"I'm thinking…the diviners." Obinna said and watched as his words settled over his friends.
Each of them had their own view of the world, their own strengths, and their own interests. He expected them to challenge his decision, and sure enough, they did.
Ekene was the first to speak. "You want to start with the diviners? That is a waste of time. The warriors should be our first step. To stabilise yourself fast enough, strength is what matters. If the Akutala warriors back us, no one will stand in our way."
Obinna sighed, not surprised. "Strength is important, but it is not everything, Ekene. Fear will not hold people together for long. Even if the warriors agree, the elders will not, and the traders will only see an opportunity to profit from conflict. We need something greater."
Ekene scoffed. "Fear holds the villages together more than anything else."
Nnamdi chuckled, crossing his arms. "That is why the warriors will always be controlled by those who can think ahead. Power alone does not build a future."
Ekene shot him a glare, but Nnamdi ignored it, turning to Obinna. "The traders should be our first move. Goods travel faster than warriors, and the one who controls trade holds the true power."
Shooting Ekene a disdainful glance he continued. "If we win over the Ejuona traders, we will guide the markets, and the elders will have no choice but to listen."
Ikenna spoke before Obinna could respond. "Trade is important, but it is also fragile. Markets shift, wealth moves, and those who are with you today will turn against you tomorrow if they see better profits elsewhere." He locked gaze with Nnamdi, voice calm but firm. "The true foundation of any great plan is information. If we want to unite Aku, we need knowledge. The elders, the diviners, the keepers of the old ways—they must be won over first."
Obinna nodded at that, although something told him they each had completely different reasons for thinking of the Diviners first.
Ikenna's words were not necessarily non-inclusive but Obinna wanted to know whether he had dibia level powers.
The Europeans might have made ours sound bad and denouncing it while making theirs sound cool and promoting it, but Chijioke saw them for what they were.
Magic.
Or commonly known in Nigeria and West Africa as a whole…Juju
From Obinna's memories, there were five schools of power in these times.
There was the:
IFUFE – Meaning a mystical force or unseen power.
OGWU – Referring to charms, medicine, or mystical preparations with spiritual potency.
ARỤSỊ (ALỤSỊ) – The spirits or deities that could be invoked for protection, curses, or blessings.
MMANWỤ – Spirit manifestations, often associated with masquerades that carried divine authority.
IKENGA – A personal spirit of strength and achievement, sometimes empowered with charms.
The Europeans speak of magic, of charms, and of spirits that guide men's fates.
They speak of witches, of saints, of relics that hold divine power. Yet, they look upon our ways with suspicion, as if our understanding of the unseen is any different from theirs.
The Ifufe is the Unseen Force, the wind that moves without being seen, the force that guides fate, and the presence that lingers in places of power.
The Europeans might call it providence, fate, or even the divine will of God. Just as they believe in omens and miracles, we know that the world is shaped by things beyond the eye's reach.
The Ogwu is the Power of Charms and Medicine. "Ogwu" is the science and mystery of prepared power. A mixture of roots and blood, of incantations and symbols, turning simple things into tools of strength, protection, or destruction.
The Europeans have their own versions—alchemical potions, holy relics said to heal, and even the consecrated oils used in their rituals.
If they see ogwu as superstition, then they must question their own holy waters and anointing oils.
The Arụsị (Alụsị) are Spirits and Deities that dwell in the forests, rivers, and stones.
Each has its domain, its power, and its price. The Europeans have their saints, beings who once walked as men but now serve as intercessors between heaven and earth.
What is the difference between their Saint Peter, who guards the gates of heaven, and our own Amadioha, who enforces justice?
Both wield divine authority.
The Mmanwụ are the Masked Spirits but Mmanwụ are more than mere masks.
They are the faces of spirits, walking among men. When they dance, they are no longer human, but something beyond.
In Europe, there are mystery plays, where men take the role of gods, angels, and devils, bringing forth unseen truths through theater.
If they can believe that a priest can call upon the Holy Ghost through rituals, why is it strange that our spirits speak through the masked ones?
Ikenga is The Spirit of Strength and Achievement. It is the force within a man that pushes him forward. It is carved into form, kept in shrines, and fed with prayers and sacrifice.
Europeans build statues of their gods and saints, believing they carry divine presence.
They kneel before them, light candles, and offer prayers, just as we honor our Ikenga to grant us success and strength.
Obinna sighed internally, lamenting on the stupidity of his fellow Africans of the time.
He reveled in those Hollywood movies, but he wasn't so stupid as to denounce his ancestors.
Despite all these, he was quite excited to see what powers came with being a dibia.
Maybe he'd get those Teleportation or telekinesis those dibias from Nollywood act but fail to fully portray.
Seeing as Obinna was not speaking, Nnamdi exhaled and tried to persuade him. "You speak of knowledge, but those old men resist change more than anyone. They see visions in the wind and speak in riddles." He shook his head. "The traders, the warriors—these are the ones who actually move Aku forward."
Ekene grunted in agreement. "The dibia may know many things, but their wisdom doesn't feed people, and it won't defend against enemies."
Obinna listened to them go back and forth, absorbing their words. Each of them had a point.
Ekene saw power in the warriors because that was his world. He understood battle, respect through strength, and the way men rallied around those who proved their might.
His approach was direct, decisive—but it also risked alienating those who saw warriors as little more than tools of destruction.
Nnamdi viewed the world through trade. Wealth and prosperity could move mountains without ever drawing a blade.
The promise of profit had brought strangers together long before kings and warriors did.
But trade was fleeting, dependent on opportunity.
Without structure, it was nothing but a shifting tide.
Ikenna saw knowledge as the foundation, typical of an analyst but he wasn't wrong. Information guided power, shaped trade, and determined the rise and fall of leaders.
He was right, without understanding, even the strongest warrior and the richest merchant would be lost.
Obinna closed his eyes briefly, thinking deeper as he set aside his selfish thoughts of having magic immediately.
Then there was his own knowledge, the lingering wisdom of Chijioke that now shaped his mind. He was no longer just Obinna, the warrior, nor was he just a young man with ambition.
He had glimpsed a future the small town of Aku could not yet comprehend.
A world where knowledge shaped nations, where written words, numbers, and ideas became more powerful than any army or marketplace.
His spirit stat was 20. Although he wasn't sure how, he instinctively knew it was higher than most, yet he did not know what that meant in comparison to the true spiritualists.
At that moment he felt it, a whisper nudging him toward diviners.
They understood things no warrior, no merchant, no elder truly grasped.
The Akaibute clans, despite their resistance to change, held the oldest knowledge of the land. If he was to walk this path, he needed to understand the unseen forces shaping it.
His mind settled.
When he opened his eyes, he spoke. "We will begin with the diviners."
Ekene's face twisted in frustration. "You are serious?"
Nnamdi groaned and leaned back, supporting himself with his hand. "Of all the options, you choose the most difficult one?"
Ikenna only nodded, as if he had expected this answer.
Obinna met their gazes. "You all speak of strength, of influence, of knowledge. But tell me, what is the foundation of all three?"
Silence.
He continued, "Warriors fight, but do they understand the land, the stars, the flow of time? Merchants trade, but do they understand the roots of value, the secrets of the soil that grows their wealth? Even strategists, no matter how wise, are blind without knowing what forces shape the world beyond human sight."
Nnamdi exhaled, completely resigned. "You always did have a way with words."
Obinna ignored him and continued. "The diviners are not just men who mumble over bones and flames. They hold knowledge that predates us all. If we are to build something greater, we must first understand what already exists."
"If the Akaibute spiritualists accept me, it will give us credibility. The elders will listen. The warriors will follow. And the traders will see opportunity."
Ekene grumbled but did not argue further.
Nnamdi shrugged. "It is a long road, but you've already died once. I suppose you are not afraid of making things difficult."
Ikenna gave a small nod. "Then we start with the dibia."
Obinna nodded. "Tomorrow, we leave for Umuozala."
They clasped arms, sealing their unspoken pact.
Tomorrow, they would begin.