Footpath

By George C. Izuwa

Footpath is a collection of stories. A fusion of fiction and non-fiction, it is an attempt to use stories to tell a story, the story of life, the Footpath to life.

The book tends to suggest that death is not an end in itself but the beginning of a new life. This means that failure is the beginning of success.

… Chisom is a young Nigerian determined to succeed. He refused to be weighed down by the family’s lean resources. Despite the relative poverty, he managed to acquire tertiary education.

On graduation from the University, he was faced with challenges in his home country. To escape the difficulties, he made attempts to travel overseas. In his efforts to go to the Caribbean, he encountered worse conditions that nearly claimed his life.

The ugly experience put him in a deep reflection which made him to realize that there is life in death, the life that determines life after death.


The Footpath is a new method in story- telling. It’s exciting.
—Ezinwanyi Ray Onwunna

Footpath by George Izuwa is exceptional in approach.
There are many things to learn from it.
—Chimezie Nwanosike.

I am proud to be associated with the Footpath.
—Godson Izuwa.

I absolutely loved this book! It had me laughing and encouraged.
I can’t wait for my friends to read it.
—Afolabi Oluwatoyin Esther.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Africa
• Release date: Nov 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781482802887

George C. Izuwa

The author, Mr. George C. Izuwa, is a Nigerian. He is the author of “Footpath.” The “Footpath” has become an official academic text for Schools in Abia State, Nigeria. The book has passed many reviews, and it is doing very well in African studies.

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Copyright © 2014 by George C. Izuwa.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Appreciation

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

CAUTION

This book is a fusion of fiction and non-fiction. Any similarity in character should be ignored as it is a coincidence and does not in any way portray the personality or organization you may envisage.

FROM THE BEDROCK OF ANCIENT WISDOM

TO THE ZENITH OF MODERN CIVILISATION

I WILL BE KING.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my parents;

Mr. William C. Izuwa formerly W.C. Arungwa

And

Mrs. Harriet N. Izuwa nee Ajuzieogu

APPRECIATION

Hello sister, excuse me. Please, are you not Nnamdi’s sister?

Which Nnamdi?

Nnamdi Onyenma.

Yes, I am.

Can’t you recognize me? George Izuwa, Nnamdi’s friend. I visited your house regularly sometime in the past, at the time you were still in the University.

Okay, I remember. But it is a long time now.

Yeah, I have not been in the country for some time now. How is Nnamdi?

He’s fine.

Where is he now?

He’s in Port Harcourt.

But, you were reading English Language in the University?

I’ve graduated with honours.

What are you doing now?

I’m teaching.

Okay, I’ve got a manuscript I want to publish. Can you help me proof-read it?

How many pages?

I don’t know for sure but not the volume you can’t handle.

Then bring it.

But Sister, I’ve forgotten your name.

My name is Nkiru,

Nkiru Onyenma. Is that right?

Yes.

Thank you, I’ll bring the manuscript tomorrow.

People, I gave out everything. She received all. Today we have a baby girl from the relationship. Baby Kelechi, you are welcome.

My pen has given me life.

What a way to incur debt. To you Mrs. Nkiruka Izuwa, I say thank you.

I remain grateful to Eberechi Arungwa, Okey Nwatu, Omerenma Mbuko, Alex Egbona and Emma Ezeazu.

My appreciation remains deep to Mrs. Angelina Reuben, Mr. Godwin Paul and Godson Anucha. You have been wonderful to me.

To my parents, I present a grandchild.

George C. Izuwa

CHAPTER 1

Po-bi-bi-bi-po,

Po-bi-bi-bi-po,

Po-po- po-bi-bi, po,

Po-bi-bi-bi-po,

Po-bi-bi-bi-po,

Po-po- po-bi-bi, po-bi-bi-bi, po, po,

The sound of the cultural love dance at the village love square, Ukwu Okpu, was still audible at the distance. Chisom had left the square in company of some friends and relatives. His friends who were passing-by came in to say hello to him. He was not in the house when they arrived. He had gone to Ukwu Okpu to participate in the love dance cultural festival. They joined him there. Seeing the event at the square, they had to wait longer than they planned. Having rescheduled their exit for two times, Chisom decided to hasten their departure because Chimezie his cousin was already sunk in the scene before him. He could see that in his eyes.

The scenario reminded Chimezie of Efua his former girlfriend. Efua would always bring dinner for him in a decorative food flask. She will conceal three or four packets of condom, depending on need, in the under pan. While Chimezie ate the food, on the low stool in the room, Efua would dress his bed and lay the condoms on the bed. He is used to chopping up and down. Chimezie has been the man rescheduling their departure.

Now that he is married, to allow him more time on the events of the moment might be risky. Chisom decided to see them off.

They had gone far from the village square when Chisom noticed someone riding a bicycle towards them furiously. It was Herbert Egbelu, the town crier. When he got to where they were, he called him Nwa Dee Nne!

He prefers to refer to Chisom as the son of a respected uncle.

Why are you leaving the square so early? He queried.

No, I only want to see my friends off, replied Chisom.

Herbert was obviously in a hurry. He couldn’t even stop to exchange greetings. He waved as he rode past.

In a loud voice Chisom queried him over the unusual hurry.

Herbert glided on his bicycle and stopped farther behind them. He sat on the bicycle with his left foot on the ground while the right foot rested on the pedal. Chisom approached him.

Dee, you are so much in a hurry, Chisom asked.

What is happening?

Nothing so serious, he answered.

I am only hurrying to go and meet Dee Ebeny and the elders. We need to use this opportunity to announce the crucial Ama’la meeting on the forthcoming Ekeukwu, Herbert explained.

The Ama’la is the governing Council of the Abala village. The decision reached by the Ama’la is final and binding on village members either at home or abroad. The Ama’la is comprised of all the males in the village, who have accepted marriage and or civic responsibility. The village has a need to nominate their representative at the newly constituted Ngwaukwu Traditional Council. The Council is the legislative arm of the Ngwaukwu Autonomous Council. Hence the urgency to use the opportunity offered by the cultural festival to announce to the entire village concerning the crucial meeting in which Abala village would nominate their representative.

The town crier was on duty and in a hurry too. He sped off on his bicycle.

Po-bi, po-bi,

Po-bi, po-bi,

Po-po-po-bi-bi,

Po-bi-bi-bi-po,

Po ...,

Ahala m abu m l’eluoche,

La ke Onyenweaku, l’Oforo.

Ho-o, ho-o, ho-o, ho-o, o-ho,

Ayanma ho-o, ho-o, o-ho,

The voice of Olelewe, the lead singer was very audible from the distance. This man Olelewe has a rich baritone voice. He is a retired traditional wrestler. He was highly rated during his wrestling days. He was the undisputed champion at the time.

Now, he is leading the vocals of a cultural love dance group. He sacked Chisom in his first audition for recruitment into the group. Uzoma his friend was successful. Initially, Chisom thought that you must have a large mouth before you can pass the test. But the success of Uzoma his friend changed that perception. Chisom made a second attempt at the auditioning. He failed again. He gave up. Olelewe is strict, he thought.

Po-gho-bi-bi, po-gho-bi-bi,

Po-gho-bi-bi, po-gho-bi-bi,

Po-gho-bi-bi, po-gho-bi-bi,

Po-po-po-bi-bi, po-bi-bi-bi, po,

Po …

Ikpeazu nganu iku ya aku taa,

Ikpeazu is the one piece multi-drummer. He knows how to get a piece of drum to sound in three different tones. He’ll sit on the drum, place his right heel on the drum skin while the toes grip the ground, he will bend over his knees for a better reach. As he beats the drum with his two hands, he’ll be raising his right heel to suit the sound he wants. His drum is a talking drum of a sort. It dictates the rhythm and the dance steps as well. His artistry combined with that of Olelewe, Onyenwaku, Njoku, Josiah and Nwa’kpa produce the ever captivating, scintillating love tunes of our cherished cultural dance.

The Abala love dance was brought to the village by early church missionaries of the Anglican Communion. The village received and accepted the church missionaries very early in the church history of Nigeria. The missionaries were from Opobo in the Niger Delta. When they arrived, they banished the Ikoro and Ekeravu traditional dance hitherto adopted by the village in her cultural festivals. Those traditional dances according to them were worldly. In their place, they introduced the love dance which they took from their own home grown traditional dance.

The village was lucky to have encountered the missionaries, second-hand; otherwise they would have been playing the rock or orchestra in their cultural festivals.

Ibi-bi-po, ibi-bi-po,

Ibi-bi, ibi-bi, po, ibi-bi-po,

Po-po-po-bi-bi,

Po-bi-bi-bi, po,

Po…

As the drum sounds away, Nwa’da would bend on her waist, elbow bent, arms spread out. She will begin to twist her hip to the left, to the right and to the left and to the right, before rising upright to wave her white handkerchief.

Chisom’s father told him that