Chapter 2: The Turning Point at Jieting

When news reach Tarka say Musa Sani don camp for mountain, Chukwudi heart just break finish.

He siddon for ancient wooden stool, dey rub aching knees, while village bell dey toll mournfully. For Jieting, to climb mountain no give advantage to charge or break enemy; everywhere na terraced slope, like Jos Plateau. Chukwudi don ask people about am many times.

Elders for war council warn am—those slopes dey bury men wey too stubborn. So he warn Musa Sani again and again: camp near city, near water, build camp well.

But Musa Sani still dey find achievement, insist to climb mountain try luck.

Stubbornness, Chukwudi think, dey kill more men than spear. Chukwudi close eye.

Effort of tens of thousands about to waste. Setting sun and evening breeze blow in, touch Chukwudi grey beard. Down the steps, Sade still dey ask, “Prime Minister, what we go do now?”

Sade face dey sweat, voice dey hide fear. Chukwudi open eye. At first, him voice low, but later, e rise with passion, as if he always sure say victory go come:

“Gather the army, call as many troops as possible, move to Jieting at once.”

Order echo strong, like gongon for palace square. But deep down, Chukwudi know—e don too late.

The harmattan wind that evening felt colder than usual. Dust hang for air, dry lips crack, and every soldier dey rub hand for body. Three days later, before Chukwudi main army reach Jieting, news land say Musa Sani don lose—not just lose, but abandon main army, run alone, cause loss of tens of thousands of Udo young men wey answer the call to bring back Udo glory.

Cry of mothers sweep towns, black cloth hang for every compound. Wind dey blow. Chukwudi think: Na all my fault.

He stare at palm trees, leaves dey shake like say dem dey scold am. Chukwudi mutter one short prayer under him breath, ask God make him no fail the land. With more white hair, Chukwudi mind come back to present: after this loss, Okoli army go soon reach, and Garba go soon know say Danjuma force na just decoy.

He fit almost see Okoli banner for horizon. Front and back surround, e no get choice but to retreat.

Five years of day and night wahala, bush life, five years of open and honest effort, use all him strength—finally, three districts answer, Middle Belt shake, Benue dey close, but now, he must retreat.

He hold staff tight, wood warm with old sweat. No heavy rain spoil Ibi Valley for history; wetin kill northern expedition na always Musa Sani selfishness, and later, Lawal own politics wahala.

Chukwudi thoughts dey bitter, heart heavy. People heart sharp like knife, dey make Chukwudi body thin for wind.

Elders always talk: when land dey trouble, people show true colour. He sigh, say, “Retreat.”

Voice break, almost whisper. Sade nod. He just join Udo, never see these five years of suffering, just dey think say with Prime Minister brain, dem go win ground back soon.

Sade tighten belt, eager to prove himself, eyes dey shine with foolish hope of youth. So he wave hand, ready to pass order.

One fast horse rush from back of formation.

Dust trail behind the rider like masquerade spirit tail. Na Udo scout, so back allow am enter main camp, but as Chukwudi see scout, his eyes sharp.

He don sabi how to spot lie for man shadow. This man no be from him army.

Scout rush come, jump down, kneel. “His Majesty get edict, say make Prime Minister no retreat, but gather the scattered troops at Jieting and block Okoli.”

He hold letter high, sweat dey drip. Sade frown—no be Prime Minister dey control all military matter? How, after defeat, king edict just show like that?

He look Chukwudi for answer. But unlike Sade, Chukwudi collect edict, no dey think politics, but check king’s seal well, ask scout, “Na true true His Majesty talk this one?”

Voice soft but heavy like drumbeat. Scout talk with worry, “Na true, Prime Minister. His Majesty—nobody know wetin enter am—after he give this edict to Attendant Obinna, he leave Makurdi go straight Jigu camp.”

Camp quiet, all eyes for young messenger. Sade eyes shake. I just surrender, Udo don already get big matter like this?

He dey stammer, no sure to celebrate or mourn. Chukwudi just calm. He point edict, talk serious, “Since you come from Makurdi, you go don start journey three or four days ago. So, three or four days ago, His Majesty already know say Musa Sani go lose?”

Sade shock.

He look from Prime Minister to messenger, mouth dey open and close like catfish out of water. Yes, how His Majesty take know before say Musa Sani go fail?

Obinna don tell scout, so scout repeat am to Chukwudi: “His Majesty talk say Musa Sani na only mouth, dey rush for achievement, if you give am command alone, he no go ever camp well for city, and Okoli na true war master—so Jieting go surely fall, and northern expedition go spoil.”

Messenger words ring out, heavy like funeral bell. Chukwudi face dark small, then new fire enter eyes.

He stand straighter, old pride return for bone. Na spirit of person wey, after wahala and white hair, finally see hope.

He see faces of ancestors for firelight. After all these years, Ifedike finally gree carry King Musa will and hold Udo flag. The pikin wey he watch grow every day don become man.

He nod to himself, remember how many times he doubt Ifedike strength. Before Chukwudi fit finish him thought, Sade ask again:

“If His Majesty know say Jieting go fall and northern expedition spoil, why he dey tell Prime Minister to hold here?”

Question hang, sharp as fresh pepper. Scout eyes red with worry. “Prime Minister, abeg write to persuade His Majesty. His Majesty insist say chance still dey to save northern expedition. As long as General Danjuma fit beat Garba for Jigu and threaten Abuja, Okoli go gree withdraw. So His Majesty don go Jigu by himself.”

Scout voice dey shake, like say na him dem send to die. Chukwudi, wey always dey calm, shake small. He say, “His Majesty go Jigu—to fight Garba?”

Hand dey tremble, eyes dey burn. No be just to grow up—na to reach for sky be this.

He wipe face with wrapper, then look horizon. Chukwudi, wey no dey ever panic, talk, “Attendant Obinna or the other ministers no tell am say Jigu na just decoy troops?”

He stare at fire, dey wait for answer. Scout don nearly cry. “His Majesty talk say, as long as he go, even decoy troops go turn main force.”

Messenger voice crack, tears dey run cheek. Chukwudi look up, no fit talk. Apart from wind wey dey blow, nothing dey mind.

He listen to distant town crier gong, lost in thought. At this point, Sade step forward. “Nobody stop His Majesty? If His Majesty really reach Jigu, General Danjuma fit no even join am for this hopeless battle, abi?”

He shake head, no believe wetin he hear. Scout burst cry. “Anybody wey try stop His Majesty—before dem reach hundred steps, His Majesty go shoot their cap comot with arrow. Then he go shout, ‘The Son of the Land dey here—anybody wey block me go die!’ He raise king’s seal high, him boldness pass even the late king. So nobody fit, or wan, stop am. Na only one thing dey worry me, say this kind spirited His Majesty, after three or four days journey, fit really make General Danjuma fight to the end, but... but...”

Scout voice break, e dey sob.

Camp feel weight of him tears. Sade face change. He look Chukwudi, only to see say Chukwudi don calm down again.

He see old man face set like iron for Ogun fire. Wind still dey blow.

Bird call out, only sound as evening shadow dey long. But smile don show for Chukwudi face. He tell Sade, “Actually, His Majesty know—no need for this edict. As long as I know say he go Jigu and ready to fight Garba, I no go ever retreat.”

He rest hand for Sade shoulder, strength dey return. “If His Majesty still get mind to fight till end, how we go retreat?”

Words dey strong, echo for camp. Sade eyes focus, body stiff. He talk quick, “But for the kingdom—”

He start, but Chukwudi cut am. “Who dey really think for the kingdom? Na only wetin me and you think be ‘for the kingdom’?” Chukwudi talk slow. “That one no be the way of chief, no be way to win. Pass order: camp here, gather scattered troops, find another place build camp, make sure say Okoli army no pass Jieting.”

Sade salute, agree.

He beat chest with right fist, pledge to ancestors. As he turn go, mind still dey shake. He wan talk, but hold back. He never understand how His Majesty fit use decoy troops beat Garba main army, or why Prime Minister go risk everything for His Majesty.

He look fading sun, dey hope spirit of old warriors go guide dem. Maybe Chukwudi sense Sade doubt, his voice follow wind come:

“I know the kind person His Majesty be. Now wey His Majesty gree stand up, I believe in am—just as the late king once believe in me.”

For deepening twilight, camp stir with new hope, promise of future wey never break, as wind from Mount Garba carry the story go front. Nobody know say the next sunrise go change Udo kingdom forever.