FIRST MOVEMENT
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The weather is cold, some women are seen carrying their babies. They run like lion ready to pounce on its prey. Their destination point is at a dilapidated building belonging to Okoro, a farmer in the land of umunze. Every now and then, some children move down in masses to watch, the eagerness, the pleasurable dance of their mothers. The women's dance produces a jolly moment such that few men who are watching them from a distance nod their heads and shake their bodies to the fast rhythmic musical sounds. inside the room lays a bouncing baby boy who has just arrived the world crying. The child's mother, Nneka- fair in complexion- holds the baby tenaciously in cupped hands. She breastfeeds him for a while and layer dresses him up for a naming ceremony. minutes after minutes the women apply white powder on their faces; they dance rhythmically, swaying their hips here and there. few minutes later, the happy women orderly move towards the place where the newly born baby is kept for cultural indoctrination. At the end of the ritualized expressions of happiness, they all come out to the broad compound where discussions are held in groups. Ebere: [ Expresses a surprise]This is a child of destiny he has come to stay. Hasn't he? Chinwe: [answers spontaneously] oh he has! he shall bring succour to his people. Ebere: To the down trodden! To the umunze who have never seen progress in their lives! chinwe: i am hopeful that he shall become a great asset for development in this good for nothing community. Ebere: you have said the truth. Take a look at the road network, power and water supply, school system etc., poverty looms every corner of our community. When shall these inadequacy be over in the land of umunze? Chinwe: [Regrets Exceedingly] we have men who ought to speak in public, but they do not; we have graduates who only end up their academic careers with odd jobs; we have the elderly ones who put blocks on the way of yhe youths such that progress is hard to attain. our visitors are always greeted with thatched houses ready to fall at any slightest moment. Ebere: Both the youth and the aged should soar high like the eagle in order to gain from future dividends. chinwe: [ Adds soothingly] Good! Not to hurt the youths; not to put stumbling blocks on their ways. Ebere: True! nott to hate their family backgrounds. not even to hate the level of their education. If both Tom and Dick understand this life saving and life sustaining message clearly, then immediate progress shall be attained. they return to the topic on the child birth and naming ceremony. Ebere: what a baby boy! when every hope was lost, when all the seers around predicted doom about his conception, the boy defiled all the odds and survived. chinwe: Never go by the predictions of the mouth watering seers we have around us [ she advises and continue]. They keep minds confused and allow those in sheer desperation to wallow in solitary paths. i will never succumb to their mouth-gun shooting. Ebere: [ recalls momentarily] Nine months of restlessness. chinwe: oh yes my good sister. nine months of painful conception. The boy is a gifted child from above. Ebere: [ praise God] my sister god eorks in a miraculous way he wishes them to appear. chinwe: [ interrupts] black and white. Ebere: [Adds].... He fixes every bone and muscle and brings out the baby complete and healthy. Chinwe: Do we have green-complexioned persons? Ebere: i doubt. Chinwe: what of the women who have patches on their skins. why do they have spots? Ebere: the patches you see are as a result of creamy applications. Such women remind God that he didn't create them beautifully. chinwe: ... but they have wounds here and there!. Ebere: yes, that is the consequence of people not contented with their skin pigmentation. chinwe: may God forgive them. Ebere: Now take a look at this newly born baby ,ebony black, pointed nose, well structured physique. chinwe: ... but he is big headed. Ebere: Those who are big headed are naturally intelligent. chinwe: i hope he is not from the three big headed community?(she laughs). Ebere: is that a tease? chinwe: [gives a friendly pat on her back] well, don't get upset; i was only teasing. [ The two discussants rejoin their fellow women who, at present, are singing and clapping] Amara: This is a real celebration over the birth of an African child! That is why it is proudly said thst black is beauty. Matachi: And beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Amara: I stand tall any day, anywhere, to appropriate God for creating me a black person. matachi: And i will be the last person to accept the issue of color bar. Amara: A-h..a..h! Today - black monkeys, tomorrow black devil's, next tomorrow, black maria and all of that. matachi: such provocative wirds that makes the ears to tingle. Amara: Not to worry! our baby has arrived to thwart their discriminatory plans. matachi: [In a wondering bewilderment] How prophetic you sound! is soul among the prophets? Amara: The prophet is without honor in hisd own land. matachi: sorry, I don't mean to deride you!. Amara: have you forgotten in a hurry about my prophetic doom on onyeagwalam two years ago? matachi: May such a prophecy never come our way again. The srconds keep ticking with their corresponding deepening of the night. Looking at the sky, the moon, in its crescent phase, has appeared. The women feel highly elated as they are about to accomplish the last part of their cultural assignment under the benevolent brightness of the moon. okoro comes out from his room, smiling demonstratively. okoro: my "wives" [ he looks round to see their reaction] I thank you for coming to celebrate with us over the birth of our baby. i believe that our child's birth shall bring peace, progress and blessing to the members of our community. while he grows, do not hesitate to flog him. my child is your child and his success. thank you once again. [ he goes back to his room and later presents them with gift]. Ada: is the woman leader. she steps out elegantly pounding her legs heavily on the ground with some traditional songs aimed at enlivening the spirit of her colleagues. she looks at her fellow women and then redirects her eyes on the baby who at present, is carefully lapped on his mothers thighs. she begins to utter some prophetic words on the baby. may your coming be joyful! may darkness cease to exist where you dwell. the sun shall not burn you to death the river shall not overflow you! thousands and millions of people shall honor you! may you live to grow white hair! may the lives of your children and those of your children's children never be cut short! our child, it is well with you! All the women present say a thunderous"amen" at last. as the ceremony is about to be round off, the baby is brought before the women and okoro comes in company of his wife and names him 'Nroma' meaning "Good dream". The woman begin to disperse to their various homes after getting refreshed.
