Later on, Kambili and his uncle left the hospital.
That's where Kambili stayed till it was time for Chioma's burial. They all travelled to the village for that.
In the village, tongues were wagging, it was obvious that something was wrong. Some said Kambili used his wives for money rituals while some people just believed that his hands were not clean.
As the gossip went around the village, some people summoned the courage to talk to Kambili's uncle about it.
"Nna, this thing happening isn't ordinary. How can a man lose two young wives through childbirth in just a few years? You need to seek a solution," one elderly man suggested to Kambili's uncle.
"I thought as much, it isn't ordinary," Kambili's uncle agreed.
"I can help you with places where you can get answers to your questions."
"Please do, I'm grateful."
The elderly man recommended some places for him and he agreed to go there.
Kambili's uncle visited three different diviners and they all said that the problem came from Kambili's father. They said he had a covenant with a deity to keep his child alive and he made a promise to that effect but his family stopped keeping to the promise when he died.
The diviners all mentioned that but didn't give him solutions to the problem. It was the only one that referred him to the eldest man in their community.
Kambili's uncle told him what those diviners said about his problems.
Kambili was shocked.
"But my father is dead."
"It doesn't matter, you are the centre of the promise."
Kambili was speechless.
They decided to visit the eldest man in their community the following day.
They left early in the morning to the man's place.
When they got there, they greeted him and told him the reason for their coming.
He had compassion on them.
"But your father did not ask questions. How can he make such a promise?
You need to go and appease the deity. If you are lucky, the covenant would be broken."
"How can we appease it."
After a long silence, he told them to get a white ram and come back in seven days.
They left.
Seven days later, they went back with the white ram as directed by the old man.
The old man told Kambili that he would come to the shrine for three consecutive nights to terminate the covenant. On the last night, he would kill the ram and then wait for a remarkable thing that would show that his sacrifice was accepted.
Kambili agreed to do as he was told. He told the old man that he would start that night.
He then directed them to take the ram to the foot of the huge iroko tree and tie it to a post on the floor there.
They did as he had directed and left.
In the night, Kambili left for the shrine.
When he got there, the environment was as dark as a starless night, crickets were chirping and the only domineering sound was the bleats from the ram already tethered to the post.
Kambili was frightened but getting a solution to his problems was what motivated him. He removed his shoes, bowed his head slightly and walked into the shrine as dry and brittle leaves crunched under his feet.
He got to the foot of the iroko tree and untied the ram from the post. Holding the rope in his right hand, he stretched his left hand and bowed his head.
Then he spoke loudly.
"The great Ebem deity, I am the son of Amadi of Ameze family. I implore you that from today henceforth, I and my generations to come are not partakers in any covenant you have with my father. We cut off from every consequence of the promise he made to you in the past. I terminate every agreement you had with my family."
He tied back the ram to the post and moved out of the shrine. He wore his shoes and quickly disappeared into the dusk for his house.
He repeated it the second night and on the third night, he went with a sharp knife.
When he was done denouncing the covenant, he untied the rope on the neck of the ram. He laid it on its left side and used the rope to tie two of its feet. He then held the limbs with his right knee and with his sharp knife, he cut open the throat of the ram and allowed its blood to drain.
He left the dead animal on the foot of the iroko tree and went back to his house.
He was patiently waiting for the remarkable thing to happen.
TO BE CONTINUED
I am Ayogu Oluchi Eze
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