It Wasn't Me

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Two broad-chested men accosted Obinna along the lonely path that leads to the stream in Umu-Ankita, it was very early in the morning when everyone was going to fetch water when the stream is still fresh and not yet scattered by fetchers from all parts of the village.

He was beaten to a pulp for something no one could trace and left to die along the lonely path.

Many thanks to Aloy who was going to fetch clean and drinkable water at the stream early that morning and found Obinna gasping for breath with broken lips and black eyes he suffered from the whooping he got from the broad-chested men.

As the local Methodist priest posted from the Archdeaconry, Obinna was hated for the message of Christ he preached in the community which speaks against traditional worship and libation and blood sacrifice in the name of appeasement.

You make matter worse, everyone in his congregation has one way or the other play against traditional worship. In the heat of such serious matters, Adaugo a member of Obinna's congregation got pregnant out of wedlock, one thing that is forbidden in Umu-Ankita community.

While Obinna was still recuperating from the blue and black beating, the congregation of his led church was still meeting at their local parish and praying through the night. They were determined never to go back to traditional worship and for this, they were hated the more.

Adaugo disappeared into thin air for fear of being ostracized for her supposed dastardly act of getting pregnant out of wedlock. It was a high disappointment to everyone, more so because she was an active member of the choir in the church.

Things must move on irrespective of the disappearance of Adaugo from the community. The top question in the heart of everyone now is "who impregnated Adaugo. And who ganged up to beat the local priest, Obinna.

All fingers were pointed to the priest of the local church, Obinna. No one believed him. He explained to his congregation that he wasn't involved with Adaugo or any other woman.

Some of his congregation left the church with their head bowed in shame. The shame that their shepherd could stoop so low to engage an unmarried lady.

As time went on, the case was reported to the diocesan office so that Obinna could be reprimanded, but instead, he was made to remain at Umu-Ankita until the victim attests to the fact that he wasn't responsible for the pregnancy.

Six months later, Adaugo came visiting with her protruded stomach showing that she was pregnant. In the company of the prince of Umu-Ochi who impregnated her.

She has come to set the record straight. Despite that she had offended and broken the belief of her new faith, she found it necessary to set the records straight.

Painfully, the broad-chested men appeared to register their disappointment for having to embark on that baseless assignment to beat up by an innocent missionary. The young men apologized and felt so very sorry for obeying the traditional cult to carry out the infamous act.

The chief gave a verdict concerning the men that beat Obinna up. They were to do community service for one full moon and pay a fine of a bag. of cowries and a male goat to the victim, Obinna.

From the local chief's palace, Adaugo led her husband, the prince to the location of the church so they could bless their union.

Obinna stood tall on the alter that Sunday morning, he spoke about being faithful even in the face of persecution and never to lose trust on God. Using Daniel and Job in the Bible as case study.obinna told the congregants how faithful he had been to God since he accepted the call and that's is how to build up your faith in the face of challenges.