Abeni knew that this child would not back down
She knew that she would have to try too
To provide a suitable answer
Because you know
There comes a time
A time when the child
Lost in the jeers of youth
Needs to find itself.
**
Baba paused his fable
And suddenly started dancing in one direction
The whole village knew who it was
‘Temilade
Omo Omolola
The whose beauty mirrors beauty
The one whose feet kings will kiss
And lay claim to
*The drummers stopped abruptly*
You have been chosen
*The drumming continues*
Temilade stepped out in style
And danced towards the royal family
She knelt down on one knee
Bowed her head low
And said
‘Kabiyesi O
I have been deemed worthy
May his name be praised
Kabiyesi OOO’
The kind smiled wryly.
The queen began to sweat.
She called for water.
All of a sudden she became uncomfortable.
As she tried to drink water,
The cup fell
Slipped from her fingers
She looked up and saw Omolola
Smiling at her
No one seemed to notice
The queen seemed agitated
But Omolola did.
It was her job to notice.
Baba continued his dance
And fable**
“So Abeni looked upon her child
Pitifully
‘She doesn’t know what she’s asking of me
Oh she doesn’t” Abeni said to herself
Abeni’s insides were in conflict
Revealing the identity of the girl’s father
Brought with it great tragedy
To them both
Abeni had to be wise about it
Omo mi
My child, she said
Your father is king of a great kingdom
He has great riches
He is wealthy beyond measure
But he is dead
The daughter would not have it
‘Surely Surely’ She said
‘if my father was as rich as you say
He would have left behind something
Something worth fighting for’
Abeni smiled
The child continued
‘Why do you talk like he’s alive though you say he’s dead?
Can one be alive and dead, both at the same time?’
Her daughter was not sated
But she understood one thing
That her mother was not answering any more questions.
The child needed to know more.
The child was done.
Baba Danced on in another direction.
The people looked on.
Baba paused his fable.
“Atinuke
Omo Oluwapelumi
Oko Olufunmi
*The drumming stopped abruptly*
You have been chosen
*The drumming resumed*
The queen’s face grew darker
The prince smiled
Baba had listened
Atinuke danced forward
It was time
The die has been cast long before
Now all could see it.
She danced forward
Went down on one knee
And said
‘Kabiyesi O
I have been deemed worthy
My his name be praised
Kabiyesi OOO’
But this time
The king did not smile
He face was blank
Expressionless.
Written by Akinbobola Adeyemo