“Mama, please I want you to accompany me to my Uncle’s house.”

“What are you going to your uncle’s house to do and why do you need my company. Don’t you know that way to his house anymore?”

“I want to go and apologize to him”

“What are you apologizing to him for?”

“Mama please calm down and listen to me. I am sorry for all my actions in the past. I am sorry for disobeying you; my mother. You warned me but I did not listen to you. Please forgive me.”

“Ikenna you have not answered my question. Why do you want to apologize to your uncle. Is it that you no longer need the money he took, after selling your land?”

“Those things were lies. Nnamdi deceived me. Such never happened. He has confessed that he made up the lies to cover his tracks.”

“You are speaking in parables. I don’t understand you,” my mum told me.

“Nnamdi advised my uncle to defraud me. He wanted to buy two lands from us and pay for one. Then he and my uncle will share the money for the remaining one. My uncle refused. That was why he told me lies.”

“And you believed him. It was supposed to be his word against that of your uncle but you chose to believe a stranger. I even warned you, but you refused to listen. Now that you have succeeded in eating what is keeping you awake. Please go and sleep. Never you get me involved in a matter that does not concern me. You knew where you took your bathe, go there and collect your wrapper. John was your special adviser then, please contact him now.”

My mother stood to leave but I quickly got up and held her.

“Mama please forgive me. Don’t abandon me. I know I have really offended you please temper justice with mercy.”

After much pleadings, my mother agreed to go with me to plead with my uncle. When we got to my uncles house, he was sitting in front of his house. As soon I sighted him, I felled flat on my face and cried out.”

“Father I am back. Flog me, beat me, wound me do anything you want to do but at the end, please forgive me. I had been a prodigal son. It is only a prodigal son that tramples on the love his father bestows on him. It is only a prodigal son that invites outsiders to judge a case between him and his father. It is only a prodigal son that calls his father a thief. If I was not a prodigal son, I wouldn’t forget that those people I told that my father was a thief would turn around to call me the son of a thief. Father please forgive me. Take me back. By the grace of God, I will never cause you pain again.”

My uncle came to meet me. He held me and helped me stand to my feet.

“Son welcome back home.” He held me and took me into the house.

“Ikenna my son. Welcome back ones again. I am so happy that this happened in my life time. I have been praying that God should help you to retrieve the wrong steps you were taking. He has answered my prayers. All thanks to him.”

“Nnayi please I am sorry for everything that happened. Nnamdi deceived me.”

“I knew that something was wrong. I knew that the villagers soiled your mind against me. I am aware of the level of love and trust you have for me. That was why I wondered what they could have told you that made you suddenly turn against me. But now that you mentioned Nnamdi , I am no longer surprised. I knew he could go to any length to ensure that his secret is secured. I was sitting at the place you saw me earlier when Nnamdi came. I offered him chair and we started a discussion.

“Nnayi I heard that you want to sell land,” Nnamdi asked me.

“Yes the land actually belongs to my son Ikenna.”

“Why will Ikenna be selling lands while his mates are buying. I am really disappointed in that your nephew.”

“Ikenna had never sold land in the past. It was just circumstances beyond his control that necessitate this. The money needed is so much. I cannot afford it. My children could only raise a little fraction.”

“It is true Nnayi . I heard about the stolen car he bought. This is the result of following bad gang. I had been advising Ikenna but he would never listen.”

“That’s okay. The most important thing now is to settle the case. After wards we can apportion blame. Do you want to buy the land?

“ Yes Nnayi my brother is interested in buying the land, but I also brought a deal. I want you to sell that Ike’s big land at ofeiyi to my brother. He will pay. Then, I will give you a half payment for another plot of land. The money is yours. We will tell Ike that the money my brother paid for the big land is for both lands. We will ensure that Ikenna’s mother will be around when the negotiation is made. That will clear every doubt. I will insist that what we are buying is the 2 lands. With the situation on ground, Ikenna’s mother will surely give her consent.”

“Nnamdi I have heard you. You may take your leave.”

“It’s alright Nnayi but when should I come for us to complete the discussion.”

“There is no need for you to come back. We never had any discussion take note of that.”

“but Nnayi…”

“I say leave before I go inside and bring cutlass!’’

“Hei! “ my mother exclaimed

“That was the encounter I had with Nnamdi. Immediately he left, the issue was erased from my mind. Of course I had better things to think about.”

“Nnayi, I am so sorry for everything I put you through. I have learnt my lesson in a hard way. I promise you that by the grace of God nothing will come in between us again.”
*********

I know that at this point, you are seriously wondering who made me go through all that I suffered, since it was neither Nedu nor my uncle. Don’t worry I can’t end this this story till I let you know. The shocking aspect was that it was someone I never thought of.

Watch out for the next episode.