S'ORO S'OKE - SUNDAY AKANDE (PART 1)
The red-eyed dictator had just died! A new born baby would tell a stranger that Eeta was celebrating her victory over a fallen enemy.
Eetantagba, a town located at the north of the Atlantic Ocean, had been in their saddest moments in the last eight years during which Abanla ruled them. Abanla, the popular Red-Eye, was dead – not only did he die, he died like a chicken!

It would have been a cheat on nature if Red-Eye died a noble death; he robbed life, why would he do the same to death? Eetantagba was full of hypocritical men but they were very unfortunate to have a different personality in Abanla – he was not a hypocrite; he was just an innocent wicked fellow. He would tell you before doing you evil.

When two children struggle for a piece of meat, their father ends the fight by seizing what makes them fight. Babatunde was the outgoing Head of Town when Abioye and Toogun contested the post. It was a moment of joy for the people of Eetantagba; a time for them to reciprocate Abioye’s good deeds. Though a stammerer, Abioye was a famous business tycoon. He helped the poor and those in need, especially by giving them money. Everybody in Eetantagba, even people in other neighbouring towns and villages, had heard about him or benefitted from his philanthropy long before he signified his intention to contest the post. As a matter of fact, his people pushed him into contesting – even if he had a hidden agenda, it was an easy and a cheap campaign for him.

Abioye moved from one farm to the other; he trekked from one hamlet to another. With his campaign group, he toured the whole Eeta without neglecting any single village. What he did was simple: his usual old generosity – philanthropy. He gave gifts to all and sundry. Everything suddenly became his: Abioye’s cloth, Abioye’s bread, Abioye’s rice… Everyone got one thing or the other from this rich man; even those who eventually would vote for his opponent, Toogun, got their own share of Abioye’s kind gesture – their habitual hypocrisy.

“My-my pe-eople, I-I am doing this for-for you. I always f-feel your-your pain… I am moved by wha-what o-our children go-go-go through… No food. No light. No-no water. No good road. No free education… I am con-con-contesting to-to-to make a change. You all know I-I hate poverty. I will make sure everybody is catered for if you elect me for the post of Head of Town. Everybody will become rich! Light will be available twenty-four hours a day. There will be water in your house. Our chi-children wi-will go to school free-of-charge. Our roads will be as smooth as glass!” He delivered his manifestoes, finding it difficult to speak, and repeating words or stopping before saying his words correctly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------To be Continued...