The Family Curse - Season 1 - Episode 10

6 years ago

The Family Curse - Season 1 - Episode 10

(Chidi’s fruitless opposition)

Amadi was happy for appeasing the wicked gods of Ajana to secure the recovery of his son, Chike, even though he had spent much money in the process. He was happy for two reasons. First, he got a clue to the cause of his son’s illness through the fortune teller, (Anyanahumuo).

The second reason why he was happy was that he did not borrow from anybody to buy the chickens as he normally does, for he had sold his palm-wine with much profit (gain) that day.
Since the return of Chike, Amadi had been thinking on how he could cool down the temper in his house. One certain Oye market day, while he was engaged in wine tapping, he thought seriously on what to do, and something flashed into his mind.

Amadi then called his children together in the evening to talk to them. He told them, ‘Since your mother is no longer alive, I wouldn’t want any of you to be sorrowful in any way, for that might make me become ill also. I have however noticed that since Chike’s return from Obi’s house, Chidi has not been happy.’

He continued, ‘You children will have noticed, no matter how young you are, that i love you very much, as children, friends and relations. Chidi, may i then know what has gone wrong?’
‘Father, I have told you several times that i want to go where my mates go every morning i see them while sweeping the premises. I don’t like wine tapping. I want to go to school with my mates, ‘Chidi replied.

.’How long will i tell you children about this matter? Your eldest brother, Chike, has just escaped from death because of my timely sacrifice to the wicked gods of Ajana!’ Amadi said angrily.

Chike reluctantly replied, ‘Father, I know quite well that you really saved me from the hands of the wicked gods of Ajana. But i have something in mind to ask you, and now is the opportunity.’
‘Yes, go on, my son, Amadi said.
‘Father, one day’ when i was learning carpentry in Mr Obi’s shop, two men who came to buy some chairs were discussing something. One said that God is a spirit, that nobody can see him. My question now is, [B] “are these wicked gods of Ajana not the ones i see in the shrine near the Oye market square?’

Amadi then replied, ‘Chike, do you really want to live on earth? How come this dangerous thought? You must be very careful, ‘he warned. Chike then asked politely again, ‘Father, you remember that you often tell us to ask you questions about anything we don’t understand?’
‘It is true, my son, but the question you have just asked is dangerous. I’d have no reply to that for the safety of our family.’

Chike in turn told his younger brothers, ‘Chidi and Josh, let us believe our father for our family’s history which he has told us is true. Moreover, Chidi, you have passed the school age.’

When Amadi heard from his first son these words to Chidi, he was happy, for he had won Chike to his side. He then suddenly ordered, ‘Everyone of you should now go to his assignment.’ So they left for their various domestic duties.

Things were not working all that well in Amadi’s house. For one thing, Chidi was only pretending to be happy while he was not. But since he had no alternatives, he kept on helping their father reluctantly.

After some months, another school year came and it was the turn of little Josh, the last child of the family, to press for his schooling. He did not at all like the idea of not going to school. Chidi, on the other hand, was still planning on the steps to take to change the curse on their family. Many ideas came to him, and he mapped out plans on what he would do to become rich in spite of their father’s belief.
Josh eventually stopped helping their father at all. Even though his assignment was to sweep the premises, he cared little about it. Rather he cried every morning when his mates were going to school and every evening when their father returned with Chike.

Meanwhile, Chidi was no longer interested in going to school because of his age. He however had not yet given up the struggle to become rich.

He now planned for a way to obtain enough money so as to start a good business to change the family’s image.

His constant worries and plans made him become very lean, and his father soon noticed it but didn’t say anything. He did not try to find out why he was getting lean.

One fateful Oye market morning, Chidi pretended to be ill. So his father excused him from going to the market with and Chike.
Usually on every market day in Mbadike, only very young children were left at home, while every adult, both male and female would be in the market.

Chidi had already concluded his plans. At midday on that Oye market day, he went to four different prominent houses when no one was around, and stole large sums of money.
He brought it home and hid it in their bedroom. Unfortunately for him, in one of the houses, a little girl had seen and recognised him while he was escaping through the rear window…
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