Chapter 6: Peace, Festival, and the Coming Storm

For far north, even though small Bala Suleiman sit for throne, Garba dynasty no turn to drama where big men dey collect power. Na because behind Bala Suleiman, strong woman dey—Queen Mother Aisha. (To talk am well, she be Grand Queen Mother, but make we call am Queen Mother Aisha.)

Queen Mother Aisha dey run council like market leader—no noise, no mess. People dey respect her, even old chiefs dey kneel.

Queen Mother Aisha na from the southern people. As she dey rule, she push reform, make Garba dynasty dey do things like southern people, help nomad empire become farming people, change to proper chieftaincy country.

She dey teach young boys how to farm yam, plant cassava, dey call all chiefs for big festival, dey share kola nut, dey say, "Let peace rain."

She dey tie gele like river goddess, her voice calm but strong, even chiefs from far village dey respect am.

For 482, Southern Okafor first chief, Okechukwu, die, him pikin Chukwudi take over. Both of them na good rulers, like to build country, no like war, so dem keep peace with strong Garba dynasty. Especially for Chukwudi time, Southern Okafor enjoy small golden time, wey people dey call "Era of Peace."

Children dey dance for village square, masquerade dey chase pikin, laughter full everywhere. People dey say, "That year, market dey full, no thief, no war, even rain dey fall well." Children born for that time dey carry special name—"Udochi," meaning peace is greater than wealth.

For 490, Queen Mother Aisha die, Bala Suleiman start to rule by himself.

Some say na real end of era—elders dey cry, "We no go see this kind woman again for another hundred years!"

For 493, Chukwudi die, him grandson Emeka take throne.

Young Emeka dey like play, elders dey worry say wahala fit start again. Some begin dey look north with corner eye.

That same year, under Bala Suleiman, Garba dynasty move capital go Zaria, start big reform wey people dey call "Suleiman’s Reform."

Na so city dey grow, new wall dey rise, people dey come from everywhere. Traders dey happy, say, "Business go better!"

Bala Suleiman na Fulani by blood, but Queen Mother Aisha don already make am proper southern-style king.

Him dey speak both Fulani and Igbo, dey wear agbada one day, wrapper the next. E show say Nigeria fit blend blood if wahala rest.

After dem move capital, he focus on how to rule well, dey plan to end north-south wahala, join Nigeria again.

Palace scribe dey write, "Oga want peace, but country head too big." Yet, hope dey.

But for south, dem no even notice the big change for north. As Emeka become king, he start dey do anyhow, Southern Okafor begin suffer coup after coup, no end…

Market women dey shake head, dey say, "When cock dey crow for north, fowl for south no even open eye." But as cock dey crow for north, thunder dey warm for south—story never finish, another wahala dey wait for corner...