A Tale of Friendship, Betrayal, & Redemption

Once a year, a particular tribe called the Ezza will gather to celebrate, they would beat the drum and dance. On such special occasions, someone usually takes the lead as he's in charge of the drum. Many believed that this person is often exceedingly blessed by the gods because of the spectacular talking drum and this made some people wish to be like him.

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Uzonna, a young man who came from a steel-making lineage desperately desires to be the blessed one. He knows that whosoever has the talking drum would be favored and blessed by the gods. He doesn't wish to remain in poverty and die in it like his father and his grandfather.

"I must find a solution to my problem," Uzonna said to himself and so he went to the Dibia

"My son, what you seek is not impossible but may be difficult," The Dibia, Ichiaka, said to him.

"You will embark on a journey to the evil forests and steal the talking drum from the gods, Okwu agwugo," Ichiaka finished

Uzonna couldn't believe the simplicity of the task. Ichiaka laughed and responded, "Don't you know that anyone who steals from the gods will face a terrible ending?"

"Ichiaka, as long as I would enjoy money let tomorrow take care of itself," Uzonna answered confidently.

"My son, you have to look for a trusted friend, one who can dance to the rhythm of your beats," Ichiaka continued

"Why do I need a friend?," Uzonna asked

"You need a friend who will be loyal to you and will be in charge of all your wealth because the same hand you used in beating the talking drum must not, I repeat, must not touch material things," Ichiaka explained

"Secondly, the drum must remain in your house at all times. Lastly, the talking drum must not be taken to Obima where the king resides. This last one is the most important warning, and if you dare disobeyed, the talking drum would disappear and return to the gods," Ichiaka finished.

After the consultation and fulfillment of the tasks, Uzonna became a drummer, and his friend, Asadu became a dancer. Their fame grew, and the villagers loved them so much. Even the neighboring villagers hail them for their exceptional display.

The king of Obima heard of them and he invited them over but they turned down his invitation because of the last warning they received.

Time passed and the two friends raised a family. Asadu's daughter, Nnenne grew into a beautiful woman and her father taught her the importance of friendship.

"Nnenne, my daughter, apart from making you a great dancer so you can be beside Uzonna's Son, I want you to always remember that we are like rubber, that's old and fasten this drum to the body. Though we may look insignificant, we can provide greater relief to whosoever bears the talking drum. That is who we are to the Uzonna family," Asadu tells his daughter.

While Nnenne grew to be an obedient child. Obinna, Uzonna's son became the opposite. He enjoyed the attention showered on him by the villagers. He could beat different kinds of drums and this made him proud.

As Uzonna aged, his concerns over his son grew. He wondered if Obinna will uphold and respects the friendship between the two families. As a result, he proposed the idea of marriage between the two children to his friend and his friend accepted.

That evening, Uzonna called Obinna and tried to convince him to marry Nnenne.

" I don't know why we are giving the Asadu family so much control over all that we have. Father, you gave them all you have ever worked for and now you want to give your only son to them again," Obinna said in anger.

He refused the marriage proposal and threatened to carry the talking drum and move far away from his hometown. In the course of trying to argue with his son, Uzonna had a heart attack and died. After the burial procession, Obinna left with the drum.

A few weeks later, Asadu fell ill and he explained the past to his daughter. He told her to get Obinna to return to his father's hut and place the talking drum back in his father's chamber.

Nnenne went in search of Obinna. Soon she heard that Obinna had proceeded to Obima, she went back to her father and cried, "It's finished".

The last warning and very important, was that the talking drum must not be taken to Obima where the king resides. The kings are referred to as the second to the gods and if the king hears the talking drum the power in the king will make it disappear and return to the gods.

But Obinna wasn't aware of this warning, so when he took the drum to the king, it returned to the gods.

The only remedy to save Asadu's life and right the wrongs had been sending his only daughter to the forest to offer sacrifice to the gods. The gods will test her intentions and find them to be true and pure. Nnenne accepted the quest and once she got there, she knelt before the gods holding the sacrifice. Right there in the shrine, a voice echoed the question, "We are something, we are a band but we can't beat the drum...." while laughing thunderously.

Nnenne was silent for some minutes until she remembered the words of her father, "I want you to always remember that we are like a rubber that holds and fasten the drum".

"Rubber band....rubber band," Nnenne answered. "Correct ...," the voice echoed back. The gods accepted her sacrifice and gave her the talking drum.

Nnenne took the drum to Asadu's house and the presence of the drum made Asadu recover. Obinna returned and pleaded for forgiveness. They got married. He continued to beat the talking drum while Nnenne danced to the beats.