The man that watch the stars.
During the full moon in mid-year, around the unfathomable village of a native tribe, leaving it beyond the reach of time and civilization.
An unprecedented incident happened in the history of the village called Alalade. A few stars fell from the sky which wasn't supposed to.
That day was named “ Ojo tin awo Irawo to ja” which means the day that they all watch fallen stars.
That night as the tribe was left in surprise and fear, and with all of them opening their mouths in awe, a cry of a newborn baby, born into this world was also audible.
The mother was a traveller who was passing through to go to the far-fetched village before she went to labor.
Luckily for her, she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and unfortunately for her, she lost her life.
Nobody knew the strange woman's name who gave birth at the entrance of the village square but nobody in the village could forget the name given to the baby boy. “ Aworawo” some translated it as the day to watch stars and others as a man who watches stars which both tally with the name.
Aworawo lived as a street urchin in the village as nobody was ready to take him in.
His birthday signifies that many lights in the sky have fallen so Aworawo was never put to favour in the village.
“ He is bad luck” the villagers will say if he asks for help.
Although, Aworawo was honest and hardworking, nobody looked at his positive traits, they always emphasized his dent, the name tagged on him “ the boy born with bad luck”
Every night, Aworawo would sit on the ground and look straight to the sky, wishing to the stars asking when he would be at peace.
“ These stars are beautiful” he will soliloquize with tears that roll down his cheeks and conclude that the universal is too broad and its ways are mythical.
One morning, everyone in the Alalade Kingdom noticed that Aworawo had left the village and left for good.
Most of the people celebrate by sweeping everywhere saying that bad luck is no more.
Aworawo travelled farther away from Alalade and entered a village known as Wuwo.
“ So far nobody knows me here , it will be easier to live and survive” Aworawo said.
He did any work in Wuwo village so far he could make a living for himself and his situation was better off than in the new village.
But at night, Aworawo did not forget to look at the sky and admire the shining stars that twinkle all along.
He faced the open sky observing the drifting clouds and as darkness settled, the quiet unveiling of the stars never took him by surprise.
No one knew exactly why Aworawo watched stars at first people passed by without much notice but as days passed by turning to weeks, Aworawo became a quiet mystery in the neighborhood, and like all mysteries, people began to fill it with their own meaning with his name Aworawo ( a man who watches stars).
One evening, an old woman who was walking slowly with a basket on her head stopped and looked at him and shook her head gently.
“ Aworawo is speaking to the spirit” she whispered to anyone near who cared to hear.
“ Stars are not just light, they are wish fulfillment, he must be asking for something or forgiveness” she concluded before leaving.
Most times a group of children walking barefoot running around restlessly would giggle as they passed.
“ He is waiting for a star to fall” few would argue and laughed but sometimes they glanced back at him wondering if he knew something that don't because he never fidgeted to their mockery.
The overly ambitious and impatient men in the village would scoff whenever they saw him.
“ Dreamers,” they muttered.
“ Sitting and doing nothing while life moves on. If it is not that Aworawo has mental issues. Who didn't know that stars won't feed him and dreams won't build a future” they said and hissed before leaving.
Aworawo never let people who knew nothing about him discourage him so he took to his ways of life.
Many months later, Aworawo had established himself as a water fetcher in the village and a popular one as well amongst others who fetch water with a gigantic calabash for people's usage.
One day, the king of Wuwo town became ill and died and the seer was called.
“ The next king is the most honest man in the kingdom,” he said.
“ How can we know him?” the chiefs asked.
“ Call all the youths in the village and give them a calabash each to fetch water, keep a pocketful of coins in it, and see who will return it completely” the seer said before leaving.
All the youth were called and were told to fetch water that would be used to bathe the dead king. The coins were kept in the calabash and it was only Aworawo who returned his coins completely. Some did not return anything, while others took some coins. It was at that spot that Aworawo was made the king which was celebrated largely a week later.
Aworawo took a glimpse at the sky and smiled, looking at the stars.
“ My wish has come to pass” he soliloquizes in Joy.