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The village of Ifana was a big, beautiful village. It was surrounded by huge mountains, which were responsible for the constant cold weather in Ifana. During sunny seasons, Ifana was known to be one of the coldest villages. Even though some people knew that the tall mountains played a huge role in shielding the sunlight from Ifana, some people believed that the gods of their lands were responsible for the cold and humid temperature the villagers enjoyed all the time.

In the village of Ifana, there lived a young boy called Ade. Ade was the first son of his parents, and he had four younger siblings. Ade’s parents were traders, and they did their best to take care of Ade and his siblings. Unlike other children in the village who weren’t educated, Ade’s parents ensured that both their male and female children went to school. Ade’s father had completed his secondary school education while he was younger, which was why he made it compulsory for all his children to be educated.

But despite all Ade’s parents did for Ade to make him a better man in the future, Ade was different. While Ade’s siblings went to school smoothly with no issues, Ade would always get into fights. Sometimes, If Ade did not cause trouble in school, he would skip his class to go swimming at the stream with the other village children. On the days Ade was not swimming in the stream, he would be hunting for bush meat in the forest.

There was even a time when Ade and some of his notorious classmates raided the school farm, and they stole lots of corn cobs and fruits. Before this happened, the school had already suspended Ade four times, so by this time, they were tired of him and were forced to place him on an indefinite suspension. Luckily for Ade, his parents were able to plead on his behalf, and he ended up with a month’s suspension.

As if all the troubles Ade had caused in school were not enough, one day, he got into a fight at the market where his parents also sold, and he destroyed a lot of goods in the person’s shop. At that point, Ade’s parents could no longer condone his ill behaviour, so they were forced to warn him.

That evening, when Ade’s parents returned home, they called Ade to the living room and talked to him.

“Ade! Ade! Ade! How many times did I call you?” Ade’s mother asked after calling Ade three times.

“I wasn’t counting Mama,” Ade said nonchalantly.

“If I slap you, your head will fall off from your neck,” Ade’s mother said in an angry tone.

“Tell me,  what exactly is your problem? Why have you chosen to become a nuisance in this village?” Ade’s father asked, but Ade did not respond.

“Am I not talking to you?” Ade’s father yelled.

“Papa, I have no idea what you’re talking about. If it’s about what happened at the market today, I had promised Olamide that I would deal with him in this village. It’s just unfortunate that it had to happen at his mother’s shop,” Ade said; he didn’t even show remorse for his actions.

“You destroyed almost everything in Iya Olamide’s shop, and you’re not ashamed to say what you just said now,” Ade’s mother said.

“Ade, why do you keep behaving like a small child. You’re the oldest among your siblings, yet none of your siblings would do what you did today,” Ade’s father said.

“Papa, leave me alone o. You should not compare me to my siblings; after all, not all children are the same. I do not compare you to other people’s parents, so don’t compare me,” Ade said in an arrogant tone. 

“Ade, when was the last time you went to school? You can see how your mother and I struggle every day just to give you a better future. Why do you want to spoil your future with your own hands?” Ade’s father asked.

“Must everyone go to school to succeed? Look at Gbemi, the palm wine tapper, and Iya Seun, the pepper seller. Are they not successful?” Ade asked.

“Ahh! Oluwa, my enemies have finally succeeded. I did not go after anyone’s child; why are they after my child? Eh?” Ade’s mother raised her voice and paced around the room dramatically.

“So of all the people you have seen in this village, you saw Gbemi, the palm wine tapper and Iya Seun to model after?” Ade’s father asked in shock.

“See, Papa. You’re stressing yourself. I have told you that I am not interested in school. I don’t have the head for schooling. As I am, I have decided not to go to school again; it’s not like they respect me. Why should a big boy like me be ordered to cut grass in the presence of junior students?” Ade said.

“So you will not go to school anymore? Is that what you want?” Ade’s father asked in an angry tone.

“Yes, Papa. I have already made up my mind, ” Ade said.

“Alright, if that’s what you want, then there is no problem. I would rather focus my time and resources on my other children who want a better future,” Ade’s father said.

“Ahhhh! Papa Ade, please don’t say that. If you tell Ade not to go to school, his life will be ruined,” Ade’s mother said.

“Didn’t you hear him? He wants to be like Gbemi, the palm wine tapper,” Ade’s father mocked Ade, and then he walked out of the room.

“Ade! Ade! How many times did I call you?” Ade’s mother asked, “Tomorrow, do not come and say that your parents did not do anything to make you better. There are a lot of people in this village who would love to go to school, but you’re throwing your opportunity away,” Ade’s mother said in a disappointed tone.

“Mama! That one is your own problem; I have said my own. School is not for me. I don’t even know why I am repeating myself twice,” Ade said. The next thing, Ade got up and walked out of his mother while murmuring some words.

“Ade, come back here. I am still talking to you,” Ade’s mother called Ade, but he ignored her.

As Ade has said, he dropped out of secondary school and chose to hang out with the other village boys who didn’t go to school. The village boys whom Ade hung out with were the most notorious boys in the village. They all had a track record of stealing from people’s farms. They would also steal goats and chickens from the owners’ properties, and sometimes, they would beat up young girls who refused to date them.

As time passed, Ade became worse. It was almost like spending more time with those boys brought out the terrible side of him. To make things worse, Ade would secretly steal from his parents, and if his parents asked him if he had taken money from the wardrobe they kept their money, Ade would deny it. He would even say something like: 

“If I took your money or have ever stolen money from this house, let Ogun kill me now.”

Somehow, even though Ade’s father had never caught Ade in the act, he knew that Ade was responsible for the missing money. With all the terrible things Ade had done in the past, Ade’s father had no doubt that Ade was the culprit.

Almost every day, a villager would either stop by Ade’s parent’s house or their shop in the market to report what Ade had done. It was always from one problem to another, and this really exhausted Ade’s parents. Because of Ade, his parents had to pay for damages almost every week, and it was slowly affecting their small business.

“Maybe we should send Ade to learn a trade. Since he doesn’t want to go to school, it’s better if he finds something to do with his time,” Ade’s mother suggested to Ade’s father while they were in their room one evening.

“I don’t have money to spend on that boy again. If you want to use your money to pay for him to learn a trade, go ahead,” Ade’s father said.

“Ah! Ah! Papa Ade, don’t talk like that. Ade is still your son,” Ade’s mother said.

“No, he is a disgrace and an embarrassment to this family. I have done everything a father can do to make that boy successful in the future, but it’s obvious he prefers to hang around with those useless boys,” Ade’s father said angrily.

“Papa Ade, that doesn’t mean we should give up on him. He is still your son, your first son,” Ade’s mother tried to persuade her husband.

“Look! Woman, there is nothing I can do for Ade again. If you think he will calm down and learn a trade, then feel free to foot the bills. Count me out of this,” Ade’s father said.

“Hmmm! If he becomes successful Tomorrow, will you not say he is your son? This is not fair,” Ade’s mother said, but her husband stopped responding.

A week after Ade’s parents had that conversation, Ade’s mother paid for Ade to learn how to weave Aso-oke. It was a popular occupation in the village of Ifana, and most of the Aso-oke weavers were very successful people. Ade’s mother believed that if Ade settled and learned the skill, he would have a steady source of income in the future.

Unfortunately, the first week Ade began his apprenticeship, he did something terrible that caused his boss to send him away. Ade connived with his friends, and they stole some very expensive Aso-oke. Then, they sold it to anyone who was interested in buying it at a very cheap price. As a result, Ade’s mother had to refund the cost of everything Ade had stolen.

Even though Ade’s mother was very disappointed at Ade’s actions, she refused to give up on him. After days of searching, she found another place where Ade could learn a different skill. This time around, it was a blacksmith’s workshop, but Ade lasted only two weeks there before he sold some of the blacksmith’s tools.

Again, Ade’s mother was forced to pay for everything Ade had stolen.

“Ade, are you under a curse? What exactly is wrong with you?” Ade’s mother asked. Meanwhile, after the news of what Ade did reached Ade’s father, he wouldn’t stop mocking his wife for wasting her money on Ade.

“You’re my mother; you’re the one who should tell me if I’m under a curse,” Ade said carelessly.

“Ah! Ade, you have the audacity to talk back at me after everything you have done,” Ade’s mother asked in shock.

“You asked a question, mama, and I answered. What did I do wrong?” Ade asked arrogantly.

“You know what? Go ahead and do whatever you want with your life. Thank God you’re not my only child. If you were my only child, I would have been worried,” Ade’s mother said.

“So you knew I wasn’t your only child, and you have been disturbing my life,” Ade said, and as usual, he hissed and walked out of his mother.

“Hmmm! Ade, you hissed at me; I hope you change your bad character before it’s too late. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Ade’s mother yelled after Ade walked out of her.

About a week after Ade stole from the blacksmith workshop, one of his notorious friends came to Ade with information he claimed could make them a lot of money.

“So are you saying that if we steal just one talisman from the village Shrine, we can make enough money to buy lands and live a fun-filled life?” Ade asked his friend.

“Trust me, Ade. I am your friend, and I will not lie to you. My cousin from the neighbouring village told me. He even showed me a part of the money he made. Those Oyinbo people have money, eh,” Ade’s friend said.

“Did they tell you what they will do with it?” Ade asked.

“That’s none of our business. Our own goal is to find a way to steal one of the Talismans, and we will take it to my cousin’s village. He said that some of the Oyinbo men are still there, so let’s grab this opportunity,” Ade’s friend added.

“Ah, Olorun! So we will also become successful people in this village, and all those who insulted us will begin to respect us,” Ade said excitedly.

“We can even marry two wives if we want. Ore mi, our lives are about to change,” Ade’s friend said.

“We just need to come up with a plan. The chief priest must not be around when we go to take the Talisman. I will find a way to distract him, and you will grab the Talisman,” Ade’s friend said.

Three days after Ade and his friend came up with the plan, Ade stole the Talisman from the shrine while his friend distracted the chief priest. Without wasting any time, the two friends travelled with the Talisman to the neighbouring village, and they sold it for a lot of money. In fact, after they changed the onyibo man’s currency to the cowries used in Ifana village, Ade and his friend could not believe how much they had made. 

The money they had received was enough to buy 20 plots of land each, and they would still not have to work for a very long time. 

While Ade and his friend were celebrating their new success, Ade had no idea that he had stolen the oldest and most powerful Talisman in Ifana village, and taking the Talisman out of Ifana soil had terrible consequences for Ade and the villagers.

Watch out for part two.

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