Saturday mornings in omagba were always
characterized with incessant ringing of bells by little children who beckon
other sleeping children for their morning mass. They ring the bell rhythmically
so it could blend into everyone’s name. They stumped their foots to the beat of
the bell and clapped amidst careless cum vibrant chants. This group of
miniature fanatics never passed our yard without hollering the names of the catholic
children who lived in our compound. They go- ‘chibueze! Bianu morni mass, okenna! bianu morni mass, afoma! bianu
morni mass, uche! bianu morni mass. –chibueze! Come for morning mass,
Okenna ! Come for morning mass, Afoma! Come for morning mass, Uche! Come for
morning mass”. As they pass other yards, they called the names of the kids who
lived there. I always wondered how they knew the names of every catholic child
around. It remained a mystery.
.
As non-Catholics,
