Chapter 3: Council and Consequence

Kingdom no fit stay without king for one day.

After the burial finish, I don become Oba again.

For morning council, I just sit for top, dey half sleep, dey hear chiefs dey shout about my posthumous title.

I fit be the first Oba wey go hear him own burial title.

E get as e be, but e sweet me small.

Na three groups dey argue for down:

Chief Auwalu people, say I do great things.

War General Musa people, say I just normal.

General Seyi people, just dey yawn, dey look space.

Everybody dey drag talk, no solution.

Chief Auwalu dey insist say I wise, do well for the people.

War General Musa talk say I no really achieve anything, say for my young days I too rush—especially for that Okpoko River battle with the northern kingdom, where I lose plenty soldiers, disgrace the land. Say I no wise at all.

As I hear Okpoko River, I freeze small.

That thing don tey o.

My hand just dey go my left arm for that old scar, but I touch only smooth, fresh skin. Oh, I forget, I don change body.

That scar dey my old body, deep like water well. For years, e dey pain me when rain dey fall. Now, e vanish, but memory no fit waka.

I take throne at fourteen, full of ginger, ready to conquer everywhere.

For my second year, northern people dey disturb our border, I vex, carry army go south, swear say I go finish their capital.

After one and half year of fight, na so I win for Okpoko River.

Dem send thousands of men, all finish, my own soldiers reduce to less than twenty thousand.

Northern kingdom fear, calm down for years.

But our land suffer too, take over ten years to recover.

After that, I no fight war again.

Chief Auwalu wan talk more, but I wave hand.

“E do for today. We go talk am another time.”

I see say some of the younger chiefs dey jot small thing for back, their face dey shine with 'ehen, new king, new wahala.' I fit see their eyes—new king, new wahala. Who go survive this next round?