THE CLOCK

Episode6: THE BREAKING POINT

"In the market, of course. Have you forgotten what market

day today is?" she asked, surprised.

"Oh yes, pardon me. I was carried away by the excitement of seeing you," he lied. "I even passed by the market to this place," he tried to explain.

"So, how are your siblings?" The Prophet enquired. "All is

well with all of them," Mma replied.

"Very good. To God be the glory;" he said.

"Amen" Mma responded.

"Please, you'll do me a favour even though l'll repeat this visit early tomorrow morning," he pleaded.

"What could that be? Just say it and it's done if it's within my capacity," Mma promised.

"Mama Nwankwo sent a message...." he stopped short as

Mma screamed, raising both hands towards heaven.

"Mama who?" Mma queried joyfully, jumping up and down in jubilation. Then turning to her truck, she wheeled it swiftly towards the nearby market.

Mgbafor could not wait for details but shouted to the market people that Mama Nwankwo had been found. Of course, she couldn't know the details because her informer did not wait to hear the details. As the whole market roared in jubilation, Mgbafor had rushed out and headed to her house to see the bearer of that good news. As she ran, she shouted the good news for everyone to hear. The noise in the Eke Market was unprecedented as haggling vied position with the news about Mama Nwankwo. As usual, gossip mongers had found another opportunity to mystify the simple news that Mama had been found. Some said that she had eloped with a rich stranger who came from a faraway country. Some said she was found in Aba learning a lucrative vocation. Still another news had it that tired of the drab village life, she had gone to Enugu to open up a restaurant. Some others said she was abducted by a g**g of hoodlums and after relieving her of her possessions had left her in a secluded area near a strange village to find her way. In the vast Eke Market, one was accustomed to ask another: "Have you heard?" Referring to the news about Mama Nwankwo and if the answer is in the negative, the questioner would begin to reel out the fabricated rumours.

In the early hours of Orie following the day of prophet Isaac's visit to Mgbafor, just before the first c**k-crow, Mgbafor had washed herself and had dressed up ready to travel to Owelle.

She had woken up Mma and the others to assist her prepare some delicious meal which she would present to her friend, Mama. The previous night, she had gone to Mama Nwankwo's house to select some of her best clothes, which she would take to her to change the ones she had been using those many days she had been ill.

She had washed, dried and folded them and arranged them in a neat bag

Just as Mgbafor was preparing for her journey at the wee hours of the day, which was an Orie, the town crier had also risen to invite the young and the old to gather at the palace of Eze Nwagu, the traditional ruler of Akamu.

As soon as it was dawn, young men, elders and women had converged at the stipulated place. They were not as many as expected because some had gone to their farms since the previous day was Eke, the work free day. Some others felt the whole news about Mama Nwankwo had become stale and should not interfere with their present concerns. Nevertheless, the turnout was appreciable.

"People of Akamu, Eze Nwagu have asked me to thank you all present here today and the others who, for one reason or the other, could not come. He said I should thank you for your solidarity which you readily exhibit whenever there is need for it," the spokesman for the Eze in Council had said.

He then went on to eulogize the attributes of Mama Nwankwo, describing her as a rare gem whom no clan would wish to miss. He called her tireless moulder of character, a pillar of wisdom, lover of justice and fair-play. He also described her as a man clothed in female flesh.

At the end, three people, two men and a woman were appointed special envoy to Mama Nwankwo, who was still at St.

Monica Specialist Hospital, Owelle. The journey was to be sponsored by Eze Nwagu and his Council of Chiefs. Gifts of various kinds, including money in cash, were given to the Eze's representatives to present to Mama Nwankwo.

By noon of that Orie day, Mgbafor had arrived in Owelle.

She had found it hard to locate St. Monica Specialist Hospital.

After several enquiries, a woman had directed her on how to get to the hospital, being her first visit to the town. She had thanked her, and clutching her luggage, had moved towards the direction described by the woman. At last, she arrived at the hospital and after several enquiries, was taken to Female Ward Two, where Mama was admitted in a private room.

When Mgbafor was led into Mama's room, the latter and her children welcomed her, but the welcome was devoid of the old warmth which characterized their enviable friendship.

Mgbafor noticed it and felt a little cold within. For a while there was silence, an uncomfortable silence. It was a moment of critical assessment of the true position of their friendship in the present circumstance. It was an awkward moment, but Mgbafor quickly broke the ice.

"My sister, sorry," Mgbafor began. "The whole village was thrown into confusion when we could not see you at the village square to listen to your message," she had managed to say. "Sorry my good friend," she sympathized. "Sickness will go empty handed," she added in the usual Igbo parlance, meaning that she would recover and not die. "Mama," she called tenderly, touching one of Mama's arms with hers. "Mama," she called again, tears dropping from her eyes, "very sorry, indeed," she sympathized again.

All the while, Mama and her children kept silent, watching perhaps to ascertain the genuineness of her visit. Mgbafor on her part was at a loss what to do next. It was the most trying moment of her life. She blamed herself for coming in the first place. She felt she would have allowed others of her village to receive and absorb that first shock of embarrassing coldness from someone she once had free access to her heart. Then she ventured to speak again.

"Mama," Mgbafor called very affectionately again.

"Mgbafor, my love," Mama said, returning the affection.

"Yes, my dearest," Mgbafor said, encouraged.

"Why did you bother to come at all?" Mama asked

unfeelingly.

"Mama, I don't think I understand what you are driving at,"

Mgbafor said defensively.

"You don't understand?" Mama asked.

"Yes, I sincerely don't," she answered

"For the past market weeks, you didn't think it was worthwhile to look for your best friend," Mama accused.

"Oh Mama Nwankwo, is that why you're angry with me?" She asked. "The whole village had been thrown into confusion as a result of your disappearance. Search parties had been sent out to every possible area to look for you. Only yesterday, other search parties were constituted, charged with added instructions to search and find you," Mgbafor revealed. their search?" Mama queried.

"So, why didn't they find me here, if they were diligent in

"Mama, how could anyone know that you were here? Even at that, how could anyone know that you were ill. You showed no sign of illness even in the morning of that Eke day when you reminded me of our evening session at the village square, and we both agreed to be there early before others would begin to arrive.

You shut your store before noon and left with your children without giving me any reason. So you can see the awkward situation we found ourselves in when we could not see you," Mgbafor said defensively.

"But I sent a message specially to you two days after my

admission in the hospital," Mama accused.

"Message?" Mgbafor queried. "What message, through whom?"

She further asked.

"Prophet Isaac," Mama responded

"Ewo-o-o-oh, God in heaven!" Mgbafor exclaimed. "Prophet Isaac? Two days after your admission?" She asked in wonderment.

"When I realized my illness was having an upper hand on me, I asked my children to accompany me to see my son, Nwankwo, here in Owelle. It was from his house that I was brought to this hospital. While here, Prophet Isaac walked in by chance and prayed for me. Since he said he would be travelling to the village the day following his visit, I asked him to use the opportunity to inform you and the others of our community of my situation and whereabouts," Mama narrated.

"The gods of Akamu will bear me witness that it was only yesterday that Isaac came to inform us about your illness and whereabouts," she swore.

"Only yesterday?" She asked wonderingly.

"Yes, only yesterday," Mgbafor maintained. "The gods of our land will bear me witness," she swore again to buttress her claim.

As they were talking, there came a knock on the door. It was the delegates from Eze Nwagu and his Council of Chiefs. At the head of the group was the council spokesman called Nzele Ikedi.

"Nzele Ikedi!" Mama and the others chorused.

"It shall be well with all of you," the Nzele said prayerfully.

"You are welcome, my fathers," Mama said to the men.

Then to the woman among the group, she said, "My sister, thank you for this visit. You are cordially welcome." The others greeted in turns and the pleasantries rekindled the old spirit of love and oneness which characterized the people of Akamu.

The Nzele brought out the gifts and money they were charged to present to Mama. Clearing his throat, he spoke.

"Mama Nwankwo, you may be wondering why we stayed so long before coming to visit you. It was only yesterday that Prophet Isaac set foot on Akamu soil to inform us about your illness and your whereabouts. So we decided to come immediately to see you. The day following your disappearance, we set out various search teams to look for you. So, don't think our lateness in coming was deliberate," the Nzele said.

"My sister, we missed you, but thank God you're still alive.

We've been in griet these many days, but we kept on hoping and trusting in God that you would be found soonest," Nwolie, the woman among the delegation, said.

"Thank you, my people," Mama managed to say.

Pointing at the items on the floor, the third member of the delegation said, "Mama Nwankwo, these are for you." Taking out an envelope from his bag, he handed it to Mama saying, This also is for you. These gifts are from Eze Nwagu and his Council of Chiefs to show you how much our people value your contributions to the growth of Akamu. Our people asked us to tell you to get well soon and come back to the village to continue with your good work," he finally said.

After a while, the delegation stood up to go. They said they would have stayed longer with her but for the far distance they had to travel. They wished Mama a quick recovery and, bidding farewell, began to leave.

Mama Nwankwo was full of happiness to know that her people had so much regard for her after all. She prayed that God would grant her visitors a safe journey as they travelled back home. She had forgiven her friend, Mgbafor, after Mgbafor's claims were corroborated by the delegation of the Council of Chiefs. The old cordiality had returned as Mgbafor related to Mama recent happenings back home, since her absence.