CHAPTER ONE
DAUDU AND SERFA IN THE FARM
Wonders never cease!How did you do it? When did you come to the farm? Darkness has just disappeared ushering in the day and you farm this much. I must be dreaming! But if I am not, then you are a magician!
While he expresses surprise, Daudu was quiet and busy farming. When he discovered that Daudu had no interest in his conversation, he joined him in the farm.The two brothers went on, and on tilling the soil and forming well-structured ridges. While they were in they were in the process, they sang songs in their native language; everyone sang songs that pleased him.
Though,Daudu formed two halves at a time, he still moved faster than Serfa, his younger brother. At about 10:00am,they successfully completed four hectares of land which from a view looked like a corrugated iron sheet.
As the sun opens its arms to hug the earth, the two brothers were seated right under the mango tree in the arms of the fresh air and shed the mango tree provided. They would have continued farming but were invited by their mother; Mama Kuma, to eat before they continued. They were served with cooked yam with groundnut oil in calabashes. Before they ate, they washed their hands and also prayed to the gods to bless the food. "Aondo u abaverjua; Aondo u iyoughkough, Aondo uichergeigber haiverenshakwaghyanwese."
While they ate, they invited the passers-by. It was uncultured for the Tiv people to eat without inviting people to join them. They ate competitively till Daudu subsequently kept some pieces for Serfa. The moment Daudu was through with eating, Serfa shifted the calabashes to his own side and continued eating. Even though Serfa was thirsty, he waited until Daudu had taken some sip before he drank from the calabash. It waswrong for the young ones to drink first from the same cup before their elders, so he was satisfied that at least he did not allow his thirst to break this tradition.
When Serfa was through with the eating, they took about thirty minutes for rest and prepared to go back to the farm. As he was about to proceed to the farm, he hit the cutlass in his right hand on the mango tree leaving it wounded.Daudu who watched the scene in agony scolded him.
'Why did you wound that tree? You are very ungrateful. You just hurt the same tree that provided a warm shade for you. How would you have felt if someone did that to you?Is it because trees don't cry? I will beat you up if you try that nonsense next time.'
They planned farming more ridges than before but the scourging sun made the plans futile. They were compelled to leave the farm at noon.
Daudu Holds an Intimate Conversation with his Father
"Baba, why do you love having discussions with me in an open space?" asked Daudu.
"Walls have ears. You do not hold secret discussions within the confines of a building, there may be a spy listening to your discussions," Baba replied.
As the conversation went on and on, Daudu requested to know why women were prohibited from eating eggs, and Baba turned from side to side and around him to make sure there was no female around them. In a slow but comprehensive voice Baba whispered to his son.
"Chickens lay eggs in the kitchen and women are the closest set of people to the chickens, and if you allow them to eat eggs, they will finish everything."
Daudu who was anxious to hear his father answer him humorously told his father that he was shocked to death when his sister resisted temptation to go near eggs adding that she didn't want to be barren. They two laughed for a few seconds before normalcy was restored.
Again, Daudusought to know if the Imborvunguexisted in real life or fantasy. Baba wouldn't let the question lost in the air so he answered him again in a lower voice.
"The Imborvunguis real but cannot be seen by every mortal. That is why you can at any time open my box without you sighting it until I have opened your eyes to see in the spirit realm."
Even though Daudu was not convinced with all that his father told him, he reluctantly nodded his head with satisfaction.
Daudu Attends a Night Meeting with his Father
Just at about 3:00am, Baba appeared at his usual place in his Ate. On his stern face, a smile of satisfaction of satisfaction suddenly appeared leaving a fine dimple. Then, he dipped his right hand in his native hand bagand brought out a small human-like figure, made some incantations and dropped it on the ground. Behold,the human-like figure suddenly metamorphosed into a complete human. It was the giant youthful looking Daudu that was magically changed into a small figure to be carried in a bag.
When the transfiguration was over, the curious Daudu sought to know why he never heard anyone's name mentioned but rather names of diseases.
The father gently replied with all sense of willingness.
"It is only in the physical realm that we have names familiar to your understanding. Whenever we hold our meetings in the night we are named after diseases."
Daudu asked again "Does it really make any sense being called by the name of a disease?"
"It certainly does. That was the main reason I sneaked with you to our like-minded meeting. If tomorrow I answer the inevitable call and you are sick, you will know who exactly is responsible for your predicament. After the kinsmen must have spoken about your ill health condition, and have agreed that you be healed; tell the person responsible for your sickness again what the kinsmen said and he will quickly free you from the sickness because you know his secret." Baba replied.
The mbatsav cult held their meetings at the old hours of the day. Night meetings in Tiv land was a vital part of the culture. Serious matters concerning the village were discussed. They decided when somebody was worthy to die or live. The meeting was composed of only superhuman. It was never a group ofordinary people.
While Baba exposed these secrets to him, Daudu sat quietly listening like the audience to a thrilling performance. All that his father told him created a frightful atmosphere and images for him at that period and in his dreams when he finally slept.
Daudu Disappears
After a market day had gone by, in the early hours of the first day of the week, Daudu was nowhere to be found. On that cloudy morning when the dews were still in control of the sky, Daudu had met his father who was seated in a wooden chair with a chewing stick in his mouth, observing the rising of the sun from the east twice to know if he had called him but his father denied calling him. When he was back again the third time, it rang in Baba's head that it could be adzov that called his son. Then he warned him never to either answer or obey their instructions.
His father's warning fell into the abyss of futility when he heard another call. He suddenly became like a possessed fellow; walked like a mad man and ran like a cheetah. Before Baba could know what was going on, Daudu was a few kilometers away from his compound. He rushed after him like a dog to a rat with a loud shouting and asking for help. The youths who heard Baba's voice quickly ran after Daudu. Those who were in front lacked the stamina to stop him as he could even knock down a tree at that point. Even though Baba used his magical powers to stop him, it proved abortive as the adzov in operation were more powerful than him.
When he got to the marsh where a rock was, Daudu stood confused facing the small hole under the rock. Those who were after him thought he had come to a full stop. He saw a group of people in the hole commanding him to join them. As he went nearer to the rock, he heard voices warmly welcoming him.
"You are welcome our beloved one. Fear not,you are in the right place."
"Where are you taking me to?" Daudu asked.
I am sending you to rescue your people from chains in the spirit world. But before you get there you must pass through Torchi kingdom. You will go through a lot of pains and struggles on your way to Mede kingdom, your place of assignment. Do not give up under any circumstance. We will always be there for you."
To everyone's amazement, the giant Daudu entered a crab's hole and disappeared from their sight.
When cries occupied the atmosphere, a frightening voice spoke through the rock which kept the ground vibrating like an earthquake.
"Cry not! Why should you cry when a prophecy has taken effect? He is a Savior.He has been called upon to save his people in the spirit world. And as soon as he finishes, he shall be back again, he shall be back! Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha! He shall be back! Ha!Ha!Ha!Ha!"
Then, the voice was no more and the atmosphere married a silent mood. Those who were present at the incident left the place sadly and told the news to every ear that wanted to hear.
CHAPTER TWO
IN TORCHI 1
Torchi was a great and powerful king.He had fought and conquered many kingdoms. He was famous because of his magical skills at war. Any land he ever walked on became his territory. He kept every spirit he conquered behind bars. It was during his reign that a man from the eastern kingdom popularly called Mede kingdom came and took from him 300 spirit slaves.
It was this period that Mede people who first came aspeople of light established a relationship with the king based on slave transaction. Medians supplied fire arms, gun powder, canoes, knives, mirrors, gin, etc., to the king in exchange for slaves.
This made the king, as rich as he was, as a middleman. Torchi had a large prison yard which was divided into different categories. There were many reasons why people were put in these sections of prison. Some because they committed crime, some because they were captured in war and others because they owed debts which they could not pay. This kind of people and able bodied youths were transported to the Mede kingdom.
Thousands of people lived in thisprison. A section had the carrying capacity of 50 persons. The prison was made of hard wood crossed vertically and horizontally. Thorns were firmly tied which made the prisoners afraid of touching the prison walls. The top was covered with thatch roof. The whole prison was surrounded by giant guards who were chosen among the league of giants to be the strongest of all. They carried on them fire arms, knives, arrows and other weapons which could hurt, harm or kill when the need arose. They were dressed in animal-skin-like cloths.
Suswam and his two prison mates Delumun and Chaka were clustered together discussing about their pessimism. Chaka reminded his friends that it was just two days to the Ameladu market day. This was usually the day the slave buyers came to buy slaves.Delumun intimated them the pains they go through as slaves in Mede kingdom. That they were chained through their ankles and rope tied around their waist to work for Mede people in squalor. Suswam finally said that he preferred to be a prisoner in his kingdom than in Mede kingdom where slaves were properties to their masters.
Terlumun, one of the inmates, who was very familiar with the servants in Torchikingdom, gushed in with sad news which flooded the prison with a sea of tears. He informed his fellow inmates that the last caravan which took off the last market day was unsuccessful, that the caravan met with powerful bush warriors who attacked them. One painful fact that nailed the prisoners to the cross was the defeat of the Mede Caravan after a bloody combat. Terlumun maintained that, everyone in the caravan was sent six feet below exceptDaudu, who escaped narrowly using his magical powers. Guma could not hold himself but to burst into tears. This badnews elicited tension and confusion in the kingdom for many days and nights.
The king was highly troubled and felt guilty for refusing to heed to the advice of the gods through his messenger orakombo. The king hadearlier been warned by the orakombo to stop slave transaction with the Medianswho the gods sensed to be parasites of theTiv. The king carried away by the good advantages he got in exchange for slaves snubbed the gods and landed in hell.
The Ameladu Market Day
In the early hours of the day, Mede people arrived in Torchi kingdom. They came and demanded for more slaves with better inducements. As Torchi stared at them, he wondered why they were so heartless.
"After all that happened, all you do is to come back again with better inducements without even a sorry," lamented the king.
The king, this time refused compromise with the people of Mede. They threw the carrot approach into the dustbin and introduced the stick approach. The kingdom was surrounded with the allied warriors from Niger and Cameron with a few commanders from Mede kingdom. The warriors had weapons which were more advanced to the locally made weapons in Torchi kingdom. The king was given two options, either to sell his slaves or his kingdom destroyed. For the sake of his kingdom, he decided to assume the role of a beggar. He was forced to collect linen, woolen goods, beads, firearms, gun powder, mirrors and bottles of liquor in exchange for slaves.
The Testing Day
On this very day, the people of Torchi kingdom gathered in the village square for testing of things the king got in exchange for the last transaction. Everyone was surprised when a slave was dressed in a white linen gown. While some people among the audience said it was anjovthat came out in the daytime, some said it was the people of Mede who wanted to change his pale skin colour to black by rubbing charcoal on some selected parts of his skin. The Median who dressed the slave told the king that the cloth the slave wore was one of the best in the world. To the king's ears, it was a cook and bull story because he knew the best clothes were made from animal skin like his and the rest.
After a thorough brain wash by the Median, the king decided to test the mirror himself. Immediately he saw a figure in the mirror which looks like him, he flung the mirror to the ground, shouted and rent his cloths in despair. He thought that must have been the face of the gods. By tradition it was only the chief priest that saw face-to-face with the gods. TheMedian, astonished with the king's reaction, picked the mirror and observed it to know why the king flung it away. He further intimated the king about the mirror and its uses but the king rebuked him and prayed to the gods to forgive him.
The king commanded that if the testing of material was to be sustained; only the Median was to be involved in testing while they watched as mere spectators. In compliance with the directives, the Median took up a fire arm, filled it up with the gun powder, and shot it in the air. Before the smoke from the gun disappeared in the direction of the breeze the firearm shooter was left alone in the village square. He discovered he had been standing alone in the village square. He could not believe himself. He wiped his face with his palm to be sure it was not in a dream. He was not dreaming, it is obvious he was awake. After a few minutes, he decided to leave for home.
The Aftermath of Testing
It took the Median five good market days to reconcile with the people. The people fasted for a market and some days to please the gods whom they thought struck without rain on the day of testing materials. It was really a strange occurrence because there was no warning or sign to know if there was going to be doom in the kingdom. Everyone who was there at the testing scene told his own story to explain why there was a strange sound with smoke in the air. Some said it was the heaven that fell while others concluded that the world was coming to an end. Some people believed that only the gods could interpret the meaning of what happened, so they consulted the Oracle.
Because he was later warmly accepted in the kingdom, the Median decided to learn the culture of the people. He ate, drank, dressed and behaved like the subjects of Torchi kingdom. Because of this singular act, the people loved him and gave him a traditional title "boki uorTiv" (the friend of the Tiv). He was highly honoured and respected by the people. The king personally gave him his daughter for marriage. The kingdom was agog. Everybody waited to witness the marriage ceremony between the young Median and the princess of Torchi kingdom.
On the day before the ceremony, the Median went to the forest examining and testing things that caught his attention. He came across a very beautiful mushroompopularly called the yargbehe. He thought the mushroom was sweet, judging from appearance, so he decided to have a taste of it. The Median got home that evening barking like a dog.He backed at each question he was asked until the orakombo explain why he was barking. He told the people that the Median has had the taste of the forbiddenmushroom and that was why he was barking.
While at moonlight tale session, many stories were told to the younger generations, the moonlight story tellers - a group made up of men and women, who had different experiences about life and had known so much about the culture, customs and traditions of the people. The story of the Median was also included in the millions of oral folk lore of the people. The audience was seriously warned against eating or taking food they did not know much about. They were advised to seek the consent of the elderly ones before taking or eating food they had no knowledge of at all. In this moonlight tale sessions, the younger generations asked questions about things they were confused about and answers were provided by the elders who were believed to be all knowing.
Msuur, an inquisitive young girl, sought to know why the Medianshad a pale skin colour and they black. Jeiyo the eldest among the elders told her that it was the gods own making. That the gods created people in the world with different colours in his mysterious wisdom.Msuur consciously asked to know why the Medians that came to Torchi kingdom claimed they were the first people that God created but was wisely answered by eldest elder.
"No! It is a big lie; our people said some time ago that no one condemns that which is his or hers. The Medians only favoured themselves to have made such utterances. He told them that nobody was in existence in the time the world was created and therefore, there was no colour distinction in the beginning. After this interaction they dispersed to their various household.
CHAPTER THREE
IN MEDIAN KINGDOM 1
After a long caravan journey to the Mede kingdom, they finally arrived. Out of the five thousand slaves the Medians took from Torchi kingdom, only four thousand five hundred able bodied men arrived in the Median kingdom. The other five hundred brutally answered the inevitable call of nature: some of the slave died of hunger and thirst, while some because of pains from over punishment.
The next day early in the morning, they were channeled to their places of work. One thousand slaves were sent to the mining industries and another one thousand to the building and construction work. The agricultural sector was given one thousand slaves while the remaining one thousand five hundred slaves were kept for domestic services.
The slaves were marveled by the laws they met in the Medekingdom. They had been told at home that Mede kingdom had the best laws in the whole world, but they wondered why there where laws such as: slaves were the properties of the owners; he could be killed or maimed by the master's discretion. In Mede kingdom, slaves were not legally permitted to marry one another talk less of Mede ladies. It was clearly stated in section five subsection 1 of the constitution that on "No account should a Mede lady be seen with a slave." This offence was punishable by death. The slaves have no legal right to sue their masters in court of law except in a situation where the master committed a crime against the monarch. These laws made the slaves cried for the moon and wish to come back home but the environment they found themselves kept them too busy to even reckon on such issues.
Another scourge they experienced was the climatic condition. The cold weather kept them shivering like a villager's first visit to an air conditioned office. Their busy day at work was a relief factor to the harsh weather. They became emaciated as a result of lack of food. They discovered the contrast between their kingdom and the Medians anytime they were served with food. Sweet memories of how they used to cut rwam whose size was as big as Jupiter to swallow and feel alright. They also remembered how they received an alarm that something had entered whenever the rwam entered their stomach. This was a direct opposite of what they ate in Mede kingdom where they were served with small insects and long worms called noodles as food. The slaves had complained on many occasions that after they ate food, they got hungrier.
In Mede kingdom, nobody was anybody's keeper. Everybody was on his or her own.They were too achievement centered and nobody cared about his or her neighbour.
"You could be killed in your own room without anyone to rescue you," lamented by one of the slaves.
The slaves also found out some good in Median people. Suswam told his two friends Chaka and Delumun that he loves the Mediansbecause; they had a strong spirit of patriotism for their kingdom. Chaka was amazed how they treated their partners with respect, dignity and love. To Chaka, this attribute was rare in his kingdom where women are women and men, men: wives were like staff to their husbands with no salary. They heeded to the dictates of their husbands without complaint. Their husbands were their presiding judges without comment or complaint by the wives. Theirs was to unconditionally submit to the decisions of the husbands, in good or bad fate.
Delumun informed his friends to place limitation on their praises to the Medians, because of the bad experience he had in his home as a domestic servant.He told them that the Median children were highly disrespectful to their parents, as they hardly greeted their parents. He added that they stared at their parents' faces while talking to them and served as spies of their parents to the king.
Chaka cut in "If I were the one I would beat the devil out of my children."
"So you don't know what is happening in this kingdom?" asked Delumun.
Chaka harshly asked,"Is it wrong for me to punish my children with the stick approach at the failure of the carrot approach?"
"You will serve six years in prison if you try that here. It is only in Torchi kingdom that what you just said is practicable."
Delumun reluctantly asked shaking his head, "So the idiom by our people that said a child to a parent is a child to everybody in the kingdom and therefore must be punished by anyone when caught doing the wrong thing is unrealistic here?"
Chaka replied "So you still do not understand what I am talking about?" If the parents themselves have no right to punish their children what can an outsider do?"
Suswam quickly interrupted them. "Hey guys, be mindful of time, the first Cockcrow has just gone by, let's disperse for today, to our various destinations before these guys punish us for underground deeds against the kingdom. Everybody hurriedly rushed to their places of work after this statement.
CHAPTER FOUR
DAUDU KILLS A BEAST
In the early hours of the day on this very day, a beast broke into the Medekingdom. The beast was highly dangerous; it could kill and eat anyone insight. To the Medians, it was not a new thing because the beast had on several occasions, broken into their kingdom and eaten as many humans as it could and gone back to its hiding place; but to their new slaves, it was totally a strange thing because they had never had the experience of a beast eating up humans without been killed. Because the Medians had prepared for the coming of the beast, the king declared a week work free day. They were all indoors while the slaves continued their normal activities.
All the slaves were gathered in an open ground at the sight of the beast. The nearer the beast, the more fear gripped the innocent slaves who were completely armless; to fight the beast but one man was fearless among them. He was the famous Daudu who fearlessly came out with a catapult in his hands. The Medians who curiously watched the scene through their windows wondered why Daudu came out with a catapult in the face of the wild beast. It was indeed an unbelievable miracle why and how it happened but the doer and the spectators knew what led to what in the destruction of the beast. It all became a successful story when Daudu after several incantations called on his ancestors to arise and strengthen him to defeat the wild beast and save their children. Immediately after these incantations, he brought out a small stone whoseshape was like a lizard egg and inserted in the catapult. History has it that the stone was given to him by Tiv through his grandfather, who kept the stone from the rightful owner, to defend the children against any external aggression. Forcefully, he shot the beast on its forehead and the beast fell like a cut tree.
Daudu's grandfather was one of the greatest magicians that had ever lived.He was regarded asthe first human being that invented night vehicle and airplane in the world using groundnut objects, which he used for travelling to any part of the world in the night at the speed of light. In those days, his father wasthe famous and popular human being. Many people who knew about him regarded him as an immortal human until his death at the age of approximately one thousand years. He was called Tiv. Those who knew little about Daudu's background insinuated that he reincarnated with a new name, body and same soul in Daudu.
The Unwanted Change in System
There occurred a drastic and unexpected change in Medekingdom after the great event which took place leading to the killing of the beast, the greatest threat to Mede kingdom. The hitherto slaves had certain rights in return for the service provided. The chains of slavery were pulled down and freedom began to reign in Mede kingdom. Theslaves had their fundamental human rights protected by the laws of the land. As Daudu stared at his lovely wife, the princess of Medekingdom laid straight by his side, some certain thoughts ran through his mind:
"So it's true that impossibilities become possibilities in the face of the most difficult times when determination, sweat and pains bring forth freedom. It's certainly unbelievable!"
Daudu, a slave became husband to the princess of Mede kingdom. Daudu broke an uncommon record: he became the first person to be married to a Median. The couple were happily married with a bouncing baby boy whose name was Targema meaning "The world has changed."
With Daudu as the chief warrior, the king fought and conquered many kingdoms. There was also a belief that wherever the king stepped, he conquered and made it his territory.
The other former slaves also enjoyed a great deedof favours and freedom in Mede kingdom and they lived as freemen who were not judged by their background or skin colour but as any other human was judged. They could even hire or buy land anywhere in Mede as much as their Pound or Dollar could afford. They competitively engaged in the operation of the economy, politics, religion, culture, sports, education and other spheres of the kingdom. Daudu concluded that life in his era was worth living.
CHAPTER FIVE
SEGREGATION AND RECISM
A new king who had no knowledge of Daudu and his worth in the kingdom arose over Medekindom after time flapped its feathers and ushered in a new generation. WhenDaudu mysteriously disappeared, the king feared the inventions and discoveries made by the Daudu race. He could not believe how intelligent, successful and excellent they suddenly ventured in all spheres of the kingdom. He therefore brought hash measures on Daudu's race to limit the full realization of their dreams and potentialities. There arose a change in the status quoand the change ushered in a new system. Under this system, Medians were separatedfrom Dauduans in all ramificationsand new harsh laws emerged.Daudu race was not allowed to worship in the same places of worship with the medians; their children were not educated in the same schools with the medians; they were denied employment opportunities in the ocean of opportunities in the kingdom.
Targema,the leader ofDaudu race and his fellow race knew that the whole thing had suddenly become sour. They were not going to sit and fold their hands and watch footballers play with their hands in the football pitch.
Chaka's grandchild Tsav on several occasions reported to Targema that mede children had always felt his skin while walking on street to know if it could change the colour of their skin to black. On this fateful day, the mute Targema asked him a question:
"Little boy if I may ask, after touching your skin did his hands turn black?"
No, not at all," replied Tsav.
Targema told him to be proud of his own skin colour and let the bee buzz.
Targema Becomes a Father
It is virtually every parent's joy to see his or her child grows to adulthood before they wake up from the dream of life. Targema's mother,Aya was also not an exception. She was very happy not just because her son got married to a beautiful woman who was as beautiful as mama her, but because she gave birth to beautiful children for him. People kept wondering whether Kumashe and mama Aya were twins. The only clear difference between the two was age; Kumashe was younger while mama Aya older.
Targema had four kids with his wife,Kumashe. They were two boys and two girls namely Shiekuma (it's time), Shamimi (for the truth), Mnenge(I have seen) and Mdoom(the glory). These kids were the brains of their schools; their parents werehighly respected, honored and appreciated in school and beyond. Targema with his wife were very proud and happy parents.
1772 was neither the beginning nor the end but indeed the beginning of the end for Targema. A strange music with a melody one would love to listen to, began on the second day of the week.Targema had formed half of the ridges and asked the medianwho stood watching to complete the other halves. The medianin jest sought to know why he would have to complete the ridges but Targema defiantly added:
"If our harvest is supposed to be shared equally, then we are as well supposed to farm on equal basis."
The median cut in "For goodness sake who told you we are equal? For your information; the inferiority in my superiority is superior to your superiority, so never you compare yourself with me."
Targema stared at him and replied "Good grammar, grammatically correct but practically unrealistic. How can I believe your grammar when you can't form a single ridge? How can I believe your superiority when the Daudu race is better than any other race in this kingdom in all they do?"
The Median in the farm got angry and left the farm in disgust.
Targema in the Palace
People from all spheres of life were gathered in the king's palace to hear the case against the disobedientTargema.Under the new law in the kingdom,nobody from Daudu race was supposed to disobey the medians regardless of age, size, gender, etc. The king who was the chief judge had travelled to a far kingdom but the eldest man in the kingdom replaced his position. Amazingly,Targema was the only man from Daudu race in the palace;others, who came to bear witness to the judgment, were sent out of the palace;because the palace was only for the medians.
He was beautifully dressed in the Tiv traditional attire,anger with black and white beads on his neck like the Tor Tiv. All the medians in the palace were corporately dressed in suit seated fuming and frowning. As the irony of life would always have its way, in the midst of blatant beliefs or ideas, the old man declaredjudgment in favour of Targema, stressing that he was a humanbeing just like the medians and desired to be treated like any other subject of the kingdom. He also changed the laws that made theDaudu race inferior to the medians. Targema could not hold himself but had to jump up into the air and stared at him. While his eyes were still widely opened, with thoughts running through his mind: "Is this man not a median?" "So they also have freedom loving people among them."
While he madecomments in his mind, the Medians who were present to hear the proceeding of the judgment angrily left the palace with their grim faces.Targema spread his arms widely open like the eagle and hugged the old man. As they hugged each other, they seemed to be talking.
"So there still exists a median like you in this kingdom."
Targemamuttered with tears in his eyes.
"Yes, my forty years in Torchi kingdom proved beyond reasonable doubt that we all belong to one race which is the human race, and as such must be treated equally?" replied the old man.
When they freed each other and were walking towards the palace door, Targema curiously asked him a question.
"So, you have been to Torchi kingdom?
"Yes I have. I went there as a tester and subsequently fell in love with their culture. I was married to the king's daughter with three kids," replied the old man.
"Wao!"Targema exclaimed.
As they approached the exit, Targema stopped and pulled the traditional beads off his neck and hung them on the exit door. The two parted ways immediately they were out of the palace and said bye-bye to each other as they faced various destinations.
The Party in Targema's Compound
A party was organized at the eastern wing of Targema's compound to celebrate his victory. Everyone present at the occasion was dressed in cultural attire of different styles. The moon and stars - the light providers at the occasion die their best, which made the traditional astronauts, speculated that the gods were behind the abnormality.
The entertainment crew thrilled the audience with drama and poetry such as Kwagh-hir, Swange dance, Kpatu dance, Nyamtswamdance, drama and poems in Tiv language. Ormiosang a short song that moved everybody into singing with him.
Targema victoriously stood up like a hero if he was, and addressed the audience.
"Good evening great subjects of our kingdom, I feel honoured and thrilled to participate with you today in this gathering. Looking at your faces, I see black, white, yellow and the other colours. These colours make up our great kingdom. (Audience claps hands). Yes, looking at your faces I see colours of the rainbow and I know that we belong to one another from a beautiful race known as human race.
(You got the pass mark, go on)."I am happy to announce to you that my victory in the palace is a victory for all.(Thank you. We love you. Go on). Just yesterday, the gods of the proved to us that they are still with us through an impartial old man who is seated right here with us. (We love you and your generations). I was completely astonished; how in the midst of medians, he fearlessly passed judgment in favourof justice. Yes I couldn't believe a medianlike him could change the wrong statusquo of his time.Our fathers honoured you with a title boki u Tiv but today we call you mimi of our time. Since the beginning of our history in Mede kingdom, all we have always sought for is freedom. We wanted to live freely like the Mediansin this kingdom. We wanted our rights guaranteed and protected like anybody else's. We are happy to witness this change from papers to realities. We, the Dauduans and the other minor races must not relent for the road ahead is far but I assure you that we shall get there (Yes we shall). We shall together enter into the promised land of freedom, (Yes we shall).Before man and the gods of Daudu race, we declare that our declaration must come to pass and then we shall be free (applause)."
Targema at this junction left the podium to his seat.
TheTiv magical musician Golozo performed at the occasion. Before he did his performance, there was noise from every angle – everybody spoke about what interested him or her most.
The moment the drummers begun the "Gbum! Chee! Gbum! Gbum! Chee! Kpu, bu, Kpu, bu, Gbum..." The crowd was thrilled to the bits. Suddenly there was silence in the throng such that even the deaf could hear the sound of the drums. Gradually the slow but sweetGolozo's voice reverberated in the ears of the audience. This was some sort of sounds that could either heal or possess every living soul of its troubles and worries. It was believed that even spirits loved listening to his music. Both those who loved and hated Golozo danced to the rhythm of the music. Judging from the actions of those who listen to the music, it was obvious that the place was spelled with Golozo's music. They knew it was not ordinary, yet the only thing they did not know was how he manipulated people into loving his music.
Any time Golozo did his performance, he went home with a woman among the women who fell in love with his music. This was how he married his wives. He was very certain that he was going home with a woman this time too.
Targema himself confessed that Golozo was gifted by the gods of music. The music continued till it was time for the next item on the agenda. Even at this point, some people were still not satisfied with listening to Golozo's music, but had no option than to go to the next agendum.
The last item on the list was item seven.The item seven was the period when food was served to people on an occasion. The pounded yam with genger soup and fried fish in calabashes were served among the groups who were seated in circles. The males were separated from females accordingly. Everybody was craving to finish his/herpounded yam so that more could be added to their calabashes. They decided to run the party in their native way because they had so much miss their eating of pounded yam for a long time. They suddenly began to play the Tiv culture when the gengersoup was finished: everybody took in his or her palm a fried fish and began the ukauka.
The yams and the genger soup and other things were imported from Torchi kingdom for the party. Many well-wishers from Torchi kingdom also sent their good will messages to Targema and the entire Daudu race in Mede kingdom through the importers. Many other entertainers continued from the item seven until it was dawn the next day.
CHAPTER SIX
RESISTANCE BY MAMA AYA
A weird serious joke began in a wedding ceremony when mama Aya refused standing for a Medianto sit. The tradition was that medians were not supposed to stand while anybody from the Daudu race without exception sits. But mama Aya saw this as an absolute law that should not see the light of the day in the new statusquo ushered in by the Targema's judgmental victory. The young Median tapped the aged woman to notice his presence so that she could obey the law. The aged woman stared at the young man in disgust and requested to know why she was tapped but the young man out of anger invoked some words. "You mean to tell me that you saw me and you still sit? You old fool!"
Mama Aya thundered back at young man, "You irresponsible boy, how on earth do you expect an old woman to stand while you sit? Oh! I see. It's very obvious that you came from a house and not a home that is why you lack home training."
The young Median got furious and slapped the old woman in the face. Targema who watched the scene from a distance rushed to the place at the speed of light. The anger that fueled him to the place compelled him to knock the young man down into a state of concussion. The young man who fell like a cut tree in an open environment was a focal point to those who were present at the ceremony. The few Medians who were at the wedding rushed after Targema like cats to mice in the house. Targema who was gripped with fears as the Medians rushed after him with harmful materials vociferously shouted in the air "Ayatutukauno?" and behold! The Daudu race gushed out from east, west, south and north of the kingdom with a powerful response "Kase!" They sang a chorus "Hooh sekpe, hooh sekpe, hooh sekpe," and at the time one could consider thirty to forty minutes,every Median at the ceremony was put in a comma. Before the kingdom warriors who had a meeting at the king's palace could arrive at theplace to maintain peace and order, the place was as quiet as a library and as empty as an empty bottle except for the Medians who lay straight on the ground like the dead in their caskets.
Targema Arrested
As walls have ears; there were rumours that Targema was the instigator of the drama that left people in the state of unconsciousness, so he was arrested and remanded in prison behind the palace.
While Targema was put behind bars awaiting trial, there were several agitations from the Daudu race and some Medians. They had series of protest on the streets and before the palace carrying leaves in their hands and shouting in the air: "Release Targema." "He is innocent," "There will be no peace in the kingdom until you release Targema, he must be free for us to be free" among others. On his third day of remand, Targema was brought forward to face the trial. Many Medians were in the palace to hear the trial of Targema. They thought he was not going to escape prison for the second time but it turned, out to be an irony of their expectations. Targema was freed for lack of evidence against him. Orya was the chief judge who pronounced the judgment as follows "For the naked fact that the Median legal system deals with evidence. I hereby declare Targema guiltless from the charges against him for lack of evidence."
The Medians got out of the palace angrily again. They wondered why Orya was highly against favouring the Medians in his Judgments. They were relieved when one of the Medians informed them of the king's return the next day. They were happy because the king was highly against the Daudu race. They shook hands, and hugged one another and went to their homes.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE DEPORTATION OF DAUDUANS
Two weeks of the king's stay in his kingdom after two months of his journey caused a total chaos in the kingdom. The Daudu race was highly segregated against and when it went on and on and on, a journey of down fall began when silence led to gesture, and gesture brought murmuring and murmuring to quarrel and quarrel ushered in fight and fight produced a communal conflict that almost caused civil war when the king ventured in with full-fledged solution to arrest the problems. Among many others were issues of racism, trauma, conflict, over population, etc.
In his powers, he ordered the creation of satellite villages in Torchi kingdom to decongest the congested kingdom. There were three villages created in Torchi kingdom. Some of the Daudurace was deported to occupy these villages. Despite the harsh measures put in place by the Mede king to depopulate the Daudu race some resisted and remained in their homes.
The Return of Daudu Race to Torchi Kingdom
The Dauduans who returned to Torchi kingdom found it difficult to survive in their new environment. They had on most occasions lamented their inability to cope with the culture of the inhabitants. The natives referred to them as the Daudu Medians. Even though they were not okay with the name they zipped their lips because rejecting the name would have made the name more popular. They buried their heads in the sand and went on with life.
Yima, one of the Daudu Medians swiftly walked passed an old man who was majestically walking along the road without greeting. Shagbaor could not watch the young man ruin his culture, so he called back Yima for cautioning. Yima came back and stretched his hand to the old man "Hi, how do you do old man? Why did you call me?"
A strange rite suddenly engulfed his mind and he asked himself "How would a young man first stretch his hand on an old man like me?" He stared at Yima, shook his head and ignored the hand shake. Yima who also became perplexed, made his way to where he was heading to. Shagbaor looked at the sky in disgust and thought of himself as an unlucky old man that needed to be cleansed. Then, he asked himself "How would it be that a young man would walk pass by me without greeting and subsequently stretch his hand to me for a hand shake? Why must I receive the greatest embarrassment from a stranger who knows me not?"
After he had so much pondered on these questions, he decided to consult the oracle to know his fate and finally visited the orakombo for cleansing. Not contented with the resolutions, he rushed his finger to his eyes and pressed them to be sure it was not a dream. When he was through with the exercise, it became very obvious to him that he was awake and standing, so he took off for the shrine.
Msem is Stripped Naked in the Market Square
Msem, the daughter of Shagbaor, the culture vulture was dressed in an extra mini skirt which covered only part of her laps with top mini shirt which almost exposed her breasts to the public. She wanted to dress like the Daudu Medians who were always dressed almost half naked walking freely on the street. While she left the house, she was decently dressed but on her way to the market she changed her dress in a nearby bush.
While she cat-walked on her way to the market square, she kept many young boys in a stream of sex. Those who could not resist the temptation followed her up like flies to a rotten egg. Dressing the way she did was peak to the game and her reaching the market square became penitence to the game. She stopped a boy who rode passed by with a bicycle so that she could go for testing. The boy who was also charmed by her charming looks with no hesitation handed the bicycle to Msem. Her attempt to mount the tall bicycle was a problem and while she forced herself on the bicycle her mini skirt tore into two, and while she tried to rush down from the bicycle to cover herself, her top blouse minimized off her chest and behold her mango-like pretty breasts were dancing according to the rhythm of her body.A mad man who curiously watched the scene from a distance asked himself:
"Kanyikwaghazembe a keren man wankye ayav averashe" (what does the hawk look for that a chick parades in an open environment?) He rushed to the place as fast as he could before the market women also got to the scene. While he admired the girl on the ground his manhood stood erect like a soldier singing national anthem. Then, he became sad and said, pointing at his penis:
"You mad idiot! I rushed to this place to sex this beautiful girl but because you claimed to be too smart, go on and have sex with her."
Everyone who was present at the scene burst into laughter and almost got naked. While Msem was given a wrapper to tie, the mad man quietly and sadly left the place as if he has been given death sentence.
If someone told Shagbaor, the culture vulture what happened, he would have considered it the biggest lie ever made in the history of humanity but he was among the people who rushed to help the young girl from being raped by the mad man. Immediately he saw Msem, his daughter stripped naked on the ground, he fell down and became unconscious.
CHAPTER EIGHT
A DREAM OF HOPE
The Daudu race, which in one way or the other resisted deportation, lived in some selected areas in Mede kingdom. They were denied entering into selected part of the kingdom. How they thought, behaved or lived was largely determined by the king, who was seen as a semi-god.
On this very fateful day, in the early hours of the day, Targema was dressed in the anger standing erect like a soldier man at attention with a flute in his left hand. As usual his neck and right hand were stylishly decorated with black and white beads. As he gazed into the early morning dew in the sky, his face was down with a great hope. Then, he lifted the flute and placed it between his lips and produced some sort of sound which was the same as that of a professional Hottentots. In less than five minutes, another person blew his and before one could know what was happening, the sound of a flute was heard from the east, west, south and north of the kingdom.
Almost every member of the Daudu race was gathered in Targema's compound. Some concerned Medians also came to his compound to know the bone of contention. He looked hopeful as he addressed them.
"The toad does not run in the day except it is after something or something is after it. It is no longernews, that in this kingdom, the Daudu race live in slums; abject poverty; deprivation; torture, and in household of marginalization, too many to mention, because of a virus known as racism which has eaten deep into the promising Medians kingdom. (Audience clap, tell them, we love you. Go on). Even a day old baby from the Daudu race knows we have wars amongst and in front of us. And for us to cross to the world of equality, we must break these walls (Yes we must). For us to break these walls we must unite together in the spirit of brotherhood. We must collectively go against these walls and they shall be pulled down like the walls of Jericho. Don't be afraid (we can't be) for the walls were built by humans and must be broken by humans (yes we believe). We must go together and together we shall achieve it. (Yes we can) I saw the future; (Tell us) I have looked into the future, very deep, deeper than the depth of the sea. (Go on brother. We love to hear that) I saw the future very big, bigger than the Planet Jupiter. (Yes we believe) I saw the future very bright, brighter than the Sun in the sky. (Go on) just yester night, I had a dream while I was in the sleep." (Tell us). He turned and waved the crowd. "Follow me!" And the people followed him without complaining, from Targema's compound to the king's palace. They followed him like the sheep; silent like the dead and on a line like the colony of ant on a journey.
When the king's guards and warriors sighted more than ten thousand people following Targema to the palace, they went ahead and prevented them from coming into the palace but were rather directed to the nearby large compound.
The king later met them in the compound when he discovered his presence was inevitable. Many other Medians also joined them.
Then, Targema continued:
"We are gathered here this hot afternoon to share a dream with you, (Go on) just yester night, I traveled to the future, and there in that beautiful land, I saw our kingdom stand so high amongst the other kingdoms of the world; indeed it created envy and jealousy among the other kingdoms. (We love to be there) Not only you, I also love to be there, if time permits me. But do you know that while I turned and looked at the road to this promising future, there were great walls between now and the future. I also saw a Dauduan enter the Median palace and everybody bowed and hallowed him as the new king. (Yes it shall come to pass).
At this moment, the king and other Medians seriously looked at Targema. "That is the dream.Now it is all on us to break those walls. And in breaking them, the Daudu race and the Mede race and other races must come together under the spirit of brotherhood believing that we are all one that we all belong to the human race and then, the walls of racism will completely be broken. Let us be men enough to break these walls and show the world that our kingdom is the greatest and most powerful. (Let us break them).
At this juncture, the king and the other Medians left as fast as an aero-plane and then everybody gushed out of the place at the sight of bees which were fast approaching, from the eastern wing of the compound. The bees' keeper was happy that he had done his job well. The arrangement was that, whenever Targema said something against the kingdom, bees were to be released to scatter the gathering. He was as well happy because he would enjoy his benefits for a job well done. If he had failed, he would have been killed as agreed.
CHAPTER NINE
THE INFLUENCE OF TARGEMA'S LETTER TO ATIM
Atim, the Daudu notorious terrorist who became the talk in the kingdom appeared in the palace when the king was having a meeting with his stakeholders on the fate of the Daudu race. The palace was scattered when he appeared. Those who tried escaping were held back by the doors, which refused to open. The king's guards feared coming nearer to where Atim was because they knew he had the power to destroy like the virus to the computer. Those who were in the palace almost melted when the giant Atim knelt down and asked for forgiveness. He told the king that he was deeply touched by the massage Targemasent to him the last market day. That for Targema's sake he has decided to deleteAtim's name from the book of destruction to the book of peace.
The king who was not convinced by these words rather became more afraid. It was by the help of his courageous magicians who asked him to better reconcile with Atim, now or face the worse that could ever happen to him, that he did. The king sincerely opened up and forgave Atim, pardoned him and received him as a subject of Median kingdom.
That very night the king pleaded with Atim not to cause destruction in the kingdom. Everyone in the kingdom who heard what happened slept with his or her eyes wide open. The feared his action might be a trick to cause destruction.
The next day early in the morning, the king summoned Targema to the place. Immediately Atim saw Targema approaching the palace entrance, he rushed and hugged him. Targema who was engulfed with amazement and happiness held Atim very tight like a dying man to his loved child. The king who watched the scene from the distance smiled again and again until they came and sat down in the palace. The three of them later had a closed door meeting in the palace. After that, a party was organized for him.
After two days of this memorable event, the king summoned everyone in the kingdom and appointed Atim as the new chief commander of the kingdom's warriors. Atim became the second chief commander of warriors in Mede kingdom after Daudu. His position was envied by many who insinuated that Atim used his juju to influence the king's mind. Whether this was true or not,Atim's major concern was to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he deserved and merited his position by winning many wars against the enemies of Mede kingdom.
From a Pool to the Ocean
The last Geli market of every year was always a memorable day for the Medians who were given many materials by the Mede benefactor for staying alive.Daudu race was always excluded from benefiting from the materials because they were classified as unfortunate people in the wrong kingdom. But this year they were also invited.
Their turn up was very low because such an invitation was the first of its kind in the history of the kingdom. Some Dauduan's thought it was a trap to destroy the Daudu race, so very few of them were present at the occasion. Injor, one of the Dauduans was also at the occasion, because while he was on his way to the occasion, he didn't hit his toes on anything and he saw a woman which was a sign of good luck. Everyone who came for the occasion went home with smiling faces as everything was equally shared among those who were present. Injor came home that day, pondered about what happened and concluded:
"May be a revolution has just occurred because it has never happened in our history."
CHAPTER TEN
IN TORCHI KINGDOM 2
Most of the Dauduans who came from the Medekingdom were soon conversant with the culture of the natives. They subsequently appreciated and valued the culture of the people. Contrary to the barbaric and uncivilized culture of the Torchi kingdom which was preached to them even in the churches, they saw a disciplined set of human beings with a highly civilized culture and principles that promoted the growth and maturation of kingdom amongst others.
When the Dauduans discovered that all they heard or read about Torchi kingdom were mere caricatures and optical illusions, they educated the people against the deep rooted superiority complex of the Medians.
Yima one of the leading educators often told the people that the Dauduans were better war fighters than the Medians. That the Dauduans couldn't go down with one or two bullets and sometimes kill many enemies before going down but the Medianswere a sharp contrast as they flew into the air like cellophane with just a bullet. In one of those seminars, Yima told the people how intellectuals were witch hunted and killed for no good reason by their dictatorial leaders. As this enlightens went on and on, the people of Torchi kingdom gradually dumped the notion that the Medians were superior to them. They also discovered that the Medians could also die, as they die, and do any other things as they did.
The Medians who occupied only plump offices in Torchi kingdom saw this as a bad development in the kingdom as it bounced backed on them. Almost all the Medians who were not functional in the running of the affairs of the kingdom were removed from their various offices.
Orka whose father was the richest man in Torchi kingdom returned home after many years of his stay in Mede kingdom. He was personally sponsored by his father to learn the culture of the Medians so that as he returned home, he shall be crowned the king of knowledge in his kingdom. The king of knowledge was a title given to only those who lived in Mede kingdom and had much knowledge about the Medians. Iwua was disappointed when his proud son disclosed his ambition to him.
"Of all the best opportunities in this kingdom you just told me you want to be a mere warrior?" His father lamented.
He thought of his son as having a soul of a servant. Iwua suddenly became too furious when his son insisted that if not allowed to join the warriors, disobedience would become his second name.
Armed with the fact that his son was a trumpet blower of himself, he met with the chief warrior in Torchi kingdom and bribed him with reasons, influence and affluence not to recruit his son to the higher rank of warrior despite his qualifications. When it was time for recruitment, Orka went for it but was unconditionally rejected from joining the warriors of the Torchi kingdom. He became so embarrassed and withdrawn but refused to lose hope.
When Torchi kingdom waged war against a neighboring kingdom, Orka secretly went to battle with the warriors and fought fearlessly for the kingdom. The commander of the warriors, who noticed his gallantry in the war field, automatically confirmed on him a warrior when he discovered in their conversation that he was not one of them. This was how Orka was conscripted into the warriors of Torchi kingdom.
When it was time for training, Terver one of the Mede chief commanders who has never been to the battle field than his plump office summoned all the newly recruited warriors for training. As they were all gathered in an open field in straight files, he climbed the platform and began "Great warriors of Torchi kingdom. As you have all heard or read about us (he points at himself) don't get confused with the "us", I meant the Medians. You are not on any condition supposed to question or doubt whatever that comes from our clean mouths. We are the best and we have the best warriors in the world and we are determined to input these tactics and skills that made us who we are into you, so that you can win battles." (Yes sir!) Chorused the warriors.
He continued "Repeat after me.Do you hear me great warriors?"
"Yes sir" (response)
Crackakachehe sounded with a gun in his hand. All the warriors repeated except Orka who stood next to him. He was seriously amazed to why Orka did not repeat after him, but dismissed that thought in his mind. Not contented with this, he drew nearer Orka, shouted and demonstrated the crackakache but Orka was not moved to repeat after him. Then, he descended heavily on him with a blow on the mouth which buried a dozen of Orka's teeth in the sand, and imprisoned him for refusing to repeat words from a superior mouth.
An issue which started as cold as the harmattan breeze metamorphosed into a funnel of fire the next day when Terver took the case to his superior in the kingdom who had the powers to either dismiss or promote a warrior at any time. He wanted Orka dismissed immediately to serve as deterrent to others who intended rebuking the Mede warriors. The superior requested to know why Orka had to disobey his master but he was astonished when Orka told him to ask his master for he had not brought any case to him. The superior saw this as an affront on his dignity but in order to hold on to something to which Orka would be dismissed, he asked Terver. Terver with no hesitation told his superior that Orka defiantly disobeyed his orders by refusing to repeat after him when he shouted crakakachewhile on the training ground. Suddenly, it rang in the superior's head that something was wrong with those words but he kept a deaf ear to them. He curiously stared at Orka and requested to know why he did not repeat after his master. Surprisingly,Orka maintained that his master was wrong.
A strange music began; everybody in the office except Orka experienced a tensed atmosphere which filled the office with heat. The superior who could not believe his ears demanded to know why those words were wrong. Orka confidently told him that the right pronunciation was "crack and chase." The superior faithfully stared at Orka with a smile and in another minute became furious looking at Terver. Terver was condemned for incompetency and immediately relieved of his duty and deported back to MedeKingdom. The superior gave him the reason for the sudden dismissal and deportation to be his disgrace to the Mede race.
The next day in early hours of the day, Orka was promoted to the second in rank to the superior before all the warriors in Torchi Kingdom for his competency. As a result of this incident, the warriors of Torchi origin were treated, promoted and demoted on equal basis with the Mede warriors in the kingdom.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IN MEDE KINGDOM 2
The king of the Medians had a strange dream and was highly troubled as nobody in his kingdom could interpret the dream. In his dream, he saw a young man who constantly called on him while he was in front of a hangman's noose. After a demonstration of nonchalant attitude towards the young man, he finally answered him.
"Young man, why do you call on me continuously without a full stop?" He asked.
"I do not want to watch you commit suicide. Give me eight minutes and I shall prove to your generation that you deserved to live and not die." The young man answered.
As he wanted to talk more to the young man, he woke up. The king who was still in a dam of confusion, sent letters to all the kingdoms of the world to send for him anybody who could interpret his dream. Of all the interpreters that came from north, south, east and west of the world, none was able to interpret the dream except the Torchi Dwarf magician who was denied access to the king because of his stature. The dwarf magician appeared in the palace like an angel. He was not one of those magicians that rode on horses to Mede kingdom. He used his magical powers and landed in the palace of the Mede kingdom when he was denied entry in the palace.
While hesquattedon the floor and his legs crossed with a native potin his two hands, more fear gripped the people in the palace which was completely spelled. Then, he began the interpretation.
"No mortal knows the future but the future knows the present."
At this point, the king was more confused. He looked deeply into the magician's eyes.
"Before anything happens in the world of the mortals the gods are aware."
The king cut in; "Have you been briefed about the dream? For I have never set my eyes on you before and you've just appeared in the palace."
The magician answered "Oh I see! My words are foreign to your native ears.Don't worry. I will speak the language your ears understand better. Before you had the dream the gods gave me the interpretation." The dwarf at this point became uncomfortable like a possessed fellow and began the interpretation, "The hangman's noose that was right in front of you is your eventual death and the fall of Medekingdom, and the young man that called on you is your successor who shall save this kingdom from annihilation. He shall reign in the kingdom for eight years then die instantly."
The king on hearing this interpretation, rent his cloths in desperation, fell on the floor and suddenly became weak and pitiful like a repentant sinner in a healing mass. The palace became as quiet as a grave yard. The guards helped the king to his throne and everybody in the palace dispersed to his or her destination.
The Fate of the Dwarf Magician in the Palace
The king built for the dwarf magician a magnificent house with a beautiful shrine in the eastern wing of the kingdom, and made him the chief magician of the kingdom. He was also given special treatment and all his needs were met by the king. The only work he had to do was just to perform magic as he wanted. This created a sea of envy and jealousy from his counterparts. The dwarf magician had no choice but to settle in Mede kingdom than to live in Torchi were he was treated with disdain and not respected by the natives.
When the day came for magical display in the king's palace, the kingdom magicians came in without display and mounted themselves in the palace chairs. This was a very strange move because they were only supposed to do so until the king joined his ancestors. The king saw this action as great affront on his dignity but the dwarf magician had earlier warned him not to react so he obeyed the instruction. Suddenly, a magic carpet flew into the palace from nowhere and the atmosphere in the palace became so tensed like hell. The dwarf magician quickly stood up and welcomed the gods.
"The almighty immortal gods, the all-knowing gods, and the unchangeable changer. You are welcome, welcome, and welcome to this palace. I adore and hallow you.Welcome! Thank you for coming for our rescue. Thank you for proving to the mortals that you live forever. Thank you for proving to the mortals that you are all knowing gods. Thank you.Thank you."
A loud voice came just above the magic carpet and commanded, "You evil men of this kingdom! Review your evil deeds before I descend on you."
The former chief magician was compelled to review his evil plans against the king.
"Oh! We are sorry your Highness. We were led by the devil to conspire against you. We planned to kill you through food poising and take the throne away from you. We agreed that I was the supposed new king. Please forgive us!"
The smallest magician also confessed, "Ah! What a world without secret! I also plan to kill all the magicians in the kingdom to take over as a new king two days after the formal chief magicians becomes the king. May the gods forgive me?" After this confession, the whole palace was filled with smoke and all the smoke disappeared into the air. Behold! The palace was without the gods! The men of bad fortune were commanded by the dwarf magician to bring to his shrine five sheep and cola-nuts each to offer sacrifice to the gods for the forgiveness of their sins.
The king was on his throne while aloof watched the men of bad fortune as they crawled with their hands and knees out of the palace. He also nodded his head and squeezed his shoulders while he stared at them like a zombie. The king was shocked to death because before now, he could even swear to the Swem: the Tiv gods, that his magicians were not betrayers.
CHAPTER TWELVE
FROM THRONE TO THRONE
Just as darkness disappeared, making way for the dawn, a strange light descended on Medekingdom. While it was in the air, the viewing crowd ascribed it to a star. Some speculated that it was a sign for the end of the world, but as it drew nearer and nearer, it appeared to be a throne falling from the sky. Again, the spectators concluded that there was war in heaven which rendered the throne baseless. Others were of the view that the gods were coming to the world of the mortals. All the speculations were thrown into the flame of fire when the throne fixed itself on the entrance of the palace with nobody in it.
Suddenly, a thundering voice came from the sky like a thunder storm which left the viewing crowd in a loom of fear, "Orver! Come out and possess your possession. A servant who despite the mortal forces worked in the ways of the gods deserved to be rewarded. Because you have been able to change with the times, you shall move from throne to throne. Come on, and fear not! The gods are with you.Sit on the throne."
Orver, the king of Medians feverishly occupied the throne. As soon as he sat on the throne, a crown of shinningcolours rested on his head and he became glued to the throne. The throne ascended into the sky again. While it majestically moved into the sky, Orver waved the viewing crowd.
Like the harmattanablaze bush, the news that the king met his ancestors in the sky alive spread fromMede kingdom to all the kingdoms of the world in just a few days. While the news moved from place to place, there was either an addition of salt and magi or a subtraction of other ingredients.Whether there was addition or subtraction, the focal point was that the king became the first mortal to be born again in the other world with his full flesh in Mede kingdom.
The Emergence of a New King in Mede Kingdom
After twelve market days, there arose a glamorous need to enthrone a new king since the formerking left his throne as vacant as an empty office. The aged Orya became the acting paramount ruler in line with the tradition. The king makers at this point were seriously engaged with the selection of a new king among the millions of aspirants in the race to occupy the throne. Despite the large number of aspirants, everybody knew the main race was between Bem and Orbam. After several criteria of screening, Bem and Orbam were selected to be most fit to be crowned the kings of Mede kingdom. Bem was from the Mede race while Orbam was from the Daudu race. The selection was highly appreciated but they needed one person out of the two to occupy the throne as the new King of Mede kingdom.
When the king makers finally consulted the oracle to know who among the two was best for the throne, the gods were quiet. Tension and confusion broke into the minds of the people, they, on several occasions asked themselves why the gods were silent about who was to take over from Orver. Again, rumours spread into the air. While some concluded that Orver was born to be the last king of Medekingdom, some said the gods were testing the integrity of the two aspirants to know who really was fit for the throne.
On the third day of the intense atmosphere, another throne came from the sky as usual and mounted itself on the entrance of the palace. In the throne was Targema who had disappeared more than forty years ago. For those who were below this age bracket, and were not properly told about Targema knew nothing or little about him but for those above this life circle were drunk with happiness. Before twenty minutes could run down in the river of time, a strange voice thundered from the sky.
"Oh you faithful servant! Possess your possession. For this is the reward, the gods have given to you for your services in the spirit world. Go on! Occupy the throne. It is yours." While the throne from heaven ascended into the sky, the voice kept repeating "It is yours" until the throne disappeared in the sky.
The Dwarf Magician Dies
While everything that happened went on the way it did, the dwarf magician stood by the corner awaiting the coming of the new king. Immediately he saw Targema occupy the throne, he fell on the floor and died instantly. Before he died, he prophesied about the future of Mede kingdom.
"Oh! My sinful eyes have seen the glory of the gods. For the prophecy of the past has come to pass. Targemahas now become the king of Mede kingdom. What a wonderful and miraculous day! Medekingdom! Be far from arrogance! (His eyes became as shinny as the moon in the sky). Be warned! Don't be too infiltrated with the happiness of the present. Constantly we shall stand and subsequently we shall fall and another take over from us. That is the share quota of the gods. Dauduans don't be too happy with your present for Targema's success is not the end. There shall arise other kings who would be harsh on you but remember after a dry season comes a raining season and the point is not whether we will fully achieve our dream of the best Mede kingdom but this kingdom is getting old and shall fall some day for the rise of another. Then, his eyes were widely open even though his soul left the body.
Daudu Appears in Mede Kingdom
On a Sunny Sunday, the people of Mede kingdom had an unexpected atmosphere which engulfed those who were present at the occasion of Targema's enthronement. Smoke spread from the ground in form of a spring upward going round, round and round until it reached the roof. A human-like figure was rolling along with it.Targema in amazement shouted, "That's my father!"
The QuietDaudu at this point shouted "Don't come near! I am not of this kingdom again. I have completed my mission and I am going back to my original home. I only came to see my loved son, who took after his father. I love you. May your reign be greater than your predecessors and successors. Farewell my son." The voice echoed "well, well, well, well," until it vanished in the air.
Daudu Returns to his Home Town
At about 6:30 in the early hours of the day, Daudu was out again from the crab hole he entered under a big stone in the marsh many years ago. This time, he was alone in the place which had been turned into a museum. If not for some few features, he would have considered himself on the wrong planet. As he turned to the back, he saw the statues of his father down to some villagers he knew and some he knew not. They were arranged by gender; males from his father downward and female from his mother downward.
It took Daudu the aged man just thirty minutes to go round from all the nooks and crannies of his home town. One would imagine why and how he covered the area an aero plane could not cover in half an hour but would be satisfied with the assertion that he was no longer an ordinary mortal. When he came back to his abode he climbed the big stone, sat on it and meditated about all that he saw.
"What a wonderful world! Like the biblical scriptures "The old things have passed away." So they now use machines for humans. Vehicles instead of horses, camels and donkeys for transportation, even our civilized cultural values are stamped into the dust bin of history. What about the love and care for one another. Everybody in here is achievement centered. What a generation! I hate this but predominantly, I love it. What a revolution! There is Change here, change there! Change everywhere, what a change! Change! You are but a chameleon of times." Then, he bowed his head like a hopeless vulture and slept off.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
DAUDU REWARDED
The night before this memorable day was the most frightful in human history. The thick darkness changed anything physical as dark as charcoal. The darkness was so thick that nobody caught sight of another person or anything either near or at a distance. The people were compelled to go to bed before the usual time. All night activities were suspended at the arrival of the darkness by 6:00pm. It came and covered the earth like a shadow. Nobody told the kikya,kwaghhi, and other popular moonlight stories. The moon failed in providing light to the earth. The stars also went on strike leaving the dark sky as empty as void. This was certainly why there was total darkness.
The atmosphere married the silent mood. The only sounds in circulation were tuin,tuin, mkpeor, mkpeor, pkion, kpion; of birds; mews, mews of the cats; bark, bark of dogs amongst others. These strange birds sat on the roof. The atmosphere was as frightful as that of the forest. Even men who were known to be men could not imagine coming out of their houses at these hours of the day. Everybody was in a frightful mood that night until it was dawn.
When it was almost dawn, croc, croc, crow was everywhere from every house hood. With this, the people were gradually beginning to hope for the day. When it was still dark, some people thought it was the battle of witches and wizards but these thoughts turned out to be false. Even the witches and wizards were afraid of coming out in the strange darkness. The mbatsav cult group postponed their midnight meetings for the fear of the unknown.
Suddenly, there was a thunder clap in the sky. The thunder descended from the sky and landed on the museum. There was fire in the museum, yet nothing was burning. This fire continued till the day took control of the sky.
People from all works of life gathered in the museum to see for themselves what has manifested over the night. When the people were gathered, everybody told his or her story of what transpired in the night. Some said the gods had built a statue on the stone for their worship. Some were of the view that whatever happened during the night was gods own making and therefore, only the gods could interpret to the mortals why there was a statue on the stone, so they consulted their oracles.
The noise that occupied the atmosphere gave way to total silence when the crowd discovered the presence of the orakombo. Among the people, nobody knew exactly when he was born or when he would die. The whole story about him was a mystery. He was brought to the crowd in the basket by two hefty and strong young men in a big basket. The aged man was too old to walk, stand or sit so he lay down in the basket. Even though he was old, his commanding voice was as active as the movement of the wind. There were tales that his eating and drinking was the gods own making.
Immediately the orakombosighted the statue from a distance, he became solemn and tears of joy ran down his dried and lined face. Those who did not cry at the sight of tears at his dried cheeks were highly tensed up. Then he began.
"You know not, about what you didn't know. You can't understand what I am talking about until you are told." He paused; flashed his eyes and cleared his throat and continued "The statue on the stone in the museum is Daudu. It is fulfillment of the prophecy made many, many years ago, when your grandparents were still suckling. The story of the prophecy was passed from generation to generation through the mouth. Thanks to the gods of our land for keeping me alive to witness this great historical event. I am fully fulfilled to have lived in this your fortunate generation where everything is advanced and simple. In our days, histories, myths and legends were passed to the younger generation from mouth to mouth but today we have different devices for keeping these precious records of ours." While he said all these things, there was total silence that even an ant movement could be noticed.
When the people became keen to hear him more, his voice was no more. His eyes were wide open like a trapped rat. His body suddenly became as strong as the gbaaye tree. The major characteristics of human beings were no more on him. He was dead and gone forever.
The audience burst into tears, not because orakombo was not old enough to die but because of his importance and irreplaceable services in the society. They cried to relieve themselves of the tension and pains and also to remove dust from their eyes. Judging from these reasons orakombo was worth crying for. However, the people did not over cry, owing to the fact that he was old enough to die and perhaps died a natural death.
The second eldest man in the community amongst the crowd came out and made some declarations. "Cry not! Fellow mortals, for the gods have fulfilled their prophecy. He was supposed to die after Daudu's death. Don't ask me why! For their destinies, were made and sealed before they were born. He is not the only one that shares in the destiny. I am also a partner to it. Let this fact stick to your head like the gum to paper. When I am finally down bury us together in the museum around the stone in the marsh, so that the whole world would know that we died together with the greatest hero in human history that the world was not sufficient of. Henceforth, history must also be written and not passed from mouth to mouth again. You must also be abreast with the fact that the history written about us is false in almost all ramifications. We must write our history by ourselves. You know yourself a million times better than the outsider who assumes and speculates about you. We have come of age to write our history: the Medians wrote about us, now it is time we wrote about ourselves. Great people are born with unforgettable circumstances, their death are also historic. Daudu was born at the death of many men and died at the death of many. Fare well. For my hour is over." He waved the audience, fell down like a dried stick and died.
Glossary
S/No
Tiv Language
English Language
1.
Anger
Tiv traditional attire
2.
Aondo u abaverjua
God of fidelity
3.
Aondo u ichengeigber
God of fertility
4.
Aondo u iyoughkough
God of war
5.
Adzov
Plural of anjov which means spirits or spirit
6.
Ate
Around hut supported by poles
7.
Ayatutukauno?
Tivslogan
8.
Boki u Tiv
Friend of the Tiv
9.
Dauduans
Descendantss of Daudu
10.
Gbaaye
Iroko tree
11.
Genge soup
A thick soup made from the genger fruits
12.
Ha iverenshaKwagh yam wase
Bless our food
13.
Hun se kpe
song
14.
Ikpaabor
Skin bag
15.
Imborvungu
Ornament for blessing
16.
Kase
Respond to Tivslogan
17.
Kikya
riddle
18.
kwaghhi
Stories
19.
Medians
People of Mede kingdom
20.
Mbatsav
A occult group in Tiv land that hold their meetings at night in the spirit realm
21.
Mimi
Truth
22.
Mpav
segregation
23.
Orakombo
A native doctor
24.
Ormio
Musician
25.
Rwam
fufu
26.
TivKurayor
Tiv protector
27.
UkaUka
A practice of eating fufu with meat and not soup
28.
Yargbehe
A dangerous mushroom that when eaten makes the victim barks