Chapter six

Anda nda had a large compound. It was concretely fenced round. The main house, a large well-built bungalow, was inside the compound. In front of the bungalow was a small hut of bricks, painted white. By the side of the hut a large mango tree stands, giving shade to the hut to any one that comes consultation.

Anda was not in business; he was only resting meditating upon his spiritual works and life generally.

"It is a crucial matter. It is a crucial matter. Luisa's marriage project. Many are not willing and it is not possible for her to belong to any one that has come. They don't have the spiritual capacity. Most of them do not have spiritual discipline. They eat, they drink, they fight, they keep grudges, and in fact they are always bitter. Bemou Oru would just strangle them. Does it mean Luisa will not marry? Does it mean Luisa will not live with a male partner for life? This is terrible! He speaks to her; he gives her instructions. This is a strange phenomenon for whoever that will be her partner. In fact the man will just see her as some one that is possessed. I have made some appeasement;. I have offered the necessary sacrifice. He said no "she remains my own". It is dreadful. Bemou Oru does not spare. Anyone that takes her as his wife is dealt with. That is why she is untouchable, the untouchable, the queen of the creeks.

"But there is nothing I can do; nothing. If that young man Ereyei, who has shown great interest in her comes, I will allow him. I will not deny him. He should know what to do. He should know. After all, he knows the white man's religion; he knows our own religion. Ah foolish me? White man's religion? My daughter would never, never submit to the white man's religion. Ah that would destroy her heritage, her pedigree, her spiritual authority. She should remain a queen. How can a queen submit to white man's spiritual authority? It cannot be possible. In fact it is an abomination. Then she should not marry Ereyei. She should not. The disturbing thing is that nobody comes close to her. Now my people know who she is. My people know. She cannot be single forever. Ogbororo, Ogbororo, Ogbororo, the king of the River, the owner of the seven creeks, I salute you.

I salute you ogbororo, Ogbororo, I salute you, I salute you I salute you let her go, let her go, I beg you, I beg you, I your servant for the seven creeks you control, I your representative, the man that bring all you need to you I salute you (pouring libation) leave her, let her go, let her go, let her go, Ogborого, Ogbororo let her go."

"I will let her go. I will let her go for a short period. But they have to appease me. I must be appeased by the man that is touching me, by the man that is committing the abomination; for it is really an abomination for my subject to touch my property. Tell whoever that is committing the abomination to get ready to perform the appeasement. There should be no delay, when my wife, my queen gets to the house of the immoral man. If he delays I Ogbororo, will terminate his breath. No mercy!"

In the night Anda couldn't sleep comfortably. Luisa's mother Ekio told him not to be in a constant state of worry for that would affect his health. She assured him that Luisa would marry successfully, and that nothing tragic would happen to any man that would take her as a wife. further counseled Anda to rest on God, who created all human beings.

Though she was in naked idolatry, Ako-cre believed that God was mightier than all the gods of the earth. She therefore told Anda her husband to keep trusting God who created his daughter.

"Do not trust our gods more than the Almighty God. I do not belong to the white man's religion. Yet I believe in God. He is mightier than our god. He created the good and the bad. You should not give out your daughter to a god like that. I don't like it. Ako- ere spoke with pain in her heart. Anda rose up from the bed and shouted at her sharply.

"Keep quiet!" he shouted "don't allow Bemou-oru, consume you this night" he warned. Ako-ere was speechless. She kept quiet. She knew that was the best she could do in that dangerous moment. Anda in his fiery had once killed a husband and his wife. If not because of the cleansing work done, Anda would have gone insane. She kept quiet and made up her mind to sleep quietly.