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#ClimateStory4Kids: Azizi and the lying elders

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#ClimateStory4Kids: Azizi and the lying elders

Hello kids.

Welcome to #ClimateStory4Kids.

In today’s episode of #ClimateStory4Kids, we’ll tell a story of how a brave young boy, Azizi, helped to unravel a plot and saved his village in the process. We hope you enjoy it.

Far away in Kweku village was an old king.

The king was very old and as such, couldn’t make the long distance to the village square for meetings.

He would send his message through the village elders and receive feedback from the villagers through the elders as well. This had been the norm since the king became frail.

The villagers had been experiencing extreme weather conditions like heat waves which caused drought and sometimes, resulted in wildfires.

This made life difficult for the villagers because it destroyed their crops and livestock. The worst was that the king had not addressed the issue. This made the villagers sad.

How could a king only give decrees but turn deaf ears to the plight of his people? They wondered.

One fateful day, the villagers were summoned for a meeting at the village square by the elders on behalf of the king.

Elder Sefu, the head of the elders, relayed what the king had said and as usual, the king’s message did not address the suffering of the people and plans to help them. Instead, he demanded that the people increase their agricultural output.

How could they achieve that when nature wasn’t cooperating with them?

Azizi, a teenager who was about 14 years old, raised his hand to speak.

Elder Sefu pretended that he didn’t see his hand and moved to dismiss the meeting. He knew Azizi to be brave and clever. He would rather chew sand than let the little brat speak, he thought to himself.

But Azizi was insistent on speaking.

Arms akimbo, Azizi’s voice carried across the villagers as he asked, “Why is the king not making moves to ease the burden we are facing? Does he not care?”

He finished off, puffing his chest to show that he wasn’t the least bit intimidated by the elders who were staring daggers at him.

The villagers began to murmur their agreement with what Azizi had said.

Elder Sefu, shaking in visible anger, pointed a finger at Azizi and shouted “Quiet! How dare you question us?”

He then turned to Azizi’s father where he was standing in the crowd and said, “Control your son and that little tongue of his.”

With that, he stormed out of the gathering, other elders following closely behind.

Azizi chuckled and shook his head. They looked like angry birds.

As the villagers dispersed, Azizi decided to take a walk and enjoy the cool evening breeze. Be began walking towards the bush path that led to the stream.

Maybe he could have a few swims before returning home, he thought to himself as he walked, pinching off the tip-off a lemongrass plant and putting it in his mouth.

Sand crunched under his feet as he walked, the flip flop of his slippers flying in the air. But the sound of his slippers wasn’t the only thing he could hear as he approached a clearing. It sounded like a group of people were discussing in hushed tones.

He slowed his steps, bending down to remove his slippers so he could silently move closer and listen in on the conversation.

Azizi hid behind a tree about a few feet away from the clearing and from where he was, he could see the elders.

Elder Sefu, who was speaking, continued “…we just have to continue. Lying to them and the king is good business for us.

We will continue to take whatever yield they produce and tell the king all is well. We’re going to be very rich.” He laughed evilly, the others joining in like crazed animals.

Azizi became sick to his stomach as realization dawned on him. These old men were conniving and ripping the villagers off despite the hardship and the sad part was that the king wasn’t aware.

Azizi knew he needed to do something fast. He hurried home and relayed his discovery to his father. They devised a plan.

They knew the elders would be going to see the king the following day, so, Azizi’s father planned to go with them on the pretense of giving the king his medication while Azizi assisted. Azizi’s father was the village physician.

The next day, Azizi accompanied his father to the palace and as expected, the elders were there seated and waiting for the king to make his appearance.

Azizi and his father went in to the king’s inner chambers to administer the drugs. They met the king seated and Azizi’s father told him all that had happened.

The king was shocked but he still needed proof. So, Azizi came up with an idea.

The king asked Azizi and his father to sit the elders. He then summoned elder Sefu into his chambers. When the elder came in, he prostrated himself in greeting.

Extending his scepter to him, the king said, “You are my trusted friend. I am glad you’re in my circle.”

Elder Sefu grinned from ear to ear and thanked the king.

The king dismissed him and sent for another of the elders. His name was elder Adia.

When elder Adia met the ruler, the king said, “I trusted you but you failed me. Elder Sefu told me you had been diverting yields for your personal gain.”

Elder Adia looked like a child caught dipping their hand in a cookie jar. Fear gripped him and he began to confess, telling the king that it was elder Sefu’s idea and that the elders were in on it.

With that confession, the king had the evidence he needed.

The elders were banished from the kingdom and Azizi’s father was appointed head of the new group of elders that were constituted.

Efforts were made to construct irrigation systems thanks to the water from the stream. The issue of the drought was addressed and the villagers witnessed an uncommon agricultural boom. Thanks to Azizi.

End of ClimateStory

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