The Journey to the East was quite long and exhausting for
Ali, with many of his associates differing to another route except for Nuru,
his newly found Loyalist. But it was worthwhile as the only escape option from
public execution and shame back home at Northern Dinga. 3 days on the bumpy
humpy ride in a transit truck, at last, they arrived as strangers in a land
where their ethnic group is considered a staunch enemy of the people of the East.
With some impersonator attire and a dark eyeglass, He and Nuru hurried into a
canteen to help there deserted stomach.
Welcomed with pleasantries and greetings of the locals there,
they murmured back waving their hands. A group of Eastern ‘area boys’ where relaxing
at the canteen, with some of them drawing their attention to the 2 new entries.
Having ordered and munched on the available banga and Akpu which was quite strange
but appetizing, Ali was cleaning his mouth; when he accidentally hit his eyeglass
off his eyes to the ground, His tribal marks with its length spanning almost to
the lower eye socket was visibly noticed by the area boys there, who stood up
and exclaimed in a loud voice; Onye iro!!!!! Meaning ‘enemy’ in eastern Dinga
dialect, they pursued after Ali and Nuru, till they got hold of them. having
dealt with both by beating and hitting them, They took them to the leader of
their group, who on seeing them, ordered that they are lynched immediately as a
response to violence been meted out on their brethren in Northern Dinga.
All was set for the Lynching when a car belonging to the
Prince of the Aluka Kingdom of Eastern Dinga parked right at the scene of the
execution. The prince, alighting from the car, identified Ali immediately, his
friend at the University of Alerica, The Prince was Uche Yumbo. He demanded the
attention of the Group Leader and requested that the two be handed over to Him
for proper execution. They were handed over to the prince, who took them to his
personal house in the outskirt of the town. There He lodged them and took care
of them, Ali could not believe his eyes, in fact till they got to Uche’s house he thought he was dreaming. He and Nuru were very grateful and thanked Uche.
Uche contacted Demide who was also a crown prince in the
West, Demide traveled down to the East and the three met again like their university
days; it was a wonderful and emotional reunion. There, they agreed to champion
the course for re – enlightenment movement on the beauty of ethnic uniqueness
and differences and to promote the course for unity and peace even while the war was still going on. Ali was accorded the immunity he needed. He championed
the movement for enlightening some set of educated easterners about the Good
ideals of the Northern Dinga people and the war as being orchestrated by a selfish
interest group in the North.
Meanwhile back in Northern Dinga, troops were preparing to advance
the onslaught into the territories in the east and western Dinga, as part of
the efforts to gain territorial control and political dominance. The eastern
army was quite technologically advanced and in alliance with the west, they were
prepared to tackle and overthrow the onslaught head-on. Ali’s father was a
commander of a sect of the Northern Dinga army part of the Onslaught mission to
the East and west.
They jetted out for war and it turned out to be a very fierce
battle with a lot of casualties, at the end Eastern Dinga’s technological
advancement and support from the west paid off as they routed the Northern army
maiming so many soldiers and commanders. In fact, Ali’s father was pursued by one of the commanders from the east, He had run for such a distance that he became
so exhausted, he then halted, with his hands up, he submitted Himself. On the verge of assassinating him, the eastern Dinga commander who happened to be a prince (Uche Yumbo) recognized the resemblance of the man with Ali, so He questioned Him on
whether he knew anyone bearing such name, He immediately cried out; Yes! He is
my Son. Uche could not help himself as he was in tears with Ali’s father quite
amazed, as he thought he would be dead. Uche having disarmed Him told him He
was a close friend to Ali Balrebe, and Ali currently resides with Him. Ali’s
Father immediately broke down in uncontrollable tears. He embraced Uche and
they cried as the War had damaged a lot. Uche gave an escape plan to Ali’s
father and promised to initiate a meeting between Ali and his Father.
A month later Uche invited Ali’s Father over secretly, on Sighting
him, Ali was gripped with fear, he felt he had been betrayed by Uche, but his
Father exclaimed from afar; ‘’Ali it is I your father, I have come for you, I
have come for peace ‘’. Ali and His father embraced one another with Nuru joining,
later they had a round table meeting with Prince Demide also present. There
they had discussions on the war and peaceful resolutions, the need to coexist
in peace and to educate followers on cultural uniqueness and peaceful coexistence.
They together acknowledged that Peaceful resolution rather than War was the greatest
tool to determine the fate in their hands.
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