THE WAY WE WERE

Initially Chueke had no problem accepting the missionaries. He found them friendly and polite. The reverend minister from the Methodist Church and a Catechist interpreter visited him quite often and the Roman Catholic priest also paid him a visit periodically. Each one asked him to come to their church with his family, and to send his sons and daughters to their missionary schools. Chueke refused invitations to attend church services, saying, “It will be unwise for a man to sit amongst people worshipping their Ancestral Spirits without understanding what is being said” (Chueke was alluding to the liturgy of the Eucharist in accordance with the traditional Latin rite) and the absence of The Igbo Bible before Archdeacon T. J. Dennis translated the Holy Bible into Igbo language ‘Akwukwo Nso.’ However, on visits by either reverend, Chueke would gather yams, eggs and fowl and ask his grandchildren to carry them home for the Reverend minister. At times he would offer them some vegetables and fruits such as papaw, orange, coconut, pear and maze, depending on the season’s crops.

 

Chueke could identify with some of the Christian religious practices, for example the sounding of bells and the cross, the celebration of harvest festival and the story of Easter. Each of these celebrations were tied to his traditional beliefs and culture. He believed in the story of resurrection because he believed in reincarnation and also in the ancestral spirits. He understood the explanations given by the ministers for the celebration of harvest, because he identified it with his traditional celebration of Ike ndi. The use of the cross he tied to the worship of the traditional gods. Because the resemblance to what he believed in, he never saw Christian practices and their teachings as a threat to his culture or traditions. The only thing that he disliked about them was their calm and unusual behaviors, plus their preaching of “the meek shall inherit the earth”. Chueke saw that as a means of keeping people down and lowering their aspirations. On a personal level, he accepted the ministers as peaceful and harmless strangers.  When Chueke was asked by his friends to give his opinion of Christianity, its preaching and teachings, he replied, “for now they are friendly and compassionate and we must reciprocate.” He continued, “I believe in Egbe beru Ugo eberu [live and let live]”. He added, “as long as they don’t make and decree laws for us to obey like the court did, or destroy and remove our own gods in place of theirs, we would not oppose them or their teachings. Chueke calmly concluded, “When grasshoppers change to locusts, we shall hunt them with steel cages.”

 

As years went by, Chueke lived peacefully with Christianity, without resentment. His grandchildren attended the missionary schools and learned how to read and write. Some of them became teachers and taught others. Two of Chueke’s grandsons, one from his eldest son and another from his third son, became deeply involved in Christian churches. One belonged to the Roman Catholic faith and the other became a Methodist. The two grandsons divided the family on religious ideologies. Their differences brought about disagreement and hatred.

 

They would not talk to each other, nor would their children and wives communicate with one another. Because of their religious indoctrination Chueke’s household was divided into three separate groupings of faith: The Catholics, the Methodists and the African traditionalists, which Chueke and his sons spearheaded.

 

The two Christian groups in the family refused to participate in any traditional functions such as burial and festival celebrations. They refused all festivities including the new yam festival, traditional marriages and traditional dances, saying that such practices were satanic expression of worship.

 

The disunity in Chueke’s house caused him great concern. He sent one of his sons, Okpo, to call the reverend. Chueke explained to him how the differences in the Christian religion was destroying his family and other families throughout the communities. He asked the reverend to mediate for peace between his two grandsons and their families. The reverend, through an interpreter, replied, “I cannot do anything to change their doctrines.” He explained to Chueke the differences between both church doctrines. Chueke was confused by his response and explanation. He asked the reverend, “How could you and the Roman Catholics have different doctrines when both of you say that you are worshipping one God, the one you say is in Heaven! Instead of elaborating, the Reverend once again emphasized the differences in religious practices. The more Chueke listened, the more confused he became. He said, “In our traditional religion Agbara is Agbara, throughout the Igboland and no nation who knows the god Agbara would scarifice Ugbala [duck] to Agbara in the name of any doctrine.” The Reverend was lost and expressed bewilderment. He knew what a duck was, but he didn’t know what Agbara was, nor did he know why Chueke chose Ugbala in drawing this parallel analogy. From further conversation with the minister Chueke learned that both churches had problems or may even have been at war with each other in the past. He was disturbed that each ministry was not just doing the work of spreading the Gospel or the words of God, but were also juggling for territorial controls throughout the world.

 

Chueke and other Elders called a second Town Hall meeting to discuss the influence of Christianity in our society and its effects on our tradition and culture.  The turnout for the meeting was impressive. Many people represented various communities throughout the county. After Chueke and his traditionalist group presented the issues on the agenda, a vote was conducted. It was from the result of the vote that Chueke and the rest of the communities knew how divided society had become. The vote showed that people had split into three different groups, just as in Chueke’s household. The split made it difficult to have a decisive or clear winner. The groupings were: The Traditionalist group, which favored keeping our traditions, culture and African religion as is; The New Order group, Were the fruits of the District Officer’s administration. Its members were made up of civil servants, court messengers, and individuals appointed by the administration of Ndi ofe miri to positions which they would not have been qualified for under the traditional system.

 

These positions included those who were made what Ndi ofe miri called the “chiefs”: tax collectors and all those classified as P.Y.A in new the tax laws. These new privileged groups joined {a splinter group from the Christian faction, “the liberal Christians” and formed coalition, “The Lukewarm group.” The lukewarm group advocated mixing traditional beliefs with Christianity and alternating its use to suit individual preferences. The main Christian group, composed of Christian hard-liners and new converts. This group advocated the dissolving of all traditional ties with our culture and beliefs. They called for its replacement with Christian doctrines. }

 

The outcome of the vote angered Chueke and his traditionalist group. Chueke was particularly irritated by the Lukewarm faction advocates. He got up and addressed the crowd, saying, “Let no man be deceived! Our traditions, culture and African religion is intertwined. The notion of pick and choose is unacceptable and it wouldn’t work. Our culture is our total way of life. It embraces what we eat and how we dress, the way we walk and the way we talk. It is also demonstrated in the way we treat death and appreciate the newborn. Chueke cautioned, “to marginalize our traditions is to destroy our culture and our beliefs”. He continued, “but I must say this to you…It is he who weakens the banana tree that is responsible for its fall.” A member from the Christian group who was in the audience asked Chueke to explain what he meant by his last statement. Chueke responded “I will clarify my statement with a story,” and he began:

 

Once upon a time Nwaebulu ako ndu [Ram] and Mbe [Tortoise] were two good friends. The only obstacle in their relationship was that both of them were intellectuals. Nwaebulu was known for his careful and orderly conduct. He possessed a discipline of peaceful resolution and refrained from engaging himself in altercations. He was a thoughtful person and an honest, hard working farmer, who believed in acquiring wealth through legitimate means. He was accommodating, generous and humble. Above all, Nwaebulu seemed to realize that he lived in a traditional society and that he had certain moral, social and community obligations. He was humane and conscious of the dignity of others. On the other hand, his friend Mbe was a wise intellectual, who used his persuasive speaking abilities to defraud, obtain wealth and live off others. He was the opposite of his friend Nwaebulu. He was not a hard-working man. He was a manipulator and a contentious man who would do anything to get what he wants without physically working for it. His philosophy was that he was the only man with all the intelligence: He thought that he had a monopoly of brains and ideas. He was not tolerant of the views and opinions of others. He liked to do all the talking when conversing with someone. He was pompous and arrogant. He termed lies as diplomacy. He challenged any and all the rules of the land that baffled him. He was an instigator, and above all else, he was domineering.

 

One day Mbe went to Nwaebulu’s banana grove and was caught on top of a banana tree stealing ripe bananas. When Nwaebulu asked Mbe what he was doing on top of his banana tree, Mbe explained, “I was passing through your plantation, when I observed ripe bananas falling off the tree.” He continued, “I went closer to catch the intruder but did not see anyone, so I decided to climb up to arrest the thief.” Nwaebulu was not satisfied with this explanation. He gathered all the bananas on the ground and demanded Mbe to climb down. Instead Mbe asked Nwaebulu, “Are you going to let me keep those bananas?” Nwaebulu replied “No!” Mbe was not happy because he came to steal the bananas to feed his family. For the second time, Nwaebulu demanded Mbe to get down from his banana tree and threatened to report Mbe to the hamlet elders. He reminded Mbe that climbing banana and plantain trees was forbidden in the tradition. He also warned Mbe that failure to climb down immediately would result in stiff punishment as mandated by the laws of the land. However, before climbing down, Mbe contemplated another means of stealing the bananas. His plan was to weaken the banana tree so that it would fall sometime soon. This way he could not be prevented by the laws of the land from gathering fallen fruits. He came down but as he began to beg Nwaebulu not to inform the public and the Elders of his act, he leaned all his weight against the banana tree. He turned to Nwaebulu and said, “My dear good friend, tell me, is this tree worth destroying our friendship?” pushing and shaking the banana tree in an emphatic manner each time he asked the question. He repeated this action several times. When he thought that the tree was weakened enough, he apologized to Nwaebulu and both departed from the banana orchard.

 

The next day Nwaebulu went to his farm. Returning in the evening, he decided to visit his banana plantation. He found that the same banana tree that Mbe climbed the day before had fallen and all its fruits stolen. He went to his great friend Mbe to question him and found Mbe and his family having a banana dinner. Mbe was offended by his presence at dinner time and began to brawl when questioned by Nwaebulu about the bananas. Mbe went to the village Elders and sued Nwaebulu for false accusation and defamation of character.

 

The village Elders called Nwaebulu and Mbe to give testimonies of what had happened. Mbe was the first to testify and started his story by saying, “I was at my home with my family having dinner, when Nwaebulu came interrupting our dinner and accused me of stealing his bananas in front of my wife and children.”  He arrogantly added, “After all, there is no law in this land prohibiting anyone from gathering fallen fruits!” Nwaebulu was asked to explain what happened. He began his story by saying, “Yesterday I caught Mbe on top of one of my banana trees harvesting bananas. I warned him and demanded that he climb down and leave my plantation, but instead when he came down he leaned and pushed the tree many times as if he was emphasizing a point to me. I collected the harvested bananas and went home.” He continued, “This evening after returning from my farm I went to my plantation to cut down the tree in question, but I found that it had fallen and someone stole all its fruits. There were two bunches of bananas on the tree; one ripe bunch and another mature green bananas. I went to Mbe’s home and found them having ngwo-ngwo Une [green banana porridge] dinner.” Nwaebulu added, “I am through.”

 

Based on the facts presented, the Elders concluded that Mbe was the culprit for the missing bananas and that he committed an abomination by climbing the banana tree. They also found him guilty on one count of trespassing and responsible for what happened to the banana tree. In their final summation they stated that Mbe’s action of shaking the banana tree in an emphatic manner was not careless, but a carefully executed plan to weaken the banana tree and cause its fall, for the purpose of profiting. Therefore the full responsibility for its fall rested on Mbe.

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Mbe was sentenced by the Elders. An Eagle was instructed to carry him up to the top of Oji [Iroko tree, the tallest or highest tree in the Igboland]. This was a punishment for anyone who committed an abomination in the land. However, after being deposited on top of Iroko tree, Mbe surveyed the area surrounding the Iroko tree. There were three main sections: A large area covered by sand, a dry red earth section and a section composed of weeds and thick grasses. He decided to jump into the weed-and grass-covered area when the night fell and move out of the village with his family to his mother’s town, where he intended to obtain redress by recourse to the law court. He jumped. Instead he landed several hundred yards away from the site of the tree and missed his targeted grassland. He fell on top of a huge rock, causing severe bodily injuries. His wife found him semi-conscious, lying at the bottom of the rock a few days later. She took him to Dibia Oduahu [a surgeon; an African native doctor who specialized in the art of surgery]. Dibia-Oduahu examined Mbe but said to his wife, “I will cure him, but I cannot give him a smooth skin.” He continued, “Just as with the laws of the land, when broken can never be fixed. I will give your husband rough stitch patches, so that those who see him shall learn a lesson that tarnishing the laws of our ancestors carries a burden of penalty.” The Dibia patched and stitched Mbe’s body, so causing his present looks.

 

Chueke remarked “Unu ahila nu,” meaning “you have seen”. The crowd erupted in exuberant applause, clapping hands and chanting, “Yes we have heard and seen, now we realize!” The standing ovation continued for a long period of time. As the crowd of audience settled, Chueke swiftly moved a motion for the adoption of “Eleghe anyi du la mgbe Mbu,” to continue being the laws and traditions of the land for ever. The motion was unanimously adopted. Chueke and his traditionalist group won. The people called on Chueke and the traditional elders, the County Council of the Elders, to meet with the District Officer and the two reverend ministers to ask them to leave our county.

 

Three days after the Town Hall meeting address, Chueke received a message from the Assistant District Officer inviting him to the residence of the Roman Catholic priest at Amaeke. Chueke was also informed that the Methodist church would be represented at the meeting. Chueke refused, saying in our tradition, “It is the young that comes to the old, not the old that goes to the young for answers.” He sent a message to the Assistant District Officer, inviting him and the two priests to meet with him and the elders of the communities in a week’s time.

 

The Assistant District Officer and the two Christian religious representatives came. The Assistant District Officer served as the spokesman for the group, opening his address to the elders by saying, “We have heard the accusation of being responsible for the disintegration of the culture and the society, but we refute your claims. Rather, we are here to work in harmony with you and the communities.” Chueke calmly responded, “Harmony?…harmony?  How could you work in harmony with us when you failed to harmonize yourselves in your own country? How could you claim to be working in harmony with us when you are making and decreeing preposterous laws that send us to prison? How could you, my friends, claim to be working in harmony when you preach division through your doctrines.” Chueke added, “My friends, I want you to know that we have gathered here today because of our traditional love and open mind to you, the strangers. But now my people have asked for you all to leave our county or we cannot guarantee your safety.” They were shocked. After making eye contact, they requested permission to be excused temporarily from the meeting. Chueke was informed of their request by an interpreter. He gently nodded his head approvingly and said, “let them go,” adding, “Onye maru ihe anaghi egbu la oku re la oku,” meaning, “an intelligent man does not make hasty decisions”. They returned and asked to be given a month to respond to Chueke’s demand.

 

The Assistant District Officer returned with a letter addressed to Chueke from the District Officer. The District Officer addressed Chueke as the “Chief” of Alayi, demonstrating that he believed Chueke deserved the Chieftain title. In his letter he asked Chueke and the members of the Elders to permit the priests to stay and do their missionary work, stating that the two missionaries were not violating any laws of the land by preaching the Gospel. He claimed, “the missionaries only criticize evil practices in your tradition.” He went on to detail improvements the Churches and his administration had brought to the various counties, including the expansion of Church buildings, schools, hospitals and roads. He argued in his letter how his administration had improved living conditions for the people. The letter concluded, “The disintegration of your culture is not our responsibility.”

 

From this letter Chueke realized how closely associated the Christian religion and the administration of Ndi Ofe Miri were to one another: Christianity was an operative arm of the administration.

 

Chueke strongly objected to the contents of the letter. He asked the Assistant District Officer to explain to him what he meant by the title “Chief.” He was told that it means the head of his people. Chueke laughed and said, “In our tradition we have no value for such an interpretation. We are knit together by bonds of loyalty to our great ancestral laws. We rule with respect, and through respect we are honored. We have no class divisions in this land. We treat each other as equals and we are governed by traditional laws of Nnanna anyi ha! [our great grandfather; our forefather]”. He emphasized, “tell your master that I am a senior member of The County Council of the Elders. I earned all my titles and would not accept a title of Oji egbe akpo oku [a non-achievers title].

 

Chueke disliked the word “ Chief ” for several reasons. His brother was arrested and beaten because a person described as “Chief ”  tax collector had informed on him for non-tax payment. The arrest and the imprisonment of his brother was carried out by another person also described as the “Chief Kotoma.”  Chueke knew that the word “Chief” is foreign and has no traditional meaning or definition in our language. Besides, it is a title or status conferred to people who would do anything against their own people to please and earn the trust of Ndi ofe miri.  

 

On the issue of improvements, Chueke told the Assistant District Officer, “none of your improvements come without a price tag on the host counties (us). Your roads were constructed with the labor and sweat of my people. Those roads also deprived us of our young talents. Your lorries took away our natural resources and produce, and made it possible for our young sons and daughters to leave our villages and towns for distant, unknown places. Your roads and lorries are carrying away our sons and daughters and they are disdainfully leaving the profession of farming. Your lorries and roads have made farming almost obsolete. “But my question to friend,” Chueke said, is, “When your lorries carry away all of our young people and no one is left interested in the profession of farming, who will feed us? Is the God in heaven going to drop food from above to feed us? When that God has already given us land and blessed us with the crops? Before you came here with your roads,” he continued, “we were mobile; going and coming anywhere we wished, and before your lorries, we moved things physically without trouble because our creator gave us the strength. Your roads, religion, lorries and administration are an imposition on my people. You claimed that the preachers were only critical of the imperfection of our tradition and culture, and yet you forget that my people are being grabbed like chicks and taken to Arochukwu, where they are blessed by your Christian priests and sent aboard a big ship that sails to unknown destination.” (Chueke was referring to an early infamous slave trade route and the participation of the Christian missionaries who blessed the exporting of slaves to Europe.) He added, “Is there anything more humiliating than transplanting a man to a place where he has no identity? Or do you still call this humane treatment of humanity?” Chueke concluded, “Yet you complain and criticize our traditions and religion, and you condemn our way of life. Why don’t you acknowledged its grandeur? You are here discussing this with us because of our tradition of open mindedness to strangers. If we are cannibals…. I don’t want to hear about your road improvement, it is simply a self-serving investment. How many of my people use your roads, how many of my people have pleasure cars and lorries and how many of my people move our resources with your lorries?”           

 

In response to the school mentioned in the letter as one among the improvements brought by the District Officer’s administration, Chueke said, “Your school is the perpetuation of your ideologies, culture and  tradition, and it is an indoctrination process through which you export your religious beliefs. In your schools you teach our children the history of your countries and of your great ancestors. You teach our children about your Kings and Queens, your laws and order. You also teach our sons and daughters your language so that you may fully utilize their potential. Your school has no accommodations for our history, art, tradition and culture. Instead ours is referred to as primitive tradition and culture, which you are schooling our children to scorn. They are being educated to embrace your culture and forget theirs.” Chueke concluded, “When your educational system is evaluated it will obviously prove that your schools are again self-serving institutions.”

 

In reference to the bragging in the letter of the establishment of hospitals, Chueke responded, “I was informed that all those who are ill must pay money before being examined or admitted for treatment in your hospitals. In our tradition, whether a man has money or not, a Dibia would treat and cure illness before demanding payment, and this is because of our traditional values for life.”

 

In responding to the section of the letter that made direct criticism of African religion as being a religion of “Idol worshippers, Chueke said, “Why are you degrading our religion?” 

 

“Our ancestral religion is not worse than other religions. Our religion pervades our life, and swearing to our gods is a part of our belief. Now I am aware that your religion is a religion that condemned other religions, while imposing itself as the best. But you failed to realize that “the measure of man’s faith by another is artificial, for no man can correctly measure our faiths. Chueke continued, “The measurer of faith is the Creator. Likewise, the comparison of religion and fate is abstract, because each man formed his religion based on his intuitive knowledge of the Creator (nature) and environment. Therefore let no man slander the beliefs, culture and tradition of our ancestors. For each man works with his Creator in a way appeasingly, and when a master is satisfied, the servant is rewarded and happy. And when anything of the Creator is left to take its own course, everything harmonizes. Just like a seed sown into the soil, when left to take its natural course, would sprout, germinate and bear fruits. Thus multiplying and duplicating itself twenty-fold, so is the Creator. Because of our knowledge of how the Creator works, we have fought wars for lands, streams and rivers, but we have no need to carry wars to our neighbors, towns, counties or nations, in an attempt to impose our beliefs upon them. This is because we know that what is of the Creator is creation itself.”