ATIKU,THE SON OF ABUBAKAR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

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IF THE BIBLE WERE TO BE WRITTEN IN OUR TIME, THE STORY OF ATIKU COULD HAVE BEEN THUS*

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRIALS OF ATIKU THE SON OF ABUBAKAR

1. In the seventh year that king Obasanjo reigned over the kingdom, a great trouble broke out in the land. For when his time was come nigh that he may descend from the throne that he called unto himself noble men in the land.

2. And he declared unto them saying: "Now that my days on the throne are few, allow me therefore to rule over thee for another four years".

3. And he gathered together of them that maketh laws in the Red Chamber in the city of the king, and even unto they in the Green Chamber, that they may amend the books of the law to favour him.

4. But this thing grieved Atiku the son of Abubakar who was the king's deputy. And he said unto his master, "howbeit seekest thou to rule over the people for another term?  sweareth not thou by the name of thy god to set me upon the throne after thee?

5. Practice thou not this great evil against me and against the kingdom for it is written in the books of the law that a king may not reign but for two terms which equal eight years''. But these words changeth not the heart of the king.

6. And Atiku conspired with the Governors of the provinces and of the men who maketh laws in the city of the great king and they rejected king Obasanjo that he may continually reign over the kingdom.

7. And the king was wrought with grave anger and he declared according to these words to Atiku  the son of Abubakar saying, "because thou hath done this great evil unto me, thou shall no longer sit upon the throne of this kingdom even unto thy death".

8. When the son of Abubakar saw that the king favoureth him not, that he departed from the camp of the king by the name PDP, and pitched his tent in the camp of the king's adversaries by the name ACN that he may contend the throne of the kingdom.

9.  And it came to pass that Governor Yaradua who ruleth over the province of Katsina found favour in the sight of king Obasanjo. And when the time was come for the appointment of the king that he defeated Atiku and was appointed and anointed king over the kingdom. And king Yaradua ruleth the kingdom with the fear of God. But his days as king was full of affliction.

10. And when king Yaradua gave up the ghost that Goodluck the son of Jonathan who siteth by his side as the deputy reigned after him. But when the time was come nigh that the son of Jonathan be appointed again that Atiku departed from the camp of the king's adversaries and entered into the king's camp that he may be appointed.

11 . But the son of Jonathan defeated Atiku again for he spake according to these words unto the people, "I feel thy pains brethren for I was once like thee. I wore no sandals on the soul of my feet in the years of my youth when seeketh I knowledge, for my parents were of little means". And the people loved him and appointed him.

12. And the host of the other camps were vexed with a great vexation. For sixteen years they made battle against the king's camp and hath not prevailed against it.

13. And a certain noble man by the name Audu the son of Ogbe declared unto the leaders of the camps that contended the throne with the king's camp saying: "howbeit thinkest thou in thy heart to prevail against the king's camp if comest thou not together as one?

14. Harken to my voice this day, come let us reason together that we may enlarge our coast  and verily, verily I say unto thee, the throne of the kingdom shall be delivered into our hands.

15. Of the camps that came together that day to form the APC were ACN from the west, ANPP from the North and a part of APGA from the East of the kingdom. Even the unhappy in the camp of PDP crossed over into the camp too.

16. And Atiku the son of Abubakar departed again from the king's camp by the name PDP and entered into the camp of the king's adversaries that he may contend the throne.

17. But Mohammed the son of Buhari was favoured among them that seeketh the throne from the camp of the APC for he swore unto the leaders of the camp saying, "Behold brethren, I am full of age and my eyes are becoming dim, suffer me to ascend unto the throne for I shall only reign for four years". And Buhari was anointed king over the kingdom.

18. And it troubled the son of Abubakar in his heart that he was rejected as king again. But he saith in his heart, I shall be of long suffering and remain in this camp for I shall ascend unto the throne after the fourth year of king Buhari.

19. But it came to pass that as the end of the fourth year of king Buhari's reign was at hand that the advisers in the king's court said unto him, be of good courage, gird thy loins and present thyself to be appointed again to reign over the kingdom for another four years.

20. And when Atiku heard of these words that he was vexed with anger and he repenteth that he joined the APC.

21. And he said, "I shall arise and go back to PDP which is the camp of my youth. And I shall declare unto them, “I have sinned against thee and against God. Accept me this day that I may once again contend the throne in thy bosom”.

22. And on the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month of the year before a new king is appointed that Atiku the son of Abubakar departed from the camp of APC and joined the camp of his youth.

23. And there was great jubilation in the camp of PDP that day for they said, “Verily, the prodigal son returneth.

24. But they forgot that Aremu, the son of Obasanjo, who still sees himself as the King maker, will not approve of it.