Drums of Sunrise

By Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe

This book is a product of articulate and reflective exploration of facts about a typical pre-Christian Igbo community, Umuabali, characterized by some heinous practices, such as the worship of many deities and the Osu caste system. Through the advent of Christianity, there was a transition from Umuabali (children of darkness) to Umuihe (children of light). I praise the reflective and imaginative prowess of the author in this epic. I therefore recommend this masterpiece to all who wish to understand how Christianity can bring light to our darkened world by beating the Drums of Sunrise.
Rev. Fr. Paschal Chiekezi

Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe has in this novel, Drums of Sunrise, disclosed his intellectual identity, personality, capacity, potentiality, and prowess in creative writing. The novel teaches love, hard work, dedication, perseverance, humility, patience and discourages pride, egotism, vainglory, and deceit. I recommend that this book be made compulsory for all students. I also recommend it to the public. It is a must-read for every home. I congratulate Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe for the job well done.
Dr. (Mrs.) Nma Olebara (FCAI)

Drums of Sunrise is a captivating story set in Southeastern Nigeria during the pre-Colonial era of the 1890s. Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe has, in his debut, presented us with an insight into the African-Igbo society, a people who share their life from their culture and later embraced Christianity by the coming of the white men. This moment became a turning point in their life. I praise the authors creativity and therefore recommend this book to the general public.
Chief (Mrs.) Theresa Okonkwo

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504948647

Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe

Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe was born in Southeastern Nigeria in 1996. He is a native of Umuonyeali Mbieri in Mbaitolu LGA of Imo State, Nigeria. He is an alumnus of Assumpta Minor Seminary, Naze, and St. Peter Claver Seminary, Okpala Imo State, Nigeria. He is a member Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). He enjoys reading, writing, and teaching. “Drums of Sunrise” is his debut novel.

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© 2015 Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/03/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4865-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-4864-7 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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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.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY BELOVED PARENTS,

MR. JOSEPH IFEANYI IGBOKWE

AND

MRS. EUNICE ADAKU IGBOKWE.

My pride, my heroes,

Ndi Chukwu mere eze.

Ihe dika unu akokwala m.

FOREWORD

A Person can learn various arts and put them into practice.

Notwithstanding, the art of writing can be mastered but it cannot be practiced when and if the passion to write is not there. Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe has in this novel ‘Drums of Sunrise’ disclosed his intellectual identity, personality, capacity, potentiality and prowess in creative writing. The author used simple English in his narration.

I thank God that we are having people who are following the footsteps of Late Prof. Chinua Achebe, a winner of liquefied Natural Gas (L.N.G) for creative writers in the making. This book has a great message for our children and families, especially those who are still calling God’s creatures outcasts. We are all one in unity with Jesus Christ.

It teaches love, hard work, dedication, perseverance, humility, patience and discourages pride, egotism, vainglory and deceit. I love to recommend that this book be made compulsory for all students. I also recommend it to the public. It is a must read for every home. I congratulate Sixtus Chetachi Igbokwe for the work well done.

DR. (MRS.) NMA OLEBARA (FCAI).

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The rising of the sun has been a very beautiful scenario for me from childhood. When I was younger, I would wake before the cockcrow and sit beside my grandmother’s hut, to watch the sunrise.

It created a nice scene for me as I gazed into the sky wondering how possible it is for the sun to hang on the sky. My father had once told me that the sun did not make any special effort to hang on the sky perhaps the gods were in the best position to deliberate on its state.

The singing of the birds was another sight attraction for me as they flew across each palm tree in our small African compound. My mother, on her own path equally told me when I was younger that the early birds catch the worms but there is no food for the lazy ones.

I am an African and a true son of the soil. On the tips of my finger lies the entire scenario of life in an African-Igbo society. Yes, I’m saying that, as an African I am in the best position to tell the tale of an African society from sun rise to sunset.

I therefore enjoin you all to beat the ‘Drums of Sunrise’.

SIXTUS CHETACHI IGBOKWE

Chapter 1

Today’s sun is pale, and it is believed that the pale sun brings the rain. The women of Umuabali were already gathering their goods to be taken to the market, because it is an Eke Market day. Umuabali clan is the citadel of power among the various communities with which they share a common ancestry. Not only is that the capital clan, it also enjoys unchallenged primacy because no king comes out of the kingdom if not from Umuabali. Ani, the gods of the earth, and Amadioha, the gods of thunder, are believed to have made this rule more than twenty decades ago.

The role of Ani is far more than being a mere deity of the earth. In the Igbo belief, Ani is the custodian of customs and tradition, of fertility, and of public morality. Ani brings a lot of blessings to his worshipers and exposes an evildoer by bringing him to judgment. Igwekala, the gods of the skies, sanction Amadioha to strike anyone who commits an abomination. Victims of Amadioha punishment are not mourned because it is believed that Amadioha rightly punished them for atrocities to either their fellow human beings or to the gods.

The popular Ekeogu Market (which is in honor of Eke, the gods of benevolence) is situated at the center of Umuabali clan. The market operates only on Eke Market days, and it attracts hundreds of people, even those from the neighboring communities. The villagers have divided the market into two, leaving a bigger portion for the Diala to which most of them belong. A smaller portion was left for the Osu people, who are segregated because it is believed they were dedicated to the gods as slaves. They do not intermarry, and they are not conferred traditional titles. Anything contrary to this is regarded as abominable. Surrounded by these circumstances, most of the girls from Osu families remain unmarried and are stressed up till death.

Obianuju is a beautiful young girl from Umuabali clan. She was one of the few maidens who was remarkable for her hard work. She crowned this with her ability to dance well in the village square, which earned her a