Opana – Episode 82

Opana – Episode 82
© Akoto Alexander
Later On.

Village Chief’s Palace:

Okyeame Amoah: Nana please your people are here, please talk to us.

Nana Odotobri: My people and wise elders, I greet you all this morning. I summoned all of you here to my palace because I am extremely sad this morning and I want all of you to be my witness to the sad news I was told some moments ago by this youngmen. The news is too much for me to comprehend so I deem it needful for everyone to come and listen to what will transpire here in my palace. Youngmen do us to honors and repeat to everyone here what you told me earlier on.

Okyeame Amoah: Youngmen, you heard what Nana said, so over to you.

Skido: Thank you Nana, may you live long, may your reign be successful forever and may God continue to shower you with the wisdom he gave to king Solomon. Nana this man standing next to me is wicked and should not be allowed to live amongst men. He is ill-mannered, selfcentered, selfish, greedy and evil, if not for the fear of God I will say he is behind every calamity that befalls this very village. Sometime ago, he came to us to ask for our assitance to do some job and listening to the details we declined because we knew the purpose of that job was going to be diabolic. We tried to talk him out of it but he was bent on doing it so we decided to monitor his movement so that when he tries to execute his evil plans, we will catch him in the act. At dawn this morning this monster unleashed his plans but we were not fast to catch him, before we got closer to him he had executed his plan already.

Opanyin Danso: Youngman, you have been talking at length and I have been listening to you carefully, you have been talking all this while calling the man next to you names but haven’t said anything constructive. What you have only succeeded in doing is to paint the man black but you haven’t said anything objective, it looks like you have caught a bird and secretly and successfully plugged all its feathers and you are coming to ask us what bird it is?

Opanyin Tuffour: You have said my mind Danso, this youngman has only been beating about the busy without saying anything to us. If this is the reason why you made Nana to summon us here, then am going to be very angry with you.

Obaapanyin Animwah: I tottaly disagree with you Danso and Tuffour, the youngman has been speaking in parables and he expects us as elders to know where he is coming from and going. You two are farmers and I believe you always pray to God through our gods to give you rain when you plant just for you to get a great harvest. Has it ever occurred to you the kind of prayers a coffin maker will say to God? If he wants to prove his innocence to me and everyone here then, he has to swear before our oracle. If he survives after that, I will personally apologise to him for not believing his innocence from the start.

Opanyin Kusi: Bham!!! Ah obaapanyin you have proven to me how wise you are and am not surprise you are the only female who represents the women in this palace. If Agya Ansah wants to prove innocent here, one thing and I mean only that thing can prove to us that he is innocent and that is for him to swear before our great oracle “pataangye”. After 5minutes of that, if he is still alive then he has been vindicated.

Okyeame Amoah: Opanyin Ansah you have heard our wise elders who represent our various clans, are you ready to swear before “pataangye” the instant god of justice?

Opana: (fearsomely rejects the offer) Nana and my wise elders, some of you here know me to be a strong Presbyterian in this village. My bible and christian believe kicks against me swearing and not only that, bowing or going before another god to worship or do anything there. Am sorry your highness, for this offer alone I beg of you to make it pass me by. (this statement throws the palace into a disarray mood)

Meanwhile Mike and Henrietta had gone to meet his mom and sister at the airport and on their way to the village all the radio stations were talking about one thing.

Akua Yankey: Ghana is really hot but why is every radio station talking about the same issue.

Driver: Madam I learnt the police together with the Interpol has arrested one of the world’s most wanted drug lord and his accomplices just in one night. Honestly this shake up in the Ghana Police Service has brought massive changes into the system, I heard the new appointed Regional Commander is an action and no nonsense man. Since he came, the MTTD police officers who use to disturb and take money from us on the road have stopped and when you report a case, immediately you see the police acting to it. Infact a new air is blowing in the city and everyone is happy and secured when you step out at night.

Akua Yankey: Oh that is good news, you know it’s the same thing back in the States. The police are very effective and friendly, it’s good the new Regional Commander has inculcated that into his men and I hope other commanders will do same. May God bless that man and his men and their families.

Michael Ansah: Mummy now you are sounding like an American citizen.

Akua Yankey: I know right but my son you really have taste for quality things, you are the type that is sent to the market because you will come back with something nice. My dear I have endorsed and approved of your relationship with my son, now you are my daughter and I can’t wait for the day my son will walk you down the aisle. I think you are the only thing God did on the seventh day but the bible was silent on that because the writers didn’t want any hatred or jealousy to take place on earth.

Henrietta Barnor: (feeling shy) Mummy am flattered with your praises, I now see where Mike took his words from.

Akua Yankey: You have not seen or heard anything yet, wait till you meet his dad my husband. You will rather fall for him when you get to meet him but that man is only meant for me. (releases a big laughter)

Driver: Boss are you okay? I can see you are not yourself, should I increase the air condition power?

Michael Ansah: (feeling uncomfortable and slight strangling on his neck but pretends all is well) Oh that will be great as my mom was even saying Ghana is hot. Please if you see any stopover or resturant on the way please stop so that I can ease myself. It seems the drink I took earlier on didn’t go well for my stomach.

Akua Yankey: Son are you alright? Should we stop at any pharmacy we spot on our way?

Michael Ansah: You worry too much mummy, I will be alright. Your son is now a man so certain things shouldn’t catch your attention.

Akua Yankey: Youngman listen, no matter how tall you are, you are still my baby and you will remain my baby all your life.

Bernice Ansah: Sweet mother for life.

Back at the Village:

The Chief’s Palace:

Nana Hemaa: So you made Nana summon us so you can make fun of the entire village erh? This whole thing doesn’t make sense to me, is this witch hunting or it is for real? The person infront of us is someone I have known for long and he is an honourable person so why are you tarnishing his image? Who is paying you to drag the man’s name into the mud?

Nana Odotobri: Youngman, as you can see, my elders are eager to know the matter on ground. Beating about the bush won’t help so hit directly on the nail so we all gathered here will know what you said you saw this morning.

Skido: Nana, wise elders of this peaceful village and the noble citizen of this village, I and my friend here saw this man pouring poison into the river that we all drink from. (villagers start murmuring amongst each other).

Eno Bruwaa: So this wicked man will never change from his evil ways? Today God has thrown his light on him, Nana must banish him from this village because the more he stays in our midst, the more he corrupts our youth.

Awo Mansa: My sister don’t be quick to judge, how sure are you about what the youngman just said? Let’s wait and listen to the man’s version.

Kojo Bruce: God has punished you today, I mistakenly splashed water on him with my brother’s bicycle one Sunday morning when he was going to church, can you imagine he seized the bicycle and sent it home. I and my family members pleaded with him several times but he never gave us a listening ear.

Kofi Yesu: Is he that wicked? I thought he was a nice man.

Kojo Bruce: Guy that adjective is nowhere in his dictionary. He is as wicked as the word wicked, you when we see any of his apprentices, we will ask them how he treats them at his workshop.

Kofi Yesu: Me I don’t believe you people, this man looks too honurable to me so you guys should stop dragging him to the mud.

Okyeame Amoah: Let there be silence, Nana wants to talk.

Nana Odotobri: My people and elders, one of the youngmen who brought our celebrated coffin maker in this peaceful village has spoken. As you know, we don’t judge a matter or situation listening to one side of the story, Mr Ansah, I know you are a noble, hardworking and respected man in our village, you have heard the allegations the youngmen have tagged you with, what is your take on the matter?

Opana: (plays smart and starts to cry) Your highness, may you live long, may anyone who wants your downfall, live to see your greatness and may all your enemies fall and die in your presence. As you rightly said, am a hardworking, noble and well respected by the young and old, am equally law abiding. My lord there is a saying that when the lazy man sees his fellow man excelling with his hardwork, hatred and enviness steps in. Your majesty and your wise elders, please oooo, if I may ask, why would I poison the source of the drinking water of this village? Your majesty, do you think I can be so mean and wicked that I will do such thing? As a father and a family man, what will be my reason for doing that and what do I stand to gain? (takes handkerchief from his pocket and wipes his tears then looks up and shakes his head).

Atongo: Liar! Liar!! Liar!!! You dey cry crocodile cry, you see say no tears dey commot for your eyes. Today your cup make full and your punishment dey come, you go see for here you wicked and yeye man. (villagers start to laugh)

Okyeame Amoah: (screams at the villagers) Order in the palace, this place is not the cinema or market square, Nana is about to speak so all the talking and laughter should seize.

Nana Odotobri: My elders and good people of this peaceful village, we have all heard from both sides. I and my wise elders will take some time off and ponder on the verdict of this matter, meanwhile the chief guard of this palace and Okyeame Amoah will go to the river, observe the river banks and see if some of the fishes are dead and also fetch some the water and bring it here. My elders and Nana Hemaa please meet me in my inner chamber.

Okyeame Amoah: Nana has spoken and he will be right back with his judgement. Chief guard, you and three other guards should follow me to the river.

Mike, his mother, sister and Henrietta got to the village safely but realised the village was quite and the streets desolated. They drove to a nearby shop to buy a bottled water and that is where the shop owner told them the reason for the desolation.

Shop Owner: Eeeeiiii auntie Akua the American burger, who in this village called to inform you of what has happened to your husband?

Akua Yankey: (looking worried) No one in this village has called to inform me of anything. How did you know I was in America and what is wrong with my husband?

Shop Owner: Oh auntie Akua paaaa, who in this village doesn’t know you and your daughter travelled to America. It’s not like I am a gossip or a rumour monger and neither am I a carrier of doom but the truth is that, your husband this morning was caught by some guys pouring poison into the river most of the villagers drink from.

Michael Ansah: Madam are you too sure of this allegation because my father is a respected man in this village and secondly we have a pipe in our house which flows 24/7 so in the first place what will he go to the river to do and why will he pour poison into the river?

Shop Owner: Am I your father’s Spokesperson or Public Relations Officer? Your father will be the only one who has answers to your big question so when you meet him then you throw those questions to him.

Henrietta Barnor: (whipers to Mike) Babe say no more, the lady is rude and I wouldn’t love to see you exchange words with her.

Akua Yankey: Adjoa Nyamekye please where was my husband taken or where is he right now?

Shop Owner: He was taken to the chief’s palace where he is been interrogated by Nana and his elders. Am afraid he might be banished or handed over to the police for further actions to be taken.

Michael Ansah: Hold it there prophetess of doom, one more word from you and I will descend heavily on you.

Akua Yankey: Is okay Kwaku Mike, Adjoa Nyamekye it was nice seeing you and thank you for the first hand information. (they rushed back to the car and directed the driver to the palace)

To be continued

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