blood is thicker than water
By
FEOM childhood, I had always known that I have relatives in Idumuje Unor, Onicha Olona, Ubulu Okiti, Ezi, Akwukwu Igbo, Issele Azagba etc but I was too young to comprehend my grandmother’s explanation of the relationships. The relationships seemed too far fetched.
Recently, I reached out to my mother, uncles and aunties asking questions on the relationships and just like the book of Genesis in the Bible the genealogies began to unfold. This person in Idumuje Unor begat this person who married to Onicha Olona and begat this person who is the father of this person (your uncle/aunty) who married this person in Ubulu Okiti and begat this person and her/his sister married to Akwukwu and gave birth to Okolie in Ogbe Iyase and her sister Mgbueke married to the Jibunoh’s family and is the mother of your uncle Paul. And so on and on. Wao! A little too much to digest right?
But as elaborate as it may seem, suddenly, what seemed to be like a distant relationship became smaller and closer. I realised how intertwined, like spaghetti, humans are to one another. I realised that racism or tribal discrimination is bastardous and mere ignorance. I realised that I may have treated my blood relatives of about 50 to 90+% DNA wrong ignorant of our relationship. I am finally seeing the world like a small village. We are all one people different colours. We are interwoven. The joy of family cannot be fathomed.
I heard the story of a young S. Carolina man who went for a job interview in Ohio, USA. The interviewing manager denied him the job. Months later, they met at a family reunion as cousins unknown of each other. Today, they both work together as co owners of the company.
For my African families (Yorubas, Igbos, Hausas, Edos, especially my Anioma people) I encourage you all to do the same thing that I did. Reach out to know more about your family members and it may amaze you to know that your sworn enemy or your boss at work is your relative. Blood is thicker than water. Love is lovely but war is ugly.
…Onyekali wrote in from Ameria
