Chief Tula became
so powerful, he became proud of his conquest. He began to oppress his
own people and treat them harshly. His people disliked him further
and complained a lot behind his back. Chief Tula discovered from
informers that he was becoming very unpopular among his own people,
and with those whom he ruled. This made him very angry against his
own people - that they were not grateful. Chief Tula wanted his
people to be forever grateful that he had taken the land from the
animals for them. “They are an ungrateful lot, after all the
fighting we did for the land,” said Chief Tula shaking visibly in
anger. “They will regret that they ever complained against me,”
Chief Tula declared. He severely flogged and tortured anyone who
wronged him. He took over wives and children, and pieces of land
from men who committed serious offences. Women who committed offences
were forced to work in the fields and flogged at the same time. Tula
forced young boys and girls who committed offences to marry at an
early age. No one was allowed to speak against Chief Tula. Chief Tula
had changed.
Chief Tula spent
most of the wealth in the country in fortifying his position of
authority so that no-one would ever approach him without being
screened heavily. He did not want his subjects to see the luxurious
mansion he had built for himself and his family, a mansion which
commanded a good view of the kingdom. His subjects had to pass
through five fortified walls before reaching the chief and were
stripped naked to ensure they did not smuggle anything dangerous near
the chief and his wives. Male aides strip searched women and detained
them for long hours before letting them in, even if the women worked
for the chief. Some of the aides occasionally raped the women before
releasing them. Chief Tula held a ceremony every year to choose a
beautiful young bride. Any woman who refused to be his wife was raped
by the Chief aides first then killed. Just like Lion and Tortoise had
done, Chief Tula took a wife every year and from any tribe that he
wanted. His estate was big enough to accommodate all the women he
wanted to marry. His cruelty and greediness increased day by day. He
continued to grab some of his own people's wealth to add on to what
he had.
Chief Tula bore
several hundred children with his many wives. His male children did
as he did and married many wives. Chief Tula 's eldest son called
Gubba was known to have a fiery temper just like his father and had
five wives. He was as cruel as his father and he was the one who
executed his father's cruel tasks.
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