EKITI PEACEDAY. (KIRIJI MEMORIAL FESTIVAL)

#EKITIPEACEDAY

(KIRIJI MEMORIAL FESTIVAL)

24 NAMES OF PERSONALITIES THAT

SIGNED THE YORUBA PEACE TREATY OF SEPTEMBER 23,1886 A.D

The following were those that signed the peace treaty:

1.Adeyemi, The Alafin of Oyo

2.Ajayi,Balogun, Ibadan

3.Osuntoki,Maye, Ibadan

4.Fijabi,Abese, Ibadan

5.Fajinmi,Agbakin, Ibadan

6.Tahajo,Otun Bale, Ibadan

7.Agunloye, Owa Ilesa

 8.Okinbaloye, Oore, Otun-Ekiti

 9.Oyiyosoye,Ajero, Ijero-Ekiti

 10.Odundun Olayisade,Olojudo, Ido-Ekiti 

11.Ogedengbe, Seriki, Ilesa

12.Derin Ologbenla, Ooni-elect,Ife

13. Awotionde ,Obalufe, Ife

14.Oramuyiwa, Obajiwo, Ife

15.Akintola ,Obaloran, Ife

16.Osundalu, Ajaruwa, Ife

17.Jojo, Arode, Ife

18.Aworinlo, Arisaure, Ife

19.Oga, Balogun, Ife

20.Ogunwole ,Ogunsua, Modakeke

21.Sowo, for Balogun, Modakeke

22.Ayanleye, for Ogunsua, Modakeke

23.Aboki ,Awujale, Ijebu 

24.Onafowokan, Balogun, Ijebu

Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of the undersigned, after the terms and conditions therein, contained had been interpreted and explained by us, or one of us to the respective signatories.

(Signed) Samuel Johnson, Clerk in Holy Orders, Messenger and Interpreter for the Governor, (Signed) Charles Phillips, Clerk in Holy Orders, Messenger and Interpreter for the Governor.

Date: Thursday, September 23rd,1886 A.D

At the Kirijimesin Battlefield.

 #EkitiPeaceDay #KirijiMemorial #September23

SHODEKE PROCLAIMED

Ki Sodeke to fi aiye sile 

O fi ohun sile lo

Pe ki ogun maja Ilewo

Ki ogun maja Ijemo

Igbati Sodeke fi aiye sile

Ogun ja Ilewo ogun ja Ijemo

O ko gbogbo ara Ake da sehin odi

Before Sodeke's death, he proclaimed that there would not be an outbreak of war in the two Egba towns of Ilewo and Ijemo. But after the demise of Sodeke, war-ravaged both Ilewo and Ijemo, and the Ake people were displaced contrary to Sodeke's foretelling. 

Sodeke was regarded as the founder of Abeokuta. He was considered to be clairvoyant and had foreseen the coming of Henry Townsend the British missionary in 1843 the visitation which Sodeke had seen in his dream a few days earlier. Apart from being a sort of soothsayer, Sodeke was a farmer and warrior and he took credit for winning many victories for the Egbas before he eventually settled them down under the Egba rock now known as Abeokuta.

Sodeke died in January 1845 and the entire Egbas came together to mourn him in Abeokuta.

The above Yoruba chants were rendered in the songs of Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Lefty Salami when the two artists were serenading their Egba-born patrons, and I began to unravel the interpretation of the story to no avail. I am hoping one Egba historian would help to shed light on this intriguing but hidden Egba history. 

(C) Soa Olaribigbe

OLOWE OF ISE EKITI

OLOWE OF ISE EKITI

The man in this photograph lived in the last century. He was born by a slave mother in Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State and sent later to serve as a servant in the palace of Arinjale of lse Ekiti.

That was where he developed his talent as a carver. He made his name as a renowned carver of doors, veranda posts and decorative pillars in the palaces of Ekiti and Akoko.

His fame has however gone afield to the rest of the world. I once viewed the exhibition of his works at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC and I was awed.

Baba Olowe was a great carver and his works are incredible and have been celebrated all over the world by art critics.

A critic said this of him: "Olowe of lse, became a widely celebrated artist for his virtuosity of invention and design developed through the production of a range of notable and important royal commissions in the early 20th century."

Oddly enough he is not even known, remembered or recognized in his home Ekiti State. Most of his works which survived are now held in museums and private collections in America and Europe.

Understanding Ẹdan Ògbóni ..

Understanding Ẹdan Ògbóni 

Ògbóni; Ògbóràn 

Erelú; Àbíyè

Eríwo yà!; À yà gbó, À yà tó! 

The old ones; Increase with age.  Titled female elders; May children be born to live

The Lord of secrets, descend!; For longevity and prosperity!

Ẹdan Ògbóni is a pair of male and female brass figures with iron stems, usually joined at the top by an iron chain. It is an emblem of membership in the Ògbóni society, which wielded considerable political, judicial, and religious powers among the Yoruba in precolonial times and still does, to some extent, today. 

In the past the society (known as Òṣùgbó among the Ẹ̀gbá and Ìjẹ̀bú Yorùbá) functioned as a town council, a civic court, and an electoral college for selecting a new king and dethroning a bad or unpopular one. It imposed curfews in times of crisis and also executed serious offenders.

Much of the society's authority derives from its role as the vital link between the community and the Earth that sustains it. Membership, which brings power and prestige, is restricted to a few individuals who have attained distinction in their professions and have proven to be people of high integrity and mature judgment. 

In the course of participating in various deliberations, a member gains considerable insights into human nature as well as local politics, traditional lore, religion, and philosophy. Above all, membership provides access to certain knowledge and powers for coping with the vicissitudes of life. 

Free-standing versions of the ẹdan pair (see examples below) are called Onílé (Owner of the house) and, sometimes, Onílẹ̀ (Owner of the land). They represent the earth deity on special altars inside the Ògbóni lodge, witnessing the secret proceedings of the society to enforce confidentiality, fair play, and self-discipline. Regardless of size, an altarpiece is considered more powerful than ẹdan because of the sacred substances used in consecrating it. 

In essence, the Ògbóni venerates the Earth (Ilẹ̀) to ensure human survival, peace, happiness, and social stability in the community. The desire for longevity and well-being is evident in the choice of brass (idẹ) for the figures and iron (irin) for the stem of ẹdan. Brass is distinctive for its luster and permanence. Moreover, it is sacred to and attracts the blessings of Ọ̀ṣun, the river goddess associated with health, wealth, beauty, and fertility. Iron, on the other hand, is sacred to Ogún, the deity of valour creative energy, industry, hunting, and warfare. 

Although it rusts easily if abandoned or buried in the ground, iron is durable when treated, sheathed, or kept in frequent use. One of the strongest metals, it is fabricated into different hardware for hammering, cutting, securing, bracing, and other purposes. The iron stem reinforces the brass figures of ẹdan, indicating the strength, vigour, and "cutting edge" one needs not only to succeed in life but also to live to ripe old age. 

This symbolism echoes in the Ògbóni catchword Ogbódirin! ("Age, and still be strong like iron!"), a nickname for Ọbàlùfọ̀n, one of the ancient kings of Ilé-Ifẹ̀ credited with introducing the art of brasscasting to the city and reputed to have lived for more than a century. The enduring and dynamic qualities of brass and iron thus buttress the talismanic functions of ẹdan, inspiring the following incantation: 

Ẹdan never dies, ẹdan never decomposes 

The vulture never dies young... 

Never shall we hear that Olódùmarè is dead 

Old age abides in ẹdan 

May I grow old, and be blessed 

For a long time will the feet walk on the land. 

 

Reference:

Culled from: African Arts, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Winter, 1995), pp. 36-49+98-100 (Author: Babatunde Lawal) 

Images credits: 

The University of Iowa Museum of Art Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Olobe Yoyon

A model for a Yoruba nation, borrowing from our past to build our future...

OLOOLU: THE FATHER OF ALL MASQUERADES IN YORUBA LAND....

OLOOLU: THE FATHER OF ALL MASQUERADES IN YORUBA LAND. 

Recalling the history and importance of one of the greatest masquerades in Ibadan and Yorubaland as a whole, the head of Aje family in Ode Aje, Ibadan, where the Oloolu masquerade originated, Chief Oyerinde, disclosed that their great forefather, Ayo̩rinde Aje, who was a warrior along with Ogunmo̩la, Ajayi Ogbori-e̩fo̩n, Ibikunle, O̩de̩rinde, O̩de̩rinlo̩ went on a war expedition in O̩gbagi in Akoko local government in Ondo State and Oloolu was a great war masquerade in that town and was so powerful such that no one could confront him during the war. 

”Nobody could defeat Oloolu during that war but it was our father, Ayo̩rinde Aje that fought him and removed his regalia and costumes, before he was brought to Ibadan as a slave. 

His eyes caught the Egungun’s outfit that attracted him. But as he moved towards the shrine where the outfit was kept, the war captive warned Aje Ayo̩rinde not to go near it because it could put his life in jeopardy. 

Hence the name Oloolu, that is, O-LU-NKAN, meaning ‘you will put your life in peril. Ayo̩rinde took the advice but ordered his captive to take the outfit along with him back to Ibadan. He also ordered the wife of the captive to accompany her husband to Ibadan. The woman refused. In his annoyance, Ayo̩rinde beheaded her and ordered the captured husband to carry the woman’s head along to Ibadan in addition to the Oloolu outfit. 

That woman’s head is what is permanently placed on the masquerade. It is the original one. It is because of the head that every woman is barred from setting eyes on the Oloolu. Any woman who sees the real Oloolu – not his pictures – will surely die. It is also true that the first person the Ololu sees on his first day in an annual Egungun festival will die. The Olubadan usually warns the populace to take precautions. 

During an ancient time in Ibadan, there was famine, ill-health and crisis in the land and all the elders and chiefs were looking for a way out, that was how Ayo̩rinde Aje suggested that Oloolu should carry the rituals to appease the gods, immediately he carried the rituals, there was rain and everything got back to normal in Ibadan. 

Oloolu helped Ibadan to be what it is today. Since then anybody that is the head of the Aje family becomes the custodian of Oloolu masquerade. 

No other Egungun must be seen on the streets whenever the Oloolu is out. That Egungun will certainly perish. During the reign of Olubadan Dada, and Egungun called Ipo̩nri-Iku tried it, I was then a small boy, quoted Chief Oyerinde. "Ipo̩nri-Iku came out on the same day the Oloolu was out. He challenged the Oloolu to do his worst. 

Oloolu then dropped a special cowry on the ground and challenged Ipo̩nri-Iku to pick it up. Ipo̩nri-Iku bent down to pick the cowry. He could not. His backbone was broken instantly. Ipo̩nri-Iku could no longer stand up. 

His followers had to carry him home. Ipo̩nri-Iku died on the same day. Since that day, no other Egungun has dared to challenge the Oloolu". 

According to Chief Oyerinde, ”any area in Ibadan where the people try to fight the Oloolu anytime he is out, such areas will continue to experience bloodshed, and that is what is happening in Opopo Yeo̩sa area till date, because they tried to beat Oloolu there sometimes ago. 

Oloolu is so great that he gives the barren children, he provides for the needy, he prospers business among other good things he can give an individual who is ready to serve him” 

The Oloolu masquerade is an individual masquerade. It has its unique attire which looks like an elongated pyramid made from different pieces of clothes and a net. 

The most bizarre piece of the Oloolu masquerade is that it has the skull of a woman as its crown. As the Oloolu dances round the city in its strange rhythm with a female skull dangling on its head, the bearer proudly displays the human bone while accompanying the dreaded cult figure. 

The bearer of Oloolu must not wear shoes nor carry any kind of load on his head. Also, he must not go to bed with any of his wives 30 days before coming out. 

In fact, a few days before the festival opens, all females must vacate his compound and return after the Oloolu festival is over. Besides, he must not carry a child on his shoulders with his feet slung round his neck.‎ 

Of all the Egunguns worshipped in Ibadan and probably in all of Yorubaland, none is as dreaded as the Egungun Oloolu (Oloolu Masquerade). 

This cult figure is believed to have immense supernatural powers and one of these is the ability to mysteriously kill the first person, man or woman who sets his or her eyes on the Oloolu (in his weird costume which is usually kept inside its own special shrine).

MY WIFE AND I

My wife is a CEO, she always hates me for being lazy and wants to divorce me. But she doesn't know that her success is bestowed by me.

"Dustin, here is the divorce agreement prepared by Ms. Nicholson, please sign it."

In the president's office of the Quine Group, Lyra Blaine, the secretary, placed a piece of paper on the table. A man sat opposite her, dressed in plain clothing.

"Divorce? What do you mean?"

"Your marriage with Ms. Nicholson is over. You're not even on the same level anymore. Your existence is nothing but a smear on our CEO's reputation!"

"A smear on her reputation?" Dustin frowned. "Is that what she thinks of me?"

Dahlia Nicholson and Dustin Rhys had been married for three years. After Dahlia's meteoric rise to success, she was about to abandon Dustin as a burden and filed for divorce. Unbeknownst to her, everything she had ever achieved was actually bestowed by him.

Back when they first got married, the Nicholson family was in ruinous debt. He was the one who helped them when they were at their rock bottom. Now that they became rich, Dahlia Nicholson was ready to kick him out.

With the sound of the door opening, a pair of enchanting high heels came into his view.

"You're finally here."

Dustin felt complicated when he saw the beautiful woman. They had been married for three years, during which they treated each other with care and respect. But this was how it ended. He still didn't know what he had done wrong.

"I'm sorry for being late, I was caught up with something else."

Dahlia Nicholson sat down. Her expression was as impassive as ever.

"You certainly are busy, if you need your secretary to help you deal with your divorce," Dustin said.

Hearing this, Dahlia frowned slightly. However, she did not explain herself. Instead, she said, "Since you're here, let's end it on a pleasant note. You can have the car, the house, and 8 million dollars as alimony. How does that sound?"

At that, she placed a card on the table.

"Do you really think our relationship can be measured by money?" Dustin asked.

"Too little? That's alright. Let me know what you want. I'll give you anything within my power," Dahlia said placidly.

"Are money and power that important to you?" Dustin was truly bewildered.

"Dustin, that's where you and I diverge in philosophy. You'll never understand what I really want." Dahlia shook her head in disappointment. 

"You're right." Dustin nodded without any emotion. "I heard that you've been close with the heir of the Nolan family. Is it because of him?"

Dahlia was about to deny it when she gave it a second thought. In the end, she nodded.

"You can say that."

"Okay. I hope you're happy with him." Dustin smiled and signed the divorce agreement without any more hesitation. All he felt now was disappointment. Ironically, today was also their wedding anniversary. There was cruel humor in divorcing him on the day they had gotten married.

"I don't want the money, I just want that crystal necklace back. My mother left it to me before she died so that I can give it to my wife."

"Okay."

Dahlia nodded and gave him the necklace.

"From today on, we will have nothing to do with each other!"

Dustin put on the necklace and left. He had no more gentleness in his expression, all that was left was distant aloofness.

"Did I do the right thing, Lyra?" Dahlia asked hesitantly.

"Of course you did!" Lyra nodded. " Dustin does not deserve you at all. You're destined to be the most powerful woman in Swinton!"

Dahlia did not answer her. As she watched Dustin leave, she felt as if she was losing something precious.

Chapter 2

In the elevator, Dustin stared at the crystal necklace dejectedly. It was time to awaken from this prolonged daydream.

Suddenly, his phone rang, breaking him out of his trance. 

A familiar voice raised, "Mr. Rhys, I'm Hunter Anderson from the Swinton Group. I heard that today is your wedding anniversary with Ms. Nicholson, so I've prepared a gift for you. I'm just wondering if you have any time today?"

"Thank you for your kindness, but I'm afraid we won't need the gift any more," Dustin said. 

"Why?"

Hunter could sense something wrong.

"Is there anything else you'd like to talk about, Mr. Anderson?"

"Actually, yes." Hunter cleared his throat awkwardly. "I've got a friend who contracted a strange illness. He's seen a lot of doctors, but none of them could do anything about it. I was hoping that you could help."

"Mr. Anderson, you know my rules."

"Of course! I'm sincere in my request. My friend owns some canscora, which I remember you were looking for. I'm sure he'll be willing to part with it if you help him," Hunter said.

"Is it true?" Dustin asked seriously.

"Yes, it is!"

"Alright, then I'll be willing to take a look." Dustin immediately agreed.

He wasn't interested in money or jewels, but rather some rare plants, as he needed them to save lives.

"Thank you, Mr. Rhys! I'll send someone to pick you up immediately!" Hunter smiled in relief. 

As the CEO of the Swinton Group and one of the Mighty Three of Swinton, Hunter acted exceptionally timid in front of Dustin.

"Great, one more done, five to go. I should have enough time," Dustin muttered to himself. His mood was lifted a little by this news.

With a ding, the elevator doors opened. As soon as he stepped out of the building, he saw two familiar figures walking to him. It was Dahlia's mother and brother, Florence Franklin and James Nicholson.

"Mom, ..." Dustin greeted.

"Did you and Dahlia get divorced?" Florence did not waste any breath.

"Yes, we did." Dustin gave her a forced smile. "It's not Dahlia's fault, it's mine. Don't blame her."

However, hearing this, Florence snorted coldly.

"Of course it's your problem. I know my daughter well. If you hadn't done anything wrong, why would she divorce you?"

Dustin was stunned. What was this? Victim blaming?

"Mom, stop wasting time." Suddenly, James stepped forward. "Listen, Rhys. I don't care whether you divorce my sister or not, but you're giving me all the money you got from her."

"Money? What money?" Dustin was flabbergasted.

"Stop feigning ignorance! My sister gave you 8 million dollars as alimony!" James said coldly.

"That's my daughter's money! Give it back!" Florence stretched out her hand in demand.

"I didn't take any money from her," Dustin denied. 

"Do you take us as idiots?" James did not believe him.

"Rhys, you'd better be tactful. Don't make me angry!" Florence warned.

"You can ask Dahlia if you don't believe me." Dustin did not want to explain himself any further.

James dove straight into Dustin's pockets.

Florence followed suit.

"Mom, do you have to do this?" Dustin frowned.

Florence spat on the ground in disgust.

"Who are you calling Mom? Who do you think you are?" As she spoke, she continued searching Dustin's pockets.

After some time, they didn't find what they wanted.

"Did he really not take it?" James said, displeased.

Suddenly, he spied Dustin's crystal necklace and pulled it off roughly.

"Isn't this my sister's necklace? Why is it here? You steal it?" James demanded.

"This is the Rhys family heirloom. Give it back!" Dustin said, expression darkened.

"A family heirloom? Does this mean that this is valuable?" James'eyes lit up. 

"Then it can be your repayment for these three years that you've been living with us. Let's go!" Florence gave her son a look and prepared to leave.

"Stop!" Dustin grabbed James'wrist. "Give me back the necklace!"

Seeing that he had no chance of freeing himself from Dustin, James threw the necklace onto the ground. With a crisp clink, the crystal necklace broke into pieces. Dustin blanched. This was the only thing he had to remember his mother by.

"How dare you lay your hands on me! I'd rather break it than give it back to you!" James said as he rubbed his sore wrist.

Dustin clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles popped. His eyes were red with anger.

"Screw you!" Outburst, Dustin punched James in the face.

James was punched so hard that he spun back uncontrollably before falling to the ground. He was so dizzy that couldn't stand up.

"Let me teach you manners!" Dustin grabbed him by hair and lifted him. Then, he punched him several times.

James' face soon turned bloody from the punches.

"How dare you hit my son!" Florence screamed as she tried to help her son.

"Get off!" Dustin turned and glared at her. The glare was so intense that Florence froze in her tracks.

Chapter 3

"Get off!"

Those two words were enough to scare Florence motionless. 

When she finally got her wits back, Florence began screaming, "Help! He's murdering my son!" 

Soon, the Quine Group's security guards gathered around them.

"What happened, Mrs. Nicholson?" The head of the security guards recognized Florence and stood at her side immediately.

"Tom! Lock this guy up at once!" Florence yelled.

Just as they were about to act, a voice sounded.

"What do you think you're doing?"

A curvaceous woman in a silver dress barged into the crowd with her bodyguards. With her lips painted a fiery red, she was stunningly beautiful. Every move she made was alluring.

"She's gorgeous!"

The security guards stared at her dumbly. 

"Mr. Rhys, are you okay?"

The woman ignored the looks and headed straight toward Dustin.

"Who are you?"

Dustin narrowed his eyes at her, his anger dissipating.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Natasha Harmon. Mr. Anderson sent me here," the woman said with a smile. 

"Natasha Harmon? Is she the heiress of the Harmon family?"

"Oh, my God! Why is she here?"

Natasha Harmon was a well-known name around the city. She was pretty, influential, and smart. At 22 years old, she had already gained control of the Harmon Group and built her own business empire within five years. 

"Ah, it's you."

Dustin nodded.

He had heard of Natasha before, but he hadn't expected her to be involved with Hunter.

"Mr. Rhys, please wait in the car. I'll deal with this." 

Natasha snapped her fingers. Behind her, her four bodyguards whipped out their batons and advanced toward the crowd. The security guards back off.

"After you, Mr. Rhys."

Seeing that no one else dared to move, Natasha smiled and held out a hand to lead Dustin to the car. Without a word, Dustin picked up the pieces of his necklace and left with Natasha. No one dared to stop him.

"What's wrong? Why did you just let them go?" Florence yelled when she realized what was happening.

None of them dared to lay a finger on Natasha.

The security guards looked at each other, not daring to speak. 

"What happened?"

Dahlia and Lyra came out to see what the commotion was.

"Dahlia! You're here! Look at how badly your brother's been beaten up!"

As soon as Florence saw her, she began to cry, as if she was the one who had been beaten up.

"What happened? Who did this?"

Seeing her brother's wounds, Dahlia's expression became chilly.

"It's that Dustin!" Florence cried. "We met him just now. James picked up a crystal necklace that he dropped and tried to give it back to him, but he tried to turn it around and said that your brother stole it from him. After some argument, he beat up James! My poor James, he just did what he thought was right. What has he done to deserve this?"

She began crying harder.

"Dustin?" Dahlia frowned.

After three years of marriage, she knew Dustin's personality well. He was normally calm and collected and rarely lost his temper. He wouldn't just beat someone up for no reason.

"Look at your brother! Is the truth not clear enough? If you don't believe me, ask the security guards. They saw everything!" Saying this, Florence gave the security guards a look.

"Ms. Nicholson, your mother is right."

The head of security understood his assignment perfectly.

"You hear that? I'm not wronging that person!" He even has a new woman now!"

Hearing this, Dahlia frowned. Could Dustin really do such a thing? Maybe he was furious about the divorce and wanted to exact revenge on her through her brother. If so, then she had to admit that she had misjudged him!

 

Chapter 4

"Mom, take James to the hospital. I'll deal with this."

"What do you think, Lyra?"

Dahlia rubbed her temples. She felt a headache coming on.

"It's obvious, isn't it? It was Dustin who assaulted them first. The security guards were witnesses, so that can't be a lie," Lyra said.

"But my mother's not exactly an honest person…" Dahlia began. She knew her mother and brother well. They were a hot-tempered and ruthless duo.

"Either way, it's still wrong for him to throw the first punch!" Lyra said righteously. 

Dahlia's frown deepened along with her doubts. Lyra was right. It would seem like her decision to divorce him was right.

She took out her phone and called Dustin. At the same time, Dustin was sitting in a silver Bentley and frowned when he saw the call coming in. Despite his reluctance, he still picked up the call.

"Dustin, I need an explanation!" Dahlia demanded. "Are you taking revenge on my family just because I divorced you?"

Hearing this, Dustin was taken aback. He hadn't expected Dahlia to be so aggressive. She hadn't even stopped to listen to what he had to say. After three years of marriage, she was treating him as if he was a mere stranger, or worse.

"Dustin, I'll give you another chance. Go to the hospital right now and apologize to James, and I'll pretend that nothing happened. Otherwise…"

"Otherwise what?" Dustin retorted. "Are you going to call the police on me, or hire someone to take me out?"

"Dustin! Are you really going to throw away my goodwill?" Dahlia snapped.

"Goodwill? Are you sure it's goodwill?"

"You…" Dahlia's retort was cut off as Dustin hung up.

She almost threw out her phone in anger. Dahlia had always been good at hiding her true emotions. It was one of the reasons why she had managed to get to where she was today. But right now, she was having a little trouble in that regard.

"How rude of him." Lyra was about to say more when Dahlia stopped her.

"That's enough of this. I need to work on more important matters, like the charity ball with the Harmon family."

"The charity ball? Has that got anything to do with our partners?"

"That's right. I just received news that the Harmon family has shortlisted the Quine Group. If we do well at this ball, we could be the Harmon family's next partners!"

"That's great! I'll go make the arrangements right now!"

...

After hanging up the call, Dustin arrived at Swinton Primary Hospital. Natasha brought him into a VIP ward, where an old man was laying on the bed, looked dying. Several doctors surrounded him, but none of them looked optimistic.

"Natasha! You're finally here!"

Suddenly, a young woman ran up to them. She was the second daughter of the Harmon family, Ruth Harmon, and the old man on the bed was Andrew Harmon, her grandfather.

"Ms. Harmon, we've already done everything we could." a doctor said helplessly.

"Mr. Rhys will take over." Natasha said coldly.

"Mr. Rhys?"

Dustin looked too young to be a good doctor.

To be frank, she wasn't quite sure about Dustin either, but if Hunter recommended him, then he had to have his merits.

"Could Mr. Anderson have been conned?" Ruth still looked doubtful. "Hey, you, are you really a doctor?"

"I know a little about medicine," Dustin replied.

"Just a little?" Ruth pouted. 

"I won't believe in you unless you can prove to me," Ruth said with her head held high.

"How?" Dustin asked nonchalantly.

"Tell me what ails me. If you're correct, then I'll believe in you!"

"Really? Show me your tongue," Dustin said.

Ruth did as he said.

After a quick look, Dustin said without any hesitation, "Your hormones are imbalanced, so you should be experiencing irregular periods and migraines. You're also showing some signs of food poisoning, which has affected your digestive system. You've been having diarrhea, haven't you? Oh, another thing, you have hemorrhoids…"

The more he spoke, the tenser Ruth became.

 

Chapter 5

"How did you know that?"

Ruth's eyes almost bulged out of her head. Everything from the migraines to diarrhea was spot on. 

"There's a lot you can tell about a person just by looking at them," Dustin said nonchalantly.

"Do you believe him now, Ruth?" Natasha smiled. At the same time, she also heaved a silent sigh of relief. Thank goodness Dustin knew what he was doing.

"He just got lucky!" Ruth refused to admit defeat. 

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rhys. Please ignore her," Natasha told Dustin apologetically.

"It's fine. Shall we begin?"

Dustin didn't take Ruth's attitude to heart. He walked over to Andrew and gave him a thorough check-up. It didn't take long for him to find out what was going on. It was obvious to him that the old man had been poisoned. Thankfully, it was discovered early on, so he could still be saved. 

"Ms. Harmon, can you get me some silver acupuncture needles?" Dustin asked.

"No problem."

Dustin nodded his thanks, then began. His actions were light but firm as his hands flew deftly. With his skill, his patient would not feel any pain from the needles. Seeing this, Natasha was surprised.

"He's good!"

Once all 16 needles were in place, Dustin breathed a sigh of relief. It had been some time since he last performed acupuncture, but thankfully he was still familiar.

"Is that all? Nothing changed!" Ruth looked confused.

"It'll take about two hours to drain the toxin from his body; you shouldn't remove the needles before the two hours are up, or there might be serious side effects!"

Ruth pouted.

"I need to go to the bathroom. Please watch over him while I'm gone," Dustin told the occupants of the room before leaving.

Not long after he left, a group of doctors barged in. These were some of the most skilled doctors in the hospital. A balding man led the troupe.

"I'm Jansen, the executive director of the hospital. I'm here on orders to treat Old Mr. Harmon," the balding man introduced.

"Ah, you're that famous Dr. Jansen! The best doctor in Swinton!" Ruth was ecstatic.

Dr. Jansen said proudly, "yes, I am."

Ruth immediately moved out of his way. Clearly, she trusted Dr. Jansen more than she trusted a youngster like Dustin.

Dr. Jansen nodded. When he got nearer to the bed, he frowned. "What's with the needles? What nonsense is this?"

As he spoke, he made to remove the needles.

"Wait!" Seeing this, Natasha stopped him. "Dr. Jansen, I've already hired another healer. He said that my grandfather has been poisoned. We cannot remove these needles as there might be serious side effects."

"A pack of lies!" Dr. Jansen snorted derisively. "If these needles can cure ailments, then what are doctors for?"

"That's right!" Ruth agreed. "Natasha, that Dustin barely looks a day over 20. How could he be a skilled healer? Please don't tell me you believe what he said."

"Ms. Harmon, all of the best doctors in Swinton are here." Dr. Jansen took the next word. "Please don't believe in these superstitions. It would just make things worse!" 

Their confidence weakened Natasha's resolve. However, she insisted, "We should wait for Mr. Rhys to come back."

"Ms. Harmon, I'm busy. If I pull out these needles and anything happens to Old Mr. Harmon, it'll be on me." With that, Dr. Jansen pulled out all of the needles.

As soon as the needles were removed, something strange happened.

Andrew's body began convulsing. His face began to turn black, and blood gushed out from his nose and mouth. The machines on either side of the bed began beeping.

"What's going on?" Dr. Jansen was surprised by the turn of events.

"What's this, Dr. Jansen?" Natasha frowned.

"That's strange, he was fine earlier…" Dr. Jansen felt uneasy.

"Sir, the patient is coding!"

"Quick, get the machines!"

Without delay, Dr. Jansen began emergency resuscitation. Even after a lot of effort, Andrew did not seem to get better at all. In fact, his stats were declining uncontrollably. Dr. Jansen was panicking.

"Ms. Harmon, I think… I think Old Mr. Harmon is… dying…"

"What?" Both Natasha and Ruth were shocked.

 

Chapter 6

"You liar!" Natasha was livid. She grabbed Dr. Jansen by the collar and yelled, "I told you not to remove the needles! Now that the worst has happened, this is all you have to say?"

"No, this has got nothing to do with me!" Dr. Jansen shook his head fervently. "It must be that other healer. His needles must have caused this to happen!"

Madam Bambina's Brothel

Episode Three

“You are killing all my customers. What is it that you have in your body that is making men to die after touching you? Do you want to drive me out of business?” Madam Bambina asked Cheta. Her face does not look good at all. She looked worried and troubled by a serious problem. Her eyes were red as if she did not sleep well the night before.

Cheta did not say anything yet as she patiently waited for Madam Bambina to finish ranting. As always, Madam was smoking and the odour filled the air, making Cheta very uncomfortable. Occasionally, she coughed because the smoke from the cigar bellowed and entered her nostrils. She used her left pam to cup her nose.

“I gave you the first man to service, you killed him. I gave you five other men to service, now I’m getting a very bad report that they slept and did not wake up. Do you know how bad it is that men are dying in my brothel?” Madam Bambina continued her rants. 

Unknown to her, Cheta was no longer afraid of her. Cheta has discovered that there is something special about her body and she is now determined to use it to her maximum advantage. After the five men slept with her the previous night, she discovered that she bled again, but in the morning, her body went back to virginity. She was now fully convinced that she possesses some mystical powers capable of killing people who touched her. She woke up that morning with a new kind of confidence.

She has made up her mind to fight back instead of suffering molestation in the hands of men in the brothel. She is determined to even kill if push comes to shove.

“Stop asking me stupid questions.” Cheta tells Madam Bambina. The words came ‘tata tata’ like multiple gunshots fired into the ears. Madam Bambina did not expect that and she was swept off balance, so she dropped her cigar. She did not know what gave Cheta the courage to say those words. Indeed, if a bird is dancing in the road, the thing that is drumming for him is in the bush.

It was early in the morning around 7am, but as usual, all the girls were up. Since she came to the brothel, Cheta has counted at least, thirty three girls. That morning, they were going about their duties in the brothel, pretending not to hear the conversation between Cheta and Madam Bambina, but Cheta knew they were eavesdropping. Madam Bambina had called her from her room to the veranda where she usually sits to monitor her girls and events in the brothel. She was sitting on a red rubber chair with a red table before her while Cheta was standing like a housemaid in the presence of her madam.

When Cheta fired back at Madam Bambina, everyone dropped what they were doing to listen and watch more closely. It was the first time anyone was questioning Madam Bambina’s authority. Before Cheta, no one ever dared to cough in her presence. She always has a gun in her hand, but fortunately for Cheta, she had no gun that morning.

“Are you talking to me or someone else? Is that question for me? How dare you?” Madam Bambina said to Cheta. She stood up from her chair and looked around as if she was checking where her gun is. There was no gun.

“The question is for you fat fool! You don’t have your gun and even if you have it, you can do nothing. Toothless bulldog.” Cheta fired again with her tongue. Her words made Madam Bambina angrier.

“I asked you questions and you are talking back at me? Don’t you value your life? I have killed people who are bigger than you. I have killed men and thrown them into the desert.” Madam Bambina tells Cheta. She was drawing closer to her with so much anger in her voice. It appears the woman hasn’t brushed her teeth that morning because Cheta could see something that looked like mucus coming from either sides of her dark lips. She also perceived her mouth odour which smelt like rotten egusi soup.

“That’s not true! You have never killed anyone. You think you will continue to intimidate me with all those lies?” Cheta’s voice was getting stronger and more confident. She also started drawing closer to Madam Bambina. The other girls were all watching and they were proud of what Cheta was doing, though, they were scared to say it. If they had their way, they all felt like cheering Cheta like a footballer who scored a penalty kick. But they all kept shut and watched the unfolding drama.

“You sent men to come and rape me and they did. Now, they are all dead and you are blaming me? How am I responsible for what befell them? What about me that was raped? You stupid lilie-livered, fat fool.” Cheta cursed. Madam Bambina was now boiling ‘putu putu’ like a pot of porridge on fire. She raised her right hand to slap Cheta but she was late because Cheta slapped her first. Actually, the woman’s hand could not reach Cheta’s face on time because she is short. If they were to measure height, Madam Bambina would only dangle at Cheta’s waist region.

So she was able to seize the moment and pushed Madam Bambina to the wall and held her by the throat.

Cheta’s grip was so tight that Madam Bambina struggled to breath.

“Please, let me go. I’m dying!” Madam Bambina pleaded.

“Die! That’s exactly what I want. I want to kill you and get my freedom. From today onward, you will no longer traffick girls to work as prostitutes.” Cheta responded. Everyone else started cheering Cheta up when they saw that she was winning and there were not chances of Madam Bambina surviving the choking grip. All the girls in the brothel gathered closer in joy. They all watched as Madam Bambina gave up the ghost.

When she stopped breathing, Cheta let go of her fat body and it dropped on the floor. 

“It is over. We are now free. I’m the new owner of this brothel. Henceforth, I will be the boss and I will run it the way I desire. You are no longer a slave. If you wish to stay, you can stay lets run this place together, but you can leave if you feel this place is not for you.” Cheta declared. She dragged Madam Bambina’s body into her room and hid it under the bed.

Just then, policemen in several Hilux vans entered the brothel and arrested everyone, including Cheta.

Watch out for episode 4.