JASPER AND THE UN-NURTURED FLOWER 2

Elder 1 madueke
Elder 2 maurice
Okonkwo, jasper, chidera

Okonkwo’s uncle cosmos was too speechless and this was born out of the fact that he couldn’t believe it that they wanted to marry his grand-niece at any early age and to a man old enough to be her father.


He looked at Okonkwo and then turned to his guests and said “you want your gifts back? why if I may ask? In fact why do you, jasper with the little education catechist Cornelius gave you, you want to marry a very young girl”?

. “You see “muttered Maurice,” it is said that once a man sees a beautiful thing, he should quickly grab it, else someone else might take it from him that is what we are doing today. “
“Ehn, my own daughter “, interjected chidera,” bia, jasper why don’t you marry one of your daughter’s ovularia to a friend of yours and instead you have the guts to ask for your gifts back “?
.



Okonkwo silently sits contemplating whether to join the discussion or sample his machete on the useless old goon madueke blabbing away.

“Tradition only demands that if you reject our proposal that you return our gifts” replied okechukwu the third elder

Ehn, ehn, fine if your tradition demands so, I hope that same tradition also demands that you return the foods, drinks and the warm reception we accorded you? asked cosmos

“Tradition my foot”, muttered Okonkwo,#2 you men are unbelievable, jasper with your exposure of visiting the city once in a while you haven’t learned a thing or two? You hide your evil guise under tradition. What useless custom and tradition will allow you marry off your teenage daughter at an early age?”
“Our fore-fathers did and we have to continue the tradition.” Replied madueke
“Indeed, they did they formed a tradition to suit their selfish gain and you all blindly follow foolishly, you ignoramuses “responded cosmos.
“We only came to ask for the hand of your daughter in marriage, we have not come to be insulted. “

“Oh, you will be insulted and much more oh because you came into my house to insult me. Look jasper, if you are bent on destroying someone else’s life, try and marry the grand daughter of one of your foolish uncles here. Who knows your useless tradition might permit it. You will not destroy my daughter’s life. Please vacate my premises otherwise I might do something I might regret. “

“If you do not return our gifts we will assume you have accepted our proposal for the hand of your daughter.”
Cosmos at this point was irritated and excused himself while chidera looked at her guest in disdain and started laughing
“Woman, why are you laughing? What is funny “asked madueke?
“I am not laughing at what is happening but at what is going to happen if you all don’t carry your two left legs and vanish from my compound. You see as uncle went inside , ehn he is not going to bring your gifts I am very sure he has gone in to load the oka he usually uses to chase away thieves. You can still sit down there or speak to your legs and find your square root. “
.Just then cosmos barges out of the room

“Where are the idiots that want to destroy the life of my grand niece?”
On seeing the rage as displayed by cosmos, the guest hurriedly left the premises of Okonkwo
“Wait nau. Are you leaving already? How about your gifts?”

“Don’t worry, you can keep it “replied maduka

“Ehn, jasper, jasiper, jasiper look at the disgrace you have brought upon us. Did you not know that there is a curse upon Okonkwo and his family?”

Of all the beautiful girls in the village why his daughter? Have you not seen how developed and ripe mazi okezie’s last daughter is old enough after all she is 14

“Shall we try it out?” asked jasper
“ mmmh I don t think today , I have had one insult too many “
“but why are you so keep on marrying a young girl after all you have three wives at home” quizzed madueke.
“Hmm, uncle I need a young woman to make me feel young and like a man again. “Speak of the devil, is that not okezie at mama carol’s beer parlour? “I think we should go and lightly joke with him and observe his reaction “?

to be continued