The Land of Ajiun

It was a calm morning, the sun had already risen, and people were already at their various businesses, it was their market day in the Land of Ajiun. A typical African village buzzing with palm wine tappers showcasing their products for sale, and cassava farmers ready to sell their freshly harvested farm produce. It was a busy day and Adio was very involved with business, trying to make ends meet for his family. The other day, he had already told his friend who was an hunter to help him keep a bush meat for his family to have dinner with on the market day. Surely, it was going to be a busy day and he needed something to reward himself for all the stress he would go through. But little did he know what the day had planned for him differently.

Alamu, the first son of Adio was also busy. He is a palm wine tapper, and had gone early enough to tap some palm wine for market and for them to take at dinner also. Market has not been so favorable in recent times for him. It seemed as if people had given up the idea of drinking palm wine and would only prefer to take water. Nevertheless he still had hope and kept on giving his best, his father had assured him that once he kept on being consistent with what he does, a time will come that his effort will pay off. Akanni his junior brother has been learning the art of furniture making, getting perfect at his craft. Their father, Adio was a very popular and wealthy man in Ajiun, a cassava farmer who sells not only within the land of Ajiun but also exports his produce to lands beyond who deal more with processing the produce into gaari.

Adigun, the head of workers in Adio’s farm had been running in search of Adio. He got to market, he didn’t find him, again he ran to the house but never met him there, with the look on his face, it’s as if something very bad happened, he looked so sad and tensed. But where could Adio be? What could it be that is making Adigun run that way? It was unusual for him to be in that posture, once he looks for Adio in the market and couldn’t find him, he would have waited till when he is able to see him but this time was not to be so. It’s like a do or die affair. The Land of Ajiun is tensed. Rumours already spreading.

To be continued…