Chapter 2: Destiny No Dey Balance

For female-protagonist novel, the starting point na where male-protagonist own dey finish.

I dey remember all those stories my sister dey read for night, the ones wey if you peep the cover, you go see woman stand for rain, dey cry because of one useless man. But true talk, for the world of story, na where man journey finish, woman own dey just start. Na this kain thing dey make me reason say story no dey balance for real life.

If na male-centered novel, by the time I get one million army, I suppose dey wear another armour dey ready to collect the throne.

Person go expect say I for dey stand for top palace balcony, hand raise, people dey shout my name. Na so all those stories dey end. But as e be, woman journey dey long pass.

But for female-centered novel, e no dey work like that…

Na so love triangle, long-suffering, and tears dey enter scene. Woman go get all the power, but na her heart and loyalty people dey remember. E dey sweet and dey pain.

All this my one million Arewa soldiers just be background for the love triangle between me, Sarki Musa and Morayo.

But now, everything don change.

I no dey here to play extra for anybody love story. This time, I dey rewrite my destiny with my own hand. Even the air for tent feel different, as if the ancestors dey watch, dey wait for who go carry the matter reach final.

From nothing to something, I no too sabi reach the original Emir of Arewa. But from something to greatness, the original emir no reach me at all.

Na so e dey. Some people fit climb mountain, but na the person wey get mind and wisdom go last for top. Wetin dey my mind now pass wetin any storyteller fit write.

“Your Highness, the army don gather.”

Deputy General Gidado waka enter command tent, salute me.

Gidado na short, stocky man with broad shoulders, voice like thunder when e shout order. E dey loyal, but e dey get mind talk im own too. I fit trust am, but I still dey careful—the heart of man dey deep.

I nod. “Make we go review the soldiers.”

I adjust my turban, brush sand from my babariga. My hand touch the hilt of my sword—my father own, the one wey don pass from hand to hand since time of Usman dan Fodio. I dey prepare myself, both body and spirit.

The deputy general frown small, but no talk anything.

Gidado look me like person wey wan talk, but e swallow the words. For this kind time, e better make man dey guard mouth.

For the original novel, na only this deputy general get mind dey tell Emir of Arewa make e rebel.

Some go say na betrayal, but for inside this Arewa, na only person wey fit talk truth for king face dey show true loyalty. Na people like Gidado dey push story move front.

“Which man dey fear say e no go get wife? Why you wan risk everything for woman, Your Highness? Better make you lead us go south, enter capital, collect the throne.”

E talk am sharp, face hard. If to say na Nollywood, camera for zoom for im face. E dey wait make I change mind.

“Morayo dey palace. If I delay, that mumu sarki fit harm am. No talk that one again.”

My own voice calm but heavy. The way I dey talk am, e clear say I no go gree. Even my guards shift body, dem fit feel the tension for air.

But the deputy general no gree.

Gidado cross hand for chest, stubborn. For Hausa land, if man cross hand like that, e mean say matter don serious. But I no get time argue.

At last, the original emir vex flog am fifty strokes, come sack am.

Na so our land dey. If person too stubborn, king go show say na him be oga. But for my own, I dey look another way. This world don change, and me too.

The deputy general vex, join hand with the invaders, na im become the biggest villain for the book.

Na there wahala start—deputy general turn from trusted man to enemy. Betrayal dey sweet for novel, but for real life, e dey bitter pass bitter leaf.

…

As we reach tent entrance, the deputy general hesitate, then talk, “Your Highness, abeg, still shine your eye.”

E tap small for my shoulder, voice low. E be like elder wey dey advise young pikin. I fit see worry for im eyes, no be only stubbornness.

I just laugh small. “With one million Arewa soldiers for my hand, wetin Sarki Musa fit do me?”

Na true pride dey my voice, but for my heart, I dey pray make my ancestors stand with me. For Hausa land, if army stand with you, even sarki go fear.

Deputy general eyes shine immediately.

The way e dey look me now, you go know say im brain dey turn—plan dey cook for im mind. E lick lip, shift weight for leg.

“I get one plan wey go make Your Highness achieve big things.”

E bend closer, as if person fit dey listen for tent. I nod make e continue. For battle, na plan dey win war, no be only muscle.

“Talk am.”

I dey use my eyes study im face, check say no lie dey inside im words. Gidado dey scratch im chin like person wey dey weigh yam for market.

“Before, when invaders attack, people suffer, the country almost scatter.”

E voice drop, e dey talk true. Na pain and memory dey im words. For this Arewa, war don leave mark for every family.

“But na Your Highness raise army for north, shelter people, fight for ten years, rebuild everywhere—everybody for this land dey owe you.”

E stretch hand, as if dey count all the villages wey I don help. Even sand for Arewa sabi my name.

“Why you no announce say His Majesty forcefully carry Miss Morayo? Make everybody know na him fault. Then, when you raise army go clear sarki’s court, nobody go talk say you wrong.”

The way e talk am, e clear say Gidado get sense for propaganda. E dey reason like person wey sabi politics, no be only sword.

“Especially as Miss Morayo don help plenty of our soldiers and officers. If people hear am, morale go high.”

E dey talk true. For Hausa land, woman wey dey good to people dey get respect pass chief. Even my heart dey soft as e mention am.

As he finish, the deputy general shift go one side, dey look me with hope.

Gidado dey wipe sweat for forehead, but e smile small. For inside im eye, you go see say e dey believe for wetin e talk.

My own eye shine too. I clap the deputy general for shoulder. “Correct! Na you go run this matter.”

As my hand touch im shoulder, e smile wide—teeth white like kolanut. For Hausa land, if Emir touch your shoulder, na big honour.

Deputy general happy, salute me. “I dey your hand.”

E stamp foot for ground, salute again, face dey shine. Even small boys wey dey sweep tent dey shout, "Kai, Gidado don hammer!"

One officer clap for thigh, shout, "Na so! Make the whole Arewa hear am!"

Battle line dey drawn, but heart dey heavy. I dey pray for peace, but I dey prepare for war. Tomorrow fit change everything—if I fail, Arewa go bleed.