Could Lanroye have betrayed us all? Are the gods also taken captive as I once was? Helpless as I was as sacrilegious practices were experimented on their bodies. My three wives, Orunmilla the basket of wisdom, Olokun the sea king, Obatala also named Orisha nla (the arch divinity); “Eledumare forbid” The boy Shettima’s revelation chilled me to the depths of my bones. Lanroye’s eternal grudge has been held against me for slaying his twin thousands of years ago but it was with Ogun of Ire I held bitter rivalry since my ascension as Orisha.

My fame as a mortal increased more as an Orisha, a large portion of Ogun’s warriors began to take me as their patron god, the war god was not happy to share, unlike the rest of the Orishas he saw me for who I was, power hungry, spoilt and vain. I threw parties in my brass palace in the sky, broke protocols by mingling with the mortals during festivals, womanized goddesses and mortal women, if my life as a mortal was careless, it increased tenfold as an Orisha for the first hundred years as an immortal were filled with debauchee and carousing.

He steadfastly ignored me like a pestilent until Dada, the impish Orisha of mischief, brought about our first conflict.

Dada, the impish god of rebellious and stubborn children, son of Aroni the one-legged Orisha of the forests and Aja the lady of the wild, patron of the forest folk. He was a source of constant grief to his parents for unlike his celebrated elder brother, Ososhi the hero god of hunters, he was the black sheep, bringing nothing but trouble to his parents doorstep.

For one day he stole into Ogun’s forge under the hills of Ire to steal his pet dog on a dare by Lanroye, whom he takes as mentor in spite of his mother’s warnings, a beautiful creature coveted by all, with furs of delicate brass, fangs made of diamonds and eyes of rare stones.

Ogun hated most things but he hated thieves above all, for woe betide any mortal accused of stealing who swear falsely at his shrine, his retribution was swift and terrible, such was his wrath when he caught Dada in the act, for he bounded the impish deity with chains of fire till his piteous cries reached his mother’s ears.

Dada had trespassed into another god’s dominion without permission, there was little his parents could do about it, for even Aroni the great green must obey the laws of Obatala. Aroni sent emissaries to ransom Dada from Ogun but he declined and said Dada will stay and apprentice with him for a hundred years, maybe he would grow out of his impish nature by then, the forest god had no choice but to agree.

A mother will always be a mother, be she the mother of a monster, Aja did not agree for her heart yearned after her boy, she petitioned her case before Obatala but found no solace in his answers, she then went crying to Orunmilla the Orisha of wisdom.

“Orunmilla the far sighted, custodian of the Ifa oracle, she cried “I implore you to wipe a mother of her tears, the gods have decided to let Ogun keep my boy for a mere prank forgetting the said culprit is but a child condemned to torture for a hundred years, is this the justice Obatala claimed to uphold?

“Peace woman, for a parent that refused to train his or her child in the morning, will surely be sore hearted at the end of day; Orunmilla chastened, “Howu! Dada, is an Orisha, and despite his age should not be compared to a human child, He knows the consequences of breaking the laws of Obatala, Ogun was in his right and you are to blame for not putting your child in check, what is a hundred years to an Orisha, go home woman and before you know it you will be with your son again, hopefully more matured and disciplined.

And away she went, weeping from the oracle deity’s presence and came upon Lanroye.

“Lady Aja also named whirlwind, why do you shed tears enough to drown a village.” He said.

“Away from me spidery one, have you not caused me enough grief? Here you are to mock me after leading my boy astray, be gone from my side else you will never find solace in the wilds for all eternity.”

“Howu, fair Lady why blame me for your son’s atrocities for when a child traps a grass cutter, he eats alone, when he traps a bush rat, he also eats it alone, but when he traps Oran the mother of all troubles, he brings it home to his parents, never mistake persuasion for compulsion good woman for they are two things, for I was not the one controlling young Dada’s hands when he was flinching Ogun’s pet, what has happened has happened, but instead find solution to the issue at hand.”

Lanroye, smooth tongue finally convinced her to seek the only one bold enough to confront the dreaded god, the only one reckless enough to defy Obatala’s law. Me!

She made straight for my realm of storms and met my man servant, Osumare the rainbow deity. Ere his giant rainbow python around his shoulders, told her where to find me, on earth partying with my followers accompanied by Obembe my bard and friend Biri the lord of the Night.

“Greetings Aja, mistress of the forest folk, gnomes and tree spirits, how fared Aroni your lord husband, I hailed as she approached my party. She felled on her knees and cried much to my discomfort.

“Shango king of Koso, lord husband of the tempest Oya, the lord with the fiery eyes whose spittle’s are flames, they said you are the champion of the oppressed, where were you when my son dada was snatched from my helpless hands.

“Who would dare do such a thing, I raged my eyes flashed lightening, “why would Aroni the great stand aside and let this insolence on his person go unchallenged?

“It is none other than Ogun lord of Ire, also named Lakaaye Oshinmole, the Orisha of war who has water flowing in abundance in his household but prefers to bath in the blood of the slain, she answered and then proceeded to narrate her plight.

“Arise and wipe your tears good mother, go home and prepare your son’s favorite dish for I promise you that he shall come home in time for dinner, Ogun does not have two heads, he has two ears, surely he uses them to hear and he will listen to reason.”

Aja departed with gratitude and I prepared myself to seek out Ogun at his forge under ire hill.