Diamond In The Forest

Episode 3

Remi walked into her
grandmother’s hut with a pot
of water secured on her head,
her grandma wasn’t around,
she brought down the water
from her head and poured it
into another pot
She walked to the backyard
shouting her grand mother’s
name, the old woman who
was picking firewood in a
nearby bush hard somebody
shouting and knew it must be
Remi her granddaughter, so
she called back asking her to
come down to where she was
Remi got to where her
grandmother was and saw her
gathering sticks for fire, she
greeted
“Good evening grandma.
welcome my beautiful
granddaughter
“You praise me too much iya…,
I was wondering where you
might be this evening when I
came in and you left your door
open again…

“There is nothing in the house
that can be stolen, you know I
always leave my door open…
be it when I’m far or near…
anybody that wants to steal
should go right ahead…that’s if
they see anything to even
steal…

Remi joined her to gather the
sticks, which will serve as a
firewood.

I did not see you yesterday
we went to the palace to dance
Ooh…I remember….how was
the dance
“it was good…but the princess
has not make any pick yet,
they only ask few of us to
write down our names and few
other things about us, they
want to do a background check
before anyone could be taken…
“I remember when I was
young…I use to be the best
dancer in those days…we will
dance from the market square
to the king’s palace….i was
never tired…without me the
dance group is not complete
they will wait until I arrive and
I’m always stationed in the
front…I danced so well and
almost ended up with the
king’s son but my father
refused because I was already
betrothed to be married to
your grandfather and your
grandfather was a good man,
tall and handsome, he was
guard in the king’s palace and
later became a hunter before
he died…
“You must have loved him very
much Iya… to have turned
down a whole prince
proposal…

“I didn’t turn it down because
he did not come straight to me,
he sent somebody to my father
to inquire about me, and my
father told them that I was
betrothed, and if I was asked
to chose him and your
grandfather, I will chose your
grandfather over again, I
would have said no to the
prince because he was already
married with two wives, I
would have ended up as his
third wife, but your
grandfather was never married
and did not marry again after
me, even after child bearing
was difficult for me, it took us
time to conceive your mother, I
even advice your grandpa to
take another wife who will
bear him children but he
refused and I later got
pregnant with your mother.
Whenever he comes back from
hunting back then he will call
me “Arewa…oko re ti pada si
ile (Arewa, your husband has
returned) wa, je ka jo (come
let’s dance) hahahaha..he was
always saying that whenever
he comes back and I will dance
to make him happy before
bringing his meal, he like
ewedu and amala that was his
favourite…his death was so
painful that I still feel lost in
my own thought just
imagining myself dancing for
him and cooking his favourite
food with bush meat…I miss
him…you were little when he
died so you didn’t get to really
know him but he was a good
man and also strong too…
grandma you truly love
grandpa, is sad that I didn’t get
to eat any of those bush meat
he caught…please show me
how you dance in those days
Remi watch her grandma laugh
before dropping the sticks in
her hands, she started singing
one of those old song and
throwing her legs and waist,
Remi was clapping and also
laughing while her grandma
dance , she was filled with live
and was still strong even at old
age, she later stopped
“how is your mother…
“she is fine Iya Iya…she was
peeling cassava with Dami, my
brother, which she plan to use
for fufu…she is not so active
like you…what was her
childhood like

“hmmm…she use to be very
lively when she was growing
up, despite she wasn’t a good
dancer and hardly associate
with people but she was a
good child, she loved your
father but the gods did not
bless them with a child on
time, they waited for years
before you father decided to
marry iya Nike, it was during
then your mother found out
she was pregnant with you
and within months Iya Nike
also conceived but your
mother gave birth to you first,
your father loved your mother
but he died unfortunately ,
your brother was still small
then , his death was
unexpectedly but I know who
is responsible but is all in the
past, let God’s will be
done.Olorun a se idajo won
(God will judge)

The old woman pause and
watch as Remi pulled at a dry
stick which was stuck on the
ground, she smile and shakes
her head
don’t be lazy. pull it hard you
are stronger than you think
Oluwaremilekun, you are just
like me when I was at your
age, a beautiful dancing strong
girl, you are not like your
mother because she easily get
into battle with emotions, she
is so emotional, and like
keeping to herself…you have
power…you don’t know how
much power you have until the
time comes, and when the
time comes make sure you use
it well and for good thing, no
matter what people may do
don’t allow evil to take over
you or it will be disastrous…but
with what I see in your eyes I
know you will be pulled down
by anger and revenge because
that’s your only weakness…
“grandma please speak more
slowly. I don’t understand just
tell me what you mean, you
usually say strange things like
this to me anytime I come
around but I seriously don’t
understand
“oti ya to ju (you are very
special) you have power my
beautiful granddaughter you
will not understand now until
the time come believe me,
mmm…ohun gbogbo yo dara
(it will be alright)

“my step mum hates us, Nike
fought me again yesterday on
our way back from the dance…
she said I wanted to take Leja
from her, Oba esho, (kings
guard) the one I spoke to you
the last time that want me, but
I don’t want him, I don’t feel
anything for him, I have
explained myself severally but
she doesn’t believe me, after
the dance yesterday Leja came
to me…just to congratulate me
…that I dance so well and on
our way home Nike refuses to
talk to me, and she really
dance well too, I thought her
and I was glad to see her doing
fine, when we got close to the
house she started calling me
names and she sometimes calls
Mami bad names and I don’t
like that…if I complain to her
mother…she will support
Nike…I just wish Leja will even
leave me alone…and go for
Nike…I’m tired of the constant
fight between us, when I
thought we are getting along
she will just switch into
another mood…unexpectedly,