Odegbami Refuses to Return With Help- Omotayo Modupeola OLAKOJO

Oyepemi and Odegbami were boisterous lads in the village of Matanmi. They went everywhere together and played all manner of pranks on each other and any unfortunate person who crossed paths with them. Their parents and every other person in the village knew them as best friends and they were always seen together. Odegbami was the head hunter’s son while Oyepemi’s father was the village blacksmith. However, his (Oyepemi’s) mother was from the royal lineage of the closest town, hence his name, Oyepemi, meaning the crown benefits me. While Odegbami took after his father in honed in hunting skills Oyepemi was an excellent fisherman who often led his people to victory in many a fishing competition with neighbouring villages.

And so it was that Odegbami suggested to Oyepemi one morning after breakfast when they were both bored that they go to the forest to hunt mice. It was not a strange suggestion because Oyepemi had encouraged Odegbami to join him on fishing expeditions on quite a number of occasions too so that Oyepemi thought it a very good idea and went along without any qualms. They went merrily into the forest already savouring the taste of uncaught mice. They fantasized no end about how they were going to catch the biggest mice and roast them most delicately to make for a fantastic dinner. They were even very sure that their parents would appreciate their thoughtfulness.

Being the son of a hunter Odegbami was better exposed to hunting than his friend and so he naturally took the lead. He told Oyepemi that they would try to locate one of the burrows of the mice, preferably one with two openings. Oyepemi asked him how they would be able to tell which two holes led to the same burrow and he responded by saying that the proximity and angles of any two holes to each other would be a good enough indication and that it was rather unusual to find two  holes not sharing a common burrow at close quarters. They lucky to locate a choice burrow within minutes of their entering the forest which was some 3 metres away from the village. Odegbami told his friend that there was a technique to be employed in catching the mice. Oyepemi deferred to him, admitting that he hadn’t Odegbami’s hunting skills. Odegbami told Oyepemi that he was to cover one hole with his bare hands while he (Odegbami) took a stick and prodded the mice in the burrow via the other hole. This, he said, would make the mice try to escape through the opening which Oyepemi was guarding. Oyepemi was then to tightly grab anything that tried to get past him. It was supposed to be an easy task, after all Oyepemi had already secured the opening by covering it with both of his palms; the mouse was going to deliver itself into his hands.

Odegbami did his part and expectedly a mouse tried to scramble out of the burrow through Oyepemi’s end and Oyepemi diligently guarding his post immediately caught it up upon feeling the cold, urgent nudging against his palms.  Oyepemi was proud of his achievement and sought to bring out the miserable mouse with a flourish, but alas it was no mouse in his hands but a rather mean looking python! He was so scared that he could not let go of the snake’s neck and the two of them stared transfixedly at each other. Odegbami came around to his friend’s end and when he saw what was happening he told Oyepemi to hold more tightly onto the snake and not let go at all. He said he was going back to the village to get help and he quickly ran off.

The snake and Oyepemi remained that way for hours; Oyepemi could not leave it for fear that it would attack him and the snake was rather defenceless because Oyepemi was practically choking it and it could not even breathe easily. Odegbami did not return even when the sun began its descent and it was then that Oyepemi knew that his friend had deserted him when it mattered most. He resigned himself to his fate and waited for the snake to die of starvation or a lack of air if he did not drop from exhaustion first. At this point he had changed his position several times, from bending to kneeling to squatting to sitting and to bending again. Then he started to sing:

I came to the forest with my friend 

Eee emo

I came with him to hunt emo (field mice)

Eee emo

Now I am alone with this monster

Eee emo

This monster that eats more emo than me and my friend

Eee, emo

May I live to eat more emo

Eee emo

Now that my friend has refused to return

Eee emo

Odegbami save me (2ce)

Odegbami act on your name and come to my rescue

Meanwhile, back in the village, Odegbami had been asked about Oyepemi’s whereabouts and he responded by saying that Oyepemi had gone to the river to fish but that he had declined Oyepemi’s invitation to tag along because he was not feeling well.

When the first hints of darkness started to appear hunters went to the forest to check their traps for game and to lay new ones. It was at this time that a hunter happened by and saw Oyepemi. He took one look at him and realised his predicament. He exclaimed and wondered aloud how Oyepemi got himself into such a fix; he didn’t bother to ask Oyepemi about it because by now Oyepemi was so tired that he could not even speak to the hunter because he had expended all his energy on the snake. Then the hunter told Oyepemi to move back gradually while pulling the snake along with him and so the snake was eventually dragged out of the hole completely although it took some time because the snake was quite long. Immediately the snake’s tail was visible the hunter started hacking at it from its tail. He told Oyepemi not to let go and he kept cutting the snake up bit by bit. It was a gory sight with the snake writhing in pain and its blood splashing everywhere, even all over Oyepemi and the hunter. Oyepemi was not allowed to release the snake and he had to keep holding its neck until the hunter had cut more that three quarters of the snake off. This made the blood of the snake to splash even on Oyepemi’s face and it was like staring death in the eyes because all the while that the hunter was cutting away Oyepemi and the snake were still staring at each other as if hypnotised.

Oyepemi could not relate what had happened to him to anyone because he was too shocked. The skin on the parts of his body where the blood of the snake had splash peeled off. His arms were the most affected and he could no longer put on short sleeve clothes afterwards. He did not remember whom the hunter was who helped him and the person did not reveal his identity to the villagers. As for Odegbami Oyepemi could not figure out the reason for the cruel treatment he meted out on him and their friendship was terminated. Everyone speculated about the reasons for the end of their relationship but no one really knew for certain and neither of the one time buddies was willing to volunteer the information. Oyepemi had nightmares for a long time afterwards which made him become a sullen and withdrawn boy. His personality was permanently altered. The village lost a superb fisherman and therefore a lot fishing competitions, his parents lost a loving son and Odegbami lost a bosom friend.