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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 February 2024
They survived. Malaria that attacked each person at least once in every three months. They survived. Drinking water from the muddy brown pond which served as the community's source of water; water that had guinea worm eggs which matured into live worms as they entered the human system. They survived measles, whooping cough, and countless cases of flu brought about by lack of immunization. They survived under-nutrition and a heavily carbohydrate-based diet. Egg was for adults, and any child that was raised eating eggs would steal in the future. They survived. Eating rice and stew only on Sundays. Because Sunday was a special day and they were a Christian family that went to church. After church, Mama would make rice and stew with tripe of cow and hides and skin. As the ‘things’ within the stew were shared according to seniority, you dared not choose out of turn or eat yours immediately. You wore the ‘towel’ on your finger and ran out to show other children the great feast that happened in your home. They survived the chiggers that burrowed into their shoeless feet as they did the ‘five-kilometre’ trek to their school and back every day. As Mama tenderly cut open the affected toe to pick out the flea, she rubbed hot sizzling oil into the wound and put a plaster on it. That foot must be protected from stones and from getting contaminated. Many a child died from tetanus infection. They survived poverty. So how did they not survive running the same prosperous business they had both contributed to nurturing?
They enjoyed the moonlight games and the tropical rains. They would run into the rain naked, glad that they could have a full bath without the hassle of fetching the water. They felt the biting wind and cold of the harmattan season when one would stand for several minutes wishing the cold water could miraculously turn to warm water before using it to bathe. But bath in the cold water, they must. So they began by testing a little with the feet and working up gradually to the head. That is if Kachi or Ogeri didn't mischievously pour some ice-cold water on them from behind.
Uche and Azu were born eight years apart to Papa and Mama Mkpume. Uche was the older. Between them were two sisters; Kachi and Ogeri.
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