Chapter 2: The Golden Stool and the Council

Ikenna Okoye stand on top the golden stool of Garba Kingdom as he dey wake up inside Musa Danladi body.

E dey feel am for bone—the stool cold, but him skin dey hot. Palace roof dey high above am, red clay wall dey catch morning sun. The smell of incense mix with aroma of fried beans wey dey come from kitchen.

Him head full with memory wey no be him own—some na Musa Danladi own, some na from another place.

He fit remember one time for childhood when Musa Danladi dey ride small donkey, but next second, his mind waka go Benin, remember ayo under big iroko tree for Oba palace.

One thing clear: this place no be Benin imperial palace, and he no go ever see Oba Eweka or him uncle, Chief Okon, again.

He close eye small, let small grief wash am, but the sound of palace guards dey remind am say no time for long face.

E still better, from wetin he remember, Oba Eweka and him uncle live beta life reach the end.

The thought bring am small comfort. At least, them no die for shame. 'Make I no disgrace their name for here,' he vow softly.

If he reason am, he don already beat Fulani commot for savannah; royal court for north don scatter tey tey, so to waka commot no too bad.

But how he take land here?

Confusion dey bite am. For his mind, he dey search for answer, like person wey dey find needle for bush.

For front, everywhere for the hall dey noisy. Ikenna Okoye turn head, vex, dey watch as Mallam Sani dey argue with the other elders.

He see Mallam Sani dey point finger, white turban nearly fall. Elders’ voices rise and fall like thunder for rainy season. Palace servants tiptoe pass, dey avoid wahala. The smell of bitter leaf soup and sweat choke the air, as voices clash like cutlass for bush.

E be like say Fulani army dey come.

Palace guards dey grip spear tight. Even the palace cats no dey relax—ears stand, tail stiff.

Wetin dey fear for Fulani?

No be people wey you go just clear as you see dem, sweep the grassland, pack the rest?

In his mind, he dey picture line of warriors, horses ready, dust rising—battle dey sweet like suya for man wey get heart.

After he listen small, Ikenna Okoye gather the gist.

He nod quietly, eyes dart round the elders. Na so so talk, no action.

E be like say, the king for here, Musa Danladi, don chop serious disgrace for Gidan Ruwa. The five hundred thousand army finish, even top elders die put for battlefield.

The way dem dey talk am, e pain everybody. Palace maidens dey whisper, 'Five hundred thousand finish—God o!'

The worst—na the king himself dem carry go.

Ah ah!

Some old women for market dey say, 'Na only shame dey for king wey no fit die for battle.'

Even if na five hundred thousand goat dem line up, Fulani go still struggle round dem finish.

Somebody for back hiss, 'Goat sef dey get sense when war dey.'

If you lose, e no beta make you just finish yourself?

How you take allow dem carry you go dey alive?

Ikenna Okoye click tongue. To lose battle reach like this? Na real wahala for history be this.

He tap foot impatiently, like elder wey palava don pass power.

If to say na him get five hundred thousand warriors…

He fit see am—thunder for battle, grassland dey red. 'If na me...'

One man wey dem dey call Baba Audu dey make noise, dey talk rubbish like, “I don look sky for night; council suppose move south to dodge wahala,” and all those kind talk.

Baba Audu voice loud pass drum, him eye dey roll like goat wey see lion. Other elders nod, but fear still dey their eye.

Ikenna Okoye mind flash go one kingdom wey dem call Oyo, wey lose liver after dem run go south.

He remember story of Oyo people—once proud, now dem dey chop leftover, their talking drum now quiet.

He shake head. If you no get grassland and horse, how you wan reach Fulani cavalry? Which future dey there?

He mutter under breath, 'Horse na pride. Grassland na home.'

“The capital na the base of the land. If e move, na the end of everything. No be Oyo Kingdom run go south, lose everything? Anybody wey talk say make we move south suppose chop death.”

Na so Mallam Sani just para talk am.

The way he hit staff for ground, everybody jump. Palace guards look up, even small children for window stop play.

Him eye sharp like knife as he look elders wey dey talk say make dem run, him back straight like iroko tree.

Mallam Sani voice deep, full of warning, like village rain about to fall.

Behind am, Elder Musa Bello and Chief Ifeanyi Okafor stand gidigba.

Their wrappers tight, hands crossed. They nod, showing say unity still dey for council.

Everywhere quiet immediately.

The only sound na pigeon wey flap wing for ceiling.

“But the capital get old people and pikin full ground, warrior no reach, chiefs sef don tire. Even if we wan fight, who go fight?”

The youngest elder, voice shaking, add, 'We fit try—if only our ancestors go stand with us.'

“His Majesty don dey for Fulani hand. The Queen Mother own safety na the same as the kingdom own. If anything spoil, and Garba Kingdom scatter, we don finish.”

Voice of fear and sorrow dey for their words. Even the drummers for outside dey beat slow rhythm, 'gbe-gbe, gbe-gbe.'

“Queen Mother, abeg, think am well!”

She no answer; the air heavy with her silent pain.

The elders dey argue dey go, dem no get mouth to talk say make dem run, but na that side dem dey turn dey go.

Some shuffle feet, others avoid Queen Mother Amina's eye. 'Who go talk the bitter truth?' dem dey reason.

Queen Mother Amina no fit hear again; she just siddon for hall dey cry for her pikin wey dem carry.

Her wrapper slip small, tears stain her blouse. She remember when Musa dey run for palace yard, laugh dey full him mouth. Now, only pain remain. Her palace maidens gather around, fanning her and muttering prayers—'Olorun ma je!' 'Allah ya tsare.'

As Ikenna Okoye dey watch Mallam Sani dey drag with elders, boredom catch am, he just yawn.

That kain yawn wey stretch body reach sky—he cover mouth, but people don already hear am.

That yawn for council too loud; everywhere quiet, everybody turn dey look Musa Danladi.

All eye focus on am. Even the smallest palace boy freeze.

As dem dey look am, Ikenna Okoye just shrug, waka go meet Baba Audu, look am up and down, ask, “So, you sabi sky reading?”

His voice carry weight, the kind of tone wey no dey accept lie.

“Yes, I sabi sky reading well well. The stars dey warn us… wahala dey come.”

Baba Audu voice dey shake, sweat dey gather for forehead. The elders shift in their seats, wary.

Baba Audu dey look Musa Danladi with hope, ready to push for make dem run, but as he see Mallam Sani eye, he change mouth sharp sharp.

He gulp saliva, voice come down like person wey dey beg for second chance.

For him mind, he dey reason say, since king don enter wahala, na this man go be next king. If I help am talk this run matter, he go carry me follow rise. My own beta don come!

He dey calculate, 'If I follow this one now, my family go chop better meat.'

As he dey reason am, Baba Audu dey happy for himself.

His belly jiggle, small smile creep his mouth.

“You sabi sky reading—so why you no see the Gidan Ruwa wahala before e happen?”

Ikenna Okoye laugh one kain, and Baba Audu begin dey fear.

The laugh echo for hall, carry warning. Baba Audu leg dey shake.

Everywhere quiet. People dey look Baba Audu with side eye—sky reading my foot. Everybody sabi say na fake.

One old woman for corner hiss loud, 'Na so dem dey lie for palace.'

“Erm… the cloud too thick that time, I no fit see sky…”

He dey try form brave, but voice dey shake like calabash for river.

Baba Audu face don change colour.

Red, then white, then ash. People dey murmur for back, 'E don set for am.'

Any small mistake now, na him whole family go suffer.

He dey reason say, Musa Danladi dey always fear, today why he sharp like this?

Him eye search the crowd, but nobody fit save am now.

But Ikenna Okoye no get time. He just wave hand, land slap for Baba Audu face.

The sound na like thunder, elders gasp. Even Queen Mother pause cry.

“Move south? Abandon millions of people for north? Make dem become Fulani slave while you go dey chop life for Ibadan?”

His voice loud, the anger for am reach the wall.

“The land Oba Eweka and Chief Okon fight collect from Fulani—you get mind talk say make we just give am back?”

Even some warriors for back nod, 'True talk!' Their fists clenched.

Ikenna Okoye dey vex as he dey talk, slap dey follow slap.

Baba Audu no fit dodge, him eye don red, mouth dey bleed.

As if na Oba Eweka and him uncle war he dey fight for.

Memories from old battle dey mix with now, the rage sharp for his chest.

He remember him old vow: ‘How I go go house if I never finish Fulani?’ As he look the man for front—

He flash back to one night for Benin, elders circle fire, swear oath. This moment na like replay for am.

Anger just dey boil.

The kind anger wey dey make person see only red.

Before he know, Baba Audu face don full blood.

People for council don shift chair, fear dey everybody eye.

He even nearly draw sword—if to say e dey—make he finish am.

His hand dey his waist, fingers itching. Palace guards step forward, but Queen Mother wave them back.

He don kill chief before, who Baba Audu be?

A chief na chief, but traitor na traitor. For his mind, no difference.

But no sword for waist, no Oba Eweka for throne—na only coward king wey dem capture remain.

His hand drop; he spit for ground.

“Fulani dey come—just finish dem. Wetin remain to talk? I no know wetin all of una dey argue for.”

He look all of them, voice cold as harmattan wind.

No sword, Ikenna Okoye just waka back go him seat, dey reason him own.

For his mind, he dey weigh the council—who get heart, who get empty mouth.

Who know whether him mind dey savannah or still dey Benin time.

He blink, two worlds dey cross for him eye. Which side be true?

All the elders for hall just dey look like mumu.

No be today fear dey catch people, he reason. But shame no dey kill only cowards.

Queen Mother Amina dey look the new sharp Musa Danladi, she confuse. This pikin, when he get this kain boldness?

Her lips tremble, but small pride dey shine for her face. 'Maybe my son don change.'

Mallam Sani eye dey shine as he look Musa Danladi.

The old man smile small, hand rub beard, hope dey his heart.

He look Elder Musa Bello and Chief Ifeanyi Okafor, dem understand themselves without talk.

With one nod, all three agree for spirit—today, council get leader.

As Ikenna Okoye don use slap show example, Mallam Sani and the rest quickly collect the council for hand.

No more wahala talk—action time don reach.

Since Chief of War Shehu Lawal die for Gidan Ruwa,

Palace women still dey wear black scarf for head. Drum of mourning never stop for main gate.

Now, the highest war oga wey remain for Garba Kingdom na Mallam Sani, Deputy Chief of War, so he become oga for Zaria defence.

His voice now dey echo for street, even children dey greet am, 'Mallam Sani, kaabo!'

With Queen Mother Amina support,

Her royal messenger dey go market, dey encourage women, dey pray for warriors. Market women dey raise song every evening—'Allah ya ba mu nasara!'

Na so dem begin release plenty message for capital in her name.

Every new day, palace town crier shout, 'No fear! Queen Mother stand gidigba!'

Because Ikenna Okoye beat council elder for public, dem just give am small punishment—make he go face wall for him father’s compound for one day. Neighbours dey peep, dey laugh, dey gossip say, ‘See as king dey do pikin punishment!’

Palace children dey giggle, say, 'Na play punishment be this.' Old men for street say, 'E good as dem dey show small discipline.'

The punishment na just for formality, but he still vex. After he beat traitor, na punishment dem give am?

He scratch head. 'For Benin, slap for traitor na award, no be wahala.'

Then he remember: this no be Benin Kingdom, na Garba.

Palace guards look am with side eye—'This one dey behave like person from river.'

No uncle Okon to cover am, no Oba Eweka to treat am like pikin.

Na only his own mind dey shield am now. He sigh, resolve dey harden.

E weak am.

But he no let am show for face. Lion no dey cry for open.

But if to say those two dey, e no go even reach him turn to beat Baba Audu—dem for don finish am since.

He smile small, remembering Oba Eweka voice—'No room for traitor!'

As he think am, he just laugh.

His laughter dry, but small boys outside the window catch am, begin laugh join.

After he finish him wall punishment, Ikenna Okoye see say e no get anything for city wey dey hold am.

He pack small bag, shake dust from wrapper, waka out with chest high.

He waka go Royal Horse Yard.

The smell of fresh hay and sweat of horses greet am. Flies dey buzz round, stable boys dey whistle old Hausa tune. Stable boys bow, shout, 'Oga Musa, welcome!'

Thanks to the sharpness of Sarki Musa and Sarki Umaru, Garba people sabi fight Fulani, and dem value horse and cavalry well well; the horses for Royal Horse Yard beta pass Benin own.

He remember tales of old Garba horsemen, how dem ride from Kaduna to Kano for one night.

As he see the beta horses, Ikenna Okoye dey happy, dey touch dem.

He stroke the mane of one big brown stallion, whispering, 'Oya, we go ride soon.'

Good horse suppose dey drink river water, dey run for open field.

He imagine himself on the open savannah, chasing Fulani like antelope. Blood rush for him head—war dey sweet for heart wey get courage.