COMMENT
Mr. Lateef
Adeola Sanusi is a great prose writer who developed himself remarkably well
through the difficult rank of ambitious Nigerian writers. Such a talented man
must be acknowledged by the reading public which unfortunately is not growing
fast owing to educational slumber imposed on the society by incompetent and
undisciplined local, states and the federal governments of Nigeria.
Moral
discipline applies from two areas that is, from home and from the school
(public). But both are failures in Nigeria, and therefore young men and women
(boys and girls) are left to make their choices, which often times, are
difficult in the traditional social development process. Apart from the
powerful imagination the writer of this initiative and creative story
contribute, his vision has turned into a possible experience and need both his
readers and listeners who do not have the privilege to read “ A Woman in Need. “
Professor
Bankole Okuwa (Retired)
Ijebu Ode,
Ogun State.
June 10,
2017.
PART ONE
Chapter One
God created
the Earth
Without
territories or borders
He gave man
dominance
Man created
borders
Animals
created territories
Faith and
Persecution
A set of Siamese
twins
Wherever
Faith goes, Persecution follows
Faith sings
and Persecution choruses
Love, love,
and love they shout
Peace,
peace, and peace they proclaim
Open the
Prison gate and let Conscience be free
Dance,
dance, dance
Love and
Peace Orchestra plays
Looking out
of the window, Olu, the paramount ruler of Ilu-Nla, brims with smiles. The
weather is clement and he could not have wished a better weather. The Head-hunter
had promised him the previous day that he would get all his men to hunt for
games that Olu might have enough bush meat to entertain his guests who will
descend on Ilu-Nla from the adjoining towns and villages to celebrate the new
planting season with him.
Not that Olu will be short of bush
meat to entertain his guests they, too, are bringing more than enough as
presents to Kabiyesi but it is ego boosting that he entertains them with the
bush meat he personally procured without having any recourse to those brought
him as gifts. He remembers that the previous anniversaries have shot up his
renown as being generous and wealthy. Olu whose personal benevolence to his
subjects has brought new and diverse cognomens of his praises from the Palace
crier.
Olori Agba, the most senior of
Kabiyesi’s five wives came in to courtesy him; she met Kabiyesi full of smiles.
She commented about Kabiyesi’s mood and he was quick to ask Olori to look out
the window, as the weather was favourable for hunting, reminding Olori of the
celebration that was to hold the next market day. Olori Agba prays for a
successful new planting season festival and left.
Not long after the senior Olori left
the room, Olori kekere, the youngest and last of Kabiyesi’s wives brought him
some food and reminded Kabiyesi that the palm wine needed to be replenished, this
always goes with Kabiyesi’s foods, and Kabiyesi had gestured by nodding his
head. Olori kekere has not taken her leave when Olori Atinuke, the second wife
in seniority, entered to appraise Kabiyesi about how far she has gone in
preparation for the planting season festival, and to request the remaining
provisions from Kabiyesi, which she still needed for a successful hosting of
Kabiyesi’s guests. Olori Atinuke has
been the most beautiful and lovely of all the Kabiyesi’s wives. She is tall
with elegant strides. She is indeed a few inches taller than Kabiyesi and her
beauty equally beacons second look from women, apart from men who struggle to
suppress their appreciation of her beauty in order not to receive gratuitous
sanctions from Kabiyesi.
Atinuke is derogatorily
called the Kabiyesi’s Giraffe by the other Oloris who within one another earshots
refer to her as ‘Agunfon’; she is indeed a tall woman. Only Kabiyesi and Olori
Atinuke did not get to know this in the Palace and even in the Town. Atinuke
has contributed six children to the pool of Kabiyesi’s fifteen children and she
equally contributes the first two males.
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