Chapter 6
The search party constituted by Tikayo in his capacity as chief and led by a skilled hunter named Kato went into action immediately, they conducted their search independent of the search team led by Utako‟s father. The people of Boma village were confident that Utako would be found alive and well.
“The people are depending on us to find Utako,” Kato told his team. “And we must not let them down.”
“May the Gods grant us speed,” one of the men added. “Utako will come home alive,” his brother said. “After all, besides the chief, father is the next best hunter in Boma village.”
His mother could not help but share in his childish imagination. “Let us continue to pray and believe that the Gods of our ancestors will help us in this difficult moments.” Mother and son then lapsed into silence each engrossed in their different thoughts. Utako‟s mother after replaying the scene that had taken place the morning she went to the
chief‟s compound to report the disappearance of Utako could not help but marvel at the way the chief had behaved.
On many occasions she had noticed that the chief while talking suddenly drifted off and thereby lost consciousness of those around him. Could it be that the chief knew something about their missing son because the distant look in his eyes that morning made him look like one with knowledge of what was happening. She shook herself out of her daydreaming, how could it be-it can‟t be true that the chief knew something. I had better be careful of what I say before Boma people finish me. But all the same she made a note to discuss her thoughts with her husband any time he returned from the search for their missing son. At least there was no crime in confiding in your husband. The worst that could happen would be a stern rebuke from her husband warning her not to ever allow such foolish thoughts into her head again or else she would get the beating of her life with a scar or two for future remembrance. At the
moment she continued beseeching the Gods that her son would be brought back to her.
Time moved fast, as the villagers began returning home her apprehension rose. Moreover the sun was going down very fast and it will soon be dark and of course no sensible person would continue searching for a missing boy under cover of darkness.
“Oh Rorche! The God of my forefathers do not desert me now” Utako‟s mother prayed.
Shortly, the village search team arrived.
“No news of Utako,” their leader said. They had searched everywhere possible without any trace of the boy.
“We‟ve gone to the river even there no sign existed to show he had been near the river,” Kato added. Utako‟s mother finally lost hope when her husband‟s search team returned without any sign of their son.
“Oh my son, where are you?” she wailed. The floodgates suddenly gave way and she let go another round of wailing. The village women could not take it anymore they all joined in the wailing for Utako.
While his wife wailed at her misfortune, Abokito flanked by friends and sympathizers sat quietly huddled together in a small group.
“Where did we forget to search?” he asked. “Nowhere,” they replied.
“Was he taken by a wild animal or did he drown in the river?” One of the sympathizers wondered aloud.
“If he was eaten by a wild animal at least his clothes would have been discovered,” his father replied. “We‟ve been to the nearby village where he went to buy the condiments the women reported seeing him come and go so he disappeared before reaching the village. I wonder what has befallen Boma village lately” Utako‟s father lamented.
“I‟m at a loss over this type of tragedy that has befallen us,” Kato said.
Another day of intensive searching involving the entire inhabitants of Boma village was mounted again. The men and the women searched all the spots they believed children were likely to play. While the children also were not left out, they too searched all their hideouts in case Utako had fallen down
while playing alone and was unconscious but they all came away empty handed. For good measure another rigorous search was carried out the following day involving the entire village yet Utako was not found. At this point his entire family and his playmates all gave up any hope of finding Utako again. Utako‟s mother was the worst hit as she wailed uncontrollably. Using all kinds of names to plead with her son to come home.
Dejectedly, they all trooped back to the village with the hope that the Gods would do something never seen nor known to any mortal being. While the women and children returned home, the men made their way silently like robots to the village square where they would hold a meeting with the chief to prepare a sacrifice for the Gods.
Tikayo appeared while the men were still talking in little groups of two‟s and three‟s. Flanked by the chief priest and his assistant, Tikayo moved to his usual position to take his seat while the men cut short their discussion and turned their attention on their village chief.
“Men of Boma village I greet you all,” he began. The men responded in return.
“A lot have happened in this once peaceful village…” he said.
“True talk,” Ogadi butted in. “Our children are disappearing without being found. In other cases some are killed mysteriously without any trace of the killer and their bodies are mutilated with vital body parts missing.” At this juncture he paused to let what he had said so far be appreciated. “Now we have a big problem on our hands. It was only three days ago that I was awoken from my sleep only to come out and be told that a child had mysteriously disappeared without any trace while on errand for his mother. The boy as it were turned out to be Utako the son of Abokito one of our great hunter and herdsman. By the way where is my good friend Abokito?” Tikayo asked.
“I am here,” Abokito said raising his hand from where he sat surrounded by five friends. “I am sorry over your son and the inability
of the search teams in finding him,” Tikayo said by way of consolation.
“Thank you chief for your concern,” Abokito said. “These indeed are hard times for Boma village and my family. We‟ve searched everywhere but Utako is now here to be found…”
“What about the surrounding villages anything from them?” The chief priest asked.
“Nothing,” Abokito said shaking his head. “But from the village next to ours it was said that they saw Utako come in and they also saw him leave. I personally spoke with the woman he bought the condiments from and she attested to this fact.”
While the narration continued by Abokito the Boma village chief was nervous over the fact that a careless mistake on his part could give him away as the culprit so it would be better if Abokito was made to stop soon.
“We‟ve searched all the nooks and corners to no avail, right now we don‟t know what else to do…”
“Alright Abokito I feel your pain,” Tikayo said interrupting him from continuing. Actually, this was the opportunity he had eagerly waited for. It was safer that he direct
proceedings lest any of the men be overtaken by an evil thought and venture on to suggest something that could land him in trouble.
“Okay men of Boma village we‟re all aware of what has been happening to our once peaceful village,” Tikayo said, “may the Gods of our forefathers restore peace in our land again,”
“ashey-y-y,” the men chorused.
“But we must do something to arrest this sad development,” Abokito said pausing for a while. They all knew he had more to say and Tikayo listened keenly to hear the next sentence and also watched out for a way to take over proceedings again. “Men of Boma village, we are in perilous times.”
“m-mm,” the men chorused an answer.
“What is life if our children cannot play in their favorite places?” he asked pausing again while the men listened with bated breath. The chief priest raised his face to look at the sky while Tikayo readjusted himself on his seat all the while wishing that Abokito would go on to say his piece and then shut up his big mouth.
“Men of Boma village,” Abokito began demonstrating as he spoke “what is life if our wives cannot send our children on errand anymore? I‟ve never witnessed all these before,” he said gesturing with his hands as he spoke. “Men of Boma village let‟s all stand up and expel the evil that has entered Boma village so that we can return to our normal lives once more, thank you.”
Abokito‟s speech was applauded by all the men in the meeting ground
“Abokito my friend you‟ve spoken well. I yearn for things to be normal again is there any man here that is enjoying what we‟re going through? Tikayo asked.
“No-o-o-o-o,” the men chorused in return, “you see.”
Tikayo continued. “We all want to return to our normal lives, we want our children to be free play freely, run errands for their mothers without fear. Is that not so?”
“Yes that‟s what we want,” the men of Boma village replied disjointedly.
“Good! As your chief I would be failing in my duty if I sit back and watch our children
disappear or die mysteriously and did nothing. After all I have children of my own too so it could be my turn…”
“May our ancestors forbid that,” the chief priest cut in.
“Ashe,” Tikayo said. Looking around him. “That‟s why I summoned this meeting an evil, spirit has descended on Boma village and is attacking the very foundation and the future of Boma village by killing our children – that‟s why I‟ve brought the chief priest of the village to tell us what we shall do to expel this evil spirit from our village”. Tikayo took his seat amidst murmuring and grunting from the men.
“That‟s what I‟ve been itching to hear all this while,” Okuja said. Okuja was a herdsman too but most times he liked to hunt while his son tended the cattle. As could be seen the men of Boma village could not hide their relief over the fact that at last a far reaching solution was on the way. There was no doubt that after the sacrifice was performed the evil spirit that was attacking Boma will not go away.
“Men of Boma village I greet you all,” the chief priest began, “may our ancestors continue to guide and preserve us all from every evil spirit”-
“Asheeee,” the men responded.
“Our chief has told me to perform sacrifices to appease the Gods so that they will drive away the evil spirit that is taking our children,” the chief priest at this juncture paused for a while. “The Gods have been neglected, the Gods of Boma village are angry and hungry too. The people have turned their backs on the Gods of their forefathers and ancestors, hence, they too have turned their backs on the people of Boma village,” the chief priest announced
There was murmuring among the men as they talked among themselves.
“What must we do then to appease the Gods of our ancestors?” Udago asked.
“The people must beg the Gods to for give them for their foolishness and also to cleanse the land of the evil that is disturbing the people, we‟ll offer sacrifices to Rorche the
God of land and protection so that he will protect us from evil…”
“What kind of sacrifices are we talking about?” Tikayo asked.
“Good, at this time tomorrow we shall be resting because we would have finished the sacrifices.”
Very early tomorrow morning all the men of Boma village plus the chief will converge at the shrine of Rorche where the sacrifice will be done. Two cows will be used and then the men present will carry a bowl of blood each to their house and spray round their compounds and then you will dip your finger into the bowl and use it to mark the forehead of your children and wives. The meat from the carcass will be divided among the men. Nobody is to go out tomorrow. The chief priest warned.
With the conclusion by the chief priest, questions were asked and answers given. Satisfied the men rose up to go thus ending the meeting.
Tikayo walked home with the agility of an antelope to most other men he looked like a
man going to visit his newly married wife. If Tikayo was aware of all this he was not perturbed rather he was thinking of how to get his next piece of liver because the craving for that delicious piece of flesh had come on him again and he observed that he lacked the strength or will power to wish it away. Instead he would try to satisfy it. What more with the sacrifices done the people of Boma village will have the illusion that the evil spirit had left their village
“And of course that is when I shall hit my next victim,” he said to himself. Contented with his plans, he walked home just in time as his first wife was putting finishing touches to the evening meal.
“Welcome my master,” she greeted and the children did the same, Tikayo merely grunted and pushing past the children he headed for his hut for a brief rest before taking his evening meal.