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08 IN THE GARDEN
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2022-02-11 17:11:57BINTA
"My father holds you in high regard," Adam said to me, strolling through the garden. "He's always talking about you. Binta this, Binta that. You are the biggest topic whenever he comes to Duniya to visit. It made me curious to meet this special lady my father always talks about. Now here you are." He looked at me with charm. "And I am not in a bit disappointed with what I am seeing."
I was speechless. I wasn't as enlightened as he was. I knew very little of the modern world and did not want to show my ignorance all in one day. I decided to let him do the talking while I listened, but soon, he started asking me questions.
"So, how did you get lucky? I know the deities in this village are against western education and development. How were you able to survive the conflict and punishment that goes with defying the gods?" he asked. "I am asking you this because I remembered we had to relocate with our mother to Duniya just so we could be educated and be at par with our mates out there. Because of this, we could not leave Rayuwa for fear of what the gods might do to us for defying them. What I have always wondered is, why is it so important for the so call deities to keep this village in darkness? If they are as powerful as they claim to be, then they should not fear knowledge and development." He concluded.
"So you think the gods are afraid of modern knowledge and development?" I asked, a bit surprised and, at the same time, impressed by his confidence and courage to question the power of the gods.
"Hum, hum." He replied. "Now tell me how you did it," he requested.
"Well," I started, "unlike you, I was not properly educated. I was only taught to read, write, and speak in the white man's tongue, English." While talking to him, I spotted a beautiful cocoyam plant and stopped to touch its soft leaves in admiration of its beauty. Then I continued my response, "I was taught by the Catholic church. The church was sacked by the people eight years ago and along with the church went my chance of furthering my education." I sighed.
"Why did they leave?" Adam asked me.
"It had to do with knowledge and deities. The white people wanted to open a school here in Rayuwa to educate the people. Their intentions were questioned by the chief Boka of the land deity. Because they did not only want to teach them how to read, write and speak English but also to teach their spiritual beliefs about mother Mary and her son Jesus Christ. The gods' priest council would not have it. So they frustrated them and made life unbearable for them. At first, the people of Rayuwa did not support the priest, and neither were they shaken by the deities, but when famine struck the island, the people themselves sacked the church." I concluded sadly because I missed my friends, the kind priest, and the nuns so much a tear almost escaped my control.
Adam paused and looked at me. He seemed to be admiring me, but at the same time, there was some sadness in the way he looked at me. I did not have the same luxury they had, and he expressed his sympathy for my disadvantage. I could see that he genuinely felt bad for me. Looking at him, I realised how unlucky I was indeed. I would have been great and achieved a lot outside this backward, cursed island that was now my prison. My desperation to leave Rayuwa took over me, and I prayed silently for that opportunity to come.
He raised his hands to my face and used his thumb to brush my cheeks gently; then, he bent forward and landed a kiss on my lips, and I was unprepared. I had never been kissed before, so I did not know how to respond, but I knew what had just happened. I stood still, and when he pulled away and looked into my eyes, I could see that he knew that I was innocent.
"I can see you are untouched," he said, smiled and urged me to continue the walk with him. He pretended as if the kiss was nothing, so I did not have any ideas; instead saw it as a curiosity on his part. Maybe somewhere in his mind, my education might have included kissing lessons.
"I think these so-called priests are just using fear to control and rule this village with all the deity talk and nonsense." Adam continued. I could see that he hated the current situation in the village. He did not hide his hatred for the so-called priests and deities.
"Why would say that. What makes you think that is what is going on here?" I asked.
"The biggest weapon one can use to control another is fear, and these men are good at creating fear in the hearts and minds of the people of Rayuwa." He explained.
"How do you explain the plagues, deaths, and madness all under spiritual attack from angry gods?" I asked curiously.
"My dear, it's all coincidence. And these assholes know how to use people's misfortune to their advantage. This is why I can never live in Rayuwa." He complained.
The things Adam was saying made me nervous. I had witnessed the power of a deity first-hand this morning in my father's compound. My parents' predicament also proved to me how ruthless the deities could be. Aljanan Daji had held Rayuwa for ransom. I was afraid for Adam. I was worried that he would anger one Aljanan Daji, and he would be made to pay for his sins. The only thing that put him at an advantage was that he did not live in the village. Therefore, he could create trouble and leave them behind.
Adam noticed I was deep in thought and said, "the whole conversation seems too much for you to handle," he said. He had seen my uneasiness even though I tried hard to mask it. It only proved to me that I was a terrible actress, and acting as a career would not be the right choice for me.
"Let us change the topic." He requested. But I knew we had been in the garden for a while now. Although the Sarki told his son to keep me company, he was the one that had sent for me initially and was yet to tell me why. It was best we headed back. So I told Adam that we had to return to the palace. He agreed, and we returned.
The Sarki was very angry with both of us. He felt disrespected and slighted. I remained in a squatting position all through as he lashed out his anger and disappointment. The Sarki was not angry we were talking, but he said we should have waited for him to discuss the reason he sent for me first before taking the stroll. He expressed his disappointment, and it sounded like I was an easy target for manipulation. When he noticed I was crying. He calmed down and asked us to sit.
"Binta, I called you here for a purpose," he explained. "I know that you just lost your father, and being a girl, they might decide to marry you off to the highest bidder. You are an asset to Rayuwa, and soon we will build a school here. The island needs you, and I need you here to help me with my administrative work as none of my children is around to assist with the affairs of this village." Then he paused. What he was saying was already getting me nervous. "I want you to come live in the palace with me. Not as a servant but for administrative purposes only. You will be cared for and paid well better than what you earn from writing and reading for people. You will have your freedom as you would not be a servant, but you will have to respect my rules." He finished. I just stared at him blankly. I couldn't believe what I had just heard, but it was real; the Sarki wanted me to move into the palace. I had mixed feelings of fear, joy and sadness. Could this be happening to me now? I asked myself.
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Rayuwa 92 VAGABOND WORLD
SAFIA. Aishatu had succeeded in bringing the final and most crucial ingredient for Binta's ritual. I had warned her that Dagudu was on his way, and she had handled the matter beautifully. Although Bamali was not covenanted to us, he had shown his loyalty to our course. We couldn't allow him to get in trouble with the jinni. She still owned him. So we had to be careful. The-bond-that-binds you is usually a finger bone made from jinni cadaver. It is used to bind the holder's soul to the jinni he or she sold it to. Often the holders were clueless about it, and this is because they usually receive it in a dream, but in actual reality, it is their soul that receives it, but the experience is perceived as a dream. Bamalli was the only living being with the finger-bone, and I was glad he was on our side. The finger-bone was somehow tied to the jinni in question, so I was going to use it to gain entrance into her kingdom. Binta was laid beautifully on the floor in the middle of the compou
Rayuwa 91 NOW WE ACT FOR THE BIRDS
BAMALI. News about the sudden huge number of visitors arriving at Rayuwa baffled me. I knew what the people were, and I became scared. I had been unable to warn Safia about the jinni's ploy, and I worried that it was too late. I was a prisoner even in my home. Selling my soul had taken away my freedom. I once thought the people of Rayuwa were unfortunate prisoners; my situation made me realise that there were worse forms of thralldom than that which Rayuwa was in. At least the people of Rayuwa had the luxury of drinking the blessed water to sever their ties with the jinni. I could not drink the blessed water because it would not affect me. I had already sold my soul, and my only hope was that the jinni would be defeated. I prayed that I would one day be free. I did not know how my freedom would come. It would either be in life or death. I yearned most for life. Dagudu had successfully found a way to get close to Safia, and it made me worried. Couldn't she sense who he was? He had
Rayuwa 90 THE DECREE
ADAM My father had sent an order to the president instructing the people of Lafiya to throw out Aljanan Daji's altars from their homes and swear allegiance to the new deity. There were also instructions to bless the land. I thought my mother-in-law would be coming to bless the land herself, but I learned that it was going to rain for seven days instead, a form of cleansing. Those who were interested in serving the new deity were instructed to collect the rainwater and drink it to sever their blood ties to Aljannan Daji. The people were confused, and soon I had a crowd at my gate. People wanted answers, answers they knew they could only get from a royal. News also went around about what Laila had done at the party. It was linked to the decree by the king, and people had become scared. I knew I had to attend to the crowd of reporters outside. So I went out with the guards to address them and answer their questions. Since they couldn't all go to Rayuwa to interview my father, I was the
Rayuwa 89 THE PARTY
Laila. My mission in Duniya was heartwarming. I looked forward to doing good. With my long history of evil deeds, the mission the deity sent me on was a soul redeemer. Zuwaira and I had devised a plan to get our friends and their families to cross over. We knew it would be very difficult because the people were loyal to the old deity, and they were afraid of her too. The fear got worse when the sky turned red, and the plants began to die. The plague had worsened the situation. No one wanted to get on the deity's bad side for fear of her wrath. We had seen greater power than hers, and we were willing to fight for it. Since Adam was still sorry about what they had done to us in Rayuwa, I was able to persuade him to allow me to throw a party in the house. He didn't like the idea at first because of Binta's situation, but when I told him about what the deity had requested of us, he agreed. Watching the way everyone worked to help organise the party warmed my heart. I secretly wished t
Rayuwa 88 A SERVANT TO A SLAVE
BAMALI. Dagudu was unable to cope with the female body he occupied. The fact that the body was that of a fugitive made it worse. His magic was growing gradually. He was already more powerful than I was, and he wasn't yet at full capacity. I began to wonder what he would be capable of. He never left my side, and because of that, I was unable to communicate with Safia about the new developments. Unlike me, he had a telepathic connection with the jinni. More and more, I realised that I had sold my soul for way less. "Why did she put you in a female body?" I asked curiously. She could have as well killed two men instead of a man and a woman. I hated the sight of Dagudu, realising my daughter's body would have been his host sickened me the more. I had to be careful around him. Already the jinni had begun to withhold information from me; I didn't want to create more suspicion as that would put my life in danger. Not that my life was worth much, but I wanted to see the jinni defeated. "It
Rayuwa 87 A TRAP WELL SET
BAMALI "You betrayed me." I heard the King of jinnis say as he held his spouse by the throat. "You didn't bring me back. Why didn't you bring me back?" "I...I tried." She managed; I had never seen her so afraid. "But I had no priest. No one swore servitude to me until him." She said, pointing at me. I watched the man drop her and turn his attention towards me. His eyes were fire. I was sure the fire had burned the eyeballs of the body it occupied. Whatever was left of it was burned out, unless it was magical fire, but at the range we stood, the fire was real to me. Anyone that was afraid of Aljannan Daji would die from fear just by seeing this jinni. He had altered the body he occupied in the most hideous way. The skin was red, and steam exuded from him. He had two large black horns and one small horn in the centre of his head. He was huge, easily nine feet tall. His presence was evil and menacing. What had she unleashed upon us? While the jinni advanced toward me, I saw Aljanan Da
Rayuwa 86 FOREVER A SLAVE
BAMALI. After the incident in Safia's compound, I tried to find ways to make amends. What I did most of the time was to find a way to inform the deity of Aljannan Daji's plans. Without my help, the jinni had been able to trap two unfortunate people for Dagudu's resurrection ritual. I was taken to the forbidden forest to help prepare the items for the ritual. What I did not know was that I would have to be the one to slaughter the innocent people for the ritual to work. Apparently, the jinni could kill to feed, but a human had to sacrifice life to her for the blood to have any magical effect. The coldness of the situation brought chills to my spine. The fact that the unfortunate humans were fugitives did not make me feel better at all. Knowing the situation, I was sickened that the jinni would have made me sacrifice my children with my bare hands. If it wasn't for the fact that the deity could protect them, I would have killed myself if it had come to that. I had sent word to the dei
Rayuwa 85 MANY REASONS TO APOLOGISE
LAILA Shortly after the scene with the deity, we were escorted to my bedroom in the Palace. It was clear that the royal family were ashamed of what they had done to Zuwaira and me and tried to apologise by having the palace maidens pamper us. Everything that happened at our trial still shocked us. Binta was the daughter of a powerful deity. I couldn't believe it. The woman looked almost as young as Binta. The last time we were in Rayuwa, there was a rumour that her mother had gone missing. I began to believe it was all a sick joke. The people knew what we were up against and still set us up. That must have been the reason why our plans against Binta failed. It was also the reason why the Sarki and the entire council, in fact, the entire island, wanted Adam to marry Binta, so she would be the next queen. What beats having the daughter of a deity as queen? Was the main deity not Aljannan Daji? Who was Binta's mother? Was she Aljannan Daji. Aljannan Daji was the deity we all worshipped
Rayuwa 84 A SOLUTION?
ADAM Our arrival in Buchum Rayuwa was a shock to everyone. Binta was carried straight to the Palace. My father was in shock and hesitated to inform Safia of her daughter's predicament. "We have to tell her mother. She might be able to help." I tried to convince my father. "He is right, Umar. We can keep this from the deity; she will find out, and that will be worse." My mom said, trying to talk some sense into him. "What deity?" Ibrahim asked, confused. No one answered him. "Bring that witch for trial." My father said, refusing to send words to Safia. "The council isn't complete," I pointed out. "Right now, our energy should be spent on trying to save Binta's life. The trial can commence later." I pleaded. "The witch did it; she must have the antidote. She will solve the problem she caused with the right amount of pressure, and then I will behead her, her cousin and her family." My father said, and I could see the rage in his eyes. "What if she doesn't have the remedy and Bint
