Oracles of the Motherland

Tolu Odunlami, Wole Daramola

Description

Oracles of the Motherland is packed with action, drama, adventure, and suspense that will keep you reading till the end. Immerse yourself in a fictional African story that sheds light on ancient African cultures, as well as the beauty, the struggles, and the wars within the continent.

Oracles Of The Motherland is an African story that describes the beauty and harmonious dwellings in some parts of the kingdoms within the continent of Africa in the time of old. It also goes in-depth on the struggles, cultures, betrayals and wars within Odùduwà and the surrounding kingdoms.

Àjosè, king of the African kingdom of Odùduwà, had maintained peace in the region for years. But the gods and oracles of the land could not ignore the cries of innocent blood that had been spilled. The peace that Odùduwà had enjoyed would soon be shattered.

Lúlù would give her life for Adélolá, her queen. But when a selfish act forces Lúlù to flee for her life, it sets in motion events that had grave consequences for Odùduwà.

Sujets

• Wars
• Thrillers
• Motherland
• África
• Monarchies in Africa
• Oduduwa
• Africa
• Suspense
• Cultures
• Mère Patrie (hymne)
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 05 décembre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781665574815
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

ORACLES OF THE MOTHERLAND
WOLE DARAMOLA & TOLU ODUNLAMI


AuthorHouse™
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© 2022 Wole Daramola & Tolu Odunlami. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
Published by AuthorHouse 12/01/2022
 
ISBN: 978-1-6655-7482-2 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6655-7480-8 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-6655-7481-5 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022920469
 
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Reborn in the Forest
Chapter 2 Festival
Chapter 3 Successor
Chapter 4 Conspiracy
Chapter 5 Betrayal
Chapter 6 Unofficial Assignment
Chapter 7 Lúlù’s Background
Chapter 8 The Journey
Chapter 9 Flood
Chapter 10 The Queen’s Dream
Chapter 11 Dahomey
Chapter 12 A New Beginning
Chapter 13 Fate of a Stranger
Chapter 14 Glow
Chapter 15 Assimilation
Chapter 16 Into the Deep
Chapter 17 Valley of Shadows
Chapter 18 Knowledge and Realms
Chapter 19 Princes Are Born
Chapter 20 Fear and Guilt
Chapter 21 A Ray of Hope
Chapter 22 An Enemy Within
Chapter 23 The Swamp
Chapter 24 The Cave
Chapter 25 The Forest
Chapter 26 Bravery and Death
Chapter 27 The Sacrifice
Chapter 28 Farewell
Chapter 29 Deliberating Fate
Chapter 30 The Message
Chapter 31 A Bad Omen
Chapter 32 A True Warrior
Chapter 33 Prelude to the Inferno
Chapter 34 Love and War
Chapter 35 Negotiations
Chapter 36 The Golden Stool I
Chapter 37 The Golden Stool II
Chapter 38 Suspicions
Chapter 39 Salvation
Chapter 40 Message to Ashanti
Chapter 41 Vespera Da Destruicao
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I am most grateful to God for giving me the vision; and the opportunity, strength and guidance to achieving this goal of mine.
My deepest appreciation to my lovely wife, Eniola, who has been supportive throughout the entire process of making this book a reality; and to my two delightful children, Analise and Jeremiah, thank you for being my source of motivation to accomplish this book. I hope I have made you proud.
To my mother, thank you for creating the road-map that led me where I am.
To my siblings, thank you for your unwavering supports through my entire journey.
To my parents-in-law, thank you for your love and support.
To my co-author, Tolu, thank you for your brilliant and creative ideas on this book.
Wole Daramola
I’d like to thank God for the ability and foresight to write this book, and as someone with several near-death experiences, including during the development of the book, He alone takes all the glory.
I’d also like to thank my wife, Kim, who has been with me in the toughest of times, an ever present and reliable pillar on my journey through life.
Lastly, I’d like to thank friends and family who provided encouragement and served as sound boards, and Wole my co-author who broached the idea of writing a book.
Tolu Odunlami
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to my father, late John Afolabi Daramola, who supported and encouraged my love for art and storytelling since I was a little lad.
Wole Daramola
I dedicate this book to my mum, who was my first English teacher (she actually was an English teacher), she provided the foundation of reading and writing which carries me to this day.
Tolu Odunlami
CHAPTER 1
Reborn in the Forest
In the days of old, nestled inside the three-quarter circle formed by the Omíshàn Mountains, lay the Odùduwà kingdom, located along the western part of the Guinea Coast. It consisted of villages and towns like Sàbȩ, Ìlóbù, Etí-Òsà, Olókìtì, Lánipèkun, Ìjèbú, and Èjìgbò, and tributary kingdoms such as Dahomey, Hawani, and Ashanti. The mountains reached into the heavens, and clouds danced on their peaks. The rain traced paths down the sides, etching a unique signature on each incline. The winds slapped the outer slopes of the majestic mountains, periodically rushing into the crevices and creating a singsong whistle.
The seven streams that converged at the center of the kingdom rushed out to catch the fishermen on their way out to sea. They could not have cared less about the wind and its playful ways.
In the Odùduwà kingdom, every person was accountable to the next; there was little difference between commoner and nobility. Strangers greeted each other with the familiarity of brotherhood, and sisters took care of one another’s kids. It was a beautiful oasis, preserved by a cultural utopia that was little known to the rest of the world. But just like the regal mountains that Odùduwà was built on, the kingdom had a crack; it was almost imperceivable, but nonetheless, it was there.
The time of the yearly cocoa festival had arrived. The young men would go into the outer forest and gather the choicest cocoas to bring back for the women to make musu , a sweet chocolate pie that was intoxicating. It was so sweet that many babies would enter this utopia nine months later. The young men bristled with excitement, waiting to commence their annual competition.
The young men would spend a day deep in the forest with the guidance of elders and warriors and seven days camping in the open terrain, learning the rules of manhood and proving themselves worthy to be called one.
The young women giggled as they huddled in groups. They would compete to see who could make the best musu. The better it was, the higher one’s chances of getting a husband. It was also shameful for the family of any young woman who made terrible musu; she and her mother would be to blame, and suitors would be wary.
Adélolá, the queen of Odùduwà, hurried into the royal courts, her dress sweeping the floor elegantly. Her beauty and sense of style were a thing of legend. She wore a tasteful yellow, blue, and green ànkará dress, with blue beads adorning her neatly braided hair and white beads around her long neck, wrists, and ankles.
Adélolá’s maid, Lúlù, was the most sought-after among the maids. Eligible bachelors of the land adored her because of her beauty. She was from the village of Sàbȩ. She walked a step behind the queen, carrying her purse. Lúlù was dressed in an equally elegant ànkará dress that was tailored to her curvaceous body and thick backside. She was also adorned from head to toe with white beads that complemented her dark shining skin. They were a sight to see.
Many princes had asked for Adélolá’s hand in marriage when she was a princess of the Etí-Òsà ruling house. A few suitors had dueled, and Prince Àjosè, now the king, had been the lucky one. Some said he had been chosen by the gods.
Lúlù kept pace with the queen. Her round, attractive face was covered in painted patterns, and she scowled at anyone who did not immediately acknowledge the queen. She had raw sexuality about her, familiar to women of the outer forest who ate yams and palm oil and drank coconut water.
King Àjosè, dressed in a royal dàshíkí aso-òfì and loincloth, stood to greet his queen. “Lolá, my dearest, how are you this fine morning?”
Queen Adélolá sat in her chair and huffed in exasperation. “How am I doing? The drums I requested are nowhere to be found, they have not yet gathered the flowers and palm fronds, the decorations are a mess, and where are my dressmakers? I cannot possibly wear the same clothes as last year!”
“You worry too much, my dear,” King Àjosè replied. “I have never seen a cocoa festival turn out badly. Besides, there is enough food and palm wine to satisfy the entire kingdom for days.”
“That is easy for you to say,” the queen retorted. “Men are so easily satisfied. You are not involved in the planning and—”
The king reached down and kissed Adélolá. He was a strikingly handsome Black man, tall and muscular like a horse, with a beard that had a life of its own.
The queen’s anxiety melted away.
Lúlù smiled. That was the end of the conversation.
Kúyè, the chief adviser to the queen, grinned from ear to ear. He was wearing his dàshíkí and shóóró . Adélolá’s father, the Ǫ ba (king) of Etí-Òsà, had assigned Kúyè to her when she married Àjosè. He was the intermediary between Etí-Òsà and Adélolá in her role as the queen of Odùduwà. Kúyè was like an uncle to Queen Adélolá. The queen’s behests were paramount to him.
“Àjàmú!” the king bellowed.
Àjàmú was the captain of the king’s guard and the general of the Odùduwà warriors. He was advanced in age but was still good-looking, strong, and an experienced warrior. His full beard made him alluring to women, yet he was a man of strict character. He had refused to take another wife after the loss of his wife during childbirth; instead, he had dedicated himself to serving the kingdom. He believed that everything happened for a reason instead of by chance.
Àjàmú was dressed in an open-front, sleeveless, dark brown dàshíkí, exposing his broad shoulders,