Chapter 18

Jesse playlist

I will Trust you

Pastor Paul Eneche

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  Ikuku the great priest of oshimiri was restless and angry ,the sacred calabash he used to monitor the rituals of the masquerades has been broken,in the spiritual realm the clouds had turned so dark that it weeps,few of the sacred masquerades had been sent to the land of the dead by the stranger .

Ikuku was quite aware of the confusion that had been happening in the community since the arrival of the stranger ,if he didn't do anything sooner his god would be shamed and disregarded,he knew he was too weak that was why he needed to speed up the coronation ritual of his eldest son Ikenna  as the new high priest of oshimiri.

"Father I have come with answers" Obike deep voice boomed as he entered the shrine,his eyes as dark as that of his father,his Nzu feet was dirty ,Ikuku could see clearly that his younger son was as restless as he was which made him wonder what oshimiri saw in Ikenna ,his worthless prodigal son when he had obike a devout and loyal son.

Left for Ikuku if it was in his power to choose his next of kin,Obike was a better option,he deserved to carry the staff of Ikuku, they both had a striking resemblance , Obike reminded him of his boyhood exuberance ,how he had been the pride of his father and grandfather who had held the staff before him .

"Yes son speak what the summoner had said"

"That woman whom my brother calls wife has a  child and that child is a great threat to oshimiri" Obike spoke vehemently his chest dancing

" Ha ha ha"Ikuku gave a sadistic laugh "I am sure it is not that harmless chicken Ikenna gave birth to,she can't even hurt a fly like father like daughter"

"No not her father,they abandoned another child,ikenna was prepared for this battle from the onset" the mention of his brother throws him into a fury.

"There is this little fly that has perched on my scrotum I can easily blow it away with a little wind ,he broke my sacred calabash and had sent many of our masquerades to the land of no return, the strange powers he has had killed oshimiri well fortified masquerades"

"Father send me so I can finish this said tiny fly off with my bare hands" Obike bragged as he bowed low with one knee to the ground.

Ikuku laughed,his sadistic laughter echoed around the shrine  then he beat his chest hard making aggressive incantations.

"I am Ikuku, the son of ike whose father was the great ikenga,I am the high priest of Oshimiri , I hold the staff of oshimiri, who is this little boy that had dared to turn me and my god into a laughing stock"

Ikuku spoke ferociously shaking his staff .

"Speed up the festival for the coronation ,in seven days time Ikenna shall be crowned the high priest of oshimiri ,he shall hold this staff and do more exploits than his father, he shall turn all to dust who had been disloyal to oshimiri, war has been declared" ikuku hit the staff to the ground as a mighty wind dance around them and disappeared into the air.

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         There was a mighty wind that blew round umumiri the night before,it had stolen the roof of peoples houses,pillars that had loosed its potencies had collapsed to the ground,the trees had whirled and whipped singing along with the angry wind,that day became a bitter harmattan as the whole community felt the cold presence of Ikuku ,they were only surprised to be left unscathed.

The community had been placed on turmoil, as many of them trooped first thing in the morning to pay homage to oshimiri shrine.

Pastor Jesse knew the wind was not ordinary,he had left for the church early that morning to see to see if the roof was still intact and indeed it was still standing firm despite the strong wind.

Jesse noticed as people trooped in and out of one particular direction with different items life animals like goats, fowls, maize,palm fruits he was lost at what was going on and had decided to follow them.

He found himself in a huge compound filled with different people as they ventured into a particular pathway individually or with family members.

Everything about the compound represented the word diabolical,the trees was dusted red and black snails shell tied to it dried human skull hung proudly at the entrance of the compound with two horns of cow crossed to it,it was used as an emblem ,Jesse felt strange been there,he was standing right at the temple of oshimiri.

"You have come to pay homage to oshimiri with nothing" A young one eyed man asked looking at Jesse like he had gone insane.

Jesse looked at the man too amused as the said man held two live fowls in his hands.

"Am I suppose to come with something" Jesse asked the one eyed man

"Look Everyone that gives to oshimiri ,gets a gift in return " he pointed at the small shell that hung on every person neck that had come out of the shrine.

"And what's that"

"Protection "the one eyed man looked at Jesse again he looked annoyed" if the wind that blew last night had brought down your house, you won't find  this funny at all"

" you all fear a god that brags of nothing and holds nothing to its name,Oshimiri is just a name"Jesse said wanting to convince the man.

"Even the walls have ears to talk more of oshimiri,I pity you" the one eyed man replied him then with a slight frown asked Jesse 

"are you not the stranger that had been causing confusion in this community"

"I am pastor Jesse ,I do not come to cause confusion but to tell this village about Jesus no other power is as great as his,why do you pity me"

"You just blasphemed against oshimiri, the most feared god in umumiri, I hope you live to see the next day"

"What is your name sir"

"Nnamdi" the one eyed man replied amazed at the audacity  of this stranger

"Oshimiri is terrified because it has lost against a more higher power,when you have no where else to seek help Nnamdi, Jesus is right here waiting for you to accept him"

Jesse said to the man and then walked out of the place unfettered by the wind that danced around him,in his heart he wept for the lost souls that trooped in and out of the shrine.

Thank God the crusade was set to happen in seven days time he hurriedly walked back to the church,he was late for today's programm.