Bukunmi was fifteen when he saw it.
The death of a commoner in the hands of the abusive legioneers, after experiencing this traumatizing event, Bukunmi thirst for justice like never before but at what cost is he ready to get justice?
In the city whe...
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THE ROOSTERS crowed, waking the sun and the creatures under it, the day was going to be great. Maybe last night was a nightmare but the brown soil all over my Igbaja top and trouser told me something different, I didn't dream about the gruesome murder of a Talika Youth, I had seen it happen and the images are still fresh in my brain.
My bed is soaked in my sweat, light ray escaped from the only window in my room, I scrabble to my feet, sand settle into my leg like I was at a beach, my room was beyond dirty, cloth scattered on my bed to my reading table near the window.
I closed my eyes wishing I could forget everything but I could not, a few minutes later, Mother knock on my door, the Adura owuró¹ is about to start.
Outside my room, the corridor is still dark, The latern placed at the east corner was probably low on fuel.
The Yara Igbalejo is lit by two bright laterns, one beside mother on her mat, a wisdom of the oracle book opened in front of her, she smiled when she spot me, pointing at where I am meant to sit.
The mat feel unusually smooth and blue, Nsibidi for "Worship" written on it with silver thread. Mother had already started Íyájun when I joined them.
"Olodumare want us to be clean physically and spiritually." She paused taking me, her countenance after made feel like sour milk she was supposed to use for Koko. "if we do so, Olodumare promises us the beauty of AjuleOrun in the Afterlife not to talk about the blessing one receives from obeying Olodumare....May Olodumare grants us the grace to obey him."
"Ase o!" we chorused, Busayo was sitting next to me, the Ori cream she used to rub her skin was working magic on her, she was dark and shining, Now I know why mother looked at me with total disgust, I dust the cake of mud on my light-brown skin.
"Bukunmi, sha adura fun wa."
"Mother." I retorted, how do I tell her I am not in the right frame of mind to pray without attracting questions.
"No complaints, Sha dura fun wa." Mother replied, closing her eyes as she waited for me to say the words, the usual words. How do I act like everything is normal after all I have seen.
"Okay." I inhaled and exhaled, "Olodumare we ask that you continue to protect us from the evil at night, Gbo Adura." After saying Ase, Mother, and Busayo looked at me with suspicion, it's obvious they wanted to know something I will never tell them.
Busayo was the first to ask. "Did something happen? Bukunmi."
"No, can't I pray for protection for us, ever since father-"
"Sussh" Mother said placing her hand on her lips, I and Busayo looked at each other, which meant the end of the discussion. "Go get ready for the day" she ordered a few minutes later. Guilt eat me up even before I could escape, why did I have to mention father, he is gone, dead, he will never come back no matter how much I talked about him.
