Chapter 11: Signs and Shadows

Before, I no believe ghost and juju.

But now, I gats believe.

Night don deep, moon dey shine.

Palace Prophet don kneel for hall for two hours.

“Talk am again—wetin you mean by ‘Oba born double wahala’?”

He raise head small, look me with corner eye.

“Your Majesty, as we see am for sky, King Star dey move somehow—one star get two shadow, e mean… double wahala.”

He shake cowrie shells for calabash, the sound like rain for zinc roof.

I quiet.

“Talk am simple.”

The man knock head well, him wrapper dey shake even though breeze no dey. At last, he gather courage, talk with force:

“E mean say two king star appear, one bright, one dark, overlap.”

As he finish, e be like say all him power finish, he fall for ground.

“Abeg punish me, Your Majesty.”

I look am, confused. “Why I go punish you? You dey control star for sky?”

As he see say I no dey vex, he relax, talk small:

“Your Majesty, I no fit control star, but all this sky sign get meaning—everything depend on person, no be only fate.”

“……”

I no fit stand the way him dey talk.

Before, I no dey believe all this one, so I no dey call dem, na why dem no sabi my way.

“Talk straight. No dey turn corner for me.”

He wipe sweat.

“Yes, wetin I mean be say, sky sign fit show how things go be, but na person dey decide. If we prepare well, anything fit change.”

“Double wahala from Oba—e fit be say bad people dey do something, cause the shadow. I no too sabi, but I go help Your Majesty clear the wahala quick.”

I look north long time.

My eye dey pain, but I no see any double shadow wey Prophet dey talk.

Forget am—make people wey sabi do their work.

As I turn, I see the man wey kneel for ground just stand up, dey look me with serious eye.

“Your Majesty, I go use all my knowledge help Your Majesty clear the shadow, make Umuola get peace forever!”

The man get strong mind, like say he fit go war now now.

I wave hand, make am come.

He rush come.

I look secret room, point north, ask, “You fit make the bright one disappear, make the dark one shine?”

I remember old women for village wey dey use kola nut read future, Prophet own just get extra grammar.