Under The Full Moon

Moments after, Ego was in her compound staring at the remains after the outbreak of the strange fire. Her kitchen was the only thing left standing. Wasting no time she got into it still firmly holding the bird, sat down on her native stool and began apologizing to the gods.

"My fathers, your daughter is before you to beg for forgiveness. It was wrong and naive of me to have abandoned and maltreated your precious gift. Please have mercy on your daughter and grant my request".

She stood up and raised the bird once more "Nwaza I need money, so I can rebuild the only property Nnanna left for me. I have no other person to request from. Grant my heart d.e.s.i.r.es and let my wish comes to pass". She said then closed her eyes, expecting something extraordinary to occur but after well over seven minutes, to her greatest surprise, the bird did not even poop. Disappointed and frustrated, she brought down the bird and sat back down.

"What could be wrong? Why is this not working? I have carried out every instruction. Yes, I wronged the gods but I have acknowledged my offense and also asked for forgiveness. Why then are they not responding to my request? Still chewing over, the tiny voice whispered into her heart suggesting she convert her request into a song. Ego didn't buy the idea, if it was to be done that way, the old lady wouldn't have left out such vital information. But then again, there is no harm in trying; singing to the gods isn't such a bad idea. After all, they say when praises go up blessing come down.

This was exactly the song Ego came up with and presented to the gods with her crooked voice, while seated and the bird in hand.

Nwaza oh ….. Nwaza!

Nwaza oh ….. Nwaza!

Achoro m ego oh … Nwaza!

Achoro m ego oh … Nwaza!

Meaning - Nwaza I need money oh Nwaza.

Ego was on the third verse of the song, when suddenly there was almost silence like in a graveyard. Everything stood still; it was as if time itself stopped. A cold wind different from that of the harmattan slowly swept through the hut sending shivers up her spine. Few seconds after, there were few dropping sounds like someone was dropping few pieces of stones on top her roof from above. After what seemed like a minute, it increased like the individual was now pouring a bucket full of stones. It poured constantly like this for over five minutes before it went back to a hand full and it kept decreasing till the last one dropped.

These last drops awaken her from the enchantment she went into when the strange wind washed through her face. On her arrival back to reality, Ego saw plenty of cowries like she had never seen in her whole existence scattered on her kitchen floor. At first, it felt like a dream, she had to pinch herself to ensure it was not.

She took up one of the cowries; it was cold, smooth, had porcelain-like shine and more or less egg-shaped. She closed her eyes, rubbed the surface with her index finger to feel its smooth texture. It had a flat under surface with a long, narrow, slit-like opening, which is often toothed at the edges. The narrower end of the egg-shaped cowry shell is the anterior end. It was about 7milimeters in length. This Cypraea moneta is known as "Ayola" by the Igbos. Thirty of these cowries will fetch a sizeable chicken.

Confused; not knowing what to do; say or even where to go, she just fell down on her knees and began weeping bitterly. She shed tears of joy. Who could blame her; in a matter of minutes, she became the ric.h.e.s.t woman in the whole of Nekede.

That very moment Ego's life changed. You know how people say "Someone went from grass to grace or from nobody to somebody"; this was exactly what happened. She overnight grew in wealth above her equals, acquired large farmlands from whoever was willing to sell, offering them twice the amount. Ego knew one basic policy of business "Who pays well is served well"; so she employed experienced farmers and laborers to help her cultivate it, paying them twice the amount any other farm owner was paying. She had her husband's compound enlarged and well renovated. Mounting over ten king sized huts in it with some of her workers occupying the empty ones.

You see that phrase "money rules the world"; well it did not start now. In less than thirteen market weeks Ego's fame rose, making her the most respected and loved woman in the whole of Nekede. And much of this she owes to the elaborate party she threw after the completion of her compound to thank the gods. It was a celebration the people of Nekede didn't forget in a hurry. It was said that over ten cows were slaughtered; all the dignities and lordliness from far and near were all present. People ate and drank to their fill and still had enough to return home with. In fact, it was very similar to when Jesus fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fishes.