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Blood of the Kingdoms-Prologue

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Blood of the Kingdoms-Prologue

Eastern Nigeria 1652. The Kingdom of Nri (Heyday of the Nri hegemony)

This was where she belonged. Amongst the markets and people haggling how many cowrie shells were needed to purchase various amounts of meat. Walking past a shopkeeper, the bangles on her arms clinking together as she walked the streets Igbo smiled and waved to her citizens. The dust in the air did not disturb her proud expression as she saw tourists and learned men come. Her large headress, ballooned of air, and wrapped around her head many times did not sway in the harmattan breeze. Her robes caught the sand on the pavements but she did not notice for she was pleased with herself. The muslim countries had likened her capital and her kingdom to Mecca and the Oyibo countries (white-people countries) had likened her city to Rome. It may not have the gleaming towers or spires for that was not the way her people designed their buildings, why go for height when you can go for length. Her ports were large and willing to trade and you never saw a gun or a sword, why would she need to. She barely fought wars, she bought her enemies. She schemed, she plotted and used her silver tongue to make the other kingdoms economically dependent on her. They would never dare attack her for they would lose all their money and no kingdom can last without money.

Though she hated it when people called her old, for she remembered when she was little in the 900s but she flourished she was strong. She was Igbo, the center of the African world, friend to the other Kingdoms, even to Mandinka, weakened from the loss of his once great empire in 1600 and Yoruba, touting his Oyo Kingdom whilst Hausa and Fulani agreed not to make their usual trouble. Life was great and the Oyibo brought great things with their ships. Walking to the docks she found herself standing with the current ruler, Eze Nri Agu. And to her surprise 'Hausa the younger' himself was there. Once again dressed like the Sultans he was so fond of.

Coming close to the old man she noticed him staring at a flag she had never seen before. The ship was clearly European, but she did not spy the Portuguese flag flying over the top of the mast. Clearly this was someone new. Out of the ship came out Yoruba himself, dressed in the manner that the Europeans garbed themselves strangely. His clothes did not go well with the slashes that marred his cheeks many centuries ago.

The man at the top of the ship looked odd for his hair was golden and was sitting down on a chair, dressed in petticoats and a hat with feathers atop it. His years looked as if they had seen things over centuries. This man was clearly a country ancient, older than her. As Yoruba finished his final step on the platform with his strange yellow-haired companion Igbo turned to him.

"Yoruba who have you brought to us. I was not aware that other Oyibos than Portugal would come up the river. Who is this country?" she barked, shaking the bangles in her arms whilst Hausa looked on in curiosity, wearing the robes of a Sultan.

"He comes from above Portugal. I met him in 1553 and we have been trading ever since but he wished to know more about the other kingdoms that were around beside me. Since you Igbo have no quarrel with anyone I thought it best to show him to you and I know that whilst Hausa is in your land he will behave." Yoruba said with a mischievous grin

Hausa bristled, his right hand resting on the scimitar given to him by Egypt sheathed at his hip. The Yellow-haired man whispered something in Yoruba's ear, prompting him to cough with embarrassment.

"Very well." Yoruba muttered before increasing the volume of his voice, "His name...is England and he is part of an Empire that covers many countries known as the British Empire. He says he wishes to open trade negotiations with us.


Lagos, Nigeria 1911

Broken, they three had been broken. Igbo felt helpless as she signed the document, noting the English sloops with their cannons off the coast of the river. The current Eze Nri, Obalike was crying as he signed his part. Her proud religion, her shining capital city that had stood for nearly a millennium was in ruins. Near her Hausa the Younger waved goodbye to his older brother who was being dragged off by France. Yoruba bowed his head and signed his part of the document and once all three had signed, with the lesser kingdoms like Fulani in small print England smiled as he rolled up the document.

"Looks, like everything is in order." He said, "That was 865,000 pounds well spent I say. I should thank Sir Goldie for this investment." Hmm should take a few years to set everything up properly but I assure you, the three, or rather four if you wish to include Fulani will be able to set your differences aside and live well together. Don't look so down all of you, the borders shall be drawn."

As England said that he glanced at Prussia and Germany scoffing at him whilst France disappeared. Germany and Prussia made him feel very uneasy, he did not like having to secretly make an alliance with France but what could he do. He certainly could not let the likes of them have all this rich territory. How smart he felt, convincing France to take the Saharan area and call it Niger, but he would have a better name for this new land of his. He would show his might, that he could take as many African Kingdoms as France could. What to name it, with an idea in his head he whirled around looking at Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba.

"From this day onward, you three live together in a new country, it shall be called...NIGERIA."
1915>[link]
1916 part 1>[link]
1916 part 2>[link]
1917 part 1>[link]
1917 part 2>[link]
1917 part 3>[link]
1918 part 1>[link]


Some things to explain to get the context.

I say Hausa the Younger and Hausa the elder because during the colonial period the Hausa were split between Niger and Nigeria much like Italy was. Since the future stories will not feature the other Hausa as much, this will be one of the few times he will be called the Younger.

The Nri Kingdom was an Igbo Kingdom that ran from 948-1911. It was a rich egalitarian society that instead of using military force, used economics to expand its reach. In its height between the 1400s-1679 it was the center of learning and trade in the West African world and the Europeans respected all the Kingdoms, calling them noble people. It was also one of the few kingdoms in Africa that abolished slavery from the beginning.

The Oyo Kingdom was a Yoruba Kingdom that started in the 1400s and ended in the 1900s due to colonialism. It was a more military power but was great in culture to but respected the Nri enough to not attack.

Mandinka is one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa and once had a great empire that originated in Mali, it stretched from Morocco to upper western Nigeria but collapsed in on itself in 1600 and it had arose in 1200. The Mandinka then retreated to Mali where they shared the land with the Tuaregs and other tribes.

At this time period Islam was running rampant throughout Africa with many Portuguese, Spanish and English missionaries trying to stamp it out. The Hausa kingdom at this time was very powerful but espoused the idea of tolerance to all others and it saw no reason to attack either Yoruba or Igbo.

The Fulani are another large group but they are spread all over Africa very thinly so it is hard to give them a proper country context other than there being a lot of Fulani siblings.

On January 1 1900 Sir George Taubman Goldie, then governor of the Royal Niger Company which by then owned Yoruba and Hausa but not Igbo sold all of the deeds to the British Government for 865,000 pounds. This was as a result of France and Prussia/Germany expanding their own colonization efforts aggressively and all three Kingdoms had very rich land. Once it was sold England defeated Igbo with two methods, conversion to Christianity, and military force. Though by that time the Nri Kingdom knew how to make guns, cannons and sloops thanks to the knowledge of trading with other Europeans over the years, they could not withstand the British and they had been on the decline since 1679 so they were broken easily. Nigeria was started in 1911 when the current Eze of the Igbo signed away the land and three years later in 1914 Nigeria's borders were drawn up.

Unlike the 1600s, the 1900s would see a lot of tension as by the 1800s these three had come to dislike each other greatly.

Also the Igbo are in the Southeast of Nigeria, the Yoruba in the southwest and the Hausa in the North.

This is my first time writing a tale like this so I hope it is nicely received.
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Dear Ikechi,
Greetings to you! :) I wish to use this opportunity to thank you for the brilliant work you've done with your 'Blood of the Kingdoms' Hetalia series.

I was blown away by your narrative skills and the depiction of the story of the people of Nigeria... our people.

I spent the past 2 days reading everything from the individual narratives of the tribes as well as the story itself from Prologue to 1918 part 1.

Have you done any more since then?

My family and I plan on setting up a Movie/Music production company soon, and I think it would be brilliant to make a cartoon series based on your Hetalia story. I feel that such Afrocentric cartoons/movies are vital to helping our people remember who they are as opposed to what they've been reduced to thinking of themselves thanks to the stranglehold of White Supremacy.

Your work reminds me of two other Afrocentric cartoons that I am fond of; Kirikou and the Black Panther series.

By the way, since you and I are Igbo and having read through your very detailed work, I would like to share vital info about the history of our people that perhaps you might not yet have come across.

Did you know that Igboland, has been identified as the actual 'Garden of Eden'... home to the Tree of Life aka the 'Palm Tree' from which Palm wine the Elixir of Life flows?

There's so much being unearthed at this time about our homeland, thanks to the work of our very own scholar Prof. Catherine Acholonu. You should make out time to acquaint yourself with her myth-shattering research/work. Visit her official website for the CATHERINE ACHOLONU RESEARCH CENTER; www.carcafriculture.org/

There you can access/download and read her free articles and even go further to purchase and read her award-winning books that reveal the true origins of Huemanity... not only did civilization begin in Igboland, but the Igbo language is the Mother Language of virtually every other language spoken today.

This info would make an interesting addition to your Hetalia story series. ;)

I would like for us to discuss further. Please connect with me via Facebook where I am more active. My contact information is shown below for your reference.

Once again, thank you. Until I hear from you, please take care of you and yours and remain Blessed.

Nwanne gi Nwoke (Your Brother),
Prince Obioha - The Heart of the People...
For: ANUBYA - Fortress of ANU... Temple of MAMI... Kingdom of the SUN.
www.facebook.com/PrinceGeorgeM…
www.facebook.com/ANUBYA