My small village occupy 200sqmtrs north of the river Sambasa. We are a people of warriors and relatively farmers.

Many of my people raised pigs,cows and rams.

Others just produce grains and cocoa to sale to the white foreigners.

The year was October of 1943.

This was the year our people were hit by locusts and great famine had struck us so hard that food and water became scares.

Every man became his own shadow and trust was lost among the people.

The old were getting sicke and the children died of malnutrition.

Those who could afford food didn't allow a cup of grain leave their homes or fall in the soil.

The neighbouring villages didn't want to help either. It was all man for himself.

The white- headed men who came to our village brought only mirrors, scissors, blades and material items to trade for local valuables.

As naive as the people were,they gave many of such local items which was their identity to the foreigners for petty glasses.

The promise for better life in far away Europe was in the offing.

Some gave out their children and slaves to the foreigners hoping for a stake on their table.

THE ISOKA TUSK

The 'ISOKA', an elephant Tusk handed over to the people many years ago by the greatest warrior, Agumba.

Agumba had retrieved the Tusk from the enemy territory after the fight that ensued at the border of the two villages many years ago.

The Tusk, an ancient deity created by Takam, the goddess of AIR and LIFE.

No one dare to make a caricature of ISOKA without facing the wrath of Takem.

She was deadly and her sting, no one survived.

The Tusk had become the recourse of the people against intruders and the awakening of a bad omen.

It was only the Sorceress Gandum,who blew the Tuks when the time arose.

She, like her master, didn't bluff for the fun of it.Their curse was generational and it came to pass.

Gandum had curse a man to die in the hands of mad swines for the man had called her 'an old hag.'

Three days after,the man died in the hands of mad swines before his wife and Three children. Gandum will go to the hill top during the full moon and sound the Tusk until it gets to the ears of both the living and the dead.

In her little hut lay the Tusk guarded by two pythons whose eyes were shot with blood.

Their Venom is said to have been poisoned by the seven witches of the seven rivers across the seven walls of the dead lands.

It is said the Tusk had the blood of the seven witches that rule the seven continents of the world. No man born of woman or the spirit dare get hold of it,if the goddess does not permit it.

Famine had ended and the locusts were gone.

The return of peace and stability gave the people overwhelming joy.

The locals went back to living their normal and peaceful lives.

Those who produced grains had a wonderful harvest that year.

Food was in excess.No one lacked and no one begged either.

The people believed the sound of the ISOKA had brought solace to them, little did they know that the worst was yet to come.

 THE LOST HERITAGE.

Panic had set sail and the pregnant cloud had manifested itself on the face of the earth.

Darkness stood amongst the living.

The common man dare not speak of the carnage that will come upon the people.

The spirits of the dead were awaken.

The seven spirits had risen from the great beyond.

The ISOKA was gone. The babes ear must not hear of this.

History must not elude the people.

At night the Spirits rounded the villages making incantations as they beckon the ISOKA to show its face.

Three days after,the first born of each home began to die .

Tears and wailing continued.

No man was let free.

The Sorceress had pronounced more calamity upon the people.

If sanity must come back,The Isoka must return.

No man came out to claim responsibility for the lost Heritage.

More calamity descended upon the people and anarchy was let loose.

More deaths and anguish fell on the village.

News of the Isoka in the hands of the Foreigners got to the people and the more fear had grip everyman.

All became suspicious of another.

 " In ten days time,great pain will visit this land like has never happened before.The Tusk must return". Gandum in her thunderous voice had warned.

 The people lived in fear as the wait for the return of the Tusk and the wrath that awaited them was close.

Three days have passed and no news of the Tusk.

At night the frogs and creeping things were awake to torment the people with their grotesque noise. Sleep became a no friend to anyone.

The day of the Annual ritual of the people against bad luck and bad harvest was ready. This ritual does not hold without the Tusk. The blood of an infant child is sprinkled on the tip of the Tusk for the ritual to be effective.

The seven witches of the seven river will drink from the blood of an infant child whose throat is slit in a calabash set on fire to complete the ritual.

This ritual was carried out at night when all things born of a woman has gone to sleep.

That night was different.

The faces of the seven witches looked pale.

Their eyes were red as blood.

Gandum the sorceress was restless.

As the custodian of the ancient Tusk,she knew she has failed.

" If the bats fly at night,it does so not for the fun darkness brings it. It is for the supremacy on her wings. She like the Eagle,are not just birds,they are different from other birds."

It was Soree the one referred to as the 'evil eyes' that spoke.

She is blind but sees even the thoughts of man.

She causes the death of the young and the unfortunate ones.

The unfortunate ones were those Born with deformity, either by birth or after birth.

She was the fearsome and oldest of the seven. Many believe she doesn't sleep like the others,but flies at night hunting for fresh blood.

She fed on blood to extend her life span.

"Sanctity of the ancient coven has been breached by a little creature born of a woman.The sins of the father shall wipe away the generation that formed him.

The atrocity done by him shall continue in the after life.His household shall never live more than twenty years."

She thrust the small dagger in her hand into the soil and spat on it.

The six witches with the six lit black candles,began to hum in strange tone.

In circles they continued to walk and stop momentarily to whisper in unison.

The raven began to gather in large numbers.

White smoke had engulfed the place of ritual. Atemkulu the 'owl' was seated on the Iroko three like the king of birds.

Then they knelt and began to cut their palms with knife.As blood gushed out of their flesh,the ravens made louder sounds.

Then darkness covered the land.