The Tree Stump That Caused the Empty-handed to Trip and Fall

By

Obododimma Oha

Mgbọrọgwụ kpọrọ onye gba aka ga-akpọ onye ji mma, o wee gbupụ ya (The tree stump that caused the empty-handed to trip and fall will eventually confront a person armed with a cutlass and it would be cut off). That should be a fair translation of the Igbo proverb. The tree stump is arrogant. In fact, rude and arrogant. Imagine! It thinks that it is privileged and now owns the road that even spirits and deities use! That is an unpardonable behaviour. We are, however, glad that it has finally confronted a person who is holding a cutlass and has received what it has been asking for: a cut! Yes; the tree stump has been cut off and would no longer rule the road like a sphinx, throwing riddles and devouring naked toes.

Yesterday is not today, and cannot be tomorrow. Thoughtless fellows only think of today that they control the road. But tomorrow will come. One is not an authority in stochastic process, but one knows that today would roll on its side and fall asleep eventually. It is predictable. So, tree stumps, as you play out your impudence and attack the toes of those without cutlasses, think of the coming disaster.

That was why Nico Mbarga sang using that Igbo wise saying, which is also a proper noun, Onye ma echi (Onyemaechi) (Who knows tomorrow) in the track called “Aki” in Sweet Mother. Indeed, nobody knows tomorrow. And because nobody knows tomorrow, all mortals need to be very careful. To live rudely and think that one now owns the road or controls it is unwise, very unwise! Onye ma echi.

But let me not forget that moment of truth when the tree stump on the road faces the sharp cutlass. As the blow of the cutlass descends, the deadness of the tree stump dawns on all. Deadness. When tree stumps go blocking free use of the road, they are already dead. In fact, that is also a prediction that they will eventually confront the cutlass and would be cut off for the road to be free again for the deities and other spirits to pass unhindered. It is even a prediction of a prediction. The Igbo have a name for the eventuality: A ma na o ga-eme (It is clear that this would happen). Typical of predictions of predictions.

There was a way that this formed a satirical song for soldiers forced to go to war by their sergeant-majors:

There will be no sergeant-major

When the war is over!

Is it not interesting that the soldiers destined to die in the war are already prophesying the end of the war? Already looking at the peace-time and the disappearance of the dictatorial sergeant-major? And their prophecy would come to pass. “And it came to pass that the war ended and tree stump which thought they owned and controlled the road vanished.

It is not admirable to play the tree stump. It is not wise to block the way, causing innocent passerby to trip and fall. So, the tree stump asked for it. When you ask for it, wait for it. It will surely come. Do you see why I like the logic of stochastic process?

Welcome, tomorrow. Goodbye, today. Chi foro Afọ efola Nkwọ (Nkwọ Day is already here), and has been knocking at the door. If I were you, tree stump, I will start shedding tears for my death.