Wale and the Little Moonlight

CHAPTER TEN

The people of Ogunta had suffered more than loss from Akin’s defeat. Besides paying tributes to the great kingdom of Ojola, they were constantly being harassed by The Great Oba and his son mainly because they complained about low productivity from the Ogunta province. And many other kingdoms and communities that were under Ogunta kingdom during the glorious days of Ogunta were also annexed to Ojola, and they suffered the same fate as their former master. The rains had stopped falling for almost three years since Akin was defeated. It neither rained in the day nor drizzled at night. The people only made used of their streams and ponds. Many of their crops had died, and their livestock were also dying. Ogunta saw its gloom; tears were in the hearts of many, though their eyes seemed dry. Ogunta had returned to its former dryness; boredom had returned.

It was like the gods were angry with the land. And it was more painful to see the warriors of Ojola come into Ogunta to take some able-bodied men from the land to  work as slaves in Ojola and some maidens taken to be The Great Oba’s concubines. It was a double shame for Ogunta. And waging war was never an option in this situation for the rules and conditions of the wrestle contest made it a treaty by itself--a treaty that must not be violated, but the technical lapses therein could fully be taken advantage of by the other party. This, the great kingdom of Ojola knew and did. Besides, Ojola had more more warriors than Ogunta: beside this numerical advantage over Ogunta, Ojola's warriors were more fierce and emotionless.

Akin had become a shadow of himself. His miseries were many: the defeat at the wrestling arena, the fall of Ogunta, the famine, the drought, the servitude of his people, pestilence, and the worst of all, his childlessness with his wife. And he blamed himself for everything. These were enough troubles for a man to take his own life as he sometimes wished he could end his own life. But looking at the messier things that  suicide would cause his family and Ogunta as a whole, he would always rebuke this evil thought of his. He was always consoled by the belief that one day a new warrior, a savior would emerge from among them again and the days of the rains and harvest would come again; and grains like sand will be their gain again.

“One day the gods will restore Ogunta and all the good things of our land”. Bisi said as though she had been reading her husband’s mind as she dropped his dinner on the long bench in front of him.

Akin lifted up his thinking head which had been hung down for a long time. He smiled at his wife. His countenance showed appreciation for the encouraging words she just spoke. “Yes, the gods surely have their time”, he responded smilingly.

The weathers had been extremely hot and unfriendly, even in the evenings. The heat compelled many to sit out at night to, at least catch some breeze for a while before going into their houses to wallow in the heat of the night. Akin had decided to stay under the pear tree to while away the evening in the thought of the present situation. Bisi’s meal and presence were only going to soothe his worrying head.

“Come…Come eat with me my queen!” Akin requested in a romantic tone.

“Yes, my lord!” Bisi obliged as she sat on the long bench without hesitation.

It wasn’t a common sight to see a couple eat together—especially outside their house—except they were newly joined. But Akin and Bisi had been enjoying these rare moments together ever since Akin won her as a prize and wooed her as a bride. Perhaps, it was because of the strong love they felt for each other; perhaps it was their childlessness that still bonded them together that strong. If they had had a child, perhaps their bonding would have changed. Who could say what the situation of their love would have been like? Perhaps Bisi would have found a new companion in the little Akin or Akin would have found a new princess in the little Bisi. Whatever the situation would have been, it wasn’t their problem, they loved themselves the way they were, and the only prayed for the gods for a child of theirs someday.

“I know the god will bless my womb. I have always asked them to, and I believe they will”. Bisi resumed conversation about her expectations and beliefs in the gods. She looked away holding the piece of yam she had dipped inside the oil as if she was staring at it. But no, she wasn’t staring at the yam, she was thinking of carrying her own baby. She was tired on her situation.

“Eat your yam, my dear, the oil is soaking your fingers”, Akin replied as he saw the oil running through Bisi’s finger. “Yes, I believe strongly that the gods will remember us with a child”. He consoled.

Akin could not stop wishing in his heart that the gods soon granted their heart desire. It wasn’t a good sight for him to see his wife in that worrying mood. Though sometimes he would be worried about how their expected child would be born into Ogunta with such a bad situation. Then he would think that their childlessness might be out of the wisdom from the gods. Meanwhile, Bisi had also already believed that the child she would bear would be the one to save Ogunta because he would be both a warrior’s and a royal blood. This kind of thought never crossed Akin’s mind because he was too busy and hungry for a change to concern himself with issues of a distant future. So, he only hoped for an immediate miracle around him around and within himself as it concerned the present.

Anyone could have emerged to challenge Zubola if such a challenge was to happen in Ogunta or any other kingdom, but definitely not in Ojola. One was sure of getting to Ojola safe and sound, but returning in the same condition was not guaranteed. Beside being a very great kingdom with many provinces under its jurisdiction, Ojola was known to be brutal and merciless. There were rumours that The Great King sometimes fed his slaves and prisoners to his lions which he had in his palace. Hence, they were dreaded by all. And since the title of the greatest warrior of Oduduwaland was won by a warrior from Ojola, the contest had to happen in Ojola. For about three years, Zubola had reigned as the greatest warrior in Oduduwaland, and Ojola had made many exploits within the region over the years. Their kingdom had greatly expanded, especially with the annexing of Ogunta, and the terror of the Great Oba had grown bigger enveloping all other kingdoms—big or small. No one had dared Zubola to a fight. The first and only warrior, Ade from Ijela, a neighbouring kingdom to Ogunta, who went to Ojola to fight him never returned and nothing had been heard of him and his cohort again. And the people had thought of waging war against Ojola but they lacked the manpower and resources, especially as some of their strongest warriors who accompanied Ade to Ojola were also missing alongside with Ade.

Meanwhile, Wale never stopped feeling sad about everything. He resorted to spending more of his time indoors because he did not want to go out there during the day and see his people suffering—such sight only broke his spirit more. His life became more useless to him and those around him. And most of the time, just like Akin, he blamed himself for not being able to defend his people. But deep inside, something was birthing in him.