Chapter 12

The village square was a beehive of activity that afternoon. For once the men, women and children mingled freely as they all pressed to catch a glimpse of the man that had wrecked havoc on the village he was supposed to head. At this time the news had reached almost every corner.

“Ahh – now the siege is over we can go back to our lives,” Jumbi said patting Mumba on the back.

“I feel like taking revenge” Mumba said.

Jumbi smiled, “I understand – but that won‟t be necessary.”

Suddenly there was commotion as out of nowhere Halima, Uriji‟s mother and three other women suddenly appeared and pushed their way to where Tikayo sat.

“Behold the killer of my son,” Halima announced and immediately pounced on the former chief biting, scratching and raining abuses on him. The other women followed suit. Tikayo was spared further brutalization by Ogadi who chased the women away.

Tension and excitement mixed freely as the people continue to talk at the same time with no one really making sense except you were really close to somebody.

“No wonder he was so non-chalant the day my son disappeared and I came to report to him,” Abokito‟s wife now opened up.

“Really?” Halima asked, “Well as for me – o, I‟ve just dealt with him too. But tell me how do you mean that he was non-chalant to you”. Halima probed further.

“Hmmm,” Abokito‟s wife began. Then went on to narrate all that happened the day her son vanished without a trace.

“And you did not report to your husband?” Halima asked with eyes ablaze.

“I did, but my husband merely dismissed it as a trick of my imagination,” she replied.

“Wooo, wonders will never cease, “Halima explained.

“But you know men,” Abokito‟s wife began. “All along he had a plan with some other men which we did not know till now, but now we can see the results,” she concluded.

“Anyway I thank the Gods for this revelation,” Halima added.

Suddenly, the excitement rose among the people gathered in the village square as the chief priest flanked by his assistant entered the village square. Taking his usual position the chief priest raised his flywhisk and there was silence.

“People of Boma village I greet you.” The people responded with enthusiasm and waited again for his next line of action.

“People of Boma village, I greet you all” the chief priest hailed.

“I greet you all in the name of Rorche – our God that has done great things for all of us in this village… “The chief priest went on and on in his narration of events in the past “…But today our God has come to our rescue, “He said.

“Which God?” Abokito remarked to his friends around him.

“The God that could not save us despite our sacrifices? It is due to our own strength that we were able to apprehend this killer.”

His friends prevailed on him to calm down.

“At least we have caught him, maybe he will die by hanging or will be banished to the evil forest to die there unmourned,” Mumba said.

They all lapsed into silence and focused their attention on the chief priest who was still talking.

“Well people of Boma village, now we have seen with our own eyes that it was our own chief that had all along been killing our wives and children also taking out their livers and most time their hearts. All in the urge to satisfy his craving for liver,” the chief priest paused.

“But how did it all begin?” a villager asked from the crowd.

“I won‟t go over the whole story again, let us be satisfied that a mysterious liver caused this problem,” the chief priest said by way of an answer. While he spoke Tikayo hands bound and flanked by two guards watched quietly without any expression on his face as the village decided his fate. “We all know the

laws guiding us in this village,” the chief priest was saying. He reminded the people of the fact that the chief priest was the custodian of the laws but in executing them there were cases the entire village had to meet such as the case at hand. “Tikayo‟s offence was an abomination beyond description. In Boma village, killing a fellow man would turn you into an outcast and of course nobody in his right senses would associate with such a person. But to kill in the brutish manner that Tikayo did was the worst evil ever to befall Boma village…the chief priest paused. “But Boma village has severe punitive measures and the penalty for killing in this manner was banishment into the evil forest where the culprit would wonder about till he dies. If during the period of banishment he is caught in any of the villages he would be put to death. The second form of punishment was death by hanging however the decision will be reached by the people as our own laws stipulates.” the chief priest said.

There was some grumbling and murmuring from the crowd. “However

nobody would hurt his family,” the chief priest was saying “. And the family members will be free to go about their businesses but the land will be cleansed of the evil that has been done. But in the case of Tikayo‟s family, his first wife had her own plans.

Boma village could go on with its laws but as far as she was concerned they were fleeing the village. The chief priest surveyed the faces of the village elders as well as the villagers suddenly he turned to face the fallen head of Boma village

“Tikayo what you did is an abomination to this village and the land must be cleansed of this evil.” he pointed out. Meanwhile the villagers held their breath and waited as the moment of decision was at hand. “People of Boma village it is time to decide the fate of the evil one in our midst,” the chief priest announced.

“Kill him,” Halima shouted from the front of the crowd.

“Make way,” Mumba said pushing his way forward. Coming face to face with the chief priest and elders he stopped.

“This man,” he said pointing at Tikayo, “killed our children and wives because he wanted to satisfy his craving for liver. He caused misery and sorrow to many homes, it is only natural that he should be paid back with the same coin,” he paused. “I believe his family should be brought here to see their father die”. Mumba‟s statement drew sharp responses from the crowd, some villagers agreed with Mumba‟s view while others disagreed. Many other men including Jumbi and Abokito came forward and added their views that Tikayo be taken out of the village and hung on a tree till he dies. A serious argument raged among the villagers, many argued that he should be banished into the evil forest to die there. But another group maintained that hanging him was a better option more so as he had a very terrible reputation as a cannibal and a killer if banished he could start preying on the village thereby causing more harm. Meanwhile Tikayo watched speechlessly as his subjects decided his fate.

“Where is Tikayo‟s family? “The chief priest asked suddenly.

“If there are not here then they would be at home.” Ogadi replied.

“Please dispatch two men to confirm for us.” The chief priest requested.

Without delay two men were picked and sent to Tikayo‟s compound to check on his family members. The proceedings once again refocused on the issue at stake. With the villagers expressing a divided opinion, a separation was done and those villagers who wanted Tikayo to die by hanging carried the day so Tikayo‟s fate was sealed that afternoon. Shortly before making the official pronouncement the two men sent earlier on returned from their mission and reported to Ogadi who in turn whispered something to the chief priest.

“Tikayo after due consultation with the men and women of Boma village and the elders you‟ve been found guilty of a very terrible abomination and you are to die by hanging,” the chief priest announced.

Suddenly Udago pushed forward, “What about his family members?” he asked.

“I do not think it is fair that they should be allowed to go free,” Udago concluded.

“Udago I believe you‟ve got ears and you must have heard that the family members are to be left alone,” Ogadi fired back. Udago retreated quietly into the crowd.

“For your information, Tikayo‟s family has fled the village. I hope you are satisfied now? “The chief priest queried. At the mention of his family Tikayo suddenly sat up but nobody answered him.

“Let us not bring the wrath of the Gods upon us. Tikayo is the culprit not his family members. Should you meet them anywhere I strongly advise that no harm befalls them. May Rorche continue to protect and guide us.”

The chief priest and the villagers made their exit from the village square while Tikayo was led away to his death.