Ife made a hurried call to Babatunde as she ran after Lucas. But Lucas took a short cut and by the time Lucas was found, he had finished castrating Ojo who was left screaming his head off in a pool of his own blood before his equally screaming wife.
Ojo was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery and Lucas taken to the police station. Ife insisted that Tinu could not be left alone so she was taken into the protective custody of the palace.
It was a long day for Ife, Tinu and Babatunde, who as Kabiyesi requested that the details of the event should be kept away from the prying press. He asked that when Ojo recovered he would be left to decide if he wanted to press charges. The police kept Lucas under protective observation as there was the concern that he might inflict bodily harm on his own person as well. Lucas was like someone under a rigid influence and he locked his teeth and said nothing, just kept shivering and would shake his fist. A close relative came to take the children into temporary care while the case was being resolved.
Ife was close to tears too and sat in the palace sitting room with her head in her hands trying to think. Late in the night Babatunde walked in and watched his wife. He sat next to her and pulled Ife into his warm embrace, rocking her gently so she could allow the stress to flow out.
“How is Ojo?”
“He will never be able to do that to any woman again, not even his wife,” Babatunde replied grimly.
“But why did he do that?” Ife asked. “Why are men evil?”
There was silence as Babatunde went on rocking her until she sighed and pulled out of his arms. Her cheeks were wet with tears but she was calmer and looked round the room.
“Can something be salvaged for Tinu and Lucas? Lion, would Tinu be whole? That blood he sucked from her was like a vampire, right? Why did he do that?”
“Take it easy, Princess, there is an antidote for every illness except Vengeance which belongs to Edumare. We will make herbs for Tinu that will take the effects of the mind-altering substance out of her system. Since Ojo sucked her blood without her consent, the binding he wanted would not be effective but we will do that in reverse order for Tinu anyway. That is why we say a true initiate, when he makes medicine, keeps the antidote for himself. The final antidote rests with the Lion.”
“What do you mean?”
“As the Kabiyesi, every medicine man is required to list his medicine with the young Lion, since I am about to vacate that post as Ifa has dictated, I had taken the precaution to request that the listing be made up to date and I submitted my own nominee for the young Lion last night at the Ifa meeting.”
Ife asked, “You have nominated someone?”
Kabiyesi smiled and said yes he had and asked that Ife should not filch it from his mind. That comment brought a smile to Ife and she said she would not filch as she understood he must stand in prayer and be sure of his choice.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning, just before dawn, Iwapele knocked on the palace gates bearing a steaming pot of local herbs for Tinu. Ife was happy to take the herbs to her friend. It was clear from her swollen eyes that she had cried herself to sleep. She was woken up and given the herbs to drink. Yeye and Iwapele also asked her to take some infusions while they waited. Fifteen minutes later they left the palace quietly. They had done their ministrations silently. That treatment was maintained every morning before dawn for seven days. In the tradition and culture of the people seven was a very important number and seen as a figure denoting the number of Olodumare. So if you had a treatment that was in multiples of seven it indicated you were being treated by the highest initiate.
When Ojo healed from his wound, he was brought to the palace and taken into the innermost chamber known as the trial room and left there in the dark for two nights. Every night a woman will come and walk round him, but her face would be in the shadows. He would be asked how a woman came into the world and she would use a small swish on him if he didn’t answer in time. He was also asked to answer how he was born, if he was born of a woman. During the night his ears were assailed by the screams of women and girls and he would hear their screams as they talked about giving birth to children. He would hear the cry of newborn babies and more screams. He was given a very bitter liquid to drink but no water. By the third morning he was close to being a wreck. They opened the windows in the trial room and a masquerade walked in and around him, asking questions in rapid-fire style. The masquerade gave very guttural sounds and looked very angry. The masquerade walked away and came placing a chair in front of Ojo. Ojo was observed impassively by a very young boy dressed in a white robe with a white cane and one string of white cowries lying on the floor. Ojo seemed incapable of looking away from the single white cowrie string.
It was the cowrie string of Numen. It looked so simple but it seemed to send fear into Ojo who soon enough started to sweat profusely. He trembled, opened his parched throat asking for water…but rather water came out from the string. The cowrie string seemed to start oozing water and it drifted towards Ojo who watched it in terror. A gentle breeze started to blow and it looked like it was going to rain. The young quiet boy did not move a muscle nor look towards Ojo. It appeared that Ojo was tied down to the particular spot in front of the string but there were no visible strings or ropes holding him. He twitched and after a while lay still. The young boy stood up and placed the white cane in his hand on the supine figure of Ojo, then he walked out. There was a clap of thunder, a gentle drizzle and it could be observed that after a while, the figure of Ojo held the white stringed cowrie as he seemed to have drifted off to sleep.
~~~
Ife opened her eyes from the grove where she had been before dawn and sighed. It was a rough night for her for she had to counsel Ojo. She talked to his mind and showed him what his role as man towards a woman ought to be. She was permitted the opportunity to take him on journeys where he learnt the special responsibility women had to bear to be the transiting station for the world of men.
“You see, a woman is the last messenger of Edumare to his creation. She is the one Edumare gave the keys to and she is to look after the rest of the species. The lioness is fiercer as it stands in protection over its offspring. When you misuse women you extend a heavy karma over your soul.”
It had taken a while before the mind of Ojo opened and she prayed he would change his ways. Ife learned gradually that it was not in the best interest of her women to accept physical violence against their persons. So she had gradually started off small discussions for the women at the grove.
The grove was no longer just a place that was visited by women or men at very rare festivals now, she had gradually created interest to give the women a reason to come. On a monthly basis she would invite Yeye to give small demonstrations on the use of herbs and subtly started inviting the traditional weavers to weave something nice for the girls to use for the airegbe dances, saying being vestal had nothing to do with being naked. The older women had been scandalized but the younger ones were relieved and she also held discreet reproduction conversations with the young girls whom she encouraged to come to the grove to seek her out.
She became available as no other Olori had been before her. It was now commonplace to see women wave at her or come over whenever she was on her way to the grove. She was still not permitted to enter the market but there was always a lot of women who brought their wares to the palace for her to have first pick.
Her pregnancy had started to show and Ife could sense the approval from the old ladies that Kabiyesi was doing his job in earnest, which tended to amuse her. The old palace queens would come to give her counsel on what she could eat and be worried if she tried to go anywhere in midafternoon.
As her date for formal resignation from the hospital management board drew near, she became busier at the palace planning a nursery for her son. She had refused to scan for the sex of the child as she already knew.
Babatunde would watch the glow that seemed to follow Ife around and he would complain that he was wor
ried to see her fully at the palace because he was too anxious anytime she went to the city. Ife felt the force and protection of his love and she radiated happiness.
Gradually Tinu healed and returned to her home, collecting her children from her relative. She frequented the grove more often and Ife was anxious to see the spontaneity of her friend return. She prayed too.
~~~
Two days after Tinu returned to her home and came to the grove, Lucas also came to the grove. Tinu watched him apprehensively. It was clear to Ife, who was observing the pair, that Tinu and Lucas had not had any private moment since that terrible day. Yeye also quietly watched them but said nothing. Tinu stood still watching Lucas approach but she seemed resigned to whatever Lucas may be thinking.
Lucas got into the middle of the clearing and stayed silent, not moving. Ife prayed and projected peace to him from where she stood at the entrance. Tinu took one tentative step then hesitated obviously confused by Lucas standing still in the middle of the clearing. It seemed to the women watching that he was waiting for something.
Iwapele emerged from the grove and saw him, then she moved towards him smiling happily. He stayed and looked at her in obvious shock. Ife saw that he had not been aware of Iwapele at the grove and had not seen Iwapele since that unfortunate day. He dropped on his knees and raised his hands high to the sky in an attitude of supplication and thanks.
Ife now understood what was meant. Lucas needed to have Iwapele’s forgiveness because somewhere in the subconscious of Lucas, he had failed a woman and needed to have absolution. It was now clear to Ife what was needed to make Lucas feel whole again.
Iwapele looked towards her for guidance and she heard the shy appeal from Iwapele’s mind. She told Iwapele through her mind to take the calabash of water and pour the contents on Lucas. As soon as that was done, rain descended without warning on everyone present. Ife gave a joyous shout and all the women who happened to be at the grove rushed towards Lucas and embraced him, one after the other.
Ife felt a cleansing had been done. A smile broke forth from the lips of Lucas and for the first time Ife saw him walk towards his wife and draw her to his chest. The women cheered as Tinu buried her face in his chest like a shy bride.
“Lucas got his healing and the home was healed through the gift of Numen,” Ife narrated to Babatunde later.
~~~
Adejare sat opposite Babatunde and swallowed hard. He was trying to take in the news that Babatunde was telling him.
“I have not the faintest idea how I am going to be a Lion, Kabiyesi.”
“I didn’t either,” Kabiyesi replied, and then explained that Adejare already had one of the qualities that was required. Adejare wondered what that could be, and he reminded Babatunde that he had been relieved when the threat of being a king was lifted from him. Babatunde laughed at that and asked him why he had thought it was a threat. Adejare stated that he really hadn’t felt kingly no matter what his mother had said.
“So what happened to the lady you wanted to marry that time?” Babatunde asked.
Adejare said that his intended bride had developed cold feet when she saw that he was showing too much interest in the welfare of the town. He laughed as he explained that the last straw as far as the lady was concerned was when he had brought in Tom to set up a wood factory in town and gave out those scholarships.
“She is not too much into all these, you know Kabiyesi.”
“You might pick a bride from the town soon then.”
“Ergh, that is not an order I hope?”
Babatunde grinned. “Wouldn’t be a tough order, would it? I thought you paid too close attention to Tolani the other day.”
“Just making sure she looked well. Kabiyesi should not pay too much attention to my wandering eyes.”
Abruptly Babatunde growled deep in his throat, like a warning call, and Adejare without thinking growled a response.
Adejare stared in shock while Babatunde gave a satisfied nod as if he was confirming something for himself.
“I am sorry, that was instinctive, Kabiyesi.”
“That was confirmatory for me. Have you heard the Biblical passage that said ‘and these signs shall follow my sheep?’”
Adejare shocked by the abruptness of the change in conversation looked askance at Babatunde, then he laughed. “Kabiyesi, please read the Bible properly before you misquote it again.”
Babatunde said that he was not in a Bible class or answering a quiz but was sure Adejare had a general idea of what he meant. Babatunde liked the easy friendship and unforced camaraderie he enjoyed with Adejare. He had remembered the day he had dared Adejare for a task and how Adejare had risen up to the challenge. He felt in his being that Adejare was truly the young Lion and that he would stay as protector for the town.
~~~
Two nights later, a native cloth was presented to Adejare at dawn by Babamogba and he was requested to come to the inner courtyard for his briefing. When Ife was told of this she laughed and shook her head at Babatunde, wondering how he had persuaded Adejare.
“I simply issued a call and he responded.”
“Really, just like that? What did you use, a horn or whip?”
Babatunde laughed but said nothing more. Ife sent her congratulations to Adejare, wishing him success in his new responsibilities. When Tinu heard, she sent a basket of fruit to the family of Adejare. As was the custom, women sent in firewood while the men sent in whatever farm produce they could. All men within the age grade of Adejare also were required to prepare for the robing. It was a festival that was very rarely carried out.
Yeye also prepared the grove as young women were expected to be those that would robe Adejare in his new garb as the young Lion. It was a symbolic festival that was enacted to show when the Lion had given his protection to the town. Babatunde had filled that post before his sudden crowning as king.
Nobody else had contended that title and Adejare was seen as the popular unanimous choice of not only Babatunde and Ifa, but of the populace as well. Preparations went into top gear for the formal robing. Ifa was consulted and the day was chosen and approved.
Chapter Twenty
It was Ife’s last day at the State House clinic and as a civil servant. She had met the lady taking over from her and reviewed case notes with the woman. Mrs. Shade Olawale. A petite light skinned lady who was excited about being appointed as physician to the First Lady. Ife was amused watching the excitement. She had not been pleased but this lady in front of her was over the moon at what she saw as some type of promotion. She wanted to know from Ife what the schedules were, how soon she could be given a car and if she would be allowed to go away with her own car as she understood that Ife was being given a jeep no less.
Ife was startled by the information and she stared at the woman in disbelief asking her if she was sure she had the right information. Mrs. Olawale clamped her hands to her mouth in horror at having allowed the information to slip and almost knelt down begging Ife not to let on. She said she just heard it from the personal secretary. According to the personal secretary he didn’t want to be told a story about witches again.
Ife was puzzled until she remembered when she explained about culpability of bribery through accepting gifts if you were not sure you have qualified for them. Ife smiled. “No wonder he always looked at me strangely since then—I am not a witch.”
Mrs. Olawale defended her instantly, “No of course not!”
Ife wondered how she was going to accept such a gift and what she was going to tell the First Lady. Over the period she had worked at the clinic, she had learned to like the ultra slim lady. She had seen her show class and finesse in the face of the crudity of women like Dolapo Peters or smelly Nike.
Ife admired the First Lady in the dignity she had brought to her office and the silent strength she had offered a man who in some situations had shown a cloven foot. She allowed that men were not perfect and she chaffed at the way they treated women. Also the lip service they gave
the women, who were most of the time used as political groupies. She was always saddened when at each function the women would rise and sing silly songs praising the Governor and his Commissioners just for the opportunity to be given tokens of so many meters of cheap material, a bag of rice, and occasionally tins of imported vegetable oil.
They hardly got contracts as the men generally treated the women as dumb donkeys. For a long time the best the women in politics could hope for was being called a Commissioner for Women Affairs and be the ‘woman leader’ as they were called. They hardly had any political input.
Ife remembered meeting the ‘woman leader’ of the ruling party. She could barely string two educated statements together. She depended on the power of her fetish medicines and boasted that she was always making sacrifices for the welfare of the state and her Governor. Ife had wondered in horror if she was being paid taxpayers’ money for such stupidity.
Tiwa had once asked her if she had anything against women in public office, and she had replied that the office of being a woman was much higher than that of being in public office.
“A real woman knows where her power lies, my elegant friend. We have moved so far away from being truly what we should be that we have ceded our true power, hence we are trampled upon. I am a medical doctor, there is nothing wrong in that or your profession but I never could understand why a woman would want to be a soldier or a wrestler. We did not only eat the apple we have refused to rise from the mud since then. I am not the one who would change the world but I can try to clean up my immediate environment.”
Tiwa had laughed but she was thoughtful and they both agreed that the season of rice distribution was upon them. Each time an election came near, trailers upon trailers of imported rice was loaded on and distributed as per ward loyalty. Each party competed to see who would distribute the most. Ife wondered why none of the recipients of rice ever asked for roads to be made, or boreholes sunk in their communities. She hated listening to communities coming to thank the government for providing them with electricity.
Numen! Page 18