Chapter 97: A Festival of Creativity
1242words
"They cannot win," Eki said with a strong voice. "We need to make clear we will not be silent."
Dapo nodded, his eyes showing the same determination. "We must show," he said.
Their ideas are very bold, serving to show a high quality of art in Nigeria. It acts as a statement of their power, challenging and provoking those who want them to stay quiet.
They call it "Naija Unbound," because this name shows the strong and unbreakable spirit of Nigeria. The festival is going to show many kinds of art, like music, dance, visual arts, and handmade crafts. They sent messages to artists across Nigeria, asking if they wanted to join the event. Many of the artists answered back with great excitement.
Making the festival was a big job. They needed to find places, sponsors, and people who wanted help for the event. There were many meetings, emails and calls that did not stop. But in the middle of all this busy time, they had a feeling of purpose that made them continue working.
The festival day was coming soon, and everyone's excitement kept growing. The city became very active, with the news talking about this event often and social media full of posts about Naija Unbound.
The first night was very nice. The place, a big complex located on the edge of Lagos, looked like it came from a fairy tale. There were art displays and live music, as well as dance performances that showed fashion too. It was a festival to celebrate Nigeria's rich cultural history.
Eki and Dapo, stand up there on stage with all the energy from the crowd. They look at each other, their eyes speaking everything - we make this happen. The crowd is loud, cheering for them. Eki felt the heart beating fast in their chest; Dapo smiled wide like never before. The moment feels magic to both of them after many hard work days together.
The festival is very nice. It brings many people together and makes them feel like one big group, making everyone feel they belong there. The works from artists in Nigeria were fantastic, inspiring young creators here.
But, as the festival's finishing time came closer, Eki's heart started to feel a bit worried. The lady who had given them a warning was still not found yet. She remembers them and they also remember this fact.
When they prepared to leave, a phone call halted them. The voice on the other side was unfamiliar, and it felt altered somehow.
"You think it's over?" said the caller, their tone carrying a sense of danger. "This is just the beginning."
Eki and Dapo had a conversation, but afterwards, they didn't feel so good. The unknown danger felt like a big dark cloud above them, almost making their success seem very small. The festival, which earlier was a symbol of light and hope, now seemed like it would not last long because people were still having many problems.
Dapo's voice, filled with resolve, spoke up. "We cannot allow them to succeed. We have to discover their identity and put an end to this."
Eki nodded, her mind racing. "But how?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.
In the days following, they started to be very cautious. They hired security services, altered their everyday routines, and even thought about leaving the country. But deep inside their hearts, they understood that running away was not the answer. They needed to confront their fears and protect themselves.
While they were thinking about what to do next, an idea came to their minds. Maybe they could use the platform to show everyone who was giving them trouble. In this way, they may change the situation by using their power to reveal and face these opponents.
They began by informing everyone about the dangers and sharing their story with news and media to gain support from people. The response was very large. The threats directed at artists who brought so much joy to our country made many people very angry.
Authorities also became involved. Police formed a special team to investigate these dangers, and both Eki and Dapo gave all the information they had, hoping it would help catch the person causing problems for them.
However, during their investigation, they discovered that their enemies were very strong. The people chasing them were highly organized and had plenty of money; moreover, they could remove traces so effectively that little evidence remained behind.
Eki and Dapo, though feeling sad, did not stop. They concentrated on creating art. They thought the best method to resist was by making new creations – to keep motivating others. So, they dived deeply into their work and found comfort in creating things.
While being very busy, a new idea started to form. They decided to make art that sends a message, like challenging those who disagree with them. This artwork will be an act of rebellion showing how they endure.
Starting with nothing, their minds started to create images of the difficult times they faced. The art showed a true expression of their feelings, clearly showing what they went through during this journey. It depicted a message that was fascinating yet disturbing to view as art.
As they made paintings, strong feelings grew inside them. They take back their story and turn pain into something good.
When the drawing was done, it looked like very nice artwork. It showed true emotions from the people who made it and their great courage in facing life's challenges. The planning shows this work, and it will be a brave move against their enemies.
The show, as it was planned, had many people talking about the painting and why it's important to let artists create freely without any limits. The art was seen as a national treasure and stood for this very important idea.
Finally, Eki and Dapo became part of a group that understood their efforts and wished them good luck for the future. They felt very surprised by how well everything went, thinking they had made a big achievement that showed they were moving in the right direction.
But within all the joy and celebrations, some worry stayed. The dangers they faced were not gone; still here even now. They understood that their win was not permanent; a lot more fighting remained.
When they were almost leaving the exhibition, someone came near them. This person was wearing a long black coat and their face was covered in shadow. They handed over an envelope to Eki and disappeared into the crowd.
Eki felt like her heart almost stopped when she opened the envelope. Inside, there was only one paper with a strange note written on it.
"The game is about to change," the message read.
Eki and Dapo felt very afraid. They understood this was not the finish but just the start of another part of their journey, where many unknown things and dangers were waiting for them.
