The Song of Mawu. Jeff Edwards

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      ‘How did this come about?’

      Daniel Zibu spoke about current matters and confirmed what Sam and Bree had already told them. ‘The regional Governors are told how much they must collect in taxes for the central government office in Lobacra. Anything over and above that amount is for the Governor to keep. Not only is it supposed to be used to run the province but to repair and maintain the infrastructure. Lattua increases the sum to be raised each year leaving less and less for the Governors to do their work. More often than not the Governors simply give up and keep the excess funds without doing any of the necessary work. Then the infrastructure breaks down and the people find it more and more difficult to earn their living and pay their taxes. Then the Governors have to press harder to get the taxes necessary to pay Lattua. It keeps going around and around, year after year, getting steadily worse as time goes on.’

      ‘The crash is not far off?’ asked Brian.

      ‘My father certainly thought so, yes.’

      ‘And that’s why he tried to set up an opposition party?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘What happened?’

      ‘They were betrayed. Probably from within and probably for money, I don’t think there was only one traitor because several of his former allies now hold positions of power in the country.’

      Rod Taylor interjected, ‘I’d like a list of those people if possible Dr Zibu,’ and Daniel Zibu nodded in his direction, ‘I’ll give you what I can remember when we’re finished here.’

      ‘What happened to your father?’

      ‘After killing my entire family and all my father’s associates, he let my father go free but refused to allow him to leave the country. Namola is to be his prison until the day he dies. I don’t know where he is at present. He could be anywhere. They thought I had been killed with the rest of my family and my life would be at risk if I returned or tried to contact him. The last I was told he was doing a menial job somewhere in the countryside. I’m told that Lattua keeps a very close eye on him to make sure that no one offers him any means of support. Lattua wants him alive as an example to others.’

      ‘And that’s why you can’t return and practice in Namola?’

      ‘I would dearly love to return home and help my people, but there is no way that I can. Some day I hope to help him escape, but that will take a great deal of money and planning.’

      ‘So you’re stuck in England?’

      ‘Yes, but Namola is still my home. I will return some day.’

      ‘What does your wife think about that?’ asked Justine.

      Lana and Suzie smirked at the girl’s obvious question, causing their husbands to look in their direction.

      Oblivious to the joke Daniel Zibu replied candidly, ‘There is no Mrs Zibu I’m afraid. There seems to be a shortage of eligible Namolan women even in such a cosmopolitan city as London.’

      His answer brought a bright smile to Justine’s lips and a pair of further smirks from Lana and Suzie.

      ‘We seem to be getting off the track here,’ commented Brian Reynolds dryly. ‘I’m the one who is supposed to be doing the interview,’ and he resumed his questions, ‘Now then Dr Zibu, if we could locate your father, would he be willing to speak to us?’

      ‘As I said before, Lattua keeps a close watch on him. If you were able to find him and talk to him, it would have to be in the most circumspect way.’

      ‘I think we have the right person in Namola at the moment to do that.’

      ‘He’d have to be extremely vigilant.’

      ‘Oh I’m sure he will be,’ Brian consulted a list of questions that had been handed to him. ‘One of our people would like to know how the regional Governors are selected, and if they can they choose which province they are sent to govern?’

      ‘Money,’ replied Daniel, ‘It all comes down to money. You pay Lattua the current price and he will award you with a province. Pay enough money and you may even be able to select the province you want.’

      ‘How does he enforce the collection of taxes?’

      ‘Through the army. General Thomas Lattua is always ready to jump to his brother’s call to arms. As it becomes harder and harder for the people to meet their tax burden then increasingly it has to be done at the end of a rifle.’

      ‘So, if we attempt to outsmart one Lattua, we also need to outsmart the other.’

      ‘Absolutely!’

      Brian turned to the next question and his brow knotted when he read it. Obviously it had come from one of the new recruits and one from the anthropological realms of university. ‘Could you tell us how important the ancient legends are to your average Namolan?’ he asked.

      Daniel Zibu gave a short laugh. ‘Like all educated Namolans I was also brought up on the stories of the ancient past. As children we are taught the stories of the gods and how they created the world in which we now live. The stories are important for many reasons. They teach us what to grow, when to plant, and how to best care for our stock. All vital to the well being of the country and it’s continued sustainable use.’

      ‘However,’ he continued. ‘If you ask an educated Namolan he will tell you that he is far too educated to believe in the ancient mysteries. Science has replaced the old legands but if you attempted to go against the old teachings you would soon find invisible barriers placed in your path. As long as modern science and ancient stories travel the same path, no such barriers appear.’

      ‘That is how the modern well-educated Namolan thinks. For the less educated, the old ways are the only ways. For them modern science has brought many wonders but only because the ancient gods have allowed it to be so.’

      Brian asked, ‘So, no matter how educated the person, and how much they claim to be of a modern, scientific mind there will always be a part of them in which superstition lingers?’

      In answer to the question Daniel loosened his tie and undid his shirt top. Reaching inside he pulled out a length of leather that hung around his neck and into which several small brightly coloured feathers had been inserted. ‘This was a gift from my mother to keep me safe, feathers from a hen to her chick.’

      ‘You don’t feel embarrassed to be wearing it?’ asked Brian.

      ‘Do you feel embarrassed when someone throws spilt salt over their shoulder, or a famous footballer insists on placing his right sock and boot on before his left, or the rather strange delight in finding a four-leafed clover? At least our superstitions have a practical purpose.’

      Brian laughed, ‘I see your point. I’ll move on to my next question. What is the relationship between Lattua and the international mining companies in Namola?’

      ‘I haven’t any recent knowledge but they used to regard him like the rest of the world did. A despot, but one who could appreciate the efforts they were putting into the development of his country. They regard him as a money hungry dictator who’s no worse than several СКАЧАТЬ