THE UNKNOWN HANDS (FINAL EPISODE)

STORY SERIES

...I have since settled down to a new lease of life. There is nothing more enjoyable than having a very understanding woman as a wife. Aduke has shown herself to be a perfect example of a good woman. Shortly after my arrival home, I had ordered the building of

new structures at the back of my father’s compound even though the old ones were left untouched. I purposely reserved them in remembrance of my loving parents, to keep the memories of them evergreen.

Within three years of our stay together, Aduke has given me two sets of twins and has remained loyal even though I had taken on two more wives. One thing I have come to learn about women is that all one needs to keep them in permanent calm is money. A rich man can conveniently manage ten women under the same roof while a poor man will always be met with stiff difficulty in trying to keep his only wife in check, unless God helps him.

At first I had felt that Aduke alone was enough as a wife for me but I was later to discover that she was always too over saddled with work especially on the farm. Besides, at Orija, any wealthy man who keeps only one wife is considered selfish and greedy, unwilling to make his wealth felt by others. But marrying many wives is not all that it takes. One has to maintain an atmosphere of love and harmony within his family for, any serious quarrel between wives is frowned at. The family of such a man would ridicule as his warring wives would be flogged round the village as a deterrent to other families.

In the scheme of things, I did not forget all those who had been good to me at one time or another in my journey through life. First among them was Goroye. I had met him in a very terrible condition, with his only wife threatening to leave him. The woman had even packed her belongings away to another man’s house. It was the same unsavory experience with every struggling man. But, I was able to ensure that things changed for the better for him. I gave him one of my mats and even before my very eyes I noticed too marriageable girls who were ready to marry him, even on the same day.

God has actually fought for me. Even before my arrival back at Orija, Pa Lapite had gone mad and all on his own walked away, no doubt God’s judgment on a wicked man. His children however had come around to welcome me home and I had been glad to see them as well as to help them in every way I could. I am not without my own problem though. No matter how scorching a sun is, there will be some little dark cloud just as every cloud has a silver lining. No matter how blissful one’s life might be, it certainly has its turbulent period. At times while walking, I am usually haunted by the fear that the unknown hands are after me again, wishing to take me back to the forest. This feeling occurs many a time when I am on the way to my farm, and I would feel like having someone tie my shoulder somewhere so that those fierce hands would not have any hold on them.

It was because of this problem that I journeyed back to Alabidun to see baba Kanako again. Unfortunately the man had died but the person who had succeeded him has assured me that I was as safe as air, having passed all the spirit’s tests of endurance.

He also told me that having eaten all the grains of the crying-monster, no human being could overpower me in any way unless that man was ready to die. “Entertain no fear of any kind. No evil from any man can befall you again. He who shakes the stumps shakes himself. The fire intended to roast the vulture succeeds only with another bird. The warbler that invokes rain carries the burden on its own head…”

But I must confess to you that in spite of these guarantee, I am still full of fears. I am forever grateful to Eledumare for crowning all my sufferings with success.

If a masquerade dances for twenty years with neither money nor body of admirers to show for it, then, such masquerade should be ignored and abandoned, and people’s attention and affections diverted elsewhere. Through and through, I had come to realize that no matter whatever happens, God does not leave his own people to suffer. His name be praised.

THE END!!!

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