Page 36 of Choosing the Chief

Maternal

Maya

With a face full of trepidation, Afia opens her mouth to speak.

“Senya…is the son of Kofi and Adom’s father, Chief Kwame Ajyei. Senya is Adom’s brother.”

I look at Afia for a moment and take in what I am hearing. Senya is Kofi and Adom’s brother? On one hand, it makes perfect sense. The three of them interact like brothers. Especially Kofi and Senya. Senya looks as if he is always ready to take a bullet for Kofi. Senya and Adom are not as close, but over the past few weeks, I’ve seen that same instinct in Senya extend toward Adom. I thought he was just doing his job. I had no idea he was protecting another brother. But wait!How does Adom not know about this? Who is Senya’s mother?Surely not Afia!

I reach for the carafe of water that is on the table and pour myself a glass. I drink before I respond. “If Kwame was his father, who is his mother?” I level my eyes at Afia. She shakes her head and squeezes Senya’s hand.

“No, I know what you are wondering. I am not Senya’s mother in the biological sense. But since he was born, I have been his mother in every other sense of the word. Even when nobody else knew it. Let me start from the beginning.” Afia sits up and motions for a glass of water. I pour her one and she drinks. Then she begins to weave her tale.

“By now, you know that Adom and Kofi’s father was what you might call…a rolling stone. Kwame Ajyei was a good king, but a terribly flawed man. He liked women and gambling. His vices consumed him until the death of my dear sister Akosua. He loved her as much as a man like him could. When she committed suicide, he never laid with another woman, as far as I know. But, before her death he laid with any woman that caught his eye.

“Maya, I know you understand West African culture more than most people. So when I tell you that Senya’s mother was an Ewe woman, you understand the heavy implications behind that, don’t you?”

I nod. I wrote an entire paper on the tribal wars between the Ashanti and the Ewe. The two tribes have a long and complicated history. The Ewe people spread across countries into Togo, Nigeria, and even Cameroon. They occupy the Volta region, while the Ashanti occupy the center of Ghana. “Yes, I understand. There has been some bad blood between them in the past. However, some progress has been made in modern times.”

Afia nods. “You are correct. The Ewe started to flood our universities and the town of Kumasi because they are smart and great artisans. In fact, my very best friend at university was Ewe. Her name was Afefa. She was a beautiful and brilliant scientist.” Afia smiles brightly as she remembers her friend. However, her eyes betray the sadness she also feels.

“I made the mistake one day of bringing Afefa home with me. When I took her to meet my sister, she caught the eye of Kwame. By this time Kwame and I were having an affair, but he wanted her in his bed also. He seduced her. For two years she was in and out of his bed. I shunned her because I was jealous. I, a mistress myself, thought I had some right to him. I did not speak to Afefa at all the entire time she was with Kwame. Then one day she came to me. She was pregnant, and Kwame wanted her to abort the child. She refused and he continued to demand. She knew with his level of power and influence, she nor her baby was safe. She asked me to help, and I did.

“My mother’s people are from Aboso, and many of them still live in the bush. I took her to an auntie’s house where she hid away and gave birth to Senya.”

I pour her another glass of water. Then I look at Senya. He is looking at Afia like she might break. I never noticed his affection for her before. I bet Adom never noticed either. “This makes so much sense to me now. I always wondered how an Ewe managed to get so close to the Asantehene. Senya nods and smiles. Afia continues.

“Yes, Afefa and I did that for two reasons. We never wanted Kwame to know that she had his son within his kingdom. We also wanted to pay tribute to her tribe. I’m glad we did, because six months after his birth, she died from a snake bite that caused a fever she could not shake. Senya’s name is all we have left of her.” Afia’s tears start to flow freely. “After she died, I asked my auntie to raise Senya in the bush until he came of a proper age to serve in the royal household. I wanted him to be near his father, brother, and me. When he turned nine, I told him the story of his birth. I told him who his real parents were, and that he must never tell a soul, but that he should know that royal blood flows through his veins. I dirtied him up and dropped him off at the palace kitchen steps where Akua found him. The rest is Senya’s history to tell.”

Senya clears his throat and releases Afia’s hand. “When my father died, I immediately told Kofi who I was. He was king and he needed to know. I also did not want the secret to somehow slip out and he be caught unaware. He cried and cursed me for not telling him earlier. We were already brothers before I told him, so knowing we were blood deepened the bond. We swore to not tell anyone else. We told Akua, because she is like a mother to both of us, and for a long time, the only ones that knew were Afia, me, Kofi, and Akua. When I saw Abena at the Akwasidae ball last year, she told me of her father’s plan to hold Kofi to the contract and how she had no intention to comply. I could not tell Kofi; he would have wanted to know why Abena felt comfortable enough to tell me such a thing. I did not want him to know that Abena and I have been close for years since he hates the Owusus so much.

“Abena is a prisoner of her beauty and single status—she needs to marry before her father marries her off. But she must marry someone of royal blood for her father to approve. I am tired of living in the shadows; I want to take my rightful place as a prince to the Ashanti kingdom and a proper foreign minister.

“I knew the old man, Yao Asante, was dying, and that only Adom could be chief. My hope was that Adom would renounce his right to be prince and allow me that title. In our culture, only two sons hold royal stature because the king, like our father, often fathers many children. Also, every king needs a true second for succession until he has a son. If I am deemed the prince, Abena and I can marry.”

“Senya!”I hear a booming voice yell. I look toward the sound and see Kofi barreling toward the table. He must have slipped in. “Are you mad?You plan on telling Adom that he is our brother because you are sleeping with Abena?Have you lost your mind?He will never forgive us for keeping it from him. In addition, he will never agree out of spite for me and you. Did you ever take into account who our brother is?He is not a reasonable man.”

I stand up and slap the table. “Enough! You will not disrespect Adom. If you think that Adom doesn’t understand love and duty, then you don’t know him very well at all. He hates being lied to, but he is not unreasonable.”

Kofi sighs and shakes his head. “I am sorry, Maya, you are right; that was out of line. The fact of the matter is, we just got to a point that Adom and I act like brothers and trust each other. This could rip that delicate balance apart. And for what? Are you telling me you are in love with Abena?” Senya looks at Abena and smiles. Her body shifts in reaction to his attention. There is something definitely going on between those two. But something feels off.Is it really love? Senya answers. “Yes, and I intend to marry her before her father takes her away from me. She will not be forced to marry a random man her father chooses. I refuse to let that happen.”

Kofi nods. “Well, who is going to tell Adom? I am not doing it. I have not even told Ella, because I know she would never keep it from him. I would advise whoever does it to step lightly and to not do it today.”

Senya huffs. “Why not today? Time is of the essence.”

Kofi glares at him. “You are allowing love to make you a fool.Today is his bloody installation!Do you think it is wise to drop a bomb like this on him during one of the most important moments of his life? Have you planned for the backlash? Even if he were to agree, I know Adom. It will take him time to get over his anger. Finally, I need to prepare. Senya, you of all people know that the people and the council will not just take this information in stride. People know you as Ewe and tolerate you because we are close. Your name served as good cover and we never challenged the idea. So how do you think they will take it when we assert that you are Ashanti? And not only Ashanti, but royalty on top of that?! If this is not communicated delicately…Wahala!They will think we are trying to sit an Ewe on the throne! If the two of you really want this, I need your head in the game. Am I clear?”

Oh shit! Kofi went full king on his ass.I speak up to diffuse the situation before Senya can respond. “Kofi, I think the reason everyone was so keen on telling me this is because they think I should break the news to Adom. They think he will take it best from me.”

Kofi walks over and takes my hand. “Yes, he loves you. On the other hand, ae you really willing to risk the peace in your home for these two? You know better than I do that Adom will not be an easy man to live with once all of this surfaces. He has long felt that his family mistreats him. This will only reinforce those negative thoughts. You will be the only one he allows around him. You will feel the brunt of his lashing out and vengeance. Can you handle that?”

I smirk. “You leave Chief Annan to me. As forthese two…” I point between Senya and Abena. “Senya has protected and taken care of you and Adom for years. Abena has been oppressed by her father for just as long. If there is anything I can do to relive her oppression and keep that silly smile permanently on Senya’s face, I will do it. Just leave it to me. I just need a couple days. I’ll approach him with your ask and all the…accompanying context.”

I look around the table and see that Afia and Abena are crying. Afia is relieved that Senya will get what he needs. I also think she is relieved that she does not have to face off with Adom about any of it.At least, not right away.Abena is crying because she can see her freedom drawing near. Kofi looks skeptical and Senya looks hopeful. I stand and push my chair in; it is time to get back to the man who is at the center of the many futures sitting around this table.

“Come, let’s go and finish installing Tafo’s new chief. Leave everything else to me.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

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