Chronicles of My July 12 Trip Challenge: Deji’s Palace Akure

Hi everyone.
Hope you are having a restful holiday like I am?

Like I mentioned on yesterday’s post, I will be taking advantage of the holiday to update on my #12TripChallenge but before I go on to spill the gist on my July trip, I believe it’s necessary to just remind us of the reason why I started the #12TripChallenge for all single ladies.

 
I read a post yesterday on www.takebackyourtemple.com (read the post here)
and it was just a reminder as to the reason why I wanted us single lady to take part in the #12TripChallenge for this year (and even beyond).
A lady commented on that post about how she was so angry at God at her not being married despite the fact that she serves God and obeys Him.
She actually admitted that she had backslidded into committing fornication as a result of being lonely and wanting to fill the void in my heart.
What followed her comment was the site’s author writing her a lovely answer that was the simple truth.
Read the post here 

 

Comments like hers are the reason why I write letters like “dear single lady, do you love your life?” and “are you fully satisfied in Jesus?”

 

I don’t want to repeat what she said as you can read it in the link shared above but my dear single ladies, please and please, get your relationship with God right first of all.
I understand the craving for physical love but dear, no mortal man can satisfy that ache in your soul. Only Jesus can do that. And even when He gives you the man, Jesus still has to be above the man in your heart.
The deal about loneliness is the reason why I wanted us to get involved in traveling, seeing new places and basically getting a life.
Sisters, you can be so full of God and satisfied in Him, you also have a full life, full of joy and not just waiting around for some man to fill you.
Haven’t Jesus paid the price enough for you to know that your life is secure in Him?
He came to give you abundant life – zoe – bursting in joy and strength in Him and that doesn’t depend on you finding a husband – it depends on you finding Jesus and remaining wrapped in Him.
We’d do better to pick up our bags and go on a date with Jesus instead of staying coupled up at home all day crying our eyes out that the man hasn’t arrived.
I dreamt of seeing single ladies just maximizing this gift of single hood that’s been given to us. That’s why I started the 12trip challenge and I hope that we – all of us who made the decision to take part in it have been having an awesome year so far.
You may not be able to send me pictures, but that’s why I chronicle mine for you to see and remind you of your goals and the fact that time’s ticking. Make your life full in Christ. Don’t sit around waiting for a man to fill you up – that can never happen when Jesus hasn’t filled you up first.

Just thought to say that before I go into the main gist of today.

 

So do I hear anyone say “Frances Akure again?”
Yes oh.
I don’t live in Akure, but Ado-Ekiti where I am currently serving is pretty close to it.

So again I was in Akure for some deals – had to go to the National library to get ISBN for my upcoming book. (yes, I’ve been silent on the book but work’s still going on).
So after I finished with the ISBN deal which was a miracle on its own by the way… you ever met someone by getting their number online but still was pushing for your matter like they know you from Adam? That was my experience but let’s leave the testimonies for later.

 

So I decided to google for a place to visit (as always) so I could hit two goals with one tfare (prudent me 🙂
And I decided on visiting the Deji(Oba’s palace) as it was very close to the National library where I went to.
The Oba’s palace is located a few distance from the market (not certain if Akure has just that central market) but it’s pretty easy to locate.
I got there and as usual God just kept one man who was just an angel to me.

The deal with all these traditional stuff though is to be very careful and ask questions so you don’t step on one of their rules.
There were two entrances – one for men and one for women and I almost entered through the one for men. The rebuke I got ehn, had me running and praying for God to see me through safely oh. Na corper I be, I know nobody. Lol.

 
So we got in and the man who’s pretty familiar with the palace started showing me around.
He took me to the old court and the new one.

There was one door that the Oba only enters once in a year and then, in the Oba’s court, there were shrines of the previous Oba’s and also this present one where they sacrifice to their gods.
And then one ground where he said it magically soaks up urine and leaves no smell.

 

We discussed for a bit on the link between the Yoruba’s, Benin’s and then Delta (where I am from) which also cut out from the Benin’s.
I am not certain if I am a culture kind of person… in fact I am not but it was just kind of interesting to get a feel of what makes up different tribes and makes them tick.

 
So we came out of the palace – I came out through the female entrance of course, no one had to correct me this time around..lol.
I was about to leave when he asked if I was in a hurry, that he would have suggested that I stay behind for the Ogun festival… now this was where it got interesting!
I debated going home but my pull and curiosity made me stay behind.
All the while I was thinking “if my dad hears this one, I don enter wahala”.
We heard that the people of Ife were sacrificing human beings for a festival and I just told my heart to be calm that this wasn’t Ife. After all I am a God and Govt pikin and I have told the man so. No one will want to o do rubbish. Hehe.

 
So I sat down and waited for the festival to start.
The man was attached to the Oba’s security so I got to ride in the convoy attached to the Oba.

And it was in the convoy I jejely sat down in and didn’t step a foot out of through out the festival. I was speaking in tongues and keeping in touch with my spirit – in case of incasity. Choi! Silly me.
But seriously though, I pray for enlightenment in hearts.
They sacrificed dogs and foodstuff and all to ogun and mhen, yoruba people can dance!

The place was fulllllll!
And then after the sacrifice people were running to take the foodstuffs. I asked the man why the god didn’t eat them… reminds anyone else of the scene between Elijah and baal prophets. hehe.
Don’t mind me oh, I pick lessons from wherever I go.
All that was running through my head was “we have been delivered and translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light” and I am sooo thankful for that and desire that more people taste of it.

 

After the sacrifice, my palace friend took me through a back road so I could see the Oba on his way back to the palace.
You know I sat in the car all round and didn’t want to come out… like I said, in case of incasity. Loool.
So we took a round about road as the Oba was being carried back to the palace.

I must say that the yoruba’s have a very impressive culture and dance.
You need to see the entire place full with the talking drums and everyone dancing… choi! I don’t think that I will ever forget that day.

I love the fact that even though I didn’t learn how to speak yoruba with my time here, at least I got involved with their culture and have some stories to tell… and chronicles like this to leave behind for some memoirs… would be awesome to re-read them some years from now.
That’s what I see these chronicles as – dropping a sprinkle of this and that here and there 🙂

Anyways it was time to leave…. Awww, I had an awesome time on my visit.

But seriously, I won’t advice anyone to do the same stunts I do – visiting some places alone and taking risks like this.
If you have friends around you, go with them especially when you aren’t sure about the area.
If you are alone like I am sha, then cover yourself with the blood of Jesus, He always works for me ohhhh.

 

So that’s it for today.
My time here in Ekiti will soon be up but I want to try and visit Ikogosi water springs and Erin Ijesha before I leave.
I don’t know when I will be around this part of the world again so let me take advantage of this present time I have right now.
Of course, I will chronicle it all on the blog when it goes down 🙂

 

For now, till my next travelouge,
Love,

Frances.

 
Click here to read gists on all my travels

 

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