Destined to Rule

Adegbola spoke courageously to the King

While they were in the middle of the sea, they saw the roof of a building fifty miles away.It was a roof to one of the houses in Gbondu kingdom where they were going. Immediately they saw this, their feelings changed and they became afraid and felt unsafe. When they remembered that death had no remedy, they became brave again and went ahead with the journey. They had hardly travelled for two hours when they slept off. While they were sleeping, a light like lightening struck. Adegbola woke one of his people up. Suddenly, again there was lightening, Adegbola looked up and saw a huge man standing on the shore. He was as tall as a palm tree. His head was as big as a house, while his hands were as big as tree branches. His legs were like the roots of an Iroko tree. He stood as if he was about to confront someone. Adegbola became afraid. He started shivering while his heart started beating repeatedly.

As the ship approached, Adegbola thought about what to do. He was wondering if it was a human being or an image. He went to the captain of the ship and asked, "Please, what is that standing at the shore"? The man answered,"It is Ogbondu the goddess of the Gbondu kingdom. She is very tough to confront. She consumes people in a twinkle of an eye." As the ship approached the shore, Ogbondu came closer and raising his huge hands up as if she would hit the ship. While this was happening Adegbola woke all the people he came from Bunduga with up. When they woke, they saw the figure and were so afraid. They were expecting their end when the goddess spoke asking"Children, where are you heading to?"

The captain answered her, "We are from Bunduga kingdom." The goddess asked again,"What have you come to do?" The captain answered, "We brought you the seven boys and seven girls that the Bunduga people usually give the Gbondu's annually". The goddess shouted in a loud voice, "Move on and go to the king."

The captain continued with the journey

into the kingdom.

Ikodu was the name of the reigning king of Gbondu kingdom by the time Adegbola and his people went there. When they got to him, he asked them who they were. They told him "we are from Bunduga". He looked at them angrily and ordered that they should be sent to the prison immediately. These fourteen human beings looked so tired that anybody who saw them will pity them.

Despite their condition, Ikodu did not have mercy on them. He examined them to see how fat they were by touching their waist with his staff. He also want to know whether their flesh will be sufficient for Ogbondu to consume. He called them closer to him one after the other to examine them. After examining them, he sighed and sent them back to the prison. When he examined Adegbola and discovered that he was fleshy, he turned again and looked at his face.

He found out that this young man was brave.He asked him, "Are you not afraid?" Adegbola replied "Why should I be afraid, can a cat be afraid of a mice?" He then told the king"I do not need to be afraid since I knew that we had come to die". Adegbola also asked the king, "Are you not afraid too? "You commit atrocities yearly by sacrificing the people of Bunduga to Ogbondu your goddess. You are a wicked king. Think about all the evils you have done. God will not forgive you at all. Your goddess is far better than you". The king looked angrily at him and said "You are talking to a king like that? Are you not afraid at all?" "Don't worry, by this time tomorrow, you will know who is better between the goddess and I." Adegbola answered him, "I want to die. Let me tell vou, if the goddess does not consume us, we shall Consume her." All the words of Adegbola were confusing to the king. He did not believe that the poor boy could do anything. No one had said those kinds of words against the goddess.That was why the king could not understand what Adegbola meant. "I do not understand your words. All I know is that tomorrow shall reveal your ability. You can say whatever you like."

The king of Gbondu kingdom had a daughter called Sabi. The lady was fair in complexion, tall and huge.

She was very nice and beautiful. When she saw the people to be used for sacrifice, she was disturbed. She felt concerned that innocent young boys and girls were being used for sacrifice. She was moved with compassion when she saw a handsome fair boy moping like a cow. She did not know what to do. As she thought about what to do, Adegbola and others were led by the king's guards to the prison.