CHAPTER EIGHT

"I acquired education from a missionary school where I was broadly taught with Christian beliefs. I thus got used to the modern beliefs. I have called you cardinally to inform you that we should organize for a meeting that will be aimed at electing someone who will continue from my stoppage point. As for me, I can't continue anymore because I see my life at a risk of suffering from severe penalties of our gods. I cannot explain beyond this and as an old man, you should have known the nature of throbbing pain that covers my head abnormally. Since we began experiencing these strange circumstances of infant death and hunger from the dazzling land of Aleda," Ogwang explained.

Ogwang explained his worries to Odinga's uncle in whom he laid hope on as a man who had been experiencing similar encounters during his young generation and he thought, he would be the right person to help him escape the shackles put before him by the confusion and darkness of the mysteries. He never ceased weeping throughout his story. He deliberately showed Odinga's uncle in a very tangible way that that he really needed an instant help. Ogwang had never had any close interaction with him and this was his first time. He had once consulted Odinga about his uncle's personality, and with a short description given, he got inspired and started celebrating him in his heart right away. He therefore needed to understand whether Odinga's uncle would be a type of a person that he had earlier thought of as a problem solver. He longed to meet him due to the fear of the unknowns that had struck his heart. His friendship with Odinga thus eased his connection. Odinga had a deep love for his uncle than other relatives around him, so he rarely missed his companionship.

Odinga was older than Ogwang and they attended their elementary education together from one of the missionary schools in the far land of Acholi. He knew much about Ogwang but he didn't think of betraying him before the elders of the two tribes. He was such a good person who remained approachable and simple to associate with.

"I can't disagree with your plea my son. We have always had people like you since our ancient days in this land. The late Piranok's second husband also experienced the same scenario. He was once given the opportunity to lead to the camp during one of the earliest insurgencies in our province, but we lost many young and old human beings on the way. He had to escape to the oversea and returned when the war was over and people nolonger stayed in the camp. As for you, I knew the hidden meanings and causes of these evils but I didn't want you to be investigated by the new chief in power. I could guess and wisely understand why our young children were dying days and nights without clear causes, but as someone who's has earned merits and purely lived according to the ways and needs of our forefathers, I could use the past experience to predict the root cause of all these. I was once an overseer in the village of Ladigo and I had a privilege of working for over ten years. In those days, we greatly suffered from the vegeance of the ghosts once in a blue moon and contradictorily enjoyed all our needs ranging from rich harvests, victory in guerilla warfare and good health. More will be told to you in the later times. Back to your suggestion, I will do as you have proposed and I won't let the cat out of the bag. Release yourself from stress and relax," Odinga's uncle promised.

"I appreciate you for your kindness and I wish you a good luck as you continue with your work," Ogwang happily said.

Mucwini was the name of the place where they had temporarily sheltered, in the far eastern part of Acholi province. For four days that they had been staying there, they constructed temporary thatched huts where they kept items and laid the young children during the deep hours in the night to protect them from the cold bite of the dawn, that was ignorantly believed to have been the major cause of fever that had suppressed the lives of their young children. Sometimes they felt worried that the host village members of Mucwini would chase them off their land, but they kept waiting and that became false imagination. Instead, the inhabitants of Mucwini welcome and treated them like brothers and sisters. Others were picked and taken away from their temporaral huts of different men and women who felt touched by the pains of the breastfeeding women and their children who had become inexplicably horrified by the journey. At the end of the sixth day, all of them had been absorbed and embraced in different homes in Mucwini where they got accommodated for more seven days before continuing to the camp.

As a culture practiced in most areas, the village chief of Mucwini got informed about the presence of the visitors in his at the time when they hadn't yet strayed in many homes. He immediately drew a gasp as many helpless and confused guests surfaced in his mind. However, when he approached the visitors, all the doubts which had covered his mind faded of after glancing at Odinga's father. They had been close friends for many past years. He warmly welcome them with uncontrolled grinning on his face and openly assured them of free food and accommodation till the time that they would find it appropriate to leave the area. He was such a unique chief that was liked by everyone due to his generousity and social traits. He never feared of seeing new faces of people before him. Instead of staying in homes of relatives and friendship. Instead of staying in homes of relatives and friends, he sheltered them in community Hall and equally catered for their basic needs as any other human being would demand.

He sufficiently fed them for all the seven days that they had spent in the village of Mucwini and ensured that no one slept with an empty stomach unless suffering from some sickness. He mercilessly defended them from the from the harsh treatment of some hostile community members who had wild behaviors by deploying his security group members in all parts of the village for all the days spent.

"What if these people get problems in my area, won't I be blamed by their chief?" he muttered. As a bounteous chief, he looked for all the possible ways to ease the trekkers' journey to the camp. If I don't intervene and leave them to go, they may still encounter the same problems and if suddenly asked of their whereabouts, they will have to mention my area. The best I can do to stop all these etherals is to transport them together with their animals and other properties to the camp," the chief suggested while talking to his security officers.

On the seventh day, he hired four big trucks and loaded all their luggages alongside four security officers who escorted them up to the camp. They slowly drove since the area was hilly and by evening, they came back and picked the women, men and the young children who had sheltered inside the community hall. Happiness surged over them as they boarded the the trucks and began singing songs of praises in appreciation of Mucwini's chief while the host kept their exquisite faces fixed on them as they bidded a find valediction.

For it was remaining only two days that Ogwang was to call for a meeting so as to choose another group leader as earlier revealed to him by Odinga's father. As it's said in Lango proverb, 'An eye doesn't know the suffering of the nose," Ogwang dramatically found himself to have led the their final point where they were to settle. This subsequently canceled the election plan that was to take place in the near forty eight hours. He started becoming mentally disturbed and wondered why he hurried to reveal his fears to Odinga's father.

"Why did I do this? Even if I had not exposed my weaknesses to Odinga's father, still I wouldn't be blamed and many wouldn't have realized the cause of these masquerading misfortunes, but my greatness still reigns since my members have successfully arrived. Challenges are obvious and are meant for human beings, so the sufferings we underwent through won't let my fame be negatively reputed. It's only Odinga and his uncle who have known my faults and I trust that they won't betray me," Ogwang rationalized.

"Now our hearts are settled from the daunting worries that had been covering us under the shadow of darkness for over a week. We had totally lost hope in our journey, and no one imagined that we would ever reach. One group led by Kolumi reached two weeks before us and are now comfortably settled in their individual portion of land. From the experience, I know it's not easy to begin a new life in a foreign land, but very soon we shall get used and embrace the lifestyles here. In a fraction of a second, if not late in the evening, we shall receive the camp commander who will direct us over the precautionary measures of this place and will also show us a piece of land where we shall establish our huts, let's this keep calm and wait," Ogwang cautioned and encouraged, happily shaking his head in contention.

As an appointed group leader, he didn't cease to execute his duties. Even when he first withdrew himself from the leadership role, he regained the lost hope when his people finally got a free transport offer by the chief of Mucwini. He would soon stop his role as a group leader when his members had been allocated a piece of land where they would settle.

"What could be Odinga's attitude towards me? It seems I have become a hypocrite. I swore never to lead people again, which I even made an oath of secrecy but now what have I done to myself? Some people might still lay hope on me as a good leader, but for Odinga and his uncle won't believe in me anymore," Ogwang regretted with twitching eyes.

For the other group led by Kolumi never experienced such difficulties as faced by Ogwang's members. Kolumi ceased offering them directives as soon as they arrived in the camp. He had self driven group members who distinctly knew all sorts of elementary values of traditionality. Each group occupied different zones in the camp and the seperation amongst them was reasonably wide, so they rarely met except during food distribution and some general events and meetings in the camp.

The camp commander arrived late in the evening and called for a brief assembly which was attended by all members. In addition, he came along with some police officers who were on their way for evening patrol.

"You are most welcome to Barlonyo camp. I am the camp commander whom you have been longing to see and hear from. I'm concerned about wellbeing in this place. So in case of any challenge, you should not hesitate to channel your problems to my enthroned desk. I am here to assure you of two things: settlement and security. I will direct you to where you are going to settle and we shall select security officers amongst you who be in charge of the peace of each zone. Finally, I call upon your cooperation so as to ease the duties of leaders." Later, he requested to go with the group leader to the location where the whole group members would stay.

Ogwang's heart shook harder when he heard the request. At first, he remained down and never wanted to stand up for recognition by the camp commander. All eyes of the group members struck at him and he skeptical. He then suddenly rose up and jovially introduced himself to the camp commander as Odinga's father stood beside him.

People thunderously clapped their hands in appreciation of their holistic leader though others looked mortified.

It was a portion of moorland found within the vicinity of zone D that was shown to Ogwang. Most parts of the areas were swampy and the small remaining portion of the upland was located beside a huge field that covered over a half of the camp's garden. Ogwang vividly complained and refused to accept the portion of the land shown to him saying that it wouldn't be enough for his members. He insisted on his words and threatened to continue with his group members to another nearby camp where they would expect to get enough land to settle. The camp commander felt the sympathy of Ogwang's statement and consoled him not to talk with annoyance. "If you have not liked this area, there still remains another vast section of desolate land. You can then choose the best portion and let them settle in," the commander instructed.

Ogwang immediately appointed on a low lying part of zone D."That's where I will bring them. It is generally flat and it will favor the establishment of our houses and farming as well," Ogwang proposed.

"Go on and bring them," the commander permitted.

The whole area looked alien to him, not like the appearance of his village landscape which was full of stunted and etiolated trees. "Shall we really survive from here?" he muttered with a grown. Ogwang then departed together with the camp commander as they followed the same path. After a short walk, the commander branched to his secretary's home while Ogwang continued. Just a small distance away from where the commander negotiated the path, Ogwang suddenly stopped and sat down. He looked confused with the path the led to where he was heading to as he saw the two junctions beside where he squatted. He slowly and energilessly stood up and turned around in a fluster as he began to size up the environment he was in. It was relatively a long distance from where the group had gathered so he spent some good hours on his way back.

Members held their cheeks as they looked forward to the return of their leaders. The sun was already setting and he hadn't appeared yet. As the twilight approached, he finally appeared. The members felt overjoyed after seeing their leader because they had expected good news from him. In his absence, Odinga's uncle kept encouraging the fellows as he encouraged them never to disobey the cultural norms though they had reallocated to another land.

"No matter where we are, our ancestors still dwell with us in spirit. They will always help is whenever any problem arises and in the unknown time of any disaster. Remain humble in your associations and do not cause anger to anyone. When your leader comes back, listen carefully to his instructions and do as required. Offer maximum respect to him so as to motivate him. He is a renowned and a profound man, so we should make sure that we do not lose him because where we have reached needs people of such qualities who will mediate our voice," Odinga's uncle cautioned.

"Our leader, our leader, our leader," the crowd joyfully shouted. People could not hide their immense happiness for Ogwang's endless hardwork. They kept wondering how Ogwang could have managed to move lonely among his acquaintances. Most of them feared on seeing the armed policemen. For they were used to seeing bows and arrows as the tools for protection, not guns as used in developed areas. In their thoughts, they had imaginations that their leader might be killed on the way after hearing the cautioning statement from Odinga's uncle.

An averagely old girl; Akumu led them through the sorrowful songs. Men sung in deep tones while the women and young children sung in still small voices. Then Okuti interrupted and said, "We are calling for our own misfortunes. Why should we keep singing these kinds of chastening songs instead of these, let us sing songs of praises to the ghosts for having made us reached safely."

"You are right," Odinga supported.

"I love singing chastening songs because they remind me of my late mother's stories about the past," Akumu defended. Okuti nodded and gasped. He shook his head and wondered how stubborn his sister had become. The whole group became confused on whose instruction to follow. Others supported Akumu's notion while others remained on Okuti's suggestion.

Amidst confusion, Ogwang suddenly appeared and they all rose up in honor of their leader. He walked through the crowd as he waved to them. Everybody was flushed with happiness over Ogwang's success and happily conversed amidst themselves.

"Let's sit down. It's not been a short journey. The area is quite far from where we are, but we have to possibly today. I have been shown the area where you are going to settle and I have only one thing to caution you over. For us to remain accredited and cared for in this camp, we must observe total discipline in this area. We must avoid random fighting as it used to be in our homes. Backward quarrelling and unnecessary abuse of one another. When we change our behaviors and do what is required, we shall not face any challenge in this area, and I will continue to remain as your leader throughout the time we shall spend here. We shall leave from here in small sub groups until we transfer all our properties to our stationed areas."

Others sat whileupporting their jaws as they listened to their leader as others crossed their hands on their chests.

The sound of the birds on the trees could be heard as their leader spoke. They showed total loyalty to Ogwang and distinctively followed his instructions. They listened with broad smiles on their space. On hearing that the area lay plainly waiting for them and their animals, they could not ask him with any question due to the curiousity seeing the new place and hurriedly divided themselves in four sub groups as they moved to different stationing points. Each group left after one another as they followed Ogwang's instructions.

They settled beside Kolumi's group. Ogwang's group settled in the western part of zone D whereas Kolumi's group settled in the eastern part of the same zone. Ogwang and Kolumi were great friends since their childhood. They suddenly found themselves as leaders of the same ranks in their community. Ogwang was older than Kolumi with two more years but Kolumi always disapproved when it came to arguments if any kind. Kolumi never tolerated nuisances and was always principled in his behaviors unlike Ogwang whose behavior lied between western and traditional cultures. He was always sympathetic and would always adjust his ideas. He never stagnated in his decisions, accepted people's ideas and would do as people desired, not as he wished. He was always more of words than actions. In his own mind, he needed to please and meet everyone's needs, something that Kolumi dejected himself from. Kolumi's heart always remained contrite over anything that didn't match his plans. As a young man who knew all the ways of the tradition, Kolumi always acted to impress the ancestors and to invoke the supernatural spirits over his people.

What of Ogwang? He couldn't emulate Kolumi's traits though they were great friends. He followed his heart and remained distinct in all his ways. Now Ogwang and Kolumi had to come together and begin a new life in a new place. Though Kolumi was then two weeks older than Ogwang in the camp, he still acted like he came before Kolumi. In two days, he had already known all the water sources and other important linkages within the camp, especially around their settlement area.

"Where can we go at this time? I feel home is boring," Kolumi jested. "We can move to the center where we hope to get some morsels of bread," suggested. "Let's get going,' Kolumi proposed. They began their journey immediately as Kolumi led the path.

"Surely I can't that for all these times that we have been apart from each other, we would still remain close friends. I solemnly forgot about you especially during our school days. The childhood love is truly the strongest foundation of a relationship. No body in our class defeated me in academic performance. I was as bright bas my late father and all teachers never doubted me even when I didn't go to school for some days. In the end, when I completed my Ordinary level, I couldn't believe that my performance did correlate with my expectation. I wasn't substantial enough to convince my fellow students and teachers with my results. All these happened because I lost my father before completing senior four and i remained upheld with many responsibilities at home. There I began giving little time for classes and spent much times in the garden and streets of big towns and cities for survival. Though this happened at a wrong time, I still rambled academically and emerged the second best in our school. My performance was a brilliant surprise to those who knew my hardships but appeared like a failure to those who new my potential in class and were not aware of my challenges," Ogwang narrated.

Ogwang's memory was still stuck in school life and how he could have emerged as a successful man had his father not died. Time without numbers he kept reminding about his father's fame in the land and all his struggles were aimed at capturing the distinctions of his late father. Kolumi sternly looked at him as he narrated his experience. They kept moving in slow paces as they conversed. He listened carefully and silently without any interjection to his friend. As soon as Kolumi heard Ogwang saying, "All these happened because I lost my father, he silently wept and paused for a while in a crouching position. Ogwang's love for Kolumi was deepened and he felt likenhe couldn't hide this from him. It was such a regenerating friendship that was once lost but whose distant love for one another still remained unctuous. They were just a distance apart when they saw a thick flame of fire around which the crowd gathered.

"Someone's house must be burning," Kolumi guessed. He felt scared and told Ogwang to first stop so that they could monitor the situation. They sat down along the road and kept whispering to each other. They heard the wailing sound of the crowd which appeared like the roaring sound of a lion.

"This must be serious," Kolumi whispered loudly. They grumbled in silence in fear of the situation in the center.

"I have never seen you like this before. You always feared no harm in the darkness and led heads of people through the demonstration both at school and at the domestic level. Why should we cowardice in the broad daylight? Is it because we are still new in the area? No, let's get up and go," Kolumi lamented.

"It's not Ogwang that you knew those days. I no longer ail people like I use to, and the chastening experiences that I have undergone through have reduced my vigor and sturbbornness. I have become mild in my actions and a scrutinizer of my own situation," Ogwang defensively retorted.

Kolumi shortly starred at Ogwang at looked up. They all rose up at once and continued with their journey to the center. They reached in the center square at a stroke and joined the crowd at the fire point. They silently observed how men and women were struggling to extinguish the burning fire using water. It was the biggest shop which had caught fire whose cause still remained unknown to the shop's owner. Kolumi held his hands on the head as he continued muttering while Ogwang stood aside as he kept watching. He looked like he was not scared of the scene though his friend physically looked ill about the incident.

Shortly he called Kolumi so that they could look for some shade where they would shelter and spend their leisure. Ogwang refused to go with Kolumi. He left the crowd and moved back to the camp. It was about lunch time and he joined those who were on their way from the center to buy the foodstuffs.

On the way, he kept wondering how compassionate Kolumi was. For the past years that they had been together, Kolumi was never that kind of a person that he could now practically imagine. He had little to say about Kolumi's change in behaviors but only to derive its meaning from the traditional perspectives. He couldn't blame Kolumi for having refused to go with him and remembered in the days before he left for foreign education, that communal work was at the heart of everyone who believed in traditional values. Though he moved with the crowd, he hardly spoke. All his thoughts were on Kolumi and he lacked what to share with his fellow pedestrians.

Then he suddenly saw Kolumi behind him, calling so that they could move together. He paused and waited as Kolumi yelled. Little did he know that Kolumi was angered for having left him behind. Just as friends always joked, Kolumi slappped him on his cheeks but Ogwang never took it seriously. Emotionally, Kolumi looked moody but since Ogwang's was used to his temperament, he silenced himself.

"It's such a bad culture to leave your friend alone having journeyed together. After realizing that you have left me, I couldn't continue to stay with fellow mourners. I immediately left and began treading back. You are the kind of people who will get demised of unknown cause," Kolumi lamented, keeping sharp eyes on Ogwang.

Though he tried to explain something beyond Kolumi's knowledge, he wasn't interested in hearing it anymore. Is it a fight or a muscular measurement?" Ogwang angrily asked.

"Is there anything you would wish to do or you want to pay back my slap?" Kolumi bravely retorted.

The statement sharply ignited Ogwang's anger, felt humiliated and began walking away quietly. Kolumi followed him and strongly kicked him on his back. It was just a few distance away from Ogwang's home, so he never wanted to betray his people after cautioning them on the effects of indiscipline which he would easily fall a victory if he was to fight back. Instead, he silently continued home. Having realized that Ogwang wasn't interested in fighting, Kolumi resorted in speaking words aimed at inflaming Ogwang's anger.

Fortunately, Ogwang had already arrived at home when Kolumi started abusing him.

"You think you are too great because of your education?' Kolumi mocked. One of the neighbors heard such uncontrolled expression of childish anger from inside the house and immediately rushed outside to see who could be talking such immeasurable words. Just after opening the window, he saw Kolumi silently twisting Ogwang's hands and quickly jumped out to separate them. On seeing him, Kolumi jumped off Ogwang's body and ran back towards the direction of the center. "Leave him," Ogwang shouted.

Odinga had started running after Kolumi before Ogwang stopped him. " What caused this? Is this Kolumi that I know?" Odinga wondered. He mentally got introspected by Kolumi's dubious action and swore never to go to the battlefield again. "Keep it within yourself," Ogwang cautioned. "What if I had fought with him? How would my people react? It's just two that I made the pronouncement of indiscipline to my people and I would surely become a hypocrite as Odinga and his uncle once thought of me. Better to be called a coward than to show my braveness which may instead cause me to gain a bad reputation," Ogwang mumbled as he entered inside his house.