Chapter 3: The First Test

Second year of Udochi, southern warlord Okonjo rebel for border, local chairman run go ask for help. The news spread for market like hot pepper, everybody dey fear say war go reach their farm.

Baba Okon use Musa’s idea, say make dem use brain instead of force, come lead big army go south. The elders pour libation, sprinkle water for ground, and women sing war songs. Masquerades dance, children clap, the send-off dey colorful.

Uchechukwu dey practice archery and horse riding every day for palace. Dem talk say e fit draw heavy bow now, and Audu praise am say e get real talent. Stable boys dey gossip, "This our Oba no dey fear anything."

At first, Chief Minister dey worry, but as e see am, e think: after all, na late Oba pikin. Make e get small warrior spirit no bad. Better to get Oba wey sabi ride horse than one wey no fit lift stick.

As Chief Minister wan travel for southern campaign, e still dey worry, warn Audu and Femi make dem look after His Majesty. E hold Audu hand, "Abeg, no let small wahala turn to big story."

The day Chief Minister army dey move, Uchechukwu follow go see am off, tears full him eyes. My heart dey full, the way only true son dey feel when papa dey travel go war. Baba Okon touched, carry him own tears waka. E no talk, but e spirit dey heavy, like yam wey no done for pot.

As Uchechukwu see Chief Minister don go, e remember him own plan, come smile with pride. "Na now game dey start," I think, my body light like breeze dey blow me.

For wisdom, even two of me no fit match Chief Minister. For cunning, Chief Minister no fit reach me—after all, I get experience pass am by some centuries. I dey humble, but small pride dey my belly.

I gather my trusted guards, draw new map, mark places for ground with charcoal, my eye sharp like hawk.

As Chief Minister don really go south, I, with small escort, waka go Royal Guards camp. The air for camp dey thick with dust and smell of sweat; horses dey neigh, soldiers dey sharpen blade for morning sun. Sweat dey run down everybody face, sand dey bite leg. Every step heavy, warriors dey swallow fear like dry fufu.

That time, Erinma use elite cavalry and northern warhorses take conquer land. See the horses for Umuola now—dem be like donkey. Dem eyes dull, body lean, even goats dey strong pass some.

This kind cavalry no get use. How Okori side own dey? Dem be horse or mule? Make we go check. I go find out for myself, no be to dey wait for lazy report.

For midnight, west gate of Umuola open small. Over hundred cavalry ride go Makurdi border. The moon dey shine, the hooves dey tap like drumbeat for bush path. Cold air dey bite skin, but spirit dey hot.

Uchechukwu tell helpers say e catch cold, no fit come council. But for real, e carry over hundred personal guards go test their power for front. My disguise sure, even the palace dog no suspect.

Femi shock as e hear say His Majesty dey for camp, rush come kneel. The sand for ground enter him wrapper, but e no mind, respect dey heavy for face.

"Femi, stand up jare," Uchechukwu come down, help Femi up. My hand warm, show say na family we be for war.

Femi feel His Majesty strong, quickly ask, "Why Your Majesty come my camp?" E voice dey low, but eyes dey sharp, ready for anything.

Uchechukwu smile, "I wan borrow five hundred cavalry go check Okori border." My tone calm, but the plan for my mind dey sharp like new cutlass.

Femi just dey look. Okori border na enemy territory. You wan carry five hundred cavalry go disturb Musa Okori? If anything happen to His Majesty, even if I get three heads, Chief Minister go cut all. The fear dey show for Femi eye, sweat dey drip like rain for mango leaf.

"Your Majesty, abeg no enter danger." E voice beg like mother hen, but I stubborn pass goat.

Uchechukwu squint, "I don hear of Femi bravery, now I see am. If you no gree, I go carry hundred cavalry go see wetin dem fit do me." My words na challenge; for Naija, nobody wan lose respect for front of king.

Femi face red, neck swell, blood rush enter head. E shout, "Go then! I go follow Your Majesty risk my life!" Warrior blood dey boil, loyalty dey rise like garri for hot water.

We carry six hundred cavalry go Okori border. Musa Okori, enemy general, hear say Uchechukwu dey come with small cavalry, no believe. The news travel for bush radio, soldiers for Okori dey laugh, "Na small pikin dey come play?"

E hear of kings wey dey lead army, but never see one wey carry only five hundred cavalry. To dem, na story for drunken hunters.

Impossible, e must be trick. E order make dem close gate, no gree fight. Okori soldiers dey look through loopholes, dey mock, "Umuola people dey craze."

Uchechukwu rush come, dey observe the equipment of Okori soldiers for city wall. Femi, dey fear for am, pull rein block Uchechukwu. My mind dey work fast, eyes dey check everything—shield, helmet, arrow tip, horse leg.

Before e fit talk, one strong breeze blow ear, arrow land for Okori soldier forehead. Arrow whistle pass ear, man duck, heart dey jump like frog for basin. The sound sharp, everybody freeze, shock run through the walls.

Femi turn look. Uchechukwu hold bow for left hand, dey proud. For this kind distance and accuracy, even Femi go try hard. E begin look Uchechukwu with respect. The soldiers for my side begin whisper, "Dis one get juju hand."

Uchechukwu see say arrow don hit, continue dey shoot arrow for city, bring down three or four more. My chest swell with pride, but I still keep face strong.

Umuola Royal Guards see Uchechukwu dey fight for battle first time, dey shout, "Long live! Long live!" E no easy to see Oba fight like warrior; morale rise like yam for new harvest.

Okori soldiers for city wall see their men dey fall, begin shoot back, arrows dey rain. Uchechukwu just laugh, ride back. I shout, "Dem no reach!" The shout echo, ginger my men.

Dem camp two miles from city, for front of Okori army, come down, remove saddle—naked provocation. The move bold, as if we dey dance for enemy eye.

Musa Okori dey look the Umuola soldiers from city, come sure say na ambush. E dey reason, "Dis people no fit craze like this, dem must get plan."

If you wan come, come. Okori border dey here. You fit fly? I go just dey watch. The pride dey show for Musa Okori face; e no wan fall for cheap trick.

But e no expect say Umuola army go even start to dey do drama. The next morning, we begin our own theatre, the way Naija soldiers dey do when dem get time for barracks. The smell of sweat and dust choke the morning.

Every day under city, hundred Umuola soldiers—some remove pant, face city wall, some dey greet Musa Okori’s female relatives, different nonsense. The noise loud, insult fly like bullet for market quarrel.

One naked Umuola soldier even begin talk how e and Musa Okori mama dey do, others follow dey shout insult. The laughter for our camp no get end, even Femi chuckle small, shame still dey his face.

Musa Okori no fit hold am again. E send three thousand cavalry, order make dem close gate after. The dust from their hooves rise for air, the ground dey shake as if ogbanje dey pass.

Umuola soldiers, as dem see Okori army open gate, pack their props, jump horse, run. The speed dey like say dog dey pursue fowl.

Musa Okori, dey fear ambush, pursue for two miles, only see Uchechukwu and Femi with less than thousand men, no ambush anywhere. Make we just charge them. "No time! Forward!" E shout.

Uchechukwu see say Okori army dey charge, order troops to retreat slow. E cover back, dey shoot arrow, bring down seven or eight, shock Musa Okori, wey no expect Uchechukwu get this kind skill, come slow down pursuit. The Okori warriors begin whisper, "This Oba no be ordinary hand."

But Okori army still plenty. Their front dey near Uchechukwu. Femi swing blade, cut down many, begin worry. "Oga, e be like say e don too much," he whisper.

As dem turn around mountain, big force of Umuola cavalry appear, big flag with Audu’s red cloth banner. The flag dey shine for sun, the sound of horn fill the air, dem rush come like river wey break dam.

Musa Okori just happy. I know say na trick. Make we run go back. E blow whistle, the Okori soldiers scatter run enter city, dust full their eyes.

Okori army turn back to Okori border. Femi wan pursue, but Uchechukwu stop am. "No be today. Make we show say we get sense."

Audu hear say Uchechukwu don go Makurdi border, shock, rush come with army, just meet the fight. E no be Uchechukwu plan am. Audu shake head, "Dis Oba dey craze, but e get sense."

As e see Uchechukwu dey okay, e relax, but still scold am small. When e hear Uchechukwu shoot down over dozen enemies, e happy. "Oba, ehn, you get strong hand o," e finally concede.

Uchechukwu just wan provoke and observe Okori army tactics, estimate Okori fortress strength wey stop Chief Minister many times. My head dey tick, every detail dey my memory.

To conquer everywhere no go easy as I think, but no need fear. I still be seventeen. I go use youth and old age join together, nothing go stop me.