Ikemefuna

               Ikemefuna was a boy that I brought from the Mbaino village as a compensation for killing one of the Umuofia villagers. Since the villagers can't decide what they want to do with him, I was told to take care of him until they could decide about his place in the Umuofia.

                I still remember how scared he was when he first come to Umuofia and end up staying with me and my family. At first, he always thought about going home and there was one time where he refused to eat, which made me angry as I was always thought that a men's regardless age should not be such a wimp. So, I beat him hard and then watch him finish his foods. Few weeks later, Ikemefuna seems like he had already adapt his life in Umuofia and became such a lively boy and also a great influence towards my son, Nwoye. Personally, I like Ikemefuna very much as he was a son that I always wanted Nwoye to be and ever since he came to live with us, he and Nwoye had became so close that it almost impossible to see them to be separated. I also noticed some positive change in Nwoye's attitude. He had changed to be more hardworking and it seem that he had became more manly. But everything good will never last forever. One day, one of my villagers told me that they are going to kill Ikemefuna as it is what the priestess had asked for, and they have warned me to not involved in it as he called me father. During that time, I was in a dilemma as I had like, fond and thought him as my own son and now I had to kill him. That night despite the warning, I still involved myself in his murder, it is not because I don't love him or what but because I can't bear to let anyone think that I'm weak. I am afraid to be called and thought as a weak person more than anything else that happens in this world.

               I'm still alive and life must go on no matter what, and maybe now I can suppress all the guilty that I felt but someday I wish that I can ask him to forgive me for everything that I had done.