IFEDOO NOBLE ENIGWE
Rufus’ blitheful venture to America quickly meets difficulties as he struggles between the pursuit of his career goals and the never-ending pull he feels to return to Nigeria, finding himself intertwined between the ever-drudgery job as a New York cab driver with its inherent dangers, and a tantalizing pull to join the criminal circle of Sebold, a murderous Nigerian crime Lord.
In the end Rufus is faced with choices, to stay true to his culture and rebuff his American love affair for his Nigerian love interest; to decide which to say no to: the cab-driving or Sebold’s criminal overtures, or the never-ending pull he feels to return to his own country with or without his American dream.
Ifedoo Noble Enigwe is a Nigerian-born architect. Born in 1961 and raised in Nigeria but educated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he has proven that his upbringing under the blithe influence of oral tradition couldn’t have produced no less a raconteur than what be is today. With several strokes of his pen, be has told a fictional story, yet ably weaving its plot with insights into the Nigeria culture and how it affected his characters in comparison with the “American way of life”, to give readers a close sense of involvement in the lives of Mixed Blessings’ related adventures.
The feast was planned for Rufus’ in-laws, but each villager who came to say welcome to Rufus stayed for a bite and a drink. By the time Daniel knew what was happening, his compound was filled with both familiar and unfamiliar faces. The ceremony turned from a welcome party to an encore of Rose’s wedding party. Inside the living room a video of the wedding was played. Rufus got to see how beautiful his bride was on that special day. She wore a gold George wrapper, a matching blouse with decorative light-green embroidery. Her oniregogoro was deep-green, with scattered gold embroidery, matching the stole that hung from her arm. She walked around on her six-inch heeled pumps, wearing a smile that, from the video, seemed perpetual. She was picture-perfect and shone for herself and her absent husband.
Rufus also got to see his mom in her last moving picture. The moment was charged with different emotions, for the most part mixed, for him. At that moment it dawned on him that he had to speak to his father about learning how she’d died. Though the doctor had told them she died of sugar disease, the traditional autopsy was usually performed by a voodoo doctor. He’d perform rituals to determine whether the deceased was killed by someone in the community or whether she died of natural causes, in which case, no revenge would ensue. In the Western world, as Rufus knew too well, autopsies were performed by medical practitioners. But here in the village, no deceased person went through postmortem. Instead, the voodoo doctors were relied upon to make that final determination. Rufus also knew his father had been a bit ambivalent about his faith. Prior to his leaving for America, his father was staunch in the ancestral worship. But when Josephine died, he’d become pressured into becoming saved; giving up his ancestral worship to follow Jesus.
Outside, the place teemed with Daniel’s friends, Rufus, Josephine, and Rose’s family. The occasion wouldn’t be complete without the couple coming out to the ogbo (stage) and dancing for their guests. The music was by Seven-Seven, one of the most revered traditional ballad singers of Igboland. During the dance, the newly married couple spoke to each other through their dance moves, and the onlookers understood them. Rose, through her steps, promised Rufus that she’d be there for him for better or for worse and that she knew her beauty could only be enhanced by her husband. Rufus, in turn, demonstrated to her that he’d always work hard to show his handsomeness—which was making money and providing for his family.
The crowed applauded the couple, and the stage was opened for everyone to dance. The party continued in full swing.
Rose clung to Rufus and asked him, “What was it Agnes was saying?”
“What was she saying?” Rufus asked apprehensively.
“You disappointed her...she said that out of the blue, you just...”
“Rose, darling, don’t believe that lady. We’re not gonna let her come between us...to mess up...” Rufus was almost shivering, but tried to get hold of himself. “Come on, let’s go inside and discuss this, okay?”
“Okay! Okay! She said at first she didn’t want me to know about it, but that I deserved to know...” Rose continued to talk as she followed her husband away from the celebrants.
