by Madubuike Michael
There was once a king who had twin sons, Ochuko and Eseoghene were brave boys who lived in the great Benin kingdom. As time passed, both boys grew into teenage young men. Ochuko was friendly with others especially the family servants but Ese was a proud fellow doing whatever pleases him.
The king was seldom worried about whom out of the two would succeed him after he has gone to join his ancestors, he had not acknowledged anyone of the two as elder to the other. They were identical in every way but their mother favoured one which she says is more obedient to her.
One day, the queen beckoned on her favorite and asked him to walk with her to her little vegetable garden. As they walked, she told the son that his father was confused as to whom would succeed him as king after he is gone to the lands of the gods.
"He can pick any of us, I'll still be supportive to my brother if he gets picked." replied Ese.
The queen found a way to poison his mind against his brother. As time passed both brothers quarreled a lot and this troubled their father.
One day the king fell ill, all the herbalists in the land could not heal the king. One night he called to one of the twins - Ochuko and asked the young man to get him water, the young man did and sat beside the dying old man to help him drink out of the cup.
"My son, I will soon be joining the gods, but before then, I want to ask you question" said the king on his bed.
"My king ask me anything" replied the young man who came to kneel beside the dying king.
"What will you do with my staff of office and crown if I gave it to you?"
"My lord, not that I crave the position, but I will be a friend to every one" replied the young prince.
" Coughing loudly and wheezing... cal...call your brother in here."
The prince ran as fast as he could to get his brother. Soon after they both returned to the room. The king then asked the one he had been with to leave the room so they could have some privacy.
The king repeated the same question to the boy.
"Hmm ! My lord, i will punish all our enemies, banish anyone who disobeys me. I will make them know that the 'Ejeabulu' clan are descendants from the gods" replied the young prince. At this answer the old man whose eyes were closed opened them to look at the face of his boy. 'His heart has been filled with malice' thought the king. "My lord, I am stronger than my brother and mother tells me I am older, so I should be the one to succeed you" continued the boy. The king lay quietly without a response, the silence irked the young prince. As he was about to continue speaking, the king asked him to call his brother back in. The young prince went and stood by the door of the kings room and called out his brothers name. "My lord, I don't think he's around, he must have gone out to look for his concubine" said the angry prince. The king then requested to be alone.
The queen had the foresight to approach the chief priest and persuade him to choose her favorite son Eseoghene as the next king. The chief priest declined the offer and said replied; "The gods will choose their next king through their father." Then the woman came closer to the bearded man on white clothes and tattoos all over his face and said something in his ear.
"Mmmmmm!" exclaimed the surprised priest. The woman fidgets, startled by the sudden noise, covered herself ashamed. The chief priest then walked round his shrine chanting incantations out loud and came back to the woman and smiled.
Few days later, the king sent for the chief priest who hurriedly came at the request of the dying king. Both remained in closed doors for hours until the chief priest comes out to announce the kings departure into the realm of the gods. Immediately the whole palace was thrown into mourning. A meeting of the elders was held in the palace courts to discuss the late kings successor. As the men were deliberating the chief priest walked in and requested they start the meeting at once. Moments later the queen and her favoured son walked in and sat down uninvited.
To be continued...
The king was seldom worried about whom out of the two would succeed him after he has gone to join his ancestors, he had not acknowledged anyone of the two as elder to the other. They were identical in every way but their mother favoured one which she says is more obedient to her.
One day, the queen beckoned on her favorite and asked him to walk with her to her little vegetable garden. As they walked, she told the son that his father was confused as to whom would succeed him as king after he is gone to the lands of the gods.
"He can pick any of us, I'll still be supportive to my brother if he gets picked." replied Ese.
The queen found a way to poison his mind against his brother. As time passed both brothers quarreled a lot and this troubled their father.
One day the king fell ill, all the herbalists in the land could not heal the king. One night he called to one of the twins - Ochuko and asked the young man to get him water, the young man did and sat beside the dying old man to help him drink out of the cup.
"My son, I will soon be joining the gods, but before then, I want to ask you question" said the king on his bed.
"My king ask me anything" replied the young man who came to kneel beside the dying king.
"What will you do with my staff of office and crown if I gave it to you?"
"My lord, not that I crave the position, but I will be a friend to every one" replied the young prince.
" Coughing loudly and wheezing... cal...call your brother in here."
The prince ran as fast as he could to get his brother. Soon after they both returned to the room. The king then asked the one he had been with to leave the room so they could have some privacy.
The king repeated the same question to the boy.
"Hmm ! My lord, i will punish all our enemies, banish anyone who disobeys me. I will make them know that the 'Ejeabulu' clan are descendants from the gods" replied the young prince. At this answer the old man whose eyes were closed opened them to look at the face of his boy. 'His heart has been filled with malice' thought the king. "My lord, I am stronger than my brother and mother tells me I am older, so I should be the one to succeed you" continued the boy. The king lay quietly without a response, the silence irked the young prince. As he was about to continue speaking, the king asked him to call his brother back in. The young prince went and stood by the door of the kings room and called out his brothers name. "My lord, I don't think he's around, he must have gone out to look for his concubine" said the angry prince. The king then requested to be alone.
The queen had the foresight to approach the chief priest and persuade him to choose her favorite son Eseoghene as the next king. The chief priest declined the offer and said replied; "The gods will choose their next king through their father." Then the woman came closer to the bearded man on white clothes and tattoos all over his face and said something in his ear.
"Mmmmmm!" exclaimed the surprised priest. The woman fidgets, startled by the sudden noise, covered herself ashamed. The chief priest then walked round his shrine chanting incantations out loud and came back to the woman and smiled.
Few days later, the king sent for the chief priest who hurriedly came at the request of the dying king. Both remained in closed doors for hours until the chief priest comes out to announce the kings departure into the realm of the gods. Immediately the whole palace was thrown into mourning. A meeting of the elders was held in the palace courts to discuss the late kings successor. As the men were deliberating the chief priest walked in and requested they start the meeting at once. Moments later the queen and her favoured son walked in and sat down uninvited.
To be continued...
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