Die and Let Live

DIE AND LET LIVE
a novel by
Babatunde Faniyan

A remarkable novel, Die and Let Live is a
thought-provoking story of high-stake
conspiracy and betrayal of a sacred trust, a
betrayal that sets in motion a rollercoaster of
tragic events and crises that make the novel
truly unputdownable . . . a great page turner.

– Adekunle Yusuf, Assistant Editor,
TELL Magazine.

DIE AND LET LIVE
[On The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Jacaranda Prize
Shortlist, 1989.]

Baal Hamon Publishers
Akure London New York
© Babatunde Faniyan, 1988, 2013.
All rights reserved. The rights of Babatunde Faniyan to be identified as the author of this book
has been fully asserted. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any way by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy,
recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder except as
provided by the Nigeria and International copyright laws.
For permissions, please contact the publisher.
International Correspondence:
Baal Hamon,
27 Old Gloucester Street, London,
WC1N 3AX,
England.
www.baalhamonpublishers.com
publishers@baalhamon.com
ISBN-10: 9 7 8 – 4 9 5 6 5 6 – X
ISBN-13: 9 7 8 – 9 7 8 – 4 9 5 6 5 6 – 7
This is a work of fiction. Any similarities between the characters and stories portrayed in the book are
accidental.
First published in 1988 by Project Publications Limited, Lagos,
Nigeria. All rights reserved by the author.

Publisher’s Note
Die and Let Live is an excellent work of literary art that depicts the
rich cultural heritage of the beliefs of an African people – the
Yoruba. The author’s writing style is fluid and mature, and leads
the reader on throughout the plot of the story.
This is one of the rare, non-specialized (general market) works
published by our imprint – Baal Hamon Publishers.
Baal Hamon Publishers specializes in the distinct Christian
literature market. However, we occasionally publish books outside
of this specialized range. Non-specialized books published by Baal
Hamon Publishers are intended to provide an access point for the
general reader to be introduced to the imprint and thus gain
interest in our specialized Christian book list some of which are
featured on the back pages of this book.

The present book, Die and Let Live – a captivating work of
historical fiction and cultural heritage – provides an unpretentious
insight into the traditional beliefs of the Yoruba people. The conflict
between Good and Evil, and more precisely, the definitions of what
constitutes Good or Evil, and sacred or divine, as well as attributes
and the will of the Almighty God, cannot be perfectly translated
between one culture and another. Baal Hamon Publishers therefore
notes that there may be variance between what may be
categorically defined as biblical Christianity, as well as the biblical
concepts of Good and Evil, and what the historical fictional
characters in the present work appear to have believed and
practised.
In publishing Die and Let Live, our goal is not to endorse magic, or
to indicate that Christians should entwine biblical Christian beliefs
with the non-biblcal beliefs and practices of any culture. The reader
must understand that the book is essentially a work of historical
FICTION and cultural heritage; and that what the imagined
historical characters practiced or believed do not necessarily
represent the beliefs of Baal Hamon Publishers.

Die And Let Live

Creation–physical and Celestial gift
Natural paradise of Contentment
The Sun–burning ball to thaw the chill
The Wind–blowing for all, the breath of life
The productive earth, the receptive senses
Questions arising . . .Answers resolving . . .
A buoyant and all-pervading hope –
Of living

Living! But what is thy essence?
When the Sun thaws not the chill
When the Wind blows the breath of death
The earth quenches not the hunger and thirst
Of earthlings
Life–booming only for Self-centered super-humans
Strengthening and soothing villains
Who bedevil the living of Innocent earthlings
And re-kindles their hopes
Of dying

Dying? – But No!
Let the Innocents rise with Might and Mind
To press the villains to release for all
The opportunities bestowed in Creation
And move the self-crowned Superhumans
To ease off the oppression of the Innocents
If not, then let the Innocents curse and cry:
Die, villains!
Die, And Let Live.
© Babatunde Faniyan
Again I saw all the oppressions that
are practiced under the sun. And behold,
the tears of the oppressed, and they had
no one to comfort them!
On the side of their oppressors there
was power, and there was no one to
comfort them.
And I thought the dead who are
already dead more fortunate than the
living who are still alive; but better than
both is he who has not yet been, and has
not seen the evil deeds that are done
under the sun.
– Ecclesiastes 4:1-3. -THE HOLY BIBLE,
RSV

Dedication
To:
Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAM, SAN
{Senior Advocate of the Masses -SAM-; Senior Advocate
of Nigeria-SAN-} ;
Progressive crusader per excellence,
public defender of the hoi polloi; selfless fighter for the
rights and welfare of the downtrodden masses; lawyer
and advocate of incomparable diction and brilliance.
*** *** ***
Synopsis
* Two Communities…
…of people who had been perpetually brainwashed to tear at each others’ throats. They had been abused and sacrificed like dogs by leaders whose ambition was to dominate rather than to integrate…
Who will set these people free?
* Two Forces…
…Good versus Evil – on the ground and in the realms below and above – maneuver on to a high-velocity collision course. One force must give – and be destroyed, and the Evil force boasts intimidating powers…
Who can defeat this force?
* Two Lovers…
…from the hostile communities, two vibrant youths welded together by a super-physical love. With bare hands but strong spirits, they contend with imminent death on one hand, and on the other hand, spearhead a monumental putsch to free the people and the land from the grip of the Evil Force…
Can they make it?
* One Climax…
…a shattering earth-shaking, bitter-sweet climax with few victors, many vanquished
********** ***********
DIE AND LET LIVE
– Excerpts straight from the book
*** At last, Oba Oyewale spoke, “It is prayer, not power that solves human problems – especially in a critical situation such as we now find ourselves. The fate of this generation of our people and indeed future generations depend on our decisions and actions…We shall not go to war at this stage.”………….Page 14
***** *****
*** Three months after the crucial Iba Council meeting, the people of Owode woke up one morning and started hearing conflicting but shocking rumours about Oba Oyewale….Some others even said he died. ………………………. P. 15
***** *****
*** Something happened that night. A spark was generated within Gbenga, igniting an interest in Lola’s personality. Gbenga suddenly seemed to be seeing her for the first time…He seemed to see beyond Lola’s flesh at a glowing personality – a rare gem.
……………………………………….P.34
***** *****
*** Now Gbenga could see a thin film of moisture in Lola’s eyes. He smiled and blew lightly at her face to make her blink her eyes…They embraced, first hesitatingly as if to test whether the phenomenon was real…It was real. The aura fused again. The messages passed through flesh, blood and bone. The souls overlapped. …………………P.59
***** *****
*** Ogunpona suddenly sprang to his feet as if stung by a bee. “Not me, Ogunpona!” He shouted to the empty room…”I, The spiritual head and chief priest of Owode, and very soon, of Apata Municipality …the conqueror who drinks palm wine from the skull of his enemies…They said they wanted to kill Ogunpona, they sent sickness, sickness came and rhymed with Ogunpona’s body…they sent death, but death befriended Ogunpona.”… Ogunpona’s mind flashed back to Lola. “Never!” he cried in an agonizing wail…. “Come what may, and all consequences be damned. She must not be allowed to bring abomination to my life and the land. Never! Not while I still stand on my feet” ………………P.69
***** *****
*** Tony paused long enough to see Isaac twitching spasmodically on the bloody bed of sparse grassy ground- in the throes of death. And as the two assailants reached Isaac, Tony flinched and turned away as one of them raised his matchet. The dull sounds of the matchet on Isaac’s body seemed to ache in Tony’s head…“You filthy murderers!” Tony shouted. “You will get your reward for this. As the Good God lives. You will pay for this! All of you!” He ran. ………………………P. 83
***** *****
*** “This is the Isoko disease.” Oba Oyewale also confirmed after examining Gbenga. “There is no doubt about it,” Oladapo said again in a mournful voice…This one takes a more elaborate process to put on and it is only a few very advanced men like Ogunpona who were capable of fixing this type;”…The shivering can be cured, but nothing can stop the coldness of the feet …In three days time, when it gets there and when the scarlet colouring also reached his face, Gbenga will die. …………………..P. 113
***** *****
*** When everyone had dispersed, Maria sneaked back to Chief Priest Fadahunsi’s quarters…She had not the least hesitation in her mind, about her decision…“Good father,” she told Fadahunsi, “I will go and destroy the Osofo shrine. . . Tears welled up in her eyes again. But they were not tears of fear any more. …………………….P. 118
***** *****
*** Maria took her daughter’s hand, put it in Gbenga’s and then with great effort, she clasped the two hands with her own. Gbenga’s parents, deeply moved, added their hands to the bonded hands. “I approve your marriage” Maria said faintly, and may the Good God always be with you”. . . “ Have no fear, my daughter. Always maintain a clean heart” Maria died at sundown. ………………..P.126
***** *****
*** Gbenga increased the pressure. “Don’t allow my seed in you to see and feel your tears. We don’t want to teach her how to cry, do we? Gbenga had already made up his mind and was praying to God to make their first child a girl. “Her names will be Maria Yetunde Adebayo” he said. “She will be the reincarnation of Maria who died so that her daughter, Lola, Lola’s soul mate, Gbenga and the entire Apata metropolis might live.” ………..P.130
***** *****
*** “Yes,” Lola concurred as she put her hands on his shoulders. “My mother, up there, among the angels. There’s joy in heaven!” It was like a toast to a new born-again life, newly created for them. Gbenga’s soul drafted a response to the toast and sent it out through his mouth: “And with you and I here on earth and God’s perpetual presence, there’s joy on earth!” ………………….P. 132
ENDS