The Great Ponds

The Great Ponds

The story begins with Olumba as the elected leader to help find the poachers from Aliokoro. The men of Aliokoro had started to claim some of Chiolu's Ponds, therefore Olumba and his men had to act quickly. The plan was to capture some or all of the men of Aliokoro involved and the ransoms that they would be obliged to pay would help out the people of Chiolu. The man they had captured was Wago, the leopard killer and the greatest of all. He was a well-known man with an uncanny skill of hunting and as the chapters unfold he also has an uncanny skill of escaping. Okehi made the worst choice when he compromised to share the Pond Of Wagaba. They all had to prepare for a fearful night. The Pond Of Wagaba was to be guarded all through the day against poachers whilst Olumba and other braves were to work out details of strategy. Wago sent out spies to see if anyone was guarding the pond. Olumba's men waited in the trees for the other tribe. When found Olumba made a signal like a jungle bird. The ambush began. Chiolu had lost four men but although they had won the fight they knew that Aliokoro would put up for another. The next day Ikechi went to visit to the ponds to inspect his fish traps, which by then were full of fish. As he was about to leave he heard a rustling in the bushes. The invaders started to chase him and as he looked behind him he thought he had saw Wago behind him with other men from Aliokoro. After this incident they evidently began to prepare for a battle as Olumba was giving out final instructions to his men. Unfortunately, the battle was not as prosperous as the first because Chiolu had lost. That same night, Olumba's junior wife, also the mother of his only son was awakened by a loud bang, which made her sit upright only to find a wide gap where the door had once been. The next moment two figures had entered the room and before she was able to do anything her mouth was gagged and very soon the village of Chiolu was left behind. The next day dawned upon a miserable Chiolu. In the last battle several men had been killed while many more were injured. Four women were captured, two of which were very important to Olumba and Eze Diali. As Ikechi and Olumba were conversing about ways to retrieve the kidnapped the ikoro sounded. Both tribes were in Eze Diali's compound by this time. They were all greeted, and then the meeting began. After realizing that both tribes were neither willing to give anything up the meeting ended. They decided that they must fight until Aliokoro decides to give up. Four days had passed after the last meeting with Chiolu; Eze Okehi sat in his reception hall resting. Okehi went to see Igwu, a proverbial person about ways of getting the women back. Wago and other men went to Isiali. They gave the allies the money but only received two women. Unfortunately Oda and Chisa were the two that were missing; they were sold off. Wago took the two remaining women to Okehi who was surprised at the sudden turn of events. In Chiolu the ikoro had sounded and the men of Chiolu were now in Diali's reception hall in which they agreed to negotiate in eight days time but on no account shall the Pond of Wagaba be given up, at no time. At Isiali housewives were bustling about preparing hills of foofoo and lakes of tasty soup to feed the assembly. After the midday meal the main business of the assembly began. The warring villages stated their cases with ancient history but the real matter was The Pond of Wagaba and whom it really belonged to. At one point both villages had fished in the pond but before the present war Chiolu was the owner. The question being asked was " Was it established as being rightfully theirs?" Coming up with a decision was harder tha expected. It was obviously clear that any decision, which was made that was not respected by both parties, war would resume as usual, that was infact the easiest decision anyone could make. They decided to consult a dibia to help in this situation. They consulted Ogbunabali, the god of night, one of the most powerful gods. In a solemn voice Ogbunabali repeated tha the Pond of Wagaba belonged to Chiolu. He also quoted:

"If this is not true let me die within six months"

"If true, let me live and prosper"

One long month was gone. Olumba was under oath and he therefore was not allowed to do most things that he used to. One of them was climbing trees but Olumba being as stubborn as he was climbed it anyway. He could not remember how it had happened but by the time he knew it he was down on the ground unconscious. They carried him to Anwuanwa of Abii who made Olumba repeat a proverbial verse after him. They paid him two manillas and returned to Chiolu. Five days after Olumba's incident three men walked into Eze's reception hall; they were from Aliokoro. The leader of the delegation was Wago and what they had to say was concerned Olumba. He continued to say that Eze Okehi and the elders of Aliokoro had sent them to discuss who the rightful owner of the pond was. This came as a joke to Eze Diali and his elders. Wezume gave them the answer; Olumba was not dead. Eight days from then Wago returned to see if Wezume was lying or not; Chiolu produced Olumba dramatically. A few days later Wago became ill. He needed the help of Igwu but was too stubborn to ask for it. By the sixth day Wago was dying and was too weak too resist Igwu's help. Wago was coming around and by the time he was well enough to realize where he was he rose to leave but could make it no further to the door. Igwu was prepared for a settlement; Wago was not. After further consultation the two men embraced each other to demonstrate reconciliation. The next day a few chosen elders met again this time in Igwu's There he explained meticulously the details of the process involved. There was one important point. A fragment of Olumba's clothing had to be obtained. Wago completed this task successfully. The next day Igwu set to work while the others looked on with awe. The elders dispersed and Igwu began a long complicated ritual. Incantations were mumbled and finally a plantain stem carved like a man was added. Before he did this he had to call Olumba's name three times. As the concoction boiled Igwu poked the invention with a long thin fork poking all its fundamental elements. After his bath, Olumba went in for supper. The rent in his wrapper was so small that he did not even realize it until the next morning. He wondered how it could have happened; he thought it could be rats. Wogari reminded him that he was still under oath and now Olumba's mind was full again. The first battle of The Great Ponds; the fight with Wago the leopard killer; the second battle with the snatch parties, the ambushes and the negotiations; Ezes of the Erekwi clan;