Chapter 2: The True Hand of Oba

02

Anyhow I move, na pure Orun I dey display. Symbols dey flow under my feet, every step dey shake everywhere. Eagles and leopard spirits dey fly, ancestral drums dey play for background.

The whole place dey glow—palm kernels dey scatter, kola nuts dey roll for floor, wind dey blow cold air. Some spirits dey sip ogogoro from calabash, the smell mixing with palm oil lamp smoke. For background, egungun dancers’ shadows dey flash as if ancestors themselves come watch. My wrapper begin shine with ancestral light.

If you hear of Sango’s mighty form, behind me, ten-thousand-cubit spirit body just appear. The eyes dey down, sun, moon, stars dey swirl inside.

The vision alone make spirits bow. Some fall for ground, some dey tremble. Aje spirits grip their charms tight, dey whisper prayers, hoping say Oba no go notice them.

All the spirits and gods freeze. Na real Oba power be this.

Kamsi struggle stand, use her body shield the scholar.

The scholar, seeing her protect am, summon courage, shout, "You wan bully weak person? You no fear say everybody go laugh you?"

I pause, hold myself from finishing am there.

I no understand. For mortal world, scholar for fear even small chief. How this one get mind challenge Oba? Na love dey make person craze like this? Or for spirit court, human being no dey fear again? But me, I just dey look like elder wey dey watch small pikin try new dance for village square.

"Oba, we love each other true true! You get heart to separate husband and wife?" Kamsi beg, her face twisted with pain, still dey try use pity hold me.

I ask, laugh small, "You love each other reach how?"

Dem look each other, eyes talk small before mouth follow. Then the two of them speak together: "I want dey with you, our love no go ever die. When mountain collapse, river dry, harmattan blow for rainy season, heaven and earth join—na that time I go leave you."

All the spirits for hall murmur. Some cover mouth, some nod head, others dey whisper, "Na wa o, see as dem dey talk sweet."

"Sweet talk."

I no fit help am, I just give thumbs up, decide to grant their wish.

All these lines fit move real Oba, but my own heart na stone—nothing dey shift am.

I remember how, for village, people dey recite love poems under moonlight, but when rain fall, na only true one remain.

Next thing, I just point at Kamsi.

One strong life force just leave her body.

"Ah—!"

Kamsi scream.

The sound reach outside, birds for palm grove flap wings, wind spirit dash into calabash. Some spirits kneel down, dey beg softly.

"Kamsi!" the scholar shout, panic catch am.

Before you know, Kamsi no fit hold human form—she turn back to ordinary grass.

The grass drop for marble floor, dew gather on blade, faint glow still dey, like say she still dey struggle.

"Ah God! This world no get place for people wey love each other? Why you dey punish us like this?" the scholar cry reach heaven.

His cry echo round the hall, mix with thunder strike outside. Some small spirits begin sob, but nobody fit talk against Oba.

Too bad for am—na me be the Heaven wey e dey cry to.

Ancestral rules no even talk say spirits no fit love. Plenty spirit companions dey. Many Obas get Iyalode. The rules just talk say spirits no fit love mortals. No crossing realms. If you try am, wahala go burst. If you jam love rival, one thought fit finish you. Mortal no dey win.

Old stories full ground. For market square, old women go gist about spirit wey love fisherman—last last, na only fish chop am. Rules clear: spirit world get their way, mortal world get their own.

"Carry her, go back mortal world. Remember your vow. Cherish her till you die."

My voice no get space for argument.

The scholar wan protest, but me, I no be soft romance character. I no get patience for that.

As the scholar return mortal world, I draw one ring of light for Hall of Ancestral Harmony, make all the spirits see as the scholar life go be after.

The light shine for wall, like old cinema for village night, everybody dey watch the vision.

One day for Orun na one year for Earth. Time dey fly for lower world.

At first, the scholar try everything—find native seers, pastors to save Kamsi. But mortals no get way. Later, e find Kamsi best friend, the main female lead for this drama. She agree to help am steal spiritual medicine. The scholar happy die.

For road, the main female lead tie two wrappers, draw tribal mark for face, enter shrine like say she dey fetch water, meanwhile e dey plot big wahala. For spirit world, na only sharp person fit try that kind thing.

I just nod. No wonder she be main character. Her luck strong.

Three days later, Spirit Court go do Palm Festival. All the big spirits and gods go come, Iyalode go dey too. The female lead plan to use the chance steal spiritual medicine from Iyalode palace.

Three days. For the scholar, na three years.

Three years scholar dey waka, beg seers, fast for church, buy incense for mosque, bribe herbalist, but Kamsi still dey grass. E never tire?

I just laugh. Poor scholar dey fall in love with spirit? Na her body e want, but e dey do as if na true love.

……

Boom—

Big explosion shake Spirit Court.

Thunder rumble, egungun dancers vanish, smoke full corridor, spirits dey run, shout, "Oloun!" like people wey see masquerade for afternoon.

"Your Majesty, wahala dey Third Heaven!"

Those spirits wey dey observe and report rush in.

Voices overlap, robes fly, even wind spirit dey pant like dog wey run under sun.

"Young Cang Spirit King for Third Heaven, after hundred years for mortal world, bring demoness come, make her concubine. Now, the concubine and main wife dey fight—dem say dem go scatter whole spirit world!"

Dem dey report with fear.

All the small spirits gather, even children wey suppose dey fetch water drop calabash, dey peep from behind pillar. The wahala get length.

"Na so?" I weak for these spirits. Small thing, dem wan scatter Three Realms, drag everybody join.

I tap staff for ground, side-eye them, "Una no dey tire? If na for my village, una for don chop cane since."

Wetin Three Realms do una?

Palace wahala for mortal world—change setting, same drama for spirit side. E no get head.

I remember when Mama go shout for market, "If una no stop all this fighting, I go tie two of una leg together!" Now, even for spirit world, same palava.

But to be honest, I like to watch better fight.

But the main thing be say, I gats protect Spirit Court dignity.

All this so-called lower world training, na just way to carry woman. If dem allow am, wetin remain for Spirit Court? If everybody dey find woman, dem go dey sneak dem enter. Spirits fit live thousands of years—soon everywhere go full of lazy spirit children wey no wan work.

Meanwhile, mortals struggle for thousand years to become spirit, but dem no fit reach these ones wey born with everything?

Lai lai. E no go happen.

Young Cang gats collect serious punishment.

As thunder rolled and spirits trembled, I knew—this was only the beginning of my reign, and true wahala never sleep.