Akanni

This short but nice story was written by my very own sharp mouth Bukky. A brilliant writer and more importantly, someone with a very good heart. she just showers me with surprising gifts anyhow and God saved her life though they have many witches in their village. she is not a stranger to this blog and hopefully, sooner than later, you will be seeing more wonders from her mind. Do enjoy this captivating story and do not forget to share. oh, it was edited by moi.

 

 The day started like any other day. ‘Ah!! The whole town is in a state if brouhaha. Go to the village square, the masquerades are chasing everyone with their sticks. The girls have abandoned their water pots. The brave young men, the type that fought the great Alani ran like chickens when the masquerade invaded the village square. Akanni, what are we to do? Are we going to allow men whose faces are covered with mask take over our own village? The village that our strong men of valor who have been called to the earth by the gods, spent years toiling and tilling the land to build? Akanni, don’t just sit there. Rise up Akanni, I say. Let the fury of the gods burn in you. Take back the glory of this land. Avenge the blood of those children crying in the wilderness.’ She stood up to her feet and left Akanni’s compound without looking back.

Akanni then stood up from where he was sitting, frightened to see what was happening to the villagers. He beat his chest and said to himself: “I, the Olori Ajagun of this village. How can i stay here when my people are being terrified? The masquerades want to take over our village, enslave our wives and children. Ah, our enemies are at work!!!” At this point, he knew he needed to put aside his fear and fight for his people. The people are afraid of the weapon the masquerades are holding. They have never seen such weapons before as they were gotten from the white men. Everybody is running into their hut. So Akanni acted brave by going through a secret way to call together all the able and brave men of the village into a private camp for training and also to devise a plan on how to defeat the masquerades.

“We must do whatever it takes”, Akanni said with eyes wide open. “We must. This village is ours and no one has a right to take it away from us.” He charged the men after gathering them together. He walked back and forth making eye contact with each man gathered as he spoke … “We have all it takes to face them. We cannot be hiding when our wives and children are being killed or taken away as slaves. We are going to fight, we have fought before and won and we will do it again. We must restore the glory of this land. Yes, I Akanni, Olori Ajagun will lead you. Together, we fight!!!” Each man nodded and agreed in one accord to fight believing the gods of the land will go before them to win the battle.                                                                   

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Ayoka is well known as the Iyalode in the village. Due to her position as Iyalode, she is close to Akanni as they work closely together and are often summoned together by the king. They are having a secret affair as she is married to a man her parents forced her to marry while Akanni is not married. It is a taboo to leave her husband so that’s why her relationship with Akanni cannot be made known. Ayoka loves Akanni because of his strength that has made him prevail over men and lions. She loves to hear about his victory but this time, she was angry and disappointed in him for not rising up immediately to fight the men that threaten to tear their village apart. 

She rises up at the sound of the cock crow, dresses up to secretly go to Akanni’s compound. As she walks to his house, avoiding the masquerades and prying eyes, she murmurs to herself: “why can’t he do something? Is it until the whole village is destroyed before he makes a move? Ah! Akanni, the captain of the warriors, how can he just sit there?” she walks faster and stops when she hears voices. She walks towards the direction the sound is coming from and soon realizes it’s from the camp near the village; the same place Akanni and herself usually meet.  She remembers when the village was still in a good state, how the two of them used to go to that camp to enjoy themselves and talk about how Akanni defeated other warriors in the war against the other villages. Those times were her favourite moments. When she would sneak to the camp after farm work, in the evening when the atmosphere is cool to meet Akanni. The camp was their secret place until the rumpus started.

She eventually sees some brave men being led by Akanni with their weapons of warfare, marching towards the village square with determination to take back the village from the masquerades. “Finally, I know you can do it”, Ayoka jumps up, smiles to herself as she says the words. “Ha-ha! Yes!!!” she throws her hands in the air and dances like the women do during the yam festivals … “Akanni, jagun! Jagun! You are the most courageous man I have ever met. Akanni, the son of his father.” She runs towards him to hold his hands not caring if she will be looked at. He is finally doing what she wants; he is finally fighting for the peace of the people.