By Uduma Kalu
This section contains most significantly, interviews with Area Scatter's nephews, Mr. Ignatius Agụọcha of Umuagwo and Mr Raphael Nzeribe of Umuovurugo on the mysterious origin, culture influence and life of their musician uncle, Area Scatter.
Both of them are direct nephews of Area Scatter, sharing the same blood and family paternally and maternally. Raymond is 45 and will soon be a grandfather while Ignatius Agụọcha , 61, is already one. Both are blunt in their own ways and have information very authentic to dispel the fiction being written about their uncle, Area Scatter.
Indeed, no one, we could say, knew the icon more than his blood relations and the compound he was born into. Ovurugo therefore was for us an opener more than what we got at Umuagwo. And Area Scatter's' paternal nephew, Catechist Raymond, was our first source there.
But both nephews presented different lifestyles that informed their different views on their uncle.
While Ignatius is 61, forthright and older, Raphael is in his late 40s, reserved and more official as a Christian, though blunt.
For example, Ignatius's background deeply contrasts with Raymond's. He is not really a church person, describing himself a traditional person. Yet, he refuses to be the chief priest of his town's deity which his father, Area Scatter's' maternal uncle, was the chief priest.
The man really was the defacto father of Area Scatter. He brought him and his mother back from his father's house at Umuovurugo and settled them back in his compound.
He sent Area Scatter into the nearby community primary school, got him apprenticed as a auto mechanic at Aba and saw to his tutelage as a musician, even though he was at first opposed to it.
He bought for him his first music instruments when he couldn't stop him. In his house, Area Scatter was free, playing about as a child with his fellow children, playing in the traditional festivals and masquerade dances so much that he was the leader of his own masquerade troupe and was the monstrous Agaba masquerade leader. We saw the fierce looking mask still in his old maternal house but now in the custody of Ignatius, his maternal nephew.
Ignatius's compound, unlike Raymond's, tells another story. Ignatius's runs a pools house which his female family has taken over. He drinks which worries his family. When we say him that first time, he looked unkept. In fact, he wasn't even at home. He was phoned to come.
When he arrived, he was friendly, no doubt and wasted no time to start talking about his uncle. He somehow exaggerates his knowledge of his uncle, perhaps, he was awed by the aura of his uncle whom he grew up under. We had to tell him to tidy up for the pictures, the same thing we told Raymond, no doubt. But the difference here was that Raymond was at work at his garden when we arrived. Ignatius was out enjoying himself.
There are deities in Ignatius' compound. The village's earth diety is located there, right in front of the large family compound. It's full of tall trees with concrete wall encircling it to deepen its mystery. Worshippers barricade entry to the place every nkwo market day. And they drink and play games games there. Ignatius' compound which he inherited from his fathers and where Area Scatter lived is actually a public place, inviting all sorts of people. It's quite boisterous.
This is unlike Area Scatter's' paternal home at Umuovurugo. It's quiet and private. When we rode in there from Umuagwo in our hired bikes, the compound hidden behind another compound was, yes tight with houses but filled up. There was no space as every available area had been taken up. It's a crowded compound. Even Raymond has left the compound. He said he saved and bought a land from his friend and built his big house.
Raymond's house looked massive with sophisticated architecture. The land is over two hundred feet and he farms there. He has a borehole pump, a beautiful driveway, trees, plantain gardens, pineapples, vegetables etc.
Through Raymond, I noticed a symbiotic relationship between husbands and wives of Umuovurugo. We saw him that Monday afternoon of our second visit cutting the ugu vegetables for his wife who was not at home. She would later ride in in her bicycle. The Igbo people who live in the plain lands of the Niger Delta seem to delight in riding on bicycles and motor bikes. The Ngwa, Ohaji, Oguta, Agbor, etc are tops in this.
I engaged Raymond on this relationship with their wives. Because all through, I noticed the couples there stayed and helped themselves. But Ignatius wasn't like that. He was a way drinking while his daughter ran the pool with his wife. That means whatever money that came in from there was shared. And it didn't look like it was paying much. There was nothing much to do there for Ignatius unlike Raymond's where activities in the compound alone took Raymond's time.
Ignatius house was left for him by his father. He built no house and the one line rooms looked old. He lives there,in one room while his daughter lived in the room Area Scatter lived. We noticed that the other rooms were locked. And the compound, spacious, needed modernization, which perhaps informed Raymond's desire to live his father's compound for his own land where he has enough space.
Ignatius's compound still has space for more houses. And he didn't seem to be in a hurry to get out of there. In fact, his sister who he said had been having children, one of who looked very much like Area Scatter, lived in a nearby but collapsing house. She could not even reroof the zincs that were falling and breaking apart.
Ignatius too couldn't do it for her. He said she had no husband but had about four children from different men. Did this lifestyle impact on Area Scatter's' life in his maternal village? We will find out.
Raymond on the other hand seemed more attentive and meticulous than Ignatius, though Ignatius seemed more educated and exposed. We could easily communicate with Ignatius in fluent English while Raymond has a stammering though good at his English. This shows an educational difference between the Umuagwo and Umuovurugo communities.
Even though Umuagwo is a university town with all the paraphernalia of a growing town in the middle of two big capital cities of Port Harcourt of Rivers State and Owerri, Imo state, education perhaps began earlier in Umuagwo. The only school, Umuovurugo primary school we saw looked recent, meaning that had Area Scatter lived and grown up there, he may not have become the phenomenon he became.
Because while in Umuagwo, he got exposed educationally, culturally and technologically. His uncle had introduced him to an eze, a monarch who became his mentor and patron. That man introduced him to other benefactors that helped to expose him, including the NTA Aba from where he exploded. Umuovurugo would have greatly limited Area Scatter's' growth. He would have been a local farmer eking out his meager living from the cassava and palm trees.
Raymond, unlike Ignatius, is a catechist at the nearby Catholic church, and he is faithful to his call. He makes sure he is at the classes every evening and does not miss his Sunday services. He had postponed our meeting because of his church activities.
Ignatius on the other hand, never mentioned church. His daughters are older, more educated being graduates. But the economy is telling on them. No job. One of them is married. And he is proud of them. Raymond's first daughter is barely eighteen, secondary school graduate and was getting married that weekend of our coming. Raymond too married early. But as he said, it made him concentrate on growing and grooming his family.
Ignatius too trained his children, unlike his uncle. And perhaps had things been alright in Nigeria, his children would take care of him. Raymond's children are not as educated as Ignatius's but his first son is at the polytechnic institute at Owerri. Whatever is the reason behind the financial and other differences between the two, the environment affected their lifestyles. The urban background tells on Ignatius, his uncle and his views. Ignatius said something like that.
"Area Scatter's things were here. He lived his life here. Imagine how this place was then. Now, it's boisterous. Buildings are springing up and down. There was bush there. Where people build now in this compound was bush. "
He referenced the cultural connection of his family. "My father was onye ishi ala, Earth priest. I didn't want to inherit the priesthood. I am the first son. If I do, I won't have time for other things. Yes, I am a cultural man. I am a traditional person. But there are things I can't do. As a cultural man, I don't even eat meat. I am a vegetarian. My father didn't live long. He died at 45. I am now 61."
Did the deity kill his father? "No. But I wouldn't be free if I took the priesthood. I will not do tikotiko. But I am free to drink. I can go anywhere, drink and eat even if it is eight pm." Tikotiko means social activities.
The religious revelation this areas of interaction with the two Area Scatter's' nephews shows that the culture of the environment and land is being lost to them. Western civilization is taking over the place and the people's memories. Raymond is a catechist while Ignatius abandoned his traditional priestly calling for carefree life. Between the two, the Igbo knowledge system in the specialized areas is lost. Only Ignatius's father had it while Raymond's traditional knowledge began earlier. His father was also a catechist. His continued the tradition.
In the absence of Ignatius's father, we saw a group worshipping at the shrine. Meaning other people serve it.
"My father would have been older. My grandfather died early too. No one lives like Methuselah but it's good to be old,", Ignatius said, defending his reason to abandon his fathers' calling.
Did the deities kill him? "I don't know whether they killed him," he responded.
On the dilapidated building in the compound, Ignatius said, "It's my sister's. She has no husband. I don't want any problems with her. She is not constant with one man. Birthing for different men. Only she knows the fathers of the children.
" She can't zinc the roof. Zincs on sale here. She lives in that bad house."
We then chatted with Raymond to draw a another comparison between the two nephews. Raymond never saw Area Scatter, his uncle. He died too early for him to know him closely. His father was Area Scatter's uncle too. And both uncles played different roles in their nephew's life.
It didn't seem like Raymond's father played significant role in Area Scatter's' life. So, much of what Raymond knows about his uncle is from people say about him.
We started the conversation with Raymond on the meaning of his town's name, Umuovurugo.
The conversation, unlike with Ignatius, was conducted more in a blend of English, Nigerian Pidgin, and Igbo. We discussed the history and origins of the town of Umuovurugo within the Imuse Autonomous Community in Imo State and their influence on Area Scatter.|
"Now, let's start by telling us about this town. What is this town called and how was this town founded?" we began.
It turned out an interesting beginning, the first time anybody had opened up on the home town of the musician. So, we told him many people would be glad to hear the story everywhere.
Raymond set a table and chairs for us. He brought a keg of palm wine and anara fruits. We prayed with the fruits as custom demanded. Anara is used to pray in the absence of kola nut in Igboland though it is often frowned upon. Kola nuts are now scarce and costly. But anara is easily available and cheap.
Raymond had just given out his eighteen years old daughter out in marriage. So, he had our own drinks ready. He too married early and said it was good to marry early. They don't factor in education in this place, we found out.
He then introduced himself. "You are talking with Catechist Raymond Onyebuchi Nzeribe."
Raymond is a catechist at the St. Chimezie Catholic Church, Imuse.
A Catechist is person who teaches the principles of Christian religion, often a layperson in the Catholic Church. This is far from what we heard about Area Scatter and his curious background. We didn't expect that.
We were curious too because we never heard of any saint called St. Chimezie, an Igbo man. But here, there is and he has a church named after him.
I liked the idea. It sounded revolutionary. For centuries, we had been inaudunted with names from Europe as saints of the churches. Even we didn't know the saints.
And I asked him why the name St Chimezie. "St. Chimezie Catholic Church... that means the church in your village answers an Igbo name?"
"Yes, St. Chimezie," Raymond emphasized.
He then began to tell us how he was related to the music icon.
"Area Scatter was my uncle. His father and my father were of the same mother and father in Omabeda kindred," he said.
A kindred is a group of related families; a lineage or clan within a community.
The catechist started to tell us the story of the place and how it came to be.
"This village is made up of six kindreds that form Ovurugo. This town, Ovurugo, was founded in the year.... I may not be able to record it correctly. There was a bird called Ugo (Eagle)—a very beautiful bird. When this Ugo laid its egg and hatched it, the bird was very beautiful. That was the time this Ovurugo was found.
Raymond said the word Ovurugo meant "people that were found through this Eagle. O vuru Ugo... carrying something from the Eagle and dropping it, and it now becomes a place. " It means a beautiful place.
From the explanation, we deciphered that Ugo, the Igbo word for "Eagle," often symbolizing strength , s epitome of the Igbo idea of beauty, and nobility. It therefore means that Ovurugo, the name of the town, explained by the speaker, means "carried by the Eagle" (O buru Ugo).
"They now named this place people that were discovered through this Eagle." Umuovurugo.
"What is the meaning of the word Obuuru in your place?'
We asked him this question because of the way they folks used the word v instead of b. So oburugo becomes Ovurugo.... that is people that were brought by the Ugo. the Eagle.
"O vuru Ugo" (Carried by the Eagle)... carrying something from the Eagle and dropping it and it then becomes a settlement. "
Raymond said that the name meant "carried by the Eagle" (O buru Ugo), suggesting the town was established where an eagle dropped something significant or where its presence marked a beautiful spot.
The name was significant to us. It signposted the reason the people were very beautiful. Both Area Scatter's homes were associated with beauty. And that explained why Area Scatter was a beautiful man.
Raymond then took us into a cultural tour of his community and how it influenced Area Scatter. Area Scatter was incidentally promoting the culture of his people which is subsumed under autonomous community name, Ohaji, instead of their ethnic Igbo Ikwerre identity.
"We are related to the Ikwerre culturally. Ohaji and Ikwerre have the same culture, the same dialect. Everything. We are supposed to be answering Ikwerre if not because of all these politicians that have deprived us from them.."
He named one of the politicians from Umuapu in Imo state for such deprivation.
"That was the trick of Ihueze of Umuapu," Raymond said.
The Ikwerre ethnic group is a part of the larger Igbo race. They are found mainly in Rivers where they claim a separate identity for what some term political reasons. Though some of them reinstate their Igboness, some of them insist they are not Igbo.
It was therefore a surprise for us when we heard that Area Scatter's Ohaji was actually Ikwerre, which culture he was promoting in his performances , attires, songs, dialect and dances.
" The main Ohaji that are supposed to be culturally related to the Ikwerre in Rivers State are Umuagwo, Obiti, Asaa, Obile, Ikwerrede. Ikwerrede is in Imo state. Ikwerrede is after Warala in Imo state.
" These are the core Ohaji as I listed them."
When asked about another town called Ilile, Raymond said it was part of Mgbirishi community, his own autonomous community.
"Umuapu. Ihie is under Umuapu autonomous community as well as Obiti, etc. They are those that speak the same dialect, Ikwerre. When I go to Omaraelu, Elele, Ubima, Akpane, in Rivers State, I speak my dialect and they understand and respond in their own dialect and I understand because it is the same dialect as mine."
Raymond explained the various cultural festivals in his town, some of which Area Scatter danced in his maternal Umuagwo village.
" I can dance any of the masquerades. We have different kinds of masquerade.. And I can dance them. I dance all of them. We have one that used to flog people and pursue them. We call it Flogger, Opia Mpiripia, in our dialect. That is it flogs people and pursues them. We have Nkwa. Owuna, boat reggaetta or boat rides found in Rivers and other riverine communities in Nigeria."
That was then. Today in Ovurugo, the festival is no more because the river dried up. He showed us where it used to be. Just behind his house. That's another story, though.
" We have Owu. I can't tell you details of Owu because they are hidden. As a child at the public square, I was awed and fascinated by its dance and drumming. When I wasn't a strong Christian, I used to like it. I still do. Its dancing and drumming are special and entertaining."
Raymond also revealed another culture of the people which shocked us. Because the Igbo are a patriarchial society. But here, the line between a man and woman is thin. Like the life Area Scatter.
" We have a food cooking festival called Ekwu. Ekwu means kitchen in Igbo. But this one is a cooking festival. It's for men. Men have the Ekwu festival, not women. They bring out their yams, Cook them, pound them and cook their own soup. Men do that and people eat to know who cooked best. We have our culture. Many would come out and cook. But it's no more. There's no yam as it used to be,' he told us.
0 Comments