She was the only girl in the Dike house. Following four children, Chi-Chi was the baby of the family and the love of everyone and the whole town.
Ariam was her world; the only one he knew of since he had never had the opportunity to learn otherwise, situated in the eastern part of her vast country, Ariam was pristine, untouched by so-called civilization. Life was boring but peaceful; she at least she was sure of so much love and a full stomach at the end of the day.
Ariam was a peasant community made up of about three hundred men, women, and children. But then life will not be complete and the story will not be well told if one dismisses the Ahia Ariam or the popular market that takes place once every seven days in the center of town. Although her parents were farmers who took pride in caring for their ancestral lands, Chi-Chi was no farmer! She was more interested in what she has to offer a legacy left by the Catholic Missionaries years ago.
Life in his African village was simple and unassuming. As it was in such remote villages, Chi-Chi and others must have to do without electricity, drinking water, etc. Despite the conspicuous absence of these means of making life more predictable, their village was a fun place where everyone you meet on the bush paths to the farm or at the stream is either a friend or a relative.
The day at the Dike house begins around six in the morning. As the child of the house, Chi-Chi knew her place, her roles and responsibilities as dictated by norms, culture and tradition.
The town stream was about 3 kilometers from his house. Since the family cannot face the day without water, she must get up from her sleeping position in the family common room and join her siblings as they and others head to the creek. It was an expected activity for her; a time to meet up with friends, share one or two latest town gossip, share the interpretation of last night’s dreams, etc. But this morning it wasn’t some dream, the mood was obviously different; the girls and boys on their way to and from the Ariam Stream had only one theme to share and discuss.
Ariam, fortunately, was blessed by God and the local government authorities with a primary school much to the visible envy of the neighboring communities, as her wards must walk the distance to St. Michael’s Primary School. It was founded by the Catholic Mission of San Miguel.
Stories about Mr. Okoro, a village director, were known, told and retold in many communities where he had worked and lived, some true and some not. But one thing that was true about him was the fact that he was tall and huge, with such an imposing physique that he tended to intimidate others, teachers and parents as well. He was good at calling and disciplining him. That was the part that really sent nervousness down the spine of his pupils.
It was rumored that Mr. Okoro was in line to transfer to another elementary school somewhere. Nobody knew where, so both the parents and the student waited for the great news with their fingers crossed. They all wanted him to go away, so they waited with anxious attention.
All these news must go through the head of the village named Eze, who must then spread it through the town crier. He is the man appointed by the traditional council of village chiefs to walk around the village at night with a metal gong on his left shoulder and a stick to sound the gong.
It was just after eight o’clock last night when everyone listened attentively while the fifty-year-old made his rounds.
At last the cat came out of the bag; Mr. Okoro had planned for Ariam to be the village director again the next morning!
It was news received with mixed feelings; while some thought it was okay for someone like him to come help shape the youth, the majority, mainly elementary school students, thought otherwise. Then one is able to understand all the silent gossip, all the long faces the children used, including Chi-Chi’s brothers, when they went to fetch water from the stream.
She was in fourth grade, obviously she was of age for that class because her doting father had kept her away from school when it was time to start with her age mates. She knew what to expect; Principal Okoro, she heard, was a nonsense type of man, which means he doesn’t show up late for school, doesn’t skip homework, and so on. but Chi-Chi was determined to make the most of the development. While others worried endlessly about why it had to be her school, she concentrated on how best to exploit Mr. Okoro’s tenure to succeed in her life.
That morning she was one of the first to show up at school having hastily done her household chores which included washing dishes, pots and cutlery used the night before, all this she did in the spacious courtyard near a hut. that served as his mother’s kitchen. Her life in her town means that most things must be done outdoors; all washes and toilets included! The villagers maintained a measure of hygiene, so visits to the health center kilometers away were minimal.
To live in their world was to live light years from modern reality; it was still a world where parents, society demanded loyalty and obedience, a coexistence devoid of grudges, fights and anguish known in other places, yes, that was living in his town, where you are expected to shout a resounding “yes ma” or “Yes pa” when your parents call.
That was her world, Chi-Chi’s world. He had no excuses nor does he expect to make any tomorrow. She was sure that the sun would rise and set the day after tomorrow, she was sure of a green, pristine, uncontaminated land, enemies not to be faced with only love and those she loves… that was what life was all about for her and she cherished every moment of living in Ariam.