Destined to Die.
I woke up one in the middle of the night after a nightmare, I really didn’t understand what I saw nor understood what I witnessed in the other world, the world I only visit when I lay hoping to wake the next day.
So, I decided to think about what I saw and what I witnessed. My life was in a horrible state that very day.
I remembered the story before we find out what the meaning of the dream is, let’s try to find what the dream itself is.
It was a day when the young fine gentleman set out to look visit his friend at the other side of the river, and the journey can only be made by foot and will take not less than a day to reach.
This young man was to make the journey to go visit his friend to discuss the coming farming season and seeking to advise him on which crops he could grow in order to yield a bumper harvest. On the journey he bought for himself a slice of fine meat and some fresh fish caught at the river by the fishing netcaster, he had some good Amani and Lue which will be so good for the night’s meal if he was to reach his destination before sunset. He had his sack bag as he planned a three-day journey.
Bidding farewell by the side of the river, the netcaster told him to inform his friend that there shall be some banquet in his house the next day and the net caster’s friend must come to meet him for the feast and a discussion. After the conversation they all part ways and the Journee set to cast his eyes on the far-reaching hills where he wished would reach before the sun is right above his head (midday).
Indeed, a journey of a thousand mile begins with a step. And before you could get to your destination you first need to begin the Journey. Thus he took his first step and the journey begun,
With the pace of an antelope, he passed the first thick forest and went ahead hoping to meet the Target he set to achieve and indeed he was able to reach the first mountain before the sun stood right above his head. With great fulfilment, he then decided to rest and as he sat on the root of the big Mango tree his strength waned and his eyes succumbed to sleep.
There begun shouts and wailing of mourners in and around the Palace of the King, his subjects are not happy. Yes, the King is so much not pleased, he sent forth his guards called the chief priest. Told him to make sure the Plafo and his warriors get hold of the Man who just entered the Land and slain the Daughter of the King.
Yes, the wailers held the young lad in their hands as they brought her to the palace of King, her father. The body came home without the Head. And the King fell on his face to wail, his tears fell on the ground and it became the worst day in the lives of the people. The culprit is gone, he had eloped with the head of the King’s Daughter. The warriors set out in search for the culprit, it was announced that he either comes home dead or alive. And his body must be brought if dead for further punishment.
The culprit escaped and eloped, but unfortunately for the Journee, his route is the same culprit took. During these incidents, our Journee was fast asleep and he slept beyond his time and he was not able to notice what was about to befall him.
As he slept the culprit so quick with speed seeking to finally run with all his might to hide from the warriors saw our Journee fast asleep. Not even the sounds made beside him was able to wake him.
With a cunning mind and an action to pin the sin on another man, the culprit opened up the bag of the Journee and took the food he had in there and placed in the Head of the princess.
Not more than 20 mins he woke from his sleep and knowing perfectly the journey that is left for him he set off so quickly hoping to reach his friend’s home before sunset. Thus the new enemy had set off to get to his destination.
With a melodeon, he sang and rehearsed the songs they will sing in the night when the Kpalogo dance ensemble and youth groups gather to enjoy the night and the half-moon celebration.
What is destined will have to come to pass.
The Journee reached his friends home some minutes before sunset and was so welcomed by the wife of his friend. The was merry as the lady of the house knew very well as the Journee visited her nice Cowrie Necklace will be part of the gifts brought from the yonder, she is very certain that a nice asupatlꜪꜪ will also be in there somewhere. But as customs demands the lady must wait for the man to do the greetings and bid her to look in the bag and do the needful, first the goodies for the kitchen and that of her own ornaments.
He was offered water to cool himself down (take one yourself) as he awaits his friend from the King’s Palace. The Journee then bid the wife of his friend look into the bag he had some goodies in there, and with haste, the lady opened the Bag.
In the Palace the King and his Elders were still pondering on what they had to do with the situation at hand, the warriors had not returned and no one has news from them too. It is a sad day at the other side of the town, the young lad needs to be buried in the night, there is surely going to be a curfew and the gloomy state of things clearly speaks.
What are we witnessing, who is going to stay awake to witness the wrath of the King as he takes his own daughter the Princess to the ↃtↃfo yard, no King neither a kindred will wish that happens to them. A strong curfew was laid. Everyone is needed to be asleep before the third hour after sunset. All were asleep except the Plafo and his warriors, even elders were asked to go home and come the next day.
Back in the house, the Journee was given a nice Kokonte and kuadaa (Brown Fufu with hot chillies), whilst the Lady checked the bag for the gifts.
A sharp but faint pain crossed the minds of the lady and her heartbeat actually came down to disarray. She was sad, she was disturbed. Yet showed the act of a strong woman. She waited for the husband to return from the King’s palace.
It was all joy when He returned from the palace and it’s the only good thing that could happen to him in this trial moments. Oh yes, it had been close to 3 Homowo festivals since they met, and they had to share their joy together that night. Then the wife called the Husband to the Kitchen at the other side of the house, the so distinct place where no conversation will be heard.
The Journee saw movements, actions that portray there is a situation in the house. Actions which shows that there is a looming fire on the mountain and no one can quench it. Not even the largest river (Okunuipa) could help quench the fire. Not even that, no it cannot be. But convincingly the evidence is in the bag, the head is still in there.
Tears rolled down in the eyes, we need to ask him the man told the wife. She said no, and suggested he is taken straight to the Palace to answer for his deeds. But we are on a curfew, the man asked? We need to take him now, the king must know, what if he goes away before dawn?
Then he went to inform the friend that they need to visit the Kings Palace. As they move on they met the Plafo who was asked to verify if the curfew was enforced. And he was ordered to arrest the Journee.
He went back to pick the sack with the head of the Princess.
A framed man, a Pinned murder case, and clear evidence. No one to defend, not even the friend. Oh, my friend is now my Enemy.
Time to wail, shed tears and fulfilment, depending on what the arrest meant to you. To those who knew the Journee so well was sad and they could vouch and sign surety that he will never ever hurt a fly so the wailed for him. Now the King shed tears and was fulfilled that at least the culprit was arrested and brought to him. The friend with confused head shared no remorse as he led the team of Plafo to the palace and then asked the King that all men be assembled back to His palace that very Night every one including the day old baby.
The story was laid and the Journee was asked to give his defence but all his stories never made sense as one thing is very certain that he was not able to prove how the Head came to be in his bag. For an hour-long, he cried and tried to prove his innocence but was not fruitful.
King then had to pronounce Judgement, it was very evident that the Journee will have to pay for his crime with his life. He must die to pay for his sins. And thus the judgement was pronounced, His sentence was simple a fiery furnace will be set and he shall be tied to a tree whilst the fire is set around him and he must be burnt to death. And so he was sentenced to death by burning he will have to stay behind bars for the night.
Amidst war song and cries through the night the little princess was laid to rest in the forest.
How time quickly flies, in the morning the whole town assembled to at the palace awaiting the rituals and thence the process to get justice for the young princess served except the man whom the netcaster sent a message to through the Journee and his wife.
Right at the time of sunrise the King arose and sat on his throne. We had to get this thing done with yelled the chief linguist and they all agreed.
On the journey to the other side of the river, they were discussing how things unfolded and how this is about to end up.
Then the Murderer the culprit was sitting at the outskirts of the town waiting to hear the news, news that will confirm his safety and his life will be spared.
Oh, the story is a sad one, he just came to my house to inform me of the invite and he even told me he will be staying here for a day or two. I am so sad for him, how on earth can this sad situation befall a man so humble and respectful than him. I do not believe he is the culprit, I do not believe he had the head of the Princess severed. No, he can’t be the one there must be a mistake somewhere.
Sitting behind is the culprit and he heard the name of the Journee, mentioned and that it was he who is supposed to die, for the sin he had caused.
What had I caused? My conscience will never forgive me for doing this, I will never ever be happy for pinning this onto the most respected man in my land. With a loud yell and tears in his eyes, he set off to confess he is the culprit willing to surrender in the stead of the Journee.
Death never waits for justice, death does not do that, oh how bad that is death is not the friend and that is exactly what happened to our dear Journee. His life ended moments before the murderer got to the scene.
“When I die, you will have to take my ashes spread it around the world and tell them what how I was martyred for the wrong reason”.
And he layed up his ghost.
The murderer got to the scene with a loud voice of pain and tear, but what had to be done is already done.
Was the Journee prejudged?
Was he destined to?
Was the murderer…….
Well, so I woke up from this nightmare, thinking of prejudice and pain of killing the wrong man.
The friend of our Journee became an enemy to the friend of the Murderer.
