New People Rice Farms 5&6

Draft
CHAPTER 5

Meanwhile, the children clustered round Hajiya Rakiya and out came the inevitable sachets of chupa chup and mint popsies. Amid the ill commotion which the impending feast provoked, Suma asked Hajiya what she had done with his wife. At first, it was as if Hajiya Rakiya had not heard the question. She quietly disengaged the children one from another, gathered her shawl round her and putting her delicate hands, sparkling with false jewelry on the arm of the chair, she lifted herself to take her departure.
“So my little ones are fine. Well then, I can go home and sleep soundly,” she said.
Suma too got up and tried again to address her visitor as she walked towards the door.
‘Hajiya, your daughter left the house this morning. You can’t go without telling me where she is.”
“What kind of man asks this question? He is either a rascal or an idiot. I give you my innocent child to look after. You shout at her. You push her up and down. You ill – treat her everyday. Now you ask me where she is. Why don’t you go to the police? Do you know how old that child is? Twenty seven years. Just twenty seven years. And you have given her all the trouble of her life you wicked man. Why does a man send his soul flying about. Your real soul is not resident in you. What do you want really? Tell me what you want,” Hajiya Rakiya screamed at her in-law.
Indeed Hajiya Rakiya was a woman of wide – ranging emotional powers. Even trivial events took on a mythical size in her large and abounding heart. And she would laugh, or cry or fly into rage at a mere nothing. Here lay the secret of a charming character in whose company nothing could be boring or humdrum. Perhaps she cheapened the quarrel in the family by dramatizing it but she was sure that in Suma she was facing a traitor to the family whose rebellion must be put down.
Indeed, Hajiya Rakiya exerted enormous influence on Suma Benu’s family.  As Saratu grew in maturity and beauty, Hajiya insisted that she must be hardworking, industrious and self reliant.  Saratu was expected to lay solid foundation for the development of her children
Saratu was not available in Aluju. She had in fact returned to the village with Suma’s uncle.  When a man was incapable of caring for his wife, the extended family would recall her, and the ancestor must intervene.
Suma Benu, as a protagonist was in battle with so many fronts, his belligerent boss, the extended family especially his sick mother and the deteriorating image of the rice plantations.
While Suma Benu planned a trip to his village in Osimapa to reconcile with his wife, the rumours of strike action by the workers was spreading like wide fire on one cool Wednesday evening.  Suma was amazed. There had been no awareness of pending contentious industrial dispute. The strike action was therefore spontaneous without defined immediate cause. The trip to Osimapa was therefore shelved as Suma Benu would be required to sit on an emerging strike committee that would resolve the conflict. For many years, the rice plantations plunged into slumber as the whirlwind of change occurred globally. Indeed, dramatic events defined as globalization continued to shake the business world. Skills had changed rapidly along with the disappearance of jobs. Employees needed to reinvent themselves and integrate their knowledge into new jobs.
The pending strike action was indeed instigated by veteran Trade Unionists who were visiting plantations in Aluju to organize workers into an agricultural union.“ Suma Benu was astounded by the unexpected presence of the visitors who established an apparent immediate direct contact with workers’ representatives on the mill floor. “But why can’t your workers form a union to fight for improved conditions of service for the members”, was the continuous rhetoric statement by Mr. Louis Papa, a veteran radical trade unionist whose notoriety was established in workers’ and management circles across the country.  His presence was already being felt in the plantations.  
Indeed trade union growth had been slow on the rice plantations due to non recognition of workers collectivization by management. New employees were compelled to accept job offer on condition that they would not unionize.  Louis Papa and his collaborators would alter the arrangement by demanding for closed shop whereby a new employee was compelled to register as a trade union member.  
“Our representatives have been trying to meet the management but it is difficult. Some members are afraid of losing their jobs. The management does not want workers  to organize into a trade union”, suggested Fredrick Ture, a plantation worker who had been reading about Trade Unionism from books and newspapers but who had never actually organized workers
The Estate workers had been wanting to exercise their fundamental human right to associate freely by forming a union but the management had threatened to refuse recognition to the union whenever it was formed.
‘But the management cannot deny you recognition”, Louis Papa stated emphatically.
“They tell us that our union must first prove that it is well represented in all the company’s departments and that majority of the workers support our effort,” Abdullai Susu, an aggressive operator in the mill tried to explain. Susu had been struggling with a few workers to ensure that the formation of the union was successful. Abdullahi Susu was ambitions and determined to achieve fast career progress or to secure a key position in the proposed union hierarchy.
“Your employers cannot withhold recognition indefinitely since judicial order could prevail on the company to accord you recognition as a registered union” Mr. Dodi, a visiting unionist from Lagos declared.
“The ministry of  Employment, Labour and Productivity had intervened by speaking to management on several occasions. The management only avoided pending judicial order by according recognition two months ago,” Abdullahi Susu tried to explain.
“However the Registrar of Trade Unions threatened to withdraw the union’s certificate of registration for our inability to clarify issues relating to the formation of executive committee and some annual accounts matters,” Susu further clarified.
“That is precisely why we are visiting the plantations.  I am the general secretary of several trade unions like yours. I am based in Lagos. You must have been hearing about my name. Let me introduce Mr. Alfred Etuk to you. He is the Treasurer in my office. Let us strike an agreement so that your union can be affiliated to the Nigeria Trade Union Congress. We will resolve your entire teething problem since you have a difficult employer”, stated Louis Papa.
Indeed Louis papa had been organizing trade union in Nigeria for over 30 years. He proclaimed himself a hardcore comrade.
“The only way to stop the exploitation of workers by capitalist employers is for the workers to organize into a trade union in order to struggle for their right”, the old unionist explained.
Louis Papa, about 60 years old and veteran unionist was very charismatic. He gave a sense of direction to all the unions he had continuously controlled by demonstration of expertise on negotiating tables.   He would incite workers to strike cautioning on violence but also abandoning strike scenes. His tactic was to prolong the action and frustrate management to succumb.
Louis Papa abruptly rushed back to Abuja to take up the unionization of rice plantation workers with the Registrar of Trade Unions. He prevailed on the Registrar and the union’s certificate was subsequently released. Comrade Papa was appointed as the general secretary of the Union of Rice Plantation and Mills. The management of the plantations expressed dismay at the appointment of Comrade Papa because he was considered notorious on the negotiation table.
The pending strike planned to attract the attention of management to development in workers’ collectivization was aborted through early reaction by management.

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CHAPTER 6
Early the following morning, Suma Benu proceeded to his village in Osimapa to join his wife and other relations in his primordial community.  Elders in the village were dismayed about the news that Suma devoted little attention and care for his wife.  He might be spending money to cater for the children and their mother but he was reported to have consistently ignored the emotional comfort of his wife.  The problem was not exactly reported to the family but people lived with rapid spread of bad news in communities.
Following salutations, exchange of pleasantries, Suma assured his relations in the compound.
“Wherever you see me, accept me,”he declared.   Neither Suman’s father, old Ishiaku nor his mother, Iyedaku could be possessive of their son during a visit to the village. Suma belonged to everybody in the compound.   Each person exercised peculiar claim on him.
Suma visited her sick mother in her room and assessed her health condition which appeared to have improved as demonstrated by the agility with which the old woman embraced her son. Thereafter Suma was invited by the elders of the compound for some dialogue.
Prolonged salutations ensued, followed by enquiries about life in Aluju, work ordeals, friends and general curiosities about the country as a whole.   Suma’s responded to enquiries with tolerance while pleading for people’s understanding and apologizing profusely for being out of touch with the community.
As soon as Suma found a locally produced wooden chair, he sat comfortably.  Women and young girls in the compound surrounded their visitor with lavish entertainment.  He was presented with a cup of fresh cool water, sourced from the valley springs, the greatest natural gift to the people of this mountainous settlement.  Food would follow but Suma could not influence choice of menu.
“We cannot give what we don’t eat,” Mama Naratu, an aunt to Suma declared with tinge of humour.  Mama Naratu had earlier visited Suma’s family in Aluju.
“He will eat the food he grew up on,” another curious unidentified woman added. 
Ishaku Benu had earlier summoned male and female elders of the compound to a meeting.
“Good evening, my fathers, mothers, aunts, sisters and brothers. I must respect the tradition and listen to all of you. My uncle visited us in my work place and invited me home to see all of you,” declared Suma
“Suma, it is not your fault, you invited us to request the hand of this girl for you,” Sewugha, Suma’s paternal uncle started as he pointed to Saratu who was seated beside her husband.  The old man continued “most people in the village obliged you by trooping to where you worked in Aluju. We were on our knees while the girl was handed over to you. Then we prayed to God to give both of you and your children abundance in life. Now we hear that you work in rice plantations from morning till night without any thought for your wife, you hardly talk to her, you do not touch her, what sort of behaviour is that,?” Sewugha enquired with enormous curiosity.
“I did not really report my husband, my step mother noticed the situation and reported to my husband’s uncle who decided to visit Aluju and he secretly traveled with me to Osimapa,” Saratu quickly interjected with palpitation.
“But did any bad thing happen to you in the house. Were you going through horrible and frightening dreams, did your husband beat you, was he not leaving money for you to care of yourself and the children?” Ndegi, an older man reputed for settling disputes in the compound intervened.
While Sarutu cleared her throat in reply she was interrupted by a chorus of laughter from eavesdropping teenage girls.
“You these spoiled village girls. This is what you will giggle at. Let us listen to Saratu. You may have much to learn from her,” commented Nna Rabi,? an old traditional midwife.  
Saratu needed to understand the question clearly.
“We also hear that sometime Suma will not eat his wife’s food. And Suma is not a drunkard” Sewugha interjected.
“The husband and wife do not really talk much to each other, at least when they sit in the lounge.  Often, Suma, whenever he is at home, he will be seen reading newspapers or watching television, he does one thing or the other around the house,” Mama Naratu stated
“Now let us listen again to Saratu, the wife” directed old Ishaku Benu, Suma’s father.  With much impatience, the old man continued, “if work needs all our body, would I have married two wives,” Ishaku Benu was visibly angry, “we have the right to take away your wife from you so that you can attend to your work. Two persons, in a row must not slump into the rubbish dump, the first will proclaim his ordeal while the second will take caution, if you will kill yourself with day and night work, we have to save your wife from anxiety, loneliness and sickness.” Ishaku Benu concluded without giving Saratu the opportunity to talk further.
"Suma, you must allow your beautiful wife to comfort you always. She complains that she does not enjoy close love, real touch and soft words from you. She says you are always talking to yourself about work,” Ishaku Benu further explained.
Isaku Benu, a tall, slim and agile man was about 75 years old. He was a dedicated plantation farmer, growing multiple fruits, bananas, pineapples, papaya, coconuts and tending numerous wild forests of tall palm trees. Around his house were calico overalls, other costumes and high boots worn during harvesting of thorny pineapples. There were also palm front twines for ascending tall palm trees, a special skill that was difficult to pass onto the younger generation of urban dwellers.  Ishiaku Benu’s form of instruments included sharp machetes, knives, sickles, curved blades, wooden rods of varied length. The farmer had two wives and nine surviving children.  Suma Benu was the second son.

“We are going into the heart of the matter.  I thank you father, my uncle, the elders, men and women. I will talk to all of you about the real problem. When we were young, we were told that the night has ears, whatever we say this night may become hearsay. Saratu has no problem. I will follow your own example in the village to love her, doing it exactly as men do it in this village, come home early, eat all her meals, talk to her gently and touch her”  Suma declared with remorse.  The crowd burst into laughter as Suma concluded his speech.

“You, Saratu, do not be shy of your husband, Do what modern ladies do. Cook good food for him and do more, you know better,“ Mama Naratu advised Saratu.   The evening was well spent in the compound and in the village. 

The following morning was cool as the village wore serene atmosphere.  However Osimapa was alive again, most people exchanged early morning salutations, enquiring about health, commenting about the weather and debating prospects of proceeding to farms early. Downpour of rain and appearance of heavy cloud would delay departure to the farms.

Suma Benu and Saratu were already on their way to Aluju. The visit to Osimapa was short and rather interesting for Suma and his wife in spite of lack of planning.  Saratu was optimistic that Suma’s individualistic lifestyle would be reasonably compatible with her expectations provided her husband did not persist in overzealous career pursuit.

There was no doubt that career ambition was healthy for young and highly mobile people.  Professionals pursue opportunities by method of bull fight, often fairly forceful through clandestine maneuvers.  Nonetheless family interests and values would require scrupulous and consistent protection.

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