Road To Hegemony

BOOK 1: AWAKENING, CH8: BALOGUN CLAN AND THE COLONIAL WAR I

Twenty-two years ago

Onikan Hospital

Babatunde and Shade Balogun brought baby Korede Balogun to the paediatric wing of the Onikan Hospital on this day for a medical check-up. Baby Korede had been sleeping more than normal recently and his parents grew concerned. They reached out to their friend, Dr. Ayoola Maja who directed them to Dr. Felix Ezechukwu. Dr. Ezechukwu was a senior paediatrician at the Onikan Hospital. After a series of tests, he invited the couple into his office to discuss the results of the tests.

“What’s wrong with my baby?” Shade asked with concern immediately after everyone sat down.

"Due to his age, there is a limit to the amount of test we can run but my team and I are fairly certain that cause of his sleeping is the higher than normal activity of his body. His body is currently in self-preservation mode and if nothing changes urgently, his body might shut down." Dr. Ezechukwu answered.

“What do you mean? Can you explain clearly?” Babatunde asked, clearly trying to keep his calm.

Dr. Ezechukwu silently thought of how to explain the situation. After a short contemplation that felt like an eternity to the couple, the doctor said, "First, let me explain something to you. A normal human being can only access about 35-40% of their body's potential. This is because our brain is not developed enough to control more than that. Hence, it locks the rest away. At birth, everyone can only access a very small amount of said potential. As they grow older, the potential is unlocked. Training can further unlock more potential as the brain learns how to safely control more potential as our body becomes stronger. However, it will never exceed about 40%. Those that do exceed this limit are those we call superhuman."[1]

“What does this have to do with my son?” Shade asked impatiently. Babatunde consoled his wife and smiled apologetically to the doctor. Dr. Ezechukwu nodded to show that he didn’t mind. He continued

"While we aren't 100% sure because of his age, it seems that your son's case is different from normal. His brain is more developed and doesn't seem to impose much if any, limits on his body's potential. However, while his brain 'can' full control his potential, it doesn't mean it knows how to yet. As a result, his body is consuming more energy than what is expected of a child his age to keep up with its activities. We believe that he is sleeping more than normal because this reduces energy consumption and prevents the body from destroying itself while the brain gains full control."

Babatunde nodded in understanding and asked, “So what should we do to help him?”

In all honesty, this is uncharted territory to Dr. Ezechukwu also. He was also not sure of an exact solution. So, he said, "There is probably little we can do. We can only wait for his brain to gain full control over his body. We can, however, speed up the process. Exercise and training allow the brain to gain a better understanding of the body. So exercise and training can speed up the process. I can recommend some physiotherapists to you who are experienced in dealing with children. They can tailor a training regimen for him. In the meantime, I will write down a list of food he can be given in addition to breast milk that can provide the amount of energy he needs because I don't think breast milk alone will suffice any longer."

He took a piece of paper and wrote a list of food on it. At the bottom, he wrote the names and contact of a few children physios he could vouch for.

Babatunde thanked the good doctor and left the office to pick up their son in the ward. After picking up their son and paying the necessary bills, they left the hospital and went home.

Balogun Residence.

On getting home, DSS Special Agent Balogun received a call from his older cousin/brother, Colonel Bolaji Balogun.[2]

"How far? I'm calling for the regular SitRep(Situation Report). I expected that you would have called me but you didn't. it's so unlike you and I became worried and called." Colonel Balogun said.

“I’m fine but I can’t give you an accurate Sit-rep. I had a family emergency, so I didn’t go to work today.” Special Agent Balogun replied.

“Hope no problem?” Colonel Balogun asked

Special Agent Balogun explained the situation vaguely to Colonel Balogun causing the man on the other line to say, “I’m coming over. You can explain better when I arrive.” Then he hung up.

Before long, Colonel Balogun got to the Balogun residence. He exchanged greetings with the couple and asked about Korede's condition. Special Agent Balogun went on to explain the situation completely. After hearing the doctor's diagnostics of Korede's condition and his suggestion for treatment, Colonel Balogun fell into thought. After a while, he said hesitantly to Special Agent Balogun, "If it's to train his body, I have an idea but you will not like it."

At first, Special Agent Balogun didn’t understand what Colonel Balogun meant but after seeing the man’s expression, he quickly understood what was being suggested. As Colonel Balogun expected, Special Agent Balogun shot to his feet and rejected the idea, saying, “No, I will not allow my son to undergo that hellish training. If it was any other person that suggested it, I would have asked them to leave.”

Shade was confused as to what the men were talking about. So she asked, “What are you guys talking about? Explain it to me. Would it help Korede?”

Special Agent Balogun was angry, he shot an annoyed look at Colonel Balogun who could only show an apologetic smile. Colonel Balogun hesitantly said, “If the doctor is right about the solution and the training I have in mind is completed as required, Korede would be more than okay. However, before you become happy, you should know that no one has complete the training in recent time. It is just too brutal.”

“What training? What do you mean?” Shade asked again. Babatunde shot a look at Colonel Balogun which seems to be saying ‘This is your mess, you explain’.

“The training has to do with the core of the Balogun family so before I can explain, I have to know how much you understand about the Balogun Family.” Colonel Balogun said

Though still confused, Shade said, “What I know about the Balogun Family? It’s an old family that existed before the British colonized the country. It is a warrior family. Whenever and wherever there is conflict in the Yorubaland, various monarchs send emissaries to the family to acquire their services. Unfortunately, most of the family’s warriors were wiped out by the British during the Colonial war and the family had to hide. Later when the call for independence was being championed, the surviving members of the family volunteered and became the standing army of the then infant nation. From then on, the Balogun family has been intertwined with the military.”

Colonel Balogun nodded. Shade had shown a commendable amount of knowledge of their family history.

“Okay, it seems you have a basic understanding of our history. That will make things easier to understand.” Colonel Balogun said. He took a deep breath and his posture became straight while Special Agent Balogun also sat down. The atmosphere suddenly became solemn.

Colonel Balogun nodded and said, "We were not a 'Family' but a 'Clan'. No one is sure exactly how old the family is but folktales go back at least seven centuries. In those folktales, there are two beliefs about the origin of the Clan name 'Balogun'. Some believe that the Clan name wasn't originally 'Balogun'[3] but was changed into it later when the clan produced strong warriors one after the other. Others believed that the strongest warriors of various kingdoms were named Balogun in acknowledgement of the clan's strength. That by using the title 'Balogun', the warrior will strive to be as strong as a true member of the Balogun Clan." When Colonel Balogun said with a proud smile on his face. With the smile still present on his face, he continued,

"Before the colonization wars, the Balogun Clan[4] was at the peak of its strength. It had about three thousand warriors. Since the Clan is a warrior clan, only warriors are counted in a census. Warriors held the highest respect and honour. Once one became a Clan warrior, everything else is irrelevant. Gender, background, disposition… everything. In addition to the warriors, there were trainees, farmers, other professions, the elderly, children, women. So you can imagine the size of the clan. While three thousand warriors might sound small, you need to understand that each of these warriors was stronger than current members of our country's special forces. Nowadays, one man can't fight more than five people at once, but each Balogun clan warrior can do more than that. They can each take on ten, maybe fifteen at once. Folktales tell of a special group of warrior leaders that can take on thirty people on their own. Oh, I should also point out that the people they fight are warriors of other clans and kingdoms themselves, not ordinary people. Even trainees can take on five of these 'warriors', themselves. That alone should show the Clan's strength. It is because of this difference in strength that the current Balogun Family is called a 'Family' and not a 'clan' even though we are technically a clan. We feel we are not worthy of being called 'Balogun Clan' compared to the past clan."

Colonel Balogun paused before continuing, "The secret to their strength is in their training method. The Clan trained their members from an early age. Gender is irrelevant. Even today, who dares underestimate a Balogun woman, not to mention back then. The training method was called 'Oro Akogun' [Warrior's ritual]. it is a training regimen that starts as soon as the child could walk. It involves breaking physical limits over and over until you can't anymore. Only then does the training stop.

Honestly, the training method is simple and brutal. Back then, it was not life-threatening. Now, however, it is. The Family rarely uses it anymore. It's used to train only children with innately strong bodies. I was the last person it was used on and even I wasn't able to complete the basic training before it was too much for my body to bear but as a result, I'm one of the people with the highest physical and combat ability in the entire Nigerian Military."

At this point, Colonel Balogun stopped, so Shade asked, "What changed? Why could the Clan members complete the training but the Family members can't?"

"The Colonization War changed everything." Special Agent Balogun said with a hint of sadness could be detected in his voice.

“Yes, the Colonization War changed everything.” Colonel Balogun agreed.

AUTHOR’ S NOTE

1 As fictional as this sounds, it is actually true and I didn't make it up. What is up for contention is the limit. Some say 30%, others say 40%. I decided to go with the highest value. Anyway, whether you believe the theory or not, it doesn't matter cause it doesn't affect the story much, so just enjoy it.

2 Remember, this is a flashback, so I'm using the tittles they would have held at that time.

3 Balogun means Chief/Head Warrior in Yoruba. It is a title given to the strongest warrior in the kingdom and he leads the kingdom’s warriors.

4 to avoid confusion, ‘Balogun Clan’ would be used to refer to the family before the colonization war.