This is the third moon in a roll that Onueke has had it bad with his farm. Two seasons ago, he planted two hundred yam seedlings and none came out with the pride to be big. It hampered him from returning the borrowed land with the promise of twenty tubers of yams he had pledged to Mazi Obinigwe.
In the last farming year, it was a worse situation. Before the seedlings could germinate, they rot away, perhaps because of the scorching sun.
As a result, his indebtedness increased and he was at the vouch of losing his only family heritage to Mazi Obinigwe.
The same fate was against other farmers in and around Abuoma. For three seasons, they have not been able to record any success from their farms. Someone like Udenwa who had the biggest harvest four seasons ago has decided to look elsewhere rather than keep recording a deficit in his farm. He took to trading dried fish across the river with other communities in the west.
At first, the new venture looked like a mirage when patronage was not encouraging. It took him several months to settle into the new idea. Before long, patronage became somewhat encouraging and he made a lot of money. Soon, other farmers began to refer to him as a weakling.
Udenwa did not mind the name calling, he just concentrated on his business. As a titled chief, he was relieved of his staff of office since he was no more pra to ing farming.
To be able to solve this problem, Onueke called other farmers so that they could fashion the way forward before they all perished from starvation from poor yields from their farms. He employed the services of a town crier who went about making the broadcast:
Gong! Gong!! Gong!!!
Hear me, all you farmers of Abuoma. There is going to be an emergency meeting tomorrow at the square. The head farmer requested that at the first crow of the cock, all farmers must have gathered.
From within their hamlets and huts, people could hear the town crier delivering the message and those who were affected registered their intention to be there as at when due.
That same evening, Udoh and his neighbour Aku came out under the udala tree as usual to take some great air before retiring to the huts and started discussing what the town crier had come to announce a moment ago. Udoh was sure that the gods had turned their backs on them, that was why their farm lands weren't producing much.
the gods should be appeased since that's what the remedy to all the brouhaha could be.
Aku cautioned him after measuring up his statement as blasphemous.
may the gods have mercy on you Udoh. I hope they didn't hear what you just said. Any appeasement that is not rightly channelled would just be a waste of time and resources.
The discussion continued till very deep into the night. These men were perhaps deceived that time isn't far gone because of the bright moonlight that reflected on the surface of the earth.
The next morning, all the farmers gathered at the square. They weighed their options but could not reach any conclusions as to what could be the causal effect of poor yields from their farms.
It was Mazi Obinigwe who suggested that the local chief priest be called immediately so he could consult the oracle and find what it will take to fertilise the land again.
Ikuku, the local chief priest arrived in his white robe and red chalked face and his long staff, designed with the skull of a horned goat. His appearance brought a level of decorum in the square. He didn't speak to anyone in particular.
After settling down, he spread his oracle tray with white sands from the sea and white cowries, then started the divination process.
Eye of the gods,
Through which we see what mortals can't,You troubled descents want to see,The land have been barren and hunger looms,What would you have them do?
The people listened with enthusiasm and looked with eyes wide open as Ikuku consulted.
Then, he spoke in some language that cannot be understood by anyone around. And said:
My people, make an appeasement of a drum of salt, white soaps,white cock,a year old white male goat and a bag of cowries to cleanse the land.
Quickly, he folded his tray and walked away as the murmuring began again. Udoh looked at Aku and blinked his eyes, like he was confirming it that he knew it can't be more than appeasement. What their ancestors have done and yet no changes.
Udenwa who had been stripped of his title brought home an European back home. He wanted to be the middle man between the fishermen and the European traders at the coast, so he needed to show his home to Richardson, the European trader.
Richardson like the terrain of Abuoma. Only that the people were ignorant of the latest farming trends. He told Udenwa that the land is clay and cannot do well for tuber crops.
Whereas, the farmers have contributed money already to make an appeasement to the gods.
He told Udenwa that he could supply the local farmers with fertilisers to make their crops come out huge and marketable for maximum profits.
He asked that the farmers be brought together so he could speak to them. When they gathered, many of them did not believe that anything could make yams grow perfect except the blessings of the gods. So, a lot of them did not buy the idea of applying fertilisers to the yam heaps to make it grow big.
Only Aku, Udoh, Chukwurah, Maidoh and Olofinjana accepted to apply fertilisers to their yam farms the same season that they made an appeasement to the gods. Others thought it is not wise to accept the use of the white man magic, as they referred to fertilizers when they just sacrificed to the gods.
That season, only the five men that applied fertilisers had a great harvest. They were filled with joy because they made great profits after they sold their produce.
Udoh in his usual practice made fun of those who were waiting for the results from the appeasement to continue to wait, that the gods are coming ro supply them some kind of special fertilisers.