THE WAY WE WERE

The Way We Were

Chapter Seventeen Part II: AGING CHUEKE  ALAYI

By Williams I. Eke

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After the incarceration of his brother Ejere, for noncompliance with the European tax laws, Chueke and other senior Elders called an open air town meeting. The meeting was held at the location of eke Amaeke, the administrative headquarters of Alayi. How to deal with the white man’s laws and its social effects and the validity of tax laws and other social changes being brought about by the white man’s legal systems were on the agenda.

 

The vote on the issues discussed was split one-half for those representing the new order and the other half those who favored continuing the traditional ways. After all votes were counted, Chueke was requested to clarify his position as the leader of the community. He got up and thanked the general populace for taking time out to respond to a call. He also thanked those in opposition of continuing the traditional ways, for participating and voicing their opinions on all the issues raised. He said to his audience that he would respond by telling them a story instead of answering their questions directly.

 

Chueke then began by asking a question to the populace: “Which  Intelligent  Man Shall Burn Down Or Demolish His House On a  Simple  Assurance that the Community Shall Rebuild it?” Then he began his story by saying:

 

“Once upon a time there was a king who ruled a rich nation. He was wealthy, generous, popular and well liked by his subjects. His nation was content, happy and prosperous. They lived according to the laws of the land. But the king had a weak army: he had no Achilles—a brave leader to command his armed forces and its soldiers. His neighboring countries envied his wealth and the simple contentment of his people. They provoked and invaded his country frequently, destroying and looting properties. Each time this aggression took place the king went into a state of depression. He prayed and meditated but received no relief.

 

One day he left his country for a distant land where he visited Dibia Ogbaja [an African native doctor who specialized in the art of soothsaying; a psychic]. This great powerful Dibia revealed to him his weakness and taught him how to defeat his enemies. The rituals included sacrificing seven healthy Nwaebulu [ram], seven healthy Oke efi [bullock] and seven healthy Oke okuku [fowl cocks] to the king’s shrine Agbara [the Igbo god of thunder]. The Dibia told him that upon performing these rituals the king would witness a change in his life. The king complied by performing the rituals. On the seventh day, the king’s wife became pregnant and was pregnant only for one day. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy who grew up the same day that he was born. He also became a giant warrior on that day and went to war in defense of his fatherland. He liberated his father from all his enemies, redeemed his country and returned the crown of respect and dignity to the king.

 

The king’s son was born on Orie [the second day of the Igbo week], and because of this his parents named him Okorie, but he assumed the battlefield name Ogbamkpu [Avenger]. He was an undefeatable, ferocious fighter who was as merciless as the grave to his enemies.

 

However, one day an old lady from one of the countries that he had defeated came to the king pleading that the king should kill his son. At first the king refused, but she persisted, promising the king that she would bear a son far stronger and mightier than Okorie. Finally, on her assurances, the king was convinced and killed his son. Not too long after the old lady became pregnant and the king was so happy that he informed his country of his great deal with the old lady. On the day of her labor the king declared a public holiday throughout the land. He gathered his security officers and others bearing gifts. The king and his escort waited in a room adjacent to the room where the baby was being delivered. As he sat patiently waiting, a maid came from the delivery room carrying a pail full of urine. She handed it over to the king. The stunned king stared at the contents of the pail in bewilderment and asked, “What is this for?” The maid replied, “this is all she made for you, your majesty!” “What!” shouted the king. The king covered his face with his palms. He was deceived. Crying and weeping, he left with his escorts and returned with all his gifts to his palace. But it was too late for the king, because he initially failed to realize that a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush.

 

Again his enemies attacked with full force, battling and destroying properties as usual. This time the king had no great warrior, no Okorie nor Ogbamkpu to fight and defend his country. The battle raged, with casualties mounting in the king’s army. He began to weep and went into depression. Okorie-ogbamkpu rose from his grave and defeated his father’s enemies. The first person that he killed was the old deceitful lady who caused his death. After the battle he went back into his grave.

 

Soon another country carried a war of aggression to the king. As the destruction started, the king once more went into a state of depression, hoping that his dead son would come to his aid but Okorie-ogbamkpu refused to come this time. The king was captured and killed. His garrison capitulated but was annihilated. The victorious enemy armies looted, and took away the most beautiful women of the nation.

 

Chueke ended his story with a very unusual remark, saying, “Unu anula” (you have heard). The was a still silence in the crowd. They had seen the expansionist ideas of Ndi ofe miri, [white man, people from across the sea] through Chueke’s story. It was as if the audience was in a trance. The silence lasted for almost a minute and Chueke, in a gesture of supplication moved his hands, spreading them wide apart sideways with his palms up and politely asked, “Unu siri anyi me nginiee?” [what do you say that we must do?] Immediately the audience erupted in applause. The standing ovation lasted for many minutes, the audience shouting, “anyi je’me elghe I siri” [we will do whatever you say or demand]. Then the crowd started chanting, “anyi ejeghi akwu taks, anyi ejeghu nkporo” [we are not going to pay taxes, we are not going to prison].

           

 

The community unanimously adopted three resolutions. (a) Noncompliance with the tax laws. (b) Noncompliance with foreign laws. ( c) A demand for the removal of the courthouse from their land. It was also agreed that these resolutions must be presented to the A.D.O. [Assistant District Officer] who represents Ndi ofe miri. The community also agreed that the presentation must be made by the elders, and that Chueke, must head the presentational panel.

 

Chueke and his colleagues met with the Assistant District Officer and presented their objections to the judiciary system. The A.D.O. traveled to Ovim, where he sent the information via Morse code to the D.O. [District Officer] in Owerri. The District Officer approved for Chueke’s people to pay only a local tax and for civil servants to pay a tax known as P.Y.A., pay as you earn. He promised that no Alayi man would be harassed for non-tax payment nor would anyone be put in prison. On the issue of laws, the District Officer had accepted the traditional laws and the beliefs of the people as the laws of the land. He agreed not to interfere with their beliefs and traditions so far as their practice did not violate the laws of the court, which he called the queen’s laws. He accepted two laws in the county: the traditional laws, which he called the native laws, and the British constitutional laws, which he called the constitutional laws of the country. He also agreed not to expand the size of the court building by adding a prison house to the premises. An agreement was signed and Chueke was content with the deal.