Selected Tales

'The Genesis of Ọlọ́pẹ̀ẹ̀rẹ̀ ̩' is the story of N?The only surviving son of the late Chief of Agb鋩?who has an important choice to make: to become the b摽lẹ̀ of the new town and immediately assume the position of o̩ba (king) with its splendour or be entrusted instead with the irksome task of establishing a warrior corps to protect the town against hostile neighbour. As he thinks about the choice a storm starts. In the aftermath, N?walks through the Ugb?烒鮀̩?(forest of the gods) and is struck by the contrasting beauty of nature - destruction and creation. Upon his return home, he throws the o̩ pe̩ le̩ (the divining chain) to ask for guidance in making his decision. Later he meets with the O̩ ba of P跮嫮?to discuss his position and the resolve of the town council on his decision to forgo his claim to the o̩baship due to his advance years; also on the amalgamation of the sixteen villages/hamlets into one town under a single o̩ba, a position which N?O̩ re̩ t鑸a has been nominated to assume. After O̩ re̩ t鑸a's enthronement, the Ọlọ́pẹ̀ẹ̀rẹ ̩, the band of warriors responsible for the security and defence of 浽鋨?is urgently but in place. Na, much admired an revered for his leadership skills and prowess is placed in charge as the trainer. N?s beloved attendant, Ọ̀ṣọkọ is murdered by the Ol麔t╭'s two cousins who hung him on a tree in Ugb?烒鮀̩? The forest from then becomes known as Ugb?Al摐l?(the cursed forest). In the 'The Skirmish at R瀜瀩?, an o̩ba's obsession with a betrothed woman leads him to break tradition which defamed him forever. 'My Friend and Comrade' is a story of revenge against an enemy with a happing ending. In the 'The Trump Card', two childhood friends with very different ambitions fall in love with the same woman. In the end, true love, honesty and purity win over avarice, lust and vanity. 'What's in a Name?' explains the importance of names not only on the child itself but also on the family. 'A mother's Dilemma' tells the story of triplets separated at birth who are caught in a foster father's plot to wed one of the sisters. In 'The Power of Love', the beautiful Salima succumbs to loneliness and gluttony. Only love can save her from her ever expanding waistline. In 'K鑸a: A Tale of Three Ks', a retired customs officer moves in next door to the smuggler he had failed to expose, with a happy ending. 'Always Remember, Together We Stand, ' tells the story of an ailing father and much younger wife and their unconventional request for the son to give the wife something the husband can no longer provide. In 'The Riddle of the Inheritance', when a son continually runs away from home and his father, it's not until after his father's death that he realizes his destiny is at home. The 'Sequel to Usi' tells of the Yor鸑?gods' second coming to earth to introduce the leaders of the sixteen communities to the ways of 籯跫?(Creator of the Heavens and Earth). 'Much More Than Footprints' begins as the story of a peculiar funeral service but in the end proves that we all can have a positive impact on the lives of others. In 'Every Dark Cloud Has a Silver Lining', a childhood fight leads to a lifelong friendship that teaches that everyone should be valued despite their station in life. 'Farouk', is the story of a false blind beggar who is not blind. Who was exposed. 'But for the Office Pins' shows that ingenuity and perseverance are the keys to success. 'His Own Greatest Enemy' not only recounts the damage to traditional culture and tribal bias by oppressors, foreign and local, also highlights the importance of showing that true leadership is stewardship.