©Ottih Onyedikachi Present day “Aunty Omotayo will be coming tomorrow.”“Yaaaay!” We scream excitedly and run round the parlour waving our hands. I stop and pick up my machine gun on the couch and point it at my brother.“Stay quiet and listen,” she admonishes. I stop […]
Mother
By Ottih Onyedikachi *** The lightning flashed across our grime-filled louvers. Mother was always too busy in the shop to notice them or to instruct my older siblings to clean them. The flash struck sharp against the dark sky, throwing light on earth as it […]
…of Lizards
I walked down to the river bank, darting my eyes around for any sign of human or animal presence. It was dusk. The breeze blew past my face into the trees, and the leaves rattled.I turned left and right again. I was almost at the […]
The Hands of Death Are Warm.
We have always referred to death’s touch as cold. We have always interpreted the pain and anguish written on the face of people as death being mean and wicked. What we forget is that at the hour of death, we might or might not react […]
A Honeymoon
The unhinged door rattled and fell. They jumped in their skins where they lay naked on their bed. They looked at the door and laughed. It was their wedding night. The groom stood and placed the door back in the yawning space. He returned to […]
The New Order
The three-breasted woman, shoulders arched back, chin raised high, mouth pursed; Walked through the roads, throwing insolent glances at the world.She was here to teach them the new Order. She cursed back all who cursed her, daring them to stop the change she would bring.Nobody […]
Tale Of The Man That Refused To Listen
© By Ottih Onyedikachi Ever since the road around my house was tarred years ago, we deal with flood when it rains heavily. The kind of rain that fell yesterday. One particular lightning was followed by a deafening thunder that I and my siblings were […]
We have Secrets
Tears welled up in my eyes.“Mummy nah? I called, kicking my legs in sheer anger.“Leave me alone this boy! How many times will I buy sweet for you two? I don’t have money. And your sister is too small? Eh? I’ll tell your daddy when […]
Tale of my father and Akamu
© Ottih Onyedikachi We love akamu. It’s a frequent breakfast at home. With a little bit of soyabean, milk and plenty sugar. For us anyway. My parents add just enough sugar to say, “we put sugar”, but between me and you, it never tastes mildly […]
On Life and Death
© Ottih Onyedikachi A few persons who know me think I am fixated on death. I am not going to argue this now. A whole lot of people are riveted on living that death shocks them when it comes. I do not talk about death […]