Ichie Obinku lost his wife of 34 years and was forced to re-marry. He chose a 21 years old Ụtọnwa who was very beautiful and possessed all that could make other men risk being caught sharing her with the husband at any cost. 

Ichie Obinku noticed that he alone couldn’t satisfy Ụtọnwa the very first day he tasted what he paid for.

The young girl kept asking for more as if Ichie Obinku was being powered by 200amp inverter battery. He could only do what a 63 years old man could do and put back his sword, which has turned into a sagged rope, inside his sheath.

As a smart man that he was, Ichie Obinku quickly harvested four children from Ụtọnwa in quick succession leaving no long gaps in between pregnancies. He reasoned that he needed to be fast before other men sowed wild oats or illegitimate children in his family.

As months rolled into years, Ichie Obinku had noticed that Ụtọnwa, his wife no longer complained about his low penile performance or his reduced ability to push or thrust harder.

Ụtọnwa formed indifference after each lacklustre performance by her husband, whose mind or intention to satisfy his wife was not in doubt but the ability to stand erect, fill the hole and create a feelable friction was not reliable.

Ichie Obinku was so sure that a younger man was helping him tend his farm. His wife’s new feeling of contentment was ominous. He was however relieved as he was not being asked to climb the steep Ụkpọ hill.

What a big load off him!

But who was this man that had been helping him without his permission?

Ichie Obinku suspected his elder brother’s first son, Mazi Ifeụtọ. He had noticed a resurgent closeness between his wife and Mazi Ifeụtọ.

How could one ban one’s younger nephew from visiting his house even at old hours? Not Mazi Ifeụtọ who has been very respectful and responsible.

It’s not done!

After all, isi mkpi ka dịkwa n’akpa mkpi meaning “that the wife didn’t go too far”.

With his increasing age and decreasing ability to satisfy Ụtọnwa in bed, Ichie Obinku advised himself and came out with a heart preserving elixir.

Ichie Obinku wouldn’t bother to probe who is helping keep his wife happy. Of what purpose would such enquiry or confirmation serve?

It was better left in the realm of suspension.

He would not use his eyes to see iniquity.

Everything, for him, was not sex.

As a matter of policy, Ichie Obinku would make a loud noise produced by clearing one’s throat upon approaching his compound. It was so characteristic and unmistakably his.

He didn’t stop at that.

Ichie Obinku would also jam so hard the entrance gate of his compound. This, he believed was enough alarm for his wife and any of her male guests to adjust their positions before he entered his house.

And Ichie Obinku lived longer than 94 years before he joined his ancestors.

Anayo M. Nwosu