DARKNESS AND LIGHT

Asum rock

The twenty-acre building had been blasted out of dry rocky hills, leading to its name: Asum rock. Now the acres were green and white, lush and expensive.

Glasses, arts, tiles, and coppers gleamed among columns of imported Italian marbles.

According to record, President Maradona had spent a whopping sum of a Hundred billion dollars on the construction of the house, guest quarters, staff quarters, pools, gardens, and guarded gate at the bottom of the hill.

In the end, he had built a magnificent palace befitting for the post of the number one citizen of the country.

There is a heliport out at the back of the pool complete with racy little helicopters and jets tied down elsewhere awaiting the royal whims.

Asum rock was the presidential villa to the president of the federal republic of Uarian.

It was located inside Asum capital city, a large geographical zone located in the northern part of Uarian.

With an estimated over Hundred million Uarianias, Asum state serves bigger roles in the Uarian nation.

Firstly as the Capital of the federal republic of Uarian and also one of the major cities that contributed hugely to the country's GDP.

Located in the middle central region, Asum city is possibly accessible to all states in Uarian but easily accessible to three states that shared boundaries with it.

This state includes Nassarawa state, located on the northern side of Asum city and filled with different tribes from different cities but with the majority Tiv and Gbagis being the indigenous people.

Niger State:Located in the Eastern and half of the Western side of Asum state. The indigenous people are the kauris.

Lokooja state: located in the southern and the remaining half of the Western side of Asum state belonged to the Igalas, Igburas, and the Tiv

Due to the high rate of rural to urban migration, Asum state is already intermixed with all the three neighboring states as there is easy inflow and outflows of settlers and opportunity seekers who throng in and out of the state on daily basis.

To attack Asum state, the attackers need to pass through either of these three-state.

And the only way to stop or check them is through roadblocks which are present almost every ten kilometers In all the three major roads that lead in and out of Asum state.

The heavy barricades of guards and dogs on days and nights duties daily will make attackers think twice, and the fact the state was located on hills which make it easily defendable makes it the perfect and the safest nation in Uarian.

Asum state is practically unpenetrable for external force.

What of internal?

Lately, there seemed to be scuffles of power as the north seemed to be bend on their determination to put a northerner on the seat of the president of the federal republic of Uarian.

The northerners, being the most populous with almost forty percent of the population of the Uarian republic and owing twenty out of the thirty states that formed the nation.

With dogged determination, oneness, and persistence, the northerners stand a better chance of choosing the next president for the nation.

Only if the east will agree!

Uarian nation was made up of four majority tribes, all located in their geographical zone.

In the north located the Hausas tribe, the south to the Ibos, the west to the Yorubas, and the last but not the least are the Deletions.

Due to British influence, English was the country's major language and served mostly as a form of communication.

Yet four majority languages and hundreds of minority languages are spoken in different locations irrespectively.

The northern being the majority have a huge chance of choosing whoever pleased them as the president of the country.

All they need is to believe they can.

But the east will not agree.

Power belongs to them and must remain with them.

As formally agreed, each major tribe will produce a candidate which has the right to run for two consecutive terms, a total of eight years of controlling the nation.

The first term for an easterner is almost ending and the second term is inevitable.

Except the north wants war.

The atmosphere was cool and friendly but not for CSO Tafa, the chief security officer of Asum rock; the ceremonial home to the number one citizen of the federal republic of Uarian.

As CSO Tafa crossed the grassy rise, the beating of the helicopter blades become audible to the west.

A chopper appeared arching across the open valley towards him. It banked sharply, then slowed to a hover over a helipad.

Tafa watched, detached, his mind a churning circle like the blades. Wondering if a full night's sleep would make his current disorientation any clearer, somehow he doubt it.

As the skids touched down, a pilot jumped out followed by a man Tafa knew.

A professor of linguistics, etymology, and symbology.

He is practically a celebrity in the world of academia.

Tafa could vividly remember how this enigma that spoke with authority and enthusiasm ended working for the president.

It was a crisp morning during harmattan, he had requested for the presence of the best mind from the prestigious University of Uarian to help in translating language.

This man had reported, droving through endless security checks, and was issued a six hours holographic guest pass.

He was escorted to a plush research facility where he was told he would spend the afternoon providing blind support to the cryptography division_ an elite group of mathematical brainiacs known as the code breakers.

Tafa had called for assistance when he was told the original message was written in Hebrew. Jabbir was to translate the symbols as the cryptographers decrypted them.

Like magic, everything fell into place.

He was duly impressed when the code was finally broken.

An hour later, Tafa escorted him out of Asum rock with a pass that gave him access to Asum rock, anytime and any day.

Tonight required his presence again.

Though Tafa vehemently pray that this was just a dream.

Pray he will wake up tomorrow with sweet Sarah massaging his back.

But deep inside, he knew the truth. The unbelievable truth.

This is real!

His life is about to change, for bad or worse.

He shrugged as he entered the presidential Hall to join the strongest men in the nation for the most urgent of all meetings.