DANCE OF SHAME: Episode 5
Hello my fellow steemians.
Thanks for your support so far🙏😘...
For those of you that have been expecting the next episode of my latest story (Dance of shame), here is it at your doorstep.
Enjoy!!!
Innocent and excited gentle wind blew across the environment, as the early morning sun stood freshly in the sky.
Mayowa and his family were busy decorating the environment, his large compound, which featured Tan big-mud houses. His three sons, Temi, Kunle and Lekan were filling a big clay pot with water, using pestle to pound the clay in it. Mayowa would beckon on his sons to bring wet clay and with great strength, he cemented the houses with new clay, giving it a neat facelift.
Biola and other two of her mates were busy at the kitchen, building it with strong ancient bamboo, They cracked jokes, teasing Biola whose daughter was preparing for traditional marriage in ten days time.
"Kemi," Mayowa called at the dead of night as she knelt down before her father and her mother.
“Yes, Father," Kemi answered, the light from the lantern exposing her pretty face with pointed nose.
“Kemi! Tomorrow you will be on your own. Your mother and I have done the best we could to raise you morally. Tomorrow, you will cease to be with your parents. You are getting married. Be of good behaviour, pray with your husband daily, be hard working much more than your mother, respect your culture, but don't forget the daughter of whom you are,” Mayowa said.
“As the first wife, if eventually your husband decides to marry another woman for reasonable reason, love her with your heart. Don’t forsake your husband. A woman with good behaviour is a pride of the parents. While a woman with bad character is like a carcass in the palace. You are my first child. l would not fold my hands or close my eyes and sit like a dummy for you to disgrace me. You must be another diamond in the night. People come to me for advice. How would it look if my own daughter is not a good example to others?" He paused to drink a cup of water.
“May you succeed in your new abode. You’ve heard what your father said. Crowd will assemble here tomorrow for nothing but to celebrate your matrimonial bliss. If you disgrace yourself there, the same crowd you see cheering you excitedly are the same crowd that will chase you out from your husband's house," Biola, the mother of the bride-to-be added.
“I am thanking God for witnessing my day. l promise to abide by the rules and regulations of my husband," Kemi said.
“It is better said than done," Mayowa cut her short. When his other two wives entered smiling, they also advised her into the wee hours of the humid night. Kemi digested their advices and promised to be a shining example.
King Ogiso sat comfortably at the high table as the father of the day flanked by his pretty queen, Ebuwa. Last night, she had also showered blessings on Kemi.
Kemi sat on Seyi's legs as the traditional wedding got to a ceremoniously close. Kolanut was broken and shared amongst elders. The traditional local gin was given to the groom to sip for the blessing of the union. Mayowa led the solemnisation prayer, not forgetting to honour King Ogiso for attending the event despite his tight schedules. The excited king gave the closing remark and prayer.
Kemi was led to her husband's house in company with her brothers and sisters whilst Mayowa and his well-wishers continued to merry till the noon surfaced. Visitors were still trooping into his compound.
Mayowa visited the palace to thank the kind king with palm-wine and bush meat. He met other chiefs and the celebration continued while they joked and laughed.
“Grandfather Mayowa, you are welcome. How is your grandchild?" King Ogiso greeted.
“My son is bringing two calabashes of pure palm-wine to marry Funke," Chief Adamu said amidst laughter.
“My fresh flowers are pure and blossom at my backyard. But Chief Adamu, I cannot release my daughter to your son because he does not own a farm," Mayowa replied, smiling at his mockery remarks.
“That is a sign of responsibility; he will own a bigger farm than yours when he marries your daughter come next harvest," added the jovial king, his bright teeth sparkling. “But think of it, Adamu, your son is not getting younger by the day, Mayowa is right, I don‘t see any reasonable parents releasing their proud daughter to a man who can not boast of a tiny piece of farm land."
Adamu was deep in thought, enveloped in shame.
“So, I will be the one to send food items to my daughter to be a good parent who does not want his daughter to starve to death," Mayowa mocked again, forcing a faint smile. Adamu's eyes started drifting tears in shame. He knew his sons were lazy and ignorant.
“You are right, l have not thought about this. I will rent a plot of land for him to prepare him for the future. I will also force him to build his own clay house. My kinsmen, I am grateful for this piece of advice," Chief Adamu said, forcing a smile.
“Yes, now, you are acting like a man," Mayowa added, smiling. “How have you been living with such a lazy man feeding him at home? He finds pleasure roaming the town from one palm wine joint to another.”
They were locked in other issues to see the kingdom to greater height when two women and four men ran into the palace, horror written all over their frightened face. They prostrated, panting for breath.
“Your Highness, trouble! Trouble! Ghosts, I saw ghosts."
“Your Highness, a bad omen. I think someone has offended the gods. I saw four ghosts, each on a black piece of wood with clothes floating like this, colour of the devil” a man said, demonstrating with his hand. There were several complaints confusing the king and other personalities in the palace.
”Calm down, you are confusing me. I cannot understand what you are saying. Suppose one of you relaxes to tell me what the matter is," the king said.
Immediately, the huge gate shook and four white men in white apparel came into the palace compound on black bicycle. They all ran for their lives.
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