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.