Head at The Market Square

With the dancer and drummers who had not stopped to dance, the people of Ifa-ile gather one after another at the palace on hearing the sounds of drums and songs with sonorous voices even from their distance. 

The moment their presence had constituted a large audience had Balogun through the command of Osabiegun who had beckoned unto him and whispered into his ears, his desire called out loudly to the people of Ifa-ile. 

Definitely, with his strong voice Balogun raised above the tip of his tongue and the lifting of his neck In accordance to the strength to which he spoke ordered the people into a sudden quietness. 

For this can only mean an important news they thought as they all paid attentive ears. Even Osabiegun again had wore his dagger look and anyone who had bestowed upon him to grace his face can only turn away with several questions which he would not have the effrontery to ask. 

That the woman before them, who they can all see, crippled to the ground and laced with the stream of tears was the mother of Atejoku,whom they might all know and who bore the son who had murdered the only precious and old birth attendant. 

For the birth attendant rendered a golden help to the King who in his mighty favour returned unto her the grace of nobility. That only Atejoku, the son of Ejonla and a drunk who mourns the death of his wife, murdered the birth attendant in cold blood to seek salvation to himself. 

But he who finds the source of the spring, whatever his eyes shall see, he must endure. That Atejoku looked for his demise and in his dismay he fled beyond his feet. 

In his absence shall his mother take his place and death clouds on her this day and no matter how much she wails in tears shall no mercy be bestowed on her. For her sin remained her failure to teach her son the tradition of the land as it is a taboo to slaughter he who the king had bestowed grace or slaughter any person of the people of Ifa-ile. 

Even the people on hearing this had swallowed their knowledge of the death of the birth attendant. For no one pitied her death as she had always been seen as a witch among the people. But for them to have confidently revealed their hatred or their knowledge of the whereabouts of Atejoku whom they know how he had murdered the birth attendant could have nutted them into trouble. 

With only this had the people chorused their exclamation which paved the way for Balogun to continue with his word as according to the interest of the king. 

Assuredly, only a few of the people had not a slight knowledge of that which Balogun had earlier said. For in their noble heart, they were really surprised by the audacity and boldness Atejoku could muster within himself to take the life of another. 

For only this had they firmly stood on the belief that he who murdered his fellow neighbor shall be murdered and if he shall not be found shall his family take his place because a tiger which is not tamed, can in a blink of an eye devour the whole village. 

That all should march down to the shrine were the words Balogun stressed again loudly. For at the shrine shall her deterrent to others who might want to commit the same offense be made. 

That the drums and dancing must not stop, that even from this dirty river shall fishes swim and not even as a result of a bad egg shall others fail to hatch. 

With only this had the drummers began yet again with their drumming and dancers who lifted their feet high in the flow of drum and also with theIr cheek widened for laughter which complimented their dance. 

Two of the royal guards with their strong arms and balanced feets shut their arms into the underarm of the mother of Atejoku and they lifted her up and had her feet above the ground. 

In their slow steps they walked abreast with drummers and the dancers who were led by the villagers and after them was the eldest priest, and Balogun who was followed closely by Osabiegun, Oranmiyan and Okiki-osupa who also followed closely by the congregation of the Chiefs and Elders and lastly, the slaves. 

Even as the thundering wailing of the mother of Atejoku who had not stopped to beg for mercy. That only with this will she do every other thing but not with her life which shall be taken. Not a word she shouted was heard as everything that remained aloud were the sound of drums which sounded abreast her arrest. 

If she struggled yet again to trigger her freedom from the grab of the royal guards, one of them had laced her cheek with a slap and another had suddenly let her to the ground only for a kick on her back.  

And if she tried more funny moves would cost them nothing, for their fist on her eyes were the word of one of them as they lifted her up again, walking in accordance to which they started from the palace. 

Definitely, the people had not stopped to whisper among themselves as the reason they walked at the front fore and the conquering noise of the drums gave them the liberty for gossip. 

According to some, the king was an hypocrite. For the blood of the pregnant wife of Atejoku remain on his neck. That he was the one who rendered her a sacrifice unto the witches which they knew and maybe he should be the one whom they shall behead not Atejoku. 

In response a few backed up their words as according to them, only Osabiegun was the hunter who triggered the musket of Atejoku to avenge his wife and if they were also the one, they would do far worse. 

At the instance they approached the shrine had all gossip being swallowed into their stomach. For the fear that a priest could hear them and find favour in the face of Osabiegun as he revealed to him their sin.  

A sudden halt had the priests commanded at the far entrance of the shrine. For any ordinary person who proceed further than the entrance will not only remain dumb but also, shrink to their death. 

With this had Only the Eldest Priest went further into entrance and not even Osabiegun shall dare the witches for the words of the priests were clear enough lest, he gets torn apart by the claws of the witches who shall grace no mercy on him. 

The solemn beating of the drums and eventually the stop of it as the command of Osabiegun through Balogun noted made obvious the screaming of the mother of Atejoku who was now handed to the young priest who now lifted  her in the same fashion the royal guards did. 

With Osabiegun and the rest of the Chiefs and Elders who now remain steadfast on their feet at the forefront of the entrance with the royal guards who had paved way for them, behold the event at the shrine clearly. 

The villagers, who were also behind the Chiefs and Elders, sink themselves into maximum quietness and everything they continue to make by their distant noises is the sound of their breath. 

Even from a little distance, the Eldest Priest had spoken at the top of his voice to which everyone at the entrance had heard him clearly. 

That the woman had now been held in the command of the witches and only with this shall the drummer raise their drums even higher and more loudly for in it in the interest of the witches that the woman danced. 

If she hoped to be defiant and disobey the command of the Eldest Priest even as the drums had begun, she was threatened with charms and incantations for she knew not the interest of the witches for her and even if she was set free, he shall be willing to take the punishment of killing her. 

With only this had she jumped to her feet as the young priest had earlier let her on the ground and began to dance even with the river of tears that flowed down from her eyes.  

For the witches shall not accept her tears, the Eldest Priest stressed. And if she cared for her life should she do everything that he said  lest, her blood shall become the palm wine the witches shall taste at their feast. 

Only for this had the mother of Atejoku controlled her tears and at the moment the Eldest Priest yet again commanded her smile, she widened her teeth and a small smile revealed which gently grew into a big smile. 

With this had Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, Okiki-osupa, the Chiefs and Elders wondered if their efforts had been made to fail as the woman who is to die, remained festering in smile and happiness as she continued to dance to please the witches.