TALE OF A CHANGELING

Episode 5

There's nothing more painful, heartbreaking, and depressing than being an Ogbanje, this is a well-known and most hated being in the land of Achala.

Centuries ago there had been a lot of records about an Ogbanje, one after the other it keeps happening in the majority of the villagers household, and of course, they were never spared, they went through a lot of painful tribulations in the hands of their people, some of them were sequestered till doldrums kill's them some were even buried alive, some were hanged while some were burnt alive, indeed it was a very big abomination to reincarnate into the world again, people of Achalla see this as a very big crime, life is meant to be lived once why will someone reincarnate into the same family it means he or she is evil? These were always their words.

Years after the enormous wipeout of the Ogbanjes, in the land of Achala there was no news about an Ogbanje in any family, the strict and mean behavior of the people of Achala had successfully sent it away, everyone was alleviated at this news, women now became happy to give birth unlike before when they were disheartened that their baby might turn into an Ogbanje.

Defiling all odds a new case of Ogbanje arose suddenly and gave the people of Achala the shocking of their lives, two families had delivered another Ogbanje, a boy and a girl. There's always the chief priest to tell if a child is an Ogbanje or not, but in their case it was different, the two children disclosed themselves concurrently with the events that took place during their birth, the people didn't know what to do it's been long such case was seen after their tremendous killing, after a lot of deliberation it was concurred to let the two children live since no other family gave birth to another Ogbanje, right there the villagers engaged the little kids, it was decided that when they become of age and get married they will live separately from everyone, right from their younger ages nobody wanted to do anything with them.

This same couple was the parents of Ugo, their beautiful daughter who also turned out to become an Ogbanje, just like her parents.

After discovering from her grandmother that she's an Ogbanje, Ugo became devastated, it dawned on her why virtually all the villagers loathed her so much, she cried bitterly every day condemning the day she came into the world as an Ogbanje.

Chukwu Okike, why have you created me differently? Why did u make me an Ogbanje?

Look at my painful predicaments, I can't do anything with my fellow Maidens, I can't fetch water with them, I can't go to the farm with them, neither can I join them in our village dance group. Ugo sobbed

It's as if am a ghost no one could see me, hear me or even touch me. Oh! What a world!!!! She exclaimed bitterly.

Omali walked in and saw Ugo crying so bitterly, she quickly dropped the basket of cassava that she was carrying and rushed towards her, and asked, Ugo what are you doing? Why do you have to start your day with crying, wipe your tears my child?

Ugo lean on her grandmother's shoulders and said in grief, Mama I'm so sorry, because of me you are also disregarded all because you have an Ogbanje as a granddaughter.

people see you as evil just like they see me, my bad fate had intertwined with your good fate, please forgive me, mama.

Ugo, what are you saying? I have never complained have I? No matter what people think about you my child I won't heed to it, all that matters to me is you, I don't care if the villagers call me evil too, I'm willing to relinquish anything for you.

my daughter, you are my priority, and I want you to be happy always.

Forget about people's opinions, that will always cause you pains.

But how mama? How can I do that? Ugo asked innocently

There's no way I will hide from the villagers, there's no way I can stop their words from affecting me, everything they are saying about me is true, can't you see it, mama? I'm cursed!!