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The story revolves around a nineteen year old intelligent young scientist, Kiwakaazi, in ancient Africa. He was accused and found guilty of an incident that claimed many lives in the then Nibooman (Land of Inventions or Western Empire) of Africa. As punishment, he was banished to find a special plant that bears a special flower in Nomposuro (dark and evil forest). There was only one slight problem. The kranjus (immortal guardians) stand in his way. How is thin, weak and naive Kiwakaazi going to survive in Nomposuro? The epic and yet very spiritual journey of Kiwakaazi and other related stories has been captured in this story. Hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter 14:   The Shepherd and His Flock     Story Index >>

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While the rest of the world continued to live unconcerned, the people of the central empire lived in fear. The battles were being fought far away but the people could still hear the screams of pain and excitement. They could hear the clashes of weapons and the explosions caused by the western empire. Many natives of the central empire were terrified to come out and remained indoors.  The kaazi had a few warriors inside the empire who went around supplying food to homes.

One mother came out with her son – a boy of about ten years old. They had been cooped up inside for some time. During that time, the woman prayed incessantly and had a revelation. I don’t know. I am just guessing she did because her sudden desire to walk the streets of the central empire that was under attack from four different empires baffled me and her son. She held her son by the hand; his right hand and dragged him along. The street was empty but the woman walked with a smile and kept on humming. She was in a really good mood. Then, they heard sounds of explosion and her son asked, “Mother, are we going to die?” The mother turned and went on her knees. She answered, “Not while our Kaazi is still alive. He will protect us with his life and if we should die, he will guide us home. He is the shepherd and we are his flock. And a good shepherd always watches over his flock.” The way she said it… so certain in what she believed… converted his son. He smiled and walked beside his mother with not even a shred of fear in his heart.

Sadat remained on his knees. The arrows came down; many of them came down and after the rain of the arrows, Sadat rose to his feet unscathed. Many arrows struck the earth around him but Sadat did not sustain even a scratch on his skin. He turned and told his men, “Did I not tell you. The one watching over us is mighty!” None of his soldiers were harmed. They embraced. The shouted and they were ready.

The leader of the northern army was furious. He whispered, “This is just an unnecessary delay. The inevitable is coming and it is death for you people. He drew one of his swords with his right hand and shouted, “Attack!” His soldiers, those carrying spears and swords, those riding horses, and those running all ran as fast as they could towards their opponents – the army of the central empire. Sadat drew his sword from the earth and took a step backwards. His men made way and he joined them. He shouted once again, “Shield wall!” This time, the formation had spears sticking out the open spaces. About a hundred archers knelt behind the shield wall waiting for orders.

“Fire!” shouted the general who commanded the western army. They came… yes, they came with their sophisticated weapons, guns of different sizes and shapes. The effect of their machine guns was no different from what we have in this modern time. They had weapons that could destroy perhaps an entire country and in this case an entire empire.

After the generals command, his army fired their most powerful weapons. Torpedoes were fired. While the torpedoes came, one young soldier in the central empire army whispered to his fellow soldier on his right, “How are we going to stop that?” His friend answered, “Open your eyes and watch Baba Tunde.”

Tunde like Sadat also wore a blue sleeveless shirt with an eagle tattooed in it. He was barefooted and wore a pair of grey shorts. He was tall and wore a relaxed look. He stood about a meter in front of his army. Now, Tunde also drew his sword. He planted the sword into the earth and went down on his knees. He closed his eyes and prayed:

The second-in-command to the general of the western army questioned, “What is he doing?” His general answered, “I believe he is praying. But there is not a god in this world that can save him.”

Tunde opened his eyes and a golden ring surrounded his pupils. He whispered, ‘sain’ (meaning return). When the torpedoes got close to him, they changed direction. First, they all stopped, flew upwards and returned as commanded back to those who sent them. The general of the western army seeing that opened his mouth and whispered, “Oh… my God.” I thought he didn’t believe in one. His second-in-command shouted, “What should we do?! General, what should we do?!” But the general was dumbfounded. He had never seen such a thing before. A man, a mere mortal, commanded torpedoes to attack and they obeyed. He did not pull a trigger. He did not push a button. But with the word of his mouth he commanded the torpedoes and they obeyed like servants.

His second-in-command took charge. He shouted, “In coming! Take cover!” and the rest of the western army all sought cover; looking for some place to hide from the torpedoes that were poised to destroy everything and everyone it touches. The explosions begun; loud explosions that shook the very foundations of the earth. The general was first to die. He was torn to shreds by his own command. He died and many followed him from the western army that day to Gbeleshie (the afterlife).

In the north, about twenty archers of the central army were carried by some men on their shoulders. The archers aimed and took down horsemen first. After firing, they quickly lowered and another twenty rose to fire at opposition on horseback while Sadat and the others fought off those attacking on foot. Sadat’s shield wall was impervious and they stood their ground. Waves and waves of attack came crashing upon the wall and it could not break it. The archers were very helpful taking down the horse riders but the commander of the army of the north decided to stop them. Twenty archers were carried up and were all shot down by powerful arrows. Sadat immediately shouted, “No more archers!”

The eastern army was led by a priest. He was one of the priests who were vehemently against so called gyaatis (messengers). A gyaati was regarded a god at the time. People bow before them believing beholding a gyaati was synonymous to beholding Akaani (The Nameless One) Himself. The priest believed in the gods and hated the fact that a mere mortal was treated as such. The priest looked left. He looked right. He recited some incantations. The wind started to blow violently and a huge tornado moving perhaps at a speed of about 450 kilometers per hour attacked the army of the central empire.

Lombe, another tall looking and frightening warrior drew his sword and drove it through the earth. He went on his knees, closed his eyes and prayed:

The tornado stopped in front of Lombe and took the shape and form of a man. The man knelt in front of Lombe. Lombe opened his eyes and stared into the green eyes of this unique black man. The man while still kneeling turned his head and looked angry at the priest. Lombe calmed him down, “Calm down. Forgive them and Akaani will also forgive you,” advised Lombe. The man disappeared.

The priest prayed, “Rakiambe (Creator)! Grant me power to crash these flies!” The earth shook violently. The priest lifted his right foot and smashed the earth with it as if he was truly crushing a fly under his feet. A crack developed and headed straight for Lombe. The crack moved and other cracks developed with it. Lombe took three steps forward and placed his right index finger on the ground. The crack reached it and stopped. It turned and headed the way of the priest and his men.

The priest was frightened. He felt he couldn’t stop it. He instantly disappeared. His second in command, apparently a soldier, shouted, “Retreat!” forcing all his men to fall back.

Back to the north: There was a warrior in Sadat’s army. He specialized in the use of a circular weapon. It looked like a big disc. This man was carried and he threw this disc. It moved in a circular path attacking and killing the archers from the northern army. Unfortunately, he was also killed after he threw his special disc. The archers from the central army continued to attack their opponents from the north; aiming and firing specifically at archers from the other side. Sadat shouted, “Shield wall forward!” and his shield wall started moving – taking one step at a time and with each step killing more and more opponents.

Finally, we stop at the south. The southern army also attacked with numbers. They were led by a very great warrior famously known as Sangosi. Sangosi was the ancestor of Arangosango. The southern army before the war had bathed with special herbs. Under the leadership of Sangosi they attacked head on wearing no armor. Archers from the central empire fired at them. It only slowed them down. They pulled out arrows like thorns in their bodies and continued to match forward. Todzi went on his knees and while his army was cowering in fear, he thought it wise to say a prayer:

Todzi rose to his feet very slowly. He inhaled and exhaled. He touched the hilt of the sikan nifanum and by the time he freed the sword from mother earth, he had changed and vanished. He single handedly reduced the army of the south in minutes forcing them to retreat.

The four emperors of the four great empires had to rethink. They needed a better strategy. They underestimated their opponents. They thought by dragging the central empire in four directions, they would distract and crash them like bugs under their feet with numbers and ammunition but the central empire proved resourceful.

After ten years of fighting, Kaazi Oko who ascended the throne in his old age grew older and weaker. The four guardians were killed mysteriously on the battle field. Still the shepherd protected his flock with one last act, he used his powers to distribute the survivors of the war amongst his neighbors; the same people who attacked them and protected the central empire with a curse. It was the first time the central empire changed into a dark forest. People went missing inside this forest and they called it Awufudom (land of ghosts). Emperors of the western empire tried to find the guanvibushi (plant of eternal health) but all the people they sent to Awufudom did not return.

The western empire still wanted to know the secret behind the long and healthy lives of natives of the central empire so they hunted those who stayed in Nibooman (Western Empire). They believed they could isolate whatever chemical was making them live long and healthy from their cells and tissues of their bodies. They conducted experiments on some natives and believed they were making progress but they needed more. The natives of the central empire fled. Then Nibooman placed attractive bounties on their heads. The citizens of the central empire had no home and could not settle anywhere for too long. They wandered from place to place and were called the Asoglis (Wanderers).

During the hunt for one man and his wife, the brave man decided to stay back and fight off their hunters. His wife was pregnant and was already in labor. The man’s decision bought his wife and others around them some time. The man eventually died fighting the hunters. The woman died immediately after child birth. But the boy survived and a great burden was placed on him when he was given the name that defied destiny; Kiwakaazi!

“This boy will in many years to come grow to become the beloved of Princess Dedeli; the daughter of Jaazi Sasu and Jaaziba Ashanti. But that was not the only role this boy played in this story. Come with me and I will show you more,” said Anambre.

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