When Prayers Summon Power: Akanni’s Journey with Yemoja and Ogun

 

“How is it possible? Why isn’t there any mercy?” Akanni asked.

“I am here to answer all your prayers, not just the ones you offered recently. I’m talking about all your prayers—even those you once uttered for your mother, your friends, and even your enemies. All of them will be answered.”

“Give me wisdom to understand what you are saying, for I have prayed—most of which I do not remember.”

“You asked for a child. Your womb is filled with one, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“You asked for bread and water, and you were given them.”

“I’m grateful for that.”

“You cried in pain when your father was lost. I found him for you.”

“Yes, my father is with us. I am thankful for that.”

“Once you were a happy child. You had a good life with your people. You were helpful, even to the beggars.”

Yemoja stretched her hands toward Akanni’s face, sending warm heat deep into her being. Akanni shook, helpless and a little agitated, as if waking from a deep sleep. She felt some comfort; her fear had vanished, but only for a little while. For Yemoja had other things to say to her—things Akanni had forgotten.

The goddess removed her hand, and the warmth left. She began to walk around Akanni and said, “There was one early morning when the sun rose to meet you by the lake. You had blood on your hands.”

 

“Blood?” asked Akanni.

“Blood on your hands. You fought a friend of yours and nearly ended her life for selfish reasons.”

“I... I didn’t do anything to her. We had a quarrel, then she forced me to fight her outside. By mistake, I almost stabbed her.”

“It’s not that you were fighting that called me. It’s your prayers that called me.”

“What! I prayed? I... I don’t remember.”

“Ife! Ife! Your prayers brought me here,” the goddess said. She turned and faced the open door, which had been shaken by the ground and was too weak to keep the storm from invading the temple.

“That day, you asked for the day to go dark for your friend and her family. You even cursed the town she lived in and the temple she worshipped.”

Akanni begged. She hadn’t meant those words. But the goddess went on. Tears flowed down Akanni’s cheeks.

“I don’t hear your cry now. But your prayers, I have to answer.”

No words could explain the hopelessness Akanni felt as the goddess leapt into the world outside the temple, leaving her in the middle of the crumbling ruins.

The wrath of the goddess was unleashed on the men and women who hopelessly tried to run for their lives. The air rang with screams of pain that turned the doomed day red, with fire flaring from beneath the ground and blood pouring from the bodies.

On a small hill, the goddess stood, stretching her arms and hands open. She waited for the heavens above to show signs of blue sky again. She retracted her hands and opened her mouth to cast a spell on the earth beneath her and the sky above. Just then, the ground shook, trembling, and a masculine form emerged from the midst of smoke and fire. It was a broad-shouldered man attired in armor of gold, emerald, and brass. He shone with the brilliance of a thousand suns. He had the stature of heroes of old.

Yemoja noticed he was masked from head to toe, but she recognized him.

“Ogun,” she said.

“We have to go. You have to come. There’s no need to do this.”

“It’s my duty. I’m helping Akanni fulfill her wishes.”

“Not everything needs to be fulfilled. Some things should be left as they are—we are waiting for you.”

“These people don’t worship me anymore. They worship strange gods that were imposed on them. I needed to find a way to remind them of how things should be.”

“Fear and calamity are not the way to do that.”

“Yes, they are.”

“Then you are becoming more human than most of us.”

“They were made in our likeness, Ogun. Ask Obatala. He will remind you. You saw how troubled he was, how drunk he was when he made them.”

“Their likeness has nothing to do with the pain you are causing. They are already in bondage to themselves. There’s no need to add more—especially from you. You know better. Elsewhere, you’re known as the helper in fertility. Here, you’re beginning to be known as the helper of evil.”

Yemoja stared. She couldn’t accept what Ogun was saying.

She blurted out, “I am their true mother. I provide this earth with my essence for them to drink and eat, for them to cleanse, for their wombs to bring forth strong children. The air they breathe...”

Ogun interrupted, “They are not yours alone. They belong to Olorun. They live by Oludumare. Olofi is their way to the heavens. I remind you of that.”

“You don’t need to remind me. I’m just as aware as you.”

“Then why do this?”

Yemoja shrugged but did not answer.

“Then I will take Akanni. She will come with me and take your place if you do not stop your actions. I will take her to be with the rest of our kind. It is what Olorun wants us to do.”

“Sacrifice. You have my permission to sacrifice her. She is no longer my devotee, even though she is very devout. Her prayers called me. I came, and since you’ve come, I must leave.”

Yemoja closed her eyes, placed one hand onto her chest, and breathed out. A swirl of dust and wind enveloped her, gradually rising until there was nothing left but the disturbed footprints on the ground where she once stood.

Ogun took out a pouch. He pulled out a snail shell and links of golden chain made of motifs. The golden chain shone so brightly that he could see Akanni motionless, trapped in the fallen rubble. He raced to where she was, dipped his fingers into the white sand in the snail shell, spreading the sand over the rubble. Then he spread his hands, and the rubble parted. Ogun reached in and pulled out the unconscious Akanni. As he stood with her in his arms, a large orb appeared, casting a bright light over them. As the orb hovered, Ogun entered, carrying Akanni, leaving little trace behind them...

 

- KJBeya