Captors and Captives(English)

Chapter 1

The sun had hid its face in the clouds ,the moon had already showed

up it's face leaving only a glimpse. The market women had already packed their food items into their stalls. The shout of women had filled the air. Market women left their stalls in a hurry running after a villager who had just stolen a girls bicycle.

"bring my daughter's bike".,the girls father shouted.

The old man had managed to stagger with his Walking stick ,just as he was pushed by one of the women pursuing the villager who stole the bicycle. The girl who's bicycle was stolen had also taken one of the the village palm wine tappers own and went pursuing the theif with the little strength she had after she was pushed when the theft occurred.

Cypher had woken up groaning to the noise of the villagers in their noise and by their voices.

"what is happening",he asked confused. He saw one of the neighbors in their shops close to his mother's shop.

" where is my mother"? Cyphers asked.

" She must have followed the women",the neighbor answered.

"where did they go to"?He asked again.

"Chief Nze's daughter's bike was stolen ,she must have followed the women who went after the theif.

Immediately, Cypher had pulled out his bicycle and took another route. He had known almost all the routes in the village. He saw a young boy just about his age passing with a bicycle.

"could this be the thief",he muttered to himself.

The thief had seen Cypher who advanced to him with his bicycle. Just as he was about to run , Cypher had shouted calling him back

"Hey, come back",he shouted.

Cypher pedalled faster,but the young village boy was too fast for him.

As he pedalled faster, the market women with their sticks approached Cypher and Drew closer to him.

"stop him, stop him",was what had filled the air at the moment. Cypher had looked back and saw his mother among the women who had even seemed to be leading the women with their sticks on their right hand. Quickly he pedalled faster allong the bush tracks round the village road. He was almost approaching the theif and he had seemed to be more faster,he quickly adjusted his bicycle Tyre to that of the thief and he ran into the thief's bicycle and they collapsed and fell inside the bush.

"Hurray, Hurray",the women shouted with joy from their heart.

Cypher was badly injured,that was not his original intentions ,his leg was already bleeding.The thief was razzled,he was almost stripped off,the young men had rushed to the bush to pick up sticks to beat up the thief.

"wait, wait,n...o....", a young girls voice was heard. It was the village chief's daughter,Queen. The village chief who's daughter's bike was stolen. She had arrived with her father ,she turned and saw Cypher lying on the ground almost getting into the bush with bruises on his hands and a cut on his leg.

"Thank you very much",she started.

"it's...I..t'....s ,no..yo..ur'e welcome",he stammered in pain.

The thief was spared ,the men lifted up Cypher who had managed to leap and they lifted him up and rested him on their shoulders.

Akin,his closed friend had rushed in with his flute together with Cypher's drum after he heard what had happened,he knew what would be the next thing and he was right on time with the instrument.

"I will be on my way",Queen said to Cypher, and helped her father to get up to hold his bicycle to rest on, but she was held back.

Akin started by playing his flute as a means of introduction to the music as he usually did each time they were to play and Cypher joined with his drum also striking it five times before he began the main music as he normally did with his palms on different ends of the drum. Cyphers mother popularly addressed as Mama Cypher also joined with singing while other women danced to the song and to the band all in a rythm, round the band and the leader which was Cypher. Queen was a very good dancer she had pulled Cypher's attention so much to herself she knew the right dance moves when ever the beat was changed and Cypher was so impressed that he increased the sound of the drum by striking it harder and unleashing other wonderful beats. They played for a long time as people were singing and dancing joyfully and were already lost to the beautiful beats Cypher gave to them. Cypher had given Akin a signal on when the would stop,and the wonderful music was finally brought to a stop. Smiles had filled the faces of everyone and it resulted to a loud applause coming from the women,and soon they began to return to their shops after a wonderful music.

Slowly the theif approached Cypher who stood close to Akin.

"I'...mm...so s..o.rr..y",the thief apologized

"No problem, but that was fun you know",Cypher said laughing.

"Really?",the theif said smiling.

"of course ,I even thought you would go through the other path by the bush were we fell, there is a narrow road there which will also lead you to the stream",Cypher said.

"You mean a road is also there to lead me to the stream. That's good because I didn't know there was a road there which would lead to the stream,It's like you know th bush tracks so we'll more than anyone else even more than the village chief",and they bursted into laughter.

"You are right",Cypher added.

"Thank you,what's your name please?",He asked Cypher.

"I'm Cypher by name",Cypher replied.

"Oh, that's good,I'm Dimeji",the thief said.

"Oh. ...oh, I think I've heard of the name before",Cypher said.

"Really?",Dimeji asked.

"yes,the young man who plays the guitar right",Cypher answered.

"yes I am ,and I know that's the boy who plays the flute all the time, but I don't know how name".

"I'm Akin by name",Akin responded when he heard Dimeji asked for his name.

"Oh... you are still here?",Queen asked surprisingly as she arrived again.

"Yes we are oh,we are just discussing trying to know ourselves",Cypher responded.

"anyways ,thanks once more for helping me recover my bicycle from the thief"she said,they all bursted into another round of laughter.

''Yes you are right ',Said Cypher

"which is also now your close friend",Queen added.

"What's even your name?"she asked Cypher.

"wait you don't even know him", Dimeji interrupted."and you sounded as if you know him so well",he added again.

"well i don't know him,so what's your name?",she asked again.

"I'm Cypher by name", Cypher responded.

"alright I'm Queen",she said

"I know that already",Cypher laughed

"really you do",she replied surprised."but how come I dont know yours",she added .

"maybe because you had the meet me in person", Cypher said.

"so are this your friends?",Queen asked.

"yes"

"nice,so you are..?",She turned to Akin

"I'm Akin by name",Akin responded.

She turned to Dimeji and Dimeji answered."I'm Dimeji, you can call me Dim it will be fine",Dimeji answered.

"alright nice to know the three of you"."so ehmmm..I think I should now be on my way ,my father may come looking for me, I didn't inform him before coming here ,so sorry",she said and apologized since she won't have enough time to spend with them.

"alright ,no problem with that, Cypher said and they all waved at her."byeee",they chorused loud.

"byeee",she responded.

She climbed her recovered bicycle and pedallled slowly tapping the bell on the left side were the brakes were held as she rode .

The three young men turned to each other and laughed at the sound of the bell. She turned and saw them laughing and got angry and wondered why they would be laughing at her,she sighed and kept on riding as she immediately ran into a palm tree and fell flat on the ground together with her bicycle.The boys quickly rushed to her. Cypher leaped to were she was as the bicycle was on top of her . Her leg was stucked in the roots of the tree. She had bruises on her toes and fingers which were painful to her.

Cypher lifted the bicycle,while Dimeji and Akin brought her out from were her legs got stucked. She yelled at them angrily.

"Dim,take it easy oh",Cypher called out.

"leave me alone ,let me be",she shouted,"after mocking me you are now pretending to be helpers".

"we're so sorry", Cypher spoke for them

"it's all your fault",Queen reported.

She got up and carried her bicycle and rolled as she was going. Cypher leaped back to his mother's shop while Akin and Dimeji also left together.

The people of Ibuku had never been filled with happiness until they heard of the coming of the whitemen to help them invest and trade their products to other communities as it was reported.

They noised it in almost all other neighboring village and towns. The way their plant sprang after planting was a thrilling story. Their musics were the best,always leading with their band leader Cypher together with Akin and Dimeji and the dancers. They were referred to as blessed land ,sometimes artificial people ,the beauty of their women also had been testified by other villages ,they had so much than they worked for.

One morning Cypher carried his fishing hook and net and headed to his normal fishing activities and to join his mother thereafter in her shop before he would go to play his drum at sun dawn by the eatery. He was already few footsteps away to the river were he would fish .The river was like a border to the next village,but not fully inside Ibuku and it was also surrounded by bushes.

Akin had gone to meet him that morning.

"My good friend",Cypher greeted as Akin approached him.

"The great drummer of all times,the Fisher himself",Akin returned

"Friend that's okay before you flatter me and finish",Cypher said smiling revealing only his upper teeth.

"I think I will join you for today in your fishing",said Akin.

"are you sure,this one you want to help me fish today ,hope all is well?"Cypher asked.

"all is even more well than before Cypher,"Akin responded.

"really ,what is the source of your joy today now?" Cypher asked again.

"Cypher ...h..mm.n..you haven't heard?",Akin asked in return.

"you have started Akin, Heard what now,the other time you said you saw a white man in your dream with a brown hat and white pair of socks...."

Akin cuts in."exactly Cypher ,so you have not heard the good news of our village.",said Akin.

"look Akin ,stop beating around the bush and go straight to the point if not I will just leave you to keep your good news to yourself."

"anyway ,where is your drum , let's go and play at the village square",said Akin.

"I'm not playing anything until you tell me the news you are talking about".Said Cypher.

"Cypher indeed we are blessed in this land",said Akin.

"yes I know that Akin ,just hit the nail on the wall", Cypher said perplexed.

"okay fine",Akin started, "it has spilt round the village of the coming of the whitemen to help us with investing and trading our products to larger cities so we can all benefit from it and be more rich",Akin explained.

"Akin are you alright", Cypher started.

"sure I am",Akin replied

" have you seen a white man before?", Cypher asked.

"I think I have seen one but..I..n my dream",Akin responded.

"how did he look like?"Cypher asked again.

" his skin were so white and his hair, different from ours".

"have you seen any in pictures?"Cypher asked.

"I think I have seen too, you know my father was partially educated".

"one more question Akin".

"alright,go ahead and ask ", Akin said.

"can you read and write?"Cypher asked once more.

"ammm,yes..s, I mean no...oo, because I was given an opportunity but I lost it",Akin replied.

"how come you lost it?"

"I lost it when my father died"Akin responded.

"look we can't just trust anyone not to talk of strangers who we don't even know at all ,now tell me,how did you know they are coming for a good purpose."said Cypher.

"well , we'll see, I don't know,let's just watch and see how it goes",Akin added.

They were done with the fishing before they ended up with their discussion.Akin assisted Cypher to wrap the fishes neatly, Cypher also packaged some fishes and gave them to Akin as an act of appreciation,Akin received the gift warmly and thanked Cypher.He lifted the the basket of fishes and waited for Cypher indeed roll his Ankara and put on his head before Akin raised the basket and dropped it on his head and they left.

* * * *

"mama,mama",Cypher called out for his mother as he approached the house.

Cypher's mother came from the backyard after she finished preparing their lunch.

"my son, you're back. Welcome"she added. She quickly rushed and helped him to bring down the basket of fishes and shouted when she saw its contents. They had made so much fishes for the day which was really amazing. As she brought down the basket the Ankara fell to the ground.

"your meal is in the kitchen ",she said ,and Cypher quickly rushed into the kitchen. Mama Cypher selected some of the fishes she would roast,and some she would give her friends,while the rest were to be sold. She gathered the basket she's and wrapped them separately and left for her shop.

Cypher brought out his food and sat under a large mango tree ?on a wooden bench,the tree provided adequate shade for anyone who would have gone closer.

That evening the leaves from the trees and the branches were dancing as the breeze called .He had to enjoy the cool breeze,he took off his shirt and waved them in the air because he was sweating profusely. Just as he kept on waving his shirt in the air,he saw Queen,the daughter of the village chief as she approached his house with her bicycle,she slowed down as she finally came to a stop and came down from her bicycle and parked it under the shade.

"Good evening Cypher,"she greeted.

"oh...,good evening", Cypher returned.

"Is your mother home?",She asked.

"No,she isn't ",Cypher tried to pack up his food to create enough space for her to seat on the bench ."is there a problem?",he asked again.

"no there isn't,",she replied.

Cypher rushed and took his food in and appeared again.

"I thought I should visit",Queen said.

"woow ,that's so nice of you",said Cypher, "thank you"he added.

"you're welcome",she answered.

" but won't your father be worried",he said to Queen.

"no he won't get worried,I prepared his favorite meal",She said.

"that's great ,so what do I offer you?", Cypher asked.

"thank you,but I don't think I would eat anything for now,I ate not too long ago",She replied.

"it's fine no problem", Cypher said.

"what about Akin and Dimeji?",she asked again.

"they're all good".

"but Cypher have you heard the news in the village?",Queen asked .

Cypher tried to recall if he heard any news earlier from anyone .

"no I don't think so",he concluded after thinking for a while .

"you mean you haven't heard that white people are coming here".

"Oh...you mean that one ",he said

"of course,so you must have even heard of it",she answered.

"yes ,Akin told me ,but that's not a news", Cypher said

"it is what then?",Queen asked in return .

"it is called a rumour".

"a rumour which is also true. A letter was sent to my father". Queen said .

"oh really"Cypher was surprised."was he able to read it?"he asked.

"I think he did his best,but all it was trying to say was that they would be coming to help us to trade our farm products and crops and process them before helping us to sell them to larger cities"Queen explained.

"do you think so ,we should be very careful,we can just trust them based on what they said"Cypher said his own mind .

"why say so?"Queen asked.

" I just have a strange sensation that they will not fulfill what they promised or said bit rather fail us and turn us to slaves,"Cypher answered.

"no Cypher , I don't think so that's not what my father explained,they are coming for a better reason",Queen reported.

"well your father may not know", Cypher answered."we pray they will so us good and no harm as I thought"Cypher added.

Queen got up to leave the compound but Dimeji and Akin stormed in the compound

"ohh your friends are here",Queen said,she saw Akin and Dimeji storm in the compound.

Cypher got up to welcome them.

"okay ,Cypher I will be taking my leave now, hope you won't mind"Queen said.

"alright,no problem", Cypher responded.

"thank you very much"Cypher said.

Queen walked to were she parked her bicycle and claimed it and rode away ,this time she dared not to push the bell before she would be laughed at.

"friends what do I offer you?", Cypher asked.

"just a cup of water would be enough",Akin responded.

Cypher walked into the house and brought two cups of water and they sat on the long wooden bench under the shade ,and discussed until they returned they both returned to their house.

* * * *

The noise of the music filled the air from different angle of the village,songs and drum beating had filled the air which pulled the crowd of villages to the village square. It was Cypher and his band,his drum ? under his left arm ,with his hand striking it harder on its surface .Akin played his flue while Dimeji played his guitar. Cypher then came up with a familiar song known to the villagers on his drum and the crowd had turn into singers and dancers all to the tune of the music and the instrumentalists playing a melodious music with Cypher leading them out.

The noise attracted Queen, leaving her to sit on her birthday and rode out of her

father's house to were the music directed her to. She advanced and went close to the village square.She pushed through the crowd until she got her way in.

"what's happening?",she asked a villager.

"go and see for yourself",the villager responded.

She sighed with deep relief and went ahead to the centre of the village. She spotted Cypher performing with his drum and she went closer to him ,she pushed through the crowd until she got to were he stood, she wasn't surprised though,but she stood for sometime without saying a word until she found her legs and her waist moving to the beats from Cyphers drum ?,she tried to resist but couldn't help it but to join to sing and dance.

The whole event happened for sometime and was finally brought to a stop.

"ohh...oh... m..or..e"the villager screamed. They wanted more of the music they heard.

"why did you stop?",she asked .

Cypher was short of words ,he made up a ridiculous excuse and left with his friends and their instruments.

Three weeks had passed since the beginning and coming of the whitemen,but there was no slight glance of any white man seen around in the village.

Spies were sent by the captain of the whitemen named Robert to spy on Ibuku.

There were three white men sent which were, Marshall, Parker and lastly Hillary. Hillary was different from them all,he was a tall dark skinned handsome young man but he lived with the white people. He was well respected by the white people.

The three spies travelled down to Ibuku and lodged there at the borders as they spies on the village and layer their traps .One of the villagers named Wakili had seen them one morning on his way to his farm which was close to were he lived at the border were he could also manage his small farm business.

That morning, Wakili sighted the strange people on their land and also a black Man amongst them.

Out of terror he dropped his harvest filled basket and was about to run when he heard a voice from behind.

"st...op..,don't move",the voice called from behind.

"pl...ea...se please don't kill me ", Wakili pleaded,he hands were up in the air as he stood still and panted.

"only on one condition", Marshall one of the whitemen said.

Wakili turned slowly and looked at them .

"please.. anything, just tell me,but please don't kill me I'm begging",he pleaded again.

"were is house?",he was asked by Parker.

"were two foothpaths meet,it is not too far from here", Wakili responded.

"lead us there ", Marshall commanded Wakili and Wakili led them to his house.

Cypher and Akin rode their bicycle and pedallled round the village and slowly to the border and finally Cypher came to a stop.

"why did you stop?", Akin asked. He watched Cypher come down from his bicycle.

"co..me,come Akin ,come and see something",Cypher said ,he was looking at the ground steadily.

"what is now",Akin wondered

"Akin come now,are you not seeing what I'm seeing"Cypher said.

Cypher look steadily to the ground for a long time until he finally lost sight of the foot traces he saw on the ground. He groaned as Soon as he lost sight of them.

"Cypher ,I don't understand your style oh,why are you acting strange"Akin said

Cypher pulled his hands and took him to were the foot traces began and to were they ended.

"what do you observe now?"Cypher asked .

"okay,you mean the foot traces?",Akin asked in return.

Cypher knoddded in affirmation.

"Okay, Cypher I know what you are driving at",Akin said.

They had never known anyone who wore something they could have called shoes under their feet and they had never seen such traces before, but surprisingly they just saw one which shocked Cypher the most and he certainly knew all was not well.

* * * *

" you mean, all this for me?", Wakili asked Marshall,he lifted up a bag containing shillings and cowries which were give to him.

"that's not all friend, when all is done, we will take you to our big city and you will live like a king and have as many wives as you wish", Marshall said.

"what do I offer you people?,"Wakili asked.

"we don't want much ,just deliver your land to us, let us know your weakness,strengths and secrets, Wakili",Parker said ,"that's your name right?",he asked.

"y...e.. s, ye...s , that's my name", Wakili replied frightened ,it was too much for him to offer.

"then make them known to us,that's what you can offer us in return," Marshall said.

Marshall was in charge of the spies ,he gave orders which were strict but carefully obeyed.

"but that's too much for me to offer", Wakili said abashed, it was a very big risk to take.

"then we will be forced to take back all our shillings and cowries without minding ",Parker said.

"You have to make a good choice", Hillary forced words out of his mouth.

"ohh .. okay,wa..it,I will grant your request to you,but please don't take away the shillings especially", Wakili concluded.

Wakili couldn't contain his love for money and was not ready to abnegate all he was offered.

"for sure ,they will be yours including the cowries"Marshall said.

"when will you be back?,"Wakili asked

"when you least expect it", Parker replied.

"but when your work is finished ,don't forget to search for me and take me with you", Wakili said.

"It is done friend", Marshall said knodding his head .

* * * *

Robert was lifted on a mat with a wooden stool , Marshall on one side and parker on the other side while Hillary led the way as they approached Ibuku.

The birds all ran into their nests as soon as they had sight of the whitemen,the animals ran back to their shepherds. Few whitemen accompanied the others who carried captain Robert and also led them the way, they headed to the village chief's palace who was in charge of all Ibuku. Two guards who had seen them approach the palace ran into the village chief's chamber.

Chief heard a knock on his door.

"come in ",he responded.

"our chief ,the white people are here",the guard said filled with joy.

"ah... finally,just let them know I'm coming right away,but entertain them with some drinks",Chief said.

"yes chief",the guard said.

"finally,I will be a well known rich man spread round the entire world,I can't wait",Chief whispered to himself when the guard left.

Robert was still on his mat ,he was getting tired about to order his boys to put him down,the guards cuts him in.

"the village chief sent a message to inform you he will soon be here to join all of you.

"look ,can't you feel the hot weather",Robert shouted.

Just immediately,chief came out of his chamber with his beautiful daughter Queen.

Chief posed a big smile as he got a clear look of his guests ,it was his first time of seeing another skin coloured human.

"good afternoon my guests", Chief greeted .

"keep your greetings to yourself old man and get me an umbrella quickly",Robert said impertinently.

"sorry oh,but I didn't offend you or any of your friends here ",chief replied.

" do you know the impinge of my coming here ,whereas you have a beautiful daughter",Robert advanced to Queen patting her hair.

"please leave me alone",she shouted and took herself away".

"look here,don't be impertinent young lady ,I'm not your mate,you all should get me an umbrella.

"sorry please what is an om . ..om...brillac",Chief forced his mouth.

"old man it's not ombrillac,it's called umbrella",Robert said

"okay, white man we don't have it",Chief replied.

"look call me captain Robert Charles don't white man me",Robert said angrily.

As the discussion was on ,a keg of palm wine was brought by Queen and was served to everyone including Chief.

"what's this one?",Robert asked

"that is palm wine",Chief replied

" I don't drink such,it's not my thing", Robert replied.

"just try...."

Robert cuts him in

"leave that for now,let's get to business,why don't you have a king up till

this time ,you only manage the so called village chief title", Robert said

"we are still dealing with that Mr Robert",Chief replied.

" will you consider crowning me your king?",Robert asked."you know we could help you trade your products from your farm to bigger cities and make money and we can take our shares while we leave the rest for you all,"Robert added.

"ah...,Mr Robert,you have asked for a hard thing,the villagers also have to agree with that before we can go on with the corronation, without that ,it can't happen"Chief said.

"then summon your people quickly,it should be an urgent meeting and do the needful.

****

The news of the whitemen's arrival dropped in the village ,all the villagers gathered themselves at the village square as Cypher and his band entertained them with music.

The music of Ibuku were very thrilling and melodious.The villagers danced and sang for joy dropping their shillings in a little box for Cypher and his band.

" please order those boys to stop", Robert whispered to Chief. Chief signalled the guards to come to him which they did.

"order the band to stop the music", Chief whispered.

The two guards went into the crowd until the got to the instrumentalists and delivered the message of the chief in Cypher's ears.

Few seconds after ,the music. was brought to a stop.

"ohh...., again....", villagers murmured. Shorlty after the murmuring , Chief climbed up to the wooden podium,he cleared his throat for a while and waited till everywhere was quiet.

"people of Ibuku,you are welcome to this special gathering",Chief began .

"with me this afternoon are the white people we waited so long for after getting their message,and we are glad to have them present now",he added. Applause's were rendered for them.

"they promised us they will help us to trade our farm products to big cities which would help us end more shillings and they will have some shares from the money while we will be left with the rest."

Another applause was rendered again for the king gestures they imposed on themselves.

"One more thing left, as a result of that they are requested something"Chief said ,the next words were hard for him,he didn't know how the villagers would react to it if he said it. "They want us to crown their captain here ,Robert Charles our new King ,the king of Ibuku."Chief finally forced words out of his mouth.