The Cursed Tree of Ingbian by Torsaa Emmanuel

Once upon a time, there lived a community called Ingbian, meaning “Relatives.” The community was called so because they did things together in one accord. They were deeply rooted in their traditional beliefs and had not embraced the gospel early. They worshipped multiple gods, often visiting shrines and performing rituals. Many of the community members were so engrossed in their spiritual practices that they engaged in astral projection at night.

Despite their strong belief in charms and spiritual weapons, which they used for protection, the people of Ingbian did not acknowledge the existence of a single God. Their primary occupation was farming, and they placed it above everything else. The wealth of a man was measured by the size of his farm, and they believed that the best way to spend money after selling their harvest was to marry multiple wives and drink to the point of stupor.

The First Charm

As time passed, the fertility of their land weakened, and the farm yields declined significantly. Concerned about their dwindling harvests, the village elders called for a grand meeting, which was led by their king. After much deliberation, they concluded that they needed a spiritual intervention to boost their agricultural output. The elders selected a few individuals and sent them to the shrine of the gods.

The spiritual custodians of the shrine, known as the “Eyes of the Gods,” prepared a powerful charm for them. However, there was a condition: for the charm to work, the villagers must sacrifice the first fruit of their farm produce to the gods. This was done through elaborate feasts, where they invited spiritual leaders who were considered professors in their spiritual affairs. The villagers were instructed to place the charm inside a sacred tree located at the center of the community. The charm worked wonders, and soon, the farms began producing abundant harvests. The people rejoiced, and their prosperity returned.

Years passed, and both the king and the elders who had facilitated the ritual died. The tradition of maintaining the charm was passed down from generation to generation. However, as the years went by, greed and hatred crept into the hearts of some villagers. They began to notice disparities in the harvests, some individuals seemed to yield more crops than others. This bred suspicion and envy.

The Second Charm – A Dark Pact

Whispers spread through the village. “Is the charm favouring only a select few?” they asked. Instead of seeking unity, the villagers turned against one another. Some believed that their neighbours had secretly manipulated the charm for their personal gain. The resentment grew, and soon, a faction of the villagers conspired to destroy those who harvested more than others.

Determined to settle the perceived injustice, they visited multiple shrines, traveling as far as they could to obtain a powerful curse. They sought out dark spiritual forces to prepare another charm, one that would ruin their perceived enemies. However, the custodians of this new charm gave them a terrifying condition: for it to work, they had to lock the destinies of all unborn children. Desperate for power, they agreed. Secretly, at night, the elders would command the destinies of unborn souls to be sealed, ensuring that the charm’s dark influence remained strong.

Unbeknownst to them, tampering with spiritual forces beyond their understanding would have dire consequences. As they executed their plan, a strange darkness descended upon Ingbian. The sacred tree, which had once been their source of prosperity, withered overnight. The soil turned barren, and famine struck the land. Crops refused to grow, and the once-thriving community fell into despair. Mothers wept as they watched their children starve, and fathers sat in hopeless silence, unable to provide. The laughter that once filled the air was replaced by cries of anguish and regret. Realizing their folly, the villagers tried to undo the curse, but it was too late. Their greed and hatred had brought devastation upon them.

The Rise of a New Generation

Soon, civilization reached the community, and many youths enrolled in schools. As they engaged in teaching and learning, they began to think beyond their traditional beliefs. Many of them graduated from universities, some with HNDs, some with ND qualifications, and others with just SSCE, yet they were all jobless. They roamed the streets with diplomas in hand, their dreams crushed under the weight of an invisible force. Little did they know that their destinies were locked, some hidden within the sacred tree.

After traveling from one place to another in search of jobs, many embraced Christianity as a religion and brought it to the community, where numerous youths accepted it. They started inviting powerful men of God from across for crusades. Many of these preachers revealed the source of their problem, explaining that to succeed in life, the sacred tree must be pulled down. However, the villagers feared that the powers within the tree were far beyond their control and would consume them if they attempted to destroy it most men of God, ministers and pastors confirmed that the powers in the sacred tree are beyond their power, a certain pastor attempted destroy it and got mad instantly.

The youth, determination to break free from the chains of the past, are working tirelessly to ensure that those innocent destinies are unlocked. However, the elders who initiated the ritual, now the current leaders of the community, are fiercely opposed to this movement. Some of them have even gone as far as threatening to silence the pastors who are revealing their long-kept secrets, fearing the loss of their influence and power. Fear grips their hearts, but hope flickers like a dying candle in the wind.

The Cursed Tree Still Stands

Many attempts have been made to bring down the cursed tree, but none have succeeded. Some spiritual leaders have come and prayed, yet the tree stands firm, defying every effort. It is said that at midnight, whispers can be heard from the tree, cries of the locked destinies pleading for freedom. Strange occurrences plague the community, children fall ill for no reason, promising youths meet sudden misfortunes, and businesses collapse before they can even take off.

Desperation grips the people, but deep inside, they hold onto the hope that one day, a truly powerful man of God will arise, one strong enough to break the curse, to bring down the tree, and to set the innocent souls free.

Until then, the cursed tree of Ingbian still stands, waiting, watching, and holding countless destinies in its roots.

Torsaa Emmanuel

Image by serenaste from Pixabay a basket of fruit and earthenware wine bottles on the ground at the base of a tree.