Chapter 2: Baba Idris and the New Sani

Kudu Province, Okpoko Hills.

Baba Idris, the Wise One, dey balance on him high seat—old cane rest for him side, white beard dey shine for afternoon sun, im agbada dey sweep floor like say na royalty dey sit—dey preach scripture with voice wey calm like early morning harmattan. The air smell of burning bush and palm oil, goats dey bleat far off. Disciples full ground, everybody sit down for mat with crossed leg, eyes shine like new keke, dey listen with all their mind. Some dey jot for small slate, others just dey nod head like agama lizard.

As Baba Idris dey talk, e eye jam one figure for corner—a monkey, but this one get different air. E sit dey quietly, eyes steady, back straight, no dey fidget like before. The thing surprise Baba Idris; e make am pause small, rub chin, and reason deep. Wetin change this monkey?

This monkey before, na pure wahala: too impatient, if you talk one, he go reply hundred, mouth no dey tire; no dey hear word, if you say sit, he go jump; no fit control am, dey dodge study at any small excuse—rain fall, he run, sun shine, he vanish. Baba Idris don tire! Even other disciples dey gossip say, 'This monkey go give Baba high BP.'

But lately, the wild monkey just calm down by fire by force. Anything wey Baba Idris teach, Sani go collect am with two hands—no grumble, no choose lesson, just dey soak knowledge like e be fresh fufu inside egusi. The transformation loud! Even small pikin for hill dey notice say monkey don mellow.

No matter how Baba Idris try, even if im finger wan break from all the spiritual calculation, he no fit reason wetin trigger this sharp change. Sometimes, he go sigh say, 'Spirit world dey do their own, abi na jazz?' But nothing clear.

Still, the way Sani Wada dey eager to learn na real blessing. After all, everybody know say the long plan of the Pilgrimage for Pilgrimage to the East dey ride on Sani Wada head. Even Baba Idris, with all him wisdom, no too wan put hand inside wahala pass as e be so. Sometimes, e go look sky and whisper, 'Make journey soft for am.'

For the original plan, Baba Idris suppose give Sani Wada three big skills: the Supreme Immortal Art (na correct method to get everlasting life—only top Emirs and chief priests dey near am), the Seventy-Two Transformations of Earthly Spirits (serious shapeshifting magic—rumour get am say Mallam Musa own na only thirty-six), and the Somersault Cloud (movement wey pass Okada, if Sani waka, e fit reach from Kano to Lagos before cock crow—na pure escape plan if wahala land). For hill, e be like initiation, na only the stubborn or chosen ones dey collect full package.

Plus, Sani Wada own body, wey na from the stone Amina use patch sky that year, don already strong—if na cutlass, spear, water, fire, dem go bounce off am like mosquito for tire—defence na full package. People dey talk say, 'If you wan try am, better call your ancestors first.'

By the time Sani Wada finish, he go be like super bodyguard—defence high, life bar long, e go dey shine like star for sky. If him get any weak point, na say him attack no too get ginger—fit hold ground, but to scatter everywhere? E still dey learn.

Because the monkey stubborn, Baba Idris lock up—he no gree teach am any wahala magic wey fit scatter everywhere—if Sani Wada mess up, nobody go fit stop am, even elders go run. Baba Idris sabi say, 'Better make person strong but gentle, than strong and mad.'

But now, things don pass wetin Baba Idris expect. Sani Wada come dey display real talent: any magic or skill wey Baba Idris drop, Sani dey catch am like say na play, and no be just collect, he dey master am—people dey whisper say, 'E fit be say monkey get old spirit.'

Right now, Sani Wada na the most serious student for class, no dey miss any lesson, dey soak all Baba Idris wisdom like sponge dey suck water. Other disciples dey envy, but na only God know wetin dey ginger am. Every day, hill dey ring with Sani Wada question: 'Master, what if I try am like this?' Everybody dey benefit from him zeal.

With the spiritual energy wey full Okpoko Hills—air dey heavy like when rain wan fall—Sani Wada just dey push: if e no dey class, na deep meditation. Harmattan breeze dey blow small small, dust dey settle for Sani skin. He no dey waste time, even food na afterthought. Birds wey dey perch nearby go pause, dey look am like wonder.

If e continue like this, when he finish and commot for the hills, e fit even poke hole for sky. People go talk the story for village square—'Monkey wey learn pass all of us.'

But as the sun set for Okpoko Hills, nobody sabi say the real wahala never even start.