PART 2
“ I AM PRESIDENT MAMUD”
©️Opeyemi O. Akintunde
Hidoko saw Mamud running far away from Isire. Exactly what he wanted all along. He had wanted him far from Isire but Isire never left his side…
Hidoko was the candy eye of all the single ladies in the Fifth State of Nirato Colony, Hidoko was only 21 years of age but he was the head of the Nirato military force in the FIFTH state. He was in love with Isire but Mamud was a big obstruction.
Brino had run to his house to inform him about Mamud attacking Fila, his cousin. Hidoko had seen it as an opportunity to make Mamud feel less of a man, with the intention of giving him 200 whips but he was shocked to meet Fila’s dead body…
His eyes had shone so fiercely, yet he gave a smile of satisfaction…
“Mamud thank you for giving me Isire on a platter of gold. You will be dead before nightfall and Isire will be all mine.” Hidoko had said to himself.
He saw the footpath Isire and Mamud obviously took.
“I think they went this way” Salmuno had thought silently to himself. Salmuno was Hidoko’s assistant. He was much older than Hidoko but by virtue of work, he had to obey Hidoko’s instruction whether wrong or right… Mamud was the son of Minatu, the woman he ought to have married. He wondered why the young boy had gotten himself in this big trouble.
“ Salmuno! Are you here!” Hidoko had screamed at Salmuno the moment he noticed he was lost in thought..
“ Very Much Hidoko”
“ Then Let’s find that Mamud of a demon!” Hidoko had replied arrogantly…
*********************
Minatu, Mamud’s young mother, the best food seller in the Fifth state of Nirato was on the floor saying her prayers in the quiet of her room. The little one in her belly moved. Minatu was only 12 years old when Komina had married her. She had been used to settle a debt. Her father owed Komina’s father a large sum of money.
At just 35 years of age, she was the first wife to an unproductive farmer who had 3 other wives apart from her. She had given birth to 14 children for him, she was pregnant of the 15th. She had her first daughter, Nimea at the age of 14. It had been a painful and depressing time for her.
She had always wanted to be educated but her parents cut short her dream by marrying her off…
On the floor where she sat praying on her special praying mat, her mind went back to the happiest day of her life….
***********
16 YEARS EARLIER….
Minatu had laid on the floor in her room groaning and pushing without luck. The midwives were trying their best. Minatu was almost drifting off to sleep when she heard the neighing of a horse galloping towards them… Only one person had a horse back then in Fifth State, and that was her stranger friend Sarah. Sarah had come into Fifth State over 2 years to practice what she called Medicine, but people avoided her treatment, except Minatu and a few women…
Sarah rushed towards her Friend Minatu, She asked the traditional midwives to give her some space…
She had inserted her hands into Minatu and realized Minatu’s cervix was closed…
“ Minatu, has your water broken?” Sarah asked
“ Yes, since the early hours of this morning”
Sarah checked the heartbeat of the baby manually and it was really low…
“ Minatu, I have to cut you open… I know you have never heard about it, but it is called a Caesarian Operation… It is an advanced form of delivery.” Sarah had said
Three hours later, Mamud was laying beside Minatu.
“ Minatu, God told me during your delivery that this particular child of yours is special, I want to believe He could be the Child that was prophesied about… The child that will bring the change we all are praying for in Nirato… Who knows he might be the President of Nirato in his time, who will open the door of technology and civilization to the citizens of NIRATO…” Sarah had said before she left.
Much Later, Minatu had dozed off out of weakness. During her short nap, she had a dream that confirmed what Sarah had said. She saw her 11 other children and other children sitting at the foot of a crowned King. On looking closer, she realized the boy was the little boy she had just given birth to ; Mamud.
When she woke up from her short nap , she smiled knowing God had decided to be good to her. Her son will someday become the President of Nirato.
**********
PRESENT DAY
She snapped out of her thoughts and stood up from her praying mat… Sudden Fear gripped her heart.
Why? She couldn’t tell…
“Mother! Mother!” She heard the voice of Ismeah her 13th child calling her in panic
“ What is it?”
“ Mamud killed Fila during a fight and is presently on the run. I heard Hidoko and his troop are pursuing him hotly!” Ismeah said
Minatu’s Holy Book fell from her hand in shock…
“ Mamud killed someone?” Minatu asked in a whisper because in all Ismeah said that was all she picked.
Her ears picked those words because if that was true, then it meant her son could never be president again….
Ismeah nodded in the affirmative….
To be continued
Written by Opeyemi O.Akintunde
