The Warriors of Oduduwa 2, The Crowned Hunter.

serious though, the usual fever you remember? ”

”Yes, I remember ” Ade replied

How could he forget barely a season after Lakans birth the boy developed a serious ailment, high temperature, bloodshot eyes and abnormally rapid growth. No one could tell the nature of the sickness let alone cure it, and that included the Ifa priest, it was as though Lakan was destined to die, but being a man of deep wisdom, the Ifa priest advised Baba Lakan to take the child to Ade whose knowledge of the evil forest might prove useful. The moment Ade laid his eyes on the child he was able to fathom the problem, the boy was special he thought to himself, and then he reached out and gave the boy a special kind of incision on a hidden organ of Lakans body. Incisions are used by Yoruba warriors and men of power to increase their level of ”Agbara ” or spiritual power and this is what Ade used to cure the child.

”Hell need more of those incisions as he grows older, but for now its safe. ” Ade explained ”though he will be having more fevers as time goes on because his bodys still adapting to the incision ”

”You saved the life of my son, if not for you, think of the trouble that…. ”

”Just remember the warning, no need to thank me, it was God who gave me the wisdom to help your son ” Ade cut in ”Lakan is special I have never seen an Ẹṣọ survive an incision of that nature before the passing of the 14th seasons and your son was barely 2 seasons old when he received It ”

”When he gets older he would be duly warned, ” Baba Lakan responded, ”so do you know how the meeting at the palace will turn out? ” He asked

Ades responded with a grin, he then began to walk along the lonely footpath with Baba Lakan beside him.

”For now, even I am in the dark, we will let time answer your question ” Ade responded after a short pause

The two walked together for a while, enjoying each others company, until they were forced to separate, going opposite directions towards their farms.

On reaching his farm Ade immediately set off to work for 2 hours harvesting some tubers of yams cassavas and ensuring his corn hadn been attacked by the pests, he watered most of his other crops keeping in mind that he would be rushing to the palace soon then the atmosphere around him changed. Then he felt the uncomfortable sensation of dread in his spine, someone was watching him!!!. The experience he has had over the years had taught him not to react immediately but to bide his time and determine the identity of the intruder by observing his/her footfalls, the aura had no essence of bloodlust in it so its a friend.

”Oro, ” He greeted ”Oro Ifa, ”(Meaning, the words of Ifa, or the Voice of Ifa.)

”Oju-aye, ” The Ifa priest greeted back

While people called him Ade the Ifa priest preferred to call him ”Oju-aye ” meaning the eyes that see life or in other words Ade had experienced life in its totality the joy of success and the pain of defeat. The deeper one looks into Ades eyes the more the person sees the deep knowledge of his life experiences, it is something that Ade couldn hide no matter how hard he tried. In addition, the Ifa priest like his wife knew Ades secret, some say that the priest had a kind of fear and respect for Ade, which he wasn willing to admit to any of the other elders in the village.

”Oro-Ifa great one, I sense pain in your voice, what troubles you? ” Ade inquired he could see the signs on the Ifa priest, he looked older than usual and there was a dark shade beneath his eyes when he spoke his voice was harsh due to his extensive chanting.

”The shrine has been defiled ” the priest responded.

”And the gods? ” Ade further inquired

”Furious ” the priest responded again

”You spent the entire night chanting ” Ade continued with signs of concern in his voice

”When danger approaches the watchman must never slumber ” the Ifa priest replied, gazing at the sunrise ”I used the time to still the blazing anger of the gods with my pleading even though the attempt was futile ”

”How serious is the offence? I hope it will not lead to a human sacrifice ” Ade inquired

”That you will learn when you get to the palace ”

”Then what is the purpose of your visit? If the lion is not resting at night, then it is hunting ”

”I bring another message from Olodumare, ” the priest said and in response, Ade shuddered in sudden fear.

The voice of Olodumare, Oluwa-Ọrun (King of heaven), the only phenomenon that Ade dreads, he fears God as though he feared his own shadow, hearing the name alone brings shivers down his spine.

”So what is the message? ” Ade enquired wiping the sweat off his brow

”Come home ” the Ifa priest replied

”The same message that makes a grown man tremble, especially the ones who have lived wayward lives, the message of death ”,

”Why should a man be afraid to join his ancestors; It is one of the greatest honours that can be given to any man, to be one with the ancestors is like being one with the gods ” the Ifa priest added

”Elder you would not understand, ” Ade replied

”Just remember Ade, there is always a sunrise and there is always sunset, all stories must come to an end ”

With those words the Ifa priest departed blessing Ades farm and wishing him a bountiful harvest, Ade wondered why Olodumare would send a message at such a time as this, the last time Olodumare sent him a message, Ade observed that negative things happened days after the message was delivered, it seemed as though these so-called messages are a form of warning that is to prepare him against the unpredictable future. But then, Ade thought to himself, does the message have something to do with the defiled shrine of the village? The cock crowed suddenly which broke Ades chain of thought and snapped him back into reality, gathering all his harvested crops as quickly as he could Ade packed his tools and placed them all in his basket including his crops, then, using a unique chant Ade lightened the basket to make it easier to carry, he lifted the basket with little effort thanks to the chant placing it on his shoulder and rushed home to his wife and his unborn child.