Stranger in his Homeland

Chapter Forty-Two

309 Chapter Forty-Two Z aché did not need to labour on any plot because fate continued to trail Antony. The very night that he arrived at Sigili-Mundu his father died. The startling news was delivered over the Middle-Belt Station. It said: “The Chairman of the Traditional Council of Nkokonoko Small Monje announces with profound regret and sympathy to all Biongong elements at home and abroad, the disappearance after a protracted, illness of Chief Fuo-Ndeem, Paramount Chief of that district. It occurred in his palace this day of 29th May. In keeping with the traditional rites and ceremonies, all the late Chief’s children are by this announcement being requested to be physically present for the finding ceremony which takes place ten days from the day of this announcement. The following, wherever they may be, are very specially requested to be present by the eight of June: they are Antony Nkoaleck, Alexander Nchidia, Marcus Anuse, Ephraim Njikem, Nwoh Ngeashia and Amonwoh Plimus…” In response to this announcement Antony went up to Zaché and obtained permission to go to Small Monje. Zaché asked him to put his request in writing, which he did and then left Sigili-Mundu. As if by some previous arrangement, when he arrived Atule he found Mercy who had arrived there just a few days before. In spite of the death he was very pleased to see Mercy there. He informed both her and her uncle of the sad news. He did not look very ruffled by the death. Only one thought occupied his mind – how the death fitted into his plans for a future that was becoming so bleak. There was not the slightest doubt that he was going to be crowned the Chief’s successor. What was he going to do with an office in which he had never shown any interest? He had hoped to achieve greatness in the civil service, but Zaché had thwarted his best efforts. He was now poised towards achieving 310 Linus T. Asong literary greatness. He would abandon the Ministry of Education. He would accept the title of Paramount Chief, however odious it sounded. He would use that position with all the leisure time that it afforded, to write novels through which he could still effect some change in the rotten administrative and political system of the country. He could survive on the 50.000 francs that he would be paid every month as Chief. That was not much different from the 40.000 francs salary advance he earned per month for year in SigiliMundu . “It is as I expected,’ he announced to Namnde and Mercy. That same night he told Mercy: “I was only waiting for my father’s death to quit this scandalous thing they call government service. Now it has come. I have long been marked for the successor.” Mercy looked baffled. Antony had never talked of resigning his appointment. He had never mentioned to her that he was prince, the heir apparent to the throne of his tribe. The main problem facing him as far as she knew, was that of his transfer. That had already been solved. It was only a matter of time before he would be sent to Tetseale. But Antony explained with such seriousness of purpose that she became both frightened and upset. Since she herself was not so sincere she began to doubt Antony’s sincerity. This new story seemed to her to shatter the machinery of the plot she had so carefully worked out for herself. She however, teased Antony further. she said: “The world will laugh at me to hear that I abandoned my university studies to become the wife of a local chief.” Anthony’s silence intensified her suspicion. Whether this chieftaincy affair was a hoax or not, she felt that the safest thing to do would be to ensure that they were legally married before Antony went anywhere. *** In the afternoon of the day before Antony was to leave for Small Monje for the funeral of his father she came up to him and insisted that they get married first. 311 Stranger in his Homeland “That will only complicate issues,” he told her. “I don’t want to go there a married man . I don’t want my people to think otherwise about me. We shall be married no doubt. But I should be a Chief first.” “So your people will...