Chapter 2: The City Gates and Betrayal

Zaria Gate na the main gate wey rebel army dey attack. Minister of War Ibrahim Yusuf and servant Baba Tunde dey there.

The night cold, the wall damp with old rain. Soldiers for the wall dey doze, one dey pick nose, another dey count stars. Ibrahim Yusuf dey chew kola with one side mouth, the other dey watch darkness.

But to talk true, to call am defense na just mouth—Baba Tunde no even fit fire dane gun well, and Ibrahim Yusuf don already collect handshake from rebels.

The gate na formality; dem already dey arrange price for new kingdom. Baba Tunde dey shake, sweat dey run even as breeze blow.

The rebel army outside city know say by morning, dem go open gate for them, make dem waka enter, change kingdom.

Maybe na this ginger make Musa Abdullahi and im people fit plan time, route, and gate for maximum show.

Dem don share drink for camp, dey toast to victory before day break. Some dey dance, others dey sharpen cutlass, all sure say na dem own Umuola now.

For front, under city wall, na Musa Abdullahi strongman, Bala Lawal, dey crouch.

Bala Lawal dey pray low, im hand dey grip sword. Im face dey hard, scar from old battle dey shine for cheek.

Ibrahim Yusuf and Baba Tunde still dey on top wall, dey curse each other as traitor, when suddenly one palace agent and Ibrahim Yusuf servant rush come, face white like ghost.

The agent leg dey shake, sweat dey pour. For this kind night, only big matter fit make servant run like say dog dey pursue am.

Ibrahim Yusuf frown, wan ask, when the servant shout: “Oga, King dey come! King dey bring soldiers!”

The shout echo for the wall. Some guards drop their cutlass, another trip on old shield. Ibrahim Yusuf eye wide, mouth twist.

Ibrahim Yusuf: “...”

Make e come na. By now, maybe na to run e dey try. But where e see soldiers?

Ibrahim Yusuf hiss small, suspect say the servant dey lie just to save head. Still, im heart beat pick race.

The servant wey report to Baba Tunde kneel quick, talk say His Highness dey bring plenty cavalry—at least ten thousand if you look—dey come Zaria Gate!

Baba Tunde nearly faint, voice choke for throat. Him legs dey weak, almost kneel without knowing.

Baba Tunde eye just dey shake: “How many?”

The small servant no sabi count, but Ibrahim Yusuf servant, wey get sense, talk sharp: “Each man get two horses, the line no dey finish—at least thirty thousand, maybe fifty thousand!”

The number hang for air like thunderclap. For city wey no fit gather one thousand men, how fifty thousand just appear?

Ibrahim Yusuf and Baba Tunde look each other, fear just dey catch them.

Sweat gather for their brow, for the first time all night both of them quiet. The spirit of betrayal dey heavy for the wall.

Yes, dem dey curse each other, but dem sabi the code: king go, king come, but money na money. Umuola na just one city—if you no sell, another person go sell. If you sell late, your money go late too.

Both men dey remember old proverb—"as goat no chop yam, another goat go chop am." Each man dey reason how to save own head.

So both Baba Tunde and Ibrahim Yusuf don join body with enemy, as many others for city. Now, dem hear say King get fifty thousand cavalry, wetin dem go do?

Their legs dey shake, sweat dey gather for armpit, Baba Tunde dey wipe face with old wrapper.

Ibrahim Yusuf shake head, dey repeat say na mistake—how King go get fifty thousand cavalry?

Ibrahim Yusuf voice low, as if e dey beg himself believe say na lie.

Baba Tunde face white: “True, you no fit gather fifty thousand cavalry for city.”

E talk am again, like say e dey pray make e wake from dream.

Dem no need wonder long. Fifty thousand cavalry no dey quiet. From the wall, dem fit see Danjuma and im big force.

The noise dey roll like thunder, horses dey stamp, banners dey fly. Even for darkness, the force clear pass sunlight.

Ibrahim Yusuf heart dey beat anyhow. E grab Baba Tunde hand, dey grind teeth: “Wetin we go do? Wetin we go do?”

Both men dey shake, eyes dey red with fear, as if dem see masquerade for midnight.

Baba Tunde nearly cry: “You be Minister of War, why you dey ask me?”

Baba Tunde voice crack, eye dey search for answer, but na only fear e see for wall.

Na the title bring Ibrahim Yusuf back to sense.

E stand well, chest out, voice low like market thief: "No panic, no panic."

E take deep breath. No matter how these fifty thousand take show, no matter their weapon, King never lead army before. From Chief Secretary to Palace Guard Commander, all don join enemy—nobody go help King lead army.

The calculation dey run for im mind—who go fight for King? Even my own hand dey for two baskets.

Fifty thousand soldiers with king wey no sabi war, dem fit scatter sharp sharp.

If to say na play, dem fit even drop weapon and run. Ibrahim Yusuf dey count the seconds in him mind.

But if King wan run, Zaria Gate wey dem hold go lose value.

Both men dey reason how to sell am fast before new master enter.

Ibrahim Yusuf balance, look Baba Tunde: “Come, make we go down, beg King to turn back. Na so we go fit chop for new kingdom.”

The way he talk am, e dey sure, but hand still dey shake small.

Baba Tunde dey shake: “King get fifty thousand cavalry—how we go take beg am?”

Baba Tunde voice dey high, as if e dey beg for im own life.

Ibrahim Yusuf look as Danjuma dey come, just hiss: “Fifty thousand so wetin? General Musa and General Fola sef lose before. No matter how foolish King be, e no go think say e pass those two. Once e see say e fit die for middle of fight, e no go ever gree leave city.”

Ibrahim Yusuf dey bet on cowardice, as if na currency for market.

After that, Ibrahim Yusuf call im people, come down from wall.

Their footsteps dey heavy, as if each step dey carry one secret sin go ground.

Baba Tunde, wey breeze dey blow, calm small. E sabi King character: suspicious, slow to decide, always dey dodge. Ibrahim Yusuf fit really make King fear.

In him mind, e dey plot escape plan, dey weigh which side go win.

But dem no know—King no be King again.

Night spirits dey watch as both men enter ground level, the air thick with old war smell.

When Ibrahim Yusuf reach ground, e face Danjuma, wey dey come from darkness.

The horse tall, hoof dey shine for moonlight, Danjuma posture high, spear cold, face tight like drum.

Danjuma ride tall horse, wear full armour, long spear for hand, im body dey give killer vibes.

Even Baba Tunde breath slow, as if e dey see new king for the first time. Ibrahim Yusuf swallow spit.

That vibe scatter darkness, break silence wey dey hold Kingdom, hit Ibrahim Yusuf for eye.

Na so fear freeze im heart. Spirit for the land dey whisper—"Obinna don change." For Ibrahim Yusuf mind, e dey pray make ground open.

Ibrahim Yusuf freeze, e feel say this no be the king wey e know, but true war general wey don see real fight.

The eyes dey sharp, no dey blink, voice heavy. Ibrahim Yusuf dey remember old tales of kings wey take head for war.

Danjuma point spear for Ibrahim Yusuf, talk with deep voice: “Open gate, break enemy.”

Voice no carry fear, no carry plea—na pure command, like thunder wey no dey explain before e strike.