Things Are Changing

The Isokan Kingdom

Episode seven

The next day being a bright one, after taking his normal morning bath, Bashorun Adewale, on stepping out of the bathroom, he could hear two of the palace guards relating their message to the guard on duty post. He ordered tem to allow the palace guards to enter and they speak with fear, “sir, the king wants to see you in his palace right now”. He looked at them and replied them, “I am coming right now”. He move to his inner chamber to dress up. “ you better let us get out of here before he comes out of his room to behead us” one of the palace guard whispered to his other guard’s ear. They whisker around and take to their heels. Bashorun Adewale looked at them as they ran away to the other side. “Sapengo, arrange the horses, we’re going for an auspicious place, there’s going to be a split of fire in the palace this morning!”. Bashorun laughed terrifying. On their way to the palace, they came across a lot of people, all which prostrated as they encounter the Bashorun. They dare not the lion! 

After some minutes of gallops on the horse carts, they arrive right in front of the palace. The other chiefs are already seated waiting for him, as he was about to have his seat, the king roared at him, “You dare not seat Adewale, why did you do such a terrible thing at the market square the previous day? First of all you killed two of my new recruit palace guards, we were still discussing on how we will settle that one, you came up with another one. You scattered the whole market square, are you that daft? You that we pose as our small god to fight for us in our battles, you’re now the one that is behaving in this way. If we human beings cannot do anything to you, remember that the Almighty one in heaven is watching you from above”. The king looks trembling with his words. 

“Your highness, I did not intend to do all those things I did. Pertaining to the first question: the killing of the tow palace guards; it was these fools seated here that warrant for their death. The chiefs came to my house and threatened to impeach me, they rain abuses on me saying sort of words that shouldn’t be heard of from a chief’s mouth………………..” the Bashorun wasn’t giving the chance to finish his explanation when one of the chiefs jumped in. “you are not even ashamed of yourself……shut up that your dirty stinking mouth! Ain’t you the one that killed Olayi and Ajala, Alaka also…we will surely impeach you from this post of yours, you this bastard………..” he too couldn’t land his words when the Bashorun cut him in the middle.  

“You too keep your dirty stinking mouth shut forever, you son of a b***h! How dare you talk when I am still talking? If not that I sensed that you people were there to have me killed, I would have been dead by now….” “It would have been better” a voice echoed from the circle of elders in the palace. He hissed and continues, “ I quickly retaliated back and did the right thing…..” one other chief interrupts him “will you keep your mouth shut! “ the king looked at the both of them as they look into each other eyes like two lions ready to wrestle. He ordered them to sit down, “both of you should just keep quiet and stop all these childish play! What is wrong with you chiefs at least you should allow him to land with whatever he’s got to say. Bashorun Adewale, continue with your story and no one should dare interrupt him this time around”. 

“After this, I called the two guards and made them to realize what an adage says “if you’re sent on a deadly mission, you do it wisely”. So I am left with no choice than to behead the both of them for their stupid idea to kill me. If not for the powers that I had, the two would have killed me. The next day at the market square, marks another day of insult for me. People were seen cursing and shouting my name, they really bad mouthed me. I called my guards to go to the market and teach them the gravest lesson of their life.’ The Bashorun landed boastfully. “ you are not even ashamed of yourself, you are indeed what the people called you; he goat! You destabilize your own people, killing them is now your priority. Adewale, you are suppose to cover your face with, this is nothing but a shame on you! This is my judgment; you are to pay a fine of three thousand tuber of yam; a basket of tomato for each of the deceased family and finally after you’ve done that, you should go into your house to commit suicide!”. The king said authoritatively. 

The Bashorun started laughing mischievously an uncontrollable one indeed that the whole palace thought he had gone mad. Two guards were called in to come and bind him. He looked at them furiously and shouted, “Ah, you are lying, you can never get me! Do you think I have got time to waste? I only came here to please my gods not because of you this dung! I, suicide? That is impossible! You this king, you are very stupid for what you said! Woe unto you! It is to you that the empty calabash would be presented to! All of you here, I am giving you your last warning, is it because I have not claimed to ascend this kingship post? Don’t worry you will soon know the real score! If any of you here tries to cross my part, I swear by Ogun, you all shall perish! Sapengo!!! Where are you? Let’s get out of this place. You these bunch of old fools!”. The Bashorun stormed out of the palace cursing and shouting at the same time. He jumped on his horse and galloped away from the palace. 

All the palace chiefs, including the king opened their mouth in total amazement. “my chiefs, Iyalode, the queen, you all are looking at me haplessly? Don’t you see that this Bashorun of a being is getting from bad to worse from worse to worst! What are we to do about all these madness of his that he is displaying everyday in the kingdom? I am tired of all these rubbish that is being done by the Bashorun; we have to find solution to it before it goes uncontrollable”. The king said wearily. “You highness what do you think we can do?”. The Otun asked. “Let’s call the chief priest. We will tell him to inquire from the gods, what we are to do concerning Adewale’s issue even if we have to appease Adewale himself! He himself is a god in human skin! He’s a demon-possessed!”. One of the chiefs suggested. Two palace guards were sent to the chief priest house to usher him to the palace. They met him at home and they delivered their message to him which he answered immediately, “ I will be there in a jiffy”.

  “ ifa sanu fun mi

  Ifa, nkan to basu, ba mi la

 Ki ni ki a se?

 Gbogbo re lo ru ni lo ju

 Ifa, ki ni ohun ebo ati etutu?

 Ifa mo bere oooo”

Which means “ifa shower thy blessing on me

  What is not cleared, I pray thee, make it clear

  What are we to do to this menace? 

  Everything seems unclear

  Ifa, what is the sacrifice requirement?

  Ifa, I ask thee”

That was the mode of incantation that was been said by the chief priest to appease his gods. “ Baba, what did you see? Please tell us. We want to know it right now!” the Otun who is getting impatient with the way the chief priest had been shaking his head for the past minutes. “ hunn, my king, we needs to be careful , all of us have to be patient enough for this matter. We have to work hand in hands to curb this issue, as you know, the war between our kingdom and the other kingdom is in some weeks time/ as we already know, it’s only the Bashorun that we rest our hope on to fight this war for us and the oracle already stated it that he will win the war in a space of two days! Which as never happened in the history of the world. All what we have to do now is to carry a sacrifice to him to appease him”. The chief priest retorted.

 “What are these sacrifice requirement?”. The king inquired. “they include: ten basket of fish, ten tubers of yam, ten basket of pepper, ten live goats, ten live hen and finally an head of a human being”. The chief priest lists out all the materials needed to be taken to the Bashorun’s house. “is that all?” “yes, that’s all. If you do this, indeed your prayer will be answered. One thing is that, you must not put Shea butter or egg in the food stuff you are taking to his house. It is an abomination to his house, lest you turn him into an impotent being”. The chief priest warned. 

 “Thank you very much baba and everything shall be ready by tomorrow’s morning. Otun, when you are coming tomorrow, come with two basket of fish and two basket of pepper, the same goes to you other chiefs. You all must bring two live hen and goats when coming tomorrow. I will get the head of an human being from the execution ground where the thiefs that are waiting for execution are to be beheaded. I think we are done for today, let each and everyone of you go get ready for the materials”. The king ordered. “ it shall be done, your highness”. The chiefs chorused all together. All the chiefs left for their various houses leaving alone the king who seated himself on his magical throne. He later rise to his feet and move on to his inner chamber to take some nap. What an Irony! The one whom fine was pronounced on, is now the one that fines will be paid to, the next day. It’s indeed an ironical world that we live in!

 The next day the chiefs gathered at the palace and they all came with their various contributiobn to the fines. On getting there, the king was still on his bed sleeping, they engage themselves in some chit chat talk. The Asipa suggested that they should keep some egg underneath the other foodstuff with Shea butter. After much deliberation, the other chiefs agreed and it was placed in the basket. 

ALL HAIL THE KING OF ISOKAN KINGDOM 

The palace guard on duty roared as the king joined the chiefs in the outside chamber. They discussed one or two things and the materials were sent to the Bashorun’s abode!

“ Adewale, omo ekun 

Adewale, eni ton fi ori omo oduduwa mu eko ati ogi

Adeale, you will surely overcome your enemies

Emi juba re ni oni yiii oooo”

Which means “Adewale, the son of a tiger

  Adewale, the one who uses the human skull to take pap

  Adewale, you will surely overcome your enemies everyday

  I adore you today”

That has been the usual practice that is being done early in the morning at the great Bashorun’s abode early in the morning before sunrise. It is a regular routine of his slaves to praise him, first, early in the morning. Today, being a fortunate one, Adewale was really impressed with the way he was been praised by his people. He brought out all his old clothes and distributed everything to the slaves. He was really happy with them today, one could hardly believe he could be like this. 

 He find his way back to his inner chamber to jug his wine, he takes it in a sip. A guard walks in briskly and reported the situation on ground to him, “ Baba, won bere yin, awon oloye afin ni won, won sig be nkann waa fun yii (some people are here to see you, they are chiefs from the palace, they brought some things for you”. “Tell them that I am on my way”. The Bashorun replied. He put on his Agbada clothes, as he was about to move out, he heard a voice from his magic box saying, “Adewale, this people have put Shea butter inside it for your power to be diminished. So before taking it inside your house, touch it with your staff and the Shea butter will disappear. Adewale, do not argue or deny the goods, collects it from them and be good to them”. He moves out of the room and takes his seat on the magical throne of his. He looked at the chiefs with a killer looks on his face, saying, “What are you here for? After all, you all said I am not powerful, you don’t know anything, and you are all done for”. “Baba, we are very sorry, please accept these small gift of ours, we are deeply sorry. You this guards, can’t you prostrate?” the chiefs all prostrated with their head bowed. 

The Bashorun remembering the strong warning he had been given earlier, looked at them and said, “Okay, I have heard you”. He looked at the gift they brought and he touched it with his staff, the Shea butter and the eggs all disappeared from the baskets. Indeed, he was very grateful that he heeded to the strong warning of his gods, Shea butter, already his mother had told him that he should never use it or bring it near his room. He told the chiefs that he had already forgiven them; he is ready to change a new leaf! He told the chiefs that he is coming to the palace the next day to pay the king a visit and to settle all differences as the kingdom war is getting nigh. He stated that he is coming for reconciliation and rehabilitation. After everyone had left for their various houses, the Bashorun in his sacred room looking at his magic box which is transparent showing his image like a mirror, he laughed saying, “you don’t know anything, this is just the beginning, and you are yet to see much of Bashorun Adewale. Let’s finish this IWUSE kingdom war, after they surrendered to us, I will rule both kingdoms altogether, I AM THE KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!