84 PREGNANT FOR A GHOST 1.

Odo Junior was the only son of Mr and Mrs Odo Nwaiwu, he hailed from Anambra state, they had been living in Benin for over fifteen years before the civil war, where they had come to sources for greener pasture, his parents were known gun smiths, Mr Odo had learnt this amazing skill from his own father who had served the his British colonial masters during the colonial era.

Odo Nwaiwu junior grew up in Benin and finally joined his fathers business he was an Igbo boy who later fell in love with with a maiden Izogie, both of them secretly loved each other however, they were scared to let their parents know about their feelings for each other because they each had on their own tried to sample the opinion of their family regarding the possibility of them marrying.

Father what do you think of a Benin girl? Odo Nwaiwu had asked his father on one occasion.

The father had turned to him, and asked what kind of studied question is this one?.... in the most igbotic tone you can imagine, how can I think of a Benin girl? for what now?

Father I mean what is your impression of them? what happens if I marry one of them?

Bia** Junior, since you are ready to marry go back to our village and find a strong Igbo girl to marry biko, those girls are stronger than you o, and their eyes are very big and them too like oyibo things.

So father what if I want to marry one of them? Odo still asked his father.

For what nah? he replied please talk of something else, if you are ready to marry then I will write a letter to my brother, your uncle Odo-olisa to arrange a beautiful maiden for you to marry, in fact tomorrow you will help me write the letter.

This kind of conversation also transpired in the home of Izogie the third daughter and fifth child of Chief and Mrs Nosakhare.

Daddy! Izogie called to her father.

Izogie what is it? her father inquired.

What do you think of me marrying someone from another tribe?

what do you mean, marrying someone from another tribe? her father reiterated.

Father ah! okay say an Igbo man comes to ask for my hand in marriage will you accept it, she asked.

what kind of question is this? this hot afternoon oghene? Izogie, remove your mind from any Igbo man, I have made arrangement with the Esosa's you will be marrying their son the one working in the white mans house as their driver. Mr Nosakhare finished stood up and left his daughter.

Izogie shouted after him father I won't marry that man o, I already have someone I want to marry. Mr Nosakhare didn't even show any sign of hearing what his daughter screaming.

When the lovers met they decided to do the unthinkable without their parents permission at least once Izogie fell pregnant this might force their parents hand, they might get the permission they needed to be together.

So began, a very hot romance and sex between the two love birds and they had a mission and that was to make a baby so after each days work they got together and worked on each other, this also strengthened their love for each other, all this was happening in their love spot the house that Odo junior bought mildly furnished, this was where he wanted their new little family to start.

The pregnancy wasn't happening and a year went past just like that, then one cool evening, Odo junior retuned home from work and had a very peculiar conversation with his father.

Father you know I love you so much, you and mother, but there is a girl I love and she is from this town, I will like you to accept her for my sake accept her, she might be carrying my child as we speak please accept her father he pleaded.

Okay go and rest then by the weekend bring her let me see her before I can give you my blessing. Mr Odo Nwaiwu had a bad feeling but he can't see any reason for the ominous feeling he is getting.

He also saw Izogie that evening and made sweet love to her, it was so nice that she told him that so today is so sweet what is different today? even your countenance is different and to me you seemed determined, what is it my love?

Izogie make sure .... am coming he said and stepped out side and she never saw him again, he never finished what he wanted to tell her, after waiting for a while she went home before it gets so dark.

When he had abruptly left, the news of his death was already brought to his father, he died that afternoon in a ghastly motor accident which had claimed three lives.

The next day too Izogie heard of the news of her loves death and she almost died a thousand time but death refused to take her, her parent could not understand why she was wasting away so much after a month she had lost so much weight that her parents were scared so they invited the doctors to take a look at her and she was pronounced pregnant.

Izogie became instantly well, now she had so much to remember him by but why now that he is no more? who will believe her? they were never open with their relationship but she will play the role of both the father and mother to their child and she will never marry anyone else.

Odo Junior watched his family and his love suffer because of his passing but he couldn't comfort them and he couldn't find anyone to help him pass a message to them. He then tried to leave to no avail he was stuck until he settle them, his parent taught they were childless since they lost him but his woman was pregnant how were they to know and help her?

Izogie have birth to a set of twin babies, a boy and a girl, she was massively happy, I wish you are here to see our children Odo they are so beautiful.

He heard her, but how can he let her know, so he kept trying but after many years of trying he gave up and just hanged around his family wherever he could.

All attempt to get Izogie to marry by her parents was futile, and okay who is the father of your children? no answer she was scared that if she said it was Odo junior her parents might not be nice to her children, so she kept mute.

**Bia = come (it means come in the Igbo dialect.)