Skip to main content

MUSTARD I – Ch. 1 | KT OLLA

IT was the time when kingdoms and nations strove in wars. When men carved bravery and essence in kills and slaughter.

Nay, it was no Dark Age but the Seasons of Dark Hearts. And there in the core of that darkness lived a man with dreams.

He dreamed of greatness like that of the fighters. Dreamed of glories like those of warrior kings.

But his dreams he called by a different name. For he wanted the glory without a sword, a reign without the throne.

He wanted life and its fullness. Still he hated the way of kings, lords and warlords.

That dream was born in 1885. And they call this man’s name, Future.

[c. 1885 – 1914]

Chapter 1

MACHETE blades sparked fire. And its handlers spat words as they blended them against large boulders.

It was a great gathering of the sons of Dada in their father’s courtyard – on the mountain sides of Ekiti Kingdom...

And the men, eight in number, ground their weapons against small rocks in a masculine show of strength and valour.

It was a time of war when men spoke of kills and slaughter. When the talk of war made boys men. And the eldest sons of Dada wouldn’t spare a word in proving their worth.

Yes, it was war time in the kingdoms of Yoruba people, spread across the west side of the Niger’s descent into the Atlantic.

So from Ẹgba Kingdom near the coastal peoples of Eko (Lagos), to the tribute lands of Ọyọ; then to Ijẹsha Land, and Ifẹ, and Ekiti...

Kingdoms formed alliances to resist one lord—the city-state of Ibadan warriors.

This was the Year 1885. Eight years into a fight that would be named Fourteen Years War, the war to end all wars.

Now Ibadan had been matching its opponent’s rifles with great machetes...

But the war had just gone fiercer, as the newly arrived British government started to provide Ibadan with guns. As it had been trading with Ekiti and other elite dealers before.

So, more hands were suddenly needed on Ekiti’s front. And the sons of Dada knew well to prepare to join the army.

Now the men littered their father’s frontyard like pieces of rocks in a garden. They sharpened their weapons and spoke words as sharp as their blades.

It was the eldest of the men riding the wave of the talk.

‘Man is only man when he looks death in the face and spits at him!’

Someone cried among the young men. ‘That is word! That is wise word, Brother! Speak on, Son of grey hairs!’

The first looked around to see his brothers ready for more. And he wanted to tell something more.

So he took his machete and stuck it in the ground with one strike. Then he raised his head and cried:

‘What is man with no glory? And what is glory without war?

‘We live this life to die, worthy sons of Dada! So how do we tell the world we live, when all we do is farm and make babies?

‘What will legend say of us, if all we do is crawl into rocks like cowards in the face of battle?

‘Brothers, now is the time to etch our names!  For the glory and the honour! And again for the glory of our names!’

He yanked off his blade from the ground and held it up high.

‘Shout it after me... now!! For the glory of our names!’

The people chorused the cheer:

‘For the glory of our names!’

‘For the glory of our names!’

‘For the glory of our names!’

That sound went on and on with a shout. The cry was both wild and loud enough to seem it was the whole village.

Yet just while the noise was beginning to settle, a slender voice spoke up.

And that voice—it stirred something more.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sons of the Flaming Throne 2 – Ch. 20 | KT OLLA

DAVID had been reigning for about forty years already. And in those years of his reign in Israel, soldiers have stood and fallen for him. The warlord had conquered lands, conquered nations. He’d taken territories, subdued enemies. Yet as the monarch grew older and nations bowed to him, there remained no wars to fight; and so his valiant men had nothing doing. His soldiers settled in families and kept livestock. They became shepherds and keepers of vines. The great ones among them got involved in public duties and administration. Still, there were a few who didn’t change with the changing tide. And chief among them was Joab, commander of the army. No, it wasn’t that the man didn’t settle down with family or other civil matters. But Joab wasn’t quite settled enough when it came to his heart and attitude. The old man had been quite loyal to David through the long years. But ever since the time that wars were done with, he had lost his sense of purpose. Joab wasn’t all that interested in n...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sons of the Flaming Throne 2 – Ch. 9 | KT OLLA

ABISHUM wasn’t done speaking. So she picked up on the matter as things were bound to change. She spoke: ‘See, it was a bedroom cry for Aleph. But not until the day things were shoved in her face… ‘And that day she gave up on hoping! ‘Well, what Aleph thought was the reason why Beth couldn’t marry, was different from what it was with people. ‘She used to think it was because there was no man in her house to ask the daughter from. As is our customary practice in Israel.  ‘But when a drunken man shoved it in her face one night, it hurt her too much what people say. ‘“No one will marry your daughter, woman! Why will anyone do? When death hides in her bosom like it hid in yours. Or why did your husband die? ‘“Look, if you don’t know it – your family is cursed! You only have one child in a nation of plenty. ‘“God has prospered Israel with many children like the sea sand. But what do your family bear? Only one! ‘“So, who will want your cursed daughter for his son to love? You really don’t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sons Of The Flaming Throne – Ch.50 (Final Episode) | KT OLLA

PRINCE S’alom was beaten once; and then a second time. It was by two things that baffle the mind. For not only was he shocked that his men kept running for their lives. As they fled when they were chased past; and he wished they could stop to help. But now he was even more dazed when he saw that his father’s men left him hanging. He realized that those boys weren’t sent to kill him. Yes, the Third One knew this from the start. That if David had wanted him dead, he’d have been long dead and buried. Now it was clear that he’d been taking advantage of the just man’s goodwill. And this he knew himself. The prince faced this truth; so it knocked him off that David was still being kind. No, he’d so taken things for granted. Therefore, it happened that one of the chasers who ran past returned to find Joab when he saw the prince hanging. He told the captain what he saw and assured him the prince wasn’t dead. Now when the general saw that the boy didn’t kill him, he went all mad and furious. ‘W...
Post a Comment
Read more