Skip to main content

OH MAMA AFRICA


The soil of Africa has drunk enough blood of innocent people, all in the name of political and tribal wars. The story of Danladi was one of its ingredients. How I wish the story of my life could be rewritten and started afresh on a clean slate. 
It was a loud scream that penetrated my ears and almost made me deaf. “Who are they? She asked herself. Danladi was totally lost and confused because it was dark. She ran towards the one and only window in the house to see what the problem was. He heard the ground vibrating like a battalion of soldiers marching on a parade ground. “Jesus!” She exclaimed. There and then, he knew that the worst was about to happen. “What is it Mama?” He asked his mother. He tried moving to the window to see for himself but she drew him from behind, holding the collar of his shirt like a fierce lion holding its prey. He was lucky to fall by the side of the bed. “Where do you think you are going?” She asked him. 
She carried her big mortar and placed it on the door as if it would prevent one gaining entrance into their house. There were cries of sorrow and pain outside.
A few minutes later, three heavy knocks were heard on the door. “Open the door,” the angry voice said. Danladi could hear the sound of his heartbeats. He saw the way his mother was shivering in fear and confusion. She took and hid him inside her big box. He nearly suffocated and was tempted to come out but he had no choice than to remain there because the last order from her before closing the box was: “Don’t come out until I say the contrary!”
Danladi overheard how the door was forced opened. “Where is your husband? One of the men asked. “My husband is dead long ago!” The poor woman replied. “Okay, you don’t want to tell us where he is. Don’t worry, we will give you what we supposed to give him,” another different voice said. 
“When you get there, send our greetings to him,” the voice said. “Please don’t kill me. If you kill me, who will looked after my son for me?” She cried aloud. “Oh! You even have a son. Where is he?” 
Things were be thrown here and there, like one angrily searching for a missing item. They were searching for Danladi. Luckily for him, they never came close to the box where he was.
 “Bullet finish her let us go, there is no time to waste” the voice said.
Later, the whole room was quiet. The sound of the gun vibrated the entire house. He decided to go against the order. He forced himself out, only to see his mother, lying on a pool of blood. Her hands were still shaking. As he moved close to her, she stretched her left hand and held him on his thigh. “Son I love you.” These were the last words Danladi heard from his mother before she gave up the ghost.
OH MAMA AFRICA YOUR CHILDREN ARE MOURNING

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MY CULTURE, MY SORROW

MY CULTURE, MY SORROW Finding herself on the horns of a dilemma, pushed to the wall by her present condition, and tempted to take the painful path, Egwi regretted having parents from there and being born in that culture. She has been married for over ten years without given birth to any child. Although to Ebeka, her husband, it was not a serious issue but to her in-laws, it was really a war, which made her family and that of her husband to be in a battle of wits. The wars from both families were really weighing on her but she could not do otherwise. She had tried everything possible to remedy the situation as if the fault was hers but all her efforts proved abortive. This was her condition for nine years since she came into that family. Ebeka being a man of understanding and friendly in nature, he followed the situation in a diplomatic way. However, to his mother, he was seen as nothing but a coward and a shameless he-goat. His mother really needed children to be call...
6 comments
Read more

Life is all about service

I NEVER KNEW             For years, he has been jobless after studies. One fateful morning he received a text message for a job, something he has been longing for years. On the appointed day of the interview, John set off for the journey.           He bought his ticket and boarded a bus. After some kilometres, arriving at a particular spot, the driver had to drive slowly due to pot holes around. Suddenly a loud sound was heard behind the bus. What happened? The two back tires bust. John knowing full well that time was not with him took an alternative. He boarded a car that would take him out from were they were to a place where he could find a better means of continuing his journey. The car drove for about 20km and halted. There John finally boarded another bus for his final destination.           While on his way, the thought...
4 comments
Read more

Ije Uwa moooooo

THE PATH TO HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT The harmattan was totally something else. The wind was dry and dusty. The poor woman came back with a plastic bag in her left hand. “ Welcome Mama,” Tekwe said as he collected the bag from his mother. He was amazed at what he saw. He knew well that they had no domestic animals or ruminants around in the compound. “What is she going to do with these cassava leaves?” He asked himself but was unable to find an answer. They all sat in front of two bowls. He opened the first bowls, lo and behold what Tekwe saw were the cassava leaves, cooked in the form of vegetable soup. There was total silent. Later, his sister Zima asked: “Mama, what happened? These are cassava leaves. They are meant for goats.” Tears were dripping down from their mother’s eyes. Tekwe was speechless. The poor woman started eating, with the thought that her children would join her but they could not. He took only three small lumps of the foufou and that was all for him, he...
3 comments
Read more