EAGLE FROM THE RUBBLE: CHAPTER 48

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The day dawned brightly. As an Igbo adage goes,
"a day dawns brightly very early". True to this adage the day was a good one for Oyibo. She had made a lot of sales in her shop that day and this kept her in a good mood. At three in the afternoon, she gave instructions to her shop attendant to lock up later and decided to leave for the day. She got into her car and headed home. She wanted to prepare egusi and bitter leaf soup for her family. She hated preparing a late supper that was why she left earlier than usual.

On arrival at home, she noticed that her husband was already home for his car was parked in the garage. There was another car packed in their compound which she did not recall belonged to any of their regular visitors and acquaintances. Neither was it that of any of her children. She concluded that one of her husband's business associates must be around and judging from the class of car packed, she guessed the owner must be a very important and influential visitor.

She packed her car and got out. All her five children were away from home. Her two daughters were married while her first son was doing well in his career. The two younger children were in the university and only came home during vacations. She was therefore left alone in their big house with her husband and her house help, Adaku.

As she made to go into the house, Adaku came out of the house and collected her bag from her. Oyibo asked about the visitor and Adaku told her that it was a man unknown to her. Oyibo walked into their sitting room. Her husband was seated in his usual place at the centre of the large parlour while the stranger sat in one of the seats facing her husband. The visitor saw her and smiled.

"Aunty Oyibo" he called, coming towards her. Oyibo stared in disbelief. The visitor embraced her happily and heartily.

"Obioha!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, I am the one," Obioha replied, "Come in and sit down" he said as he led her to the seat beside his.

"Where have you been for the past fourteen years?" she asked, still not believing he was the one she was seeing. But it was him alright.

"In God's hands! That's the summary of everything," he replied, smiling.

Oyibo examined him critically. He had grown into a very handsome, confident and happy man. All the while, her husband Moses watched the whole drama with interest.

"I think the best thing to do is to get something ready and thereafter you can ask all the questions bugging your mind," Moses advised his wife.

"I think you are right," she said getting up. "Just relax while I get something ready, after which you will now tell me exactly what happened to you and where you have been.

"Yes, I will."

After supper, they discussed at length. Obioha told them everything about himself. His work, family and mission. He told them he worked as a chemical engineer in the US army. He had a wife and two children. He came into Nigeria, first to see everyone and second, to bring his pet project to his homeland.

He was running a non-governmental humanitarian organisation in the US the main purpose of which was the alleviation of human suffering. The organisation cared for the less privileged and provided medical treatment to underdeveloped countries of the world where facilities were non-existent. This organisation started on a very humble note but today had secured the sympathy and approval of many notable personalities and organisations in the world. These were the ones that funded most of the projects his organisation embarked upon.

He told them he decided to come to Nigeria, in fact, to Nneri to establish a teaching hospital whereby people suffering from diseases and ailments that require huge amount of money to fly them abroad and who were indigent could get help from the organisation. All he required from Nneri was a piece of land for this hospital project, he concluded. Oyibo could not resist shedding tears.

"Why are you crying, aunty?" he asked, surprised.

She shook her head and continued crying.

"After all we did to you, my family, Nneri, and the society. You still want to do this for us?" she asked, baffled.

"Hey, come on. Whatever happened in the past was just a stepping stone to where I am today" he told her.

"I want to apologise on behalf of all. Please forgive us" she said, kneeling down before him.

Dragging her to her feet, he said to her:

"Look at me," and she did. "I don't have anything against anybody. Practically nothing. You don't need to apologise to me for any reason. What I require from you now is not tears, but cooperation in order to succeed in my mission. We have to go to Nneri and finalise arrangements before I travel back. I want work to commence as soon as possible on the project.

Oyibo wiped her tears.

"Where is my mother?" he asked, slowly. He had avoided that question to the last minute.

"Is she still in South Africa?"

Oyibo nodded.

"Your disappearance has been a source of great worry to her. She will be so happy to hear that you are still alive. She has been miserable since your disappearance. She feels guilty and cannot forgive herself," she told him.

Obioha heaved a sigh of relief. He was afraid something might have happened to her.

"Extend my greetings to her. I won't be able to see her this time around. When next I come in, I will make out time to see her and her family."