1 The Dictator!

Bashorun Adewale is jugging his palm wine when one of his guards enter the inner chamber panting like a Christmas goat. He came in and made a loud noise that can wake a baby from a deep sleep "oh your lordship, there are a lot of people coming toward the house and I sense trouble that they meant threat because they were shouting and your name is being made mention of in defiance of right and the funny part of it is that, they are throwing stones and bottles at us'', the guard said panting like a dog. Bashorun Adewale was furious with the way the guard talks, he barked at him "you're daft, a stupid human fellow, are you so stupid that you cannot open fire on them and drive them away from my house? Before the twinkling of an eye get your fellow guards and open fire on all either the young or the old''. The guard quietly moved out of the inner chamber and call his co-guards, he explains to the other guards the action he was told to carry out by the Bashorun. Immediately, the guards swings to action and they start shooting everyone they find outside. The people start running helter skelter, at the same time they were cursing and shouting at them. When the trouble died down, the Bashorun called his guards and warn them severely that such act must never happen again. They later apologized for the mistake they've caused and promise that such will not occur again. He dismissed them and went back to his room to take his evening nap.

Bashorun Adewale is a dictator who uses all his power on everyone in the kingdom, both on the rich and poor, old and young, physically challenged or mentally unstable, seldomly, he tries to ascertain his dominion on the king. Bashorun Adewale is said to have hit someone with his horse at the market square after which the poor man that was hitted died instantly, this was the main reason why the market people marched to his house to confront him for this awkward power brutality. This is some of his ways in dealing with people; shooting, imprisonment, slavery e.t.c. The question now is that who will stop him?

Bashorun Adewale is the son of late Bashorun Adeoti who was the previous Bashorun of the land. During the reign of Bashorun Adeoti, he is a man of honour and dignity who is kind hearted. He is not proud unlike his son who is. He is good, honest and God fearing. He is not proud nor feels he is above the law. He is loved by the young and the old, the rich and the poor, in the whole kingdom comprising of the six towns. He doesn't use horse during his lifetime nor do slaves follow him around whilst going out. There was an instance when Bashorun Adeoti was coming back from a gathering when he met a pregnant woman who is about to be delivered of a baby that same day on the road, crying helplessly. Bashorun Adeoti helped the woman to deliver the baby and this made the people to refer him as god because of this great thing that he did. To be sincere, Bashorun Adeoti is a small god to the whole kingdom at large.

Bashorun Adewale is summoned by the king to report to the palace with immediate alacrity. As the message got to the Bashorun's abode, Bashorun Adewale, who is just coming back from his inner chambers when the messenger delivers the king's message. He made his intent known to the king's messenger that he is not coming to the palace, that he's not the king's dog. He said "if the king want to see me, he should come here by himself and if he cannot, he should forget meeting me!" The messenger was perplexed when the Bashorun landed, he took to his heel and left for the palace. As soon as he got to the palace and relate his ordeals at the Bashorun's house, the king roared because he was shocked at the Bashorun's reply. After some thought with the other chiefs in the palace, the king decides to send a chief with two guards to the Bashorun's house. As the message got to the Bashorun's house, he told them he will be there that he is doing this to please his gods whom he had promised not to disobey the king of the land.

He called two of his guards and made his intention known to them that he's going to the king's palace, the guards swings to action by getting ready two horses for the short trip to the palace. As they were going, they met a lot of people on the way and these people all bow as they see the powerful Bashorun Adewale on the horse because none of them is ready to face the consequence of not greeting the powerful Bashorun Adewale. As soon as he entered the palace, the king stood up from his royal seat and shouted at him "Adewale, why did you do such a terrible thing yesterday at the market square and at your house also". The Bashorun too did not slack in his response "that rat at the market square disrespect me, I was vibrating and he has the gut to talk while I was talking, so the next thing I did was to keep his uncultured mouth shut by hitting him with my horse" "you're not with your right senses! You're not serious, you can even open that your big mouth to say such thing, you are to pay for all these havoc that you caused in the city...…." The king didn't have the chance to finish his statement when the Bashorun cut in "iro patapata, you are deceiving yourself, you can not try me, I am not your size, you this irritating king for that matter, idiot". He stormed out of the palace and mounted his horse. The Bashorun left the king startled and perplexed. He was dumbfounded to be insulted by the Bashorun whom he relied on in every spheres of the kingdom. What's really going on in this kingdom? Is it the same Adewale that we have? These questions left him speechless, in a bit to solve all these worries he called for the chief priest of the kingdom. The chief priest did not take too long to report to the palace, as soon as he enters, the king explained everything that transpired between him and Adewale to the chief priest who listened attentively before taking his seat in the palace. "iku baba yeye, we shall see the face of the deceit, it shall be casted out right now and all these troubles and worries would be subdued in the mean time" the chief priest said as he brings out his ifa oracle and he started his divination "hmmmm, this is great, my king, this man, Bashorun Adewale is possessed by evil spirit!". Everyone in the palace looked at the chief priest with a disbelieving face and it was the king that came to the rescue of others, "but, his father was a man of great honour and dignity, how and why did he bore a son like this who's unlike his father". The chiefs also nodded his head in affirmation to what the king said. He replied them "let's ask the oracle" he started chanting which goes like thus

"a ooo maa ibiti a o gbe si, ifa mo bere lowo re lo nii ooooo, ko ju mi se, tori iwo nilo luma orokan ti o je atoni sona aiye omo eda eniyan. Mo yi kaa otun, moyi ka osi ooo"

"we don't know where to settle in, oracle, I ask you this day, I should succeed in all my endeavour, you are the one that knows the best , I greet you from all angles of life"

The chief priest, after all the incantations, conclude on what he just got from his oracle "it is his mother who is behind all these that he is doing, she took him to her witches occultic meeting where the young Adewale was fortified. During this baptism, this little boy, now Bashorun Adewale, was given a lot of powers making him to be possessed with evil spirit right from childhood till now. No one can conquer him and any body that touches him should be ready to face the consequence". The king looks bemused and exclaimed inside his heart. The chief priest packed his things and before going he left them with words of hope by saying "we shall find something to do to these entire trauma, this mustn't continue like this in this kingdom of ours". He left with a bye. The king looked at his other chiefs and they too look at him with the same facial expression with no one saying anything. After some few minutes of sitting, the king rise up from his seat and went to his inner chambers to take his nap. The chiefs, one after the other, too left the palace and dispersed to their various houses.

Bashorun Adewale, on getting to his house, called his guard and inform them on the new development that is going on in his own house which they must adhere to 'as from the day on. "I mustn't see any of the palace guard here, either to deliver a message or greet any of you, did I make myself clear?". They all chorused together by giving a yes to the powerful Bashorun Adewale's question. The Bashorun finds his way to his sacred room and he pick up a cutlass, he started with incantations before making his statement "anyone who tries to cross my boundary or anyone who tries to harm me and I get hold of the person, I shall make sure I behead the person that same day. My god, you're my witness". He drop the cutlass and leave the sacred room. Immediately, he jump to his bed and slept off to take his nap due to the stress he had during the day.

The chiefs were furious with the Bashorun for the attitude he showed the previous day in the presence of the king. They met at chief otun's house to discuss on how to solve the current burning issue. They called the chief priest and asked him whether they should fight him or they should leave him until he changes. The chief priest repeated the same thing he already told the king about the Bashorun. They were all surprised to hear all these because everybody knows his father to be a good man. They all concluded to get the problem solved from another person since the chief priest cannot be of help at that moment. They thanked the chief priest and they discussed a little before every one of them dispersed for their various houses leaving alone the high chief otun, who kept pondering on the issue.

It was around 2; 0'clock in the morning when the great Bashorun Adewale had a dream. In this dream of his, his father appeared to him and they had a conversation. In this conversation, his father told him to stop all his wicked and bully acts, he told him to associate with his other chiefs and reconcile with the king. He went further to instruct him to drop all his power and stop exercising dictatorship in the kingdom. At the end of it all his father cast a spell on him in the dream and he couldn't speak again. Immediately, Bashorun Adewale wakes up from his slumber panting heavily. He moves into his sacred room and started with chanting and incantations, he shouted 'my gods, what's happening to me? My father and I? What's all these bullshits? This is awkward and strange! Oh oh oh! Please save me oh my gods!'

Like a flash, three old women appeared and they all look intense , ''Adewale, do not be afraid, that is not your father, the one you think is your father who appeared to you in your dream is not your father but one of the chiefs that did, his name is Ajala, he was the one who changed to your late father, he was sent to you by other chiefs. You see, there's nothing for you to be worried about. What you have to do now is to get ready to battle with them and win over them'' Bashorun Adewale dropped dead upon hearing all these stories that touch the heart, he responded them by saying, '' I'm very greatful my mothers, thank you very much''.The three women disappeared and they were gone. Bashorun Adewale went back to his room and took his palm wine, he gulps it for about thirty minutes until he got himself drunk which made him to fall into a deep sleep.

The other chiefs were already at the otun's house as early as four of clock in the morning, waiting for their other chief who was sent on a deadly mission to warn Bashorun Adewale in his dream. As they sighted him coming over, they all rushed to him and asked him various of questions. Ajala, the chief that was sent to Bashorun, replied their questions, " Yes I was able to do that but..." the high chief Otun jumped in "but what, Ajala?". He asked impatiently. Ajala cleared his throat and continued, "we still have more to do, as we all know that Adewale is not a yielding man, he would surely have known that we did so, he's a possessed man, his gods must have told him after I left that we carried out this mission. He's a dangerous man and I don't want to loose my life right now!". The chiefs looked at one another's face with the expression "we have enter it!". Alaka, one of the chiefs, gave them a suggestions which seems like a solution to them, "there's a man named OLAYI in one our neighbouring kingdom, he is a great Babalawo of all time and I'm very sure he can be of help to this matter". They all nodded to his suggestion and agreed to meet with Olayi. The next day, they all went to Olayi's house and they explained everything to him, which he listened attentively to. He gave them the assurance that Adewale is more like a baby to him that he can easily deal with him. "how much are you giving me for this work I am about to do for you?". Olayi asked. "name your price" they replied him. " ten fat cows and five kegs of palm oil!" " it will reach your doorstep immediately the work is done!". "then consider it done!" Olayi roared back at them. Immediately Olayi swings to action, he set the pot on fire and put a charm inside it named "ABAJE". The charm was left in the pot for an hour before they add a little water into it. Them, Olayi ordered the six chiefs to change into a ready made white and red robe and they were asked to back the fire. Olayi ordered them that none of them must look back as he is ready to send the "destroyer charm" to THE GREAT BASHORUN ADEWALE.

Bashorun Adewale was sleeping in his inner chamber when he heared a voice calling out his name " Adewale, you are here sleeping when your enemies are at work, stand up and get prepared for a counter attack." He jumped down from his bed and dashed into his sacred room, he payed his usual homage to his gods before he starts with his incantations.

Olayi is through with his "ABAJE" and he signal to the chiefs that he's ready for the job, they all turn their back against the fire and Olayi send the destroyer charm to Bashorun Adewale but Bashorun Adewale send it back immediately he sight it coming to his sacred room, the charm hit Olayi in the chest and he died instantly. One othe chiefs look back and he died. Like a flash, the other chiefs who saw this, took to their heels and ran as fast as their weak legs coud take them. It was really a sad moment in the kingdom.

Bashorun Adewale was happy when he comfirmed the death of Olayi the kingdom's most feared herbalist, and one of the palace chiefs is also dead, he spit and said "eni ti o ba fe ba esu jeun, yi o lo sibi to gun which literally implies that he who is prepared to dine with the devil should get for himself a long spoon. Anybody who is ready to fight me should be fully prepared to face me!" He took a bottle of palmwine and continued with his boast "Anybody who tries to fight me is ready to meet his/her own ancestors in heaven or hell. I'm your king, lord and god!. Do not dare me .' After a long talk and drink, Bashorun Adewale made his way to his sacred room, a room which no human nor spirit dared to enter. He pick up his cutlass " my gods, I thank you for not disappointing today, I really appreciate it. My gods, what do you want me to do to show how grateful I am for this help you rendered for me?". " my son, I will accept anything but the most appealing ones to me are; an antelope, a gallon of palm oil and a head of a male human being is okay by me. If all these gets to me, then considered your sacrifice accepted." The mouth piece of the gods in the sacred room replied. In a matter of minutes, Bashorun Adewale packed all the requested objects for the sacrifice into his sacred room and his sacrifice was accepted.