ADEDAYO

*******************

For a minute, all we did was examine ourselves, slowly closing the distance between ourselves, then he rushed at me thrusting his spear at my chest. Using the end of my spear, i hit his spear then made a reverse turn and lashed my spear towards his head. He bent down dodging my attack, then thrust his spear upwards towards my face. I dodged it jumping backwards. Instantaneously, he struck his spear against mine trying to throw it off my hands. With every striker he made as he kept thrusting, I responded using the "Faabalé" spear technique, taming his raging attacks halfway of it's projections, making it less powerful so it won't break my stance. Then he faked a striker at my spear, attempted sweeping my legs with his but I jumped backwards. I then backflipped and propelled myself high in the air, then with full force, I threw my spear at him aiming for his head. He blocked it immediately with his spear's shaft but the force of the attack made him fall with one knee to the ground. Smiling, I sprinted at him aiming to knock him out with a kick to his head for I knew the fall was expected. Just as I was about to end him, like lightning he got up, grabbed me by the shoulder and smacked me to the ground of the mountain. The taste of blood was all that kept me from passing out. Looking down on me, he laughed

" Haa hann haaaaa, fifty wins now! When would my head touch soil by your hand?" with his foot teasing my body.

Smacking away his leg, I got up grumbling

" it's 49... my coronation is tomorrow uncle, do you mind not killing me before then?".

Unfazed by my reply, he pointed at a cut on my dansaki attire

" Shey it's the dansaki that Iya lekan just made for you that you are using to fight?".

Lashing back I said "But you were the one that pushed me into combat uncle dele!".

Laughing out loud, he waved my reply off while we both went down the hill.

Reaching the base of the mountain, on one of the surrounding rocks, we met up with Yetunde, the leader of The "Iron Guard". With her skin like the colour of a dry cocoa bean, she was a beauty to behold. With her hair braided in zig-zag form, cowries tied to each of her hair's loose ends, fiery brown eyes and her wholesome face. At mild sight, one would think she was of a youth's age, but even with her beauty, her long years under the sun was still reflective.Wearing an one armed blue body tie and short wrapper tied around her waist covering her hind, she sat on a rock making illusions on her palms with her flames for she wielded the Ashe of the Orisha of thunder and fire...Sango. Seeing my dirty appearance and the familiar look of disappointment on my face, she scoffed saying

"You guy fought today again?".

Uncle dele laughed in response " Aatota!, Fifty times that I have bested the boy".

Seeing the trace of blood on my lips, she dragged my reluctant self into her bossom while she caressed my head,

" Omo olomo, you should know better than to expect victory in a fight with your uncle, he is the most powerful warrior in all of OYO and a very petty one at that" she implied while stealing a glare at my uncle.

My uncle.......Ogundele Abiola Odede, yes he was the most powerful warrior of OYO with his only possible rival being a namesake of his with a different Orisha as his prefix. He's the Balogun (Chief General) of The Armies of OYO and also it's acting ruler since the passing of my father. By the name he bears and reputation, he is said to be the man that embodies Ogun, the Orisha of War and Iron. Standing at about 6 and a half feet tall, his body ached of muscles all over and his skin wore the dark colour. With his bald and a bushy beard, his demeanor shone of dominance, one wouldn't disbelieve if he was said to be the Orisha of War in the flesh. 45 years since his birth and none has dethroned him since he claimed title of the strongest. Singlehandedly defeating hundreds of Fulani invaders at the outskirts of Ilorin, led the battle that stopped the Olossi from claiming Abeokuta, his numerous deeds held valor than any other. His only possible competition was Sangodele and Yetunde with Dada from his personal guard unit "The Iron Guard". Founded and nurtured by my uncle, they turned out to be the strongest faction in OYO-ILE and probably in all of OYO, even ahead of OYO's army vanguard "Akógún". Various chieftains have insisted on some of the Iron Guard joking the Akógún due to their prowess in combat, but since the day of my father's murder, my uncle has insisted on the Iron Guard being the first line of defense if the capital and me were ever attacked. Taking turns, the Iron Guard bodyguarded me, Mojisola and Dada were on me today, with her being very optimistic about it as she caressed and wiped the blood off my lips with attire. Dada then comes in from seemingly the forest, probably on top one of the trees for cryptic surveillance. He is 6 foot tall, wore the typical dark skin of the Yorubas but what stands out about him is his white dreadlocks and his blind right white eye. It's said he had them since birth. He prostrated before my uncle with the latter acknowledging his greeting and together we left the hills into the forest, heading for the capital

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The tranquility of the forest left us behind as we reached the doorstep of OYO-ILE, an attribute I craved for the capital to possess. Reaching the entrance of OYO-ILE, with it's wooden gates attached to small huts at each side for where the guards stay, the reception as we entered was the usual with women kneeling and the men prostrating, all hailing and greeting me and my uncle. It would be thought that this daily honor upon me would be self pleasing but it's effect are always the opposite. It draws me back to the birth crested responsibility I bear and to be honest, it's a terrifying one. Each of my response to it was this smirk my eleda cooked up whenever I was nervous. Sighting this, my uncle nudged me on the shoulder with a stern look, he among an esteemed few knew of my habit of making this look anytime I was nervous.

Signaling Yetunde and Dada to leave us, he grabbed me by the shoulder " We will be making a detour, there are sights I want to share with adedayo alone".

Pushing me through, we left the path to the palace and headed for the city's square. A band of Gángan drummers with three masquerades approaching us to play for me but my uncle sent them off. Just hours away from coronation, I got more attention to myself than the usual and even that was a lot. At every step I take, I was met with knees of people bowing to me and if course it was received with my usual smirk.

Breaking my inner conflict, my uncle spoke

" You know... The Yorubas are a proud nation, particularly the natives of this very soil... OYO-ILE".

Gesturing towards the masses as we entered the city square as all dancing and celebrating were halted by the people and musicians as they all bowed shouting "Kabiyeesi oooo" , he said

" These people are the direct descendants of the warriors that followed Oranmiyan out of ILE-IFE to conquer the other lands of OYO that you would start to rule tomorrow".

With us waving towards the masses, acknowledging their appraisal, he continued,

" Their very blood in a way is royalty, yet they kneel before you...most of which have seen the sun rise and fall many times before your very birth".

He then looked me in the eyes for the first time since he started, sternly

" Do you think they do all that for a man with no courage to sit the throne?".

Halting at a spot facing the drummers from a distance while ushering away people coming to greet with his hands, he continued,

" In such times, you think they would stomp so low before a coward?".

I tried to talk " uncle.." but he raised his hand shutting me off,

" No, I have given you enough time to ponder in this, and gain your confidence but your coronation is on the morrow, I spent all my time teaching you".

With no sign of humor on his face, he ranted quietly,

" I ignored lots of counsels whereas i kill you when you were and infant and cease the throne".

" I could have spent all my time trying to reclaim our lands from the Olossi and probably take the mantle of a the hero...but I stayed! , i banked on you for I loved my brother and I believed in his vision for this land and I trust in you to carry it on".

Resting his palm on my shoulder, he kept on

" I want you to erase every form of doubt and paranoia today as you stare at these people. The closest thing to an Orisha is a king and you are the king of kings, don't take an idle mind to that throne's seat".

Gesturing his head towards towards the people, he implied calmly

" All this, they do it for you..... don't disappoint them with doubt of your ability as a leader, only men dwell in doubt of themselves and as from tomorrow, you don't draw the breath of a man...........you become the Aláàfin".

He turned and left but held me down where I stood. " I will be going back but I want you to stay here and embrace the responsibility you carry". With him leaving the scene, I noticed people lighting fire to a gathering of firewood at the centre of the square trying to start a bonfire. With it's light touching the sky as the traces of nighttime began to reflect, flickers of it floating from it into the air and the Gangàn drummers with masquerades approaching me, heaving appraisals with tones, I stood unshaken by their coming presence and ruminated on all I have heard.