Re-THE HOMECOMING

PROLOGUE

‘You cannot drink water like that here for God’s sake, unless you first purify it,' his old aunt said. 'Come and see what I mean.’
Ekoyata got on his feet and followed eagerly.
Along the narrow passage the room was the last one on the right. Obehi used it as her store. Ekoyata entered with her. When Obehi pushed the window open, Ekoyata observed the contents of the room and shut his eyes in an instant, horrified. If Obehi had those terrible materials as her utensils, then what is left for mad people? He lost his appetite for water to the mere sight. Obehi walked towards one corner of the room, where the water pot sat like a pregnant toad. When she removed the flat aluminium cover of the pot, alas! Ekoyata cringed initially, and then jumped backward with a shout.
He crashlanded on an old plastic basin. He wanted to say sorry I destroyed your basin. He asked instead: ‘What is this?’ The water was completely brownish yellow.
Obehi stared at him in amazement. ‘Is it not water?’
Ekoyata was disbelieving. ‘From where did you get this poison?’
‘From the burrow-pit. But it is not poison. It is what we drink.’
‘Ho…’ Ekoyata was suddenly short of words. He bowed his head as fear and confusion overrode him. He squeezed his eyes and tears welled up. Is it really true that people could suffer this much and the government pretends that all is well?
‘Calm down, my son. The river is many miles away and its waters are golden. Many people have withdrawn from it because if I tell you what has happened to many children of families who searched for water there, you will be full of pity. What is the point when you can easily produce good water from this? Only, watch as I do it. '
‘So, no piped water, nothing? What about the water project by the union to which I sent a donation some years ago? Haven’t they completed it?’
‘Who started a project? Nobody started any project here o.’
Ekoyata’s face went pale with disappointment, anger and depression. Something else, something nameless made him most uncomfortable, as he trudged towards the passage.