CHARACTERS

Oladiji
Adamu
Oladiji’s father
Adamu’s father
Adamu’s wife
Awele
Awele’ father
Ajini
Ajike
Afose
Afose’s wife
Ogunlere
Ogunlere’s wife
Brave hunter

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CHAPTER 1

Adamu and Oladiji were classmates when they were pupils in Local Authority Primary
School, the only Primary school, in the whole seven villages which is believed to be
founded by the seven sons of Agboyi, there are also seven village chiefs who are the
seven descendants. Agbowa is the only village at the road while the remaining six
villages are surrounded by the only stream shared by these villagers.
Many people have moved to the cities and capital city of the nation but the hustle
and bustle life of the city had its toll on the citizenry but most people who preferred
to live in the villages live their lives to the fullest. Villagers here live as if there is
no tomorrow, living one day at a time.
The major occupation of these villagers is tilling the ground, therefore the villagers
are either raring animals or hunting or farmers who plant for their household
thought sell the best produce to city dwellers that stop bye to stretch their legs and
buy farm produce while travelling through the main express road that links the
village to the Northern parts of the country, wonder why it is called express road
when the roads are filled with everlasting potholes.
As the heaven closes its eyes daily, villagers in Agbowa converges at the village
square which also doubles as the shrine dreaded by the wicked and witches. In
Agbowa, there are seven streets, seven low and high chiefs, though this is not
obtainable in order parts of the country, it is the only village where it is possible to
have different landlords who are not blood relations but agreed to come together to
build a storey building and still live in peace.
Adamu and Oladiji’s friendship span through a decade, both hail from Agbowa,
Adamu was initially christened Akinjogunla, but when he travelled to far North after
he collected his inheritance from his father like the Biblical Esau, he squandered it
and came back a changed man with a changed name and religion and a newe family.
He left Agbowa when he was barely old enough to strike a sword on a bare floor in
the company of one of his father’s laborers, he returned to Agbowa after more than
a decade with three hungry sons and a dutiful and beautiful wife, his father had
become one of the richest farmers though he forgave his son and restore him back to
his position, given a second chance and position he was made the head of his father’s
farm.
With his father’s assistance, he was able to start all over again, he settled down,
built his barn, hut and became popular among his peers- Oladiji his friend is also an
industrious young man, he owns the only cassava grinding machine in Agbowa, he
works day and night, popularly called crab’s hole never dries.
Adamu loves palm wine, he is never drunk, heis blessed with double languages among
his clan, he speaks Hausa fluently, he married a Northerner, when they first arrived

2
in the village, his wife strolls hand in hand in the evening reminiscence good old days
in far north but these days they hardly walk together.

For three years now Adamu is back, better and thriving-standing tall at six feet, his
wife in purdah, a devoted Muslim whereas Adamu changed his name not his
character.immeidately he go tback to the village, shelved his religion and joined the
villagers, his wife remains faithful to the Islamic faith, ever faithful in purdah and
to her marital vow.
Oladiji loves hanging around the village square in company of his friend Adamu but
this evening Oladiji was not at the village square, Adamu walked straight to his
father’s hut where Oladiji uses as his sitting room, he made the shout ko ko ko,
owner of this house, I come in peace.
Oladiji came out to meet his friend, he stretched his hands for the actual shake and
the other palm placed on his friend’s a sign of love and friendship.
Adamu: the more things change the more they remain the same
Oladiji: what is changing?
Adamu: the tree at the centre of the village where people still continue to pour
libations and make sacrifice to their gods and still believing that these gods feed on
their remnants
Oladiji: are they no longer your gods too
Adamu: sorry our gods
Oladiji: talking about sacrifice, I always laugh at night especially on my way to the
forest at night when I see people carrying all sorts of sacrificial item to the junction, I
and remember our antics, do you still remember the good old days
Adamu: who can ever forget those days? Those were days, when we used to wake up
at night to help out those gods with their meals
Oladiji: those gods actually protected us from those evil meals
Adamu: do you remember when we feasted at the T junction at Agboyi, when father
had to take us to Uloko where the herbalist urinated daily on our heads for seven days
before we stopped barking like dogs
Oladiji: that was the last meal sacrificed to gods I ever tasted
ADAMU: Even those served by villagers I never tasted them again, father said the
herbalist was so powerful because the gods wanted to destroy us,
Oladiji: that was why they made us mad, not so
Adamu : yes, the gods too want to feast on those meals you know

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Oladiji: rats love pounded yam but the entrance of its hole is too small for the mortal
Adamu: you forget history so easily, you forgot that after that we ugly incident we
went to
the the, he packed the gourd and the calabash
Adamu: tell your mother that I am on my way
Oladiji: let us go, when she came outside she will realize that you have left
Apinke, Oladiji’s wife came out a wrapper tied around her waist, she bade Adamu
farewell as usual, she is a very beautiful woman
Oladiji: my friend, our adage says, no farmer can cultivate in peace while under a
tree that is half cut and about to fall
Adamu: yes Oladiji, you spoke well
Awele: Oladiji, eat it you refuse, throw it away you said no, I waited for eight years,
as you can see, none of my mates is living with their parents in our village, what did
you hear from jobless people again?
Oladiji: so you are aware and I was with you yesterday night
Awele; when a woman is tired of marching, she places her two arms on her head
Oladiji: which means?
Awele: when a load defies the head and the shoulder and elders say there is still
another place to carry it, that place is the gods place that is not visible to a man or
where else do we place a load aside the head and shoulder, Oladiji my load rejects
head and shoulder
Oladiji: you are talking like a defeated soldier; you have been my source of support
Awele: I am tired of this situation
Oladiji: if you marry another man, I will kill myself
Awele: as long as it is not me or the man that will be killed, then thank you, we will
be married while you will be resting in peace. “I will kill myself” exactly what I said
when you married your wife, yet here I am standing and hearing it again this time
from the man”
Oladiji: because you know that I married her to please my father
Awele: and you shared her room to please your father
Oladiji: stop that subject; I do not want to lose my temper
Awele: you did not perform yet you will not allow others to perform

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Oladiji: How do I perform more than this?
Awele: a man should be proactive
Aladiji: and a woman should be of better understanding?
Awele: you are talking as if this is all a joke
Oladiji: but you are taking like my mother and I am responding exactly in my father’s
words
Awele: why don’t you off your father’s shoes?
Oladiji: because I am yet to buy mine
Awele: what delays you?
oladiji: the shoemaker
Awele: so I am now a jester
Oladiji: do not dare me Awele
Oladiji burst out of the room, Awele sobs

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CHAPTER 2

Oladiji walked passed his father’s house without branching or looking at anyone and
crossed to the other side of the express road which belongs to another clan, he
moved further towards the end of the village where there are scanty but new
buildings, he walked into his younger brother’s house. He knocked the small wooden
gate and waited outside. Ogunlere, his younger brother came out carrying two old
mortals which he placed on the floor turned the m outside down and they sat on the
mortals. Oladiji was beaming with fury.

Oladiji: are you aware that a man paid Awele’s dowry

Ogunlere: thank god for removing her shame, she is finally free from reproach
Oladiji: how dare you say that when you know my stand about that girl
Ogunlere: which girl?
Oladiji: Awele of course
Ogunlere: if not for blood, I will report you to Awele, you are someone she should
beware of
oladiji cuts in
Oladiji: if I was told that an animal with a horn will kill me I will never run from a
snail
Ogunlere: so as I was about to start before the distraction, I sent Awele to call you
back because I learnt that you were with your friend and will not want you to discuss
that tissue with anyone till we come back from the old herbalist, he instructed us to
leave as early as possible and I will advise that we be on our way before cock crows,
please brother do no t discuss this with anyone.
Oladiji: we will cross the three main rivers
Ogunlere: oh yes
Oladiji: that is a great journey
Ogunlere: not so much as saving your life
Oladiji: it is about belief
Ogunlere: no problem, and you also know that genuine herbalists reside in the thick
forests
Oladiji: we will leave at cockcrow
Ogunlere: as the gods please, I will sleep with father

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Oladiji: is it that very important to you? I came to discuss Awele, you see, Ogunlere,
we have a secret deal, Awele and I
Ogunlere cuts him short
Ogunlere: we shall discuss that later
Ogunlere stood to usher Oladiji out of his premises
Oladiji walked very fast towards Awele’s house, her father was sitting outside his
hut, Oladiji prostrated and Awele’s father greeted him asking of hs father. Awele’s
mother die d while she was delivering Awele, her grandmother took care of her
while her father got married to another woman who later on died few years ago,
Awele has been staying with his father ever since she could fetch water from the
local stream.
Oladiji: father may I see Awele?
Awele’s father: you have never asked this question before, you are always welcome in
my house, my son, you and Awele have been together for the past how many years, if
you come in here it is because of her, there is no one in the yard except Awele.
Oladiji: thank you father
He moves into the hut and calls Aweeeeleeeee
Awele came out from the room where in she weaves clothes
Awele: welcome Oladiji, do you mind if I serve you pounded yam
Oladiji: do I beg you for food?
Awele: so I should throw the food away?
Oladiji: keep it till tomorrow and warm it as your breakfast
Awele: do not ask for your food her tomorrow
Oladiji: I will not be around tomorrow
Awele: where to?
Oladiji: what concerns you? I am blessed with two legs that carry me to wherever
pleases me
Awele: just be very careful
Oladiji: who paid the dowry and how much?
Awele; ask my father, he collected it
Awele: how can you be answering me with such impunity?
Awele: because I did not offend you

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Oladiji: when did you learn to look at me straight in the eyes and give your own
opinion?
Awele: when I discovered my worth
Oladiji: so what is your worth?
Awele: Immeasurable value
Olaidiji: I am surprised about your effrontery
Awele: you always forget we were childhood friends
Oladiji: when do you learn to talk boldly like this Awele?
Awele: when I learn that someone has finally paid the bride price or ready to pay the
price
Oladiji: the price of what?
Awele: Oladiji, I am not in the mood for further argument we quarreled about this six
years ago, I moved out of my father’s house to stay with my grandmother, you know
what we both went through before I finally came back therefore let us give peace a
beautiful breathing space
Oladiji: you know that the woman in my house is my father’s choice
Awele: and you are my choice…. I have heard that more than a hundred times.
Oladiji: I proffered all available solution, yet you declined; now you want me to lose
you abruptly
Awele: you never had me
Oladiji: I was saving to build my own house; you said I must move out of my father’s
house
Awele: it is not easy, I was supporting your efforts the more reason why I weave
clothes day and night to save and add to whatever you can gather
Oladiji: now you turned my face towards the sunset, I never realized that someone
else was steadily feeding on my roasted yam
Awele: the love you had for me was childhood love; I was rather too young to believe
that you will marry me when you were calling me your little love then.
Oladiji; initially it was all jokes, not on my mind you were too young then, but when
we realized the love we shared I forgot about the childhood friendship
Awele: that God it is settled now, enough of argument
Oladiji: my head aches

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Awele: with that beautiful wife you should stop bothering about me and a young man
who does not have any
Oladiji: my father married her for me she was not my choice
Awele: you must build you own house, even if it is a hut, Ogunlere went far away
from any family intervention and now knows no regret.
Oladiji: Awele, father tried his best, experience has taught him lessons that is why he
never remarried after his last marriage
Awele: a man falls in love with outward appearance, because we are all the same
internally
Oladiji: everyone has stories to tell, we all paint women as devil but what men
indulge in even in the presence of their wives, no man will tolerate that from a
woman
Awele: thank God you realize that
Oladiji: It is late now
Awele: what of your food?
Awele went into her room to bring out a calabash wrapped in woven wrapper
Awele: it is still very hot, pounded yam
Oladiji watched Awele as she unwrapped the food, on a separate calabash, she
dished vegetable and melon soup, brought out water in another very old calabash
while Oladiji went outside to take some water from a very big water pot, this has
been the tradition for years.
Oladiji: where do we go from here?
Awele: you go to your house while I enter my room to lay down my weary bones
Oladiji: you are now perfect in trivializing important issues
Awele: do you want to kill me? For three years I have waited
Oladiji: no for three years I have saved without buying ordinary cover cloth for myself
Awele: I saved some money too
Oladiji: your demand is too high
Oladiji rises to leave
Awele: your pounded yam?
Oladiji: reserve it for your new man
Awele: you are insulting me

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Oladijij; after you had insulted me
Awele: you are now behaving like a wounded lion
Oladiji: not your fault
Awele: for five years, you made me the village’s laughing stock, last Saturday, your
wife spat on me at the stream for greeting her, have I ever reported her to you
before? Children in this village composed a newe song for me last year are you not
aware, all because I am now the latest old maid. I believe you should be the happiest
man for getting rid of a pest.
Oladiji: I work night and day in order to please you so strange you are pretending not
to know the burden on my head, grind cassava throughout the day and hunt at night
Awele: I see why all these are happening, you have no time to love your wife oladiji:
al what is happening? Did she complain to you too?
Awele: I mean, I mean come and go to sleep or to hunt
Oladiji: who is the man?
Awele: which of them?
Oladiji: who are we talking about?
Awele: a man taking over your wife
Oladiji: so who is he?
Awele: I will not be the one to broadcast the death of the king’s mother
Oladiji: so he who paid the dowry is now a king?
Awele: no, the one taking over your wife
Oladiji: god will never allow it as long as I am alive no man will marry you
Awele: I am not your wife, we are friends
Oladiji: I am confused, good night
Awele went into her room soliloquizing… I do not know his father, but I believe some
people came to pay the dowry, father only said there must be no controversy about
my marriage, I have little or no say about my marriage, the only choice I can possibly
made is my underwear, Strange culture, strange life.
She went into her room and lied on the bed, after some seconds she heard a knock
and stood up to open the door, she knew it was Oladiji
Oladiji: we can elope Awele
Awele: did you come back

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Oladiji: I have never left
Awele: you will kill my father
Oladiji: he is old enough but I know he will not die, he has other children from the
young wife and I will double the dowry
Awele; do you know how much was paid
Oladiji: I will pay what no man has ever paid on a woman
Awele: medicine after death
Oladiji: the best option is to elope, please listen to me
Awele: you are too selfish, with a beautiful woman and those lovely three children
what do you still want in any other woman
Oladiji: to be sincere, do you know this man enough to go into marriage with him?
Awele: did you know your wife enough before you agreed to accept that gift from
your father?
Oladiji: you are so bold now
Awele: yes, love is wasted, tears wasted too, but I am not wasted at least I regained
myself, learning all the way
Oladiji walked through the back of the backyard again, slowly moving in order not to
disturb Awele’s father but was startled when the old man met him at the front door
Awele’s father: how are you Oladiji? Are you going hunting?
Oladiji: oh father, you are awake
Awele’s father: yes I just came from the room to talk with you, are on your way to
the games reserve? You are not dressed in your hunter’s regalia
Oladiji: yes baba, but no I want to listen to you first
Awele’s father: I want to have a word with you about your wife
Oladiji: baba, you have received the bride price, she is no longer my wife
Awele’d father: Awele was never your wife because you did not ask for her hand in
marriage and if there is anything between both of you I am in the dark.
Oladiji: which wife again then? Father I know my wife but I must sort my life first
Awele’s father: when your neighbor is chewing poisonous insects, it is better to warn
him so that his cough will not cause you sleepless nights
Oladiji: father I will love to hear but I have a long journey ahead of me, we will
discuss when I come back tomorrow

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Awele’s father: do not forget that human being renders a man deaf to all that
concerns him
Oladiji: thank you father
oladiji went to his father’s compound but wondering what the problem is all about
and how magnanimous it is that renders him deaf to his surroundings while everyone
is gifted with the manuscript of his life. Although he walked in silence but his head
is befuddled with loud thoughts, he was wondering if he was soliloquizing.
for the first time after the death of his mother, her crossed his mind, he became
like a small child who needed the touch of a mother, he realized why his mother was
always talking about a mother-like wife, though he hated the thought of getting
married to such women when it is certain that he will not remain a child forever. He
knew if his mother were alive, it is either the problem will not escalate or he would
not remain in silence when all he hears now is the noise about him which always
reduces facts to audible sounds. His mind was racing as he began to think about the
easiest solution to the unknown problem. He is sure of one thing, this too shall pass.

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CHAPTER 3

Oladiji moved towards his father’s house, his mind was troubled, he thought of
solutions but could not arrive at any, he finds it difficult to discuss his problems with
anyone, he carries a very big burden and sighs as he walks. He knew sleeping was
useless but at least it will avail another opportunity to retrospect.
He wanted to handle everything in his own way at lease he will not have to blame
anyone for his misfortune but he met his father in front of the house apparently
waiting for him, there is no way he will ignore his father, he is very angry with him
and unsatisfied with his directives as regards his marital issue. His father sat up to
welcome and discuss with him.

Oladiji’s father: welcome my son, I have been waiting for you for mare than an hour,
your younger brother is asleep in your mother’s room. I might not see you when you
leave in the morning; will you spare some minutes to have a chat with me?

Oladiji: father you know there is along journey before me tomorrow, we can always
talk when I come back because it is too late now, what are we deliberating on father?

Oladiji’s father: you had a very lovely wife, she was my choice because of her beauty
strength, and stature it was my belief that she would be a mother to you in my
compound

Oladiji: father I never told you that I needed a motherly wife before you imposed your
choice on me and made life unbearable till I accepted; now I live a frustrating life
because you and your son connive to label a prostitute forcing me to lay magun for
her, I am fed up.

Oladiji’s father: my son, what I intended for you was the best, it was the devil that
cam eto deceive her

Oladiji: Yes baba, your best turned out to be the worst, Awele was my choice
Oladiji’s father: you never come straight you said it was sisterly love between you and
Awele and you were getting too old, time waits for no man
Oladiji: a man is never too old to become married
Oladiji’s father: villagers will rechristened you
Oladiji: that I am a eunuch
Oladiji’s father: yes my son

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Oladiji: but a happy eunuch not a miserable married man
Oladiji’s father: I thought Awele was almost your sister, a man will not because his
daughter is well behaved an therefore marry her
oladiji: Awele is definitely not your daughter
Oladiji’s father: but I presented a detailed explanation
oladiji: that I should marry a beautiful mother-like woman, who will be incharge while
I remain the baby of the house
Oladiji’s father: never! my son forgive me, release your mind my thinking is different
from yours, the love your shared with Awele was afterthought to me and I believe it
was infatuation
Oladiji: I respect you so much father, the greatest displeasure I ever did to myself
was to not to marry my heart desire. Now I have made up my mind never to allow
anyone’s decision to override my plan, never again! you hardly gave me enough time
to think about any choice, the marriage was rushed, hardly anytime to know each
other before you paid the dowry
oladiji’s father: that is the tradition, a man and a woman must not become too close
before they become married that is the work of a go between
oladiji: do you know how many go between share the bride with the groom?
oaldiji’s father: It is today’s way of life, ther are no genuine friends again, everyman
is cultivating his farm in our days it is a taboo fro a go between to take over the
bride. it is a rare occurrence
oaldiji: but these days
oladiji: it happens everywhere and it is civilization
oladiji: why not change the old way if it is full of problems for humanity?
Oladiji’s father: we are digressing a lot, this is not the topic for today. there is an
important topic for today, it is a secret I kept from you which I must reveal tonight.
oladiji: I know this is the end of everything
Some years back, a Fulani trader used to travel from the Northern part of the country
to purchase snails and bush meat in this village, she would come with groundnuts and
return with bush meat (games). After three years, she became engaged to the hunter
who was her major supplier, became pregnant. It was strange for a man to marry a
total stranger then, but the woman was irresistible, strikingly beautiful, the first wife
was driven out while the Fulani woman became the owner of the house.
She gave birth to beautiful children like Korean, the hunter moved his family into
Agbowa and they continued their life, but last year, some of the relations of the
Fulani woman traced her to the West, revealed that she was happily married with

14
three sons before starting the bush meat business, his sons are now married but
vowed never to see or forgive their mother.
Oladiji: is this your story?
Oladiji’s father: wait a while. I kept the secret from you because your mother in law
is the woman
Oladiji: is my wife aware of this?
Oladiji’s father: yes, we decided to make it a midnight corpse
Oladiji: are you sure you are my biological father?
Oladiji’s father: I want the best for you, it just turned this way
Oladiji: father you prepared the worst for me, I can see why Ogunlere move in to the
bush, far away from prying eyes
Oladiji’s father: oh no she moved far because his farm is closer to the other side of
the road
Oladiji: father he cultivated his farm in the other side of the road I order to move far
away
Oladiji’s father: I am correcting those mistakes now, no ill shall befall you
Oladiji: you almost ruined my life, just because I want to be the obedient son
Oladiji’s father: ogun will never ruin your life, though heavy to utter especially from
father to son, Oladiji, I am sorry
Oladiji: but father did you forget the story Adamu’s father told us when you took me
to visit him during his investiture as the head of his clan?
Oladiji’s father: which one?
Oladiji: mushroom
Oladiji’s father: the mushroom that befriended the cock or the one that sings
Oladiji: the story of the queen that pounded yam and its water splashed on her
wrapper, because of the smothering yam paste that dried on her clothe, her rival
reported to the king that it was from her concubine, in the long run she was beheaded
and her corpse dumped at the village dung
The body decayed and in no time, mushroom known as eat and hear heavenly voices
sprang from the spot and spread to other parts of the village, every villager that eat
the mushroom died, a very powerful herbalist was consulted, he revealed the death
of a sinless queen that was beheaded and the bad queen killed, but before then many
innocent lives were lost
Oladiji’s father: I cannot remember listening to that tale, but it is known as queen’s
hairy parts because of the tiny structure of the mushroom
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Oladiji: ok
Oladiji’s father: go and rest son, my ancestors will sure vindicate you and guide your
path. I made sacrifices to the gods of iron and thunder this evening
Oladiji: good night father
Oladiji’s father: good night my son, I wish you well
Oladiji rolled on his wooden bed throughout the night, imagining other secrets he is
yet to unravel, his wife was snoring beside him, not suspecting the recent
happenings around her. Strange world.

CHAPTER 4

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The first cock crows met Oladiji and his brother at the first crossroads, they did not
even meet a single soul on their way, both whistling as they walked like warriors.
As the sun opens its eyes, they crossed the seventh stream and sat to eat by the
stream side. In their hunters bag were fruits, nuts and dry meat which they chew
intermittently with roasted plantain on their journey. They continued the jpurney
after a very heavy meal and water to wash it down while they rested and rest.
The hunters discussed every topic with the exception of why they embarked on this
long journey. At the close of farm work, when farmers were returning to their
various huts they entered Ayara village.
Oladiji approached a farmer accompanied by his dog, greeted him and inquired of
the old herbalist called Afose, immediately the farmer and his dog turned back and
welcomed the strangers and took them straight to the herbalist hut. Afose was a
very old man but looking so strong, he lived very far away from villagers, but he was
well respected though others said he was wearing fear, a charm that makes others
tremble.
Afose came out of his hut when he heard footsteps, he lived with his young wife and
a son less than five years old. The old man came out to meet his visitors, thanked
the farmer who led them and instructed his young wife to entertain them.
Afose: cleared his throat. You are welcome young men
Oladiji and Ogunlere prostrated to greet him
Oladiji and Ogunlere: may you live long baba
Afose: hope you had a nice journey
Oladiji: yes baba, smooth journey
Afose: good, Orosun is preparing pounded yam, I instructed her to wait till sun down
because she is a stupid girl who does not understand how to preserve a man’s food.
Afose and the visitors sat under a mango tree in front of Afose’s house while they
await the pounded yam, Oladiji and Ogunlere were evidently tired and hungry
waiting in silence.
Orosun, Afose’s wife came out of the detached kitchen attached to the left side of
the house carrying tow calabashes, she served the men with a load of pounded yam
which they in turn used knife to divide among themselves. Everyone ate I silence
including Afose after some minutes relaxation Afose called Orosun to pack the
calabashes. Oladiji and Ogunlere thanked the host and praised the wife for a well
prepared dish. For the first time they discussed what brought them out of Agboyi.
Afose: you are welcome once again. We can now discuss so that you can relax
because you will eve by cock crow tomorrow. Oladiji narrated his story and Ogunlere
interrupts intermittently and finally they came to the end of the story.

Afose: every woman has 201 husbands; the last one is the undertaker, the unfortunate
man that pays for the coffin and the grave yard. It was a woman that turned me to a

17
bush man, to this seven forests and seven seas. I used to be a landlord in the capital
city, it was a storey building, twelve rooms downstairs with 6 toilets and upstairs to
had eighteen rooms no toilet. All occupants were tenants while upstairs had six
married men for the sake of peace.

The man that was living in the two rooms directly opposite my room impregnated my
wife, she had a daughter and two sons for me before she was snatched by the
teacher! My first wife fourth son was fathered by teacher, my tenant, I was unaware
of the secret affair until my wife delivered, the child was exact replica of the teacher
and when neighbors come in to greet the newborn baby, the last word was give the
baby to his father. I was the only one who was not ware of the affair and refused to
accept the resemblance. In actual fact I was saved by the tenant who moved out of
the house with my wife when the child was five days old.

Shame drove me out of my house, sold the house and started a new life in the village
here; my first child is now six years old. I deliberately went in search of a powerful
herbalist to destroy the tenant, because I did not inherit charms from my parents, I
the herbalist faithfully for seven good years. Women have unfolding and never ending
plans, trust them not.

Oladiji: father, I am confused

Afose: there is no problem, you will pay one bag of cowries and I will give you a long
bead which you will placed on your door mat, if she is conscientious, immediately she
passes over it, she will feel lightening strikes through her system but some women are
who are careless may not even detect strange happenings in their body system. Thhis
is a potent charm, trusted by herbalists of old and if it fails, I will refund you, it is
different from the fake lightning they tagged thunderbolt, that can be used by a wise
concubine, all he will do is to rub the lightning upwards, I mean around the chest
before meeting the woman, some wicked concubines will even rub it downwards so
that the legal husband dies afterward. God is the judge of every widow.

Oladiji: baba do you mean my wife is unfaithful?

Afose: my son, are you faithful to your vow, indeed and in truth?
Oladiji: no baba, men can marry as many women as possible but a woman must be
married to one husband at a time
Afose: because men have multiple heads
Oladiji: it is nature baba, not me
Afose: it is manmade law not nature
Oladiji: but baba I am afraid, what if the concubine rubs the charm downwards?

18
Afose: this is thunderbolt not lightning. You should stop talking like a woman, don’t
you know that you are a man, strong one for that matter, I learnt you u have killed an
elephant once, are hunters no longer brave?
Oladiji: father, I did not kill the elephant, I captured it, it was a baby and the city
people collected it you know we hunt I the games reserve.
Afose: but you have seen rivers why are you afraid of a stream?
Oladiji: you elders say when a child gets to the house of fear, he shivers
Afose: this is the hut of liberation, if she is a faithful woman, we will know. But we
shuld all know that women too are human beings; they do not feel guilty especially
when their husbands are unfaithful.
Oladiji sighs and brought out a bag of cowries from his hunter’s bag which he handed
to Afose
Afose: when a load rejects the head and shoulder, it still remains another place one
can always places the load, you are safe my son
Oladiji: baba, you can count the money, it is complete.
Afose handed a threaded bead over to Oladiji
Afose: make sure your wife passed over this threaded bead, that is all, it is better laid
at the entrance of her room, make sure you are watching her in order to remove it
immediately. Do not fret. I will always be in touch
Oladiji: thank you baba, may leaf and roots answer positively to your commands
Afose: it is with all pleasure; a woman who sleeps around endangers her husband’s
life
Oladiji: did you not make any attempt to report your wife to her parents
Afose: ah I will not offend the gods, her parents were solidly behind me but when a
woman says no no parents can say ye, it is only a woman who is ashamed that will
continue to remain under the same roof with a man she hated
Oladiji: baba do you mean to say that your wife hated you and gave birth to three
children?
Afose: ah that a woman gave birth to hundred children does not stop her from killing
her husband, there is a difference between enduring and enjoying, some remain in
marriage because of what the society will think or what others will say while other s
are married to their husband because they have children
Oladiji: is tha tnpt the reason why a woman should be in marriage

19
Afose: to remain in marriage because of children, my son that is what our people
believed In but what of those who are barren?
I do not believe that children should be used to tie a woman down in a marriage
Oladiji: then why is a woman alive if not for the sake of her children?
Afose: my son, we all came into this world for several reasons but one of the reasons
is to live a well fulfilled life, a woman married by force will never be fulfilled, it will
be endurance and she might even be sad about the children
Oladiji: so who do you report your wife to?
Afose: I reported to the pastor
Oladiji: so she was a church goer
Afose: when she was with me, we were not church goers but later on, she joined
church
Oladiji: they will excommunicate her
Afose: excommunicate, no, she was made the deaconess
Oladiji: no, even those of us that serves gods they term deaf and dumb have measure
of disciplining
Afose: when I went to report, I met them in a meeting, settling a dispute of a pastor
that came for a revival and was caought in an abandoned vehicle at eh back of the
church, hw was caught in the cat with a child less thatn fourteen years old
Oladiji: ah, life has really turned upside down
Afose: he was on his knees plading that the devil pushed him and the child was
weepin profusely
Oladiji: weeping that what?
Afose: the pastor threatened to label her a witch if she did not comply
Oladiji: ha, the gods should protect these children from sexual assault
Afose: when I saw what was happening I turned back and decided to place the
judgement in my hands
Oladiji: by doing what?
Afose: I tried to kill her because of shame. In the olden days, it was the rich snatched
the poor man’s wife but my story is tah tof the poor snatching the wife of the rich
Oladiji: is she dead now?
Afose: the herbalist I met was the one that I became his apprentice

20
Oladiji: how come?
Afose: I was ashamed of myself when the herbalist chastised me for thinking of killing
a woman because of her concubine
Oladiji: hmmmn, when you refuse to stop thinking you will not stop weeping
Afose: but I made up my mind to expose any promiscuous women
Oladiji: why?
Afose: my wife was promiscuous and got away with it
Oladiji: but you confirmed that she did not love you
Afose: why did she accept to marry me?
Oladiji: because her parents want her to marry you
Afose: and that is not an enough reason to marry a man
Oladiji: yes not enough
Afose: a woman must love her man or leave him
Oladiji: this must be the new message
Afose: if we are to breed a new generation of decent women
Oladiji: I love to learn from you baba
Afose: but you must retire to bed now
Afose called Orosun to prepare the visitor’s room
Afose: Oladiji, you will leave first thing tomorrow morning, that is before cock crows,
make sure you come back in seven days but I will get in touch in case of any
emergency
oladiji: I will visit you baba
Oladiji and Ogunlere passed the night in Afose’s village, they left before cock crow
the following morning and entered Agboyi very late in the evening when cocks were
returning to the abode
Oladiji’s father was sitting in his relaxed arm chair waiting for his sons, it is a
special couch made with hand woven local material. He cited his sons and restricted
himself from walking to meet them because every villager was greeting them as if
they were on their way from the game’s reserve.
Olalere greeted his father and went straight to his village across the express road.
Oladiji waved to him as the usual tradition, the difference is that there are no
games in their bags not even a grass cutter.
CHAPTER 5

21
Oladiji greeted his wife as she welcomed him with her smile while and begin to she
prepare some cold water in the bathroom for him, his food on the table at the same
time. Although, She is not a very hardworking wife but loves to please Oladiji
whenever he arrives from a journey, at least he is tired and she is refreshed, most
of the food in the compound is prepared by Ajike: her husband’s younger sister but
served by Ajini who is so warm towards everyone.
Oladiji was shivering but pretending to be a brave, he is looking forward to an
unsuspected moment to lay his Passover beads. He thought about Baba Afose’s
warning that he must not enter his wife’s room no matter how tempting. Ajini sat
beside her husband as he was eating his pounded yam, his favorite food. Oladiji broke
the silence.
Oladiji: where are your children?
Ajini: our children my husband, why are you so fond of calling them my children
instead of our children?
Oladiji: Where are they? are they not your children, the mother has the child
Ajiji: they are in your brother’s village, and they bear your name not my father’s
name
Oladiji: since when have they left for my brother’s place?
Ajini: since morning, I was about to pick them when you arrived
Oladiji: when will you bring them home, and why do you always look for where and
how to keep the children away from home.
Ajini: they are too troublesome and I enjoy some rest whenever they are not around
Oladiji: rest from what, hard day’s job, you are always at home doing nothing and you
are still talking about resting
Ajini: I don’t just sit at home, I supervise the labourer and keep the account of the
engine house
Oladiji: you call that a job?
Ajiji: do not forget that I take care of these children, the twins are loads of problems
oladiji: so when has taken care of children become a job?
ajini: you are not in the mood to listen to me and it is useless talking to amn who has
a strong notion against a woman
oladiji: I do not have any bad notion against women, my mother was a dutiful woman
who can say yes taking care of the children is a job
ajini: because your father was not performing his duties
22
Oladiji: were you there?
ajini: after hearing all your mother did, everyone knows there is nothing left for your
father
Oladiji: the son of a lame man who took his father to the market in search of his shoe
size is ready to hear listen to insulting comments
Ajini: you raised the issue and I have to volunteer some comments, truth is bitter they
say
Oladiji: look for something to do please
Ajini: after bathing, this is your food; I will dash across the road to pick them home
Oladiji: leave them I need my rest please
Ajiji: alright
Oladiji: did Adamu call?
Ajini: yes, he came to keep us company and he waited for you but left later this
evening
Oladiji: to keep you and who company, the children that are in the other side of the
express road or my father that left for his nearby farm early in the morning
Ajini: keeping the men grinding cassava and myself company
Oladiji: alright, I will see him later before I leave for the games reserve
Ajini: as you wish my husband
Oladiji sat to enjoy his sumptuous meal while Ajini left for Ogunlere’s compound to
pick the children after his meal. But in a second thought he called Ajini back for a
hort discussion
Oladiji: who cooked this food?
Ajini: it is my mother in law
Olajini: my younger sister
Ajini; yes my husband
Oladiji: when will you now learn to prepare my food the way I love it or will you wan
tme to marry my sister
Ajini: as you wish my husband, you are the only person who complains about my food
at least people eat my food where I come from
Oladiji; but those people have not tasted my younger sister;s own
Ajini: everyone will argue that his fathers; farm is the biggest

23
Ajini: when will you lern to please my>
Ajini: whenever you learn to agree that we are different and must tolerate one
another
Oladiji: you sound so far away
Ajiji: you are far away my husband
Oladidji: even when you are killing me, you still say my husband my husband
Ajini: god forbid that I kill human being
Oladiji:

CHAPTER 6

Oladiji could no longer contain the bad news within himself after his meal he
decided to visit his friend, he put on one of his dongari and went straight to Adamu’s
house, he was relaxing on a chair under his father’s mango tree singing a dirge.

Oladiji: ah Adamu you can still remember this song

Adamu: you forgot it was sang when baba Waju’s remembrance last week, both
friends started dancing, ja lugbo jalona kologun be wa we ma ya o

24
Both friends sang and danced as they sang the song
Oladiji: do you know that his wives believed that he was killed by his elder brother
Adamu: yes he killed him
Oladiji: were you there?
Adamu: but the way all the family members died one after the other showed that God
is angry with them, don’t you think so?
Oladiji: no, I believe it is only God that can kill a man, even if his brother was
instrumental to his death; it was because God said Amen to it
Adamu: he who killed a man is not greater than his maker
Oladiji: my wife delivered your message, thanks for holding forth
Adamu: which hunting took you to the forest in the afternoon?
Oladiji: that is how you will ask, my friend, it is a long story, my wife was accused of
infidelity by my family members
Adamu: infidelity?
Oladiji: that is how I saw it
Adamu: this is an insult to that beautiful woman
Oladiji: I just have to wash that woman clean in order to restore her dignity
Adamu: who accused her?
Oladiji: every member of my immediate family
Adamu: you are too soft, how can you allow your family to have a say in your nuclear
family matter?
Oladiji: I will move out immediately I clear her name
Adamu: the better, the problem is that people are always jealous of beautiful
women, especially men who manage with ugly ones
Oladiji: the whole family members cannot be false, and if she did not walk in the
edge of adultery no one will accuse her, but I will warn her sternly after this issue
Adamu: so when are you going to deliberate on it now
Oladiji: deliberate what? I travelled to herbalist baba Afose, he has solution to this
issue, he lived across seven forests and seas
Adamu: did he confirm the allegation?
Oladiji: no he gave me a charm for her to Passover

25
Adamu: did you inform your wife?
Oladiji: inform her? No
Adamu: when did this happen?
Oladiji: last week
Adamu: I mean when she passed over
Oladiji: oh that, this evening
Adamu: thank God
Oladiji: for what?
Adamu: that you laid it this evening
Oladiji: why? I thought you supported her
Adamu: at least that will exonerate her and she will be cleaned
Oladiji: yes, but do you think that woman can do that?
Adamu: this life, we have more enemies than friends, it is the handiwork of her
distracters
Oladiji: but in seven days time everything will be crystal clear to all
Adamu: who is this baba Afose?
Oladiji: is your wife unfaithful too?
Adamu: God forbid!
Oladijij: you are eager as if you want to know the man
Adamu: at least one should know such great men in case of any future occurrence
Oladiji: Baba Afose lives in Ayara after the seven seas and forests, ask anyone after
the seventh sea, you will be taken by any villager to his hut
Adamu: great men are rare; they are all dead and refused to transfer their knowledge
Oladiji: do you want to learn that type of work?
Adamu: no but it is part of our tradition
Oladiji: yes it is and most young men are moving to the cities
Adamu: there is nothing in the city. What is left there is death from their new
invention
Oladiji: if you did not marry two husbands you will not know the difference, eat from
two different pots of soup to determine who a good cook is.

26
Adamu: I pity that innocent women
Oladiji: I will be happy if she is innocent, what will I gain by slandering the mother of
my children?
Adamu: who knows?
Oladiji: I know you are angry about this but with what I am doing I believe that those
peddling this ugly rumour will be disgraced
Adamu: that is if yu want them to be disgraced, and you know they might have bribed
the herbalist before now
Oladiji: very few mischievous human beings can do that, it is a whole day’s journey
Adamu: but if she is faithful and you now enter into her room, will you not somersault
and die?
Oladiji: he promised to give me the antidote but I must not enter her room for seven
days
Adamu: seven days? You are pushing her out and you want her to be faithful
Oladiji: some women are reverend sisters and they are alive
Adamu: I do not believe in them
Oladiji: ok, did you know Adunni’s mother
Adamu: yes, her case is exceptional
Oladiji: is she eunuch?
Adamu: her love for her late husband is incomparable, but you can die now to test if
your wife can hold on for twenty years
Oladiji: such women are hard to come by
Adamu: these days, women hardly mourn their husbands before their concubines
sleep in their late husband’s beds
Adamu: because women realized that we always give out girls to widowers in order
not to miss their late wives days after the burial
Oladiji: are you a women’s advocate?
Adamu: we always forget that women are given birth the way men are, what is the
difference?
Oladiji: no woman can be a hunter
Adamu: in Agboyi
Oladiji: all over the world, only men hunt

27
Adamu: how many part of this world have you visited?
Oladiji: but those who visit the cities come with news of men’s exploits
Adamu: because that is what you want to hear, but do you ever doubt your wife?
Oladiji: in the games reserve?
Adamu: why not stay with her at home
Oladiji: and feed on mushrooms like lazy men
Adamu: I just pity you because the eye cannot weep while the chin watches in
pretense
Oladiji: for what
Adamu: for believing rumour peddlers
Oladiji: Ajini spends days applying laali, this local paint on her nails, she plait her hair
twice a week unlike every other woman, and she forgets to bathe for the children
even once a week. The children come to swim in the village stream when they come
to hunt small fish I nth stream, it is my duty to bath them on Sundays which is the
only time they are opportune to be soaked in sponge and soap. Ajini has no time for
her children always feeling relieved whenever I am going on hunting expedition

Adamu: why are you now pointing to your extended family’s accusation when you
have loads of allegations against her?
Oladiji: you will not believe that it is this event that made me sit to think about
happenings in my life
Adamu: and you keep such a heavy heart
Oladiji: you are the only friend I divulge this to, it ache my heart
Adamu: your stomach is so deep
Oladiji: how many people will I expose my anus to?
Adamu: so what did the herbalist now conclude on as regards your safety in case your
wife is innocent?
Oladiji: oh that, he said there is an antidote made from palm kernel’s oil, the black
one used by women to plait hair
Adamu: because I know that there is a popular antidote when the man rubs the charm
upwards or downwards
Oladiji: yes he told me about that
Adamu: so it is not that type

28
Oladiji: this is a astrong one, it is somersault ant die
Adamu: this must be a very potent charm
Oladiji: it is money back guarantee
Adamu: ayara village Afose herbalist, my friend you walk far away from here
Oladiji: have you forgotten that there is no young hunter
Adamu: I am afraid of what you can do now
Oladiji: life is a lesson, human being teach us
Adamu: oladiji!
Oladiji: my friend, I endured a lot just pretending to be happy, Ajini does not want
me around, and she loves the game I bring home though she does not cook well, only
sending my sister to do the cooking. Have I eer told you this part of my life?
Adamu: women are not perfect, likewise men also we always come together in our
imperfection to make a perfect couple, but it is strange
Oladiji: she is irredeemable
Adamu: what kept you together?
Oladiji: pleasing my father
Adamu: not enough reason
Oladiji: how come you do not complain about your wife
Adamu: she is not my father’s choice
Oladiji: are you making jest of me
Adamu: it is of no use, this is my problem
Oladiji: my wife has pushed me to the extent that am eager to take a second wife in
order to feel fulfilled
Adamu: that bad but I am ready to assist in making your marriage work
Oladiji: I believe that she is satisfied with her life
Adamu: she is satisfied, but the only problem is that you are not satisfied with your
father’s choice
Oladiji: absolutely
Adamu: so we look for the solution not to kill the woman
Oladiji: even if she is pronounced guilty I will still marray another woman

29
Adamu: that is part of the problem, she must be faithful while you spend best part of
your stay among human beings with Awele
Oladiji: who told you that?
Adamu: if you are not in company of animals, you are with cassava, the little time you
are around it is either with Awele or snoring
Oladiji: so she reported me to you yesterday
Adamu: I am too busy to gossip
Oladiji: so who gives you my movement report?
Adamu: I know wher to look for my best friend
Oladiji: I have made up my mind
Adamu: and only your father can change that….
Oladiji: did I said that? That was then, you are looking at a change man
Adamu: let us hope so
Oladiji: I have not married Awele because of certain obligation I must meet
Adamu: you are a dangerous friend; you keep all this within you
Oladiji: I reveal less because whenever I voice out my plans I find it difficult to be
focused again
Adamu: if a man meet you and a snake, it is better to kill you and allow the snake to
run away, it is much more dangerous to live with a snake than to live with you
Oladiji: what has the police and curse in common?
Adamu: you are so secretive, I can hardly keep a thing from you
Oladiji: Ajini has not satisfied my hunger for a woman
Adamu: have you satisfied her hunger for a man?
Oladiji: I never thaught about that
Adamu: life is give and take, have you ever have the time to ask her if she is satisfied
with you as s a man?
Oladiji: who has time for that?
Adamu: nothing is too big to sacrifice for your happiness
Oladiji: Awelw will satisfy me
Adamu: then allow other men to satisfy Ajini
Oladiji: whose side are you?

30
Adamu: the victim’s side
Oladiji: who is victimizing her?
Adamu: you
Oladiji: for telling her the truth from the onset?
Adamu: you are intimidating her with Awele
Oladiji: did she complian to you
Adamu: god provide a second wife for my husband is a hypocritical prayer
Oladiji: she did not disagree with me
Adamu: did you bother to seek her opinion
Oladiji: no I informed her
Adamu: you are not even afraid that she might poison you
Oladiji: everyone has a cross to carry
Adamu: hope yours is not too heavy?
Oladiji: you are lucky that god gave you a good wife
Adamu: all lizards crawl, so you do not know which one suffers from stomach ache
Oladiji: your wife is a saint
Adamu: that is why I keep her in purdah, at the same time pretending to be a Muslim,
it is a big sacrifice
Oladiji: her religion keeps her in purdah, how many women can accept that here?
Adamu: I trust her
Oladiji: she trusts you too.
Adamu: I am a jealous man, I take after god, no man can share my ber
Oladiji: how I wish I can say that of my wife
Adamu: women
Oladiji: a woman who sleeps around can kill her husband
Adamu: your wife is good
Oladiji: good to her that
Adamu: I am serious
Oladiji: she has her lapses too
Adamu: likewise everywoman

31
Oladiji: thanks my friend. I will be leaving now
Adamu: I will see you off
Adamu accompanied Oladiji, but decided to turn back after few minutes which was
unlike him, the friends are used to seeing each other off, from one end of the
village to the other, but Oladiji knew Adamu was angry because of the strange step
he took to address his wife’s issue. To Oladiji, a man must be a man, unlike his
parents where the mother was the man and their father was the woman.
Oladiji believed that it was the burden of being the bread winner of the family that
killed their mother, Oladiji’s mother was a farmer who worked like a man sponsoring
her children in school, a fete reserved for men only while Oladiji’s father had a
garden behind their house. He was a laughing stock of the villagers until his wife
died and had to move her wife’s farm. Oladiji and Ogunlere decided to be brave
men, that is why they took to hunting and had to stop schooling. He had made up his
mind to be a strong man and no going back he resolved in his mind.

CHAPTER 7

Oladiji moved towards the centre of the village and walked toward Awele’s house, it
was getting dark but he met Awele and her father discussing under the cashew tree
beside the house. He prostrated to greet Awele’s father and the old man greeted
him warmly.

Oladiji: good evening father

Awele’father: how is your home my son?

32
Oladiji: we are fine thank you father
Awele’s father: there are times when we have time to discuss yet no subject of
discussionand when we have important issues there may be no time.
Oladiji: yes father we have time now and we can discuss
Awele’s father: you are here to visit your friend not to discuss with me but I will only
round off the discussion in a proverb. Our adage says, half word of wisdom will
become whole in the mind of a well trained child.
Oladiji: yes father you have spoken well
Awele’father: my son, a hunter’s wife that moves about aimlessly in the village
whenever her husband is pursuing games in forest reserve, if someone is not pursuing
her, she is definitely pursuing someone
Oladiji: may you live long father
Awele’s father: good night my son
Oladiji: thank you father
Awele’s father stood up and entered into his room while Awele came out with a bag
in her hand which she handed to Oladiji
Awele: this is the money I was saving towards your house
Oladiji: I am grateful. Keep your money, if you did not marry me, I cannot add your
money to mine
Awele”: you are like a brother I am not privileged to have, you are always truthful
and the only person I can share secrets of my heart. This is beyond me now, father
called me to be ready for marriage any time from now. I have no say
Oladiji: I am not here to discuss your marriage to a stranger
Awele: father said that he is not a stranger, he is someone known to me
Oladiji: my discussion here tonight is not about us, it is about me
Awele: you are too selfish, you did not think about me at all
Oladiji: the way you think about me
Awele: ever since I informed you about my marriage you have been so cold towards
me
Oladiji: oh you expect Oladiji to invite village drummers to your house or I should tie
a dog to my tail while children sing for me while I dance that you are on your way to
your husband’s house
Awele: so you will not participate in the wedding ceremony

33
Oladiji: I will now, why won’t I?
Awele: your full participation is expected at least if Ajike is getting married, you will
enter the forest and perform fete expected of Oladiji, the brave hunter
Oladiji: I came here to unburden my heart, if your ideas will further add greater
burden to my life, I take my leave, do not aggravate my problem
Awele: it is alright, I will prefer to stay in the company of those who wants my
progress as from now on
Oladiji: so who are those who do not want your progress?
Awele: what is on my mind is meeting my would be husband who is stil busy over
some issues, father said he will soon be through to come for me.
Oladiji: till tomorrow
Awele: I will see you off
Oladiji: there is no need, in case your would be in law is around, I am sure they will
Have a good fight with me before they can ake you away, that is if they ever take you
away
Awele: we shall see, it will be in your presence
Oladiji: that will be my corpse
Oladiji walked very fast out of Awele’s presence towards Oundare’s house, the
express hardly functions at night, it is usual to find villagers sleeping on the road
during the night.
Oladiji greeted some men who were coming from the other side of the road, he felt
so bad thinking about those who are aware of his secret.
Oladiji met Ogundare in front of his house, her wife was kneeling beside him begging
for his forgiveness, Oladiji is always baffled at the relationship between his brother
and his wife, there is exactly a master slave relationship, he trashes her like a slave
and treats her like one yet she is keen at continuing the relationship. Ogundere has
warned anyone from interfering in his affair, one wonders what can keep a woman in
an abusive marriage. Immediately Ogunlere sited Oladiji he released his wife from his
punishment.
Ogunlere: how was the meeting with your friend
Oladiji: it was not a meeting, I went to greet him when Ajinirelayed his message, he
was with them throughout the day
Ogunlere: oh good, that is the duty of a good friend

34
Oladiji: I am not here to learn the duties of a good friend, I want to know what can be
done as regards Awele
Ogunlere: you cam to this world before me, I should be asking that question from you
Oladiji: I cannot really understand everyone around me again
Ogunlere: may be there are no one round you again
Oladiji: is this how you will watch me and the love of my life handed over to another
man
Ogunlere: we are in one trouble already, let us round off with Ajini’s case
Oladiji: by the end of the day, Awele will be in another man’s arm
Ogunlere: Awele’s case is not that fast neither is Ajini’s case that far, be patient, it is
only a patient man that can milk a cow
Oladiji: I have been patient enough, Awele has ran out of patient and dher father has
collected the bride price
Ogunlere: you are mixing things up, her father collected the money for knocking the
doo, the man is yet to pay the full bride price
Oladiji: I want you to follow me to ask for her hand in marriage
Ogunlere: we will be the villagers laughing stock,
Oladiji: what do you mean?
Ogunlere: her hand has been empty since, you did not ask for it in marriage, now that
she is engaged is when you remember that you love her
Oladiji: we were saving towards our building project
Ogunlere: you are a very funny man, how can you be saving towards a house when you
do not share a home?
Oladiji: I do not know what to do
Ogunlere: allow events to unfold itself
Oladijji: I cannot, it will unfold what I dread most
Ogunlere: may be you should talk to father
Oladiji: I regret every step father took on my behalf in respect of getting a woman
Ogunlere: only one woman
Oladiji: that is enough experience for a life time
Ogunlere: there is always a solution to every problem

35
Oladiji: may the gods find a lasting solution to mine
Ogunlere: and mine too
Oladiji: you have none
Ogunlere: am I a corpse?, only a dead man has no problem
Oladiji: with your beautiful, dutiful wife and good children
Ogunlere: my wife almost killed me today
Oladiji: tell me something else
Ogunlere: will I lie?
Oladiji: what happened? I saw her kneeling down and since you have warned us from
poke nosing into your family affair, I have learnt to desist
Ogunlere: I came back and met her discussing with Adamu’s wife
Oladiji: Elegha
Ogunlere: yes
Oladiji: did she cross the express road alone?
Ogunlere: these women can do and undo whenever we are not around and I have been
trying to curb her excesses before this new found boldness
Oladiji: so what happened?
Ogunlere: I was angry that she was discussing at the express road and as usual I got
home brought her cane from the rooftop
Oladiji: I have warned you to desist from caning your wife in the presence of your
children, she is not a slave
Ogunlere: you are fast forwarding me
Oladiji: continue
Ogunlere: as I stretched my hand to remove the cane she drew a knife and I bolted
out, it was out of impulse, I was so ashamed for running in the presence of a mere
woman
Oladiji was reeling with laughter, tear drop were dropping from his eyes while
Ogunlere watched his brother in surprise
Oladiji: how I wish everywoman could liberate herself from the clutches of a
tyrannical man
Ogunlere: you support her

36
Oladiji: if she were your daughter, how will you feel if you meet her husband giving
her twelve strokes of the cane?
Ogunlere: she behaves like a goat and she deserves to be treated as such
Oladiji: can a goat draw out a knife from a sheathe?
Ogunlere: I was afraid, cannot know who taught her
Oladiji: you will have to forgive her and stop beating her like a dog
Ogunlere: when she goes back to her house to call the elders that she was about to
commit murder
Oladiji: you will be blamed
Ogunlere: we shall see
Oladiji: I want to call her to settle the ranquor
Ogunlere: I want her to call her parents
Oladiji: this night
Ogunlere: tomorrow, but she cannot sleep under my roof today
Oladiji: is it that bad?
Ogunlere: to be factual, I was afraid; she can kill me if I do not allow our family
members to warn her
Oladiji: as you like it but I know that we eat rats that has navel only in the presence
of our children
Ogunlere: the way I deal with my problem is a taboo in other places
Oladiji stood up to leave, thinking desperately of how to tackle his many problems,
Ogunlere followed him till they got to the edge of the express road and turned back,
both men bade farewell till tomorrow

CHAPTER 8
It was in the evening while farmers were returning from the farm, villagers were
were converging at the village square when Ogunlere and Oladiji were returning
from their hunting expeditions, at the entrance of their fathers house were
Ogunlere’s children in company of their grandfather.
Ogunlere and Oladiji prostrated to greet their father while the children greeted their
father.
Ogunlere: why are you children here?

37
Amoke: mother refused to come back home
Ogunlere: since morning her parents have not come to apologise
Amoke: no they sent emissary to pack her loads
Ogunlere: what?
Oladiji’s father: we have even sent emissaries through elders’ of the village but they
said you must come with three goats
Ogunlere: when their daughter erred
Oladiji’s father: there are people around to advise but no one can assist anyone to
listen and change
Ogunlere: when she offended me
Oladiji’s father: I never raised my hand to beat your mother
Ogunlere: mother was an angel
Oladiji’s fahter: what I made her to be
Ogunlere: my wife is stubborn
Oladiji’s father: you turned her to punching bag, all the aggression you are supposed
to turn to tiger and lions in the forest reserve, you vented all on your wife
Ogunlere: she wanted to stab me to death
Oladiji’s father: you turned that woman to a forbidden snake, designed her back with
canes, if you see her back you will not eat meat
Ogunlere: it is not yesterday’s quarrel
Oladiji’s father: she showed her people
Ogunlere: so they cam e to pack her belongings
Oladiji’s father: the king’s emissaries were furious, I wonder
Ogunlere: what did I steal what are they throwing at me?
Oladiji’s father: we have to discuss the way forward, not apportioning blames
Oladiji: father, I have sent Ajike to Awele’s father that you will be meeting her this
night. If we continue talking we will not find solution to this, I have warned Ogunlere
to desist from beating his wife, he lost respect that is why the woman retaliated when
you pushed a goat to the wall, it will fight back
Ogunlere: are you supporting her?
Oladiji: may be if she were my daughter

38
Oladiji’s father: please enough of these arguments
Oladiji’s father went straight to baba Awele’s house, he met him smoking his pipe,
he can never do without his pipe, that is why children call him chimney behind him.
Oladiji’s father approached him and greeted him
Oladiji’s father: please I need your assistance that is why I sent my son to you
Awele’s father: may you be strong, hope there is no problem
Oladiji’s father: none that God cannot handle, it is the issue of Ogunlere
Awele’s father: these children will not kill us
Oladiji’s father: have you heard?
Awele’s father: when I am not deaf and dumb
Oladiji’s father: how will you assist me?
Awele’s father: when it is fast, it cannot be late again, call me when you are ready
tomorrow
Oladiji’s father: may you live long for us
Awele’s father: we will live long for one another
Oladiji’s father: may it be so
Oladiji strolled down to the front of his house to meet Ogunlere and Oladiji in a hot
argument, he could still not accept why a woman should not listen or be beaten.
Oladiji’s father went straight into his room while Ajike served them pounded yam,
the whole family eat in silence sitting on a mat woven with palm frond only
Ogunlere and Oladiji were sitting on two mortals turned upside down.
Ajini parked the paltes to the backyard when everyone had finished eating and
relaxing. As they were discussing whether Ogunlere should follow me them or not a
fully kitted hunter approached them, he greted them and introduced himself, he is
from baba Afose
Oladiji: it is not yet seven days
Hunter: baba Afose said you must see him tomorrow
Oladiji: this is strange but I will have to shelve every plan in order to know what is so
urgent that baba can no longer wait till the seventh day
Ogunlere: that means you will not accompany father to my wife’s village
Oladiji: yes Ogunlere, you will have to swallow your pride and apologise to them, it is
wrong
Ogunlere: I will follow father

39
Oladiji: it is imperative that I follow the great hunter to baba Afose tomorrow
Oladiji sent a small irl to Ajini to make preparation for the great hunter’s mel, as
usual the portion of a stranger is always kept as the tradition of the land, this was
served and at the end of his meal, real son ensued that brought out a lot of villagers
to watch these men sing and dance ijala ode (traditional hunter’s) song. Oladiji sent
for palm wine, it became all men’s affair and a unique night in the village
When it was getting too late into the night, Ogunlere bad great hunter farewell while
Oladiji saw him off.
Ogunlere: how do I apologise to my wife
Oladiji: not to her directly but to her parents and relations, you will still pretending
to be right in her presene and wait for her to apologise but if she did not better
forget man and say sorry, she is not at fault
Ogunlere: whenever a man commits and offence, he enters his house frowning
Oladiji: that is man for you, it is our world
Ogunlere: may be women cam eto the world of men
Oladiji” to cunningly rule men
Ounlere: no woman will rule me
Oladiji: then do not go tomorrow
Ogunlere: to save father’s face
Oladiji: your face not father’s
Ogunlere” whichever way you look at it, this woman has learnt a bad attitude
Oladiji: that woman has learnt how to live long
Ogunlere: women die young when they are beaen black and blue daily
Ogunlere: not daily, whenever she erred
Oladiji: the fear that she will receive slaps for any offence is killing enough
Ogunlere: I really want to be in control and create an atmosphere of fear so that she
will respect me
Oladiji: that is a very bad reason; I know you have a very good woman, to win a
woman’s respect is not by slaps but by respect because it is reciprocal
Ounlere: respect a woman?
Oladiji: that is what the frogs sings, respect me and I respect you
Ogunlere: when you respect a woman, she tramples on you

40
Oladiji: that is a very wrong notion, mother never trampled on father as strong as she
was, even with all her wealth
Ogunlere: mother was from another generation
Oladiji: the generation of women with double heads
Ogunlere: mother was an exemplary woman
Oladiji: because father gave her the chance to excel
Ogunlere: my wife is a bad example
Oladiji: you turned her to one
Ogunlere: when did you become a woman’s advocate?
Oladiji: when I learnt that there is no woman that cannot be tamed
Ogunlere: from whom?
Oladiji: from experience
Ogunlere: experience with Ajiji?
Oladiji: no with Awele
Ogunlere: what do you mean
Oladiji: when she was inlove with me, I could control her, direct her with love
Ogunlere: this is strange, is it true that you were actually involved with that girl
Oladiji: we were saving towards building our house
Ogunlere: this cannot be true
Oladiji: I will never tell you a lie, if it comes to the worst, I will keep quiet
Ogunlere: what happened to the money
Oladiji: I rejected it when she offered to give it to me so that I will move out of
father’s house while she gets married
Ogunlere: god of iron, you keep all these beautiful ideas to yourselves
Oladiji: Awele is a good woman
Ogunlere: you don’t mean it?
Oladiji: she would have become a good wife in our family, but instead of my land to
die it will remain uncultivated
Ogunlere: will you kill her?

41
Oladiji: never, I have killed enough of the god’s creatures in the bush. I am praying
that those animals will not be waiting for me at the gate of heaven
Ogunlere: that is an illusion; games are for playing and meals
Oladiji: do you think there is no solution to Awele’s issue, there is nothing too much
to sacrifice for that woman
Ogunlere: nothing is too hard for a strong man, it is only a lazy man that lacks idea
Oladiji: what can we do?
Ogunlere: leave that for god, we will leave for my wife’s place tomorrow while you
settle with baba Afose
Oladiji: I do not know why he sent the brave hunter to us when it is not up to seven
days
Ogunlere: baba Afose is a strange man
Oladiji: whatever the case is, I will intimate you with our discussion
Ogunlere: till tomorrow then
Oladiji: may we live to see the breaking of a new day
Ogunlere crossed to the other side of the express road, his heart was heavy, it has
really being his wish to desist from caning his wife but all to show the villagers that
he has absolute control over his wife, although it is not unusual to see women
running out of the house because of their husbands cane and beating. A tradition
that still prevails among the villagers.
In front of Oladiji’s father’s house is the brave hunter engaged in moonlight tales,
the children were reeling with laughter when Oladiji got there, he wondered how
the brave hunter could still be awake after the long journey and the return to his
village as early as cock crows in the morning.
He called the attention of the brave hunter, who followed him immediately and all
the children who were listening attentively disperse immediately. The moon was
shining as daylight, the two hunters walked past the elders who converged at the
centre of the village, when Oladiji sited his father he knew they were discussing the
visit to his brother in law’s village. He still could not comprehend the rationale for
any anger that reduces a man’s partner to a punching bag.
After a few minutes’ walk into the outskirt of the village, they sat down and Oladiji
narrated his experience with the women in his life. Silently the brave hunter
listened to Oladiji, exactly like the brave hunter, he cleared his throat and began.
Brave hunter: my first wife is from the next village, Agbada, I married her when she
was very young and beautiful, the village head was at the marriage ceremony, I paid
42
the full bride price on the day of introduction, the marriage attracted guests from far
and near, hunters from the seven neighboring villages displayed, I thought there will
never be another day.
Oladiji: eh yah, a new beginning
Brave hunter: I was overjoyed, my wife cried, the whole village placated, she refused
to be consoled s if she lost her husband. In the long run we left the village very late in
the night, she was a very strong woman, as beautiful as the cocoyam planted on
excreta, I was so eager to take her home but because it was too late, I had to leave
her the village in the night in the company of my friends but my parents and the
housewives from my clan waited till day break, but you will not believe, the bride
fled with her secret lover in the middle of the night. I almost lost my sanity if not for
my late father who consoled me and this day I will tell you some stories.
Oladiji: I am always ready to learn, stagnant water stinks
Brave hunter: Whatever happens to a man in this life is known as the dry maize
poured into my pot which must be roasted. No man can change the plan of god, man
must be open in order to learn and live.
Oladiji: yes brave hunter, I am all ears
Brave hunter: a woman should be allowed to choose her husband because of whole
lots of reason
Oladiji: yes brave hunter, even a man should also be allowed, we can then say
parents must leave their children to make pertinent choices in their lives.
Brave hunter: parents are just to advice and not to impose their choices
Oladiji: we live with these choices; why not let us make the choices ourselves
Brave hunter: when we make our choices we are always content with whatever comes
out of the choices, it is better than when we are always looking for scapegoats and
we will be saved of all if it were not my this or that
Oladiji: my wife is not my choice even if I chose her I will still be sad if she takes this
step but Awele loves me, she can never look at another man if not for her father that
gave her out to another man, but if a load refuses up and down, the elders say there
is another place where we can place the load. I want to marry a woman I love and we
will live happily ever after, no quarrel, no argument in the home
Brave hunter: no quarrels and no argument, I have a very good friend, he is a hunter,
all my friends are hunter
Oladiji: there is a spirit that binds hunters together
Brave hunter: I believe so

43
Oladiji: it is true
Brave hunter: my friend chose his wife because his father made the wrong choice and
he told his father that since he made the wrong choices in women, he would be glad
if his father will allow him to choose. His father allowed him
Oladiji: three generations cannot be pauper at least one will be wise enough to either
change his fortune or turn to stealing
Brave hunter: that is paying for a handcuff
Oladiji|: some people came into this world with misfortune
Brave hunter: I do not think so but I believe that there are some people who are
favored with benevolent spirits
Oladiji: then they can be called lucky
Brave hunter: no thief can reach the best potential; the gods of the owners of goods
always work against thieves
Oladiji: my father always reiterates that when we were young, we must be content
with whatever the gods provide
Brave hunter: we have a long journey tomorrow and I believe we must have a lot in
common to discuss
Oladiji: to learn from words of wisdom
Brave hunter: my friend choose his wife and they were so much in love but no money,
one day, the husband called his wife and told her of his plan of getting rich quick.
Because of the love they had for each other, they hardly argue, you will not believe
me
Oladiji: it is strange, husband and wife who hardly argue
Brave hunter: they are rare but are around, it is not advisable to marry a yes, yes
wife because you are afraid of quarrelling with your wife, sickness is bad but that is
the only way a child grows. They decided to meet an herbalist. The herbalist is still
alive, he told them they are not meant to be married because together they have bad
luck as husband and wife.
Oladiji: is that possible
Brave hunter: it is not everyone who comes to this world that will be rich, some are
meant to rule while others are to follow, some are in the world to dine on golden
table while some are in this world to clean the table
Oladiji: the gods are wise

44
Brave hunter: that is why they are gods. The herbalist informed them that they are
not meant to be rich if living as husbands and wives except they force their creator to
make them wealthy
Oladiji: do you force your creator to act against his wish?
Brave hunter: in most cases human being work against their destinies
Oladiji: how?
Brave hunter: they disturb the gods with their prayers, they go extra miles to appease
the gods, they sacrifice even human beings in order to remain alive forever, in order
to become wealthy they can force the hands of the gods
Oaldiji: hmn, it is true
Brave hunter: you should be better informed by the reason of your occupation
Oladiji: yes brave hunter
Brave hunter: living being will even disturb the dead in their graves
Olaiji: you are saying the truth
Brave hunter: if the gods exposes human being thought
Oaldiji: and allow us to see what everyone you see is thinking about
Brave hunter: it will be perpetual war
Oladiji: human beings are bad
Brave hunter: you are one of us
Oladiji: I sometimes wish I live with the gods
Brave hunter: lest I forget the story, the couple implored the hunter to appease the
gods, they must be rich because they are not lazy
Oladiji: brave hunter, a hardworking man should be rich, the gods are so funny
Brave hunter: hard work has nothing to do with wealth, if it has, laborers should be
richer than farm land owners
Oladiji: yes brave hunter, the load carriers should be richer that load owners
Brave hunter: strength does not determine wealth
Oladiji: that is why a strong man can be wretched while the weakling will be ruling
Brave hunter: as I was narrating, the couple persuaded the herbalist to enforce the
hands of the gods and the gods told them they can only use blood as sacrifice and this
time it is only their blood, their own child
Oladiji: this is terrible
45
Brave hunter: which of the children should be used, the husband said not o the first
child, he is the proof of his manhood, the second child looks like the wife and the
third child looks like the mother in law, the last one is the baby of the family, the
wife knew that her death will signify the death of the home.
Oladiji: the ripeness of a kola nut can only be determined when an elder is chewing it
Brave hunter: thank you, the loving couple agreed to give birth to another child, this
will be devoid of any affection or attachment and from day one they knew this is the
money. Yet the mother was so much attached to the child that it was when he was
two and half years old that decided to visit the herbalist.
All preparation made, the herbalist made a big fire, placed a big local pot on the fire
and told them that the child will be thrown into the pot and roasted, they agreed.
The power of unity, but first the man will shave his head and pour it into the pot, he
did that and the united couple threw this child on the pot because the herbalist
refused to place the child in the hot pot and covered it. When it was finally roasted,
the herbalist remembered that he forgot to shave the hair of the child, it must not
touch his father’s hair, now the hair is mixed up.
Oladiji: o gbi ji gbi ji, this is error of omission
Brave hunter: the hunter apologized and told them to give birth to another child
nurse him till two or three years and shave his head in a nylon before coming so as not
to forget to shave him again
Oladiji: and they left
Brave hunter: in annoyance
Oaldiji: without doing anything
Brave hunter: report to the government or to the king
Oladiji: it is a secret
Brave hunter: sometimes it is not good to marry a woman that will constantly say yes
to every opinion and suggestion, we must learn to live with one another, we are not
the same, we may look alike and not think alike, resolution is what actually matters.
Oladiji: life, it sounds difficult
Brave hunter: that is how you view it
Oladiji: that is how it is
Brave hunter; no my friend, it is how you take life. All animals are asleep now you can
barely ear the songs of a owl, let us return to the village, we have all tomorrow to
discuss

46
Oladiji: thank you so much, I learn a major phrase today, no to go in search of a
woman who will forever say yes but to make resolution my watchword.
Brave hunter: it is life’s lesson, one at a time
Oladiji: hmn
Brave hunter: we shall leave tomorrow before cock crow, we have few hours to rest
The hunters walked back to the village in silence, there were no human being
outside, the village is so silent that if one throws a pin on the floor, the sound will
be heard.
CHAPTER 9
The hunters left Agboyi, before the cock crow ad it was such a learning expenditure
for Oladiji, who is so brave to face whatever may be the problem, they deceided to
rest when they got to the third stream.
Brave hunter: if all parents can bbehave like the eagle
Oladiji: that soars so high
Brave hunter: but are strict with their children
Oladiji: yes they are strict
Brave hunter: the eagle will built its nest with a strong thorn, yes very strong thorn
Oladiji: to scare the hunter and whoever is so brave as to steal the chick will be
wounded
Brave hunter: oh no, the eagle will select very strong thorns from the forest, it will
set the thorn underneath its nest, many heave thorns and will now go far in search of
soft shrubs and later on place some dry leaves the nest will be so succulent
Oladiji: good mother
Brave hunter: the child will sleep softly and soundly but after sometime, the eagle
will become so impatient, believing that it is high time the child flew away
Oladiji: is that so?
Brave hunter: yes, the eagle will say it is not easy for me to pick food, the mother
hen will almost jump to pluck out my eyes, the owner of the hen will throw her stick
as if to kill me at once the duck is even worse, although silent the fear of her thought
whenever I want to pick her child is excruciating, one will see the hen fight but never
the duck, that silent killer while you will stay behind sleeping on a succulent nest
awaiting effortlessly meal.
Oladiji: now a wicked mother

47
Brave hunter: it is the reality. We are the problem; we are always shy from facing the
facts of life. When the eagle discovers that her baby loves succulent nest, she will
remove the leaves, shrubs and roots remaining the thorns, no one will inform that
baby bird before it flies away.
Oladiji: how many mothers want to leave their children to fly away?
Brave hunter: face the reality, no mother will live forever
The hunters stood and continued their journey, when the sun sets the entered baba
Afose’s hut, he was waiting for them under the tree. He welcomed them warmly and
instructed his wife to serve them some food.
Afose: how is your home young hunter?
Oladiji: we eat and drink father
Afose: what of Ogunlere’s household
Oladiji: he ought to follow me but he has a score to settle with his in law
Brave hunter: after the government, it is your in law
Oladiji: he beat his wife to stupor
Brave hunter: only a mad man bets his wife
Oladiji: Ogunere is a mad man then because he bets is wife as if she is a forbidden
snake that must not be eaten
Afose: such men die young and no woman mourns them deeply, he does not look like
a man that can lift his hand against a woman
Oladiji: nobody in the village separates them, he beats her like a slave
Afose: those who have heads have no caps and the funniest part of the matter is,
women always love men that beats them and you continue to wonder wah tkeeps
them in the marriage
Oladiji: this woman will keep mute, the last time I witnessed the beating only
reminded of when I was in school, you must not allow the teacher to rest, left, right ,
left, right, I ran away from the school and I never went back. The strange aspect is
tah the woman will not shout or cry but later on she will lay on the wooden bed and
weep like a child.
Afose: a man will beat his daughter like that too, a man reaps whatever he sows
Oladiji: after the last quarrel as he was about to remove his horse tail from the roof,
the woman removed her knife, well sharpened from the roof and he ran out of his
house. I came into their yard and still met the woman on her knees begging

48
Afose: roaring with laughter so the hunter can be afraid of a knife, it is another
man’s child that we always send on a long journey errand
Oladiji: Ogunlere sent her packing to her village, that her parents should come to beg
him with a goat, but the second day, the village head sent emissary to pack their
daughter’s load because she showed her parent the marks of cane
Afose: the pursuer is being pursued
Oladiji: our village elders have travel to her village to beg her parents
Afose: children of nowadays
Oladiji: I was afraid when I saw the brave hunter
Afose: he is my friend though a young man, when a child has learnt how to wash his
hand clean, he will definitely dine among the elders
Oladiji: he speaks like a very old man
Afose: he has moved with older men
Oladiji: please baba, why did you sent him
Afose: we will discuss when that mad woman serves you, eat first, it is a long
discussion
Afose’s wife served the hunters and after eating they sat under the tree and baba
Afose began
Afose: I was here two day ago when some villagers brought a stranger to my hut
Oladiji: hope o problem
Afose: there will always be problems, if not I will not have customers
Oladiji: ah baba
Afose: yes my son
Oladiji: people come for solution
Afose: because there is a problem. He is a young man who came to ask me for the
antidote of the charm I gave to you
Oladiji: the thunderbolt?
Afose: yes
Oladiji: is it true, this is strange
Afose: did you discuss the subject with any stranger
Oladiji: never

49
Afose: I thought as much, but what really baffled me was that I told him that the
antidote is ten bags and he agreed to pay that he was ready for it
Oladiji: what is his name?
Afose; how do you expect me to ask such question, I have goods and someone want to
pay in excess, I forgot to ask
Oladiji: this is becoming true
Afose: I am afraid, it is the truth
Oladiji: can someone be playing hanky-panky with me?
Afose: what I know is that the man is in love with your wife
Oladiji: is she the only woman in the village? There are many beautiful women in that
place
Afose: why I said so was that when I told him that if thunderbolt is left in a woman’s
body for seven days, she will die, he was afraid the love was vivid, he brought out 10
bags of money instantly and was ready to assist her
Oladiji: did you ask him who he wants to use the antidote for?
Afose: no, I did not, why are you asking questions as if you are a child?
Oladiji: I am sorry baba, I cannot understand all these happenings and it is unfolding
so fast
Afose: whoever that man is, do not forget, he loves the woman. He was not so
particular about his death but about the life of that woman
Oladiji: baba, are you sure, that it is my wife the man wants to use the antidote for?
Afose: must you ask a question? If you don not know what to say keep quiet, be
attentive so tha tyo ucan find a lasting solution to your marital problem
Oladiji: I never believe it is a man like me that will have this type of problem, I have
mapped out a good plan for my life, if not for my father
Afose: you have a problem, you have the solution why do you continue to rattle.
Afose brought out a bag from his hut and handed it to Oladiji
Afose: this is the money, ten bags of cowries
Oladiji: because of a woman, he paid ten bags, the money is enough to build a house
Afose: so that you will know how serious he is
Oladiji: baba, have it

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Afose: no my son, the amount I spent on the medicine and the antidote is not up to
one bag of cowries, I collected one bag of cowries from you in case you will need the
antidote if your wife was faithful, the initial payment covered the charm and the
antidote, but with the look of things, you will not need the antidote
Oladiji: then baba, we should share the money equally
Afose: no my son, you will need to start a new life after this, the man will be exposed
because the antidote will cause him to stupor, his belly will swell up for seven day, it
is made with original palm kernel oil, I squeezed kernel and soaked it with potent
herbs that will make him sleep for several days, and he will snore heavily. It would
have been better for you because you will have time to rest with your wife and you
can then start a new life of trust and love.
Oladiji: I never suspect her
Afose: you were too busy to watch over a woman when all your energy are focused on
animals
Oladiji: I will not make such mistake again
Afose: you will leave very early tomorrow, you are a brave hunter too, though you are
embarking on the journey alone, life’s journey is always a lone ranger
Oladiji: I will inform you about the outcome of events as they unfold. I am afraid to
face the reality and ashamed to face the fact that I was wrong
Afose: take heart and as a man do not always believe take things to heart, it kills a
man faster than poison, think less but act fast not rashly
Oladiji: baba, I will never forget your words
Afose: I will leave you, you need your rest now more than any time in your life, do not
forget leave the village, I know the shame will be too much for you to bear, travel
far, the farther the better. Do not forget home, you must see your father again
before he dies
Oladiji: baba, the more you talk the more fear grips me
Afose: the more you face the reality and when it happens, it will be exactly like
relieving the experience, my son nothing is new to me again
Oladiji: I will not forget this and I believe that I will see you again baba
Afose: may the gods lead you
Oladiji: thank you baba, may roots and leaves continue to give positive affirmation t
your calls

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Afose: life is short, the good we can do, why not do it now, who knows may be that is
what the gods will use in judging us, and if doing good is irrelevant in the life beyond,
we will still b happy that we did our bits.
Oladiji: I will retire to bed now
Afose: I will see you off tomorrow morning because I will need to gather some herbs
Oladiji: I heard herbs are potent in the morning
Afose: before sunrises, leaves are potent but roots are always working, if human
beings have no hands in them
Oladiji: why are we wicked?
Afose: so that the devil will not be lonely he needs companion
Oladiji: but are they aware they are wicked, I mean wicked people
Afose: go and sleep my dear, you are confused but also tired
Oladiji: good night baba
Afose: good night my young friend
The following morning, Afose and Oladiji walked throught the forest, the journey was
tedious but worth it, when Afose turned back Oladiji sat under a tree to think about
his steps, where he has failed a as a man and how he can still amend his ways. He
promised to take care of Ajini, if this is false but will send her to her parents if the
story is true.
It was sundown when Oladiji entered into the village, he was surprised that there is
no single soul in the village everywhere was silent; it is rare, not even a child was
seen playing with sands.
As he was approaching the village centre, he saw some people gathered in the centre
of the village, what could have been the cause, he walked to the crowd and at the
centre was his wife and his best friend, his clothes soiled with black oil. As he moved
closer, some youth ran towards him and held him in order to overpower him. Ogunlere
joined them and Oladiji was utterly confused
Oladiji: what is happening?
Ogunlere: be a man
Oladiji: who died
Ogunlere: nobody
Oladiji: then leave me alone
Ogunlere: calm down

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Oladiji: for what?
Ogunlere: it is your friend, Adamu
Oladiji: what happened to him?
Ogunlere: caught with your wife
Oladiji: is that why you held me like a mad man?
Ogunlere: they thought you will kill him or her
Oladiji: for giving me the long sought solution?
Ogunlere: we do not know how you will react
Oladiji: react to what?
Ogunlere: to your wife’s infidelity
Oladiji: I might have failed as a good husband but if I was warned about an animal
with a horn, I will never think it was a snail horn that will kill me
Ogunlere: you will never believe us, so it is better to see it yourself.
Oladiji: what is his reason?
Ogunlere: he loved her when you were in school, but it was his journey to the North
that made him leave her
Oladiji: I think we can leave now
Ogunlere: no. your wife has a confession
Oladiji: again
Ogunlre: the twins are not your children
Oladiji: who is their father?
Ogunlere: adamu
Oladiji went down on the ground, he sat down counting the sand and his father
walked to wards him, leaving the midst of the elders
Oladiji’s father: you should not have told him that here
Oladiji: what is the difference between here and home, is it a secret any longer?
Oladiji’s father: but you will need to rest before you can listen to all these and I
believe that those children are yours
Oladiji: did you carry their pregnancy, or who can determine the father of a child?
Oladiji’s father: you should be angry

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Oladiji: but I am not angry
Oladiji’s father: stand up let us go home
In a twinkilng of an eye, a small crowd has gathered, Oladiji stood up while his
father and brother followed him
Ogunlere: Ajiji is a bad woman
Oladiji: why?
Ogunlere: with what she has done to you, it was father who held me, I wanted to
strangle her and her concubine
Oladiji: she never loved me neither do I but our parents married us by force
Ogunlere: you will have to move to our village, the humiliation is too much
Oladiji’s father: do not talk like that there is no wasr that can pursue a man out of his
father’s house
Oladiji: I will travel farther that that I want to travel to the South
Oladiji’s father: running away from home when you are not at fault
Ogunlere: what do you expect him to do?
Oladiji; I will tell you my plans Ogunlere but right now I want to sleep and in case you
did not see me, whichever one Ajini releases to you out of the children, count them
among yours and take care of her, Please take over the grinding machine, father too
can assist you with that the boys are loyal, I will not be surprised if they enter Ajini’s
room too but I will start a new life, this is morning.
Oladiji’s father: you cannot do that, you are not at fault; the whole villager is in
support of you
Oladiji: father, please
Ogunlere: I will do whatever you wish
Oladiji entered his father’s compound and went straight to where he buried his life
saving, dug into the ground and brought out a big pot. It is his life’s saving, great
thank to Awele who initiated the idea. Thousands of thoughts ran through his mind
as he packed some of his belongings
Oladiji’s father: where are you going too. if the load refuses the ground and the roof,
there is another place we can keep the load
Oladiji: and only the gods know the other place, so I want to look for the other place.
Father pray that the gods show me on time so that we can in this life again

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Oladiji’s father: starts sobbing. You will bring my gray hair to the grave in sadness; I
love you with my whole soul
Oladiji: do you want me to take black hair to the grave?
Oladiji’s father: god forbid that, I will not bury my child
Ogunlere worked out of the compound, but Oladiji called him back
Oladiji: how was the meeting with your in law?
Ogunlere: it was terrible, I felt so much ashamed of myself when she was asked to
remove her blouse, all her back was traces of strokes of cane, I was fined three goats,
one fro her father’s family, one to her mother’s family and the third one to the
village heads, and I was given seven days to provide all these.
Oladiji: this will suely teach you a lesson
Ogunlerre: father was in support of those, and proud to say he never lited a finger
against mother
Oaldiji: I wonder where you got that habit
Ogunlere: it was afera that crept into me, I never wanted to live like father who was
always following mother about
Oladiji: but they loved each other while it lasted
Ogunlere: that was whey mother was killed
Oladiji: by who
Ogunlere: by my father’s enemies
Oladiji: can you mention one of them?
Ogunlere: gods know them
Oladiji: because only exist in your imagination, it is only god that can kill a man
Ogunlere: this is not today’s discussion and I pray you know all these before it is too
late
Oladiji: the creator is the only one who can take a man’s life, except he permits it
nobody can kill a man
Ogunlere: what did baba Afose Say?
Oladiji narrated all that transpired between baba Afose and himself
Ogunlere: life is so hard
Oladiji: when you want it to be hard on you

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Ogunlere: you will establish elsewhere and you will prosper, with your savings, doors
will be opened, you are not a lazy man
Oladiji: ajini gave birth to a set of twins and a girl and she can say only one is mine
Ogunlere: the elders called baba jawe jagbo before she could confess
Oladiji: so she was threatened before confession?
Ogunlere: yes
Oladiji: how did it happen?
Ogunlere: we came back from my wife’s village and it was even surprising to meet my
wife here before us
Oladiji: that woman loves you
Ogunlere: now I know, my wife went straight to Ogunlere’s wife and met her wife
weeping with Ajini
Oladiji: I informed Adamu about Baba Afose, it is so funny now, baba asked if I told
any stranger, I said no, so Adamu is a stranger in my life?
Ogunlere: he is, he went to baba Afose to buy the antidote
Oladiji: he paid 10 bags of cowries and baba Afose gave the money to me to add to
my savings and start a new life
Ogunlere: that much
Oladiji: baba told him that the woman will die if the charm lasts for seven days in her
body
Ogunlere: he loves her
Oladiji: she guides her body from me, I can now remember everything now, I am
always relaxed with Awele, never with her
Ogunlere: Awele was weeping throughout the whole scene
Oladiji: I will marry her
Ogunlere: how
Oladiji: leave that to me
Ogunlere: a man has paid the dowry
Oladiji: I paid Ajini’s dowry too
Ogunlere: two wrongs do not make a right
Oladiji: I will always remember that

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Ogunlere: Awele is not the only woman on earth
Oladiji: but the only one that I love presently, if tomorrow comes and she becomes a
monster, the pain will be mild because I choose her
Ogunlere: you will still meet some other women as you move on life, because it will
be another convergence at the village centre when you steal a would be bride
Oladiji: I am afraid of unholy wedlock, therefore I will try my best possible anyhow
because a blessed wedlock brought misfortune talk less of unholy wedlock
Ogunlere: is it wedlock with Awele that will be holy? When she has deceided to pitch
her tent with a stranger
Oladiji: at least, she is a devil that I know, she did not pitch any tent but acting
against her wish but in line with her father’s directives
Ogunlere: rest her matter and pick another topic, you are travelling tomorrow, when
will you see her to marry? The father has the final say on his daughter; if he did not
give birth to her will she be thinking of making a choice
Oladiji: whatever you are looking for, make sure that you do not place a curse, and
please tell every villager likewise, though I am not a thief but whatever that will
make me happy will not be left behind in the village while I seek succor in a strange
land
Ogunlere: there is nothing too much that I cannot release for you, but do not leave a
wrong legacy
Oladiji: thank you very much my brother, I will leave a good legacy when I am a happy
man
Ogunlere: it is my pleasure because no one will tell you the truth the way I am saying
it now; mind you we have always been source of succor to one another.
Oladiji: please take care of father and the family; and make sure that you are always
close to the family, you are now the mainframe
Ogunlere: please stop talking this way, when it is not that you are going to die in that
strange land. I am not in support of your fleeing; you have not committed any offence
the offenders will be marching forward and backward while you remain a lone ranger
in a strange land.
Oladiji: wherever I set my foot, I will excel because I did my best for mankind
Oladiji continued packing his loads, nobody bothered to stop him again, all the
children were weeping, Ajike was crying. Oladiji’s father came into the compound, it
was dark, Oladiji has finished packing his load when his father came into his room

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Oladiji’s father: my son, my ancestors will guide you and make choices for you
henceforth, it may be my fault but never my intention, I cannot see a fiery furnace
and convince you to dip a finger when I am not a wicked father but today I will not
stop you but forever pray for your success.
Oladiji: thank you for everything father, I promise not to forget home, but now I will
move very far. Not because of anyone but in order to push everything behind me,
when I return, there shall be no resentment of any sort
Oladiji’s father: I support your decision son; these ones are shameless, unheard of
things
Oaldiji: it is their problem
Oladiji’s father: I will remember you in my prayers, you will marry a good woman who
will bear good fruits not one with paternity verification and identification, I cannot
understand what this world is turning to
Oladiji: it has always being this way, nothing has really changed father
Oladiji left his father in the room and moved out briskly, looking left an drigth as if
he is a thief in the market place, he crossed to the other side and looked left and
right before he entered Awele’ compound.

CHAPTER 10
Oladiji knocked the door, it was Awele tah tcame out of her room to meet him
Awele: good evening Oladiji, hope it is well with you?
Oladiji: no it is not well with me
Awele: I can understand you
Oladiji: how can you understand me, is it not he who wears the shoes that knows
where it pinches?

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Awele: I am with you, I understand the whole issue
Oladiji: you did not, if you do you will not be seating here
Awele: where do you want me to sit?
Oladiji: you will be packing your loads
Awele: (slowly) I have packed the loads already
Oladiji entered into Awele’s room, her loads were well packed on her wooden bed
Oladiji: will you follow me?
Awele: wherever you go
Oladiji: what of your father?
Awele: in his room
Oladiji: I mean how he will take
Awele: whichever way he wants to take it
Oladiji: are you with me in this?
Awele: I am with you forever
Oladiji: please do not deceive me
Awele: you have lived so long in the world of deception; you will find it hard to come
to the reality of truthfulness
Oladiji: it is not my fault
Awele: stop apportioning blames, a man should be brave enough to accept his blames
And I will appreciate if you stop telling people it is your father, did he father the child
for you?
Oladiji: alright, let us stop arguing, how do we make provision for your father
Awele: I have settled that
Oladiji: how did you?
I replaced the one bag of cowries with seven
Oladiji: your life savings
Awele: yes, it is worth it
Oladiji: I am eternally grateful for this lasting happiness
Awele: it is for me too
Oladiji: I know you make the sacrifice for me

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Awele: not for you but for myself
Oladiji: why?
Awele: if you see the shame it brought on Ajini, I made up my mind to elope, in due
course, it will eventually become my portion if I decide to go ahead and marry a man
I have never seen in my life
Oladiji: high time the government stopped this unholy wedlock, under-age marriage
of girls who cannot give informed consent
Awele: how do we move
Oladiji: we will not sleep
Awele : hope nobody knows about this arrangement
Oladiji: nobody
Awele: but your parents are aware of your journey
Oladiji: yes, who tolad you?
Awele: the whole village is aware of your journey
Oladiji: is it father who is broadcasting it?
Awele: no it is jike who was rolling on ht eground and curing Adamu fro pursuing you
out of the village
Oladiji: Adamu did not pursue me but I was advised by an elderly man to move far
way
Awele: for my sake, you must move faraway
Oladiji: then I wil have to instruct Ogunlere to meet the elders on my behalf ask for
your hand in marriage from your father before leaving tonight
Awele: that will be asking for too much, if you stop this movement today, ther might
be no other chance
Awele’s father entered into the Awele’s room
Awele’s father: when will you leave?
Oladiji: you are ware father
Awele’s father: everybody is aware of your journey
Awele: I am telling him to move into his brother’s compound for the mean time
because ein no time other events will overtake this horrible one
Awele’s father: I do not think so, during the new yam festival, children will compose
song and this will be sang in the next three consecutive years

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Oladiji: thank you father that is why I am convincing her not to persuade me
Awele’s father: I hope you have finished packing my daughter
Awele: packing to where?
Awele’s father: then if what I think is not, then start packing your essential
belongings
Oladiji: no father, when a man had already paid her dowry
Awele;s father: I will return his money, have a look at the money, I did not touch it
because I know it might not work, but with what I saw today I know it is a sick man
who will give out his daughter to a man
Oladiji: then father I will pay the price right away
Awele’s father; no you need money where you are going to, the gods of our father s
will lead and guide you
Awele: no father I have kept some money under your pillow
Awele’s father: I saw the money; that is more than a lifetime saving and I have taken
just half of it, my farmland is there and I can still move around in the farm nearby
Awele: no father I want you to stop farming and stay at home
Awele’s father: you are sending me to an early grave then, I cannot stay indoors and
live long
Oladiji prostrated in front of Awele’s father
Oladiji: father bless us
Awele’s father: I waited so long for you to ask for her hand in marriage before I
decided to collect the bride price from the emissary from Agbowa, their son is in the
city, I do not know him neither did Awele too
Awele: father pray for us
Oladiji: today is my happiest day on earth, my heart would have been so heavy if we
elope without your blessings
Awele’s father was about to start prayers when he burst into tears, Awele joined her
father I nthe tears of joy and farewell, but if it is the wish of god the two shall
meet againand very soon was Oladiji’s thought when he moved to Awele’s father to
console him.
Oladiji: no father , today is our day of joy
Awele’s father: this is supposed to be my happiest day but I would have been glad if
the whole village join me in giving out my daughter in marriage to the man she loves

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Oladiji ran out of the compound in less than five minutes the whole village was in
fornt of Awele’s house. In tears he blessed them in the presence of his clan. After
cock crow the following morning oladiji’s household waited with the newest couple
as they await a lorry travelling towards the Southern part of the country.
As they were packing Oladiji and Awele’s load in the vehicle, Adamu’s father walked
up to Oladiji and begged for forgiveness on behalf of his son.
Adamu’s father: Oladiji my son, it is very hard for me to stand in front of you to
apologize because I will not deny knowing the genesis of this problem but I warned my
son. A cutlass cannot be too sharp as to cut grasses on its own without the assistance
of a human being. I am not here to exonerate my son but to ask for forgiveness
Oladiji: father, Adamu did not offend me, he only pushed me towards my happiness,
there were steps I ought to have taken which I did not but today I come out a better
man, happy and ready to have a new start
Awele: we are happy together baba, if this had not happened may be I would have
married the wrong husband
Adamu’s father: your daughter is with me because Adamu, his wives and children
have left in the middle of the night, they travelled towards the North. In the morning
when your daughter wakes up, I will hand her over to your father
Awele: In that case, let us wake her and she can follow us southwards, it will be
better if she is raised by her biological father, the experience will be traumatic for
her especially in the village where no one understands any other thing than singing
about neighbors’ misfortune.
Oladiji’s father: the community will have to meet, elders must palce tehri feet on the
ground, when misfortune happens it must not be another resource for composer
Oladiji: song is composed through every day events, and if it is not a misfortune it will
be a fortune
Oladiji’s father: how come no one sings about his own misfortune but others
misfortune?
Oladiji: because we are created to see others first and we always need a mirror to
view ourselves
Oladiji’s father: that is well spoken, you will become great my son, an orator is known
when he is young
Adamu’s father sent Ajike into his compound to wake Oladiji’s only child while they
implored the driver of the vehicle to wait for them, Ajike ran towards the village
Ajike: here she is but her clothes are with us

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Awele: do not bother, we will buy another sets of clothes for her when we get to the
South
Oladiji: thank you so much
Awele: it is my duty to protect you and yours
Adamu’s father: I did not sleep throughout the night, Adamu has always been a child
of perdition and I thought he had repented
Oladiji: the gods will touch his heart
Adamu’s father: he has refused to change, but the village god knew that the villagers
contributed towards the sacrificial offering but the gods is aware that the villagers
contributed towards appeasing them.
Oladiji’s father: may the knees of every mother change him
Adamu’s father: I just pray for forgiveness, he has hurt a lot of people but I ask you
all to forgive him, whatever pains he might has caused
Awele: father you will cause yourself additional pain if you continue to dwell on this
issue, go back to bed and rest you said you lost your sleep over this matter already
Adamu’s father: I will never sleep again; I gave him all the love that a child desire,
bouth more than what a child deserves but all he pays me with is shame and reproach
Oladiji: we are leaving now, but I promise you that we will come home before the
new next yam festival
Awele looked back to see her father standing in front of his compound looking at
her, a tear drop from her eyes but she was genuinely happy for once. They boarded
the vehicle sitting with their loads at the back of the trunk.
When the day break, there was an announcement by the town-crier, villager form
the seven clans must assemble at Agboyi village square, those who have left for the
farm must be informed. There will be a meeting to channel the cause of the
children’s future and to mete out appropriate punishment for sexual offenders,
because the should serve as deterrent to others. A separate message was sent to
Admu’s household because the villagers are yet to know that Adamu, his wives and
children had fled in the middle of the night. Although it was expected of Oladiji.
villagers from all the clans were trouping into Agboyi wduring sunset but the elders
were informed of Adamu’s eventual exit while his father sat at the centre, his
thought ran wide but he believed that he would survive, that was not the first time
Adamu brought shame on him. he would be the laughing stock for a while and all this
shall soon become history. he is sure of one thing, he will never lay his eyes on his
son again.

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Villagers exchanged pleasantries as they sit with the exception of Adamu’s father
who was visible sad, as they began the deliberation, he stood up to apologize but he
was reprimanded by the elders because as they sais, this is not the meeting about
Adamu but about the future of the children, the end of abuse and the beginning of a
free and fair society for all children irrespective of gender.

Olutosin Oladosu-Adebowale is a poet, novelist and activist,

she speaks against corruption in high and low places. She writes
with a unique passion eschewing violence believing that dialogue
is the best method of
fighting injustice.

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She was born in Owo, Ondo State in the Western part of Nigeria
on December 20, 1972. She studied English language at the
University of Lagos, B.A Edu (1998) and
M.A English Arts in 2001

Trained as a Citizen Journalist through an award by WorldPulse

(Portland) in 2009, she writes on societal ills in Nigeria and the
way forward.

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