KILL THE KING & SEIZE THE THRONE

Obieze entered Kamdili's room without knocking. "why can't you knock or rather why are you barging into my room like a mad man, what is it?" kamdili fumed. Obieze smiled "Kam everybody is at the feast, can't you hear the drum beats and sounds of excitement? Why do you stay indoors alone while your seat by the king's side is empty? What is the matter?" queried Obieze. Kamdili smiled "Sorry, all this incident of war has made me so grumpy and gloomy, Obi I saw a lot of men perish that day, I still remember it like it was yesterday. Father almost died, yet he's out there celebrating.

Don't worry I will join you but first, we must present father with gifts, he must drink from this new cup made of the deer I killed. Take it and present it to him, I also have to give him this new rug I bought."Kam, you are the one that killed the deer, why not give it to him while I give him the rug?" "Don't be stupid" interrupted kamdili "Just do as I say please." Ok no problem, I will" Obieze accepted the presentation of the cup made from the deer's horn.

The people of Umuenyi were once again happy, the king had said the opening prayers and broke the kola nut for the opening ceremony, and the maidens danced before the king and his distinguished guests from the neighboring villages and the people had a lot to eat and drink. The delicacy of roasted yam, oil, and palm wine was served, followed by roasted meat and pepper sauce.

As the ceremony progresses further, Obieze presented the father with the gift of deer horn which the king accepts with his whole heart. Obieze made him pour fresh wine into the horn and drink as a symbol of acceptance. He was moved to tears when kamdili presented him with the animal rug. It was almost midnight the king was burning with fever and had precipitation of sweats on his forehead night Kamdili entered the king's chambers."Who is it?" The king asked. "It is me Kamdili." "Oh my son, I think the gods won't let me see the break of dawn. Where are the royal guards? Fetch them for me.

I sent them on an errand father, if there are any messages you wish to deliver through them send them to me. Where did you send the guards to?" "Oh, I sent them to call the cabinet member together." "Oh, my son that's thoughtful of you. Call me Obieze now!"Shortly, Obieze entered the hut with Kamdili. "Yes, father" he answered.

"Obieze, please run as fast as you can and tell Ziki to come and see me."I am afraid that won't be a necessary father." Kamdili answered. "We all know you are going to die any minute, if there is anything you have to say, it has to be who is going to secede you."You evil one" The king cursed away. "Obieze please don't listen to your father, he is going to declare Ziki the ruler of Umuenyi. Obieze, go instead and fetch the chief priest Oke dibia, I believe father won't last long." "Please let us heed the voice of our father." Obieze acknowledged.

Don't talk like a fool, he is not going to give us the throne. Father is not dying, how do you know he is dying? That's why I told you to fetch Oke dibia, stop arguing with me, the father is sick and most of his requests don't make any sense."The wives of the King entered the chamber and started wailing and crying "Our husband is dying." Kamdili stood aside in the dark smiling.

Obieze rushed out and took other guards along with him to go and fetch oke dibia. It wasn't long before the screeching of the owl was heard and then, the voice of Oke dibia pierced aloud "Away with you foul spirits! What calamity has befallen the house of Maduka?" He danced around and started his incantations while other guards and elders began to troop in slowly."The king is going on a journey he will never return and something tells me great evil is upon this very roof.

The people shuddered in fear. The chief priest knelt to administer drugs to the King. "The might elephant, who did this to you? The perpetrators of evil, the chicken has laid eggs in her nest and unfortunately, one of the eggs was hatched a vulture."The king coughed and whispered in the ears of the chief priest. He looked in Kamdili's direction "Didn't your father order you to fetch Ziki?, He did Oke dibia, and what has he got to do with my father's sudden ill health?, You are mad you hear me? There is no need for this fight dibia Obieze has gone to fetch him."

Obieze entered. "Father, Ziki traveled to his mother's village, I'm afraid he won't be back until next tomorrow."Kamdili smiled at his brother "he is beginning to learn" Obieze stood beside his father, "Father you will be ok, just rest."The king coughed and replied "It will never be ok, Umuenyi will not be ok while am gone, let me say this now. Obieze, my land, and cattle are all yours and as for you Kamdili goes into the barn takes my horse, and leaves this house, asks ichie Item for the half bag of money, it's enough to start a new life in any community of your choice.

As for the throne, it is for anybody who presents the elephant tusk. My wives, a land a piece has been assigned to you." with these words he breathed his last. The council and the people were shocked. Just then, Ziki entered the hut panting. "I came back as soon as I heard that the king sent for me." The dibia looked up and shook his head. "The mighty iroko has fallen the councils will plan for the burial of the king. Meanwhile, I hope the sons of Maduka heard what he said." Kamdili smiled "No I didn't.

Guards, seize the chief priest, ziki, and anybody here who fails to acknowledge me as their king."The guards moved into action and arrested the chief priest, ziki, and a few chiefs who raised an alarm against kamdili's threats.

Among the chiefs arrested, were Mr. Obinna Okorie, Adanna's father, Ekwueme Obiora the chief security, and a few others who protested, except Ichie Ikem who quietly supported Kamdili's claim to the throne.

Even Obieze's mother Tata was arrested because she spat at Kamdili. The news of the King's death and the coup carried out in the palace spread like wildfire. Kamdili has declared himself King and has set three days after his father's burial as his coronation day. It has never been heard or done before; no King in Umuenyi was crowned that fast.

Late kings are usually mourned for seven days, after which the succeeding king presents the prime minister and chief priest with a wrapped gift of elephant tusk on the seventh day before he was crowned. This time Kamdili has changed the tradition by forcefully seizing the throne now this singular act made him guilty of killing the king in the eyes of the people.

That very evening the white vulture landed on Oke Dibia's roof to show an abomination had been committed.

Mothers carried their children and lock them indoors for the fear of the unknown, it is now clear this was a coup to change the government.

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After the quick burial of the late king, Kamdili forced Ichie Ikem to act as the new prime minister and coronate him as the new king of Umuenyi. He elected Arinze Agu the archer the new chief of security and Obieze as his advisor. He changed his late father's cabinet members and replaced them with youths who know nothing about the ruling.

To show love to Obieze, he had his mother Tata released from the cell while the other awaits trial. Adanna and her mother Nkem Korie came to plead for the release of Mr. Obinna Okorie the former prime minister and on behalf of Ziki as well. Instead of releasing them he locked both women up and promised to release Adanna and the whole family on one condition, that Adanna should be his mistress while he is married to Kosy.

The next day was his wedding ceremony with Kosy, the town carrier had announced that the new king would marry so that the kingdom would have a bride. It is proper that the Umuenyi kingdom has a new queen. Kamdili's mother obiagelli and obieze's mother Tata would be queen reagents. Obiagelli seemed contented and pleased with her son's decisions so far, she dances and parades herself before other women in town as the king's mother.

Mrs. Chika Ekwueme the wife of the former chief security had become sick and weary with pleading to the new king to release her husband. She tried to turn the women against the new king but he had long ordered his mother to bribe the town women and threaten them with the death penalty if they don't pledge their loyalty to him.

Ngozi Ikem had become the new women president – her dream come true – she was ecstatic and so active in her new role as the female president. This new regime made the Ikem family richer as Kosy is about to be the new queen, while Ofunneka overthrew Nneka to marry Obieze. Obieze never had an opinion of his own; everything was planned by his brother and the family of Ikem.

The priestess Nwayi Atuegwu had taken over the duties of the chief priest and had declared that the gods are in favor of Kamdili but in earnest truth, all is not well, she knew the day of reckoning is at hand and as the gods had decreed, she knew that kamdili is not the true king and she didn't even bother to ask him to present the gift of the tusk she consulted the spirit realm and it was revealed that the king off Umuenyi is yet to ascend the throne and the imposter should be warned that the day of reckoning is at hand