The Nigerians who yearn for the title ‘Leopard Slayer’

Ali ndi zaka 60, wochita bizinesi waku Nigeria komanso katswiri wazachipatala Ken Okoroafor adakwaniritsa loto lake laubwana kuti alandire dzina lolemekezeka la “Leopard Slayer”.

Khamu la anthu osangalala linasonkhana pamene ankalowetsedwa m’gulu la anthu odziwika bwino a Igbuu Society m’tauni yakwawo ya Oguta, kum’mwera chakum’mawa kwa Nigeria.

M’nthaŵi zakale, kupha nyalugwe sikunali chabe kulimba mtima koma kunali mwambo umene unkapatsa ulemu anthu.

Kuti akhale “Kalabu wa Leopard”, yemwe amadziwika kuti “Ogbuagu” m’chinenero cha Igbo, mwamuna anayenera kupereka kambuku – wosaka ndi kuphedwa yekha – kwa mfumu yakomweko. Nyama yakeyo idagawidwa m’midzi 25 yozungulira Oguta.

M’kupita kwa nthaŵi, mchitidwewu unasintha, ndipo anthu sanafunikirenso kusaka kambuku.

Amayi amakumbukira mtembo wa nyalugwe uli m’chipinda chawo chochezera kalelo mu 1955 pamene abambo ake anatenga mutuwo. Anagwidwa ndi mlenje waluso.

Amakumbukira kuti m’mbuyomo ankadya nyama ya kambuku kawiri: “Imakoma m’tchire komanso yamchere pang’ono.

Nkhawa zachitetezo ndiye zidathetsa kugwiritsa ntchito nyalugwe chifukwa zidayamba kuchepa m’derali. Nsembe yomaliza yodziwika ya nyalugwe inachitika mu 1987.

Kale ku Nigeria konse, akambuku amangopezeka m’malo osungira nyama ochepa chabe, kumene amatetezedwa.

Masiku ano, ndalama zofanana ndi zachuma – ndalama zochulukirapo koma zosadziwika – zimagawidwa pakati pa mitu ya mabanja m’midzi 25, kusunga mzimu wachikhalidwe cha chikhalidwe.

“Ku Oguta mukalowa m’gululi, mumalandira ulemu ndipo mumalumikizana nawo popanga zisankho zambiri mtawuni,” atero a Okoroafor, omwe akhala ku US kwazaka zambiri koma adabwerera ku Ogbuagu.

“Zinandikopa. Ndi zomwe ndakhala ndikuyembekeza kulowa nawo kuyambira ndili mwana.”

Kugwiritsiridwa ntchito koyamba kwa ndalama monga choloŵa m’malo kunayamba mu 1942 pamene mwamuna wina dzina lake Mberekpe Ojirika anagwira nyalugwe pamwambowo, koma kenako amayi ake anamwalira.

Mwambo unkanena kuti Ojirika ayenera kulira kwa miyezi isanu ndi umodzi ndipo sakanatha kupitiriza ndi mwambowo. Pambuyo pake atayesa kupeza nyalugwe wina, analephera.

Pomvetsetsa zovutazo, wachibale wake, Eze Igwe – mfumu yachikhalidwe ya Oguta – adamulola kuti apereke ndalama zinayi m’malo mopereka kambuku.

“Kuyambira nthawi imeneyo, tsopano munasankha kugwiritsa ntchito ndalama kapena nyalugwe,” adatero Victor Aniche wazaka 52, mlembi wamakono wa Igbuu Society, ndi mdzukulu wa Ojirika.

“Nditapanga zanga mu 2012, munthu wina adadzipereka kuti andibweretsere nyalugwe wamoyo wochokera kumpoto kwa Nigeria. Anali ndi imodzi yoti andigulitsire. Koma sindikanatha kuganiza kuti ndikupha nyama,” adatero Aniche, injiniya wamakina. Cambridge University alumnus.

Koma lero njira yoti mukhale Ogbuagu ikadali yolimba, yomwe imaphatikizapo magawo atatu apamwamba.

Bungwe la Igbuu – lomwe lili ndi mamembala pafupifupi 75 – ndi yakale kwambiri ngati Oguta yemweyo, kuyambira zaka mazana anayi mpaka kukhazikitsidwa kwa tawuniyi ndi anthu osamukira ku Benin Kingdom.

Ngakhale kuti ndi amtundu wa Igbo, anthu a ku Oguta amakhalabe odziwika bwino. Chilankhulo chawo, miyambo ndi miyambo yawo zimawasiyanitsa ndi anthu akumaloko komanso ochokera kunja omwe akuti ndi pafupifupi 200,000.

Ambiri mwa omwe akufuna kukhala a Ogbuagu amasankha kuchita miyambo yawo panyengo ya Khrisimasi, zomwe zimalola mabanja ndi madera omwe ali kunja kuti asonkhane, nthawi zambiri amakopa makamu ambiri.

Pa 21 December, Zubby Ndupu, katswiri wa petrophysicist yemwe amagwira ntchito ku Nigeria ya mafuta, adayamba gawo lake loyamba kukhala “Leopard Slayer”, yemwe amadziwika kuti “Igbu Agu” – pamene kusaka kunachitikanso.

Tsikuli linayamba cha m’ma 09:00, pamene a Ogbuagu anasonkhana m’chihema chachikulu kunyumba kwa a Ndupu. Iwo analonjerana wina ndi mnzake ndi malupanga awo amtundu wa golide ndi kupatsana zabwino.

Ngakhale a Eze Igwe sapita ku zochitika zapagulu, adatumiza nthumwi kuti alowe nawo mwambowo.

Ogbuagu adakhala motsatira utsogoleri, zomwe zidatsimikiziridwa ndi tsiku lomwe adakhala mamembala athunthu.

Azimayi sankaloledwa kukhudza Ogbuagu, kulowa nawo paphwando kapena kuchita nawo mwambowu, koma ine ndinkangoonera chapafupi.

Ogbuagu ankadya zakudya zachikhalidwe monga msuzi wa tsabola wa nyama ya mbuzi, msuzi wa nsala – wopangidwa kuchokera ku nsomba zam’madzi – chilazi chopunthidwa ndi vinyo wa kanjedza.

Pamwambowo, a Ndupu anaitanidwa kutsogolo ndi mlembi: anamanga chikhanje m’dzanja, anajambula choko m’manja mwake, ndipo anapatsidwa lupanga latsopano la mtundu wa golide lolembedwa dzina lake.

Kenako anayenda mozungulira gululo, n’kupereka moni kwa Ogbuagu aliyense ndipo akumenyetsa lupanga lawo kanayi.

Madzulo atatha phwandolo, a Ndupu anatsogozedwa ndi anthu ochokera kunyumba kwawo. “Leopard Slayers” adayenda motsatira dongosolo, ndipo woyambitsa watsopano, a Ndupu, adakhala kumapeto kwa mzerewu.

Gululo linapita ku nyumba yachifumu ya Eze Igwe, kumene anakapereka ndalama za nyalugwe kwa mfumu.

Gawo lachiwiri, lomwe limadziwika kuti “Iga Aji”, ndi gawo lauzimu lomwe limachitikira kunyumba kwa woyambitsayo – ndi mamembala a Igbuu Society.

Panthawi imeneyi, woyambitsa amaperekedwa ndi lamba wofiira, woimira mafumu, pamodzi ndi mikanda yopatulika ndi nthenga.

Atalandira lamba wake wofiira, Mr Okoroafor adayendayenda moni kwa abale ake, omwe adasonkhana m’mahema kunja. Anamukondwerera ndi chisangalalo cha “Ogbuagu!” pamene anali kudya ndi kumwa.

Gawo lomaliza, “Ipu Afia Agu”, ndi phwando lalikulu lomwe likuwonetsa umembala wonse wa woyambitsa. Chikondwererochi chimayambira kunyumba kwa mayi ake a mwana woyambitsayo ndipo kenako amasamukira kwawo komwe amakhala.

Iyi ndiye siteji yokwera mtengo kwambiri, yomwe nthawi zambiri imakhudza ziweto, mabeseni a nsomba ndi mabokosi a mowa kuti asangalatse mazana a alendo.

Pambuyo pa msonkhano waposachedwa kunyumba kwa amayi ake, a Pascal Okey Adizua, wogulitsa magalimoto wazaka 60 wa ku Maryland ku US, adawonetsedwa m’tawuni atanyamula chikopa chophiphiritsa cha nyalugwe.

Potsagana ndi Ogbuagu, amayi oimba ndi nyimbo zomveka, chikhalidwe chake chatsopano chinakondweretsedwa ndi kuvina, kuimba ndi phwando lomwe onse adagawana.

A Adizua adamaliza gawo lake loyamba mu 2023 koma adasankha kudikirira mpaka Disembala lathali kuti amalize gawo lachiwiri ndi lachitatu kuti ana ake aakazi – madotolo awiri ndi namwino – azitha kupezekapo.

“Ana anga onse amaliza sukulu. Mnyamata womaliza ndiye yekha ku yunivesite. Anzanga ambiri adachokera ku US, “adatero Adizua, yemwe wakhala kunja kwa zaka 21.

Onse a Mr Adizua ndi Mr Okoroafor, omwe adamaliza gawo lawo lachiwiri ndi lachitatu mu Disembala, tsopano akhoza kusangalala ndi kutchuka komwe kumabwera ndi umembala wa Igbuu.

“Leopard Slayers” amatchulidwa ndi mutu wawo “Ogbuagu” ku Igboland yonse – ndi kupitirira.

Ku Oguta, iwo okha angaimirire ndi kupereka moni kwa mfumu popanda kuwerama. Kukhalapo kwawo kumapereka ulemu pazochitika zonse monga maukwati kumene amapatsidwa mipando yaulemu.

Mikanda yamwambo yovala kudzanja lamanja imasiyanitsa Ogbuagu, kusonyeza udindo wawo. Pazochitika zachikhalidwe, ayenera kuvala zovala zenizeni.

“Mutu wakuti ‘Ogbuagu’ ndi dzina lotamanda,” akufotokoza motero Bambo Aniche. “Ukalowa m’nkhalango, kuphesa ndi kupha nyalugwe, ndiwe msilikali.

Utsogoleri ku Igbuu umatsata utsogoleri wokhazikika, pomwe ukalamba umachokera pautali womwe wakhala membala, osati zaka. Membala yemwe wakhala nthawi yayitali kwambiri amakhala ndi utsogoleri wapamwamba kwambiri. Mtsogoleri wapano ndi Emmanuel Udom, yemwe tsopano ali ndi zaka za m’ma 80.

Kuphatikiza pa pulezidenti, yemwe amayang’anira zochitika ndi misonkhano ya gululi, mamembala a Igbuu amasankha ndikusankha akuluakulu omwe amayang’anira ntchito ndi kayendetsedwe ka tsiku ndi tsiku. A Aniche akhala mlembi kwa zaka zinayi zapitazi.

“Tili ndi mamembala azaka zapakati pa 40 mpaka 90s,” adatero Aniche.

Ena odziwika a Ogbuagu akuphatikizapo malemu Chukwudifu Oputa, m’modzi mwa oweruza olemekezeka a Khothi Lalikulu ku Nigeria; Alban Uzoma Nwapa, woyimba wa ku Swedish-Nigerian yemwe amadziwika bwino ndi dzina lake la Dr. Alban, komanso malemu Gogo Nwakuche, wochita bizinesi wochita bwino komanso mwamuna wa wolemba mabuku wotchuka dzina lake Flora Nwapa.

Bungwe la Igbuu limasankha kwambiri. Olembera ayenera kukhala ndi katundu, kukhala ndi ndalama zotsimikizirika, kukhala okwatira kapena kukhala okwatira, ndi kusunga mbiri yabwino.

Mbadwa za akapolo, otchedwa “ohu”, saloledwa kulowa nawo. Awa ndi anthu omwe makolo awo anali a ena, mwina kupyolera mu nkhondo kapena kugula – otsalira a chikhalidwe cha anthu omwe ena akugwira ntchito kuti athetse.

Tikunena pano kuti nthawi yakwana yoti dongosolo lonyansa, lachikale, lopanda ntchitoli lithedwe, kuti tikhale amodzi,” adatero Oduenyi Nduka, mlembi wakale wa Igbuu yemwenso ndi mneneri wa mfumu.

“Ukapita ku America, ena mwa ana athu anakwatiwa ndi anthu akuda aku America, ngakhalenso Ogbuagu. Anthu akuda aku America amenewo ndi zopangidwa ndi dongosolo lomwelo, ndiye vuto ndi chiyani kunyumba?”

Iye anafotokoza kuti mwambo wothetsa dongosolo la ohu wayamba kale, ndipo kukambirana kukuchitika pakati pa mabanja omwe kale anali ndi akapolo. Izi zikuyembekezeredwa kuti zikhazikitse miyambo yamwambo yomwe idzalengeza kuti iwo alibe udindo wa ohu.

Izi zikatheka, a Igbuu ayitanitsa msonkhano ndikuyamba kuvomera,” adatero Nduka.

Ngakhale kuti ndi kutchuka, ena amadzudzula Igbuu, ponena kuti imapindulitsa kokha kudzikuza kwa mamembala ake.

Pamwambo uliwonse umene ndinapitako, panali munthu mmodzi pa khamu la anthu amene ankang’ung’udza ponena za mmene ndalama zokwana masauzande zinagwiritsidwa ntchito popititsa patsogolo tauniyo kapena kulipirira maphunziro.

Koma a Aniche akutsutsa kuti: “Igbuu si gulu limene umafika kuti ukwaniritse, ndi gulu lomwe umabwerako chifukwa chakuti wakwanitsa kale.

“Ogbuagu abweretsa chitukuko chochuluka ku Oguta kuposa ena. Ndiwo olemba ntchito akuluakulu.”

A Aniche adanenanso kuti ndalama zomwe zimagwiritsidwa ntchito pamadyerero ndi zofunikira zina zamwambo zimabwereranso ku chuma chaderalo.

Masiku ano, mamembala a bungwe la Igbuu afalikira padziko lonse lapansi, ndipo pafupifupi theka la mamembala ake akukhala ku diaspora. Komabe, kaya ku Europe kapena ku US, amuna a Oguta amakhalabe olumikizana kwambiri ndi mizu yawo.

“Ndimabwerako pafupifupi katatu chaka chilichonse chifukwa ndimakonda mwambo wa Oguta,” adatero Adizua. Ndili ndi nkhawa zomwe zili mu diaspora, ndimakonda kubwera kunyumba kudzapumula.

Kwa Mr Okoroafor, ulendo wochoka kwa mnyamata wolota kambuku kupita ku Ogbuagu wolemekezeka unali wofunika kudikirira.

“Oguta ndi tauni yokongola yomwe ili ndi anthu ambiri omwe anachita bwino m’madera osiyanasiyana,” iye anatero, mawu ake atadzaza ndi kunyada.

“Nthawi yomaliza yomwe ndinali kunyumba inali 2016 koma tsopano popeza ndine wa Ogbuagu, ndibwera kunyumba pafupipafupi.”

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani ndi mtolankhani wodziyimira pawokha waku Nigeria komanso wolemba mabuku yemwe amakhala ku Abuja ndi London.