Chapter 4

That day they returned home in silence.

On their returning, the women that have lost their husbands wept

profusely, the children also were crying, the sound of wailing filled

the whole village, that day the dispirited King of Odudu didn't say anything, the men and women who had gone to war were calm has they counted their lost. The second day, the King came out of his room to console the bereaved families, but they refused to be comforted, they wept sore and sprinkled ashes and dust on themselves as they call on the horrible sting of death to come and take them away; the King's palace was crowded with the numerous villagers who had

lost a relative: brothers, fathers, sister..., for three days, they

wept until they had no strength to weep any longer.

The King was greatly distressed as all his efforts to console them seemed to be failing. After a while, he opened his mouth and spoke words of comfort to them "Women, mother and wives, men, youths and children of this great kingdom of ours, I feel your pain, my heart is heavily embittered by the circumstance that is facing us today, your husbands, your fathers, brothers, uncles and aunties that have

journeyed to the place beyond had not died in vain, they live for a

course and died for that course; their blood didn't waste in vain but

had preserved the dignity and integrity of our great kingdom, they

gave their lives for the elongation of this great and enviable kingdom

of ours, in fact they are with our ancestors and they are been

rewarded handsomely. I see it deem fit that it is better this way, than

to be driven out of our land by our enemies, we would have been a people without homes, without farm lands, wandering like the wild beasts of the field, but because our warriors had laid down their lives, we are

still here today; wives of our lost warriors, as our custom demands,

the brothers of your late husbands who are not yet married will take

on the responsibility of your late husbands, you must love them and

accord to them the respects that you would give your husbands, nevertheless has, this kingdom shall be responsible for your upkeep,

please be strong, and bear with us, may the gods bless and console

you." After the King had delivered his speech, he walked quietly into

his chamber with his head hung down ward as a sign of remorse, the King's word brought a slight of solace. The

noise of wailing got reduced drastically has a shimmering hope seemed to had lit up in their hearts; they composed themselves as they sobbed quietly.

The next day, the spoils were distributed among the warriors, and the wives and families of the bereaved, as a matter of fact, the bereaved families were giving larger portions of the spoils. 

For a long while, the people of Odudu Kingdom enjoyed rest from war, the fatal blow unleashed against

Agbadu kingdom will take them a long time to recover, the rainy season

had just began, there is time for everything under the sun, as the

elders had postulated, Adesuna now lives alone, he was in the stage of

his full masculinity, he walks with his arms a little bit away from

his body, he came to his dad and requested for some seedlings, he

could cultivate over two thousand ridges a day, his father had thought

him to always offer libations to the gods of their ancestors, before

he set out towards the farm, he offered some wine and kola nuts to the gods of his ancestors, then he walked majestically into his farm, where he made some ridges, after tilling about a thousand ridges, he sat down to rest a while and to eat and drink water. while he was eating, he sighted an antelope, Adesuna will never make the mistake of going to the farm without his bow and arrow, he approached the animal and killed it, when he was done tilling the ground, he quickly took the meat to his parents home where the meet was prepared; been roasted on a

three stone fire, that night, they ate a part of the antelope, then he

retired home, one day his father called him and talked to him on the

need to settle with a woman, that was not too a challenge to him, he

assured his father that when the time comes the women will appear. The

harvest had began, every family brought a portion to the King as an

age long practicing custom, Adesuna brought some of his yams to the

King, "My son, you have made us proud as a warrior, keep it up!" the

king told him as rubs  him on his back, "please my son, this kingdom

depends on brave men like you." The King told him as smile crossed his

old face. at that moment the King had s stood from his throne, it is a

sign of a great honour and respect.