REMOULDED

Chapter Ten

All that glitters,
Certainly is not gold,
Not all voices that whisper,
That you give a go,
Some pasture can be greener,
Yet in them live the wolves.

"Koto,are you not scared of the gods. Do you want the spirits of our ancestors to hunt us and suck our blood dry?. Is that not an act that will provoke their wrath?" Kale's voice matched the tingling whispers of the night sounds,his words swiftly bringing everyone else into emergence.

Under the old coconut tree,the young heads were gathered after defying the normal act of going to Pa Thomson's hut to hear the weekend music.

Koto had called for the meeting saying he has some information to give about the white man. After all,everyone knows Koto was the man's first friend in the village and that he had even visited the man's house a number of times.

Now,Koto had relayed all what he had seen in the man's house;that the man is a god on his own and a supreme being whose house is the haven of wealth.

"Wrath?" Koto came in,"If you ever fear the wrath of the ancestors, then you will be so shallow not to have the awe of the white man at heart. The white man is a god himself and has every power to make us serve him but he wants peace. He wants everyone to work with him in peace and make good riches because no one ever walk with that visible god and still remain poor"

Those were Koto's words of defence which caused a division in the gathering. There were mutters of support from a quarter and the groans of disapproval from the majority which could have continued for long if the thick voice had not pierced in to give an opinion.

"Must we because of wealth submit ourselves to a stranger. Is a cup of pap with peace not better than a pot of yam with a troubled mind. If the man will give us wealth with peace,then who will be so foolish not to follow him. But that man,I know him,he will never do that for you" Gbenle preached and the murmur soared from the quarter.

Everyone knew Kurunmi to be the perfect pessimist and Gbenle was just a chip off the old block. No one expects him to support the move in any way,his presence there was just to make the gathering full.

"I won't support that Gbenle. No one can claim to know the white man than Koto as far as Oge' is concerned. My good friend has dined with the man at nights,drink from his cup in the morning and here he is,not dead or sick. At first I was scared of this man like you all are but when Koto took me to his house,I discovered we rather have to beg our ancestors for mercy because we are rejecting one of their servants sent to do us good"

Adio was definitely the speaker now,he had finally conceded to the thinking of Koto and his cousin and so far he had not regretted the decision. He had gone with Koto to the man's house and the man did them really good. The man treated them well and urged them to tell it to other kids that he wants peace.

"If that be so," Aremu's voice swept in after the minute's silence that witnessed what could be called murmurs of approval. "What of the school. Are we going to neglect the school in favour of the man. We all know the good things the new teachers and the school had done for us. Are we because of money going to neglect all these things?"

That was Aremu's view of it,the white man is a good man but he would not teach you the ways unless you give him at least your time. The time they could have gracefully spent in the school to learn.

"And that is why we are here. We want to continue school and also want to make money at our young age. School is good. The white man is good too. This is not a matter of choice,we have to go for the two. School starts in the morning and ends at noon,so what happens to the evenings we spend going on fruitless hunting,farming and playing games. Can't we spare that to get the benefits from the man?" The right moment for Koto to speak again after noticing half of the gathering had silently conceded to the move.

"More to that, Koto,I think I have to tell you all what my cousin in the white man's land wrote to me concerning our village. He said we are really making ourselves suffer by following the trends of the elders. Must our future only be certain in farming, fishing,hunting and weaving. The white man is bringing new and better alternatives but at this moment,it is a matter of choice for anyone to accept or reject them"

Adio supported his friend and unlike before,the statement was embraced in absolute silence. No one likes to labour hard and still remain poor.

"The gods,I know you people fear the gods . But one thing I'm certain of is that the gods are not deaf. The gods are hearing too. The gods would not have allowed the man to come into the village if he is not a blessing in disguise. We are making the move tomorrow,we are going to submit to the man and ask him to teach us into easy wealth. He who is scared of the merciful gods can stay behind,cowards don't fail but the brave ones fail and succeed. The meeting point is at the baobab tree at Pa Thomson's yard. Many are called but few are expected."

Koto's strong words definitely marked the end of the meeting as everyone started to rise,each left alone to argue and justify with his inner man.

The gods deserved to be feared and respected. It will take the gods no delay to send thunders down and strike them to death. But effortless wealth deserved to be craved and acquired also. It will take the white man too no big delay to turn a wretched head into a fortune.

Whether the gods or the white man. Whether death or wealth. These are the thoughts that stalked every head as they diverged into routes leading to their respective huts.