"Countdown to Perdition" by Muda Atoyebi

Ajani Bankole, the crown prince of Iyeru Village, married Rolake
monogamously in church. They had true love for each other but they
had no child after 5 years of marriage. They were declared medically
fit everywhere they went. Ajani's people started pressing him to have
a second wife. Rolake too told him to but he disagreed, asking : "What
if the woman elects to give you no peace?" She replied," Why will she
do that? We will be like sisters, sharing equally without remorse. She
won't have cause to be angry". Ajani remarked: "What a simplistic
idea! If the world is as simple as you've stated, there won't be
envy,social upheavals and civil strifes".

Later on, an oracle said: "Rolake shall not have a child unless Ajani
marries another woman. But if he does,she shall get pregnant exactly 3
months after the new wife takes in". Ajani had no choice and he
married Awero under Native Law and Custom and brought her home. Awero
is black in complexion while Rolake has fair skin. The women
complemented each other.

The oracle's words were fulfilled. Awero bore a baby girl, Modupe,
while Rolake had a baby boy three months later. He was named Foluso
Adewole Bankole. Awero hated Rolake for having the first son, who will
inherit the throne after Ajani. Awero later had 2 sons ( Kola and
Soji) in quick succession. When Rolake got pregnant again, Awero went
to a witch-doctor who gave her a salt-like powder. It works and
vanishes and no doctor can detect it in a dead person.

The family ate supper and went to bed but Rolake never woke up again.
Neighbours observed that she was hale and hearty the previous day.
During her burial, Awero tried to jump into the grave 3 times and was
restrained. Foluso became an orphan at 3 years of age and the clan
decided to leave him in the custody of Ìyá, Ajani's aunt.

Àjàní lost interest in his home after Rolake's death and began
travelling often. Awero noticed this and felt unloved. Five years
later, she convinced Ajani to bring Foluso back home. "A father's
house shouldn't scare a child",she said. However, Iya warned him,
"That is a foolish move. You're merely going to expose the child to
the dangers that sent the mother prematurely to the grave".

Awero maltreated Foluso whenever Ajani travelled but he still
performed better in school than her three children. Being a full-time
housewife, Awero had all the time in the world to think bitter
thoughts and do evil.

One day, she went to the juju man who gave her the poison that killed
Rolake. She met Chief Lajide, a rich man, on the way. Chief Lajide
regularly used his gateman to procure youngsters who will be fed to a
mysterious python in his house. Awero got home, cooked rice and meat
for Foluso as his lunch and mixed the killer powder with it. She then
took Kola and Soji out for a picnic so that they won't mistakenly eat
the food. (She had sent Dupe to live with Iya in Iyeru months ago).
However, Dupe ran away from Iya, snatched the food from Foluso, ate as
much as she could, and threw the rest into the dustbin. She went to
her room to sleep and never woke up again.

Next, Awero sent Foluso to tell Chief Lajide," Mummy sent me to see
you about the arrangement". Chief Lajide was then to lure him to the
python's room. However, Foluso helped an old woman to carry her load
home and got there late. Awero got impatient and sent Kola there to
check, with the same words she used to send Foluso! Kola got there
before Foluso and was fed to the python. Foluso was sent back to tell
Awero that the deed had been done. Awero reported Kola missing.

Finally, Awero hired Pedro,a professional killer Lajide had told her
about. Pedro is protected by politicians and businessmen who use him
as a thug or a killer. "He is on the right bed in the left bedroon. My
son sleeps on the left bed. I will leave the front door open". Pedro's
foam rubber sandals made no sound as he entered the house and Awero
did not know he had come until the next day. However, just before
Pedro's arrival, Foluso went to the toilet and Soji sleepwalked to
his bed and slept off. After trying in vain to wake him up, Foluso
settled for Soji's bed. Pedro strangled the boy on the right bed,
Soji.

Now that her children were all dead, Awero ran mad and confessed her
atrocities: "You loved Rolake so I killed her. You love Foluso
too,more than you did my children because he was your first son, so I
planned to kill him, and I'll kill him yet". Ajani took Foluso's hand
and they fled from the house. Awero combed the house with a dagger in
her hands and eventually went naked into the streets.