Once upon a time, an aged king had two sons, whose names were Adeola and Adetide respectively. Traditionally, after the demise of any king, his eldest son would succeed him. But Adeola's life styles were nothing to write home about. He was arrogant, rude and wayward. His father advised him severally, but he wouldn't listen.
Due to the bad behaviours of Adeola, King Folagbade was not happy with him, because he was of the opinion that if he's allowed to rule after him, he would tarnish his good image and cause dents to his great record. His younger brother, Adetide advised him regularly too, yet he remained stubborn.
After a lot of deep thoughts, the king later invited Prince Adeola to his bedroom and threatened him with some serious words.
"Despite the fact that your stubbornness is part of what hastened the death of your mother, yet you refused to turn a new leaf", the old man lamented.
"Papa what have I done wrong again?" the stubborn prince queried.
"I didn't call this meeting for arguments, but to let you know my decision concerning this throne after my exit", said King Folagbade.
"You can go ahead, Your Highness. But please be fast, because I have an important meeting this morning", he responded nonchalantly.
"Now, I've decided that the throne would be competitive between you and your brother, and never an automatic for you again, because I've seen that you can never make a good leader. I will therefore invite all my chiefs later today and give them the directive which I will back with powerful curses in case they refuse to follow my instruction", the king pronounced.
"What!" Prince Adeola exclaimed. "If that is your decision, I will make sure you don't live to hold such meeting with the chiefs".
He grabbed his father's neck suddenly and forcefully twisted it, and the king died instantly. He committed the atrocity perfectly and nobody suspected him.
Thirty days after the king's burial, according to the town's tradition, Adeola was crowned as the new king. But seven days after his coronation, he started feeling some serious heat in his belly. He thereafter sent for the chief priest, Ogorigo to come and consult the gods for him. He complained to the chief priest that the heat he's feeling inside him was as if he had firewoods burning therein.
After consulting the gods, Ogorigo told the king that he had committed a crime of murder before he got to the throne, and the tradition of the town provided that no murderer would ever sit on the throne, except if the person confesses publicly, otherwise, more terrible things would consume him. He further added that if the king didn't confess, apart from the fire he's feeling in his belly, on his 21st day on the throne, thunder would come down from above and burn him to ashes.
"Kabiyesi, please confess if you have done anything wrong. As you can see, you are not healthy and you are no longer enjoying your life", Adetide advised.
"Hmmm", King Adeola sighed deeply, kept mute for some seconds and continued, "I killed the king".
"What! Which king?" Prince Adetide cried out on top of his voice.
"Our father!" he confessed.
Adetide cried profusely but the damage had already been done. The chief priest too was very shocked. The priest immediately sent for all the chiefs, and when they arrived and heard the story, they didn't hesitate to remove him as king and sentence him to death by stoning as well.
The king makers thereafter shifted the royalty to another family and ruled that the throne would never return to Folagbade's lineage again.
LESSONS:
He killed his father due to desperation, and at last, he lost the throne, and also caused his lineage to lose their pride forever.
It is very advisable never to be desperate about anything in life, but to wait patiently for our own time.
Waywardness and stubbornness never yield any good result, therefore children must be humble and hearken to their parents' advice at any point in time.
Story written by,
Odunayo Ogunmodede.
isaacodunayo35@gmail.com, 07033504020
WHO IS ODUNAYO OGUNMODEDE?
He was born in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
He attended Sacred Heart Primary School and Oyemekun Grammar School, both in Akure. He later left Oyemekun Grammar School in 1997 and proceeded to Ondo Boys' High School where he wrote his SSCE.
He later gained admission to Adekunle Ajasin University where he studied Industrial Chemistry, and travelled to Niger State for his NYSC in 2009.
Odunayo discovered himself and started his writing works in 2008, and has been improving till date.
He's a prolific author with passions in literary and inspirational writings.
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