LARA: THE god OF HEKO

EPISODE FOUR

EPISODE FOUR

Olle-Bunu worn a mournful look. The king had been sad and so were his chiefs also. The unexplained disappearance of their daughter was an affront against the entire people of Bunu. The king was not going to take this lying down. He couldn't just sit and watch his people taken into the forest one after another. Soon, he would have no subject to rule over. 

Bunu was a District of three regions and forty villages in all. Bunu North had twelve villages. Bunu South had fourteen villages. The remaining fourteen villages sat in Bunu Central. The king had invited all the village heads from the forty villages to converge in Olle where they would deliberate and take a decision on Lara. Every village head was present except Lawuwo who had travelled out of the District. As they settled down in a tete-a-tete, the king addressed them thus: "I greet you the kings of Bunu people. I have summoned you here because of a problem I consider a challenge for all Bunu people. I am confident that when Bunu comes together as one, whatever they set about to do shall be accomplished". All the village heads responded 'Asee'. "About ten days ago", the king continued his address, one of our daughters in this village had gone to the stream with the aim of fetching water for her mother. The god of Heko had seized her in the process. To this day, we have not set our eyes on Lara. This is why I need the most powerful hunters and medicine men in Bunuland to go into the forest and bring out our daughter dead or alive. Should we fold our hands and watch unabated as imps and ghommids take our people at will, no one knows whose turn it is next until no one is left in our communities. I recommend, therefore, that on the next market day which is four days away, we send our most formidable warriors into the forest of Loi to conduct a search". Everyone nodded in approval. 

It was only now that the important matters had been dealt with that the king brought out cola nuts on trays and kegs of palm wine which everyone ate and drank amidst pleasantries. 

After the rendezvous, all the dignitaries dispersed and every man headed to his community on horseback. The people of Olle-Bunu began to make preparations in earnest to receive visitors from across Bunuland. They would have to make a great feast. Those who would search the forest were not expected to do so on empty stomachs. 

The day came and the warriors of Bunu started to arrive in groups. In all, there were two thousand strong men for the expedition. Omoewo, the best drummer in the land was invited and he had his team of drummers ready. Kato was in charge of the flute. The massive feast continued: Yam foo foo and Egusi soup; eba and dry okra soup with endless amount of palm wine. 

The paramount head of Bunu hunters was from Bunu North. He had attained this position after killing an elephant and a lion, same day, unaided. He was then called Head Hunter, Slayer of Idu. The Head Hunter had opined that they would not need as much as two thousand hunters for the expedition. In his words, if the forest affair turned rough and warlike, some of the so-called hunters would become liabilities. He suggested that one thousand strong hunters be selected for this journey. He then called on Asipa or the Forerunner to make this selection. In the end, Asipa came up with one thousand strong hunters, whereupon the rest were sent back to their wives. The hunters so selected were the fiercest of hunters anywhere in the land. Before the expedition began, they decided to put their powers to test. 

The hunters were now seated to form a circle leaving a large interrupted space in the middle. First to come out was Balogun. He took off his Agbada gown, revealing several bracelet of charms and amulets strapped to his arms and waist. A live tortoise hung lose on his neck. The tortoise retreated into its shell as it dangled somewhere around his navel. Now at the center of the gathering, Balogun spoke to his audience: "Fellow hunters, I greet you. I have ayeota or bullet antidote. No gunshot can penetrate my skin. Select three powerful hunters to shoot their guns at me. If their bullets penetrate my skin, I will cease to be a hunter from today onward".

Following these words, Head Hunter selected three hunters who aimed their guns at Balogun. They were to shoot at his prompting. Whenever Head Hunter raised his right hand, the g*n would let out a cry. Balogun impatiently asked for gunshots against his bare skin. Head Hunter gave his order. The first hunter pulled the trigger. Balogun shook it off. The second hunter followed suit and the g*n rang louder. Balogun stood on his feet as he asked for more gunshots. Then the third hunter gave a bang of gunshot. The bullets were seen touching Balogun's skin and falling to the earth. The other hunters erupted in a riotous cheers, "Okunrin meta. Three men in one body. The son of Ogun himself. You are a hunter from birth". They praised and eulogized him to high heaven as Balogun took his seat and settled to a calabash of palm wine.

Next came Odesegun. He was not particularly a hunter. He father was, however, a prominent hunter. In his days, he killed elephants, a lion and countless buffalos. Odesegun had grown up to be a wrestler. He had represented Bunu in several wrestling contests and on each occasion, he had the crown. In all the forty villages in Bunu, no one had been able to throw Odesegun in contests. Standing in the middle of this circle, the wrestler claimed he had antidotes to knives, broken bottles, and other sharp objects. Head Hunter called for knife and broken bottles to be put to test on Odesegun's bare skin. Two hunters stepped out to help verify Odesegun's claim. The one held a sharp knife, the other a broken bottle. At the prompting of the Head Hunter, the man with the knife attempted to bury his knife in Odesegun's fleshy arm. The knife bounced back. The more he thrusted the knife, the more it felt like he was stabbing a stone. The man with the broken bottle thrusted his weapon with extra efforts. Odesegun did not suffer a scratch. After several efforts without results, they both gave up. The crowd erupted in applause for Odesegun as he took his seat next to Adisa. "Yes. You are the true son of your father. Your father was killing Lions like one kills rats". They said in Eulogy.

In like manner, Odegbami stepped out to the middle of the gathering. He said he had the power to disappear and reappear. The Head Hunter gave him right to perform his act. Odegbami asked for a stone which was promptly provided. He placed his right leg on the stone and spoke the following words:

"No one sees the air when it blows.

When a woman farts, no one sees the colour.

A butterfly rises and falls until it enters the bush.

Odegbami the son of Ogundele, disappear like fart".

It was like a dream when no one could see Odegbami anymore. The only thing left at the center of the crowd was the stone upon which his leg rested a while ago. The crowd responded "Okunrin meta. Awo lo. Three men in one body. The medicine man is gone". Moment later, Odegbami was seen walking back to the gathering unannounced.

The Head Hunter was going to call off the testing of charms but there were too many hands up, hunters who wanted to put their metaphysical powers to test. Seeing those hands pointing to the sky, he changed his mind. It was only fair he gave a few more people a chance to prove themselves as courageous hunters. It was at this point that Adisa stepped out to the middle of the gathering. He had been a hunter like his father before him. His father, Odeniran, did many great exploits including hunting down the biggest crocodile anyone had ever seen around here. Odeniran died twenty years ago, but to this day, the people of Bunu still talk about his crocodile. It was from him Adisa learned his hunting skills. Adisa must have taken his father's skills but certainly not his character. Adisa had three wives and countless concubines. Some of the wives of the hunters sitting with him also warmed his bed. He had been told that such things reduced or condemned the efficacy of charms. Adisa wouldn't bulge. Now it was time to prove himself a strong man. Adisa had laid claim to bullet antidotes. Three hunters were to step out with their guns. Adisa had a vest of charms on. Attached to his vest were several cowries; heads of birds and tortoise; snail shell and several such items that should command potent charms. It was a heavily decorated vest. Adisa signalled he was ready for the shots. The Head Hunter gave his order. The first hunter aimed his g*n at his head, but later changed his focus. He lowered his g*n barrel to target his heart. The Head Hunter wondered why it took him so long. He gave a second order to fire and the hunter pulled the trigger. The g*n rang like a thunder striking through a dry sky in dry season. Adisa growled and dropped down flat. The bullet antidotes had failed. Bullets tore through his heart exposing a pair of severed ribs. Blood flowed freely as the heart pumped more blood. The hunters screamed in surprise. The Head Hunter regretted not following his instinct when he had wanted to call off the charm test. All the same, he asked the men to gather him up. Adisa was a victim of a military expedition. His death wouldn't stop the exercise. Lara must be found and there was no more time to waste. 

    *******

When people got missing in the forest, the people of Bunu found them by beating drums and other musical instruments. They beat these instruments so loud with the hope that the one who had gone astray would hear the sound in the forest and gravitate towards it. It was why Omoewo and his team of drummers had been invited to this expedition. 

People have feasted. The men have drank palm wine and now they are intoxicated and energized. The king had addressed the search team. He charged them to bring Lara back with them. 

The expedition was set to begin. Since Lara vanished into the forest two weeks ago, no one had ventured into the forest of Loi. No one knew where the snake-god could be lurking. Asipa or the Forerunner was first in line as custom demanded. Head Hunter, Balogun and other top ranking hunters followed. And then the entire team of hunters and young men of valour queued behind them. At the rear of the retinue were the drummers and music makers. Omoewo had the biggest drum in his team. The architecture of the drum was simple but effective: a hollowed wood covered at both ends with cow skin. The cow skin, completely rid of hair, was strapped to the body of the wood tightly according to the tone it was expected to generate. A rope was fastened to both ends of the drum. The drummer hung this rope to his neck to hold the drum in place. He maneuvered the other end of the drum with his left hand and with the right he beat the drum to tunes. Omoewo's drum was unusually large and so was the sound it produced. He put stick to cow skin, the drum responded with a boom. His team members with smaller drums followed suit. Their combined sound rent the air. Just then, Kato the man with the flute, blew air into his flute. It's sonorous sound weaved through the drums and their combined melody cascaded into the atmosphere around them. As the drums went up and the flute followed, the entire community was gay and convivial. 

Because Lara was still missing and Adisa had just been killed inadvertently, the people were supposed to be mourning, but with the drums and the music renting the air above their heads, it all looked like a huge carnival. It is impossible not to dance when the tunes commanded it. The young men in the retinue forgot their shared sorrows for a moment as they wriggled their bodies to the melody; the old men nodded their heads in satisfaction; the hunters, dressed in their grotesque regalia ladened with charms and spells, all looked deadly. It was in this mood that they went into the forest of Loi poised for war against the god of Heko and determined to return Lara to her people.

Getting to the entrance of the forest, the drums boomed; the flute wriggled itself in between the trees and went deep inside. The collective sound echoed from afar. Getting into the forest, their unrestrained music filled the land, the excess of it was contained by the foliage above their heads. The trees seemed to shake and the awe-struck forest was going to burst open. 

Few yards away from Heko's shrine, the air was ladened with stench. Everywhere smelt fowl. It was Asipa who looked up and saw a giant snake, folded up like a spring and surrounded by flies. It was dead and decomposing. "The god is dead!", exclaimed Asipa. Everyone ran forward to see the sight of it. Terrifying! It was unmistakable. A huge black snake with a red crown. The god of Heko was lying dead and lifeless at his own shrine. They observed with terror the entire environment that was left topsy turvy. It suggested a great struggle. Could Lara have killed the god without external help? They all whispered in terror. The Head Hunter ordered that they severe the head of the snake as proof that it was dead. Asipa drew his machete from its sheath, cut off the huge head of the decomposing snake and tucked it into his hunting bag.

The drums went mad. The flute followed and so did the hunters as they advanced in search for Lara. 

Olu Majek.