3.
THE OLD CHIEF
The old chief rained insults upon the two officers that had
brought his son before him. They were dumbfounded because they had never
bargained for what they had met at the house of the bald, potbellied, old chief
with some grayish hair at the beard and side of the temples. More so, according
to the norm, gray hair signifies wisdom and good judgment. But that was an
utter anomaly! The elderly man hadn't reciprocated their fair judgment and
discretion at all. They were supposed to present his son, Bale, or any other
accused fellow before only the serving chiefs, as was the tradition of the
village and he knew!
“So you two, Dada
and Ofa?” said the old chief, “You have the guts to arrest my son according to
the law of the stupid chief you just had? Is this how you two also want to
repay me for my kindness? Or have you forgotten that during my reign that I
made you two and so many ungrateful idiots like yourselves what you are today?
But I still believe that when the time comes, the people of this land as a
whole would come to realize how stupid they were and then they will all clamour
back for their old chief, me! The rich and influential chief Onidoti Adugbo,
the not so rigid man that gives them freedom to do as they choose!” He beats
his hand on his chest boastfully on his chest as he spoke, “then I shall deal
with you two and all other ungrateful ones yourselves personally.
