“You killed your husband? You killed our brother and you think you will go scot-free? We are going to deal with you so that in your next world, when you have the opportunity to get married, you will not think of killing your man. You are a witch and you will regret what you did to our Ike.” Ajuka tells Simisola who was weeping profusely in the living room during the family meeting.
Her husband died a week ago and the family called a meeting to talk about the burial. However, what Simisola thought was a family meeting turned into a blame game. Her husband’s brothers turned against her, blaming her for his death. Her husband, Ike died of natural causes as confirmed by an autopsy conducted after he suddenly slumped and passed on. But his brothers called this a cock-and-bull-story and decided to hold his wife responsible for his death.
“I did not kill my husband. How can I kill the man who married me and took me away from my husband’s house? I’m mourning my husband, my loving hubby and all you people can do is to pin his death on me? I think this is highly insensitive and wicked. How can I kill Ike, my loving husband? Please, you people should stop tormenting me like this.” Simisola said to her in-laws who refused to listen to her pleas. Her response even made them more furious.
“Are you calling us liars? Are you saying all the elders here are telling lies? You must be really out of your mind. You are highly disrespectful and we will not tolerate this insolence from you. All we know is that you killed your husband and you must face the consequences of your actions. He that brings in ant-infested maggot should not complain when the lizards come calling. You beat the drum for your husband’s death, and now is the time to face the music. You are an unrepentant witch but I will show you that I’m a wizard.” Ajuka, Ike’s eldest brother said. He was the one spearheading the accusations against Simisila. Ajuka never liked Simisola for once. When Ike wanted to marry Simi, most of the family members rejected her because of her tribe. She is from the Yoruba tribe while her husband was Igbo. They insisted that she is a witch sent to kill their brother.
“I did not kill my husband. I want to be left alone to mourn him in peace.” Simi said, but her comment was interrupted by Ajuka who stood up and landed her a slap on her face.
“You slapped me? What did I ever do to you? I have been a good wife to your brother. The hospital confirmed that he died of natural causes and now, you are accusing me of killing him? Why did you slap me? I do not deserve this treatment. If my husband were to be alive, he would have fought for me, but I leave you in the hands of God.” Simi said with hot tears dropping from her eyes. The slap was so hot that she saw stars.
“Shut up your mouth. I warned my brother when he wanted to get married to you. I warned him that he was getting married to a woman who would kill him, but he never listened to elderly counsel. Now, what I predicted has come to pass. You have killed him and you want us to leave you to enjoy his wealth? That is not going to happen. Your plan was to eliminate him and take all his properties, but you have failed. You only succeeded in killing him, but none of his properties will be yours. And to make myself clear, you must tell us what happened to our brother. You killed him with your witchcraft.” Ajuka said threateningly, looking directly into the eyes of Simi.
“Oh! My dear husband Ike, why did you die and leave me alone in this wicked world? Why did you die? I did not expect you to die at the time you died. Now, I’m left alone here to take all manner of ill-treatments and insults from your brother. If you were here, I know you would have fought for me.” Simi said tearfully. She was crying profusely, but Ajuka did not stop to threaten her.
“Stop shedding crocodile tears. That is all witches and wizards to. When they have succeeded in killing someone, they will now attend his burial to cry and eat free food. But I promise you, you will pay fully for killing my younger brother, Ike.” Ajuka threatened.
“What did I ever do to you Ajuka? Why did you hate me so much? Since I came into this family, you have been a torn on my flesh. Can you tell me one offence I ever committed against you?” Simi asked out of acute frustration.
“You killed my brother with witchcraft so that you will take over his properties. You know he is very rich. That is even why you have refused to give him children. You don’t want to give birth for him. You were married to my brother for five years and you did not conceive. Are you not a witch? Now, you must account for the death of my brother. I’m holding you directly responsible. And to be clear, you will not inherit any of his properties.” Ajuka said. He was still facing Simi who recoiled into her shell like a snail touched with fire. She has become very scared as she seems to be alone like a lamb in the midst of tigers. But she remained courageous.
“My husband willed all his properties to me. He wrote his will before he died. There is no way I’m allowing you take what rightfully belong to me.” Simi said.
“Will you shut that your dirty mouth. You did not bear a child for our brother, so you have no rights to his money.” Ajuka said.
“It was not my fault that I
“You know that your days are numbered in this house. You are a widow and this is my brother’s house. Everything here belongs to me as his elder brother. The truth is that I’m actually the only person who is supporting you among my extended family. Everyone is against you. I have been speaking out for you since this issue started. If not that I have been speaking out in your favour, my extended family would have come here to throw you out immediately my brother’s death was announced. However, because I like you, I asked them to give you more time and they agreed. You know that you did not bear children for my brother, and this leaves you very vulnerable here. I’m a compassionate man, which is why I’m here to help you navigate this difficult situation.” Ajuka was talking to Simi and both of them were sitting in the living room of the gigantic building.
It has been 24 hours since the extended family visited and accused Simi of killing her husband. They had no evidence or shred of fact to back up their claims, but they pinned the blame on her and there was no one to speak in her favour. She had not been herself since they visited. She was shocked when she saw Ajuka paying her a private visit. They were sitting closely, using one chair.
“If you allow me to help you, I will rescue you from this difficult situation you have found yourself in. You know you are not from the Igbo tribe and you don’t know our culture. Your family is not close to this place. All your family members are in Lagos state, so, none of them would come to help you out when the real heat starts. You should better allow me to help you. This is why I chose to visit you alone so that I will tell you what to do so that everyone will stop disturbing you. If you allow me to help you, you can actually still inherit your husband’s wealth.” Ajuka said mischievously as if he had everything planned out. He was talking in low tones as if the things he was saying had a criminal undertone.
“See, you are a woman. You need a strong back up for you to be able to tackle my extended family members and win. Your husband is not here to fight for you. Like I said earlier, nobody in the family likes you. In fact, all of them told your husband not to marry you. He only got married to you out of strong head. Have you not seen? Since he married you, every one of us cut him off? None of his relatives used to visit this house when he was alive. So, you see that you are in a difficult situation. No one in the family will support you. They are all waiting like tigers to pounce on you at the slightest opportunity. I have been the one holding them back all these while. So, you have to thank me and allow me to help you more.” Ajuka continued to talk without breathing. Simi listened to Ajuka without uttering any words. She had her hands folded as if she was catching cold. She was eager to hear the plan that Ajuka has for her.
“Like I said, I have come here with a plan. I think you should allow me to execute the plan. It will favour you.” Ajuka said.
“What plans do you have? How do you intend to help me when you were the one threatening me here just yesterday? Have forgotten so soon? How do you want me to trust that whatever plan you have will not be to eliminate me?” Simi asked Ajuka with her face heavily frowned suspiciously.
“Not at all! I said earlier that I’m here to help you. You must have to believe and trust me for things to go well. I promise you will be allowed to live here and enjoy your husband’s wealth if you do what I ask.” Ajuka said, trying to pretend that he was going to be honest, but his intentions were anything but pure.
“And what is it that you want me to do? How do you intend to help me? What do you want to do for me?” Simi asked curiously.
“I want you to be my wife. You know, I’m supposed to inherit you from my brother. He is not alive anymore. Let me take over and become the man in your life, then, everyone will back off and stop disturbing you. It is as simple as that. All those people who want to take over your husband’s wealth are doing so because they have not seen a man behind you. Once they see a strong man like me by your side, all of them will run away. Very simple.” Ajuka said, simplifying the whole thing as if it was a simple matter.
“You must be out of your mind to think that I will accept to be your wife. Who gave you that kind of idea? The idea must have come from the deepest part of hell. I cannot do it! I cannot be your wife, no way!” Simi said, standing up from the chair and shifting far away from Ajuka as if he was smelling.
“Look at you! I’m offering you a golden opportunity to solve your problems and you are throwing it away like a piece of rag. I’m still young and handsome and I’m still capable of browsing websites. All you have to do is to accept my proposal and all the family members disturbing you will back off. I’m like a lion, and no one will come near you if they see a lion protecting you. This is a golden opportunity you should not miss. Remember, you are a widow.”
“I can never accept your proposal. You are an evil man with dark intentions. All your plans will not work. Please, leave my house immediately.” Simisola said.
“Okay! I will leave, but get ready to be chased out of this house. It is my brother’s house. I will personally bring my family members to pursue you. You are daring me right? Just watch and see.” Ajuka said as he leaves the room.
did not give birth to children. I’m not God and you are not God too. It is God that gives children. I’m not allowing you to take anything belong to my late husband. I’m the rightful owner. I will fight all of you.” Simi said.
“You are telling lies. You used your witchcraft to eat all the children in your womb. How can you give birth? Well, I do not have any other thing to say. Just prepare yourself for the burial. On the day of the burial, you will be required to drink water used to bathe him. If you drink this water and nothing happens to you, we will know that you did not kill him. But I’m sure something will happen to you because you actually killed him. So, be prepared.” Ajuka barked as he and other relatives left the living room angrily.
“I’m not drinking any water. I did not kill my husband. Jealous people, I will fight you to the end.” Simi kept shouting as Ajuka and his companions left the room.
“We shall see.” Ajuka said, turning one more time before exiting the sitting room.
It is now the third day since Simi’s in-laws visited to threaten her and accuse her of eliminating her husband. She has not been able to go anywhere, not to work or to visit friends in the neighbourhood. She has been alone, thinking and pondering on how to handle the situation so as to come out unscathed.
On this day, Simi was in the living room, thinking about her life when suddenly, she heard a knock on the door and she rushed to know who it was. Behold, it was Ajuka again. It was so early in the morning, so Simi was not ready to quarrel with anyone, so she just opened the door and allowed him to come.
“You are here again? Believe me, if I knew it was you, I wouldn’t have even stand up from where I was resting. You people have stressed me so much over the past three days. I feel like I have been abandoned and I also feel like I’m about to be denied what rightfully belongs to me. So, as it is now, I don’t even want to see anyone related to my late husband. I just want to be alone and face my problems.” Simi said quietly as she left the door and started going back to the seat where she was lying down.
She sat on the chair and folded her hands calmly as if no one else was in the room. Simi knew that whatever Ajuka was coming to tell her would be a rehash of the same trash she has been hearing since her husband passed on.
“I’m here again today because of the love and admiration I have for you. If it were to be another person, I would have hands-off this issue for a long time and allowed the person to face the consequences of her action. But it is you, the person I so much like. I do not want you to suffer the things that my brothers have in plan for you. They want to do away with you and take what rightfully belongs to you. I have come here again to give you the last chance to agree to my proposal.” Ajuka tells Simi but she paid him no attention.
“Are you not talking to me? You and I know that it was not you who killed your husband. You know you are innocent of the crime you are being accused of committing, but the truth is that people out there would believe what the family tells them. If your late husband’s family is saying that it was you who killed their brother, the neighbors and even the whole world would believe what we are saying. They will not even ask questions to know if you did it or not. They will just believe what we are telling them. That is how the world is. The odds are stacked against the widow who has no man behind her. You did not eliminate your husband, but the world will believe you did it the moment we start saying it out there. We will broadcast it for people to hear. So, if you don’t want your beautiful name to be tainted and tarnished, you should just accept the beautiful proposal I have given to you.” Ajuka was still talking. He did not sit down, but was standing up to buttress his points with gestures.
“So you knew that I did not eliminate my husband right? You are aware that he died a natural death? You knew that I’m totally innocent of the things you people are accusing me right? Why then are you people accusing me of things I did not do? Why have you joined your kinsmen to torment me with awful words and threats at a time I’m supposed to be mourning my husband and thinking of his burial? What did I ever do to you people? What did I do wrong?” Simi asked tearfully, knowing that she would not get the answers she is looking for, because Ajuka was not there with pure intentions.
“You did nothing wrong! The truth is that I was the one who invented that lie. I’m the one who instructed my kinsmen to lay the accusation on you so that I will get what I want. I want you. This is because I’m the only person who can take good care of you in the absence of my brother. Since my brother is not there anymore, I have come to take full charge. You must not turn me down, because I have all my plans laid out to rescue you from this situation. And if you refuse, I will sink your boat.” Ajuka said to Simi who was just watching him with a lot of amazement.
“I don’t need your rescue. I can handle this alone.” Simi responded.
“You can’t handle it. I have already told you that my kinsmen are lined up to show you a lot of trouble. Look Simi, after today, I’m not going to come here again to beg you. This is the last time I will be visiting to plead with you to do what is clearly in your own best interest. The burial date has been set and we did not even tell you before setting the date.” Ajuka said.
“What? How can you set the burial date of my husband without telling me? This is not right and I will not accept it.” Simi said while still pouring hot tears.
“You can’t do anything about it. And for your information, before the burial, you are not expected to be seen anywhere within this house. Tomorrow, we are coming here to share our brother’s properties amongst ourselves. If you accept my propose right now, I will convince my brothers to leave you alone, but if you refuse, I’m sorry, there is nothing I can do.” Ajuka said. His voice has an element of threat in it.
“What I know is that I’m holding on to the will that my husband wrote before his death. He said in the will that all his property belongs to me. There is no going back. You people should come, I will be waiting for you.” Said Simi. She has still not stood up from the chair, but her voice had become stronger.
“You should prepare very well. You better start packing your bags. The next time you see me here would be to throw you out of this property. The fly flying around the grave would be buried with the dead.” Ajuka said as he storms out of the building with his ego bruised.
“Don’t be scared darling. It’s me, Ike, your husband. I was not dead. Don’t run, come close to me.” Ike said as he entered the room that evening. It was a few hours to the time when Simisola’s in-laws planned to come to throw her out of the building so that they could take over her husband’s property.
“What do you mean you are not dead? How come? I was told you died in the hospital. I even saw your dead body. How come you are standing here talking to me? Please, don’t come any closer to me, because I’m very sure you are a ghost.” Simi responded to Ike as she took a few steps backward with a lot of fear in her heart. She stepped back speedily until she was sure she has reached a point of safety.
“No my darling, I was not dead. I’m still alive. It’s me, your husband. Trust me and come closer to me. I crave to hug you because I have missed you so much. Don’t run because I’m finally here to eliminate all your enemies.” Ike said as he was walking closer and closer to Simi who started stepping back again. She did not believe that the person talking to her was her husband.
“How could that be? The doctor confirmed you dead right in front of me at the hospital. I was there when you were sick and I was there when it became clear that you did not make it. I came back home alone, crying and dejected. And now you are saying you are not dead? I mean, how do you want me to believe you. Please, you are a ghost, go back to wherever you are coming from.” Simi said, this time, she was running towards her room and Ike followed her with speed.
“Don’t touch me!” Simi shouted when she entered her room and Ike followed her and shut the door. She was so scared that she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. She pinched herself just to make sure that she was still alive and that she was not dreaming. She hit her hand on the wall to be sure she was not sleeping or having a terrible nightmare. It turned out to be that she was not sleeping. Simi was wide awake and what she was experiencing was in real life.
“I told you I’m your husband. I was not dead. Trust me. Have you forgotten that you are the love of my life? Have you forgotten that you are the only queen I have? I’m not going to harm you because I’m not a ghost. I was not dead. I’m very much alive.” Ike continued trying to convince his wife but he was not succeeding. Simi was freaking out in fear. She had gotten to the wall of the building and there was nowhere to run to anymore. She wished that she could hit the ceiling, open it up and fly away like Spiderman.
“I’m not talking to a dead man. You died four days ago and your kinsmen have even fixed your burial. Everyone in the community knew you have died. They are preparing to attend your burial. Where are you coming from? You are coming from the land of the dead? If you were not dead, where did you go? Or did you die and resurrected? Please, don’t come near me, I’m convinced you are not my husband. You areare ghost.” Simi said. She had her back against the wall.
“I can explain what happened. Just give me a listening ear.” Ike said calmly when he realized that trying to force his wife to trust him would not work.
“Go ahead, I’m all ears. Convince me that you were not dead and that the ghost standing before me is my husband.” Simi said. In a twinkling of an eye, Ike moved swiftly and held Simi tightly and started touching her in a romantic way. Simi was shouting but at some points, the shouting stopped, or the shouting turned into a slower voice as they fell on the bed and did what she has been missing for a few days now. The fear in her body disappeared after the bedroom action. It was after then that she was finally convinced that Ike was her husband and that he was still alive. There was no doubt that he was alive since his system brought network and he could log into a website.
“But what happened though? Why did you declare yourself dead?” Simi asked, holding a cloth to cover her body.
“Because I wanted to know the kind of family I have.” Ike responded.
“Hmmmm! Your family is terrible. They want to tear me apart. Do you know they accused me of killing you? Your brother, Ajuka proposed marriage to me immediately he heard you were dead. They are even coming today to throw me out of this house. But thank God you are here.” Simi said, but just then, there was a knock at the door. Simi and her husband dressed up and started coming down to see who it was. They were hearing voices, meaning it was not only one person. When Simi opened the door, she saw her in-laws trooping in.
“Pack your things and leave this house. Your time is up. There is no place for a witch like you to reside in our family.” Ajuka said forcefully. He was supported by his kinsmen who were standing behind him.
“She is going nowhere.” A voice came from inside the living room. Everyone watched to see who it was. They were shocked when they saw Ike, Simi’s husband. All the kinsmen ran away, except Ajuka who stayed back to be sure of what he just saw.
“You are a dead man.” Ajuka declared.
“No brother! I’m not dead, but alive and I shall continue to live.” Ike tells his brother.
“But now I have seen the kind of person you are. I have seen what you will do to my wife in my absence. I knew you people hated her, but I never knew you could go to the extent of proposing marriage to her and threatening to chase her away from my property. Wow! You people are evil. I declared myself dead as a way of gaining full knowledge of the evil you people are capable of. Now that I know, I will make sure you will never be able to torment my wife in my absence. Now, leave my house immediately. From today onwards, I shall never have anything to do with you or other kinsmen who planned against my wife. I have no family.” Ike declared. Ajuka walked out of the house like a rat beaten by heavy rain.
Ike and his wife lived happily ever after and they were later blessed with twins a year later.
THE END.
