Ogodazi's Head Will Touch The Earth

Whenever it came time for war, Ogodazi’s heart knew no fear. Stories of his unmatched skill and brute force on the battlefield caused his name to resound throughout the village of Ndi Nri and beyond. One could feel the bristling of the hairs on their skin whenever his name was called. Even the little children were in awe of his great exploits. And quite soon, like his forefathers from long ages past, he became a living legend amongst men. 

Ogodazi The Great, they called him. He was a giant of a man- broad and sturdily built. In his youth he was marked for his godlike strength. The elders praised him because he was the first man in all of Ndi Nri to wrestle a mature leopard barehanded. A battle that left him maimed. 

Decades later, the imprint of the leopard's claw stretching across his torso was still visible along with his slight limp. And like his injuries he kept his qualities from his youth- his ferociousness, strong will, and stubbornness .

Now at just forty-five, his reputation as a farmer and a warlord earned him privilege like none other. A privilege he took advantage of quite often. A prime example was his dismissal of the custom preventing one man from marrying more than three wives.

Ogodazi married nine. 

His household was immune to the famine that had been threatening Ndi Nri for almost a year. This meant he had more than enough to feed his nine wives and twenty children. He always had more than enough stocks of harvest in store because he lived most of his days in anticipation. This was his greatest strength- he was always thinking about the future. 

Hence, to no surprise, he became the envy of men both in his village and outside his village. 

Ogodazi had been established by the entire village as a maverick. He lived far from the noise of the center of Ndi Nri, on the outskirts of the village. He preferred the serenity of the pastures and the fresh open air.

His home was built in a valley; a perfectly secluded location for cattle rearing. He would much rather take pride in tending to livestock than interfere with other people’s business.

If it didn’t involve war or farming, it didn’t concern him. So when a young woman known as Yagazie stumbled upon Ogodazi’s mud hut, a turning point came in his life.

It was in the early hours of the morning one cold harmattan. His slumber was interrupted by the sound of a young damsel running down the street pleading for help. 

“Somebody help me ! Please help me!” cried the young woman. 

Ogodazi was forced to wake up to see what the commotion was. He stepped out of his hut and saw that his wives were still asleep in their respective huts. As he stretched his gaze down the towards the east, a muffled view of a herd of clansmen emerged from the far distance. His eyes followed the trail down their path and he realized that these angry men, fully equipped with torches and hunting tools, were chasing down the crying damsel.

He recognized her as Yagazie- the youngest wife of Ogbuefi Maduweke, the leader of the hunting clan in the neighboring village of Ikeofor. Ogodazi was apt to resist the desire to intervene in other people’s matters but not this time. This was not the kind of thing that happened everyday. So he put on his goatskin strip cloth and ventured into the street. By the time he came outside, two of his wives had woken up and were eager to see what the fuss was about outside. 

“Go back to sleep” he said in a gruff voice. 

The stampede of men was fast approaching and Yagazie had taken refuge behind a tree. Ogodazi thought it best to approach and question her but when she saw him she immediately ran towards him knowing that her life was at stake. She cowered behind him, using his broad back as a shield as the herd of men got louder and louder. 

From a nearby window, his oldest wife Akubeze was still watching, slightly disturbed by yet another woman getting attention from her husband in the early hours of the morning. She woke all the other wives up to vent her annoyance. In a matter of minutes, all the wives had woken up to watch the conflict only to discover that Maduweke had come face-to-face with their husband. 

Maduweke was a man of great status and a skilled hunter. His father, one of the wealthiest men in all of Ikeofor, had passed a huge portion of his wealth unto him. With this wealth he spoiled all his wives except Yagazie whom he maltreated. This was due to her inability to bear a child.

The angry mob of hairy chested men armed with torches and machetes, stood behind Maduweke. 

“That woman is a swine!” screamed Maduweke. 

“We will have her flogged before the village” he said as he charged towards her. 

Maduweke looked startled when Ogodazi stepped in his way. 

“Ogodazi. What are you doing? Are you defending this charlatan ? are you not aware she is an adulterous swine?”

Maduweke’s voice was filled with fury and his speech was partially slurred. It was evident he was drunk on palm wine. He tried to shove Ogodazi to the side but to no avail.

“Are you protecting an adulterer from the punishment assigned to her?” he asked.

 Ogodazi stood firm.

“No. I am not. I am simply protecting a helpless person from a pack of ravenous wolves” he said calmly. 

Maduweke’s eyes twitched. Ogodazi’s words hit him hard. Yagazie cowered behind Ogodazi like an innocent rabbit whilst Maduweke pranced around vehemently.

Ogodazi remained unfazed and firm in his disposition. It would not be the first time he had been toe-to-toe with great warriors. Maduweke thought twice before making his next move. He turned his head around to gauge his clansmen, then back to Ogodazi. 

“Ogodazi! do not start what you cannot finish” said Maduweke .

“Any grievance you have against this woman can be settled here now.” replied Ogodazi. 

By this time, even the children had awoken and were watching in angst.

Ogodazi looked to the twenty-five-year old damsel. The soles of her feet were filled with blisters. 

“Young woman, do you wish to speak ?” he asked

The young woman whimpered, barely able to make a coherent sentence. 

“He and his clansmen.They chased me through the bush….”

The woman continued to whimper. 

“They call me an adulteress because i have not been able to bear a child!”

Her words came out in short bursts of cries.

“I had to run away because I was afraid he would kill me” said Yagazie

“Ogodazi! Step out of my way so I can properly deal with that infidel!” Maduweke screamed. 

“Hold your peace !” Said Ogodazi. 

“In Ndi Nri, every man, woman, child, slave or freeman is accountable for their own words”.

The raging Maduweke was angered by his nonchalance. He looked again at his men. Seeing as none of them were willing to step forward to be the first to attack, Maduweke was pacified. 

Maduweke and his men became tongue tied. The feeling of defeat was evident on Maduweke’s face. 

Maduweke and the clan backed away with their chests deflated and their hopes thwarted. 

“You have made a big mistake Ogodazi,” Maduweke said in a bitter tone.

“I will be going. But take heed ! Only a foolish man tampers with a ravenous wolf.”

" A ravenous wolf has not met a mad fox” said Ogodazi.

And the story circulated through all the neighboring villages- Ogodazi made a mockery out of Maduweke in front of his clansmen.

Yagazie settled down that night courtesy of Ogodazi’s hospitality. When Maduweke left with his clan, Yagazie expressed her gratitude but was still bent on escaping to her grandmother’s village at dawn. Ogodazi didn’t say a word to her but simply retreated back to his hut. She barely exchanged words with any of Ogodazi’s wives that night. Much to her discomfort, they all studied her from head to toe- a mix of envy and admiration. She was tall, buoyant and full of youthful energy.

Ogodazi ordered his wife, Akubeze to accommodate Yagazie in her hut. She was ordered to give her wooden plank to rest her head and a calabash of water to bathe. One thing that struck Yagazie was the way Ogodazi commanded his wives and they obeyed willingly. It was quite fascinating to witness how they all lived in complete adherence to him. 

When midnight struck, Yagazie’s anxiety was subdued. She felt warm in this abode and was no longer worried about the threat of Maduweke. She felt safe and secure for a reason she couldn’t understand. Maybe it was the way Ogodazi fended off the drunken Maduweke. She had never seen anyone make a mockery out of him the way Ogodazi did. 

By morning, she was the only one in the hut. She got up to find the entire family at work on the farm. In Ogodazi’s home, everyone had chores-even the little children. They rose in the early hours of the morning and toiled till midday on the farm planting cassava, yams, rice, potatoes, plantains and whichever tuber crops that were in demand. Since everyone in the house was so hard working, Yagazie thought it best to make herself useful. 

At noon, Ogodazi and his family returned to find the compound completely redefined. Yagazie tidied the compound and arranged the pots, calabashes and tools so perfectly that it became fit for an Igwe’s palace. As impressed as Ogodazi may have been, he still wasn’t urged to speak to her. He did not think her cleaning was necessary. Likewise, his wives and children showed very little gratitude to this gesture.

When evening came, they sat around the floor enjoying dinner in unison whilst Yagazie felt slightly isolated. The young children had their wide eyes fixated on her. Her physical appearance was significantly different from the other wives. Her skin tone was rare and her womanly features were more prominent. She felt like an imposter eating with a strange family as the wives talked about things she had no knowledge about. One of the younger wives made a comment about the roof and everybody was overcome with unrestrained laughter.

Everyone except Yagazie.

She didn’t understand what was so funny about a simple comment regarding the roof. Maybe It’s funny because it's made of straw, she thought. She still could not get it. Nevertheless the happiness in the air was refreshing. For the first time, she saw Ogodazi in a different light. With his children cuddled beside him he wasn’t the fierce warlord well known throughout the nearby villages. What she saw that evening was a father. 

But Yagazie did not grow up with a father. Ogodazi’s home was different from one she had ever seen or heard of. 

This quality family time was interrupted by the sound of the town crier beating his gong.

“Council meeting tomorrow at dusk! Every landowner must be present! Every family head must be present! Every son of the land! The leaders of the council demand your attention at the palace of the obi!” the town crier said. 

The next morning, Akubeze was greeted by two elders from the village council, Ndubuisi and Odinaka by name. They requested to see Ogodazi and insisted it was urgent. So Ogodazi abandoned his fishing rod and went out to meet them. 

Odinaka frequently visited Ogodazi. Usually it was because he needed to borrow cowries or food. The current famine meant that villagers had to borrow, beg or turn to desperate measures to feed themselves. In fact, Odinaka had been in debt to Ogodazi since the previous summer. 

Ogodazi sat the two elders down and offered kola nut. The men settled down, in acceptance of his cordial gesture.

After a series of discussions on general issues, Odinaka asked the question he had been itching to ask. 

“The woman you are keeping in your home. She is not your wife, am I right?” .

“Right you are,” said Ogodazi.

“Then why is she in your home?” asked Ndubuisi 

Ogodazi smiled after realizing the purpose of their visit. 

“She is my guest,” he said.

“It is against our custom to keep another man's wife in your home” said Odinaka

“I am aware,” said Ogodazi. And after an air of silence ,

“The Obi would like to see you in today’s meeting ” Ndubuisi said.

It was rare that Ogodazi attended these council meetings. Since the Obi requested his presence personally, he reckoned there was some urgency. He wanted to question the reason for this request but nobody dared question Obi. 

So Ogodazi paid his respects to the Obi by attending the council meeting.

All the notable men in the village were present. Men of renown gathered in front of the palace of the Obi. Obiefuna The  Obi of Ndi Nri sat in his high throne exuding splendor and authority. Ogodazi sat at the far end of the crowd until the Obi offered him a seat at the front.

“Sons of Ndi Nri!” said Obiefuna.

He always paused in between his sentences to take a breath. 

“Poachers from Okwe Nri have trespassed on our land…. On my land they have erected a shrine to commemorate their own ancestors! ”

The one possession The Obi valued the most was his land. Any form of trespass was taken as an affront. 

“We must respond to this affront. And we must do so in haste” said the Obi

“We must think economically before going to war. They are our neighbors.” Odinaka said.

Other members of the village council were in agreement with this. 

A young decorated and elegantly dressed warrior known as Ofojebe rose from his seat. He was in his prime and had a number of victories under his name.

“Okwe Nri is the least of our worries”. Said Ofojebe

He turned to face Ogodazi.

“This man here! Has brought disaster upon us. With his pompousness and disregard for tradition”

Ofojebe's rage startled all attendees at the meeting. The elders sat in amazement and watched him. It was an abomination to speak up unless requested by the Obi.

“It is an insult for me to be seated with this man! When has he ever been present at any of our meetings?”

The enraged Ofojebe continued. His nostrils flared and veins protruded from his neck. 

“This man makes a mockery of our very tradition!” he said.

Ogodazi sat with dignity, silently observing Ofojebe's antics . 

“What are you suggesting? ” asked the Obi.

“We will not go to war. In fact, we cannot go to war. There is famine in the land. While men like Ogodazi fatten their calves and their wives, others are in need of basic resources. We will not go to war” said Ofojebe. 

The Obi leaned forward in his throne, staring Ofojebe deep in the face. 

“Only I, the Obi, dictate whether or not we go to war,”he said.

There was a shift in the atmosphere. The Obi sat on his throne refusing to take his eyes off Ofojebe even for a split second. The air in the room suddenly felt warmer.

“I will not go to war with you,” Ofojebe said firmly.

Odinaka rose to his feet and stood right beside Ofojebe.

“Neither Will I” Said Odinaka in support of his comrade. 

In a matter of minutes, more than half of the attendees rose to their feet and stood by Ofojebe. 

“Majority speaks loud,” said Ofojebe.

The Obi felt insulted by this act of treason. He looked to Ogodazi’s direction with a gleam of hope.

“Ogodazi! my gallant warchief…. Where do you stand?”

Ogodazi knew that there must have been a conspiracy. Ofojebe and all the men who came to his support must have been offered a portion of that land. 

Treachery, greed and betrayal. Things Ogodazi despised more than anything. The heaviness in his heart prevented him from saying too many words. His eyes often spoke more than he said- and now they spoke of pain.

Ogodazi stood and approached the obi’s throne.

He unsheathed the blade from his waist and scraped his palm with it. 

“I have never been one to shy away from battle,” said Ogodazi.

He took his palm and raised it high so everyone could see the blood dripping down his arm.

“Every shrine erected from Okwe Nri will be brought to dust,” said Ogodazi.

These words sent a sudden chill of apprehension down Ofojebe's spine.

Obiefuna smiled. His hope in his people was restored by Ogodazi’s zeal. 

The Obi's decision was final. 

Ndi Nri would go to war with Okwe Nri. 

That night ogodazi sat in front of his hut watching Yagazie play with his little ones as they rolled around in the dirt. He sat by the firewood and watched with a heavy heart. With war on his mind. It wouldn’t be the first time he had encountered war. But this season was different.

Something about Yagazie’s presence had softened him. 

It had been three days since their first encounter and Ogodazi had taken a liking to the young woman. She played the role of the daughter or younger sister he needed whilst he was the father she had always longed for. It became very clear that the two needed one other. He felt the need to protect her even more than his wives. The sibling-like bond between the two made the other wives grow more envious. 

Ogodazi watched Yagazie draw shapes in the sand and become fascinated as the little children were. Yagazie was indeed a child at heart. It was arduous for him to watch them play so innocently because It painted a picture in his mind’s eye- one so beautiful yet so painful. It wasn’t the thought of the impending warfare that gripped him. It was the innocence of youth contrasted with the inescapable bloodshed. For the first time he saw war and innocence side by side.