Chuka's home was typical for a man of his wealth and standing. Grand. The architecture was typical for the Southeastern part of the Nok province. The house was two storeys high, made from red mudbrick and local wood with a massive thatched roof that partially rested on top of the building and was also held up by long wooden poles that had been intricately carved to resemble human faces and bodies. The building surrounded a large courtyard in the middle of the property. Inside the courtyard was a large well, an impluvium, used for storing, collecting and draining excess rainwater that came from the funnel-shaped roofing above. A great and common way to get fresh water among the houses of the Southern Nok province. To top it off, the building was dotted with expensive glass windows, and shrines were placed around the building, housing clay statues and carvings of various Nokian deities. Chuka Obinna seemed to be proud of his culture and pious about his deities.
Mikumbi and Chuka sat in a spacious room with a window that looked out on the compound and was filled with all manner of expensive items. At first, they discussed Chuka's life, business and some of the items he acquired.
Chuka was the son of a poor farmer. He was mocked and bullied for being poor. However, there was one thing that stood out about him, his size. He was always bigger and stronger than most of the boys his age and with that, the kids that bullied Chuka learned the hard way to not bully him anymore. As Chuka grew up and thanks to working on the farm, he became a feared 'wrestler' practising many traditional unarmed martial arts like wrestling, a Nokian martial arts like Yoruba Ijakadi/Gidigbo and Hausa dambe. As time went on, Chuka being a typical Igbo man, started a business in the city. It was there that he received one of the items that intrigued Mikumbi.
“How did you get that amulet?” asked Mikumbi while pointing at the item hanging around Chuka's thick neck. “I sense a strange and subtle power emanating from it.
“Oh, this?” Chuka replied nonchalantly as he held it up. “This is my lucky charm. I received it as a gift from a woman that I was 'friendly' with some time ago. It remains on my person wherever I go, even in my bed. Chineke, I swear, ever since I've worn the amulet, I've grown richer, my properties have increased and grown in value and my influence in the city has grown.”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“So you run the city of Calabar?”
Chuka laughed, sounding like a lion's roar. “No, little sorcerer. I'm just a businessman. The Igbo respect commerce and businessmen. I'll admit, my words and actions carry a lot of weight in Calabar.”
Another item caught the sorcerer's eye. It was a carving depicting a well-developed human figure with horns on its head and a fierce expression. It was seated on a stool, holding objects in both hands. The right hand held a short, curved sword with a pronounced handle, the left hand a severed human head. Chuka smiled at the wizard warrior's intrigue.
“Who or what is that?” asked Mikumbi.
“That's Ikenga, the embodiment of the divine masculine driving force and Arusi of war, time, strength, community, success and achievement,” replied Chuka. “Many young Igbo men have a statue or carving of him.”
Puzzlement masked Mikumbi's face. “Arusi? A deity? I thought Ekwensu was the Igbo deity of war?”
Chuka chuckled. “So even the Great Mikumbi doesn't know everything. They both are. Ekwensu is the violent aspect of war. Ikenga is the preparation of war, you know like training, tactics, strategy etc.”
“Oh. I didn't know that. You learn something new every day,” said Mikumbi with a straight face that hid his embarrassment. “How could I not know about Ikenga? It's my job to know about the pantheons of Irun'uwa, their names, how many and their aspects. Note to self, update my books on Irun'uwa's pantheons.”
“I swear, when Ikenga is active within me, nothing is impossible for me. I can even wrestle in the land of the spirits.”
