An Ode to the murder of Osinachi.
The pen wrote with tears on the day people were afraid to go into the river to bathe.
The trouble began. The princess went to the river of love to wash. As she dipped down into the river for a bath she was swept off her feet: the beast of the river mauled her. The princess died.
Princess Osinachi died.
Days count on days, infections began to grow within the village: scary news of all kinds. Everyone oozes with a repugnant odour like a three-year-old he-goat. The people were scared and they refused to go to the river to wash.
The death of the princess breeds other calamities. Epidemic looms like a deadly vampire stalking everywhere beyond the river beast.
Then they began to fall sick, one by one.
The king knew there was a bigger problem than the death of the princess Osinachi if the people will refuse to go to the river for fear of dying.
Else they will die one by one away from the river of love because of the beast by the river.
The king envisaged more calamity ahead. He called the people and charged them with courage:
The fact that somebody died while swimming will not stop the rest of the world from swimming. We will keep swimming to retain the health of the world.
Even though the princess died in the river of love we will continue to befriend the river. All we need do is to muster the courage to kill the beast of the river. Water is our life.
Life is a risk, we will embrace the risk and we will live. Let’s match on, we are a people married to the river.
Let us remain married to the river of love.
Though the river swept one away, this doesn’t make the water so bad. An accident on one soul doesn’t stop all men on a noble voyage.
Osinachi’s death at the river of love is a lesson for all; a landmark that cannot be washed off the sand of time. A lesson for all time.
Osinachi
WALE ADEWUMI
