This Life
(Weekly Fiction By Martins Adefisayo)

Saliu, The Disobedient King

Saliu lived in the small town of Opoporo. He was born when the number of houses in the former village was just five. A missionary came to the village of Opoporo for evangelizing work, to gain souls for Christ. In his missionary journey to Opoporo, the first family Mr. John Evergreen came in contact with was the Owolos. Jimoh Owolo, Saliu’s father, was a nice man who treated every person with care and dignity. This same attitude Mr. Jimoh Owolo extended to Mr. John Evergreen during the latter’s first missionary journey to Opoporo. John Evergreen, the missionary, became a family friend to the Owolos. There was one quality, intelligence, which endeared Saliu to Mr. John Evergreen. Saliu was in primary three at Ileju Community Primary School. Ileju is a neighbouring town to Opoporo and at the time Saliu was a pupil of the Community Primary School, Ileju was bigger than Opoporo and it had more social amenities than Opoporo.

John Evergreen became interested in Saliu’s progress at School and promised to sponsor Saliu’s education to the tertiary educational level. John later established a Church and Community Primary School at Opoporo. Opoporo expanded with more population and influx of immigrants including the white missioneries. Within a short period time, Opoporo became a mini-city. Saliu was from the Royal family of Jegunje. There were two ruling houses. His great grandfather was Olupoporo. Olupoporo is the royal title of the traditional ruler of Opoporo.

Saliu did his transfer to the Community Primary School in Opoporo. With the assistance of Mr. John Evergreen, he gained admission into the prestigious Government College, Ibadan. In his final year at the Government College Ibadan, he was made the Senior Prefect. He did his school certificate examination and performed well that he was awareded scholarship by the then Government of the Western Region to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan. At the University of Ibadan, Saliu was always the leading student in his class. He graduated from the University with Distinction in his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Degree. On the day of Convocation Saliu got 17 prizes. He was the school valedictorian. His academic performance got him an appointment at the National Hospital, Lagos. Saliu had just worked for 7 years at the National Hospital, Lagos when Olupoporo died. It was then the turn of Jegunje family to produce the next Olupoporo. The Ifa priests consulted their oracle.

The oracle selected Dr. Saliu Owolo as the next king of Opoporo. The announcement of Saliu was celebrated by all sons and daughters of Opoporo. The kingship rites lasted two months and Saliu was installed as the Olupoporo and given staff of office by the Governor, Brigadier Olu Wayas. Saliu’s ascension to the throne of Olupoporo heralded development for the mini-city. The town witnessed rapid development. In his fifth year of reign, Saliu consulted the Chief Priest when many young men and women started dying in quick succession. King Saliu was to offer a sacrifice to Orobotala, the deity that assisted in the establishment and development of Opoporo. King Saliu declined this because of his new found faith, Christianity. His great grandfather, the Olupoporo appeared to him in his dream, warning him to do the wish of his townsmen. Saliu rejected these and saw them as mere jokes. On the 7th day of the mourning period, King Saliu slumped on his way to the bathroom and died. The sad news of his death threw the whole town into sorrow and darkness enveloped the town during the day.