The Patriarch remained calm, but no doubt, was getting miffed at the intrusion.

He soon made his way to the central rallying point in the compound, where he conferred with older family members. There, he was prevailed upon to conceal himself in the toilet area (behind the Ugha), until the intentions of the soldiers were known. He grudgingly complied.

Now, there was an immensely popular and courageous man who played a huge role in the nasty, noxious and nauseating event of that night. He was hugely respected by most; a fearless, fearsome and fascinating individual, all rolled into one! He was a civilian employee of the Army at the time, and usually accompanied the soldiers during their night patrols. His name was Ishola Bayode with the moniker – “Am’ẹsẹ p’ẹrẹnla”(He, who is adept at snuffing the life out of bush cows with his bare fists). However, on this particular night, the soldiers left earlier than usual, possibly as a way of ensuring he did not get in the way of their pre-planned dastardly acts. I will get back to him later.

As the commotion lingered, another of Baba’s wives and my grandmother, Madam Adewọnuọla was taking everything in, utterly flummoxed! Her windows and door were amongst those the men in uniform were pounding on so hard. Let me introduce her briefly in order to show the premise of what occasioned her next move in the ongoing melee.

Madam Adewọnuọla (aka Mama Olobi; aka Mama Alasọ) was a renowned, raven-haired, radiant, resilient and remarkable business person of her time. She would load items such as kola nuts and other edibles to the Eastern region to sell, and procure velvet (aran materials) and dishes on her trip back to offload at the local markets in Owo town and its environs. She was also a major dealer in palm oil and usually sold the commodity in drums to her ever-growing customers. Madam Adewọnuọla was a very focused, strong, successful and valiant woman who always spoke her mind, no matter whose ox was gored!

Soon, Mama Alasọ was filled with righteous indignation and felt the impudent intrusion had to stop! After ensuring Baba was safe in his place of refuge, she went back to her room, opened her window and demanded in a shrill tone why the soldiers were disturbing the peace not only of the compound, but of the entire neighborhood. One voice answered that they came for the head of the house and that she should open the door; threatening she would be shot if did not comply.

After some more back and forth exchanges between her and the Interlopers, she finally opened the door but immediately vacated the place and left for the penthouse located above her husband’s first floor suite.

The men, looking menacing in their uniform and boots; complete with their fear-invoking nest-hemmed helmets, headed straight for Baba’s quarters upstairs. They did not find him there and decided to take their offensive invasion to the penthouse. By this time, Mama Alaso, clad in only her nightwear and a wrapper, had come towards the staircase and the soldiers immediately on sighting her, demanded for Baba. She answered that he had travelled the day before. They brought her downstairs and kept barking at her. She stood her ground and repeatedly told them that her husband was not around.
She went further to say that even if her husband had been home, they would have had to kill her first before she would let them harm him.

One of the soldiers, obviously jarred by her courageous and confident stance, hit her ferociously and insanely on the chest with the butt of his gun. She immediately fell down on the impact of the unexpected blow!
Reeling in pain and struggling to get back to her feet, Mama Olobi was not deterred. She got up and was pushed into the ugha by the men, where at this time, some courageous family members had also gathered, even they were all trembling with fear and trepidation.

The soldiers repeated their mission that they came for the family head. Everyone chorused in unison that Baba was not home. They kept harassing everybody, claiming he was on the premises and that they did not see him go out of the compound; reinforcing the summation that they must have been casing the house and monitoring the movement of the Patriarch awhile.

Meantime, Mama Alasọ was asking them the reason behind their mission. Rather than answering her, one of the soldiers aimed his gun at her, threatening to shoot! She told the soldier that she would not want to be caught dead in the night gown and wrapper she had on, but should be allowed to put on something decent, given her status as a well-respected member of the community and popular dealer in various assortments of fabrics (that’s actually the reason behind one of her monikers “Mama Alasọ”). It was exactly at this point that Am’ẹsẹ p’ẹrẹnla got into the compound.

He had gotten to the Army quarters to find out that the patrol team left earlier than usual. He decided to go find them and wasted no time in gathering some other military personnel. They subsequently took off in another vehicle on the trail of the first team. There was no mobile phone in existence then to employ in tracking their whereabouts. After coursing through the town for some time, the reserve team was fortuitous enough in locating the first team’s vehicle outside 8, Ora Street.

Bayode and his team parked, alighted their vehicle and immediately made their way into the extensive Adeloye compound where the men in uniform were still shouting and barking out orders; intimidating everyone! He was bemused and wondered what the ruckus was all about. He asked the soldiers what in GOD’s name, were they doing in the house of the Regent of Ọwọ at that time of the night? On sighting him, some of the soldiers had started retreating with their tails in-between their legs. One answered sheepishly that somebody in the house shone the beam of a torchlight in his face, and they felt the need to flush out the ‘offender’ and punish the fellow accordingly.

What a pathetic and stupid excuse!!! 😠👎🏾