Chapter 3 THE TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION IN SEMI LAND.

We are in love, we are light and we are explorers, the white men said to the king while they sat at the palace under the tree, as the king was appraising them for the new building in the palace, my king Africa is great we have come to preach originality, development and good tidings, in African blood. You know what my King will we be

Present at the celebration we want to see, know and learn new ways in Africa.

you are all welcome the great white men, I shall be I'm expecting you, all the ways. In fact, will be a special seat for you all. I'm glad you Coming. You white men are always willing to help and be around African people, that is us. The White men said.

The

The wives of the king came out all dressed with white " top and wrapper" in an old ancestry tire the came to greet the king and they served him. The first wife served him a kola nut, the second palm wine, and their fruit. The white men ask what is this for that is our culture. the King said this always happens any time their festive celebration.

They must come to show honour to me their husband. Best things at heart and their beautiful dress.

No wonder they are beautiful, and they look awesome. The white men said. the king we will be going now until the daybreak for the traditional festive.

No problem the great whites, I will be expecting you for the festival celebration. You all have a special sit from me.

The traditional drummer has arrived in the village, led by chief Ayan. They all dress in white wraps and they went on to greet the king. Great King. They bow to greet the king. I have come to say a word motivation said by chief Ayan. My chief thank-you I hope your clan have brought what the idols ask for. Yes, my king, we brought them yesterday night. Good, let me taste out of kola nut, for it tastes so great. No problem, my king and again I tastifybtge white men have done wonderfully well, in our king's clan. See how the king house is looking like we are at Lagos. Yes, chief thank you for the compliment. My king, I will soon leave so I can get dressed before the celebration start. I understand. Pls be guided, and again I have led the drummer that will drum for the celebration here.

Okay, those are the ayans, yes my king, the chief call them all to come and greet the king. They came to prostrate to greet the king. The King said I greet you all. May you leave to celebrate more for the village. They ask to sit at the palace till people arrived in the village. I hope you are good here, the king said feel free, this you're home.

Chief ayan left, and not more than an hour the villager came to drop their gift to the idols, yam, and so all. The King attends to them and praises them. Visitors started coming in. People also came in to greet the king, the celebration started and the priest, the and neighbouring villagers were coming into the king's place, the celebration started with words i

Of thanks. By the king, introductions were made by King kola, the post was prayers done by the priest.

First, we all give praise to the great idol, with dance Dramer of the village. Some Women came out, all dressed in white dancing and making merry everyone all danced and make a joyful dance.

After the dance, the princess of semi land came out with the water, and they all lead the way to the river, getting their they collect the pot of water from the process and anchored her to her knee before the river, as the priest started praying everyone saying amen to the prayers. May the gods of our land be with you all

May we have good to eat

May we be great ate semi land

May emoji take our offer to her

May problems not come near everyone all said amen.

Then the priest call the son of the king that carried the white pigeon bird. He came gave the priest the bird, and the ask him to kneel before the water, he used the bird and carve it around his head saying

May our land be peaceful, everybody said amen.

Then he cut the head of the pigeon and throw it inside the river. The priest said the emoji have accepted our offer

They shouted and hailed emojis; saying thank you for accepting our offer. The drummer drummed they were all dancing

Yemoja you are our saviour

We know you love us.

We always have to believe in you.

The white men came to the river watching and observing not long they saw something shining from the river. Touching it they discover it's gold. They kept quiet and they keep observing.

After they jubilate, the king was told to do the finishing prayers. He prayed to say may we always seem to celebrate in our village and nothing separate us all. Amen, the villagers said. Everyone all dances in the palace for the central celebration.

The King starts by calling up the white men for a special sit, they all celebrate by dancing and singing and also drummer acts. It is such a wonderful one.

The King said let's honour the white men for what they have done in our land. They are wonderful, the people stood up saying

Thank you for everything you did in our village, we have not taken you for granted.

After the celebration, the white men all waited for the king, to see him. They told the king to see what we have discovered in your land a gold. My king if you, can let us set up a good factory close to the river, your village will benefit more from us.

So what have you decided to do that we can benefit from. We will build you a factory where we take the gold to our county to refine and the goods, will sell her hear in your town. Such as gold chains, hair rings, bags, and shoes and to decorate the house and the village, you don't mean it.

I have interest but first I need to discuss this with my chiefs and ask the priest, to know if the Gods of our fathers land what you to do it. And there will be an agreement between us. The white men said no problem and smiled.

The King sent for all the chiefs and the white men too were present for a brief meeting, can I pls need your help in cooperating with white men. They all said on what curiously. At the ceremony this morning, they discover something, iyalode murmured all this demon-like human being! What have they discovered again? The saw gold. Gold they all shouted. Haa, u have asked for our permission to build a gold factory that will be going to their city. For refine! are you sure we are save my king what if they became God over us king kola asks. Well, have asked the priest to come to predict for us. What the priest said will determine, if we should do that.

The priest arrived at the palace in the courtyard and he saw the chiefs all fitted with the king, they greeted him. And she calls out incarnation. After that, he said the god of our father have asked me to tell you not to worry, this morning emoji purpose made the white men see it so that there will be great and wealth in the village, so what should we do now. Just make a sacrifice to the gods and everything will be well. Okay, the king said you all have heard we are in save the hand. But they will be an agreement of women of money which will be coming to tge palace and also to the chiefs, have I said it well. Yes my king but, well I don't have much to say as long as we will all benefit the project should start by chief kola.

Let me invite them so that we can speak with them they all came in saying my chiefs I get you, we have come to bring development to the African country, like your kings said we will refine the gold and beautify it with shoes, Bag, chair and all for us to use in our village. Don't be too scared for we will pay you back in good term.

The sacrifice made to the gods of the land, at the junction the priest said to them. There again trouble land in the village as they were wondering white people were building, the went to meet the chief and started to explain everything which was the handwork of development going on in town. Construction was made by the white people who start to draw out gold from the water, and they took it out to refine it into tho sheo, bags, and chairs. They ship it and they started selling it off to the market women in the village. First, the white men made a gold chair for the king, it was massive, they did and gave it to the chiefs, too. The white men started to give them all and sought good things to sell.

Semi land king became the first king that uses the gold chair and well modern building. The semi land start to become the centre of the market, where the labouring village comes to buy clothes shoe and bag which was shipped by the white men.

The development keeps on moving as iyalode told the king to set up a group among the market women, and there should be a leader which will report to the palace every day about market sales and the data of things white men bring to them, they in aware. the kind sent for the market women in the village and told them to nominate someone that will be giving them feedback on market sales day by day. They all did according to what the king said. Iya mope was chosen as the head of market head. The King ushered her and she was told to collect market data only for the development of a gold factory in the village.

The King gave then rules they must all pay for development money, chose a market day that neighbour town can come to buy. The village market must be clean, and no one must fight. Iya mope said my king your rule will be abid by.

Iya mope left and went to meet the iyalode to tell her about the king's mission, if there is any fishing come to me I will solve it. Go in peace iyalode said

There was a general meeting at the market central with the king. It was centre on the the tax money which was suppose to be paid by each market seller. Iyamope the market head, iyalode, the king and white men were involved at this meeting. The King said, the white men demands tax money for development of the village, for example person is adjourn to pay 250, to iyamope the market and the whole money will go to iyalode which will be delivers to me. The whitemen have intention of developing our village with the money, with tiled road, so we can fix electricity and also equipment for our farms will supply to us all.

Have I said it well, yes my king the market women all answer but my king, my main problem is, the king tackles her saying questions will be attend to after the all introduction, the king said hand over to iyalode.

As you all know, in the village hm the iyalode, and I have all what it means to make the welfare of the village good. Like my king said, tax money will be collected from you all. So that everyone will have access to electricity, instead of using latern, light will be distributed round the village and it will look like we are in London and the city of lagos. Iya mope the market head will chosen mini leader from each clan. At least we have about 12 clan where everyone belongs. Thank you all for obeying our command, at the main time we except will start to pay on time.

The white men make introduced themselves; I'm senior William and this is senior smith. After the construction gold factory in this village we realise that the people needs more of good development like tide road, electricity, and a equipment for farm produce and its through the payment of tax we will develop it. Don't panic you are all in save hands.

And if any one have question raise your hand up. About four of them raise their hand iyalode count them. And they were call out to ask questions.

I'm Sunni, a cloth seller in this village my king the request for that kind of money is too much my king reduce it for us. I don't usual gave high sales every day.

The King said, dunno we can't reduce it that is the smallest amount so far. I know you can all avoid it.

The second person, my king my name is jaywalked, how are you assuring us that the white men will use the money for tax of development.

Don't worry you will see it yourself, the king said.

But what is our gain about the tax apart from the development of the community? I'm few.

You gain is sales of things will be lower, and there won't be a black market.

The market seller leader chooses to propel from each clan. The clan leader that they will pay too. And the meeting ended with jokes and laughter.

The market day was really busy, people from 6 different villages came to semi land to buy and also sell, it was tremendous as the king ask the market leader to summit the tax money which was discuss from the meeting.

Iyamope went to se the iyalode, she gave her feeds back concerning the tax payment she handle the money to her, and iyalode went to the palace with iyamope to handle the money to him.

My king is the money tax money we have brought it here like you said the other day. Each persons form a clan in the market square lay their money. Okay the king said may you go well.

I yamope went to the market back. The farmers in the village all gather their tomato, yam, maize, groundnut and vegetables. There selling to the neighbouring village in bulks, the cloth seller to were selling used cloth from London that the white men brought to seminland, for the people to sell out to other villages. The chiefs from Owa village went to senior Williams courtyard they talk about their plan to make a gold chair for their king too. They came to talk about bills matter.

The white men told them to bring a huge amount of money to make a golden chair for their king too.the white men told them the gold was discover at semi landafter