08/02/2025
SINS OF THE PAST 3 (Atokede ama)
By Gabriel Ette
He looked at his German wrist watch, it was about 11.40 pm. The entire compound was deadly quiet but for occasional chirps of crickets and the distant hoot of the owl. He bought the wrist watch on one of his rare trips to Aba to buy wrapper for sale which he traded on. On that night he had waited for the most beautiful of his wives whose turn it was to warm his bed but when she did not show up as usual, he left his room for her quarters. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door to her room. Her name was Otokeadeama meaning Where can love be found?
He married her for her luscious beauty. Everyone in the clan admitted that Otoke as she was fondly called was a very beautiful maiden. It was also befitting that he, a reputable and successful trader won her heart.
He married her with pomp and pageantry at least by the standard of the times. Since he married her, he has not for once lost interest in her warm embrace. None of his previous two wives satisfies his needs as Otoke does every night it was her day to warm his bed. A night with her was always very rewarding as she knew how to put him to sleep immediately they finished making love. That is why he was not only concerned when she as usual did not show up but disturbed too.
This particular night he had waited for her. He was worried, and there he was knocking on her door and hearing no sound. Not even her two infant daughters could be heard either snoring or crying. Ete Willie as he was fondly called was alarmed. So many thoughts went through his mind: is she sick? Or did she sneak out to be with another man? Could she have traveled to her village of Ikot Uko without his notice? That's not possible, he said. "She's the one who cooked and served my evening meal. Even if she was to be unfaithful, it wouldn't be on her day to satisfy my needs as a man".He said and decided to knock again.
It was on the last Editaha market day which was her night with him that she told him that, the family women are billed to follow Utun's wife for the burial of her mother at Nto Ubiam. She wanted a new wrapper ( George specifically), and a new wrist watch. He told her that he had no money for such luxury. Otoke kept her cool, satisfied him till he fell asleep. The next day, as she left his room, she made up her mind that without her demands being met, she won't sleep with him again. After that Editaha, this night was again her turn and she knew he would come knocking at her door when he does not see her.
As his knock became persistent, she stood up from her bamboo bed covered with mattress stuffed with dry grass to cushion the effect of the hard bamboo. As she stood up from the bed, he spoke: T**e, akpon efud mbire aram agworo se? ( what is the meaning of this fat assed joke) open this door at once, he almost shouted. T**e went close to the door not wanting to wake up her daughters and said: go back to your room, when you have enough money to buy the George wrapper and my new wrist watch, you will see me, for now, I'm on strike.
Ete Willie seething with anger said "is that what you say?" For which she answered yes. He left for his second wife's room. As he knocked on her door. Otoke heard Etok Ikwo almost shouting at him: "go back to your room, it is not my night. I want to rest, weeding has exhausted me". As he left for his room, his first wife having gone to help her nursing daughter, Otoke giggled for she had confided in her co- wife and they had agreed that the second wife too, won't give in to his demands unless their needs were met.
Willie returned to his room fuming with rage and plotting how to pay them back in kind. At day break, they both went and greeted him but he merely grunted a reply, the two women left for their farm at Akpene Itike. As they recalled the event of the night, the second wife Etok Ikwo mimicked their husband Willie by recounting how he knocked on her co- wife's door shouting her name at night. Etok Ikwo started "T**e! T**e" Otoke replied “ara nkood ejo achiere”. They bursted into spontaneous laughter and from that incidence, they carved out a song for the next family women Asian akanawan dance outing.
T**e, T**e
Ara nkood ejo achiere
Anti, anti, anti
Ara nkood ejo achiere
Esekune isin afong ked eman ajen?
Ara nkood ejo achiere.
Ese sine ikpa ukod ked eman ajen
Ara nkood ejo achiere!
Translated the women sang:
(T**e ( short form of Atokeadema) T**e
She replied: you will call me till day break.
Anti, Anti, Anti
You will call me till day break
Do people wear only one wrapper to bear children?
You will call me till day break.
Do people wear only one pair of shoes to give birth?
You will call me till day break)
