By Ugwuagbo Emmanuel Chizoba
As a child, especially one who was enthusiastic about History, I watched with rapt attention and excitement, the 4 hour movie produced and acted by our Legendary Pete Edochie, titled; Avenge me Iwene my son.
As a young boy and extremely dedicated Christian, I couldn’t find anything wrong with the life of the Blessed Iwene TANSI. As a matter of fact, I wished I was like him.
However, growing up, one can’t but question himself, what there is to be desired in the disappointing life of Iwene Tansi.
For those who didn’t watch the movie or have probably forgotten what happened. Let me refresh your memory.
Tabansi was a village Elder in his town, it happened that the red oil of the White men was stolen. The village elders handled the matter in a traditional way and fished out the culprit.
However, the white men used brute force and arrested all the village elders, including their king and took them to a foreign land where they languished in prison for over 4 years. No trial, nothing nothing. Men of dignity and integrity who ruled their land in the ways of their ancestors were bundled like common thieves and assaulted by slaves, imprisoned and made caricature of for over 4 years.
Then when they were released, they were full of pain and anguish.
Tabansi gave birth to a son one year later and named him IWE EGBUNE M, which loosely translates as MAY I NOT DIE OF ANGUISH.
Tabansi, who was in deep sorrow and anguish over the inhumane, unjust and shameful way the white man treated him, met the king and told him that he couldn’t bear the pain and that something must be done.
The king wisely counseled him that the only way to fight the white man was to know what the white man knows so as to be strong enough to confront him. If not, you would perish completely if you attempt to take revenge.
Tabansi took the wise counsel and decided to take his last son to the village teacher to train him in the ways of the white man so that he can be well equipped to avenge him.
In the house of the teacher, Tabansi cried sorrowfully and bitterly, and begged his son Iwe egbune m to avenge him. He begged the teacher to train Iwe egbune m very well, and went home crying.
Iwe egbune m went to school and instead of learning science and technology or Arts and history, he chose to devote himself to religion and had several clashes with the teacher.
He eventually left in anger to join the Seminary and was later ordained a Priest.
Iwene, the last son of Tabansi chose to join forces with the white men to deal more ruthlessly with his people.
He broke his chi into pieces, fought against every single customs and traditions of his people. He was constantly disrupting the masquerade festivals, beating up masquerades, fighting the elders and quarrelling with anyone that didn’t accept Christianity.
After having numerous clashes and quarrels with his people, Iwene, who was sent to school to avenge the gross and disgraceful injustice done to his father but later began to lead the white men in destruction of everything his father held dear to him, Iwene was sent to a monastery in England.
Similar to what was nearly done to Fr. Mbaka when it appears he was causing chaos.
Fr. Iwene Tansi would later die in 1964 in a monastery in Leicester in England. Several years later, Bishop Arinze Francis became a Cardinal and then begged Pope Johnpaul 2 to beatify Iwene Tansi and it was done. Many Catholics are still praying for his Canonization.
However, in my quiet space, I would wonder if such a disappointment is whom I should pray to for him to come to my aide. What kind of aide would someone who inflicted extra pain on his unjustly treated father offer?
I rather pray to Chinua Achebe who went to school and used the language of the oppressor, converted it to the service of the oppressed and drilled it deep into the brains of the white men that we were not savages without history, but respectable men of dignity and valour till they came and destroyed everything and things fell apart.
Blessed Michael Iwene Cyprian Tansi, in my own Judgement, was no hero and does not even deserve to bear that surname, Tansi, for he was a disappointment to his father, and instead of alleviating the anguish of his father, he inflicted more a thousand folds.
Put yourself in the shoes of ichie Tabansi and feel that not only has Anguish killed him but his Anguish multiplies daily.
Avenge me, Iwene my Son.
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