CHAPTER ONE
After many years of the king’s wives being unable to bear him an heir, Aderonke, his youngest wife, finally gave birth to a male child in the fourth year of their marriage.
The people of Igunnu kingdom flooded the palace, eager to celebrate this good news. A prince meant the kingdom was secure should the king pass on.
”It is a great day for this kingdom. Our long-awaited request from the gods has been granted, and we are indeed grateful, “the Bashorun, Head Chief, said.
“Beeni, we are thankful to Olodumare for this blessing”, The people rejoined. Their happy hoots elicited a smile from the King – A man of average height and looks in his late fifties.
The men prostrated, and the women knelt on the earth as the king rose from the throne. “Kabiesi o”, They echoed respectfully.
”Raise,” The king said, adjusting his agbada with a stateliness that was original to him. “Well said, my people. The gods have significantly blessed us, and I pray that this blessing be multiplied in your lives.”
“Ase”, All present echoed, collectively robbing their palms together.
He continued, “To celebrate this long-awaited answer to our prayer, I declare seven days of celebration.” The Palace will be open to all for these seven days. Please stop by…, and let’s make merry and fill our bellies. But for now, let the celebration begin.”
The people screamed happily at the king’s words. All, beginning to move to the melodious rhythm of the local instrument.
As the people got immersed in the celebration, the King turned his attention to Aderonke. He immediately became hard as he saw her swaying. Her generous buttocks inviting. “You shouldn’t tempt me this way”, He whispered low enough for only her earing.
“And you shouldn’t ogle at me in the clear view of the subjects”, Aderonke chided, but the King enamoured with his young wife took no offence.
He allowed his Irukere – horsetail, to mistakenly touch her bottom.“Ogling is better than thinking about what we’ve done.”
He knew he had misspoken when she stiffened and inched closer. “We will not speak of that here, my king”, She Smiled although her small eyes were steel.
“Emi ma bimo dandan ni, dandan wayo fun Olomo….” She sang along to the music going back to the dance floor.
“We cannot rejoice yet! How do you feel so comfortable with a skeleton in your barn?” the king whispered, holding her back. He might be weak at heart, but he was not weak in the brain.
Aderonke re-ties her Iro that has been dishevelled while dancing. She moves closer to King Sijuade, “Kabiesi, efokan bale, oba ba lori ohun gbogbo. These people are your subjects, and we do this not out of self but for them”, she persuaded. Her hand rested distractingly on his chest.
“Olori Aderonke, what if I go earlier than usual to my grave, and our plans fall apart? The kingdom would be torn apart,” King Sijuade said, voicing his fear for the first time.
Moving closer to him, Aderonke says firmly,” The gods forbid that I would not become a young widow, and even if the gods want you, we would have to renegotiate”.
He smiled. “Renegotiate, you say, with death? Or with the gods? Ade rin poso nu ni iwo Obirin yii”
Reassuringly, she places her arms on his arms. “Why do you think my grandfather is the head of wizards in this kingdom? My king, it shall surprise you to know that some of his powers have been passed down to me”.
King Sijuade burst into laughter. “No wonder you have me enchanted.”
CHAPTER TWO
A fortnight after the celebration, the king and his chiefs are deliberating over an issue that has everyone outraged.
King Sijuade adjusted his royal apparel calmly, unperturbed by the disturbing news. “ Baba Fasakin,” he began addressing a man with more grey hairs than wisdom. So you mean to tell this revered council that Adewole came to request your aid in ascending the throne?”
“That’s treason”, The chiefs echoed.
Baba Fakasin postulated before the king, “Kabiesi, I am no traitor. I rejected his offer,” he said desperately.
King Sijuade always suspected that his cousin Adewole had his eyes on the throne, but he had never made a bold move like this. The birth of the crown prince, he guessed, must have triggered his desperation. Adewole would have automatically been King after him if the crown prince had not come. His wife was right; they must stick to the plan. His weakness so far has led to Adewole running wild.
”Tell me, Baba, how is it that you, who are meant to be my eyes and ears with the gods, conspire to take my throne? I could have your head this instant, and I’ll be justified,” he said coldly.
Baba Fakasin began sweating profusely, for he knew how his secret meetings with Adewole made him guilty. “O-lo-du-ma-re can bear me witness. I asked him to enquire from Ifa Eleri ke before we acted. Fortunately, Ifa gave me an answer of hope for you, Kabiesi. ” He stammered as he spoke.
“Don’t be swayed, Kabiesi. A desperate man will say anything to save his hide,” Ifako, a fair-skinned Chief with two missing front teeth, said.
“Suru. Patience. Let’s hear him out,” The King said. Turning to Baba Fakasin “Fun rare, stand up. Speak,”
“Thank you, Kabiesi,” he said, sitting on the floor—as he always did when delivering a message from the gods. The gods bear me witness this day, and may they strike me down if I speak anything but what they spoke to me.” Scanning the throne room, his eyes stayed on the King. “This the gods have said. Only a seed of your loin will rule after you.”
“As it should be,” Queen Aderonke interrupted. Boldly, she walked in and greeted the king and the chiefs. Kabiesi, Alase, ikeji Orisa, don’t you think the palace guards should seize Fasakin? This will serve as a lesson to others who might want to tread his path,” she suggested as she sat beside the king. “Ah!!!, Olori ejo, eyin’ Oloye, please help me beg Olori,” he prostrates before her, weeping profusely.
Queen Aderonke is the most feared queen; rumours say she is more feared than the king and is the authority in the kingdom. There have been cases of Aderonke ordering the beheading of people, earning her the name the Queen Witch.
As Baba Fasakin pleaded, the chiefs shifted uncomfortably, looking away from him. The only person who spoke in his defence was Iyalode – a friend of Fasakin’s wife, “Olori ejo, emabinu, I am sure Baba Fasakin did not mean it that way. “ She struggles to kneel due to old age, and her gele falls off her head, showing her head covered with grey hair.
Enraged by this statement, the Queen thundered, “ I am sure your old lagging brain understands that his type is not good for the peace of this kingdom. I am also sure that you were made iyalode not only because of your contributions but also because of your brains. So, I would give you some advice, old woman. Put that brain of yours to use and stop interrupting my judgement, except you would love to take his place!!”
“Silence. Silence, woman.” The King bellowed, surprising everyone, even the Olori–Queen, who was not used to being shouted at by the king. Bewildered by this, the chiefs squirmed, looking at everyone but the King and Queen.
“But my King –”
“Leave us” ” the king said, leaving no for argument.
***
The King sat enjoying a fresh cup of palm wine after the Chiefs, and a grateful Fakasin—for the king had spared him—had left the palace.
He drained the last palm wine in his cup as Queen Aderonke walked in. Her enchanting face vexed and deviant. He knew she would not let his dismissal of her in the throne room slide, but he had hoped for a moment of peace before she invaded his space.
”Iwo ni tie, wa,” He said, beckoning to the shortest of the guards behind Aderonke. “Go and tell Oguntoro that I would like to see him on that matter”.
“Go with him”, Aderonke said to the last guard.
The moment they were alone, She charged, “ How could you embarrass me before our subject?”
“Look, I do not have time for this nonsense.” King Sijuade began to leave, but she placed herself before him.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Her body jiggled provocatively as she spoke.
“Leave my way.” The king said, not in the mood to be swayed.
“Not before you apologise for what you did and also promise to take back your verdict concerning the old crow Fakasin.”
For the first time, the King was looking at his wife for real without allowing his libido to do the work, and he could say he was disappointed at the coldness of the woman before him.”Iro”
The queen, not used to hearing the word No from the King, was silent for a while. “You’re really serious, ” she said, glimpsing his resolve.
He let out a little humourless laugh. “I am a King woman, not a jokester, but since you desire clarity, then hear this. I will not apologise, nor will I take back my verdict.
Aderonke audaciously took the deviant king from his crowned head to his woven shoes. “Seems like you have forgotten your ugly secret. Sijuade, do you want it exposed? So if you do not want trouble, do as I say.”
Her words made every wool over the king’s eyes fall into the fire. He smiled, approaching her“Trouble … Ugly Secret, you say?” Leaning down to emphasise the height difference between them, he whispered, “That Ugly secret you call mine is Our child. Do not forget for a second that whatever befalls me befalls you, too. If you doubt that for a second, make that threat again, even in your thoughts, and I’ll expose what we’ve done without a second thought.”
CHAPTER THREE
The relationship between the King and Aderonke was never the same after that fateful day — as other queens called it, “the day the king took back his manhood from Aderonke’s pot.
With her blinding effect over the King meeting with sight, Aderonke poured her effort into raising the crown prince, Adesope.
Adesope grew estranged from others as his mother from birth secluded him from others — Handling everything that concerned him. In her words to the sad prince whenever he asked, He was no ordinary child, so he shouldn’t expect to be treated like one. His break from this un-ordinary only came during a few moments when the king intervened out of sympathy for the little one. Then Adesope got to play— under strict supervision, with his siblings. The king also took him out hunting and sometimes on a secret tour around the village.
However, this leverage came to a bitter end when the King contracted a strange ailment that confined him to his chambers.
One fateful day, the king, who had been ill for a very long time, called his wife, Aderonke, to his chambers for the first time since that fateful day.
“This isn’t how you were all those days when you invited me over,” Aderonke said bitterly, wiping away the tears that slid down her eyes at seeing the once mighty King — who had loved and also easily tossed her aside, now feeble and ragged. Oh, all these years she had hated him… but… never had her hatred been unto death.
“A-de-ro-n-ke”, He struggled to say.
She bent towards him and saw him reach for her “Smooth as always”, He said. His dry hands caressed her face. “I always knew you’d outlive this old man who snatched you from youngmen your age.”
At those words, Aderonke caught a glimpse of her ones besotted King “You won’t die” Aderonke didn’t bother to stop the tears.
“Oh, I will, and we both know it,” he chuckled, caressing her tear-stained cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he suddenly said.
“For?” She asked, confused.
“The apology you wanted,” his face twisted painfully, but she knew it was not at the apology but the pain he felt now.
She should have come to him all those years rather than letting her pride and wrath lead her. “I’m also sorry. I didn’t mean all I said that day.” She shrugged uncomfortably, her voice thickening. “I guess you spoiled me, and I took advantage of it.”
“We spoiled each other, didn’t we?”
She chuckled despite the pain she felt. The king joined in, but his mirth gave way to a painful cough that blared painfully to the ear. “Sorry”, Aderonke soothed, fumbling to pour water from the keg into a calabash, bringing it to his withering lips.
“Thank you,” he said, withdrawing his lips from the edge of the cup. He watched as she returned the cup to the wooden stool. We’ve done our child… a disfavour.”
“He will be king”, she responded, knowing what we meant.
“She… not he. She doesn’t want to be King. We’ve forced our wishes on that poor child.”
“It is a blessing for a child to live out their parents’ wishes. I did,” Aderonke said stubbornly, unable to control the edge in her tone.
“And how did leaving out the wishes of your parents go?” He asked.
She turned away from him, planting her gaze on the elephant trucks on the clay wall.
“Ejoor,” he pleaded, placing his hand on her shoulders. The coldness in his hands travelled through her buba to her skin. “Give it up… It can’t work. If you check under this bed…there are some bags of croweries… I have kept them for this day… take it, add to what you have,, and go far with Adesope. Far away to a land where she can live like the maiden Olodumare created her to be.”
“The Creator created my child to be King,” she rejoined firmly. Rising from the bed, she met his weak gaze squarely. I’m sorry. I can do as you’ve said. My child has suffered too much to live, exiled, from his father’s child,” she said, refusing to address Adesope as female. She knelt respectfully before him, then rose and left the room.
***
That night, death freed King Sijuade from the clutches of his strange ailment. The whole village was thrown into great mourning as the town crier cried around the village, “The great iroko has fallen!”
“Baba Fasakin, how can you say we should not come out?” the second Queen, Yewande, questioned.
The Chief Priest, Baba Fasakin, had come to the palace to perform the seven-day rite for the widows. In their land, when the King dies, his widow is to be confined in their hut for seven days.
“It’s the custom. Olori Agba, please explain to them,” He said, referring to the First wife, Queen Iyabo.
“Can’t we mourn the King —”
“See, Baba,” Aderonke intercepted Queen Eniola, the third wife. “Do what you have come here to do. Anyone worthy of being called the Kabesi’s wife will obey you.”
So it was that at Queen Aderonke’s words, all opposition vanished, the rites were performed, and the King was laid to rest.
CHAPTER FOUR
Seven days after the queens’ confinement and King Sijuade’s burial, the kingdom needed a new king. During these periods, while others mourned, Adesope — despite her grief, was immediately immersed in various rites to be King.
“What if I get discovered?” Adesope asked as her mother bound her breast with a thin cloth. How was she supposed to go before the Chief priest in just a wrapper without being discovered?
The coronation rites required that the king appear before the chief priest in the royal shrine in nothing but a simple white wrapper tied to the waist. That would have been easy if she didn’t have breasts. How would she explain to the chief priest why, rather than coming out shirtless, she had a piece of cloth wrapped on her chest?
“Here”, Queen Aderonke said, passing a thin black neckbead through her low-cut hair. “Come,” she said with a content smile on her face. At a water pot, she stops and steps aside. “Look in”
“By the gods,” Adesope gasped, looking at the water wide-eyed. Her image was staring back at her, but what had her in shock was her chest and face. They were like a man’s. Bare and muscled. Even the white cloth her mother tied on her breast earlier was nowhere in sight. She looked like a beautiful young man. “H…how?” She stuttered her hands, going to the sudden beards on her chin.
Queen Aderonke smiled.”Don’t worry about that.” She touched the black bead. “Make sure this doesn’t leave your neck. So long as you have it on, everyone will see a man when they look at you.
Adesope didn’t know what to feel. “Even Baba Fakasin.”
She smirked at the mention of Chief Priest “Yes. Even him”
“Mother, why do I have to do this? Why can’t —” Adesope could not finish the sentence as Queen Aderonke glared at her. “What if I’m asked to take off all my beads?”
Aderonke patted her shoulder. “Your father told me all that occurred during his coronation, so I know you won’t be asked to remove your beads.”
***
“Take a seat, son.” Baba Fakasin pointed to a low stool next to a large calabash containing fire as Adesope entered the royal shrine.
She couldn’t understand the disappointment that welled within her when the Chief priest—like everyone else she had passed on her way to the shrine—couldn’t see behind her mother’s charm. Getting discovered would be fatal, but something kept nagging at her that they couldn’t get away with all their deception.
She shivered back to her environment as some liquid rained on her from the palms Baba Fakasin deeped in a calabash and sprinkled around the shrine. He said some rapid words Adesope couldn’t make out as he moved.
“Kneel”, Baba instructed, dropping the calabash on the shrine’s floor mat. “Do not let this leave your lips until I take it out,” He slid one of the palms on her lips.
Then he took a white cock and circled it around Adesope’s head seven times, and, in a move that made her shiver slit the throat of the cock. She watched the cock jerked out its last whit of life despite the urge she felt to move away. This would be her the day they were discovered.
“What is this? Baba Fakasin stuttered. “Why do you have that on your body?”
At those words, she heard a sharp clink, and her eyes widened as all the beads on her neck came apart, bouncing on the mat where they had fallen—the black ones finding their way to each other. How had they suddenly come apart? Her face waned as the words of her mother replayed in her mind.
“Lai lai kojejebe, it can never be so”. His face, the very expression of wrath and disbelief. “Speak,” He commanded, taking the palm off her lips.
“Ejoor Baba” Her voice trembled in defeat.
“Ah Ah Ah,” he squatted as he beheld the black beads, which had assembled themselves away from the others. Saying some incantations, he scoped them up and threw them into the large calabash of fire. The fire grew, eating through the thatched roof, and then it died completely.
Baba took the white cloth he draped around his neck to cover her as the Chiefs rushed in with some guards in tow.
Queen Aderonke runs in, trying to fathom the problem, “ Baba kilode?” – “Baba what’s wrong?”
“Ade lode”, Baba Fakasin replied sarcastically, shooting her a withering look.
She was about to release a hot retort at the disrespect when she noticed Adesope slumped and defeated on the ground. And she knew—
Their secret was no longer a safe secret.
“How dare you think to deceive the gods?” The old crow, as her mother referred to Baba Fakasin, was a tiger today.
Adesope, for the first time, glimpsed fear in her mother’s eyes as he approached her. “This person here has deceived us all. She posed her female child to be male.”
The people present gasped.
“But… but we all saw a young prince approach the royal shrine”, Iyalode enquired, and the others present voiced their confusion.
“Where are the beards?” Chief Ifako said, approaching Adesope.
Queen Aderonke placed herself in his path. “You will not lay your hands on my child.” She bravely faced them all. “Yes, I did all this. My child is innocent.”
“You brash woman,” Chief Ifako fumed and ceased her. “I suggest her child be banished and she killed”
“Beeni”, The angry people concurred.
“Ejoor, Please spare my mother” Adesope finally broke her silence. Securing the cloth around her body, she approached Baba Fakasin “Ejoor Babami” ” she pleaded, referring to Fakasin as her father. “Don’t let them kill my mother.”
“This was Fakasin years ago begging for his life for doing something so minute, but your mother demanded for his head,” Iyalode said. “Go and pack your things. Your mother’s fate has been decided.”
“The King, Iyalode” Baba Fasakin said.
“What of the king? Did he have a hand—“
“You forgot to add that the king was the one who spared my life when no one but you rose to speak in my defence.” The Chiefs present looked washed in shame and guilt. Each one of them murmured their apology.
“We apologise for that, Baba. But what does that have to do with what they’ve done?” Chief Agba asked.
“A lot. The gods are always benevolent to the benevolent, especially an act of benevolence shown to his servant, such as that which King Sijuade showed me. On that day, you remembered I gave a prophecy. One, most of you considered words I said to escape death. Words a spoke but considered strange until now.”
Baba Fakasin approached Chief Ifako. “Unhand the Queen,” he turned, scanning the room and its confused occupants. I will say it here again since most seem lost. Ifa had said then and still maintains his words now: Irrespective, the child shall rule. That child is Adesope.”
“Iro. I say you lie, Baba. The throne is mine,” Adewole charged in. Eyes blazing as one possessed with an evil spirit. “I heard everything you’ve all said so far, but you see this lie you’ve cooked up to steal my throne. I will end it” He took out his sword and aimed it at Adesope. The moment the sword was almost on the white of Adesope’s garment, thunder from nowhere slipped in through the whole made by the fire and struck Adewole with madness.
“I killed the king. Yes, I am king now. I defeated that weak moron Sijuade,” Adewole sang with mad glee, leaving the shrine.
“Now you’ll have to be brave —,” Baba Fakasin whispered as tears escaped Adesope’s eyes. “—You have a people to lead.
