Chapter 3: The Elders’ Suspicion

After dem go, me and Sango check the catalog for the Holy Archive: one hundred and eight volumes of scripture, each with different title.

We carry lantern go the back shelves, where old catalog dey hide inside wooden box. As we dey open am, dust just fly, but the books line up well, names dey shine for cover like say na new naira note. Some of the titles dey written with thick Igbo and Yoruba calligraphy.

The books line up well, each dey shine small holy light, and the content complete.

The holy light be like glow-worm wey dey shine for night—no be ordinary candle. The content, I flip small, see say e get deep proverb and spiritual power for inside.

“The Medicine King’s Herbal Scroll,” “The Scroll of Destiny,” “The Elder’s Eighty-One Trials of the Land,” “The Wonderful Sound Angel’s Secret Treasury of Sky Dance,” “The Celestial Sound Sublime Echo Scroll”… even get “Sacred Mother’s Secret of Fetal Protection.”

The names get as dem be—some na Yoruba proverbs, some na deep Igbo wisdom, even get Hausa incantation for the foreword of one. See as Igbo, Yoruba, even small Hausa dey jam for the covers—na real Naija blend. E clear say the collection wide reach.

Na genius! All-rounder!

For my mind, I dey imagine the kain brain wey fit produce all these—na pure wonder. Spirit world never see this type since Sango carry thunder enter heaven.

I happy for the world, say we get this kind genius.

I just dey thank God say pikin still dey born with this kain talent; na something wey go make even ancestors dance for grave. "Na our land spirit dey bless us so," I talk for mind.

“Sango, see all these scripture wey him write. Even after my own eighty-one trials, I no fit gather them. I dey shame.”

My chest dey heavy, but I still get small pride—na good thing if younger generation dey pass elders, but e still dey pain somehow.

“If na so, make I chop dung stand for my head!”

Sango shout so, even the night birds quiet. The thing funny but also bitter. For our side, if you swear like that, na big thing dey pain you.

“Baba, see signature for this ‘Great Path Scroll’—” He open the title page, point the gold line:

[Chief Editor: Eze Yinusa Merit Elder]

[Co-editors: Elder Olumide, Elder Amina, Elder Nneka…]

I just frown deep.

My brow fold reach bridge of my nose, my heart dey knock. Signature dey shine with gold ink, e be like person dey announce for market square say na im get am.

Sango knock his staff for ground with heavy sound, the shelves for the Archive begin shake.

The ground vibrate, dust fly, even the palm wine for my bottle shake inside. Some elders for other corner waka come look, wonder if fight wan start.

“All these fake elders, na old way be this. If dem wan promote this so-called great elder, no wahala. But to call am Merit Elder like you, Baba, I no gree!”

Sango face don red, e dey vex like thunder dey gather for im throat. Him voice strong, na so e dey when person dey near truth wey dey pain.

“Sango, abeg, mind your words!”

I raise hand, try calm am. "No let dem catch us dey talk anyhow, Sango."

“Baba, see am na. Even if him sabi write scripture, as small pikin, wetin give am the right to put his name before all these great powers?”

Sango eyes dey fire; I never see am so angry since last new yam festival when dem short-change am for title.

“Maybe he compile them with the great elders…”

My voice just hang for air as I try defend am, but even me no believe myself. Even with my own level, I no fit claim say I compile scripture with those great elders; for now, I dey help arrange the archive, I never even start to write my own.

I force small laugh but my belly no follow. Na like when pikin try cover lie for parent—e no go last.

Eze Yinusa too young. At twenty, e no possible to reach this level unless…

For my mind, suspicion dey grow. The kain way dem dey rush young people these days, e fit be say shortcut dey somewhere.

“E no dey hard to see na! All these scripture na those great elders write am, he just add his name.”

Sango voice loud, echo for the rafters. Some scribes outside dey peep, dey whisper.

I wan tell Sango to stop, but I just leave am. “No be him family get power? Of course his papa and mama wan make am carry the family name up. Hmph, na old method be this. Heaven full of all these second-generation elders. Even the White Horse na second-generation elder. But before, those elders still dey try make show, send their pikin to suffer small. Now, dem no even dey pretend again!”

Sango hiss, "Everything na connection, Baba. Wetin we go do?" The matter pain am so, e nearly break staff for ground.

Baba Tunde snort, “Maybe those elders just pity their pikin, no wan make dem suffer. See as his skin fresh—I fit chop am for one bite.”

People for background laugh, but e get bitterness inside the joke. Everybody dey feel am—fresh skin no mean you wise, but for our world, na name dey talk.

“Na so. Dem go find some great elder’s scripture, add their pikin name, so that merit go plenty and dem go make am Merit Elder.”

The grumble dey spread among elders like harmattan fire for dry grass. My own mind dey heavy, but I no talk.

“These people, dem wan carry palanquin, make we pretend say we no see!” Sango hit his staff for glass floor, the thing crack.

That kain crack na warning—if wahala start, e fit swallow village. I just dey beg for my mind, "Make peace reign."

I just quiet, dey rub my prayer beads, knowing say my disciples don already see wetin dey happen. But wetin I fit do? I just tell them to bear am.

For Naija, elders dey always talk say, "Na who get power dey write story." As I dey rub bead, I dey pray for wisdom make I no talk wetin I go regret.

But as e be, that night for the usual meeting, Sango just face them direct.

That meeting, na big matter. All the elders, the queen mothers, the scribes, even the palm wine tapper for village square dey gather. Sango voice thunder for the roof, no space for lie.

“The Holy Archive na the source of wisdom for the Three Realms. Every holy scripture need big enlightenment and compassion to finish. I wan ask: how this young Eze Yinusa Merit Elder take write one hundred and eight volumes of scripture for just twenty years?”

Sango no dey fear face; e voice loud reach junction. Even people for outside dey peep through window, dey wait answer.

Eze Yinusa’s smile freeze, the calabash for his hand dey shake small. The Queen Mother fingers her coral beads, eyes sharp like razor. “If you wan know about Merit Elder’s works, go ask am personally.”

Queen Mother voice cold, e fit freeze rain. Everybody quiet. Eze Yinusa grip cup tight, e hand dey shake so te palm wine nearly pour.

“Make the Three Realms hear am! To become Merit Elder, you must face eighty-one trials and reach the highest wisdom. He never reach twenty—when he do trials? When he finish am?”

The hall just scatter with voices, people dey murmur, dey tap neighbor for back. Sango face shine with sweat, but e no stop. "If them wan hide truth, make them try."

Sango’s voice thunder for the hall, everywhere scatter among the elders and spirits inside and outside the Palm Court.

Even masquerades wey suppose dey outside dey listen. Some elders dey stamp foot, the place dey shake like thunder dey land.

A crack show for the calabash for Eze Yinusa hand. The Queen Mother crush the kola nut for her hand, while Chief Priest Olumide, who always dey look ground, finally raise head—

For Naija, if chief priest look up, e mean case don reach boiling point. Some junior elders dey shift seat, dey avoid eye.

“Eze Yinusa Merit Elder.”

I stand up. “I dey here.”

Na so everywhere quiet, even rat no fit run. All eye dey my body.

“Na this one you wan ask?”

I nod, voice low, “Yes. I also wan know why young Elder Eze Yinusa no need to face trials.”

Elder Olumide, explain to Eze Yinusa Merit Elder.”

“No be only me, but the whole Three Realms.”

Some elders nod, the spirit for the place high. E be like say rain wan fall.

Elder Olumide drop his palm wine cup, stand up. “I know many elder friends dey doubt how Eze Yinusa Merit Elder take reach this position. Since the Great One ask today, I go explain.

His voice strong, the kain wey go fit calm angry market woman. People adjust stool, ready to hear the matter clear.

This rule na the Supreme Chief himself bring four years ago—the 4+4 Plan. This plan cut the time for trials well well; before, e dey take hundreds or even thousands of years. The purpose na to train leadership for the Spirit Realm.”

Olumide voice rise, e face shine like who see vision.

“4+4 Plan?” Sango’s sharp eyes narrow. “How come I never hear am before?”

Some elders hiss; e get as e be when rule dey change without everybody know.

Elder Olumide wave hand, and Supreme Chief’s decree show for air, golden letters shining:

For our side, when decree appear for air, na big authority. E mean say e no be ordinary talk; e get spirit power backing am.

[New Rule of the Three Realms: Merit Elder Promotion Outline]

Four years of trial in the main world: Must face natural disasters, man-made wahala, and inner demons for the four corners of the land.

Four years of trial in a small world: If Heaven approve, enter three thousand small worlds to quickly gather merit.

Total time: As small as eight years to succeed.

People dey whisper, "Na shortcut be this?" "Spirit world don change!"

“Even though Eze Yinusa Merit Elder na just twenty,” Elder Olumide talk with serious face, “he trained for Southern lands for four years, then with Supreme Chief’s special approval, enter ‘Mortal Dust Small World’ to reincarnate for four lifetimes, each time finishing his work perfect and gathering plenty merit!”

The elders look each other, some dey nod, some dey shake head. For Naija, reincarnation na strong tin, e mean say e really suffer reach.

Sango snatch the decree, scan am with his lightning eyes, then just laugh small:

The laugh be like thunder wey never finish—everybody know say wahala still dey for corner.

“What a ‘Mortal Dust Small—

(Story continues…)