Notoriety

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The way you lay your bed is the way you shall lie on it
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The chirping of the birds was accentuated by the whistling of  the trees, generated from the mild breeze which the leaves on the trees in Onwuegbusi's compound danced to.

Little squirrels hopped about the coconut trees attacking little coconut fruits on their parade.

Onyedikachi lay beneath one of these trees his eyes keen on observing the flurry brown rodents. He had returned quite early from school then finished his assignment ,chores and studying before stepping out of their house for fresh air. He had already begun to prepare for the university.

It had been years since Obanma and her siblings left and he had quite given up on the thought that they would return.

His mother had begun to run his late father's business after they had successfully buried him.
His grandparents and uncles had been brash and abrasive towards his mother, both in action and in words.

It was unfair because it had been their father's decision to stay in that village because of his business.

Arinze had opted to help his mother with the business while Onyedikachi chose keeping the house together.

His mind went to the gunshot that killed his father, if only he had been quick enough, Maybe he could have saved his father. That same thought had haunted him for years.

Their results for the term were already out and he had neatly placed his on the table for his mother to see. That was going to be his last result before external examinations and JAMB.

A giggle snapped Onyedikachi's attention back to the house. He thought it to be imaginary after waiting for the sound for the second time but got no response.

A squirrel had obtained a palm fruit and hurriedly moved on the trees to its destination together with its brother's in pursuit.

Another giggle erupted and Onyedikachi stood to his feet. He moved into their house, tip toeing in the bid to catch the unknown visitor unawares.

A loud thud followed by another giggle brought his feet to an abrupt halt. The voice of the girl sounded much familiar he noted.

He followed the voice to his room in which the door was left ajar. A loud shriek followed by a heavy banging of the door confirmed his suspicions. His brother was at it again but this time it wasn't just the village girls, it was one of his classmates.

It took a while before the door to his room creaked open exposing Arinze and Nneka. His brother smirked at him while he glared in disgust. It pained Onyedikachi dearly that most girls tended to act like they had pea sized brains. His brother was very notorious for being a womanizer, yet they all danced to his tunes.

Earlier that week, Onyedikachi had saved his brother from ambush as five unhappy girls had paid him a visit. His warnings about such lifestyle fell on deaf ears. Instead his brother had decided that it was a better way to pay the villagers for killing his father.

"I'll see you tomorrow" Nneka had declared batting her eyes with a rapidity like she was suffering from an epileptic seizure as she bode Arinze farewell,extending the same curtsy with a genuine smile to Onyedikachi as she left.

Arinze who was only clad in his underwear made his way downstairs ignoring a vexed Onyedikachi standing in front of their room.

Arinze had only managed to finish high school and resolved not to further his education despite the pleas rendered by his mom.

"Can you try not to bring them to the house eh? Take them elsewhere, it is disrespectful to both our mother and late father!" Onyedikachi angrily remonstrated.

Arinze took a glass and helped himself with a bottle of whiskey. The silence that greeted his younger brother sent him back upstairs and Arinze smiled.

Their mother came back a few minutes later with the groceries she had gotten. Onyedikachi had been the one who helped her prepare dinner while Arinze began to watch football.

Onyedikachi had tried countless times to expel the dirty secrets he harboured about his brother but seemed to get tongue tied each time he looked at his mother.

She had lost much weight, he could tell. The woman was battling with so many things which was part of the reason he hadn't disclosed Arinze's sexual escapades with her.

Arinze appeared at the kitchen almost immediately and his mother only glared at him.

"Nzube said you left the shop early today why?" She began on a brusque note her hands on her hips

"Eh I had things to attend to" Arinze had responded with his eyes transfixed on his brother's face. It was a subtle enquiry to ascertain if he had revealed his actions to their mother.

Onyedikachi ignored him and continued with his chore. He had been washing the stock fish to be used in making soup.

"Arinze what stupid things eh! Nwa choro igbu m this boy wants to kill me! You think I don't know what you've been doing. You're so irresponsible and unserious. Why can't you ever be like your younger brother!"

The question struck a blow at Arinze and his temper went through the roof. It always felt like his brother was the golden child. Their father had even appreciated Onyedikachi's efforts more than his when the man had been alive.

Their mother's statement was a reminder that he wasn't going to be good enough.

"Nne ozugo! I've had enough. I am a grown man and i will not let you continue to berate or even compare me to this small boy. Chai atam afufu!"

"Your father would be disappointed in you,  o fọrọ no obere ihe kam were ura marie gi nti. I am this close to slapping you! You think I'm not aware of the nonsense you've been doing in this house. Even if you don't have respect for your mother, what about your own late father"

"I am the man of this house nne. From the way I see it, I can do whatever I please. My so called father is dead and hadn't been you hadn't sent him out to his slaughter, he would still be..."

The words were cut off by a resounding slap which caused Arinze to chuckle. His brother was shocked and disappointed while his mother bit back tears.

" If you ever speak to me in that manner again, I will curse you!

Now take your clothes and go to the clinic, you're going to face your responsibilities fair and square like a man since you've grown wings. Go and fetch that little girl you impregnated anuofia! "

Shock was written on both Arinze and Onyedikachi's faces and their mouths fell apart as their mother continued to ramble words of disappointment to their hearing.

" Isi? "   Arinze slowly uttered, having felt the weight of the words his mother told him.

Onyedikachi on the other couldn't believe his ears. It seemed as If their mother was playing a prank to get Arinze in order.

"Olivia Is pregnant and she claims you're the father! Just imagine that my own son is now a renowned womanizer akwula nwoke!

They came to call me from the shop, mazi Nduka was furious and I couldn't even defend my own son.

Apparently he had slept with half of the village while I thought he was busy managing our only source of livelihood which his late father made available. All the market had tales to share about my own son!

Nna ji kere o!  You're now a father and by God Arinze! I'll make sure you face your responsibilities. "

Arinze stood motionless,lines of fear etched on his face and even Onyedikachi felt piteous towards him. His brother was only twenty one years old, how was he going to cope with a huge responsibility like that.

Their mother continued with her cooking, chopping okra with a force that terrified Onyedikachi. He feared that she might chop off her hand.

Arinze moved out of the kitchen and practically ran out of the house. Onyedikachi knew too well where he was going to. He also felt a level of concern for poor Olivia who he was sure her parents were punishing outrightly.

He knew how most girls who got pregnant out of wedlock were treated and he feared for the girl. Of all the girls his brother mingled with, he  liked Olivia the most , she was a quiet girl who was motherly and caring. She was also very smart but had fallen into his brother's trap.

She had been the only girl who had heeded his advice when he warned her of Arinze's activities. The girl had cried her eyes out but had withdrawn almost immediately from his brother.

What future was left for such a beautiful young girl? Would she even finish school or would she become a housewife which meant his brother would... " His thoughts were cut off by

"Arinze will marry that girl,he must" Their mother spat vehemently.

Onyedikachi stared at her without responses.

"Clear out your room, you'll be sleeping in the guest room from now on.she's moving in nextweek" She continued her eyes suddenly glossy, he could see she was fighting back tears.

His mother sniffed, halted her slicing and turned to face Onyedikachi.

The tears fell uncontrollably and his heart broke. Their mother had really been through so much and an additional problem was what she couldn't stomach.

Onyedikachi moved to where she stood, reached out for the little towel behind her and cleaned his hands before wiping her tears. He pulled her into a bear hug and patted her back while she wept.

"Why did he leave me? Did i do wrong by being a caring neighbor? Your brother wouldn't be behaving this way if he was around " His mother lamented as she quaked with tears streaming from her eyes.

Onyedikachi could remember the days when he was the one crying in her hands but times had changed and he noticed how petite his mother was in his arms.

He had really grown and not even his baritone or his height and build could attest for his maturity. It was how life had shaped him mentally that he really considered.

"Ọ ga adicha mma ịnụ!  He whispered into his mother's ears as he patted her back" Those were the same words he had heard his father say to his mother when he was little.

He could remember the scenario well and the image he saw on the glass cups made him wonder if he had really turned out to be like his father.

The resemblance was uncanny. Onyedikachi quickly shut his eyes and rubbed his mother's back gently as she let out all her emotions.

"Everything will turn out well inugo"

His mother lifted her face and held her son's face. "You remind me so much about him. You are slowly turning out to be just like him"

Onyedikachi gave a forced smile and she reciprocated with a genuine one.

"He still kept sweets hidden for you in his boxes. I found them days after the burial and ate them"

Onyedikachi couldn't believe his ears as laughter threatened to leave his lips. His throat began to rumble slowly and he held his chest while his mother joined in.

She had always claimed that sweets were terrible, she even threatened her husband one time about it which led to him hiding the items.

The pair laughed so much that he almost forgot while they were laughing in the first place. It was because no one had really made their mother laugh with so much abandon in years.

It felt genuinely liberating

"Those things are really sweet" His mother included pushing him to release another throaty laughter.

"I'll buy them in bulk for you mother" He stated as he wrapped his hands around her.

*************'

"And what is wrong with UNN?" Nnamdi questioned with a determined look and a subtle frown.

"Uncle I can't go there! It'll be like going to school from home and very sure that you and aunty will not even let me live off campus" Adaugo declared as she helped her uncle wash his vehicle.

The tradition of washing the car together had lasted for years and they deemed it fit to continue.

"UNN is a great school, there are few schools in Nigeria that can stand up to that. Why would you even choose a university in the west eh? This country is not as it used to be. Tribalism can make them turn down your admission."

"Not when JAMB has granted me an admission there. Why do you think I've been studying so hard kwanu?"

"Agatha will never agree to this! I know my wife." Nnamdi shook his head as he washed the windscreen

"That's why I'm telling you now uncle. You'll convince her for me, won't you?"

"I don't know Ada, don't put me in that spot"

Nnamdi turned just in time to avoid a splash that was targeted at him.

Obanma giggled as she ran past Adaugo to save herself from her uncle.

She had even discarded her hose as she ran while Chijioke chose to retaliate for his uncle, emptying the bucket of water in his hand on her body.

"What of Chijioke? Which school did he choose?"

"UNN" Adaugo replied unenthusiastically

"Ehe! Ihula nụ That is a wise choice"

"Uncle Chijioke didn't have to wait for three years like a did. Shouldn't that earn me that freedom?"

"You know we would have sent you to school immediately if we had saved enough. Ada I promised to train you all and you must understand that your aunt and I are really trying. Your mother is still there in the hospital and that has been taking up money too. "

" I understand uncle, I'm very grateful. But still talk to aunty for me"

"I will oo, the next thing I'll hear is that you want to marry a Yoruba man."Nnamdi taunted and Adaugo laughed heartily.

" Aunty will just kill me"

A wet Obanma ran to hold Nnamdi as Chíjíoke engaged her in pursuit.

"Uncle see what she did to me!" Chijioke angrily declared while Obanma laughed heartily.

"He started it first oo" Obanma yelled behind her uncle.

Nnamdi was about to make a statement before his gate pulled apart and his mother emerged.

The children ran to greet her while he cleared the items they used in washing the car.

He could see her handing over items to the children while they helped her with her bags and the foodstuff she had come with. It often amused him when his mother did such. She would garner vegetables, fish, garri and other foodstuff for him like he couldn't provide those things. He had told her to stop bringing at first because he felt it added to her travel stress but the woman claimed he was unappreciative.

He swept the topic under the rug since then. The daily devotional books each of the children had in their hands amused Nnamdi.

The ones she brought the last time, the children left unopened and so many stacks of devotionals booklets packed in their stores were unused.

She also gave them a hundred naira note to share like they used to when they were younger.

If only the amount was worth the same what it was worth then.

Nnamdi hugged his mother and led her inside with the children as they prepared for another round of night vigil.

It was an inevitable tradition that the woman had created as part of her visit and when she asked if they were ready to seek the face of the lord at night. The children all replied positively with forced smiles. A negative response meant hours of preaching of repentance.

Chijioke almost frowned as he realized that his preparation to write jamb with his sister would mean extra two hours of prayers, while others slept because they had a special request from God. His uncle had already broken the news to his mother who fished out her humongous bible.

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Hello Everyone!

Hope we enjoyed this chapter!

It's been a while  I must confess and my updates must be discouraging. I do hope you bear with me, it'll definitely get better.

Who has dealt with tribalism of any sort from any tribe in Nigeria ?  A friend of mine who's also a fellow corp member got turned down where she was posted because she wasn't from that particular tribe and it was discouraging. The positions were basically reserved for only indigenes. Anyways she got another place and is quite comfortable

I'm really glad things are changing and inter tribal marriages are not frowned upon as they used to be before.

Tribalism is still a problem in Nigeria, whether east, west, north or south. I hope we move past it one day.