Episode Six – Yahweh and the Miraculous

King Adeyeri got to the throne room and peeped in to see the Chiefs in deep conversation, but they did not see him, so they continued to speak freely. Eavesdropping wasn’t something the King felt comfortable doing, but he couldn’t help pausing because they were arguing about an issue that sounded familiar.

“I told you I want my niece for this!” Osi said to Oluawo accusingly.

“You said all our girls can compete for a chance. Why would you now impose a commoner on us?” Balogun added.

“You all need to calm down. This is not the time for selfish manipulations. I made a decision purely for the success of the mission. The girl I chose is not a coward. She won’t give up until she succeeds; that is the kind of doggedness we need.”

“My niece can be dogged too. She and the King have history. It would make things easy,” Osi insisted, but Oluawo waved him away.

“You just want to be the King’s Uncle, while I want to help the gods deliver our King from the witch he married. I don’t know about you all, but to me, that is the ultimate assignment.”

Balogun nodded reluctantly as if he was beginning to see reason with Oluawo.

“I don’t care! The only way I can support your mission is if my niece gets a chance to put herself forward to be chosen,” Osi said, and Balogun rolled his eyes. He clearly was more worried about the issue of the invasion. 

“Can we bring back those white people and their igbo accomplice, I believe that is what we should focus on while we pray that the King’s wife and her baby come out of their ordeal safely.”

“The King’s wife will survive if the King turns away from his strange gods and makes sacrifices, but his son will die.” Oluawo declared.

Adeyeri shook his head in disappointment at the self-serving plan the Chiefs had. Now, it made sense that they did not want to crown his wife as Queen because of their personal agendas.

Suddenly, it didn’t seem important to be with them anymore. Tade’s well-being was his priority, and he decided that he was going to see her again. 

Oluawo will feel the power of the living God because both his wife and son would be fine.

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Toriola loved everything about the palace, and had marvelled at its beauty when Atoyebi, the King’s guard, took her on a very quick walk to show her where everything was, and who to call if she needed anything.

This could easily be my domain, to rule and reign, if I play my game well.

When Atoyebi brought her into the King’s room, and she saw the midwife trying to wake Tade up so that she could push her baby out dead or alive, she had a strong desire to simply just watch her breathe her last, but she also knew that she needed Tade alive to have access to the King’s chambers, and to show her skills.

You will live till I become relevant, and you become replaceable.

“Don’t just stand there, bring those clothes over there,” the midwife scolded her, and Toriola rushed to do her bidding. She had just brought the requested clothes when King Adeyeri entered, and everyone went on their knees in greeting.

“Please rise, let me not disturb you from your ministrations,” Adeyeri said. 

Iyalode went to stand by his side. “I was just leaving to come and give you an update at the throne room,” she said. “You shouldn’t be here, Kabiyesi.”

“You can give me the update here. I can’t concentrate anywhere else.”

Iyalode sighed. “We are losing her. The midwife is doing all she can, but we are losing her.”

Adeyeri’s throat felt clogged as he struggled to say something. “Tadeyeri will be fine.”

Iyalode looked around then leaned in and whispered to the King. “The midwife is suggesting cutting her open to bring out the baby so that we will not lose them both,” she said, but Toriola, who had been listening intently to them, while pretending to assist the midwife, heard clearly. Even if Tade did not die, cutting her open to remove a child, who Oluawo had assured her was already dead, was a win for her because it would disfigure her. 

“No!” Adeyeri bellowed , walking up to the midwife. “You will not cut my wife open.”

“We may have no choice, Kabiyesi. She is not alert enough to push, and if she… If she…” Adeyeri stared at the midwife squarely, daring her to state her negative opinion, but the woman swallowed the words.

“She needs to be alert and awake to push the baby!” Iyalode said, hoping to get Adeyeri to commit to cutting his wife open, but he simply ignored her and moved to Tade, holding her hand, and then pressing his lips to her forehead.

“I have faith that you will be alright, both you and our baby. Please, find strength to be awake,” Adeyeri said to Tade, stroking her shoulders and taking the towel from the servant girl to mop the sweat from her forehead.

It was foolish to wish ill on oneself, but at that moment, Toriola felt tempted to trade places with Tade.

“Tade, my lover… Tade, my friend… Tade, my mother… The mother of my children… Tade, my prophet, come back to me, my love. You make life worth living.”

The King was so emotional in his monologue to his wife that his mood spilled on everyone in the room. Even the midwife was getting teary, obviously confused as to how to tell the King that he was fighting a losing battle.

“I am here,” Tade said in a still small voice then cleared her throat. “I am here, Adeyeri!” she called out again, and the King’s face broke into a smile, while every other person was shocked by the miracle.

“I knew you would answer me,” he boasted joyfully.

“I think the baby is coming, my love. I am feeling pain.”

“Pain is good. It is a sign that you can feel. It gives me hope,” the midwife said, then moved closer to take Adeyeri’s place, barking out instructions to her girls. “Do you think you have the strength to push? she asked Tade, but Adeyeri answered for her.

“God will give her the grace!”

“I think we should leave now so that they can focus,” Iyalode said to Adeyeri, but he held on tight to Tade.

“My wife needs me. I am not leaving her side”

“Go Adeyeri. Iyalode is right, you will distract the midwife.”

“I won’t!”

“Go, my love. I will be fine.”

“You have lost a lot of blood.”

“The blood of Jesus flows through me, it won’t matter. I will be fine.”

“I will hold you to that promise,” Adeyeri said, then kissed her on the lips, not caring who watched.

Jesus! This Jesus again. Was he the strange god they served?

Toriola didn’t care about their god. What she saw was beautiful, and if she didn’t crave it for herself, she would wish them well. However, she wanted this very much. It was the least she could do to honour the memory of her brother, and she would do it or die trying. In the space of a day, her goal had changed from avenging her brother by hurting the King, to avenging her brother by sharing the life and glory of the man he died to save.

“Will you bring me news as soon as there is any? Please, don’t hesitate,” Adeyeri said, and she nodded in obedience, relishing the first words he said to her, which in her opinion, was only the first of many to come.

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Adeyeri stormed into the throne room, irritated by the message Atoyebi had whispered into his ears on his way there. Behind his back, the Chiefs had begun to question the white men that were caught at the borders, battering them. Oluawo was about to slap the igbo man when Iyalode jumped in between the two of them

“Kabiyesi has not given us the permission to punish them in any way. Don’t do this, Oluawo,” she pleaded. Like the King, she too, was just returning from being with Tade.

“Who gave you the right to question my authority, woman!” The Chief Priest bellowed furiously, obviously using all his might to hold himself from slapping her, and his insolence angered Adeyeri even more.

“How dare you begin judgement on a matter I have told you all to delay,” he said, and they all bowed before him.

“I am sorry, your Highness. The Igbo man was speaking out of turn. I had to shut him up before he invoked a curse on our land,” Oluawo begged.

Adeyeri knew he was lying. His instruction had been for them to deal with the situation without harming the intruders, but he sensed an instruction in his spirit not to trade words with the Chief Priest, and so he gestured to the Chiefs to rise and sit, then faced the intruders.

“Why are you here?” he asked even though he knew that they were not going to understand his request, and he was right. They simply glared. “They must be hungry. Let’s feed them.”

“Haa!” Osi exclaimed. “With all due respect Kabiyesi, I am not sure that is a good idea.”

Balogun cleared his throat. “I am forced to agree with Osi. It would be like strengthening the enemy.”

Adeyeri rolled his eyes. “So feeding three strangers who found their way into our land is suddenly going to lead to our destruction? If yes, Balogun, do you even deserve your title?”

“Kabiyesi!” Balogun exclaimed, clearly hurt.

“My Chiefs, in due time, we will be able to understand what these men are after. Like I told you earlier, my wife can speak Igbo and a bit of the white man’s language. Very soon, she will be well, and will be able to assist us with the interpretation.” Adeyeri’s confidence was met with loud silence as the Chiefs looked away from him, not wanting to pass any comment. Yet, it was clear that they had things to say. “Do you not believe me?” Adeyeri asked, reacting to their silence.

“Oh, we do, Kabiyesi,” Iyalode replied swiftly, but the Chief Priest wore an expression that clearly showed that he did not agree with her.

“Is there something you would like to tell me, Oluawo?” Adeyeri asked, not in the mood for theatrics, but the Chief Priest was in full performance mode as he sighed and shook his head repeatedly.

“What is it, Oluawo?” Balogun asked, curious about the pitiful expressions, but Osi seemed aware of the cause.

“What Oluawo has seen is very saddening, and I will recommend that he doesn’t speak about it. It will be too distressing for Kabiyesi. I have been beside myself with worry since he told me.”

Adeyeri looked from Oluawo to Osi, wondering what the grievous matter was, but instead of addressing them right away, he motioned to Atoyebi to take the intruders away. “Put them in one of the palace rooms and make sure two guards are stationed at the entrance. Let them eat, drink, bathe, change clothes, and be safe till my wife is available to interpret their mission to us.”

Balogun shifted in his seat grudgingly while the solemn expressions that Osi and Oluawo wore deepened as Atoyebi motioned to a palace guard to help him do the King’s bidding.

“They are our guests until we can prove otherwise. I will not foolishly create enemies where there are none. Besides, those white men that you hate are not all bad. One of them was a friend to my wife, but unfortunately, he died whilst coming back to Iludoyin with us from exile. I owe it to his memory to treat his people well.”

“May I speak freely, Kabiyesi?” Oluawo asked.

“Nothing has stopped you in the past,” Adeyeri replied, then motioned with his hands that he should go ahead.

“Things are about to become really bad for Iludoyin and its people. I saw it all in a vision last night, and already the first part of the prophecy is coming to pass,” Oluawo revealed.

“What is this prophecy?” Adeyeri inquired, even though he sensed that Oluawo would mention Tade’s unfortunate predicament, and he was right.

“The gods are angry because there’s a strange god harboured in the palace. In revolt, they are unleashing their power. Already, the life of the King’s wife hangs in the balance. She will lose the baby she carries, and if we do not quickly handle the matter, she will die too. Then the angel of death will begin to visit every family in Iludoyin till we appease the gods with a sacrifice.”

Osi rose with a dramatic jump. “What is this sacrifice? Please, let’s begin the process immediately. The King’s wife must not die. Even if we can’t save the child, we must save the mother.”

“How can we begin the process of the sacrifice?” Balogun asked when Oluawo looked to the sky as though communing with the gods.

Iyalode looked at the other Chiefs quizzingly. “But we have not ascertained that there is another god in the palace. Could Oluawo’s vision be…?”

“Don’t anger the gods by finishing that statement,” Oluawo looked sharply at Iyalode and she quickly kept shut.

“What sacrifice is required?” Osi asked again.

“We need four virgins to take four bowls of sacrifice and four baby goats to the evil forest.”

“Oh! That is easy. I will send my men out to get the virgin girls,” Balogun said.

“Two male virgins, and two female virgins to seek protection for both our male and female children,” Oluawo said, and all the other Chiefs nodded in understanding.

Adeyeri’s laughter punctured the gloomy mood in the room. He had patiently allowed Oluawo to finish his revelation while whispering in tongues to strengthen his inner man when fear was about to overcome him.

“This matter is not funny, Kabiyesi! We are scared,” Osi said, and Adeyeri’s laughter piped down and dissolved into a smile.

“Since you all know that there is a different God operating in the palace, there is no need to keep Him away from you. I did not mention my God to you in the past out of respect for our culture and traditions, but now that your gods are asking our innocent citizens to lurk in the dark in the name of sacrifices, I have to speak up.”

If a pin was dropped, you could hear it in the palace.

“What is this, Kabiyesi? You are blaspheming. You will incur the wrath of the gods,” Oluawo said, shaking on his feet furiously.

“I will incur nothing because what I speak is the truth.”

Iyalode and Balogun rose to join Oluawo and Osi. “Kabiyesi, please stop this! To incur the wrath of the gods can have deadly consequences,” Iyalode begged, falling to her knees, tears beginning to build in her eyes.

“Iyalode, please rise, I shall not die. Yahweh did not save me from my enemies to destroy me before I establish his Kingdom here on earth.”

Oluawo shook furiously. “Kabiyesi, you have drawn a battle line with the gods, and it will not end well. To preserve your wife and ensure you can ever have another child, we must appease the gods with a sacrifice.”

“They are not my gods, and if you will all sit back calmly, I will tell you about my God,” Adeyeri said, but the other Chiefs were too scared of Oluawo to do as the King asked.

“Kabiesi, your son has died. You saw the pool of blood your wife was lying in a while ago. We need to stop this before it escalates,” the Chief Priest said, trying to appeal to Adeyeri’s reason when Banji barged into the room, Toriola at his heels.

“Kabiyesi! Kabiyesi!” Banji called out, rushing to Adeyeri’s side.

Adeyeri quickly rose to his feet, panicked at the sight of his friend, but holding on to the last strand of faith to stay positive. “What is it?” he asked anxiously.

“How is the King’s wife?” Osi rejoined.

“Tell them,” Banji motioned to Toriola.

“The King’s wife has borne a daughter,” Toriola announced, and Adeyeri shouted for joy.

“Impossible! I saw a son,” Oluawo said almost to himself just as Atoyebi barged into the room.

“Kabiesi, Ayaba has borne a son,” he announced, confusing the room.

“Didn’t you say it was a daughter?” Iyalode queried Toriola, but the Chief Priest waved her question away.

“The gods are angry. There shall be no child in the palace today. Stop deceiving the King. We need to make a sacrifice to save his wife, and he needs to focus. Get out all of you,” Oluawo pointed towards Banji, Toriola, and Atoyebi.

“But I saw the baby girl before running out to share the good news,” Toriola said. 

“Yes,” Atoyebi agreed. “The King’s wife has borne both a daughter and a son.”

Adeyeri laughed. “Yahweh, be praised. I serve a living God,” he said, then rushed out to go and see his new family.

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God be praised! Twins? 

Wow. King Adeyeri’s unwavering faith is truly commendable and God showed up for him. Halleluyah! 

Is Tadeyeri fine though?