WEEK 4 - THE NAMING, Part 2 of 2

"Your madness speaks, I can see it truly.
You’d doom this child to suffer as you.
Why won’t you die and be gone from here?
Relieve this world of your abominable kind!"

The Old Woman struggles to rise to her feet
Composing in her mind a stinging curse
The winds rise first and pound the hut
A reminder from The Gods her time is near

"Bring the child to me," she says at last
Her voice soft and tired and willowy wisp
Little One moves towards the old woman
Cradling preciously the gift from God

Obi grips the girl, causing her to stop
"Wait just a while, she’ll be dead soon."
"Uncle, who are we in the eyes of The Gods?
’Tis they who decree how we must live.

"The dying words of anyone we must heed.
So it is written in the Rules of Us.
Neither you nor I can refuse this wish.
I fear The Gods and their unmerciful wrath."

The old woman chuckles at the child’s wise words
"This family’s beset with fine and precious girls.
But you’d cast them aside in your quest for males.
In this way you toss out jewels in your house."

Obi gives the girl a rough push forward
Little One stumbles, the child almost falling
She gives her uncle a measured look
Then hands the child to the dying old woman

"Whatever you name her know she’s Amaka."
The Old Woman coolly considers her son
"This house will never have a girl called ’Amaka’!
The name is as numerous as locusts in the wind.

You ruin girls besides by dubbing them that.
You amount to naught if named ’Pretty One’.
Except – sit in the sun receiving men’s gifts.
No, you fool, she won’t be called that."

"What then!" Obi shouts, gripping the lamp
The greatest of effort against flinging it
"Name her quickly so we away from here,
With its stinking stench of impending death!"

The old woman ignores her son the fool as
She unfolds with the child and rises to her feet
Obi takes a breath, then two steps back
For he hates more than life his mother face-to-face

"Ife ..." the Old Woman attempts – exhausted
The glitter of death’s sweat beads her face
She sways with the babe from side-to-side
Little One steps up and holds her firmly

"Ife-yinwa?" Obi hopes, stepping back again
"Ife-dika-chi," he continues – wishing still
"Stop! You break my ears with useless noise.
This girl I shall name … IFEGI-OKU!"

"Fathers on high!" Obi utters – horrified
"This thing you speak has never been done!
A girl cannot bear The Warrior’s name!"
The Old Woman howls, shrieking with laughter

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