Chapter Three

What a great fall it was for the people of Oluyole!! The slaves were taken away. Back then, slaves were taken for sale. At least, they'll be alive and hope for freedom in future but that wasn't the case for the people of Oluyole. They were all caged and left alone to starve to death except a wom. A merchant, who was heading south, saw them along the footpath heading away from Oluyole to where they were left alone.

Merchant (Soliloquizing): Oh no!! These are slaves!! I need to buy one of them for my pleasure.

He stopped them.

Merchant: Hello my brothers!!! How are you doing? I pretty sure these are captives taken after war ended.

A man who seemed to be the head of the warriors answered him. His name was ogunniyi.

Ogunniyi: Yes brother!! Why did you stop us? These slaves aren't for sale.

Merchant: Oh no!! I'm sorry but just let me buy one of them at any price you want.

Ogunniyi: Like I said, they're not for sale. Now will you please excuse us or I take you out myself?

Merchant: Ohhhhh!!! I'm sorry but please hear me out and have pity on me. I'm a traveler and right now, my wife will soon be at the point of child birth. I need a slave to take care of her needs while I'm gone. Have pity on me please.

He knelt down and bowed his head.

Ogunniyi: Hmmmmm!! On a second thought, I'll have pity on you not because you bowed to me but because of your wife. Now get up, pick the one you want and I'll tell you the price.

Merchant: Thank you so much for your kindness. May the gods blessings be upon you abundantly.

He got up, went round and round until he found a beautiful maiden. His eyes couldn't go off her face and body in lust to have her to himself alone.

Merchant: This!!! This!! I want this one I'm holding.

Ogunniyi: That?? Why not pick another one?? She might be too expensive for you.

Merchant: Like I said before and will never take my words back, let me pick and I will buy at any price you want. I've chosen this so name the price and let me pay

Ogunniyi: okay!! The least price I can sell her to you is ten denaries. Take it or leave it.

Merchant: I'll pay you fifteen denaries.

He brought out his money bag, counted fifteen denaries and handed it over to ogunniyi. He took the slave, put her in a caged chariot and baded Ogunniyi goodbye.

Merchant: Good bye my brother. May the gods blessings be upon you abundantly.

Ogunniyi: Take good care of your wife!!

They departed. Ogunniyi and his people headed north while the merchant headed south. The rest of the slaves were caged and left to starve to death after which their bodies were disposed off in the plains. The hunch of the king and Chiefs of Oluyole came to pass the way they cracked the hard knot of the àrokò. What a sad ending for Oluyole kingdom!!

After many days and nights of travel, the merchant finally got to his destination, his mighty mansion. His servants helped him loosen his baggages and packed them to his room for proper arrangement. The new slave just stood at the corner, not knowing what to do until the merchant ordered for her presence in his chambers.

Slave: Here I am my Lord!!

She knelt and faced the ground.

Merchant: Do you know my name? I guess you don't. My name is Ààré Ògúnmólá Àjàyí omo Alébíiosù. I was born in this village, Òpá aró. What's your name?

Slave: I am nobody, just a slave since the beginning of my life.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Were you not born by a person? You must have a name.

Slave: I'm used to being referred to as erú fúnnké.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: What is the name your parents gave you?

Slave: Oluwafunke omo odelana. My mother told me my father was a great hunter before he was killed out of envy among his peers.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: That's very sad. How did you become a slave?

Funke: My mother used to live in my father's village until one day, the people of Oluyole kingdom, her hometown, waged a fierce war against us. They killed many people and took the rest as slaves. My mother was among those taken as slaves and then, she carried me in her womb. She was lucky enough to work as a servant in the king's palace. The kindness they showed towards their servants, especially my mother made her let go of the hatred burning in her heart towards Logos. She gave birth to me as a slave, died as a slave when I was ten and since then, I've continued the slavery trait in our family.

He sighed.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Hmmmmm!!! What a good woman your mother was! She didn't put the hatred of Oluyole kingdom in your heart instead, she put love. I know you'll be surprised there is no woman in this house except for the servants.

Funke: Yes my Lord!! Let me come with you because of your pregnant wife.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Well, I have no wife. She died long ago and since then, I didn't plan on having another wife. Have you asked yourself why I chose to buy you from them?

Funke: No my Lord!! I haven't.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Hmmm!! Sit down and look at me.

Funke: My Lord I can't do that before you.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: It's an order and you have to follow my orders.

She sat.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: I chose you because you are beautiful and I couldn't stop looking at your body when I sighted you. I'd like to offer you freedom but that would be a choice you make yourself. I'm giving you two options; whether you take my offer to be my wife and be free or you die as a slave, just like your mother.

Funke was silent, didn't know what to say.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Am I talking to someone?

Funke: Emmmm my Lord!! Can I be permitted to think about this offer??

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Oh yes!!! But note that your life is now in nobody's hands but yours. The decision you make will determine whether your life will be in my hands or not. Now get up and go.

She left with fear in her heart. No slave will say no to freedom but getting married to a man she hardly knew was something to think about. That night, in a very deep sleep, funke saw her mother in a dream warning her not to take freedom as an option if she wants to end the slavery curse in their generation. Funke heeded to her mother's warning, a decision she had to pay for. The next day, Ààre Ògúnmólá ordered for Funke's presence in his chambers.

Funke: Here I am my Lord!!

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Sit down.

She sat.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Now tell me your decision.

Funke: My Lord! I'm ready to live my life as a slave regardless of how hard it will be.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Then so be it. Get up and go live your life as a slave in my house.

She got up and turned to leave.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Wait!!

He stood up and grabbed her from the back.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Before you go, I'm gonna have a taste of you.

Funke: My Lord please don't do this..... don't do......

He pushed her on the bed, unleashed his dragon and raped her.

Ààre Ògúnmólá: Ohh!! You're so sweet!! I never knew you were a virgin.

He talked to the crying funke as she dressed herself and left his presence. She couldn't bear the shame of carrying the baby whose father can't be revealed so she sneaked out and ran into the woods in the middle of the night.