The once-peaceful kingdom of Ibaokuta may be on the verge of doom if nothing drastic is done to salvage the situation. There have already been a number of crises in the kingdom, including cross-border agitation, pocket invasions and famine, and more seem to be on the horizon. One particular crisis that has heralded more crisis is the chaotic state of affairs in the royal household. This was ignited by King Jagungbade's dying wish, which ironically was an attempt at saving the kingdom from impending doom.

The royal rivalry

Unable to shake off the premonition of doom, King Jagungbade sought clarity by looking into the White Calabash of Truth for guidance. Unfortunately, what he saw was too much for him to bear and this revelation triggered a heart attack that sent him to the great beyond. With his dying breath, he instructed Awojide, the Chief Priest to crown his second son, Obafemi king. This didn't go down well with the first son, Sijuade, who believes the throne is rightfully his. The inability to decide who should be king not only tore the palace apart but also brought about several fierce confrontations between both princes. To make matters worse, even if the palace council reaches a consensus on whom to crown the king, this can't happen just yet because of an abomination that rocked the kingdom during the funeral procession for late King Jagungbade.

The abomination

The funeral procession was halted when a young man was found murdered in the Ijimirin River where the late king's body was to be washed. This desecration of the Ijimirin River means the king can't be buried just yet until the culprit responsible for this abomination is caught and punished. This abomination doesn't just halt the crowning of a new king, it brings something much worse. It's been foretold that when a dead king remains unburied, there will be pestilence and death in the Kingdom. Fearing the worst, some people of Ibaokuta decided that their best option was to flee, so they headed to the border.

Watch the abomination

Border agitations

This mass migration soon turned chaotic at the border as the people faced off with the soldiers stationed there. Turns out the soldiers were already dealing with frequent invasions that had heightened the security level and contending with agitated citizens eager to leave made their jobs a whole lot harder. For citizens who decided not to venture to the border, it didn't take too long before they started to witness the pestilence that was foretold.

Famine, drought, and tax

The wells in the kingdom started drying up, and foodstuff became scarce and expensive. As if that wasn't enough, a heavy tax was placed on everyone and the consequences for not paying were dire. The worsening state of the kingdom pushed the people to the wall. Fortunately, it was the walls of the palace where they made their grievances known.

Watch Ibaokuta citizens protest at the palace

Despite this spirited effort to get a clear path to a solution from the leaders, not much has been done yet. The famine is still lingering, the princes are still at war and Ibaokuta still has no head. Although Balogun Ojuade, the king's brother, insisted that he will take charge of the affairs of the kingdom, he hasn't had it easy. First, there was an assassination attempt on his life, then he had to battle another foe that almost had the best of him and now, he has to deal with a rebellious head of the king's guard who has his eyes set on the throne.

As it stands, only more darkness awaits the people of Ibaokuta at the end of the tunnel. Something needs to change soon or just like the king, Ibaokuta will make her way to a sudden end. Find out what becomes of the kingdom of Ibaokuta on Itura showing every weeknight on Africa Magic Showcase at 20:30 PM