UDEME
©Kikelomo Fadugbagbe
Last Episode
“Madam you will have to follow us to the station” An officer said bringing out his ID card.
She laughed “I will follow you to station, impossible!” she made a few incantations so she can disappear but all to no effect
“Try more” one of the officers exclaimed
“You think we are here to play. Except I’m not a man of God only then you will be able to carry out your devices”
Mama Mazi tried again, this time she began to weep.
One of the officer dragged her forcefully to their car
“Help me with my walking stick” she cried
“You will have no need for it”
She was locked up in a cell alongside Caroline and Interrogation started.
Mama Mazi denied knowing Caroline
“When you search my house do you see anyone?”
Caroline insisted she was the one who made her kidnap Udeme
“Sergeants you will still go back to the house and re-check” said the DPO
They left again and searched the house thoroughly looking at every corner and holes in the house.
One of the officers sighted the bird.
“This must be one of her evil birds” he pulled the trigger
“Please don’t kill me” the human-turned-parrot said
The officer was amazed and he alerted others
“I can help you, a man here came to ask for her hand in marriage”
“Marriage? Maybe you don’t know who we are talking about”
They described her
“Yes, she was the one, I came to rescue her, the evil woman caught me and turned me into this”
“Oh my God” they exclaimed
“Did you know where this man came from”
“No, but he gave an address”
Thankfully, they documented the address. “We will come back for you.” They zoomed off to the said address.
Getting there it turned out to be a graveyard.
“Is he trying to trick us”
“Maybe he didn’t hear the address correctly” they returned to the police station
They tortured Mama Mazi
“Please I swear I don’t know anything about this”
“You lie, The man you turned to bird has revealed your secret how you sold her off to a man”
She bowed her head
“Look up and give us his address”
“I’m sorry is the devil’s work”
The officer shook his head “The address or I gun you down”
She gave them the same address that was documented
The officer stared at one another.
“We have been there, and this place is a graveyard”
“No, it can’t be, I know I’ve been lying since, but this address is true I even confirmed it. The house is a two-storey building there is a mango tree in the front of it”
“Nothing of such!” The officer yelled, slamming the table
******************
Pa. Cosmos gave Udeme a mixture of herbs. She immediately regained her senses.
“Where am I” She panicked
“You are in a safe place Udeme”
“And who are you” she cried
“Are you sure you want to know who am I”
“Yes…”
The Old man transformed to her mother
“Mother!” She screamed
Tears flowed down her mother’s cheek, “daughter I’m sorry, I wasn’t there for you, I’m sorry for what all you passed through in the hands of Caroline and Mama Mazi. I don’t have peace here, not only me, including every other persons who died due to one abuse or the other. Udeme please fight for us, be our voice, we are strongly behind you, and no harm will befall you, not anymore.” She said and vanished.
Udeme ran out of the place screaming. She waved to a car for help.
“Hello, young girl what are doing here? Why are you like this”
“Please ma, help me I’m lost.”
A young girl in the car could recognize her.
“Mum help her, I know her, they have been looking for her for some time now”
“Then let’s ride to the station. Come in”
Udeme entered the car and was offered water
“Thank you ma”
Her Dad screamed when he saw her. “My baby hope you are fine” He held her tightly “I’m sorry” he wept profusely
Miss Mercy was released immediately while Caroline and Mama Mazi were sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.
Jesse proposed love to Mercy but she declined. The human-turned-parrot was taken to a church where he got his deliverance.
Months later, Udeme organized a committee (Young Voice Against Child Abuse) to fight against Harmful Traditional Practices which are; Female Genital Mutilation, Facial and Tribal Marks, Maltreatment of Widows, Forced/Child Marriage, Gender Discrimination, and many Others
“I am Udeme J. Jesse, a Child Activist and my Voice must be heard”
THE END
Your voice will surely be heard