Hello dear steemians, if you are a story lover then you are scrolling the right post at the moment and you might want to keep scrolling to read as this story, will in many ways makes you feel positive. @ruthjoe as always come up with this contest that always got the better part of me. I am a story teller. So, I will tell you a story. To Steem-agro Team which consist the likes of: @xkool24 @ruthjoe @ninapenda @ahsansharif I appreciate your efforts. Thank you, @disconnect for always making it easy to spot out contest. **The Story Of Alliance**

![IMG_20250509_135108_257.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmawkrYWrqf7TqvPHCEzexPBgPi8sQVVtnNxTfRCP6YrNt/IMG_20250509_135108_257.jpg) ***One of the winning contestants*** This is a story about two kingdoms, one that is a master and the other who served to pleased. ***“The Kingdom of Crops:”*** In this regards, they were the magical realm where all crops live and were ruled by seasons and nourished by rain, sun and soil. Every crop, from cassava to millet, lives there in harmony and competition. This kingdom were the servant who serve to please. ***“The Human Kingdom:”*** They were the living beings in charge of all that existed and this is the world of people, full of taste buds, memories and changing habits. It is the one that organized the grand competition to choose the most beloved crop. Once upon a time, before cities rose and recipes filled cookbooks there was a beautiful moment between the two kingdoms, all crops lived in harmony beneath the skies and the humans oversees them. But one day, a challenge rang out across the farmlands and valleys: And a contest note was sent across the crops kingdom. In the note was this words. >"Let the crop that wins the heart of mankind be crowned the eternal favorite!" The crops kingdom shook with excitement, you should see yams thumped their heavy bodies with pride believing they stand a greater chance. Beans chattered among themselves believing in themselves too and Cassava rolled confidently, certain of its thickness and strength. All crops believed it had what it took to conquer the human appetite and they were all right but to be favorite will have to be earn with difference to others. **The Underrated Contestants**

At a distance, in one quiet corner of the field stood two underrated contestants ***Maize, golden and firm, and Pear, dark-skinned and sleek,*** known locally as mpokod and Ebe. They looked around at the boastful competitors and exchanged a knowing glance. >“We may not be the biggest,” Maize said with a kernel of hope in her voice. >“Nor the fanciest,” Pear added, her oily skin gleaming in the sun. # “But together… we are unforgettable.” >Their words will have to come true for them because at this point, they create alliance which make them different from others. Both were unique in their ways and the combination create the difference they needed to beat others who only see themselves for themselves. And so, the unlikely duo formed an alliance, not of power or pride but of taste, tradition and timelessness. `To me I will say, their Secret Weapon was Simplicity & Soul` While other crops bragged about their nutrients and complicated preparation styles, Maize and Pear chose a different path the path of simplicity. They remembered the old days dating back to the days of our ancestors when firewood crackled like distant thunder and blackened pots sat proudly over open flames. In those days, young girls fetched water with clay pots, boys climbed pear trees barefoot and grandmothers crouched beside the fire, sweating as they blew hot air into blazing embers just to boil fresh maize and soften wild pear in hot ash. And should you grew up in the village like myself, you will be familiar with all this. I usually had charcoal mark on my face lolz. The process was messy and fun as fingers got burnt, faces smeared with ash as well as skirts stained with soot. But when that sweet aroma of boiling corn filled the air and the hot softened pear glistened like morning dew, nobody remembered the dirt, only the joy that is coming from the rosey corn and pear. Maize and Pear didn’t need stew or sauce but only needed each other and a mouth that knew what real flavor tasted like and such mouth was that of humans. **How They Conquered Time**

Time was to be the justifier of this contest as all who lived to witness the put up of this contest knew themselves to die before the result will be out. As centuries passed and kitchens got tiled, people moved from mud houses to mansions. Yet, Maize and Pear refused to fade. Today, in the streets of Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and beyond other popular states, you’ll find maize and pear together side by side by the road side calling out passersby who fail not to pass without branching to take them riding. With time, human advancement as evolve alongside means to roast maize and pear. Vendors now roast maize over iron grills instead of firewood, using gas or charcoal. Some wrap pear in foil and place it over burners or inside ovens while others even microwave it for softness. Maize and pear now get boiled or roasted, served on newspaper or clean white plates and the taste remains the same. Children in school uniforms still fight over maize and pear, office workers pause on their way home to buy “corn and Pear.” Even the elderly, with missing teeth and full memories, still smile when they take that first bite. And I'm not lying cause I saw my grandma do it lolz. **The Crown of the People**

At some point, plantain tried to sweet-talk its way into hearts of humans and rice demanded attention with sauces and stew, Maize and Pear quietly planted themselves in the soul of every home by playing the game of absence and reappearing in seasons. >Maize and pear didn’t just win the race, they won generations. >They are nostalgia wrapped in husks and heritage packed in oily skin. >They remind us of who we were and assure us of who we still are. So, next time you hold a nice roasted or boiled corn 🌽 and soft pear between your fingers, remember: >It’s not just food. >It’s a story. >It’s an alliance. >It’s the taste of victory.

Maize and Pear are the timeless team that won the heart of the human race and their victory has stand the test of time.

I invite on @nsijoro @impersonal @zulbahri to participate in the contest. # Thanks for reading.

Best Regards @berda01

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