No Way

That given back to society is what he came back for. The mindset of the western nation he finished his education is rooted in. He couldn't understand why his society fights for what will make life easier for many. Some of them sneak into his house for hot drinks and watch state and national news he allows believing they will start having this longing for their wards to be like him but not the elders of Umueke community.

Mr Johnson had wanted to start from his village to create awareness of what is possible as achievement by the youths that their main preoccupation is farming and palm wines. They don't even know that farming can be done more easily in a mechanized way without stressing themselves that much as they do now with crude implements and this can be possible only through exposure to the education he was trying to make interesting and enticing to the youths.

Why some people who call themselves elders are fighting electrification of the community, boreholes being made possible in all the villages with generators that will make sure the villagers don't trek miles in search of water is the part that is surprising to him.

"If you ever mount anything in the name of digging holes for water in this community, you will be treated as the enemy you are" one chief had vomited out with animosity that is so thick that Mr Johnson started treading softly on the issue he is suggesting.

"What kind of water will be cleaner than our lake our ancestors drank from for centuries without contracting any disease?" He had asked "All the stories coming from all the communities with such water we heard is as result of that kind of water you are proposing here. We don't want it in this community. When we die,at least we know it's our ancestors that called us not water we don't know where it came from" the man had said and thousands concurred that he has spoken well.

The electrification plan is the one they seem to be against in their numbers, some that sneak inside his house to watch news on hearing that electric shocked some to death somewhere ran with that information and spreading it like those early apostles must have done with their missionary journeys. They were against that one entirely in their numbers. That they see only calamity in every thing is one reason Mr Johnson found extra hard to grasp. He had asked for permission to build concrete buildings as school against trees and mud houses the pupils sit under and in as schools, they refused, citing cement falling on their wards one day as reason.

"we can handle injuries if muds and branches fall on our kids, cement means nothing but death once on anyone" one chief had volunteered and to Mr Johnson surprise, they concurred in their numbers that he has spoken.

Now, the man has less than a year and half to convince these people that all he's proposing is far better than what they have and not only that it will half their suffering but it will prolong their stay on this planet. They laughed in his face and asked if he believed them to be fools or something. They even ended it with instruction for him not to insult his elders in any way, direct or indirect if he knows what is good for him.

"Whatever your education might be, your travelling or your money, you can never see what we are seeing standing here in this village you insist in contaminating, so keep your distance" one elder had said

If he had not been measuring his words, he would believe he had insulted anyone but he had been deliberately measuring his utterances for this one reason and yet they still found fault in anything he does or says. But he knows it's the fear of losing their hold on the youths and town that is their problem not him or his suggestions. They are worrying about the source of their daily bread.

The town crier still move around in the same way they had been doing since he was a kid, carrying gong and making announcements from kindreds to kindreds when he has suggested speakers being mounted in the poles of the electricity and announcements being made from the hall in the village square they have equally said no to that.

"What kind of speaker will speak better than Mazi Nkwo who has been doing the work for decades now?" One elder has asked. They had eyed him and laughed so long, mocking him that he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Mr Johnson had refused to give in to frustration, he wanted to do all in his house as a sample of what is available to them if they will allow him. He had made his house an open door policy. All are welcomed no matter your stand in his suggestions and he seems to have guessed well the opposition he will counter and made provisions for them. Yet he can't swear that they are not getting to him. For sure these groups of elders can wear one out like water to stone. He never contemplated that it would be this hard. These elders are something else.

Mr Johnson doesn't even know that the core reason behind their opposition to anything coming from him is their fear of him seizing the seat of king of the town. He would have a heafty laughter had he known their fear. He would have signed for them that he has no intention of such now or forever if that will make them allow him to open up this town. Time is money, once he leaves for Europe, his coming back might be another five or six years. And above all, who knows tomorrow. But these elders are kinds that don't believe humans are perishable animals. Things happen but he can see it's on others not them.

The king himself is kind that is good at playing chameleon. If he has been hostile like others, he would have started wondering if his fears are selfish or not. But the man is good at saying A in front of the people and B behind their back. Given your impression he is helpless.

"The tradition said this and that, I can't help it" had been his stand on the issue.