EPISODE 5.
She make sure she give the pikin twelve tear-tear triba’
marks, six on the left! six on the right! Ene say, him Mama
say is for proper recognize. She say is when she and her
husband go to work that before they come back from work,
they have do it for her child face. Is pain me too, but I pity
her that term. She cry, cry and cry, so I tell her, if she cry
too much people go thinking that her child have die or
something of that nature. And is the same of what happen
to Ene that can happen to Prisci, if she marry and born for
him. It is their culture.”
The chief nod his head twice in
assimilation. Elder had been on his daughter’s case since
her return from studies in Pretoria , S.A. According to him,
a lady her age without a man was merely wasting.
Sometime ago, she met Séyitän, a Lieutenant colonel
turned stockbroker at a dinner. Séyitän, 27, is calculated
and methodical and asks too many questions. No thanks
to his years of military drilling. At first, she avoided him,
but he kept on stalking her, inquiring about her.
She finally
spoke and tried to explain to him that his questions had
more than one answer. Since then, they had taken to each
other and had several dates, few spa outings, long leisurely
walks and memorable moments together. Still standing
before the chief, all present, could see the passion in their
eyes. Séyitän and Priscilla? Ta! Anyebe thought flicking his
finger in disgust, as the Chief motioned Priscilla to speak
next. “Good afternoon Chief! Good afternoon everyone!
To
be frank, I think Dad is just being hysterical about this
matter. The scarification on my nephew’s face is not a big
deal, we are Africans for God’s sake, some among our
people still have the elili facial marks. I agree that his use
of the whip on Baba was really reprehensible. But that was
then, Séyitän deeply regrets it.
