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Authors: Njedeh Anthony
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though he is crippled and weak, there will still be chiefs who will be ready to back him and I have not mentioned how delicious your death will become. Sire, once there is room for another successor as strong as you are…everyone will seek your death, especially your chiefs, so they can take advantage of the months the princes are battling.”
“Whatever chaos this creates, I ought to have separated my spirit from this body.”
“You seem to forget one more thing —his mother died for him to survive. That is one sacrifice no man can ever forget, especially if the order is linked to the man whom he should call father.”
“I did not order her death.”
“But you let it happen.”
The King closed his eyes and then opened them with a look of concern. “What do we do now?”
Before the King got an answer, t he Ishu priest and the Okpalaukwu walked in. The Ishu walked around the room with his fingers twisting in the air.
“What are you doing?” the Head-of-Government asked.
“I am trying to think.”
“What is going on?” the Okpalaukwu asked impatiently.
“Aneaton’s son is alive ,’’ the King said.
“With all due respect, Sire, that is impossible. I witnessed the ritual death of that child by the Ogun priest,” the old man replied.
“Then you saw the death of another.”
“The Ogun priest would never have betrayed you by sacrificing the wrong child.”
“We never said he did, but somewhere along the line, the child was switched.”
“What makes you so sure the Ikaza’s son is not just someone taking advantage of the similar physical traits that the two of you share and then claiming to be your son?” the old man asked.
“How did you know he was the Ikaza’s son?” the Head-of-Government asked.
“Everyone knows about the young man who claims to be your son. Even the market wom en have gotten access to the information and they seem to be playing with it in whispers.”
The three younger men in the room seemed dumbfounded and then the Head-of-Government asked, “Who told you about this?”
“The elders just told me about the situation before I was brought here. From the way they addressed me it seemed like the rumor is fresh as a baby’s buttocks. Or is it not a rumor?”
King Nwosa adjusted himself and began.
“Our people say a child that cries can still see with his two eyes. Before I became King the oracle said, and I quote, ‘Fear will come within the laughter of men. The pain that is hidden will find its way through. Time will not stand in the way, but it will try to cover the dark colors and the mountain that holds the grains of our integration will collapse, leaving behind a naked ridge.’ That was what the Anwu priest told my father.”
“So what does the parable mean?” the Ishu priest asked.
“If I knew what it meant, I wouldn’t have shared it with all of you. In fact are you not supposed to be the Headman to the Oracle, or am I to understand that you cannot use your tongue to count your teeth?”
“Sire, whoever gets the oracle understands what it means and I am positive the Anwu priest told your father what it meant. The oracle no longer responds to us, but I think it’s talking about a mishap that will come and we will not be able to prevent.”
“The oracle no longer responds to you!” the King yelled. “It seems the god you worship is impotent. I wonder how you became the Headman to the Oracle.”
“ Your Majesty, forgive my incompetence, but I am sure your father was aware of the translation.”
“Maybe I forgot to add, my father did not share the information with me.” With irritation, he faced the Head-of-Government. “So what is your plan?”
“I have to communicate as soon as possible with all the chiefs to understand the magnitude of our situation.”
“What do you mean by ‘our situation?’” The King seemed confused.
“We are at war.”
Chapter 5
The clouds were changing form and darkness was encroaching into the day. The
“Whatever chaos this creates, I ought to have separated my spirit from this body.”
“You seem to forget one more thing —his mother died for him to survive. That is one sacrifice no man can ever forget, especially if the order is linked to the man whom he should call father.”
“I did not order her death.”
“But you let it happen.”
The King closed his eyes and then opened them with a look of concern. “What do we do now?”
Before the King got an answer, t he Ishu priest and the Okpalaukwu walked in. The Ishu walked around the room with his fingers twisting in the air.
“What are you doing?” the Head-of-Government asked.
“I am trying to think.”
“What is going on?” the Okpalaukwu asked impatiently.
“Aneaton’s son is alive ,’’ the King said.
“With all due respect, Sire, that is impossible. I witnessed the ritual death of that child by the Ogun priest,” the old man replied.
“Then you saw the death of another.”
“The Ogun priest would never have betrayed you by sacrificing the wrong child.”
“We never said he did, but somewhere along the line, the child was switched.”
“What makes you so sure the Ikaza’s son is not just someone taking advantage of the similar physical traits that the two of you share and then claiming to be your son?” the old man asked.
“How did you know he was the Ikaza’s son?” the Head-of-Government asked.
“Everyone knows about the young man who claims to be your son. Even the market wom en have gotten access to the information and they seem to be playing with it in whispers.”
The three younger men in the room seemed dumbfounded and then the Head-of-Government asked, “Who told you about this?”
“The elders just told me about the situation before I was brought here. From the way they addressed me it seemed like the rumor is fresh as a baby’s buttocks. Or is it not a rumor?”
King Nwosa adjusted himself and began.
“Our people say a child that cries can still see with his two eyes. Before I became King the oracle said, and I quote, ‘Fear will come within the laughter of men. The pain that is hidden will find its way through. Time will not stand in the way, but it will try to cover the dark colors and the mountain that holds the grains of our integration will collapse, leaving behind a naked ridge.’ That was what the Anwu priest told my father.”
“So what does the parable mean?” the Ishu priest asked.
“If I knew what it meant, I wouldn’t have shared it with all of you. In fact are you not supposed to be the Headman to the Oracle, or am I to understand that you cannot use your tongue to count your teeth?”
“Sire, whoever gets the oracle understands what it means and I am positive the Anwu priest told your father what it meant. The oracle no longer responds to us, but I think it’s talking about a mishap that will come and we will not be able to prevent.”
“The oracle no longer responds to you!” the King yelled. “It seems the god you worship is impotent. I wonder how you became the Headman to the Oracle.”
“ Your Majesty, forgive my incompetence, but I am sure your father was aware of the translation.”
“Maybe I forgot to add, my father did not share the information with me.” With irritation, he faced the Head-of-Government. “So what is your plan?”
“I have to communicate as soon as possible with all the chiefs to understand the magnitude of our situation.”
“What do you mean by ‘our situation?’” The King seemed confused.
“We are at war.”
Chapter 5
The clouds were changing form and darkness was encroaching into the day. The
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