They found themselves in a large dome shaped hall, bigger even than the halls they used for drills, the spherical roof inlaid with glass windows from which a group of people stared down at them, dressed in business suits, army uniforms and lab coats, Omotola noticed doctor Mugabe standing with a stern faced broad shouldered man in an army suit decorated with so much medals she wondered why she wasn’t hearing the jingling down from where she stood.
“Can someone tell me what’s going on here?’’ Orchid whispered nervously, they were alone now, their handlers had silently withdrawn.
“These people own us,’’ Shettima said so quiet Obiora had to lean forward to hear him; they’re here to watch us do what we’ve been trained to do since we learned to walk and fly, the 5th children were silent as his words sank in.
“What do they want from us?" Babybaby asked, her lower lip quivering.
“To do what we do best’’ Obiora replied this
As I once more fled to the solitude of dreams, the weaker I had become, the weaker my grasp over my dreams as I was instead swept into memories I had no desire to remember. To my chagrin and shame, I was forced to re-live them all, the pains and regrets and then this particular one I was swept unto like the erratic flow of a river pregnant with rains.I saw myself strolling through the slave markets of Ajashe Ipo; now known as Porto-novo, invisible to the eyes of the the mortal traders and merchants. The gathering of clouds and the distant rumble of thunder heralded my arrival, the traders throwing a few worried glances at the sky wondering whether it might rain.All this I ignored as I moved closer to the objects of both my curiosity and loathing. The foreign Portuguese merchants.For a while I stood and watched the foreigners argue with Yorùbá, Fon and Ewẹ traders, haggling and bartering goods, salts and gold in exchange for slave
Something woke Omotola in the dark. She squealed, panicking until a familiar voice hissed at her to hush it, she brushed her hair from her face and glared balefully at Shettima.“What’s the big idea Dracula you want to give me a heart attack?’’ He smiled apologetic, "sorry if I scared you, but it's really important that we talk.’’“You saw me at drills just this morning,’’ Omotola growled irritated, ‘’I need my sleep, and haven’t we agreed you quit your midnight strolls for a while? You’ll ruin everything.’’“Change of plans, I saw something else’’ he cuts in so sharply she shuts up fast, “if we have to leave we should leave soon.’’“You have a nice cubicle, she heard a deep voice said.’’She squealed again in alarm, her wings flashed electricity so bright Shettima flinched, then she saw Obiora chuckling, his twin Orchid stood beside him grinning in amusement, carrying a sleepy Babybaby astride her
But things took a turn for the worse as the classes they’ve always had together was canceled, Omotola had a sick feeling that the institute was trying to ease their separation by keeping them apart, like puppies about to be sold off, not siblings with humane feelings.Drills and tuition became a private activity and their schedules were adjusted to reduce the chance of them being together but instead, the recent turn of event did nothing but agitate them the more as they began to act unruly, Omotola was punished, prodded and confined to her cubicle without meals several times for asking questions, of course the institute needed someone to blame for that because Katie was never seen again, and she was replaced by a stone faced lady who ignored all attempts at conversation.“Where’s Katie?’’“Silence…”“Who are you and when is she coming back?”“More silence…”&ldq
“Who are you?’’ Binta asked, her voice squeaky, which sounded kind of silly since he already introduced himself as their father. The man seem to think the same because his chuckle like thunder booms shook the room.“You look like Aina my first daughter whom my wife Oshun bore for me. She was always mischievous. Alas she perished in the great fire. The corners of his mouth seem to curl downwards in regret as he said this, then a smirk spread over his face so fast Omotola thought she must have imagined it been sad a second ago.“So the pampered 5th generation finally had the liver to step out of their comfort shells, I was beginning to think you were too daft to think for yourselves’’. His jabs stung but they wisely held their tongues but Babybaby who was still learning to keep her mouth shut, stood up for them.“No we’re not! She fired back “Look who managed to get himself locked in a cage, who’s the daft one now.’’ they held breaths
“I admit that I underestimated you pagan god,’’ Doctor Mugabe said, his bearded face demonized by his furious countenance. “your unwelcomed affiliation with the specimens has complicated our plans but no matter, we’ll improvise, you have been nothing but trouble from the onset but soon, your usefulness to mankind will soon be over.”Shango’s face was devoid of expression but his fierce eyes followed Doctor Mugabe as he stalked around his spherical cage with so much intensity Omotola wondered why he wasn’t blown away by the psychic wave of hatred pulsing his way.“Your rebellious curiosity disappoints me children,” the doctor stopped to face the 5th generation children, his back to Shango’s cage in a show of power. “In spite of our care and nurturing, a decorated monkey will still be a monkey, since you have decided to act like your freak sire, we shall treat you as such, now we cannot afford to allow you jeopardize our decade long plans at the peak
I had always pictured these children as repulsive and witless as the other abominations the men in white coats created from my blood, I was wrong, for there they were before me, magnificent and regal in their bearings, I couldn’t help but feel some pride burning through my being.They daring to come seeking answers to quench their doubts signifies creatures blessed with intelligence and bravery, my heart stirred with hope. The men in long white coats had finally made their mistake, for my liberation stood before me in the form of my offspring, I answered their questions as best as I could for I needed to bring them to my side. I told them everything about me and everything I knew about the institute they called home.In answering theirs, I couldn’t help but wonder about whom answers mine, how they found my body, how they succeeded in holding me for decades, and the powers behind their existence, the people who gave them the go ahead to eat their pou
I spent the better part of the day searching for a trail but found none, it was as if the missing members of my band had disappeared into thin air, but still I followed my instinct as I burrowed deeper into the forest, on the second day of my search. I made my first encounter, an old woman so wizened, death mistook her for dead and so she lived on.“Come to me young warrior’’ she croaked as i drew close, "lend me your strength and youth."“Stand back old one,’’ she stopped as I drew my cutlass, “my strength is mine for I earned it, my youth is mine for it is my time, why borrow mine when you spent yours to the fullest even though I find it hard to believe you were once supple and young.’’ I grinned mischievously.“A trade then,” the old woman crooned, "a sliver of youth for a glimpse of your future, or a chance at what you most desire.’’“No thank you old mother," I answered polite but firm, "I am young and full of
“I have you old one," I answered, my reply sent him into another bout of laughter.“You’re not only brave but cunny, surely Ogun did not have my backing but you could, if you are willing to accept my patronage; for your skills, strength and iron cutlass will avail you not when you face the daemon deity.""Who are you who calls Ogun the terrible war god with such familiarity.""I am Shokoti the elder smith god, he proclaimed, rising up to his full height, it was at my bellows that a young Ogun learnt his trade.’’I bowed and payed homage.“Then you must surely have a weapon that can defeat Elegbara I implored.”Shokoti smiled and answered, “why ask a yam farmer if he knows how to plant and grow cassava, for if he can cultivate yam he will surely know the secret behind planting cassava for are they not both tuber? surely that was not the question I expected from you.
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’