Could Lanroye have betrayed us all? Were the gods also taken captive as I was? Helpless as I was as sacrilegious practices were experimented on their bodies. My three wives, Orunmilla the basket of wisdom, Olokun the sea king, Obatala also named Orisha nla (the arch divinity);
Creator forbids...The boy Shettima’s revelation chilled me to the depths of my bones even as I danced as if nothing was amiss.
Lanroye’s eternal grudge has been held against me for slaying his twin thousands of years ago but it was with Ogun of Ire I held bitter rivalry since my ascension as Orisha.
My fame as a mortal increased more as an Orisha, a large portion of Ogun’s warriors began to take me as their patron god, the war god was not happy to share, unlike the rest of the Orishas he saw me for who I was, power hungry, spoilt and vain. I threw parties in my brass palace in the sky, broke protocols by mingling with the mortals during festivals, womanized goddesse
I barely had time to gloat before I was hit with the whirlwind that was Ogun, I was ashamed to say that I was bested that fateful day, the war god’s brass and iron swords flashed like the wings of a dragonfly as I was driven back from the smithy’s out to the skies of Ire as I clumsily wielded Oshe trying hard to avoid getting beheaded.I pushed the angry deity back with all my strength, granting me a few moments respite; making good use of that moment of breath I summoned lightening and hurled enough tons to level the hill of Ire on its master holding the lightening for as long as I could.When the smoke cleared, I beheld Ogun still standing, black with soot his eyes glowed red, ripping muscles struggled to escape the confines of divine armor, he laughed and tore at his armor, his muscles morphing like ocean waves, Ogun was just getting warmed up as he has gone totally berserk, then I knew I was in trouble.I knew I had overdone it this time ar
It’s been four days since the dance, the children strolled around town enjoying their new freedom. Shango sometimes tagged alone, uninterested, a faraway look in his eyes.Having no idea of what had become of Logan, they sometimes argued at length about finding out whether he was okay and how they were going to rescue him.“I’m pretty sure he is still alive, I bet he’s much more valuable to them now since they lost us, they must have simply moved him to some other safe house elsewhere.” Shettima remarked. “Now that the institute and the government have their hands full convincing the public, we can be on to them, the assurance that we would be running as far away from them gives us the upper hand.”Afterwards, they all concluded that with Shango by their side they can launch a rescue for Logan and then figure out how to disappear from the institute's radar, they hurried back to their camp on the plateau to inform the thu
A tall man strolled gaily through the motor park; oblivious of the stares he was provoking, his cloths was the object of their stares. It was as if he had bought a variety of clothings both native and western and had decided to try them all on.He had a denim hat perched on top a dog eared style native cap the Yoruba called abetí ajá, the pointy dog ears sticking out like bat wings, a monkey jacket on a babariga robe, a pair of Jordan sneakers on a native hunters knee sized dogo shorts, he looked absolutely ridiculous in his bastardized outfit that the passerby’s concluded he was either at the early stage of lunacy or he had recently escaped from a mental home.He boarded a bus heading into town and sat by the window, a plump elderly lady soon joined him, he greeted her cheerfully but rather loudly, she in turn ignored him with a hiss as she muttered about youths doing drugs and wasting their future. The man shrugged unperturbed, whistled happily to
Before I continue..i thought I should post a short glossary on the orishá before..seems fitting as I'm going to writing more about west African deities, since they're aren't quite as as well known to theathe readers like their Europeans and Asian counterparts.Ajaka- Sango’s half-brother, 2nd Alaafin of Oyo empire (deified) Orisha of earthquakesAjé- Goddess of wealthArò meta- (Yoruba translation, meaning three witches) sisters of Lanroye & Elegbara, the three patron goddesses of witches and wizards, Orisha of magic and sorceryAlaafia- Orisha of peace, daughter of AjeAroni- (the one-legged, Aroni the great green)Orisha of the forest
Look out for the stone hurlerHearken to the rhythm of his thundering footstepsAs they stamp to the steady beats of the Bata drumThe fumes of his fiery breath announcing his arrivalListen for the sounds of gunpowder and the melody of clashing steello the iron one approachesFor that is the only tune he dances toThe sharp metallic smell of bloodbath declares his arrivalBrace yourself in readiness when you hear the yawning of the elder godsListen to the creaking of limbs not used for a centuryAs they arose to the harsh sound of the brass gongAlong with the sonorous voice of the gate keeperAnd to the king of them all…the lord of white clothsIn his place of solitudeHe will hear the brass gongAnd there shall be no more sleep in his ancient eyesBut for the offending smellComing from the basket on the spidery one’s headThe basket of sacr
Detective Okafor picked his way carefully among the rubbles that was the remains of the junior secondary school's staff room building, the entire school has been abandoned since an Abami took a likening to the environment and then decided to move in, living in the staff room building.It’s been a couple of months since the calamitous incident in Lagos and the escape of all sorts of abnormal anomalies that the newspapers and the media has been dubbing the Abami into the city and neighboring towns, some of the creatures are yet to be accounted for, the aquatic looking ones into the sea while others had fled into the wild, some of the smaller ones even managed to hide out inside the city but recently the monstrous ones were being forced out to seek food, in a city population of over 5million, it was like trapping a hungry fox inside a pen full of chickens.Just a few weeks back, an Abami had laid waste to the streets of Victoria garden city before it was finally ove
A few hours later, the detective was driving through the suburbs of Maryland, six years since he got transferred to the metropolitan city of Lagos and fifteen years of service in the police enforcement, he’d have thought he ought to have gotten used to the infamous Lagos traffic but he knew if he could not get used to it, he was sure nobody can.The traffic gridlock could be so bad at times, moving at a snail pace that a destination that would have taken an hour could take three, at first, one would think that the reason for the gridlock hold-up was the incompetence of the traffic law enforcement agency but the truth was that Lagosians are impatient.For instance, they were only law-abiding under the watching eyes of a traffic officer but as soon as nobody’s watching, they flaunt traffic rules, finding ways to create extra grid lanes, ignored the speed limit and the traffic lights and were only sorry when they got caught and fined.But the reas
Binta sighed contently as she basked in the mid-day Ivory Coast sun, the animated French accented voice conversing with her mother drifted over her thoughts as she sipped chilled coconut milk. She signed once again as she laid back down on the pent house balcony’s reclined chair pushing the voices away to focus more on her reminisce.It’s been three months since they fled the institute and one since they found her birth mother. She still found it hard to believe her mother was Cha Cha Adaure Roberts, if someone had told her months before that her favorite celebrity was her mother, she would have recommended floor 01 to them, it was where all the crazies were incarcerated in the institute. Cha Cha Roberts was a wealthy superstar Nigerian actress and model, with multiple awards wins and nominations across the continent and the world. She watched as her mother and her make-up artist chattered on as they get her ready for a photo shoot, the main reason why she followe
It was morning by the time doctor Chisom finished her story, the rest of the siblings save for Babybaby met them in the middle of the story telling and had joined in to listen.“You now see why I reacted that way when I first knew who you really were back in my office,” the high priestess address the youths with a grave voice. “In every age that a child of Shango was born in, Chaos was sure to follow, and in my era, there are six of you, actually there seem to be more of you out there somewhere.”They all looked up at this, mutual expressions of bemusement on each of their faces as they exchanged looks, Shettima was the first to speak up to voice out their collective thoughts. “what do you mean by more of us doctor, expect for perhaps Logan who we aren't even sure if he's still alive or not, we are all that is left of the 5th generation, the older ones died of overload.”“Presumably so because that might be what they've
From then on, the spirit of rebellion and independence began to spread throughout the kingdom. Prince Adebo was placed on the throne with the nominal title of King, but without the authority and power of a King. It was his misfortune to have come to the throne at such a time, and he held the scepter for only 130 days. Afonja the Kakanfo of Ilorin and Opele the Duke of Gbogun were the first to proclaim their independence, other chiefs soon followed their examples. This was the commencement of the break-up of the unity of the Yoruba kingdoms, and the beginning of the tribal independence. Tribute was no longer paid to the emperor, the throne’s messengers and courtiers no longer carried that dread as before, nor were they allowed to oppress people or enrich themselves with their goods as before.As the emperor's authority waned, so also the respect and deference previously paid to the citizens of the capital ceased; they were even treated disrespectfully and became the subj
She laid back, long after she had woken up, but she was not ready to open her eyes yet as she gathered her thoughts, her real body felt fragile compared to the warrior prince whom body she had shared in her dream. He was proud, powerful and had no single outa of the fear and the uncertainty that was her own reality. With a sigh she sat up to glance around the room she was sharing with Binta, it was just the second day since doctor Chisom had taken them to her home while they wait for Amadioha’s return.The high priestess/doctor was a kind host even if aloof and unpredictable with the way her personalities fluctuates at times, she lived in a large and comfortable building in the private senior lecturers quarters on the university campus ground, dropping them in to settle down while she had pretty much left them to their own device since. Omotola forced her body out of bed to see if she could find some leftovers from the large refrigerator, she had slept rather early, lon
Shortly after Olobiri’s second challenge that morning, he rounded it up by pulling down his under cloths and defecated on a Ivie branch, the emblem of Arualan’s office in the presence of the entire Benin army, an insult to his person, bringing an outcry of outrage from a hundred thousand mouths, in a blind rage, Ise had charged him unarmored and was quickly followed by the members of his age sect, not daunted; Olobiri had calmly wiped himself with the leaves, and arranged his cloths before Ise had covered the distance, stooped calmly under the sword meant for his head, grabbed hold of Ise’s midribs, broke a rib and stabbed it upward toward his heart, the poor boy had died on the spot.It had happened so fast; his sect members took it as an act of Juju sorcery and had beat a hasty retreat without bothering to retrieve his corpse.“Your boy was a fool of fools Ologboshere Obosa, Iyase Ekpengba sneered, ‘’now his bleached skull has been
Omotola felt herself once again being carried across a dusky sky on strong hardy wings, but the wings were not her own, it belonged to a white-backed vulture, she was the vulture and yet not the vulture, she felt like she was just sharing passage, just an observer and not the one behind the wheel. she soared effortlessly on; her keen gaze swept over the West African savannah below, missing nothing.A herd of gazelles leapt across the Omehrvon River, she had no idea how she came to know the river’s name but still she knew. Her host’s keen eyes watched as each herbivore tried to outleap its companion in a vain show of virility. It was mid rainy season, with plenty of supple grassland to graze on. The herd was strong and its calves healthy. A weak or ill stray for it to stalk was less likely as its gaze sought out other prey, the belly of the vulture; whose body she was currently habituating rumbled in anticipation at the thought.Next, she saw a pride of lion
Russell’s journalDec 24, 1887.It's Christmas Eve, but the festive atmosphere that was supposed to come with the spirit of yuletide is lacking, replaced instead by fear and uncertainty.Another moment of respite has allowed me a bit space to continue writing, not since the last time our sojourn had gotten more perilous, and the split between the factions that made up our party had only gotten so much worse that I am beginning to doubt if we still have the same goals or still looking for the same thing, we’d only stopped just to eat and to get some sleep.The native porters and trackers had already fled as soon as the intent was known that we were expected to enter into the sacred groove, now we spent the better part of our precious times hurling and dragging our own baggage’s behind us instead of spending it in research. Now here we are, at the mercy of the sponsor’s personal trackers and his band of unruly mercenaries.Qui
Amadioha led them through a narrow passage from the back-office corridor and stopped before a large door, he muttered a few words under his breathe before opening the door to a serene environment, a stark difference to the rowdiness they’d left behind in Onitsha market.The siblings filed out the office door as they gazed around in wonder, they knew that they are no longer in the city of Onitsha, the enormous billboard hanging in the distance informed them that they were within the campus ground of the university of Nigeria, Nsukka. The Igbo deity led them briskly down the campus walkway as they took in the sights and impressive faculty buildings, one of their professors from the institute claimed to have been from the university, like everything they’d known, their knowledge of the famous university had been from hearsay and video clips.Amadioha strolled unconcerned on through the bustle of students and other academics, it was as if they were invisible to
The light led them on to the edge of the Onitsha market just as they were sighted by another party of their pursuers. Ducking quickly into the crowded market in the hope of shaking them off among the bustle, the glimmer of light seems to pulse brighter as they drew nearer, leading them onward through the cloth merchants shops, down an alley and then to the electronic storefronts of the market where it finally settled on one of its buildings where a man stood waiting as if he was expecting them.At first, they stood unsure of their next move just as they heard the shout of the Askari guards ordering people to clear from their path. In Panick they quickened their paces until they had moved within hearing distance of the man who halted them in their tracks with a commanding voice. On closer inspection, he looked middle aged, portly and jovial looking but at that moment, his cloudy face was not looking welcoming.“I’ve been waiting for whoever’s responsib
The Askaris skidded to a stop in unison as they warily appraised their targets in defensive stances; they drew stun rods instead of the large guns strapped behind them, a safe bet that the children were still wanted in one piece; the harsh breathing from the Elite Askaris helmets visor was the thing betraying their rigid postures. One of the Askaris stepped forward as he reached up to his helmet, the tinted visor slid up with a hiss to expose his grinning face. The siblings started in recognition.It was Miguel; one of the Brazilian twins, the sparring pair at the institute drill hall. They were last seen right after Obiora had injured the both of them when his flaming feathers manifested.“You,” Obiora snarled, his long-buried resentment for his old tormentor curled up his throat.“Hello to you too amigo, still yet to have that fiery temper of yours under control?” Miguel chuckled, “I’m a little hurt my friend, you don’