PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

As he gave the bowl of kola to Ugbene:

Obiako said:

‘Yes, Ugbene,

I have agreed to take care of it,

But show it to them,

Before we eat.’



Ugbene accepted,

Stood up,

Cleared his throat and began:



‘Our people say

That he who brings kola

Has brought life.

That is true,

But we know that in our land Ete,

Etedi our god has given us kola

And also preserved our lives.

Any man who brings kola

Is then a good messenger

Of our great god.’



And Obiako,

Agreeing with his friend:



‘That is true,

Ugbene nna m.’



And Ugbene went on:





‘Etedi,

You own us

And we are yours.

Come and bless this kola

Before we eat.

Let good alone come to us.

Let evil go far away

Give us food, and protect our children,

Let them live

To bury us in our old age.

Our fore fathers,

Come and touch this kola

Let us eat and eat life alone.



The big and small ancestors

We have brought kola.

Let us eat and eat life alone.



The big and small ancestors

We have brought kola.

Come together therefore

Let every one of you

Take that which belongs to him.’



‘Ise oh’

Obiako agreed.



‘Our fathers,

Ndubuka

Agwu

Ofoma

Onuigbo

Osuagwu

Nwaohanmuo

Ochiulo

Anyanwu

Eleanya

Ezenwudo

Ikpo

Ahusiara

Uwadi

Ogu

Uwom

Osieke

Nnanna Osieke,

The father of my friend,

Here is kola.



Obiagu

Anya

Ekeke

Irokanulo

Onyiwaudoogu

Ubani

Nwachukwu

Eluwa

Nwanganga

Elonwoko

Onwukwe

Udohia

Okpokiri

Okoro

Ine

Ajuala

Udokwu

Ibeakwadalam

Njikeonye

Ezeogba

Igwe

Kalu

Okoro kalu, my father,



And those I have not called

I say come together now

And let everyone of you

Take that which belongs to him.’



‘Ise!!’ Obiako answered



‘Obiako Nnanna my good friend

May you and your people live.’



‘Ise!!’



‘May it be the same with me too,

Not only us,

But men everywhere

But in Igbo and elsewhere.

To those who say yes to good,

The good gods shall say yes.

But to those who say no to good

They shall stop and confound.



The spirit

That fights for Obiako

Coma and take kola.

That which clears the path for me

Your share is here.



You, great god, Etedi

You fight for us always,

We cannot eat without you

Come and take kola.’



Ugbene sat down,

And broke the kola nut

With his fingernails.



He threw out a lobe

For all those he had called,

And showed the rest to Obiako,

Who insisted that Ugbene takes of it first.



Ugbene then agreed,

Threw one lobe into his mouth

And poured in some grain

Of the alligator pepper as well.

Obiako did the same,

And  returned the bowl to Ugbene saying:



‘Take the bigger lobe left,

That is the kola of the bag,

When the kola goes home,

It will surely say who brought it.

That was what my father thought me.’

That will be the journey of the kola till the end times.