THE UNKNOWN HANDS (EPISODE FOURTEEN)

...What actually brought great joy to my heart in all our discussions along that narrow footpath was that, the man promised to assist me in every way possible. He disclosed how my father too had been of tremendous help to him in his time of need and only regretted that their friendship had ended the way it did. I was happy that if the man would keep his promise, I would not have to wander about aimlessly.

Indeed, when I arrived at his compound, I was stunned at the kind of welcome I got. It was quite contrary to what I had expected and my fears were put to rest. Even at my age, I had realized how fastidious women could be, especially with anything they did not agree with. And their frowns could, as a matter of fact, change the hearts of many a man. I could not imagine even my own mother accepting a total stranger into her household while she was alive and I had thought I was going to be rejected by those women. But the experience was quite different, for, almost immediately the man had explained who I was and my reason for being there to the two of them, they received me with open arms, even going as far as giving soothing words to make me feel at home. My host and I were served a well-prepared meal of pounded yam and bush-meat which I found particularly enjoyable.

Baba Fatokun had five sons, three of them, Goroye, Adeku and Shatola being somehow within my age-group while the other two, Adigun and Gbile, were quite older but readily joined us in our moon-games. He also had three daughters, including a set of twins, Ejire and the last born, Idowu.

Though just two years old, Idowu was a girl I loved having around me all the time. I loved listening to her funny childish remarks which I found quite amusing. She would not cease to complain about her paternal grandmother who was also living with them. The woman was toothless, wrinkled with age and was usually chewing her tongue like most aged people. Though very old, Iya Agba as she was fondly called was never idle. She was an expert cloth weaver whose hands were usually busy with one weaving activity or another. Her major area of specialty was the “aso-oke”, the embroidered traditional fabric of varying colors and patterns worn on social occasions. It was interesting watching the old woman engage in what she enjoyed doing most.

The traditional weaving process is a very complex one. It starts with the gathering of raw cotton, and separating the seed from the lint. The lint is then made into thread used in weaving by what is called a spindle and through the process of spinning. In almost every compound, was erected a weaving gadget, the loom. The thread or wrap are arranged vertically on the loom while the weft are in horizontal position. The weft is interlaced with the wrap with the use of a shuttle and is rammed into position with an instrument called the beater. As Iya Agba was engaged in all these processes, she would not cease chewing her tongue and Idowu would think she was eating something.

“Iya agba refused to… to be continued on Thursday

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