One faithful day, Mama had sent me to buy a local substance for mixing medicine called utaba. The only place that this was found was in a far village called, Omole. It was one of the few villages known for its trade in this substance. Mama usually made this trip with me but today she told me to go alone. Mama said that very soon I would be old enough to get suitors, when I get married I would make this trip alone so it was better to start now.
The market was 4 forests and 3 rivers far from my house and as such I had to carry a lot of cowries in other to pay for the boatmen to carry me across the water . I woke up before the first cock crow and began to make arrangements. Mama gave me instructions on how to cross the river. If I was fast, I would get home before dark. I was to avoid using the short cut route because it would lead me to Ohia Aru and only experienced hunters took that route. She equally told me to avoid all men who appeared unshaven. She would tell me why later but today, I would just have to obey her and avoid them. Just then, Kosisonna woke. Even though he is just a baby, I wonder he had some sort of ESP because he woke up only at the moments important matters were discussed. Noma, my stepmother, often said that he behaved this way because he had Papa's genes. Kaka often told stories of Papa as a child- according to her he was a crybaby. Our mothers- his wives – often made jokes about this but they never did so to his face.
"Kosi, I'm coming. This child and his timing….Nene wait here let me get him." She hurried off without a reply.
She returned some minutes later with Kosi in her arms and the cowries to purchase utaba from the market. I heard the first cock crow as I was on my way out of the compound. I felt agile. I had eaten heavily for this journey and I had also packed some roasted corn and plenty of water to sustain me on this trip. It was going to be a smooth trip, I told myself- or so I had thought. Crossing the first stream was no hassle as the boat man was already present. Although I could not see his face properly, I noticed that he had a firm build and outline. He was also clean shaven- thank goodness. He merely asked my destination and after I paid him, he helped me on his bat and we silently made the journey to the end of the river. It had taken an hour or two but it felt longer because the man said nothing and I was getting bored just looking at the heads of the crocodiles on the water. I wondered if the tales that they were reincarnations of our ancestors who came back to watch over our streams had any truth in them. 'If our fathers believed them then it must be true,' I decided.
On the shore of the first river, I said my thanks to the boatman who acknowledged it with only a nod. Since the sun was up, I began to study the elderly man's features. He appeared older than Papa. It was hard to tell as he was sitting down, but he was a man of average height with stout build. I looked at his face and for the first time I noticed that he was blind in one eye. He must have noticed my expression because; he chuckled and touched his blind eye. He only said one thing, "If you are crossing the next forest, and beware of the snakes on the trees. Do not associate with the Osu people, the gods will always find a way to make you pay if you do."
I was terribly shaken and I began to wonder why the gods had set apart a group of people from others. Surely we were all people so why the segregation?. I could not ask the man to explain himself because he had already rowed out with his boat into the river. Absent mindedly, I picked up my bags. I walked for a long time lost in thought. I did not know when I had crossed paths through the first two forests. I kept pondering this until I got to the next river. The next boat man was the complete opposite of the other. He appeared tall and lanky. He equally could not stop talking. In the hour it took me to cross that river, I almost had a nervous meltdown. His talk activity made me miss the silence of the other boatman. I couldn't have been more grateful when the journey ended. Before I could leave he said something that made me stop for a moment. "Remember not to talk to the unshaven people. The gods will get you if you."
At this point, I began to get tired of this entire unshaven people-Osu- business. Why was a tribe ostracized because of the demands of the gods themselves? It did not make any sense. If they were properties of gods, why did the people avoid them? If anything they should be worshipped. It didn't make any sense. I quietly pondered all these as I settled down to enjoy my mid-morning snack. The water was cool, I needed that. I spent a couple of minutes massaging my ankles under a tree at the shore before I began my journey one more. I asked directions from an old lady who sold okpa to the boatmen working there and I resumed my journey once more.
I had walked through the path leading to the next forest. I had never particularly paid much attention to this part of the journey probably because I was often too tired to mark the land marks. This was a problem but believe it or not, I found a shortcut to the market. A hunter directed me to the path. I had quite forgotten what my mother had said about shortcuts. I reached the market without having to cross the next river. For someone who had been walking since morning, it seemed like a miracle.
Due to the high demand of this medicine, I had to wait till evening in order to properly bargain with the traders. Since it was late they would want to make fast sales- this was my opportunity. I waited till the evening before I bought a bunch for only 2o cowries, such would have cost me 50 initially.
I had to make haste before the sundown. I took the initial shortcut, but as it was darker, the trees started looking funny. I began walking in a straight line. I found myself in the middle of a cluster of huts. A woman coming out of her hut saw me and screamed. She pointed at me and said, "Free born what are you doing here? Those who come here never leave." I was sweating at this point, just then I remembered what my mother had said about the shortcut-what good timing. I began to pray to Ani and all the gods I knew to get me out of this mess. I gave promises I had no idea how to keep but I guess that was not important at that point. I just knew that it was imperative for me to leave that place at that moment.
Just then, a hand pulled me and began talking rapidly to the woman. I looked into the most ferocious eyes I had ever seen. I wasn't sure but the way he stood made me sure that I had seen him before. Then it came to me- the stranger from that night. He did not say anything only pilled me away from the bemused lady. He took me through the path I had come and to the river shore and left me there. When I turned to thank him, he only said coldly,"Hm.. You may leave and don't come back child."