Thursday 1st May- Visit to Igberre

Nigerian public holiday. I had not seen my goats for a day or two now so went to say good morning. The male was lying down with diarrhoea (or podgeing and they call it), runny nose and his body was so cold to touch. I called some residents to put fire and I stroked him to warm his body and scratched his beard and his ears to try and make him feel comforted. It pained me to see he had fallen sick when I had only bought him 11 days ago. Co-ordinator told me the baby boy was sick yesterday but he did not want to worry me. I was pissed off because I felt seeing as I am the owner of the goats I should have a right to know what is happening. Technically I purchased one goat from the fundraising money that Westbury Park Community have worked so committed to give and the other is from my pocket but I picked them both, love them both, and have put in a lot of effort to check them and make them settle in.

Martha and I went to Benson to talk about my invitation cards. I was stronger today and always enjoy the breeze you get from travelling on bike. The sun was warm but manageable. We had a nice bike boy who carried the both of us for 500N and we all jested together.

Benson was surprised that I had come on bike and was not happy. He said it was not a good method of travel for me and would have rather I phoned him from Bende where I left the Amaudo vehicle and he would have driven himself to pick us up. I laughed at him and said if its good enough for Martha then it is good enough for me and although I was scared at first I have long since learned to enjoy bikes.

Bensons daughter was off school from Lagos so her and her cousin came out with us for an outing.We met Bensons mother in the adjacent compound and then went to see his village and all the children and destitute he cares for. Walking through the windy narrow walk ways reminded me of the old towns I had visited in Italy. Benson apologised for if I was to become sad at being exposed to the poverty these people are living in. Collecting and drinking rain water, not clothing fine, having mud houses and no electricity I could not reply because I was afraid he would think I was selfish if I told him I felt too lucky to be walking about a remote village…how many English even come to Nigeria? And then how many to Abia State? It narrows down so small that I stand a good chance of being the first white the children have seen. (There had been a white man a while ago so some older women were asking if I was that mans daughter) The children skipped after me as if I was the pied piper, they came out from almost every house I past to see the white woman, They wanted to touch my skin and enjoyed being photographed.

On the way to the second village we saw 3 vulchers. They reminded me of my sister Joanna and watching Jungle Book so I snapped them for her.

Coincidentally where we stopped the car there was a pathway leading into the bush. The path was good so I was able to see the soldier ants. The air was humid enough for me to believe I was actually entering rain forest. I keep seeing bush and it never looks as exciting as they make it on wildlife programmes or in movies. We walked until we found a clearing where they tap palm wine. There was a man just finishing work so we were able to buy it as fresh as can be. This time when I took palm wine I enjoyed it so much because it feels refreshing and cooling. If I could choose mineral (coke/ fanta), cold water or palm wine I would pick palm wine. When it is fresh the alcohol content is very low and the longer you keep it the more it ferments.
Bensons daughter wanted to take me to the river to paddle. The sun was hot so we picked big umbrella leaves to give us shade.
Coming to the second village I saw Evil Forest which is where the villagers (traditionally/but maybe now) throw evil things. So all of the bodies of those who have died in funny/abnormal ways that caused fear so any disease that was not understood and looked as though it was the work of witches e.g. TB and people that died of strange swellings. They would also throw twins into the forest sometimes with the mother because they felt it unnatural. We visited a compound that only housed old women. All these women had once been married to one man and he kept them all in separate mini houses. There were 30 or more than houses! All of the women would go to work on his farm for free and had born children to help out on the farm and to look after the man in his old age. Now that the man has died the women are left with nothing and are all too old to marry again so it is unimaginably tough.

When we got home Benson gave me 3 bottles of wine as a gift. This is because I had told him I was offended when the waitress at Former Governors house asked me what I would drink and I told her a glass of red or white and she brought me a whole tray of soft drinks, non alcoholic beer and water. He drove us to Bende but was forced to stop because Bende road is so notoriously bad we all knew that his car would not make it. You need to have a Jeep, and event those get scattered far sooner than their life expectancy. I was feeling content and wanted to take Martha to lunch. We went to a little make shift café and I took 100N rice and stew. Martha took garri and agusi soup with added bush meat. She drank 7up and I ordered beer and got a 66cl bottle for 150N (70p). By the end of the meal I still had change from a fiver. It is a bit of a joke because where I work you can’t even buy a 66cl bottle of beer with a fiver!

When I got back Success told me that my goat had been killed. I was pretty sad and even shed a little tear. Everyone else was happy because there was meat in the stew that night. They promised it was not my goat but I said I was not that gullible and would not take dinner. I don’t even enjoy meat over here because they cook it so tough it becomes an effort to chew so I dash it out. Poor little boy only lasted 11 days.