Chapter 23

Well it's not exactly an all out war, but we're getting there. The district commisioner wants to meet with the leaders who have been arming themselves and their people for several days in case of an attack. They go to the meeting as friends with only macthetes. They are dumb. As soon as they set the machetes down they are captured and thrown in jail with a bail of 250 bags of cowries or else. The town calls an emergency meeting where everyone goes. They agree that they will pay the bail price. Who knows maybe there is a little hope that after the bail is payed there will be peace and forgiving, but I wouldn't bet on it. I think that the Umuofians will capture one or more of the Christians. The story about the leaders sort of reminded me of the story of the African tribe of Zulu where they had a dance off against the whites. The Zulus broke it down and the whites.......shot them. Sometimes people are so naive. I would have brought some warriors along with me if I were the leaders and all I had were some machetes. I think that the relationship between the two communities could go either way, but I still think it's leaning towards the war side. I don't know though. Maybe there is some hope for the people of Umuofia and the Christians.