| In the land of Idu na-Oba, there lived a hunter called | | | | beyond, the neighbouring people of Odumodu |
| Bomber Billy. He lived in his hut with his wife and their | | | | declared war on the people of Idu-na-Oba. The king |
| children. One day, a tiger came to the village to | | | | simply said: "I have no worries. I hereby appoint |
| rampage as usual with African villages. It caused | | | | Bomber Billy the Chief Captain of our Armies". While |
| pandemonium in the village and everybody ran | | | | announcing Bomber Billy Chief Captain of their armies, |
| helter-skelter. As if the hunter knows his enemies | | | | he said, 'this man Bomber Billy single-handedly killed a |
| home, he came calling on the Bomber Billy home. The | | | | tiger. He used his bare hands to kill a python. With |
| cat was a real large and terrible looking one and | | | | him as the Chief Captain of our armies, the people of |
| everybody ran into hiding including Bomber Billy. He | | | | Odumodu would regret their effrontery......" |
| has not been a great hunter before. So the presence | | | | Bomber Billy is not just overwhelmed by this, he was |
| of the great cat paralyzed him. He threw away his | | | | confused and greatly afraid. |
| gun and ran into hiding. From where his wife hid, she | | | | He went back to his wife and his Chi in prayers. He |
| saw the tiger launching towards her husband. She | | | | expressed gratitude for all they have afforded in his |
| summoned up courage and grabbed her husband's | | | | fame, wealth and love and care. He concluded that |
| gun and shot the tiger that has almost grabbed her | | | | he knew that this was the time to pay for the much |
| husband. Remember those kinds of moments when a | | | | he had gotten from their free blessing for which he |
| loved one is in danger. She killed the tiger. | | | | has not done anything of himself to achieve. He |
| A woman! Kill a tiger! In Idu-na-Oba, it would be more | | | | confessed to his wife that though he would not have |
| glorious that the tiger ripped Bomber Billy apart than | | | | been able to watch her killed for killing the tiger, he |
| to have it killed by woman, not to talk of such an | | | | was more concerned with how he would have |
| abomination happening in the presence of a man in | | | | become a hero if he claimed that he was the one |
| his own compound. Bomber Billy was happy to be | | | | that killed the tiger. |
| alive. He is, however, in a dilemma how to present | | | | The day Bomber Billy took the armies of Idu-na-Oba |
| the case to the community that his wife killed the | | | | to the war front; he was a troubled man to say the |
| tiger. Two problems, one Bomber Billy's manhood | | | | least. He was afraid and hoped that his death would |
| would go with this situation, two his wife would also | | | | come quickly when he got to the war front. He had |
| be put to death since the men in the community | | | | grown to love their King who has placed so much |
| cannot stand that fact, talk less of having to walk | | | | hope and trust in his hand and have elevated him to |
| the same soil with a woman who killed a tiger. | | | | a place of honour in the land. He knew that it would |
| As the village surged to his compound to witness the | | | | be a dishonor to the King to refuse to do his bidding. |
| killing of the great cat that has terrorized the village, | | | | He, therefore, resigned to his fate - to die if it so be. |
| he called on his wife and said, well, dear wife, you | | | | After the armies of Idu-na-Oba have marshaled in |
| know the implication of what you have done. You | | | | their boundary with the land of Odumodu, Bomber |
| have to hand over the gun to me and I would claim | | | | Billy could not contain his fear and trepidation. In order |
| that I was the one that shot the tiger. And thank | | | | not to infest the rest of the armies with his fears |
| you for saving my life. His ever dutiful wife obliged. | | | | and in the hope that he would not be there when |
| Bomber Billy's fame rose among the people and | | | | the armies of Odumodu arrive, he sneaked out ran |
| faraway climes. He became an instant hero. He was | | | | away from the camp of his armies and climbed a |
| invited to the king's palace and given chieftaincy titles | | | | tree, hoping to not be there when the enemy armies |
| and accorded many other honours of the land. | | | | arrive. |
| There is always a day of reckoning. As his fame | | | | Unfortunately and fortunately for him, when the |
| grew, he had to contend with many responsibilities of | | | | armies of Odumodu land arrived, they came and |
| state most of which he succeeded at and others | | | | camped under the tree he had climbed for hiding. |
| that challenged him beyond his abilities. He got along | | | | While there he overheard their captain of the |
| anyway. The ultimate day came when a big python | | | | Odumodu armies, a ferocious looking man tell his |
| fell into the water well of the king. Everybody was | | | | soldiers that during the attack, they should all search |
| afraid. When the king was informed, he said not to | | | | out Bomber Billy and take him to end the war very |
| worry. I have Bomber Billy who has single-handedly | | | | early. As he heard this strategy, he was shaken in |
| killed a tiger. What is a python to him? Bomber Billy | | | | fear that he shook off the branch of the tree where |
| was invited to the Kings palace. He called on his wife, | | | | he hid and as he came crashing on the armies of |
| and said, well dear wife, this may be my end. You | | | | Odumodu, he shouted in fear more than in hope: "My |
| are the only one that knows that I did not kill a tiger. | | | | name is Bomber Billy"! My name is Bomber Billy!! My |
| You may as well know that I go to my end today. | | | | name is Bomber Billy!!! On hearing this, the armies of |
| However, thank you for all you have done for me. | | | | Odumodu, thinking that the man Bomber Billy also |
| You saved my life, you gave me fame, but now it is | | | | have magical powers to come among them flying in |
| over. Thank you for your love and devotion. He | | | | the air with tree branches, fled in fear. In the |
| turned to his Chi and prayed, O God, you know that | | | | commotion, the armies of Idu-na-Oba approached |
| I do not have the fame that I have enjoyed all this | | | | and saw that their enemies have fled. Bomber Billy |
| days. At this auspicious occasion, please, accept my | | | | picked himself up, dusted himself and called on his |
| soul as I return to you. Forgive me my sins and let | | | | armies to come let's go home because the war is |
| thy will be done. | | | | over. |
| Bomber Billy arrived the King's Water well. He was | | | | Bomber Billy was brought home on the soldiers of his |
| shaken to the bones. On his approach to the well, he | | | | armies as the Chief Captain of all captains. He brought |
| kept shouting in sheer feigned bravado; "where is the | | | | joy and jubilation throughout the land of Idu-na-Oba. |
| python? Where is the python? At the edge of the | | | | He made their King proud. He received more honours. |
| well, he was so shaken that he lost his balance and | | | | He paid devotions secretly to his wife in such a way |
| fell into the well suddenly. As he came suddenly | | | | that the men of the community dare not do, either in |
| shouting, falling, he grabbed at anything his hand can | | | | public or private, lest their wives compete with them |
| reach. The first thing his hand could touch was the | | | | for honour. |
| neck of the python and he grabbed it so hard for | | | | Moral of the Bomber Billy Story |
| stability and in the manner of the last straw that he | | | | We can achieve so much in our lives if we would just |
| chocked life out of the python. He felt he had a rope | | | | go and do it. Bomber Billy is a good case of not |
| in his hand and threw it up and asked people to drag | | | | watching our limitations. He achieved so much by just |
| him out. When the head and parts of the python | | | | doing. On his own, his circumstances are such that he |
| was thrown out of the well, the people who | | | | could not have done any of these things. But thrust |
| gathered shouted both in horror and for joy that | | | | on him by providence or circumstances, he |
| Bomber Billy had killed the python. He heard that and | | | | succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. This is possible |
| gained hope and called for a rope for climbing out of | | | | for all of us. If we would force ourselves to go out |
| the well. | | | | there and do something, we would be surprised with |
| Bomber Billy came out of the well a double hero. His | | | | what great results we get. |
| fame traveled further. The king added more | | | | Each time we want on our ability to go for what we |
| accolades and honours to him. | | | | want in life, we normally always go nowhere. But |
| Did they say that the higher you go the cooler it | | | | each time we act or are propelled to act by other |
| becomes? Well for Bomber Billy, the story is | | | | circumstances other than our ability, we end up |
| different. As his fame reigned all over the land and | | | | achieving much more than we ever dreamed of. |