Chapter 3
….continued.
Bankole had a wife and they had had three children, all males. Two of the male children were not yet fully adults and his first son whom he loved so much and had just reached adulthood, two moons prior. The mother was the one at the fore with the first son at the rare. The rest were between them (as this is precaution in case of any necessity). As Bankole would always feared, “every bush paths and walk ways around us here as well the paths for the beast to tread. So, my sons, always be wary whenever you are using any of the paths to the farm, when the sun had gotten to its peak in the day.
As they continued on the journey to the farm with each of them bearing shoulder-high the expectation Bankole had to have been close-by to catching up with them, the second to the last child of Bankole, who is, though a male but had the sonorous tone of his grandmother who died just of recent, began to sing sonorously and loudly. His voice was so beautiful and enticing to the extent that even the leaves on the either sides of the bush path started to blossom simultaneously with each sound he made as he rendered the ancient song taught him by his grandmother (who was no more). The rest would not join him yet as they were getting ready to blend in with him at the exact spot where they could flow well with the rhythm he started it. Suddenly, they synced in and they all sang alongside Ogunmodede, the second to the last child of Bankole.
“Aye bami gbe
Ayeeeeeeeeeee… bami gbe eeeeee
Orun aye yi manika ah
Orun aye yi manika ah
Orun aye manika ah
Ah ah…ah …ah …ah apanirun eni ni o
Oluwosan ni o…
Eda to le lati gbekele
Abarameji eda
Ourn kan kan tan tun mo si meji…
Chorus:
Si meji-si meji
A yi biribiiiri a tani lori
A yi biribiiri a mu ohun ogbin yori…
Aye bami gbe
Ayeeeeeeeeeee… bami gbe eeeeee
Orun aye yi manika ah
Orun aye yi manika ah
Orun aye manika ah
Ah ah…ah …ah …ah apanirun eni ni o
Oluwosan ni o…
Eda to le lati gbekele
Abarameji eda
Ourn kan kan tan tun mo si meji…”
It was one of the many mystical ancient songs Ogunmodede’s grandmother was able to pass across to him before her death so that the song would live on in the mouth and in the course of revitalizing cultural heritage. The mother told him it was a pity that his son, Bankole could not have a female child before she would leave to continue to sing endlessly with the rest of her ancestors, who were already preparing grounds for her arrival. She felt she would have taught the songs to the supposed female child if at all he had had one. She urged Bankole, to try and outlive all the troubles which would sure come his part. She said to him, “Ba mi, a lot are yet to happen to you. Hell shall become of heaven lying across your flat and innocent tummy but you should try and enourage forbearance ehn! I am leaving but the rest of my ancestors and I shall join hands as brood and be there for you at the peak of your needs.” They still sang on with Ogunmodede’s voice reverberating and permeating through the shades of the air and its wavy might abound as it nudged the root of the trees that could hear the sibilance of his own leading voice to the tips of the trees. Even the sun which learnt of the theme of the song and the sonorousity of the effect of each rhythm and it began to rejoice by growing dim in light taking up coquetry for a noon garment. The last child, suddenly, stumbled against a pointed hard stone on the footpath and fell. This brought an end to their song. As the eldest son went to beg him and began to see to the injury. It was in the midday already, their blood was as watery as water itself. There was oozing blood on the road path. It was slow before but it began to poof and it stained the path as if a chicken had just been slit at its throat on the path. Ogunmodede quickly walked back as he saw an herbal leaf just few steps backwards which would help to stop the blood. He ran back without telling… he was back before long. The mother collected it and said “Good of you”. She immediately squeezed the leaves together her right hand with the leaves on her left. She began to rob the two palms together and she was doing that, her palms were becoming blued-up the more. She needed water to come out of it but it was not. The child was still crying as it was yet paining him. The eldest one was there holding his leg and his head begging him it would be alright. Ogunmodede, haven known water the mother need, he said to her to add her spittle to safe he moment. He continued by saying it was nothing as she was there mother –there was no abomination in that. She taught about it before the blink of an eye and she added it and rubbed it and there was water. She squeezed it over the injury and as each drop to effect on his toe, he made incredible painful noise. She placed the grounded leave on the toe and wrapped it up with a piece of her cloth. She backed him and proceeded to the farm. The farm was just at the back of the bamboo tree which they were looking at. The eldest son was the one at the front then… He was able to see from afar...
“Hey, mama… hide hide hide… Something is not right…!”
They all hid at the side of the bamboo tree disorderly, with the rest the rest two sons at the back of the eldest. The bamboo had its green straws jellied down causing a much secured covering best for ambush.
“They are the king’s guards. I know them very well. They are animals” said the eldest son warily.
“Ehn… we didn’t do anything. They wouldn’t have sent them to do us any harm. They might just be resting under the tree to proceed to wherever they are going soon” said the whimsically, the mother.
“No, it does not look like that. I could see slave cage even from here, opened. Something is not right mama, better still, we return or we wait for father.” Said the eldest son.
“Ehn… I don’t understand. Would he use a year to greet his friend ni ehn… Abi…! I know what to do. I and the rest would go you would not leave here. We would go as if we have not seen them before. Don’t leave here! I hope you understand why I am asking you to do this…!” remarked the mother.
“I understand mama!” He said as nod warily in agreement really he understood.
She left the haven and proceeded, yet, with the injured child yet at her back. As they saw her, they thronged around her, lifted her up into the cage, the rest of the children were fettered and packed inside different sacks with big holes on them, so that they might be able to inhale and exhale.
To be continued…
Jodekss
