That chief, fortunate bagger, he be.
Ligali marries two women at once!
Alas, he neither of them loves … but
the King has decreed it, coloured as ‘favour’.
She whom he truly adores, his eleyinjuege*
this aponbepore* for who, day and night, he pines,
Another’s love captive be!
Who says life cannot a shrew be?
Recompense for his progenitor’s sin.
Tale told of his grand daddy, a chieftain
who for power sake, two women slay,
on the road to the market place;
frenzied to show his might as Balogun*.
Got away with murder, he did, but the women’s kin,
Aworo, the diviner, noted for vengeance,
swore Balogun’s generations will love in vain!
Who says life’s not Karma? Two generations
hence, Kigali, Abese Oba*, dogs
the Oba’s every movement, even as
Royalty visits his harem, where he swoons
on the favours of she who Abese adores.
Of a truth, Abese must egg the Oba on:
“Well done sire, grind harder!”
What goes round does come round.
Glossary:
* eleyinjuege – Beautiful doe eyes
* aponbepore – Light complexioned beauty
* Balogun – Head of King’s Army
* Abese Oba – Chief that accompanies the King on all missions
© 26th September 2016. Adewale Adeniji.
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