agwala any[ ihe niile kparara tim”.

Mgbe ahx ka Mz. Ikem jiri mara na [ s[ as[ abagh[zi uru were kwuo

eziokwu,

“Q d[ mma, o nwere mgbe o nyere ego. Qla edo na mgba aka ahx d[ ebe

unu enwegh[ ike [hxzi anya. G[n[ qzq kwa?” Mz. Xnamba zara ya, “Q nwegh[,

mana nke a egosila na [ bxgh[ onye a ga-atxkwas[ obi. { kwesigh[ [d[ na-

elekqta xlq qrx ahx. Any[ ga-agba mbq [hx na e wepxrx g[ ebe ahx. Ka q d[.”

24

QNWX QKPQKA

N’ime ime obodo d[ n’Qnicha ka Nwaka na Umekwe gara zoo. Ebe

mmadx ebighizi, xd[ unyi ebe a ruru d[ egwu. Xlq ochie niile d[ ebe ahx na-

adacha ada. Gbam gbam a kxrx na ha ehekachaala. Otu xbqch[, ka ha

weturu olu na-akpar[ta xka. Nwaka jxrx Umekwe s[,

“Kedu mgbe ha nwxdere Otikpo?

Umekwe zara ya na q bx mgbe ha na-eri nri abal[. Q gwakwara ya na ya

zoro m n’elu xlq. Nwaka jxkwara ya maka Qlamma. Q gwara ya na ha kpxxrx

ya ka o kwuo onye d[ ihe ahx e gburu. Nwaka gwara ya na ha ga-egbu Otikpo

na Qkpqka ma e jide ya. Nnukwu xjq ji ha aka. Umekwe kasiri ya obi na q

nwegh[ onye ga-ahx ha ebe ahx ha nq.

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Ka ha na-akpar[ta ebe ahx ha nq, ha nxrx mkpqtx na-eme n’xzq. Nk[ta

Qkpqka gbabatara ozigbo ebe ahx ha nq. Q gbara ha ghar[[ ihe nk[ta ahx na-

eme ebe ahx nke na ha chere na q bx Qkpqka kpq ya were b[a. Umekwe

naara Nwaka mmiri s[ ya ka ya nye nk[ta ahx mmiri n’ihi na q gbagbuola onwe

ya n’qsq. Nk[ta ahx n)xchapxrx mmiri ahx niile, baa n’okpuru oche rahx xra.

Nwaka jxrx Umekwe s[,

“I cheghi na Qkpqka agwala nd[ mmadx gbasara ebe a any[ nq? Ebe a

ad[gh[zi m ahx mma. I cheghi na any[ ga-apx ebe a?” Umekwe gwara ya ka

obi sie ya ike mana Nwaka enwetebegh[ onwe ya. Q jxkwara ya qzq s[,

“O nwere ike q bxrx na Qkpqka egbuola onwe ya?”

Umekwe kqwaara ya s[ ya na q bxrx na q bx eziokwu, nk[ta ya kaara [

duru ha gosi ha ebe q nwxrx. q gwara ya na q nwere ike q bxrx na q gbafuola

hapx nk[ta ya.

Ka chi jiri, ha mxnyere mpanaka ha, dowe ya n’elu tebulu. Ha kpuketere

oche ha nso, wetuchaa olu ha were na-ekwu okwu. Xn)ara qbxla ha nxrx na-

amapx ha obi. Q d[ ha ka ozu nwata nwaany[ ha gburu tqgbqrq n’akxkx xlq

ebe ha nq.

Ozigbo ahx, a kxrx aka n’xzq. Nwaka gbara gaa na windo nyopu anya.

Ka ihu ya si chagharia gwara Umekwe na ihe ka nte bakwutere ya n’qnx.

Nk[ta ahx wulikwuru gbaga n’qnx xzq. Ha hxrx na q bx Qkpqka na-akx n’xzq.

Umekwe gwara Nwaka na ha ga-emeghe xzq na o nwegh[ ihe qzq ha ga-

emenwu. Ka Qkpqka batara, ihu ya gosiri xd[ ike gwxrx ya. Afx qnx d[ ya

n’agba kar[r[ akar[. Q na-eku ume ike ike tinyere xd[ ike gwxrx ya. Q nqdxrx

ala. O nwegh[ nnqq onye kwuru okwu.Q malitere ikwu okwu, jxq ha,

“Kedx ka nk[ta a si rute ebe a?”

Umekwe gwara ya na q bx naan[ ya so were b[a ihe d[ ka awa abxq gara

aga. Q jxrx ha ma akxkq q nxrx na aka akparala Otikpo ma q bx eziokwu.

Ha gwara ya na q bx eziokwu gbachikwa ya nk[t[. Ka o chere ka ha

kwuru gawa mana o nwegh[ onye txpxrx qnx, iwe b[ara ya. Q baa,

“Rijxqnx ns[ qnx, o nwegh[ ihe unu nwere igwa m?” Ha atxpxgh[r[ ya

qnx. Q jxkwara ha qzq. “G[n[ ka unu chqrq [me m? { rara m nyefee n’aka nd[

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uwe ojii ka q bx ka m tqgbqrq ebe a ruo mgbe ha ga-akwxsi [chq any[?

Kwuonunu okwu!” Nwaka gwara ya na q chqq, ya tqgbqrq ebe a ahx,

gbachikwa nk[t[. Qkpqka jxrx ha ma e liela ozu Nneka, ha zara ya na e libegh[

ya.

“Maka g[n[ kwanx? G[n[ mere ha jiri dowe ihe ahx enwegh[ isi n’elu ala?”

Ka ihe ndia na-eme, iwe ji Umekwe gbalitere. Q baara Qkpqka mba,

“Anx qh[a, anagh[ m atx g[ egwu qbxla. Nwaka nwere ike [hapx g[ ebe a

mana anwagh[ m ya anwa nyere g[ aka q bxla”. Qkpqka buuru ya txq n’ala,

jide ya ebe ahx ruo mgbe ha nxrx olu nd[ mmadx nq n’iro na qkx na-acha.

Tupu ha a mara ihe na-eme, olu nd[ ahx nq n’iro bidoro dawa “Megbee xzq

ahx!” Nwaka bere akwa n’obi, takwxnyere nd[ otu ya s[,

“Nd[a nq ebea. Ha ejidela any[.”

Qkpqka kara obi. Ya na Nwaka jichiri Umekwe, kpqchie ya n’otu xlq. Olu

nd[ ahx nq n’iro na-ar[ ibe ya elu. Xfqdx n’ime ha chqrq [wx aja. Xfqdx na-

ekwu s[ na ha ga-amxnyekwa xlq qkx. Qkpqka gwara Nwaka ka q chqqrq ya

xdq ka o jiri wxtuo ma q bx o mee ya ihe q mere Nneka. Nwaka ch[nyere ya

xdq. Ka q magooro n’elu xlq ahx ka q wxtuo, q hxrx anya di ka mkpxrx anya

Nneka were kxja. O siri ebe ahx dapx were nwxq ozigbo.

25

AKXKQ AGWX

Otikpo nq ala n’ime xlq mkpqrq na-eche xwa ya. Ka q nq ebe ahx, q na-

echete ihe qka ikpe kpere ya ikpe gwara ya

“A ga-eji xdq kwxgbu g[”.

Ka qch[ch[[ na-agbawanye, o chetewere nd[ niile q ma si otu ahx nwxq.

Xfqdx n’ime ha nwxrx maka ihi ya bx Otikpo. Ha buru ibu nke na [gxta ha qnx

siri ike. Q nq hx mgbe xfqdx n’ime ha nwxrx, ch[a ha qch[ n’ihi na ha kpx

ekpere n’qnx were nwxq. Qnwx ha na-ad[ egwu. Ha na-ada n’ike. Mmadx ahx

na-agba mmiri, a daa ka isi akwx. Xfqdx n’ime ha nwere ike q bxrx na ha

anqqla n’xlq mkpqrq a. Q d[ nnqq ka [nq n’ime ili ozu mmadx jxrx. O tiri aka

n’xzq tie mkpu ka ha butere ya qkx. Otu nwoke butere ya mpanaka ka q were

hx xzq. Ka chi na-efo, ihe niile na-eme na-echetere ya qnwx. O bee akwa q

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d[gh[ ya mma, o tiwe mkpu dqwa aka na ntutu ya. Nd[ xka b[ara [kpere ya

ekpere mana q chxsas[r[ ha.

Ka chi foro xbqchi eke. Xbqchi ahx ka nke ya ga-aga. Q nqdxrx ala

n’elu akwa ya. Ihu ad[gh[ ya mma chaa chaa. Nd[ nche xlq mkpqrq ahx

batara, Mz. Xnamba na Akabxqgx sokwaaz[ ha. Ka Mz. Xnamba kpq

Akabxqgx abata, otu qnye nche ahx jxrx ya ma Akabxqgx o sokwu abata n’ihi

na anya ya agagh[ ebunwu [he q hxrx. Mz. Xnamba gwara ya na ihe o kwuru

bx eziokwu mana ihe jikqrq ya na nwoke ahx bx Otikpo metxtara nwata

nwoke a nke ukwu. “Akabxqgx hxrx nwoke a mgbe q na-akpa ya eze. Ugbu a

q na-ata ahxhx d[[r[ ya, o kwesikwara [hx ya”. Nwoke ahx hapxrx ha. Ka

Otikpo hxrx ha, o baara ha,

“G[n[ ka unu na-achq ebe a?” Mz. Xnamba zara s[

“O nwere akwxkwq nwoke a na-akpq Nnaji nyere gi. Any[ chqrq [ma ebe

ha d[.”

“As[!, onwegh[ akwxkwq m ji ” Mz. Xnamba yqrq ya qzq,

“Bikq, e ji m aha Chineke agwa g[ ka [ ghara ikwu ihe ahx ugbu a. { nqzi qnwx

nso. { maara na Qkpqka anwxqla. Nnaji agwachaala m ihe niile. Ebee ka

akwxkwq ahx d[?”

Otikpo kpqrq Akabxqgx ka q takwxnyere ya. Akabxqgx gwara Mz.

Unamba na ujq anagh[ atx ya mgbe o si n’aka ya pxq gakwuru Otikpo. Q

gwara ya na akwxkwq ahx d[ n’obere oghere d[ n’elu uko d[ n’usekwu. Q

gwara Akabxqgx na q nwere ihe q chqrq [ gwa ya. Akabxqgx kwere ya, r[q ya

ka q kwere ka q kpeere ya ekpere. Otikpo kwapxrx ya s[,

“Gawa n’iro ka any[ niile kpekqq ya qnx. Mee ka m si ebe a pxta maka

na [nwere ike imenwu ya”

Ka q kakpx okwu n’qnx, Akabxqgx tiwara mkpu akwa r[q Chineke ka q

mere nwoke a ebere. Ozigbo ahx, qnx xzq meghere. Nd[ nche xlq mkpqrq

kpxrx ya. O siri qnwx ka q dqgara onwe ya were bee akwa onye qbxla nq

n’ime xlq mkpqrq ahx ma onye na-aga n’iro ga-anx.

Mz. Unamba kpqqrq Akabxqgx pxq. Akabxqgx agagh[ akqcha ihe q hxrx

na ije ahx q b[ara. Ike d[ egwu gwxrx ya nke na ike [ga ije ad[gh[zi ya.

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Na njedebe akxkq a, Umekwe lechaara anya ka Otikpo nwxchara were

hx na q nwegh[ uru d[ n’ibi ndx qjqq were cheghar[a, bido rxwara otu nwoke

qrx n’ubi ya, si na ya na-eleta onwe ya anya.

Nnaji jewaara obodo a na-akpq Uburuku, rifuchaa ego ya niile, mechaa

nwxfxq n’xlq mkpqrq. Mz. Xnamba kpqqrq Akabxqgx d[ka nwa ya. Ha na

Nneoma kwafere n’xlq d[ ebe mepere emepe. Xlq ha d[ nso n’ebe Ork.

Ezeaka na Nkem bi. Osita na Qkpara ka anqkwa ebe ahx na-agba odibo. Dkt.

Okoli mechara chqtakwa xlq birikwuo n’akxkx ebe ahx. Mz. Uche nakwa

achqta ha mgbe xfqdx ebe ahx.

Akabxqgx na-enwezi an)xri ka ch[nch[ maka na nd[ niile gbara ya gburu

gburu bx nd[ enyi ya. Ha niile na-enwe an)xr[ na- ekele Chukwu maka

[hxnanya na ebere ya.

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CHAPTER FOUR

ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSLATED TEXT

4.1 Introduction

In the course of translating a text from one language to another, problems are

encountered. The problems encountered by the translators may be because of the

languages/cultures involved or from the author.

In translating Oliver Twist, the researcher without doubt encountered some

problems which are highlighted and discussed below.

4.2 Methodology

The text was originally written in the English language and was translated into

the Igbo language. The principles adopted here are the Vinay and Darbelnet’s seven

principles of translation and one of the Baker’s principle – translation by omission.

Translation tools like the English Dictionary, Igbo- English dictionary and Igbo

metalanguage were helpful but before then, the source text was read several times for

proper understanding.

In the course of translation, the final draft was produced after several editing

and restructuring. It was given out to Linguistics and Igbo language scholars to read,

first to correct the grammar and secondly, see if the translator (the researcher) was

faithful to a reasonable extent.

The problems encountered in this work include cultural problem,

characterization, domestication and stylistic problems. Due to the impracticability of

analyzing the work sentence by sentence, the areas that posed problems during the

translation are highlighted and handled one after the other in a tabular form.

4.3 Problems Encountered

4.3.1 Characterizations and Settings: In an attempt to domesticate the novel, the

characters and the settings if left the way they are would amount to an incomplete

domestication. Because of it, the characters and the settings were changed to give

them the Igbo cultural spice.

Table 1 a: Showing the characters in the novels and their Igbo replacements.

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Oliver Twist Akabxqgx

Mrs Mann Ork. Udoka

Mr Bumble Mz. Ikem

Mr. Sowerberry Mz. Ahamba

Charlotte Chinwe

Mr. Noah Claypole Mz. Obigwe Nze

Dick Obinna

Jack Dawkins Ikenna

Fagin Otikpo

Charley Bates Umekwe

Bet Qlamma

Mr Brownlow Mz. Unamba

Mrs Bedwin Ork. Nneqma

Mr Grimwig Mz. Uche

Toby Crickit Nwaka

Giles Osita

Brittles Qkpara

Dr. Losberne Dkt. Okoli

Monks Nnaji/ Ezinwa

Agnes Ogechi

Harry Xkandx

Rose Maylie Nkem Ezeaka

Mrs Maylie Ork. Ezeaka

Bill Skies Qkpqka

Nancy Nneka

Mrs Sowerberry Ork. Ahamba

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Settings

Because the source text has real names of towns and cities, some Igbo names of

towns were adopted in the target text to paint the picture of the Igbo scenario. They

are as shown in the table below:

Table 1 b

London Qn[cha

France Obodo qj[

Barnet Xmxokwe

Chertsey Okosa

America Uburuku

4.3.2 Cultural Problems: Because of the difference between the source text

audience and the target text audience, problems which may summarily be taken as

cultural problems were encountered. These problems are seen in some words, ordinary

expressions, figurative expressions, ecological terms, physical make-up of the

characters and food items.

Table 2: This table shows these above mentioned problems, chapters and pages where

they were extracted, their possible translations and the technique used. Note that TT

for target text and ST for source text will be used in all the tables.

ST (English Language)

The Chapters and pages in ST

TT (Igbo Language)

Principle Adopted

…gave him a Lot of kisses ….

Chapter 1, pg3 ….makxrx

ya….

Adaptation

Five pounds Chapter 2, pg 6 Puku Naira ise Equivalence

….a red nose Chapter 3,, pg 10

….imi wara wara …

Adaptation

…placed a silver box in one pocket

Chapter 6, Pg 23

….were otu mgba aka tinye n’akpa

Sunday suit Chapter 9, Pg 36

Qmar[cha akwa

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…my aunt Chapter 13, Pg 53

….mama …

..he shook the Ladies

Chapter 14, Pg 54

Kelee Nkem na Ork. Ezeaka

…gathered his hair from his face

Chapter 14, Pg 55

…h[q ya aka n'isi

While Oliver and the old lady were talking and laughing and crying and kissing…

Chapter 19, Pg 78

Ka Akabxqgx na Nneoma na-

akar[, an#xr[

The child was your half-brother - Oliver Twist

Chapter 23 Pg, 92,

Nwatak[r[ ahx bx nwanne gi nwoke-Akabuogu

Table Chapter 2, pg 4 Tebulu Borrowing Window Chapter 10

Pg 43 Windo

There’s your tea Chapter 3, Pg10

Lee akamx g[

Equivalence

…rang a bell and the door opend….

Chapter 9, Pg 36

…kxrx aka ,e megheere ha xzq

Fifty pounds Chapter10,pg43 otu nar[ pxkx naira

Hullo ! Chapter 11, Pg 46

Onye nq ebe a !

Horse Chapter 13, Pg, 53

Any[nya Igwe

Carriage Chapter 14, Pg 54

Qgba tum Tum

A bedroom bell was rung very often

Chapter 14, Pg 55

..n’ihi na a na-akpq ha oku mgbe qbxla

Spring passed quickly and summer came

Chapter 15, Pg 57

Udummiri b[ara gafee qs[[sq qkqch[ wxchie

Death !

Chapter 14, Pg 59

Anxqhia

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“Heaven bless you for being so kind …”

Chapter 18, Pg 73

“Chineke gqzie g[ maka obioma g[“

“curse you both” Chapter 24, Pg 94

“Rijuonx ns[ Qnx

You old devil Chapter 9, Pg 37

Okenye arxrx ala

..evil looking face was half hidden by his red hair

Chapter 5, Pg 20

..ihu ya gosiri na qbxgh[ ezigbo Mmadx

Modulation and omission

I’ll eat my head

Chapter 8 pg 34

…ka m gbuo onwe m

Modulation (a part for whole)

When are we going to steal the silver from it

Chapter 9, Pg 42

Kedx mgbe any[ ga a ga-h[qkqchara ihe ahx e ji chqrq ya mma

Modulation (Abstract for concrete)

A lovely piece of meat…some good strong tea and some of the best sugar. Fresh bread too, cheese and a bottle of something good

Chapter 17, Pg 68

Qmar[cha nri na anx tinyekwara ihe qmxmx d[ mma

He had come to Tea

Chapter 8, Pg 33

Q b[ara [tx ndx Mmanx

Transposition

Work house Chapters 1,2,3 etc

Xlq qrx Literal translation

In example 1 in Table 2, it shows the European culture of showing affection. The

culture of the TL abhors such a kissing and with the principle of adaptation, that

which serves the same purpose in the TL culture is used to replace it.

In example 2, the monetary system in the target text is very familiar with the target

audience rather than the system in the source text which is quite foreign. Equivalence

was used to translate it.

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In example 3, the physique of the characters in the ST will not be the same when

they are domesticated. Translating that way would be illogical. The principle of

equivalence therefore is used to get the closest equivalence.

In example 4, the picture of what people (the target audience) can easily

conceptualize was used through the principle of adaptation.

In example 5, with the principle of adaptation, the adjective ‘sunday’ was replaced

with another adjective ‘qmar[cha’ which is the way the target audience speaks.

In example 6, adaptation is used here because translating explicatively or literally as

‘nwanne nna m nke nwaany[’ is not Igbo.

In example 7, the act of shaking the ladies is English though not a taboo in most cases

in the Igbo culture. An encompassing word which encloses all other forms of

expression of good will was used.

In example 8, as in example 3, the physique of the characters in the ST is not the

same with the characters of TT. Because of it, an African child’s hair cannot be such

that would cover his/her face. The principle of adaptation was used to arrive at the

translation.

In example 9, the principle of adaptation was used to summarize the actions because

translating them will be difficult.

In example 10, there is no Igbo word for ‘step brother’. In such a context, the Igbos

would say ‘nwanne m nwoke’. This is done with the principle of adaptation.

In example 11, the translator borrows the term, applying the structure of the TL.

In example 12, the term ‘window’ was borrowed using the structure of the TT

language.

In example 13, to make the target text more Igbo, ‘tea’ was replaced with ‘akamx’ to

give the text an Igbo taste. The principle of equivalence was therefore used to achieve

that.

In example 14, the principle of equivalence is used to relate to the target audience,

what they are use to.

In example 15, like in example 2, the monetary system was changed with the

principle of equivalence.

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In example 16, the Igbo people culturally have a way of asking if somebody is in the

house. This was achieved through the principle of equivalence.

In examples 17 and 18, equivalence was used in the translation because ‘horse’ and

‘carriage’ are not used for transportation in Igbo culture.

In example 19, modulation (concrete for abstract) is used to pass the information.

In example 20, equivalence is employed here to tackle the problem because spring

and summer does not occur in African weather.

In example 21, the principle of equivalence is used.

In example 22, the principle of equivalence was used and a replacement from the SL

text was gotten.

In example 23, the principle of equivalence was adopted to properly fix the context

properly.

In example 24, the principle of equivalence was used.

In example 25, the facial description was translated with the principle of modulation.

The colour of the hair - red and its characteristics are not obtainable in the target text

characters and are therefore omitted.

In example 26, modulation (a part for a whole) is used to replace the part – ‘my

head’ with a whole – ‘onwe m’. The figurative expression was also entirely adapted to

what is commonly in use in the culture of the TT.

In example 27, the noun – silver was explained using the principle of modulation

(concrete for abstract)

In example 28, modulation is used to lump the food items together because finding

equivalence for them is not possible.

In example 29, through the process of adaptation, the verb ‘to tea’ was changed to a

figurative expression.

In example 30, the principle of literal translation was used to realize the name.

Furthermore, certain portions where equivalence or other principles cannot

proffer possible solutions, the Baker’s principle of omission were used. Example 31,

chapter 1 pg 2,

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“We name children in the order of letters. The last one was an S- I named him

Swubble. This was a T and I named him Twist. The next one who comes will be

Unwin. I have got names ready to Z, and then all the way through again from A.”

Example 32, chapter 15, pg 50

“He went out and picked some beautiful flowers for Rose’s room”

4.3.3 Stylistic Problems

The style used by the author as regards the speeches of the characters was most

times very difficult for the translator to handle due to differences in language usages

in the languages involved. This is because most of their (characters’) speeches are

direct speeches and few in indirect speeches. By direct speeches, we mean the report

of what somebody has done and it is being reported the same way and vice versa for

indirect speeches. Same is also applicable in questions. These problems were however

solved with the principle of modulation (indirect to direct speeches and vice versa)

Examples: Chapter 7.pg 28

Source text: “While Skies was drinking, Dawkins told them about Oliver and how

he had been caught.

“I’m afraid,” said Fagin, “that the boy may tell the officer of the law all about us and

get us into trouble. We must find him.”

Target text: Ka Qkpqka na -an)x mmiri, Ikenna, kqqrq ha maka Akabxqgx na otu e si

nwude ya. Xjq jidere Otikpo na Akabxqgx ga-agwa nd[ uwe ojii gbasara ha were tinye

ha na nsogbu.

Example: Chapter 20 pg 82

Source text: “Please take the money,” said Rose. “It may help you in an hour of need

and trouble.”

“God bless you,” said Nancy. “Now I must go on my way…”

Target text: Nkem r[qrq ya ka q were ego ahx jiri gboo mkpa ma q dapxta.

Nneka kelere ha were lawa.

When it concerns questions (reported question), it is also applicable as earlier pointed

out.

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Example:

Source text: Chapter 1 pg 3

“Will you come with me, Oliver?” said Mr. Bumble.”

Target text: “Mz. Ikem jxrx Akabxqgx ma q ga-eso ya la”

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Summary

This research work is a literary translation of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

This text which is a prose was translated from the English language to the Igbo

language. The aim of the translation is to show how a foreign text can be translated.So

many problems are encountered in translations and therefore this very exercise is not

without a problem.

The chief problem encountered in the process of translating this text is cultural

problem. This is because the text is written by a European and his culture was very

much reflected in his writing. Following this is the authorial style. The author’s

frequent use of dialogue was indeed a hard nut to crack. These problems were

however solved using the principles formulated by the scholars of translation even

though those principles were not originally modeled after the African languages.

These problems were however handled with the principles promulgated by translation

theorists.

For a literary translator to properly deliver, he has to display literary expertise

so as to completely grab the information in the source language and then re-express it

in another language bearing in mind that the main thing is the preservation of the

message contained in the source language. Failing to abide by this results in a

mistranslation which is often mistakenly taken to be translation done in a

grammatically incorrect language. The inability to decode the information of the

source language is the major problem of a literary translation, sociolinguistically

speaking.

The importance of translation generally cannot be exhausted more still when it

is a literary translation. It promotes literary studies and helps in communication and

cultural transmission. It promotes language and unites various groups of people and it

is also a source of livelihood especially to those who live by the trade.

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5.2 Recommendations

(a) A literary translator should endeavor to give out his/her work to another literary

translator to go through and ensure that what is required is what is got.

(b) Translation studies should be introduced into the secondary schools’

curriculum to enable the students have foundation which should be solidified

in the tertiary institutions through several translation courses and seminars.

(c) The English and the Igbo grammars should be properly taught to students

because they are the raw materials with which translators work.

(d) The Igbo scholars should improve on the metalanguage so as to provide terms

that have gained access into our culture.

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