When the River Speaks

By Dr. Michael Dassama

The overzealousness of man to push beyond destiny in an attempt to achieve success in life had always been the regrettable aftermath that tends to hunt the starving innocent souls to damnation. The issue of compromise between failure to achieve the golden flees of life creates an inner war, within which a decision has to be made.

If the cardinal principles of life are to exist as inheritors of what had been, designated for mankind by the creators, shouldnt it be the duty of man to do what ought to be in order to posses possession? Or could it be in conformity with what the Lord Jesus said: Out of thy perspiration shall thou eat bread?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Mar 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514465974

Dr. Michael Dassama

The author was born in Sierra Leone, West Africa, to the union of the late paramount chief B. G. Dassama of Dama Chiefdom, Kenema District, and Lucinda Dassama (Nee Davies). He had his initial education in Sierra Leone and later proceeded to the United Kingdom of Great Britain, where he had his Bsc (Hons.) in social sciences at London South Bank University and law qualification at the London Metropolitan University, followed by Msc at Birkbeck College, University of London. The author also held a diploma in teaching from East London College and a PhD in criminal law at Lorenz University USA.

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Chapter One

The time of planting is different from, the time of harvesting said old man Fadu Badu. If it pleases the gods to allow mistakes of any kind, what shall become of this old guided tradition of ours, which had stood the test of time irrespective of, upheavals put upon us, by our enemies who had wanted to destroy everything that had constituted our greatness amongst others in this country? As you can see, what I am hearing concerning new ideology perpetrated by some recalcitrant devils amongst us, is not only heart breaking but, an abomination to the very core of our gods and goddesses whose anger, are at this very moment as I speak, is been gradually and fatally circumvented around us and families. Therefore, until and on less we as elders of this land of Tsungu realises that our ancestors, the Yangagars, were warriors who fought relentlessly and victoriously, through the powers of the gods and goddesses of river Yuru, and stand in defence of open rebellion, against these creatures of pestilence and savages, doomsday for us will be inevitable.

As the high priest of the gods and goddesses of river Yuru, stretches his closed fisted hands in the directions of where, some of the Christian families were, one of the elders raised his hands for permission to speak which was immediately granted. In addressing the rest of the elders, Vambu a Christian convert and assimilate, was concern about his family and thus said: what sort of action do you think could be appropriated to avert this pending danger Fadu Badu? After few minutes of silence, the high priest shook his head and said: it is not for me to decide that but, the deities whose orders have been fragrantly violated even by those of her own".

If it pleases the deities, to avert anger against us, it will be discretional of which, I doubted very much. Being your high priest, it is my responsibility, to see that no harm is done to us due to the misgivings, of certain elements of deceits in our midst.

What I have been instructed to do, is to bring to your attention the gross insult and total disregard, which some core members of the council of deities have perpetrated against, the very background from which they hailed. Nothing is more annoying than, to see your own revolting against you. The symptoms of ingratitude and absolute disregard for our ways of life had, systematically provided a leeway for the enemies, to have an in-road with vengeance for the demised of our cultural and traditional values.

To allow these ‘creatures’ which unfortunately, have two legs; to submerged our protracted values without positive response, is to surrender to foolishness and thereby, denying our deities the humanistic support and loyalties expected of us. Even if it, it means, going to war with ourselves, for the protection of our heritage, it should be incumbent to do so. As he said these words, Pa Vambu looked at him sadly and bowed his head for few seconds and then, stood up to ask another question which unfortunately, was not accepted by the high priest who knew in advance, the sort of outcome such acceptance could have caused. In this respect, the priest warned against open rebellion because, the gods will be viciously mad and brutal to the core against, all those who attempts to flout their authority in the land.

Warning such as this, from the high priest, is very rare and thus, couldn’t be underestimated or devalued because, it carries fatality of grave economic hardships of poor agricultural output, draughts, and pestilence which culminates into, a national crisis of mass death of an unimaginable scale.

Contemplating whether to exit the meeting or, continued with the rest of the others in servile fearfulness, Pa Vambu pushed aside protocol of approaching the request to speak and then, lashes across with a scathing vehemence at the high priest who was directly referring to his family as, ‘the prime enemy of the gods and destroyer of the traditional values and hegemony of his people, to the white strangers from the land of the unknown’.

It is now well established that, the purpose of this gathering as initiated by the high priest, is to personally attack and insult myself and family which I will not, I repeat will not, tolerate not even from the so called gods and goddesses of whatever river they could hailed from let alone from this evil breeder of our society.

Responding, the priest said: you indeed have not yet grown Vambu because if it is so, you wouldn’t have invoked the anger of our ancestors let alone, the deities whose action could be so perilous for mortal eyes to see let alone to withstand

What you have declared which is, an act of war against the traditional values of our people, will be responded with an immediate effect, of which, you will have yourself to blame for the woeful consequences yet to come, added the priest.

I can assure you said Pa Vambu that; nothing will happen to me and family because, as you can see, the God that I serve is the living waters of salvation, which is stronger than all the nonsense you could, designed and put together falsely. In fact, if all of you who still believe in this rubbish you call tradition, did not surrender your allegiance to the only true God, your souls will be rotten in the conflagration, of hell fire. In a state of furry, he walked across the floor of the little open building, where they were all assembled and stood nose to nose with the priest in a bombastic brew of, uncontrollable nasty exchanges.

Within a flash of seconds, a general stamped broke out and people began to flee in different directions especially, when flashes of lightening and thunder lashes across, the building which clearly indicated, the timely intervention of the gods and goddesses of river Yuru in absolute defence of their high priest who, was almost pined to the ground, by Pa Vambu. Staggering across the field in the bid to escape from the scene of fiasco, Pa Vambu finally got home where he was accorded with, ruthless hostile reception by his wife who is a devotee of the gods and goddesses of the river Yuru.

I will not accept you in this house, said his wife Mama Yamuu Tadabar. She went on to say that, her husband had being nothing but, trouble to the peace and tranquillity of the family since his Christian ordination and assimilation. She therefore, openly and aggressively ordered him to leave her presence at once or else, have the police to chuck him out faster than he came in.

The heavy terrifying thunder which blasted across, the skyline was indeed, a traumatised experience ever first, of it kind in the entire history of the land to which, even the bravest tend to be extremely cautious and panicking. Under such uncompromising and vitriolic conditions, it couldn’t have been possible for pride to overcome fatality of uncertainty and thus, wasn’t a surprise for the head of the family, whose authority that once, unquestionable and irrefutable, to have succumbed to nothing but, pleading for mercy from a woman he had dominated all along since their twenty years of marriage.

Although Pa Vambu was finally accepted by his family yet, the anger of the gods and goddesses was only put to rest, by his sudden death the following morning. On the day of his burial a resumption of thunder and lightening, flashing through the naked sky, spontaneously changed the atmosphere to a dreadful and distasteful one which, was followed by a heavy torrential rain resulting to flooding that swept the Church and many other properties away into the near by tributaries.

If it had not being, for extra vigilantes who immediately sprang into action by rescuing the casket that was afloat on the nasty dirty muddy waters, it would have being swallowed by the flash flood which was at this time, pouring from all inconceivable directions. The pastors and mourners including other Church members were colourfully afloat, with their singing instruments while desperately, putting efforts to extricate themselves, from the incongruous situation that was both a spectacle of sympathy, and hilarious laughter.

This predicament was to last for several days as, it took everyone by surprise. The Vambu family became the centre of gossip and other slack talks. In fact, it was difficult for interaction with the family because for fear of reprisal. Those who had related well with them simply found themselves, melting away. In the market places segregation and isolation was never, remote from the Vambu family who were, now considered to be, a mere pestilence to the very core of existence which must at all times be, sidelined and if possible, exterminated for the total appeasement of the deities.

The miseries which circumvented the Vambus’, could not be deduced to a simple mathematical explanations as it transcends, the extra ordinary which is, deeply embedded. The verification of issue which, led to the sagacious demised of the Vambus’ presents a didactic picture from which, cogent principles about life, has to be adhere to. If the rest of the Yangagar people are tilted towards their ancestral warship, it is because of the devastation which engulfed a strong member of their king’s man. What became more obvious was the issue of faith that is being, questioned by many converts as to why, the late man’s new founded religion did not shelter him from, the clutches of evil by the deities.

To belong is, to be identified with on the basis of honesty, dedication, faithfulness to serve, and above all, to recognise the subject of belonging with sacrificial connotation irrespective of social and material enhancement. Unfortunately, it is being rumoured that, those who professed themselves to have been, convert to the Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, were in essence more agglutinated to the gods and goddesses of the river in service under shadows of darkness.

Those of double standard characters were, identified and shredded until that aspect of the generation that had done evil, in the sight of the Lord were consumed. It is my belief that, life is a constant search into the unknown which, is the end product of oblivion. Therefore, a ‘man’ who does nothing good to improve upon her or his life achieve nothing good. In the process of achieving the goodness of life it is or could be possible for an over play of hands thus rendering nothing good in return. So it was said of the Vambus and other related families who were systematically wiped out by the gods and goddesses for unfaithfulness.

The restoration of service to the gods and goddesses closes the chapter of rebellion and punishment which once more, brought harmony of understanding between people and deities. However, a set of generation was to emerge with a new dynamic outlook on life which made all the difference from those who came before them. It is against this background that, a rift was to occur between people and their traditional gods that led to its demise with impunity.

Chapter Two

Several years have gone by since, the demised of the Vambu family which had always being the talk of the Yangagars. In fact, the Vambus irrespective of their calamities, became a much admired and popular celebrity whose legendry in the Tsungu land, as a pioneer family that stood against polytheism, never failed to be hailed by monotheists as true eye-opener of the rest of the Tsungu land and people against, occultism and ritualism of darkness. The set of new generation of the Yangagars ultimately, saw the Vambus as God sent from above to save his people from the anger of the Lord which, at that time was never realised by his own people. The remarkable twist and turns with which, the new generation appraised, the Vambus could not be underestimated as it seemingly, provided the format upon which relationship with the deities was emphatically based.

With the coming of the new Christian development in the area of schools, health centres, community development housing for the elderly and the disabled, vocational training centres, and lots of creational facilities which provides entertainments for the youths, a split or divided loyalty to the deities of river Yuru, was inevitable. Nevertheless, lessons learnt from the past due to gross disobedience to the gods and goddesses of river Yuru, could not be easily brushed aside as even the so called, new Christian devotees still pay homage to the deities of the river for fear of reprisal. It was not therefore a surprise to witness, large ceremonial festivity commemorating the existence of the deities whose powers the people thought, couldn’t be challenged because, none could be capable of such. In fact, to attempt such a challenge, is to risk not only, direct disaster from the deities but also, social exclusion and economic starvation with other associated indescribable calamities to come. In this regard, it is unthinkable to anticipate it let alone, to speak openly about such.

During this ritual festival, all those whose prosperities emanated from the deities, were expected to be in full attendance meaning that, no excuse is required as absence will be punishable by instantaneous death. It is occasion such as this, that, new initiates are presented to the deities as devotees of the Order of the River. It is expected that, those who became successful, will be immediate benefactors of the wealth and spiritual protection of the deities whose powers extends beyond the extremity of the world.

It is not a question of why it had been like the way it is, but on the contrary, for how long is it going to last. In order words, should this be the way of life of the people of Yangagar on the basis of divided loyalty for generations yet to come?

In the entire country of Bazunga, it is without any doubt that, excellence in all areas of human endeavours, such as education, commerce, politics, professionalism and social inclinations, it is but the Yangagar people that dominate. Unfortunately, the gloriousness of the Yangagars, tend to be snappy with diabolic consequences. The death rate amongst the Yangagars, in the entire country of Bazunga by statistical comparison is higher especially within, the ranks and file of professional, politicians and financially affluent. It is believed that, the gods and goddesses reclaimed those souls it had prospered and then, transmigrate it to new sets of initiates. Thus to accept the offer of the Order of the River, is to accept both stewardship and death at anytime to the pleasure and will of the deities.

As new initiates arrives at the mouth of the river dressed in white, the high priest receives them and ushered them, into the river for thorough cleansing and spiritual perfection for the ordination of the deities. Followed by respective families and well wishers, the initiates were then required to make certain recitations of, in other to appease the deities for total acceptance. The rest of the ceremonial rituals were carried out, in absolute secrecy with the high priest only in attendance believed to be, representing the gods and goddesses of the river.

After an interlude of symphonic music which tended to be, emanating from the underworld, the river began to ripple violently which was followed by, flash of lightning and frightening storm that virtually made some of the invited guests, to stampede thus bringing the ceremony to a tentative halt. When order was restored, the ceremony commences with gifts from the gods and goddesses to the initiates as, symbols of their protection and unceasing wealth to come in all aspects of endeavours. For the purpose of identification with their new found masters of darkness, each initiate was tattooed with they embosses of the deities so that, easy recognition could be made no matter where the initiates could be around the world. The last and final stage of this hocus-pocus ritual was climaxed with an oath of, allegiance from the initiates to be, ever faithful and sacrificial to the deities at all times.

When Kundu and his friends arrived home after the ceremony, he felt so satisfied with everything that, he told his younger brother that life will no longer, be a mucking riddle for them as wealth, like endless falls will be on the way to engulf their poverty and deprivation which had, depleted the family for protracted time. As the young man listened to the colourful talks of his brother, he became pale and at that instance, every strengths and sense of reasoning, vanishes and he stood in the midst of them sheepishly dumfounded until his brother said to him: you look very cold and seems to be unhappy with this great news that, I have brought to the family. Responding, the young man finally got his nerves in place and said: you indeed have brought wealth and prosperity to the family but, it is going to be at a terrible price. What did I hear you say foolish one, Interjected his brother.

I do not mean to be insulting big brother but, you should have realised that, we are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ whose blood we are all covered with as covenant of loyalty of service which, does not compromised service to another masters. Well spoken and clearly put remarked Kundu as anger, began to circumvent his broad and heavy face, which ultimately, signalled an untimely need for his friends to request for departure.

With your permission my friend, we are about to take our leave so that, a