On his head was a box of many crops, his body was rubbed with ashes as he danced round the market square with a crowd cheering him on with local songs and drums. It was a bidding he never envisaged.
Akin was posted to Bonny, a village located at the coast of the great river, Abadaba. He would observe the one year compulsory national youth service programme in this community. Bonny, like most African settlements, has a thriving and cultural heritage.
From time immemorial, the coastal community had to build their homes on top of the Abadaba river which always overflows its bounds during the rainy season. Every year was a different experience. More rainfall causes more concern for the dwellers. This problem had bothered the people for several years until when the chief priest invoked the spirits of their ancestors.
The spirits gave a revelation about what must be done to relieve the people of their chaotic experience with the flood.
People of Bonny must be nice to seagulls. Food particles should be poured on the seashore for the birds if they must control the overflowing river from getting into the community.
Furthermore
Anyone who touches or hurts any seagull would have to pay bride or groom price, else, the river would once again overflow the entire Bonny community.
This rule has been the guiding principle for living in the area. All inhabitants have great respect and honour to the seagulls. They ensured to give bountiful food items to the birds at the bank of the river.
Some women of the community who have complications of conceiving pregnancy found the tradition of honour to the seagulls as an opportunity to seek divine assistance in getting pregnant.
There was the typical case of Anioma who was married for twenty-four years without a child. In the twenty-fifth year of her marriage, she offered a sumptuous meal of grains and nicely cut watermelon to the seagulls. That same year, she got pregnant and later delivered a set of triplets. This singular experience gave the people of Bonny extra joy and trust for the worship of the seagulls.
When Akin arrived in Bonny, he saw that the place was serene and a beauty to behold. The people are accommodating and love strangers. During weekends, some of the dwellers of Bonny go to swim for fun at the Abadaba River. Akin, who had never experienced swimming in his entire life, trailed behind a group of young boys who were going to the river.
Wow, beautiful seagulls. I'd like to keep one as a pet.
Akin whispered to himself. He suspected that the villagers did not bother about the presence of the sea birds. They just had fun swimming. In the evening of the same day, Akin traced his path back to the river and caught a seagull. He took the seagull home. He cared for the seagull with everything possible. He was of the view that when his service year was completed, he would take the seagull and keep it as a pet.
No one knew that Akin had sneaked to the river and caught a seagull. Seven days after Akin abducted the seagull, some strange happenings started to occur in Bonny.
The great river, Abadaba which was the only source of what for the dwellers started to form as mud. The people could not afford water for their daily living. This raised a lot of confusion that made the chief of the community consult the ancestral shrine.
A sacrilege has been committed in the land. Someone has taken possession of the sacred sea creature. Find him now or else Bonny will be doomed.
The chief priest spoke to the chief-in-council.
The villagers were summoned at once and a house-to-house check was carried out. On the second day of the search, the village guards found the sea bird in Akin's crib.
He was dragged to the palace like a common criminal by the village guards. Despite all his pleas, Akin had to pay the bride price on the seagull to appease the water spirits. He was heavily charged. Seven kegs of palm oil, seven bags of salt, seven yards of white lace material, seven sticks of candles and seven white cocks.
Seven days after Akin was arrested and the materials for sacrifice had been provided, Akin was painted with ashes all over his body. He appeared as white as snow. He danced to the melody of local singers and drummers through the market as they matched towards the great river, Abadaba with a box that had food for seagulls on his head.