Before My Execution - Excerpt 6

                                                               Chapter Six

The arrival of Aremo in Ilu-Nla brought many speculations as not a few believed Ojebunmi the deported woman could be the choice of marriage in the Palace. Some people in the town condemned Olu’s action out rightly, and openly saying that Ojebunmi was not a virgin for the Royalty. Nevertheless, not a few were saying that Ojebunmi was a diamond thrown overboard by the ill-informed and blindfolded people, who could not differentiate between a stone and an unpolished diamond.

However, the majority acknowledged that Kabiyesi knew what was good for the Palace and that of which Ilu-Nla could be proud of.

Before My Execution - Excerpt 5

            They had all assumed that it is going to be a war against smallpox and more so to pre-empt anything diabolical about the whole thing called vaccination; only the generalissimo was fit to start with the vaccination: But a mild drama happened inside the room between Balogun and Dr. Roberts. The needle of the syringe would not penetrate Balogun’s skin and this was incomprehensible to Dr. Roberts, who had never seen anything like that before. Balogun smiled and explained that that was how sword or whatever implements of iron or any metal for that matter would not penetrate his skin or his men at war whom he has so magically fortified! Balogun now said some mumbo jumbo and asked Roberts to go ahead to administer the injection and Balogun skin became penetrable and he made some shrieking noise that made everybody outside to scamper.

Before My Execution - Excerpt 4

The Palace drummer was able to hint Kabiyesi that the anniversary was as good as Kabiyesi wanted it with the head-hunter in festive mood. Olori Atinuke could not hold herself back, she came nodding her head to the cries of the rendering, and Kabiyesi came out waving his horsetail to acknowledge the head-hunter who immediately prostrated and told Kabiyesi that he had accomplished the task assigned him.

            There and then, Kabiyesi ordered Olori Atinuke to put preparation on top gear.  

Before My Execution - Excerpt 3

                                                       Chapter Two

Omolewa and Ojebunmi were not just friends. They grew up together and both were beautiful enough to be called sunshine girls.

            Omolewa is tall, elegant with a bosom that is proportional to the frame. Her backside is twin to that of Ojebunmi whose gap tooth is a plus to the joint resume. Since the deportation of Ojebunmi from her husband’s village, the two have become inseparable. Ojebunmi had called at her house this morning to inform Omolewa about what Ifa had revealed on the reason behind her childlessness – that her husband is a woman; his banana is all water and no fertile juice. Omolewa could not digest the news and made an effort to get clarification, if it was possible for a man whose banana was rock solid was not to father a baby. Ojebunmi answered in the affirmative, because her father who was a repertoire of native knowledge also confirmed the possibility.

            Omolewa then suggested that she, too, might have to consult Ifa about her condition. Omolewa equally had been married without any babies from the marriage. That is why people have been gossiping about Ojebunmi and Omolewa as the beautiful

Before My Execution - Excerpt 2

That Olori Atinuke is in charge of the preparation of feasting the guests on festival day is not a misplaced task; she has been doing this for years.

            Ilu-Nla is a beautiful town with beautiful plains and well contoured terrain. It has a large market place whose fame was widely acclaimed. It is not quite far from the sea and it situates within the curvature of the horn of a river, which empties into the sea through two smaller rivers. Ilu-Nla used to be the largest market of cowries before the advent of the coin money, which is now the popular money in use. Its fertile land attracts farmers everywhere and many smaller towns still pay homage and allegiance to it. They still pay annual protection taxes to Kabiyesi whose ancestors in all names and purposes annexed them all in the years of the slave trade.

            Kabiyesi was still soliloquizing when Olori Agba rushed in to call his attention to the change in weather. The vibrant sunshine has given way to subtle Weathercast. It looks like the approach of dusk, so early in the day. There was no cloud in the sky; and soon a faint noise, which is getting stronger and stronger filters in. Small children are out singing, clapping and dancing. They chorus about hollering, “night has come in the morning; night has come in the daytime”.

            From the distance, Balogun emerged in the midst of women and concerned people who have besieged his house. They soon arrived at the palace and Balogun went into the palace to have a discussion with the Kabiyesi while the multitude remained outside deliberate upon the bad omen and the repercussion on the town. It has always been conjectured, that a similar incident had happened in the years gone by, but no one alive in the town could claim to be a witness.

 It has been a story narrated many times that when such solar eclipse had happened then, the King had been asked to abdicate the throne or look into the Magical calabash, a euphemism that he should commit suicide by drinking the poison in the Calabash, failing which he was beheaded.

            With the multitude outside, the town adolescents singing and clapping and Balogun the generalissimo in discussion with Kabiyesi, the paramount ruler is no longer in a festive mood. Olori Atinuke was in and out, curtsying Balogun, who seemed to have taken the whole thing in his strides cool and calm.

            The Ifa priest, the astute diviner, was immediately summoned to the palace, to make divination with his Ifa implements the cause of the situation and to proffer solutions.

Before My Execution - Excerpt 1

                                                       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.