A Journey to Ogolomachi

You say you are ready child? Igwe had asked with a profound voice. “Yes I am Igwe, replied Azuka, who had come for the Ogolomachi competition, practiced for many years in the land of Obere-Obodo. The Igwe continued with a stern look, “Azuka, you will make a journey to Ogolomachi, the land of fulfillment. One thing you must take with you and five you must conquer. A feast I shall prepare in your absence in eagerness of your safe return. “May the spirit of our fore fathers guide you my son”.

At the sound of the horn, Azuka set out, armed with just one thing. His first challenge will be right in the palace. Azuka must drink from the water drawn from the talking well; the water once consumed will form a well of thoughts in Azuka. The thoughts, almost silent at first, grew louder and louder still, “you cannot make it to Ogolomachi”, it said. Azuka, even though pondered over the thoughts for a little while, he shook them off and declared loudly, “I, Azuka, son of Amadi-azolo will get to the land of fulfillment!

Azuka had not gone far when he faced the second challenge, it was a stripy leopard called sight. What do you see, Azuka? asked the leopard; I see myself in the land of fulfillment, he replied. Very well seen, said the leopard.

Just then, Azuka found himself by a yellow river, there he met an unusual snail. Stay a while, said the snail in a slurry manner, for the night is almost upon us. Azuka, determined to keep going, thanked the snail as he replied, “the time for rest is not yet, for I know the journey set before me” and so Azuka set himself upon the yellow river, as he went, he noticed something strange; the darker the night got, the brighter the yellow river shone and smooth were its waves, until Azuka got safely ashore.

Just right ahead was a narrow path lined with tall trees; these trees look beautiful, Azuka thought as he admired the view. Just then, a slithering sound, A-z-u-k-a! Azuka looked again, and there it was, right in the middle of the narrow path, a huge snake! A-z-u-k-a! the snake slithered again, I grant no passage here. Return you must to the king, and empty handed. Nobody from the land of Obere-Obodo has gone past here. Return Azuka, return, or passage to my belly I shall grant.

Azuka hesitated, but only for a little while. “I have come this far”, he said. The feast for me at the palace must be underway, I will get to Ogolomachi, the land of fulfillment; and with a boldness that seemed to amuse the huge snake, Azuka took one step, and another, and he realized the snake had gotten smaller with each step, until the huge snake was only a mirage.

Azuka got to the end of the narrow path; whiff! there was a smell, and yes! a skunk, but Azuka moved even closer. “I stink”, said the skunk, go away from here! I am on a journey to the land of fulfillment said Azuka, my desire to get there is stronger than the discomfort of your smell. Very well, said the skunk. I will walk with you a mile and then we part.

Azuka walked on with the skunk, not minding the smell, he persevered until a mile they had walked. At the end of the mile walk was a huge gate. The skunk smiled at Azuka and said, “you have done well”. I hold the key to Ogolomachi, the land of fulfillment. You have conquered all five hurdles set before you, and with that, he handed Azuka the key. Azuka unlocked the gate and walked upon the magic sands of Ogolomachi, the land of fulfillment, where foot prints never disappear.

Victorious Azuka returned to the palace. Ah! Azuka, said the king as he sighted him from a distance. You have returned with the key to the land of fulfillment. Tell us Azuka, what was the one thing you took with you as you set out on this journey? Azuka bowed to the king as he replied, Oh king, the one thing I took with me was love!

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