VALLEY OF SHADOW

An unsaved number came on my phone one lazy Thursday afternoon. It was from Uncle Ugwu, he had never called me ever since I grew up to know him as a cousin to Papa. He said he collected my phone number from Mama. He maintained he had been looking for my phone number for a long time.

He wanted to know what I was doing now. I told him sincerely I have not gotten any meaningful job four years after my NYSC. There was this sounds of pity on his tone. He said I should make time to come and see him, that he had always loved me as a little boy, I should send him my account number. I gladly did.

Nothing sweetened the ears like, 'send me your account number.' A few minutes later, I saw an alert of N100,000. The biggest money ever entered my account was N30,000. Even at that, the money was sent to be shared among four people. There was this butterfly of joy that exploded from my tummy.

I called Uncle Ugwu to thank him but told him sincerely, I never expected such amount, neither was I sure what it is meant for, because such amount was beyond my imagination. He began to laugh broadly and told me that he recently spoke with my mother, and what she told him about my joblessness moved him to send me the money.

Again, he was sorry not to have been asking of me. Uncle Ugwu said he would be happy if I could return home to see him, because he had been in the village and been helping other young men, it would be unfair if he didn't help his blood. I was in the village three days after.

I was not doing much in Akure where I have been searching for job after my service. I was only doing tutorial classes of JAMB and SSCE to students on a private arrangements. A placid grin escaped Mama's face immediately I jumped down from okada. I had told her I was coming home.

Those smiles were enduring. Mama had continued to call to know where we were as though she had been to Akure. I was sure Mama had never gone beyond Enugu, yet she would call, to ask, "Ikenna, where are you people now?" I was getting tired of her disturbances, as it threatened to run my phone battery down.

I began to call some nonsense names to the areas I was not sure just to let me be. Mama would say, "thank God, you people are getting closer as though she has ever heard the names of the places I was calling before. Mama was getting older, but I knew it was mostly due to my joblessness.

To be an only child is never what one would wish for, and Mama was not helping the matter, any unpleasant news would arouse her. An earthquake would happen in Japan, Mama would hear it on the news or rumour, she would call me to know if I was safe, she hoped the earthquake that happened recently did not touch my side?

I went to Uncle Ugwu's house in the evening to greet him and tell him I have come back according to his request, he was happy to see me. He dragged my hand to his inner sitting room, offered me drinks and engaged me on discussions, mostly on what we discussed earlier on phone.

Uncle Ugwu brought out a sack, he said what was there was N4,000,000, that It is mine. I could not believe what I heard, I have never seen such amount physically. Uncle Ugwu said the money was mine in an exchange of a plot of land close to his compound, he said he wished to expand his compound. The money slipped from my hand and fell on the condensed milk tiles.

"Uncle, you know that particular land is my only inheritance from my forefathers, and my only land, moreover, you know that land is where I intend to build my house and leave the family compound where my mother and I are living as strangers."

Uncle Ugwu said he had started dropping some materials on the said land, that I should consider his offer. I knew the money if I use it judiciously, I could buy more lands and build big houses, houses bigger than his, he demonstrated the size of the house with his hands....