Image Source edited by me
INTRODUCTION
My name is Akigga, I was born and raised in a remote village and this is how I survived the biggest massacre that has ever happened in the land of Ochugga.
The land of Ochugga is a small village where the men are farmers and the women stay at home to take care of the family. The only form of entertainment is wrestling. There was an annual wrestling competition around mid-year and according to the tradition of the land, a big festival to celebrate the champion followed the competition. During the festival, ten virgins would be paraded in front of the champion and the community. The champion would select any girl he desires before the end of the following month. The wedding would be sponsored by the king and he would become the chief defender of the village, a title that comes with the feat, till the next competition.
Agudda was a champion many years ago. He got married in a flamboyant wedding to Adunna, the most beautiful virgin then. After many years, she gave birth to two girls but Agudda wanted an heir; a male boy. He married a younger wife, Igibba. She conceived two months after the marriage. When she was 7 months pregnant, she was poisoned by Adunna. As powerful as the poison was, she was able to give birth to a bouncing baby boy though she died days after child birth.
Agudda cried for days over the demise of his younger wife. The only reason he could see beyond the pain was the son she left behind. He named his son, Ikembba (The gods have answered my silent prayers). Weeks later, it was discovered that it was Adunna that poisoned and killed Igibba. She and her daughters were banned from the village and sent to the evil forest. They eventually died in the forest.
Agudda was happy with his only son. He believed he would be a strong man to be able to overcome his step-mother’s poison. He trained him to be a good wrestler when he was little. When he was 10 years old, he was already a little champion. He used to beat all his mates and people tipped him to be the village champion one day. When he was 12 years old, he and his friends went to watch the year's wrestling competition. There was wild cheering in the crowd until Ikembba slumped. His friends screamed so hard to attract the attention of the people.
CHAPTER ONE
He was carried to the village’s chief herbalist, Ichikku. One of his friends went home to call his father and inform him what happened. He was so terrified, he ran as fast as he could to the herbalist. When he got there, Ichikku drew him to the back of the house.
"Ikembba’s case is very serious, we found egule in his blood stream." He said gently.
Egule leaf is a poisonous leaf found in the evil forest. It was the poison given to his mother by his step mother. Though it was given to her to cause a miscarriage, it did not work that way. It entered directly into his bloodstream and the
side-effect just showed up now that he has grown.
"The great one, what can we do? I don't want my son to die." Agudda replied. He was so sad and scared.
Ichikku paused to think for a while. “There is a way and he would be fine.” He touched Agudda’s shoulder. “The herbs I will use on him will make him stronger but there will be side effects like.”
Agudda cut in immediately. “I don’t care about the side effects, I just want my son better and stronger.” He cut in. His mood has changed. He became so furious.
“You need to consider the side effects Oga Agudda.”
“I don’t care about any effect. As long as he becomes stronger, he can outlive any effect. What is the next thing to do wise one?”
So as to avoid any confrontation, Ichikku continued with the treatments. Two weeks later, Ikembba became fully well though he was not discharged to go home so his health could be monitored. His friends would come around to cheer him up as well as his father and other well-wishers. He became popular as the young boy who almost stopped the year’s wrestling competition.
On the day he was discharged. The village champion visited him with gifts. Everyone was happy to see how hale and hearty he was. He even wrestled with the champion to the cheers of the people around. Ichikku was not as happy as everyone was, he stayed away from the cheers and jubilations around. He sat on his rocking chair. “If only they knew what was about to happen, they would not have celebrated this much.” He thought.
There was a young boy that climbed on top of a tree opposite Ichikku compound. He was able to see everything clearly. Immediately he saw Ikembba was on his way home, he came down and ran like a hare home. He went straight to his father’s room as he got home.
“Father, he is well now and on his way home. I saw everything clearly.” He said as he gasped for breath.
His father stood up. His face became solid as a rock. It was a sad news to him. “How can he survive the poisoning?” He thought out loud.
His son was so confused. He has not seen his dad in such mood before. He tapped his leg and asked. “Father, why are you angry? What is happening, I am confused.”
His father asked him to sit down and he sat opposite him. ”I will tell you a story today and tell you why I have been preparing you to be a very good wrestler more than I was.”
Watch out for the subsequent part of this intriguing story. Why do people want Ikembba dead? What part of the future has Ichikku seen?