 
# SEALED

BY

Sunday Eyitayo Michael

Published by Sunday Eyitayo Michael at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Sunday Eyitayo Michael

# CHAPTER ONE

"It is important to make the right choices in life, however in many critical situations; it is never enough to choose. You also have to be chosen." She paused as she gazed through the audience. I wondered why she gazed; she could see no one because the whole place was dark except for the spotlight she was beneath. Her gaze stopped at my direction then she threw a broad smile."It seems she sees anyway" I thought, but she didn't need to display all those dramatic expressions, it was certain chief Tayo will win the prize, everyone knew that; they knew so far he was nominated, he wins.

I turned around to feed my eyes, to see a little more of the attendees and nominees or rather, those who came to celebrate chief Tayo. Aha! Alhaji Karimi is also here; the co-founder of 'Happy Life', one of the largest orphanage homes in sub-Saharan Africa. He is really trying, I must commend him for that but he is not so much of a threat anyway, Chief Tayo is the sole owner of the largest orphanage and charity homes in Africa, it was really named on critical thoughts, 'The Intimidation Co-operation For Orphans'; it keeps up to its name. I turned to see a few more people, but due to the darkness, I could only see the people close enough to be seen: a few Russians, Polish, South Africans, Brazilians... it seems all 195 member states were represented. H'm, is that not Col. Isaac, the soldier man who has led five peace-keeping missions to different countries? I bent forward a bit to get a clearer view. He is; the bullet scratch close to his bulgy eyes says it. Ignoring his presence, I wanted to focus, he was not worth my attention, and even he too knew that, he knew that Chief Tayo is far better than he could be. If I could remember vividly, twice, he came to me to apply as my personal chief security. I couldn't give him that chance, I have heard of several rumors of his escapades; how his bosses' wife carries his children. Also from the 'bush radios', I heard that the bullet scratch close to those eyes were not gotten from a peacekeeping mission as was believed by many but rather from an impotent boss who didn't realize he couldn't impregnate a woman until he discovered his four kids were not his but the scoundrel's. I couldn't risk mine and besides he is certainly no match too, Chief Tayo has financially sponsored twelve peace-keeping missions.

I sat to focus when I noticed Gov. Tandu, unable to resist the impulse, I burst out in laughter. It caught a little attention due to the absolute quietness so I immediately adjusted and apologized. Could Gov. Tandu be thinking at all? Did he realize this was a peace prize? Who could have nominated him? The longest period his state was ever at peace during his reign was just one month and a week. No politician had ever caught so much attention because of their evil the way he did, I do not know if he could actually beat that again since he is still on seat, but no one could see that coming anytime soon not even the so called optimists. It was obvious he rigged his way into power; so perhaps, he thinks he could rig this one too.

".... The key question in this kind of matching is: who gets what?" she continued in her melodious tone. "Beautiful! Beautiful!" I thought; do these organizations organize a beauty contest before selecting a host? A belle she was indeed; tall, long curly dark hairs, beautiful straight legs and a no doubt figure-8 structure, no wonder the men were so concentrated. My eyes slowly followed her features from her feet and just as it was about to cross over her knee, Bisola tapped me and sternly looked in my eyes. She didn't have to speak, I could read the words in her eyes, but she spoke, "focus on what you ought to focus on" she said in a low livid tune, I couldn't respond, perhaps I could, but just don't know what to say so I just held her hand tightly and looked away. Bisola is an epitome of beauty, the belle in her town when I married her, each morning when I wake up to look into those beautiful eyes, I get a renewed freshness within me, a reason to want to live for another day. For once, I never regretted the day I walked her down the aisle except for the fact that her eyes consistently follow mine, which still does not make me regret. I always hoped that one day she would get tired, but she does not, and I do not see that happening anytime soon either.

Sometimes things do not work out the way we plan, but often times it is for a better option that's coming our way. When Lydia jilted me because I had no money, I was sober for weeks, rather just a few hours, thinking I could get none like her ever, but that prepared me for a better piece, Bisola, a beauty even Lydia can't compare. Now, even she regrets she jilted me, the last time I heard from her; she could not afford three square meals, so pathetic. I need not talk about her much anyway, she aren't worth it.

I knew everyone was so focused, but the seriousness on their faces has intensified, what is about to happen? I thought as I looked around trying to find out. Aha! Now I know, the big moment is finally here, she is done with her lengthy speech as though we were there for a motivational conference.

".... In this line, we hereby announce the winner of this year prize for peace and philanthropy" she paused, removed all traces of smiles from her face and stared through the audience. Hosts have a special way of raising people's blood pressure. I am used to it already, if not perhaps, I would have fallen to her trick as well, although within me I knew I felt a little panicked, but you could see no trace on my face, I looked fully confident. Doctors should have warned these hosts that, intentionally or unintentionally rising people blood pressure is not healthy, but they don't, Perhaps, because just like every other businessman, they seek customers too, if they warn against high blood pressure, who will come to the hospital for treatment of blood pressure? Once, that was about three years back, during the commonwealth awards, as usual, the host paused to rise the tension amidst the crowd, but it was a terrible tension rise, some nominees needed the award so bad that as soon as she paused, Prof. Timbu had an heart attack. I pity the poor old man, at the end of it all, he was not announced the winner, chief Tayo was.

"Ah! Ah! My chest" someone screamed from the audience.

"Who could this be? Who want to ruin this moment?" I thought loudly.

"It is Dr. Ingbian..." Halima replied. "And what is he?"

"The doctor popularly known as Dr. PhD"

"Oh, oh, now I know him, the doctor who acts and speaks like the only one with a PhD?"

"That's right sir," she said.

"Sometimes, I wonder why people tend to act so weird. Do you know I have a PhD too?" not waiting for her reply, I continued "But I prefer to drop the full stop at chief. Perhaps, that's his only achievement and...."

"With due respect sir, you needn't speak rudely about my uncle" she stopped me. What! Could he have being her uncle? Why did I never know? I gently turned away and Bisola stared at me in disgust, I never knew she was listening, I certainly would not have said a word if I knew.

Everything was back to normal; Dr. Ingbian was taken away and just like nothing has happened. The host continued without wasting much time or trying to increase the tension any further, "and the winner is nobody else but.... Chief Tayo". The light bulbs were turned on and almost immediately, Bisola stood up and danced energetically in ecstasy. Those who didn't know who chief Tayo was would certainly think she was chief Tayo, but everyone knows chief Tayo and also, everyone knew she is the first lady to that great man. I wondered why she kept dancing more and more each moment another prize was given to me, rather us, because she was always with me and without her I couldn't have achieved this much success, perhaps I could. This was not new to us or perhaps, because each moment it happens, she has something new to brag about, women!

Finally, I stood up, the applause was intensified, I pulled out my agbada that was stuck beneath my potbelly, I wonder why people insisted it was a potbelly; it looked more to me like a weak large calabash. Then I walked majestically to the stage, even the oba of Benin can't imitate that, it was outside this world. I didn't do it because of my hauteur, I wasn't proud, I did it because I knew there were certain people in the crowd who weren't really happy, who would happily throw their mugs at me if given the chance, I could even tell their names. However, they should be proud a black man from a developing nation is doing great things. My hand was shook by the executives of the organization, and immediately, the prize was given to me.

It was time for me to speak, initially; I used to be afraid of speeches, because words will not just come out no matter how hard I tried. Therefore, I discovered just the right trick. throughout last week, I told and continuously reminded Ndoka, my personal assistant to organize a perfect speech for me to memorize, it wouldn't be manly if I go up there with a piece of paper. I cleared my throat and started immediately so as not to forget a word, "I feel that this award was not made to me as a man, but to my works. What I do, I do not for the appreciations and awards, I do it for the love for humanity, graciously trying to work in God's line, he gave unto me, and I was left with no choice but to use it for humanity aids. But then most of all, I must say a big thank you to you, the executives of this organization, those who nominated me and those who feel I deserve this award, thank you so much" I bowed a bit and the crowd gave a standing ovation and another thunderous applause. I wondered what a nice speech I must have said, I have not even read through it to know what was written, I just memorized.

As soon as I walked down the stage, Bisola ran to hug me, she held me so tight that I didn't have enough space to tell her I needed to breathe, but nevertheless, it was a nice thing that she showed so much love. I could feel her warm, soft skin tightly pressed on me, no wife could be better. But on a second thought, no woman who has a man like me won't show this much love to her husband because the moment she snaps a finger, over a million other women will want to come and take her place. Just last year, we had a little fight, I wondered how it got to ears, a woman came to me that she has left her husband to be my second wife, that was just one of them and it also by the way.

The awards and all other things that followed were soon over, people came from all over, shaking hands with me, congratulating me, some I could hear, others I couldn't, different tribes, different people, some others just walked away and as usual the press came over, taking pictures of me, I was used to it, it happens all the time.

"Sir, how do you feel being honored for your works once again?" a reporter asked me, several recording devices were all around me, I knew that they were seeking a headline for the news and papers the next day. I would not give them that chance again, when it seemed as though they were all waiting for a blunder from the lips of chief Tayo. The last time I was on an interview with Lookers TV, I was asked how the government's policies have contributed to my success and I replied

"... you know the government could be stupid at times", literary, I didn't mean they were stupid, perhaps, because I was just used to the word, but the next morning, the papers had an attracting headline which even attracted me; all news about me attracts me though 'Chief Tayo says government are stupid'. They didn't pick the first words or the last which might have expatiated; they just picked out that line, although even I can't remember it either.

"Err, err" I stammered, I had to carefully select my words, no mistakes again. Yes! Lugubrious, I think I have heard or seen that word somewhere before, even though I haven't really cared to find out its meaning, but I can use it, it actually sounds impressive. I smiled and said "from within my heart, I feel so lugubrious about this prize. I can't find another word to express my joy". I quickly stared at their facial reactions, there were smiles, except on the faces of those who have never smiled, and then I knew I had impressed them. They won't have a bad headline about me tomorrow, am sure I would see nothing else but "once again, The Nigerian multi-billionaire and Philanthropist have yet won another prize for his works" or something similar. I held Bisola's hand proudly as we walked out of the hall with our security guards helping us hold the crowd; we went straight to our parked Hennessey venom and moved for our suite.

It was a cool evening in Johannesburg and what I needed at that moment was a quiet ride, which I knew I could not have. No man as big as I am would move around without escorts in blowing sirens, it was risky because I was an asset. Bisola and I hardly spoke to ourselves throughout the ride. She is what I would call a perfect wife; she knew when her husband needed to be spoken to and when he needed to be left alone. It took about thirty minutes to get to the hotel's suite, a rare hotel I built In south Africa, its topnotch, those whose salary were not six figures could only dream of going there, except if they want to starve for years.

"We will fly back to Nigeria tomorrow morning," I finally said.

"Won't you at least give me a little time to shop? How will I leave Johannesburg empty handed"

"We aren't going empty handed; we are going with the prize again"

"And that's more reason I should shop"

"No problem then, we will fly by night, tomorrow" I said to cut the argument short, I knew for certain that no matter how long we argued, when she is determined to do such things as shopping, she doesn't relent.

Finally, we got to the hotel or rather, my hotel just to meet what I did not want to meet at that moment or any moment soon, even if I knew I would meet it. A host of workers and non-workers were outside to welcome me, lined up, all dressed smartly in white and black cloths; a white shirt and a black trouser or skirt, men in black bow-ties and women with a piece of black clothe around their neck. No matter how much I wanted to just ignore them, pass and go to my room to sleep, I could not. I was just awarded another prize for Peace, shunning them was not peace; I had to prove I was worth it. I forcefully threw a smile as they all sang and danced the Zulu's way. Although, I couldn't comprehend a word they said, but it seemed really good to the ears. "Thank you so much; I am so grateful. With what you have just done, you have proven to me that you are the best workers on earth, so for this month, your salaries are increased by ten percent" I said to please them, I really felt honored by their action and their turn out, but mostly, that they should stop so that I could go in.

"Ah!!!!" they all shouted and immediately started off with another dance, this time more energetic. The sleep began to clear off my eyes gradually; I needed to watch this dance a little more. South Africans are great people, I thought, I would have loved to live here almost forever, but certainly, there is nowhere like home. I stood smiling, watching the dance, my body was already moving to the rhythm when Bisola tapped me,

"My Love, am really tired, I need to sleep, you know I have to wake up early tomorrow morning to shop" she said in a low romantic tone. That was when I remembered I needed to sleep too, immediately we walked into the hotel, waving at the dancers.

# CHAPTER TWO

It was a cold morning; I woke up on the right side of the bed feeling energetic with so much enthusiasm. I rolled around, just to see beside me, my queen, my spirit was lifted the more. I needed to do something with that energy; I could not wait there all day, waiting for her to be done with her shopping, and certainly could not follow her to shop. "Perhaps, I should go around south Africa, to view every nook and cranny. That's a great idea, am a genius" I thought as I walked happily to the Jacuzzi.

Soon afterwards, Bisola also woke up and joined me in the Jacuzzi.

"My husband, congrats about yesterday oh" she said. It was a common tradition among the Yoruba's, do them a favor today, and they will greet you for days, until they are sure you are fully satisfied with the thanks. Yea, I did her a favor, adding an extra inch to her shoulder was a favor.

"You too congrats, my Love, the victory is not mine alone but ours. When will you be going on the shopping?" I asked after I replied.

"As soon as I am done dressing but where will you be throughout the day, because am certain you have somewhere in mind?"

"A tour around south Africa" I said proudly as I caressed her soft, smooth, fair and moist cheek as I bent forward to kiss her when someone knocked on the door. Some people are just skilled at ruining romantic moments, besides, I was not expecting anyone at this moment, or perhaps, Bisola was.

"Oh, that must be Mrs. Nelson, we are to go shopping together" she said even before I asked, Mrs. Nelson again? I thought; I certainly could not let my wife know how much I dislike this woman; she was her favorite foreign friend. Every chance I get, I try to avoid her, she screams a lot and it disgusts me.

"So the shopping was planned from day one, she had it all in mind. Women! Can't they ever be unpredictable?" I murmured. Without replying she moved out of the Jacuzzi and immediately wore her night gown as she walked slowly out of the bathroom through the room towards the door, I could pay to see her walk that way over a million times.

"Big woman!" Mrs. Nelson shouted in her high-pitched voice immediately she entered, a tall, plump, hairless woman. Each moment I look at her, I wonder what Prof. Nelson was looking at when he married her. Perhaps, as they would say, love is blind but could it be deaf too? I knew for certain they will take quite long before going; women never use less than an hour to dress up and besides, this was my wife dressing up, a woman I know so well, no matter how hurried she claim she is, forty-five minutes was the least she could spend in front of the mirror. I quickly dressed up to leave; a man like me could not be involved in a discussion with women, most especially with a woman I dislike.

"Chief! Chief!" Mrs. Nelson screamed as I walked out of the room. That was her lifestyle, shouting; the moment she is somewhere, you could easily tell she is there.

"Who didn't know you will win again?" she continued, "even my husband was nominated too, but the moment we heard you were nominated too, I told him to just go and congratulate you". I knew that and she knew I knew; she did not have to tell me.

"Madame, its God. I wouldn't have won too, several there were better than I am" I said, trying to shut her up, but certain people couldn't just be quieted and Mrs. Nelson was top on that list.

"Mention one person who was better than you are there"

"Gov. Tandu for instance...." I said as I was interrupted by her loud laughter.

"Chief, you just want to make me laugh?" she said laughing. I didn't really want to make her laugh, why would I? I just wanted to see if I was the only one who felt that way about him.

"You are on the news chief," she said pointing at the television screen. Immediately Bisola picked up the remote proudly and increased the volume.

"It happens all the time, am always on the headlines," I said patting my protruded stomach; I was told it was a bad habit but I find it pleasurable.

"The executives of UNESCO express their remorse awarding this year's prize to chief Tayo, who publicly demeaned the organization's prize on public television who said and I quote 'from within my heart, I feel so lugubrious about this prize. I can't find another word to express my joy,' " the reporter said.

"What!" I screamed, "What does lugubrious mean?" The place was quiet for a short while, no one replied.

"Someone who is sad rather than cheerful" Mrs. Nelson finally answered. I could notice the smile on her face she tried to hide. I could not give her that satisfaction.

"Yes, I felt lugubrious. UNESCO shouldn't be complaining it was demeaning to them, I should; I am Chief Tayo" I said as I noticed the hidden smiles on her face fading off.

"I would be leaving now, you both should have a good time" I said when I noticed the risen tension amidst us after a short while of quietness.

"Okay chief, till you come" Mrs. Nelson replied.

"And honey, don't forget to do your shopping quickly, remember we are going back to Nigeria tonight" I said to my wife.

"So soon chief? I thought you will stay a little longer with us"

"We have a lot of things to attend to in Nigeria, if not we certainly would have stayed" I said as I walked out of the house.

"What came over me? What was I thinking of? Why did lugubrious mean what it meant? Why didn't I use a word I was familiar with? Words like excited, no, that is too happy for a small prize, or perhaps, just happy since it's not the Nobel Prize" I thought as I walked to my car. Escorts ran all over to their positions, all dressed in black suit as usual and the driver came running towards the car. I certainly would not need all these escorts, Bisola would. I called the chief security and whispered into his ears immediately, without speaking, he did one or two hand signs and they left.

"What are the best places in south Africa you will like me to see?" I asked the driver as we moved.

"Sir, there are several eye catching places I can show you, places like; Cape town and cape peninsula, the wine lands, Garden route popularly called south Africa's Eden, Kruger national park, Durban beachfront, Robben island, Soweto, Blyde river canyon nature reserve and several others"

"We will go to as much places as we can before sunset"

"Where will we go first?"

"Garden route of course, I want to have an impression of what garden of Eden looked like for Adam and Eve to have put us all through this much sufferings" I said.

"Sir, even you too talk about suffering?" he asked. What do they all take me for? A God? I wished I were anyway, but am not and can't be. They expect perfection from me that is why every single mistake I make goes on headlines, just like every other celebrated person.

"Of course, I don't just talk about suffering, I face suffering too, possibly more than you do" I replied.

"We have reached sir," he said as he halted the car.

The place looked awesome, but I expected much more; a place described as Garden of Eden should look better. I walked a few miles and returned to the car, I had to see the rest places too; I might not have the time to come to South Africa any time soon as a very busy man.

We moved round and round and it was time to go back to the suite, it was getting dark already, Bisola have certainly arranged the luggage and could be waiting for me. I would have returned a little earlier if not for the crowd and press who kept stopping us on the road, I had to leave them without answering a question; I did not want another similar headlines to the one I saw in the morning.

"Sir, you refused to answer a question, why?" the driver asked as we drove back.

"You saw the news headlines this morning?"

"Yes sir"

"That's the reason I didn't speak if not tomorrow, they will have another headline of me" "not talking wouldn't stop them, tomorrow they might still put 'after being awarded over three prizes for peace, chief Tayo, an expected model of peace shuns south Africans crowd and press' "

"Now you realize why I said even I too suffers," I said.

Soon afterwards, we got to the suite, expecting to see Bisola, but she has not still arrived. What could she have being shopping since morning? Time is money. I ordered a plate of fried rice and chicken even if at that moment, I had an appetite for local dish, amala and egusi soup was what I needed. I slowly ate and sleep flooded my eyes. I didn't even realize I had started sleeping until...

"Honey! Honey!" Bisola said as she tapped me.

"What have you being doing there?"

"I thought you would come so late too, Mrs. Nelson told me no stranger who moves around South Africa for the first three times will come back quick because of the amazement"

"They exaggerate these things too much. Let's pack up"

"Honey, am as tired as you are right now, can't we just wait till tomorrow? First thing tomorrow morning" she said in her tender voice, anyone would succumb to that, and besides, I was tired too.

"Okay, just ensure you wake up very early" I said as I quickly went to sleep.

# CHAPTER THREE

The morning was just not one of those good Saturday mornings. I woke up with a terrible headache, it seemed as though there was a pounding competition going on in my head; a pounding competition would be better, because in no time the competition would be over and the prize would be awarded, but this seemed like it would never end. I staggered to the bathroom like a drunkard, although I never drank, or rather, no one knew I drink, washed my faced and brushed my teeth. That was when I noticed Bisola was not in the bed when I woke up.

"Bisola! Bisola!" I screamed but there was no reply. Where could she have gone? This was unlike her. On the other hand, have South Africans kidnapped my wife? I ran all over the room searching for her but to no avail getting scared, I called the police but as I was about to tell them, Bisola walked in all dressed up.

"Where did you go to?" I asked still breathing heavily.

"I couldn't have gotten missing. I went to drop our luggage at the airport, or did you see the luggage here"

"Oh, I just noticed" I said a little relieved as I looked around the room.

"Dress up so we can leave immediately" she said as I hurriedly wore my clothes and she brushed my hair.

It took about two hours to get to the airport and I wondered when Bisola could have woken up to have being able to drop those luggage and return that soon, she could have easily sent a worker. We got to the airport and flew in our private jet down to Nigeria.

Nigeria looked a little less beautiful than it was when we left just three days back, perhaps, because we left her borders to a nation a little more beautiful. We alighted the plane and immediately entered a car that was already waiting for us, along with a large group of people waiting to welcome us, dressed in different attires from different ethnic groups of Nigeria, all looking tired as they expected we would arrive a day before and waited all through the night. We waved at them all as they danced, 'can't they find some way else to welcome or congratulate someone aside dancing and singing?' I asked myself as the car moved slowly through the crowd and we waved continuously until they were out of sight.

As we approached my house, I looked at the awesome structure, I noticed Bisola's sigh and that smile of admiration filled her face, no one who passed by the house ten times daily for ten years ever ceased to be amazed at its awesomeness. Built throughout the noughties and a little beyond; started 2000 and finished 2012. A modernly-ancient neoclassical design, built on several hectares of which I don't even know the precise number, design by twelve world class professional architects. Worth a little more than $100,000,000; one of the most expensive houses in the world, I still can't count how many times people from different parts of the world have come just to look at it. The hi-tech gate automatically opened to us as we drove into the magnificent compound. This day technology increase unemployment rate; normally I would have employed a gateman, reducing the unemployed by one more man but technology has denied that staffs the opportunity.

"Daddy, Mummy" Michael and Jessinta screamed as they ran towards the car. Two lovely children. Michael looked so much like me, a handsome young boy barely five years old yet very intelligent, in everything, he took after me, whereas Jessinta, barely five years older than Michael looked a little like her mother and possibly her grandfather, though I never saw him, but I was certain he looked good, she had big cute eyeballs and she was very tender. As they approached us, they separated; Jessinta ran straight to my side of the door and Michael ran to his Mum's. The car moved a little bit forward and finally halted at the parking space. As soon as I opened the door, Jessinta jumped on me; I grabbed her and placed her on my shoulder.

"My baby, you missed me right?" I said as I gently pat her back.

"Yes daddy, very well. We thought you would come home yesterday"

"So did us my dear, but some things came up but we are home now".

The house helps were all out to welcome us along with some of the dancers who followed us from the airport. Bisola shared some gifts for them as they all thanked her and left; I did not give them a penny even though I knew they expected it. The house cleaners carried out the luggage and other items we had brought from the car and took them all into the house as we followed behind.

"Hope they treated you well when we were away?" I asked fully aware that they would not dare treat them otherwise.

"Yes daddy, but Michael refused to do as you said before you left; he no longer read nor eat when he suppose too, he just plays video games through out, he doesn't even sleep when we ought to" she said in a sad sharp tone.

"What!" I screamed as I dropped her from my shoulder and went towards Michael who was beside his mother trying to prevent him. "Are you trying to be a bad child? Disobedience, ehm? "

"Am sorry daddy, so sorry" he shouted as he tried to move to his mothers back for safety. I had just returned; scolding him at that moment didn't seem right.

"I will postpone your punishment, but first, take that game straight to my room this moment before I...." I have not finished speaking when he ran into the house. Michael was getting afraid of me, I knew for certain this was not respect but fear; if he did respected me, even in my absence, he wouldn't acted the way he did. Although, perhaps because I scold him so much and have never scolded Jessinta but I would not blame me, I learnt that from Baba Agba, who never touches Florence but flogs me at every slightest error. We went into the house as I smiled and talked to Jessinta about the trip and what her mother had bought for her. it was not necessary though because her mother will still give them to her, but it created the father daughter bond.

"Dad, I missed your singing and playing of the trumpet for two days. Tonight you will compensate me' Jessinta said as I walked to my room.

"I also missed doing that to you, so don't worry tonight I will tell you" I replied.

Bisola and I went inside the room, took a cold shower and slept for a few hours.

It was time for dinner the table was set. It was pounded yam and egusi soup, my favorite; the cooks have mastered the act of cooking these kinds of dishes when they are needed.

"Call the kids" I said to Nkechi the chief house maid. An old woman in her late sixties, I couldn't have young maids no matter how much I wanted to have them they are active, agile and smart but they also come with a lot of temptations and my body is no wood, besides I am a man of great honor, scandals related to that shouldn't be attached to my name. She walked sluggishly to the rooms, my stomach was already eager and I angrily growled curses. She came out holding the kids, Michael on the left and Jessinta on the right; she treated them like they were her grandchildren, she said she never had one likewise the kids never saw either of their grandparents so they called her grandma.

"Grandma, hope you added bush meat to the soup?" I heard Michael asked as they walked down the stairs.

"Of course I did, its bush hare, you will love it?" she replied. As they reached the table and I wondered if domestic hares existed. Jessinta took her seat beside me, as usual and Michael, close to his mother, Nkechi sat opposite me. The table was long table; it would do for a mini banquet.

"Mike, pray for the food" I said as I looked towards him. Mike is the short for Michael, and I usually call him that only when we were in good terms. He raised his head in shock and smiled; I knew for certain he would have done all those childish superstition in his room while we slept; plucking out his eye lashes and putting them on his head so as to make me forget to scold him, I did that too when I was his age. He was happy it had worked and he sat well, with his head bowed.

"In Jesus name" without waiting to be replied, he continued, I knew he wanted to impress me "Father in heaven, we thank you for our father and mother who have just returned from abroad with yet another prize, we...." He continued and as it approached 5mins I shouted a loud Amen. I would never tell him to pray again when am hungry.

"When you pray for meals make it short and simple, God will understand," I told him as we swallowed the pounded yam; the pounded yam was soft and very elastic; you could hear that pak sound when you cut out a morsel. I hardly swallowed a morsel that is not well attached with pieces of bush meat, as a big man, that is the kind of life I should live.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, we will have to go and do thanksgiving at the church," Bisola finally said after being quiet almost throughout the meal.

"Oh, oh that's true, what do you have in mind that we give as thanksgiving offering?" I asked.

"Maybe a space bus or something similar that they can use for evangelism"

"That's right...." I said, I haven't finished speaking when Jessinta interrupted.

"But daddy wont we take yams too, Pastor Fred told me he likes yams very well" she said smiling.

"The yams and others small stuffs are certain my baby, we are talking about the main thanksgiving offering" I replied.

"Which of them are we carrying?" I asked Bisola.

"Let's take the white one, it looks more presentable" she replied, immediately I started coughing, Bisola ran towards me with a cup of water. "olowo ori mi, bless you, drink water please" she said as she tries to put the cup in my mouth but I objected.

"What! Do you want to kill me?" I screamed, "That car is worth a few million dollars; I paid for the design, construction and importation of just that one car and you want me to just give it out?"

"No, my love, it's just a suggestion"

"Bad suggestion, suggest something lesser... or rather, I will suggest myself... Ali! Ali!" I screamed as Ali came running.

"Yes oga" he replied as he ran towards us; Ali is one of my illiterate drivers, I picked him up when he was just fourteen, an orphan who lived under the bridge and I made a life for him, sent him to driving school and made him my personal driver.

"That blue sienna space bus, drive it to church tomorrow when we are going, is that clear?"

"Yes oga" he replied; his usual response as he had not fully learned English language. He stood there watching.

"Am done with you, you can go now" I said as I used my hands to try to demonstrate for him to understand.

"So that case is closed now, write a list of the other things we will give and send Nkechi to the market," I said to Bisola who was tidying up the dining table already. She paused "but honey...."

"Don't but me, that's my decision and its final," I said trying to make her talk no longer. I knew she love it when am authoritative, I overheard her saying it to Mrs. Nelson, and so I wanted to prove a point. I saw her smiled as her cheekbone protruded a bit; it made me remember when I met her just a decade ago it feels just like yesterday. When I hungrily stood up to buy a sachet water with the last penny on me just two weeks after Lydia jilted me, I mistakenly bumped into her, I expected her to act like every other girl would have acted; slap me, call me a wretch, classless monkey, etc. Therefore, I already started pleading "Madame sorry"; but to my surprise, she smiled; that was when I noticed her lovely protruded cheekbone, took my hand up and told me, it is all right. For days it kept reoccurring in my brain; the smile, the pretty face and those two words 'it's alright', I could not sleep well and I swore I would marry her, which I did.

"Okay Love" she said in her usual low tune as she sat down back. It was the normal tradition in the house, no matter how long ago you have finished eating before the last person does, you will have to wait so that we all pray together; Bisola introduced that anyway. Not long after, we all finished eating and Nkechi did the final prayers, as usual thanking God for the meal and praying to him to give me more money so that I will be able to be able to feed them more and more. I always pray that prayer too, that I will have enough money to feed the whole world comfortably without feeling it, but I would not if I do have.

Like the happy family we are, after the meal, we all sat in the large sitting room, laughing and cheering as we watched movies. As soon as it was 7:30 pm, Jessinta tapped me.

"Music time dad," she said. I held her hand and we both walked to the garden.

"Why do you love to sing to me stories in the garden?"

"I get inspirations from nature. Most of the songs I sing to you are imagined, I imagined them, the ones I heard some other places, I garnish them"

"Okay dad" she said and we both sat on the mat and I trumpeted a loud beautiful music and she loved it.

#

# CHAPTER FOUR

It was a bright Sunday morning, as usual, I went to the window, church was till 8am, so I had all the time I needed. I sat and watched the azure sky, how it moved to form images in the sky, it reminded me of my childhood, the only thing that gave me joy then was watching the skies, I could imagine Mama and Baba watching me from above. So each morning, I will wake up to curse the skies because Mama and Baba were in there, I curse them for putting me through all those torments; I got great satisfaction doing that, because I believed my curses will make them suffer where they are too. I moved my gaze from the sky, I could see all houses two hundred kilometers close, mine was the tallest, biggest and most eye catching; even though politicians, despite all those stolen money, surrounded me they weren't richer than I am. I could see a few cars passing down the tarred quiet road; those were catholic's I believe, they were the ones who go to church 6am for the morning mass, I imagined how some of them who hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before will continuously yawn till the mass was over.

Bisola turned around the bed for a while and finally woke up, the morning sun reflection that came through the window settled on her face when she sat at the edge of the bed, she looked so much like the goddesses; she fit exactly into the picture of the described Sango's second wife. I stood there as I watched her and smiled, the only thing more beautiful than my house in that state was Bisola, I never ceased to be amazed by her beauty.

"Oh, honey, you are awake, good morning" she said as though she was whispering, I could only pick two words from her sentence 'awake' and 'morning' but I knew it was her usual morning statement she uttered whenever she finds me awake; most times she do.

"I will go and take my bath now. Have you taken yours?" she asked, I knew she wanted to suggest we bath together, but Sunday wasn't just the right day for that.

"I have taken my bath" I said unconvincingly. I didn't have any intentions to take my bath that morning; I could wash my face and go to church, after all, I was used to it; from when I was a kid, I normally do that and besides, then I didn't have enough money to buy sprays, perfumes, roll on, and other deodorants, but now I have more than enough for that.

"You lie, honey" she said smiling and pointing suspiciously at me.

"But this is Sunday morning honey; we are going to church and for thanks giving this shouldn't be one of those days" she said as she dragged me behind her to the bathroom, at this point, I couldn't say no any further.

We majestically walked into the church as usual, late so that our entrance would draw some attentions; even if we didn't, we still drew attentions, but we wanted a more visual effect; an effect that won't just be felt alone, but seen too. Almost the whole congregation turned to look. Michael and Jessinta walked in front as me and their mother followed behind. The choir sang aloud the normal 'everybody sings halleluiah, Jehovah Jireh has done me well...'as they danced energetically, they were the only ones dancing. Even the pastors just moved their bodies and the congregation clapped to the rhythm; they were all rich men, big men rather, the people who started the church were no longer there aside me and a few others; the few others were the cleaners, securities, gardeners and others whose presence where rarely noticed. The church started years back, two decades or more, then when I was nothing; when the only ones who knew me were my friends and fellow poverty-stricken individuals. I worked as a mason, building tomato shops for market women and stands for mai suya. Then pastor Timothy, Fred and their other colleagues came down to Lagos with 'the message', I helped in building the first church we used; we used woods to construct, that was my biggest contract then, I was so happy. Then the members usually sit on mats and during rainy seasons when the floors are wet, they were made to stand. That was a long time ago, now things have changed.

We walked to our seat, left end of the third row. It was reserved, everyone knew us with that position, even when we were not around, no one sat there. I wouldn't have known if not one Sunday after our return from Paris on a two weeks holiday that pastor Fred came to us in his usual black long coat and his Igbo accent to tell us our seat was empty throughout the day, that also reminds me of another convention; the whole church was filled up, some men and women even stood, but our seat was left empty. The praises were soon over and pastor timothy came forward to preach; an old man, who could hardly walk a mile without resting, he couldn't stand to preach, he would faint. Once he tried it and the next Sunday he was still at the hospital, ever since, he continued using his usual chair, he sat to preach but stood only when he needed to do a few unnecessary demonstrations.

"God has done it again in our midst" he started in his low shaky voice, I knew where he was he was heading; he knew if he impressed me on stage, I would impress him backstage.

"One of our very own has brought to us the prize for peace," he said. I could feel the eyes of people all watching me, even those in front turned back to look, some of them there were also nominated, and I could perceive their angry breaths.

"That is the pay for being so committed to God's work" he continued, he too could feel the hot tensed air he awakened with that statement.

"Am not saying you all are not committed, but we are awarded according to the quality of our works," he said to ease the tension. He preached for over thirty minutes; it was all about me, at first, I enjoyed it, but soon, I started to feel uncomfortable with it. It got boring, everyone wanted to leave, even I, but no one wanted to leave first.

Finally, he finished; I could now breathe good air. Offerings and tithes were collected; as usual the choir sang as the ushers passed the baskets; perhaps, that's the next thing I would do for the church; get them something to collect offering with, this basket is so similar, even cheaper to the one hanged on the wall of my bathroom to drop a few waste. It was time to do the thanksgiving proper. It was usually Pastor Fred's duty to call those who wanted to give thanks but this time pastor timothy decided to play that role.

"The bible says 'to him who is grateful, more is given.' if you know you have something to thank God for today why not walk to the altar with your thanksgiving offering" he paused. As he noticed no reaction from the congregation; no one attempting to move, all looking as though tied in their expensive agbada, he continued, "even your life is worth being grateful for, it's not easy, go check the hospital, do you want to be like those who can't even move? Yet some of them still give thanks" the crowd suddenly starts to move forward, I could notice the smile on his face, he have mastered the act. I wasn't good with my words in persuading people, if not I would be a pastor by now, many others have turned it into business, it is actually lucrative, and now you can't even tell who the real ones are, because the fakes tend to have sweeter and more persuasive tongue.

My acolytes knew what to do; as soon as I stood up, they all ran out to gather up the yam tubers, bags of rice, goats and others and Ali handed me the car key. Bisola and the kids stood up too, I could see the pastors' smile again as we walked down to the altar. Every other person just dropped their thanksgiving offering and danced back to their seats, or rather, walked to their seats moving their bodies a bit. But this was chief Tayo, certainly not anybody or everybody else, and he deserved a kingly thanksgiving, I ensured I was the last person to reach the altar to give my own thanksgiving; without request, I was offered the microphone, I knew I had to say something, but I will make it short and simple.

"I thank God for this opportunity, for once more am being able to give to the church as a show of appreciation. I don't need to say it all; you all know what happened, though it didn't come as a shock to me but I will have to give God his." I smiled and continued as I drew out the car keys from my pocket "this key is for the car parked beside the church toilet, am giving it and these others as a show of appreciation to God and his church." Just like I expected, the congregation gave the usual 'big-manly' clap, pah pah and stopped. People can be so funny, I thought, these men were rich enough to buy cars for the church, but they didn't, chief Tayo did and they don't seem excited at all, except for the pastors, who am sure soon after the service will ask me for fuel funds. We walked to our seats as the choir sang along. Immediately the choir began to sing 'shakara for Satan' Bisola started going into ecstasy, dancing and dancing, I knew she wanted to send a message with that act, she always did, she wasn't really as gentle as I thought.

Service ended few minutes later, people came from all corners of the church congratulating me, I was getting tired of the 'congrats' already, but I knew it will soon come to an end; even though they are Yoruba's, they are humans too, they will surely get tired. I knew the pastor will like to see me, I went to the pastors' arena, and with the little time, I had to wait for all pastor to finish.... Only God knows what, I saw Bisola talking to her friends; her gestures showed she was trying to mimic her own self during the award. From the moment she danced in front, I knew it is because she had new stories; she usually told it well anyway. Jessinta and Michael were also talking to friends and a few more people came around me.

The pastors were soon through with their meeting, though this was shorter than usual. They all came out, shook hands with me and I was left alone with pastor timothy who prayed for me, as usual, I gave him some money and fuel funds inclusive and he followed me to my car.

"I will visit you soon," he said as he waved us goodbye; soon. I thought, what could be sooner than his usual twice a week visit. I knew as he added the word soon, I would expect him today or tomorrow morning.

"Honey, you can't imagine how happy I was in church today when all the women were just screaming oya chief" she said smiling as she adjusted her gel`e; life could change so quickly, I thought, even I wouldn't have imagined that one day a woman will be this proud of me. Yes, I was handsome, but a pocket less man is nothing, no one could be proud of him.

"H'm" was all I said, I did not have words to reply her, I was feeling too proud already for her to continue increasing my ego, I would burst. "Baby, today you are going to do the cooking, it's been years since you did that last, I want to taste your fingers once more." "You deserve it honey," she said smiling; wow! So all these years I did not deserve a food cooked by my own wife, I thought as she continued, "I will cook fried rice for you, the kind you have never tasted."

"Do you want to go to Jupiter to bring the ingredients?" I said.

"If I can, I certainly will" she replied. All we talked about throughout until we got home was food. Immediately we got home, she prayed and changed into a casual dress; usually my two years old shirts and a wrapper. She went to the kitchen, told all the house cleaners to leave, and in about an hour, she was done. Throughout when she cooked, our nose were not at rest, we were thrilled by the aroma; I missed this for years, even the so called maids who claimed they have attended three or more catering schools couldn't have cooked half this one. The kids and I were already at the dining table even before anyone called us and Bisola brought out the large flask from the kitchen, as I wondered how she retained those skills, I have married a perfect wife, what else could be better?

Bisola did the prayer this time and I rushed to take my first spoon, I could not find words to describe the meal, but it was something I had never tasted before. Immediately I tried to swallow the first spoon, I threw it out.

"Salt!" I screamed, "The salt is excessive, did you pour the whole container into the food?" I noticed her sudden changed reaction, and she rushed to taste the food; she had not tasted it initially. None of us could eat the food, not even the cook, Bisola. We could have eaten something else, the house helps would have done that in a few minute, but we just went to our rooms in disappointments.

Bisola didn't talk throughout the evening even during dinner; when she was asked something that demanded an answer, she just replied in a word and few gestures to elaborate. She didn't even join us in the sitting room that night when we all usually come together as a family to spend happy hours. I could see the shame in her eyes as she lay to sleep; I knew she would have a nightmare; it happens anytime she sleeps with such low spirit, but it was a good thing she would have a nightmare that night because anytime she does, she holds me so tight as though I would protect her.

I walked out of the room; I knew Jessinta would be waiting for me at the garden for Music so I walked there and just as I expected, she was waiting for me.

"Baby, you stayed here all alone in the cold?" I asked.

"Yes dad, I was waiting for you to come so I can hear some of your music before going to bed. How come you took so long?"

"That's not the problem right now, go and get a blanket to cover yourself before I sing to you"

"Alright dad, but I hope this is not one of your tricks so as not to sing tonight?"

"I will sing. It's a promise, just do what I asked," I said and she ran into the house. In less than two minutes, she arrived already, all fully covered up in the blanket except for her face and ears.

"So what kind of song do you want to listen to tonight?" I asked as I cleared up my throat.

"A song of love" she replied happily "...sing of how you and mum met".

I was shocked how she has already started thinking of love at that age but I will sing to her, she deserved it.

'A common mason I was  
yet her glittering eyes made me smile  
it was an impossible love for a common mason  
but love breaks boundaries  
it builds bridges and gives way to those who come on it' I sang

'Love breaks boundaries and builds bridges' her soprano voice sang too and for an hour we sang and I took her to her room and with a light kiss planted on her cheek, she slept with a smile.

As soon as I reached the room, I switched off the lights, kissed Bisola's forehead, smiled and lay beside her. I didn't sleep quickly; I waited and waited for the nightmare to happen, but it didn't seem it would happen anytime soon so I slept off without even knowing when I did.

# CHAPTER FIVE

As Ali drove me to my office, I wondered why no nightmare came that night or perhaps she didn't even sleep, maybe she just lay there thinking of the tragedy; yes! Tragedy, it was a real tragedy. Bisola is really growing now but what could have made her cooked the meal that way? What was she thinking of to have poured such amount of salt into a food that raised so much appetite even before it landed?

"....and oga, you know say..." Ali said. I did not even realize he was talking to me until the word oga struck my ears.

"Were you talking to me?" I asked.

"Ah! Oga, so me is not putting ears, since wey I am listen" he said, I nodded my head in disappointment, five years of English training is useless to someone with a permanently blocked head to learning.

"I am the one doing the listening not you" I said to him in correction.

"Aha! Oga, na so I talk am walahi, it's I is listening kowe" he replied happily. I gave up. "So Ali, what were you saying?" I said, trying not to waste more efforts teaching him what he would never learn.

"Err, oga, even me I forget oh" he said biting his fingers.

"Focus on what you are driving, my friend" I lividly screamed at him and he trembled on the stirring. I loved my life, I wouldn't let one riff raff kill me; if he trembled too long, my corpse might be shown on the headlines tomorrow; so I had to reduce the fear in him. "En-hem, Ali, when did you say you will bring your wife?" I said.

"Ah! Oga, knife? Me is not killer walahi" he said, I knew he has started his usual foolishness, so to cut the drama short, I decided to speak the little Hausa I knew, "mata" I said.

"Haba oga, ba mata o" he said smiling. I needn't talk to him anymore; he is calm now and so can drive smoothly.

We drove to my multi billion naira headquarter in Lekki; where every Monday morning, a representative from each of my companies, foundations, institutions and several others in Africa comes to with their reports for me to go through. As we reached the front of the headquarter, staffs were all arranged in front of the building like nursery school children matching to their classes. Why do they keep doing this? Even I who collected the prize have almost forgotten I did collect one, but everywhere I go, I kept getting reminded; whether church, work or even on the streets. I guess this one will be better off anyway, when I won the Nobel peace prize, each passing day for successive three months, I felt like I had just won it a day before. So in two weeks am sure this one will be over, I just have to cope till then. As soon as we parked, two staffs ran to open my door; I came down from the car, expecting to see smiling faces, dancing worker, singing staffs or at least joyous people to say ' chief Tayo, congratulation', but none, it was an entirely different atmosphere. Ndoka was the first to open his mouth to even say 'good morning sir', what kind of workers I employed here in my home country. The workers in South Africa are far better. Alternatively, has something gone wrong with them? Did someone sprayed a sadistic gas in my company while I was away?; actually I didn't know if anything like sadistic gas existed, but if laughing gas is in existence, I see no reason aside partiality why sadistic gas shouldn't exist or rather, be made.

"What's going on here?" I said as I walked amidst them, but there was no reply for minutes, the whole atmosphere was tensed and sad as though they were mourning someone; if they were mourning, am certain it would be more than just someone who has died, even a president's death don't cause such kinds of atmosphere.

"Am I not speaking to humans or did I employ animals? If I did, let me know so that I will know how to dispose you all," I said as I ran out of patience. Finally, Ndoka spoke "chief sir..."

"How many times do I have to tell you to just say chief and drop your full stop? Must you add the sir?"

"Am sorry sir..."

"Am sorry chief sounds more pleasing to my ears."

"Am sorry chief" he said tiredly.

"That's better now, even you, how do you feel about it?" I said and continued without awaiting his response, "So what's the problem with you all?" I said. Ndoka paused, crossed his hands over his chest and breathed heavily; my heart was pounding already, what could have happened? I looked around, the workers seemed complete, even the representatives that joined them looked complete, and so what is happening.

"Sir, we all came to work this morning just to realize that the security surveillance room is burnt down, along with documents, the computers and even the servers were destroyed, and and......" he said in a very low sad tone; a tone that was soaked in tears.

"And what?" I screamed.

"And Matthias was found burnt dead inside. A few traces of cocaine were also found around the scene."

"My God! So what's happening now?"

"The police men are inside, investigating the scene; they said this place will have to be closed for a week or two for proper investigation"

"Did they realize its chief Tayo's building they want to close down for a week?" I said angrily.

"Sir, everyone knows who have this building" he replied.

"Don't worry I will settle this, you all stay here."

"Where are they?" I said as I walked towards the building entrance, but just then, the police were coming out.

"Good morning sir" the IGP said as he smiled and walked towards me in his unequal legs. It was good news to know that he was in charge of the investigation; I knew the building would be opened the next day, this is Nigeria and anything happens.

"Mr. IGP, good morning, long time no see" I said, "You have been very scarce since you were appointed IGP, is that how stressful the work is?"

"Sir, it's really stressful, today you will hear of bomb in this state, another day you will hear of gunmen, kidnap, and several other crimes. Crime rates are just excessive in this country these days" he said as he nodded his head in pity. I knew him so well; he need not do all those acts to me; he was also a criminal, except if people who collect bribes are not.

"So what happened in my building?" I asked and as though he had being waiting for this question, he started immediately.

"Tragic sir, really tragic. Your security surveillance room was burnt, leaving one of your workers dead and we suspect a foul play. It happened at night, and the dead worker as heard from a few staffs of yours wasn't supposed to be anywhere around the building at that time, so we suggest we should lock this place up for a week or so as we commence our investigation." He paused and took at deep breathe like someone who had run a marathon.

"The locking down isn't necessary, you people can continue your investigations with the building still functioning" I said.

"But sir...."

"Mr. IGP, calm down; this is the power house of all my companies all around Africa, do you know how much I will lose, even Nigeria at large will lose if this building is locked for just an hour? Am certain even Mr. President will not be happy with you if it gets to his ears that you did such, and things like this surely gets to his ears"

"But sir, my profession requires that I...."

"That you do what? Okay, let's make a deal, before leaving drop your account number with Ndoka and I, chief Tayo will surprise you before the end of today"

"Ah! Sir, I am not that kind of....." he was quiet for a moment in thought, turned around and now with a lower tone and a smile, he said "but sir, you were suppose to reduce your voice."

"Am certain nobody heard, this is my arena, I know how far even the sounds can travel" I confidently told him.

"Sir, are you sure? They are looking at us quite suspiciously"

"Do you doubt me?"

"No sir, but hope you realize this job is a rather expensive one and requires some expensive... you should know what I mean, I don't need to elaborate"

"I know what you mean, you should know am more than capable to handle that task," I said and we both laughed at the whole thing. He made to leave and as though he had just remembered something, he turned back and said "but sir, opening the building today will look utmost wrong, perhaps you have to wait till tomorrow or next to open it and again sir, it seems someone was in the building this morning"

"How do you know that?"

"Sir, I am an inspector, the inspector general for that matter and I can't be in that position without years and years of practice. We noticed the body was moved and when your workers were asked this morning, they said none of them even knew that someone died until we confirmed it" he said, I wanted him to away, matters were settled between us already. These Nigerian police talk too much of their abilities, but their abilities never cross the boarders of just speech, I thought as I walked towards my staffs, acting as though I thought he had finished talking already, he wanted to continue but I started off immediately loudly.

"We had a great loss amidst us just this morning; a damage that will forever go unrepaired, the loss of our very own" I paused and stood quite sober for a while, look at their own sober faces too so as to be induced to soberness, to look like a boss that really cared. Not that I don't care, but I don't just know how to look sober, nothing moves me anymore. Baba died when I was five and I heard mama died immediately after she gave birth to me. At five I had to burry Baba with my own hands and the help of a few other poor people, I used three days to dig where he was going to be buried, wrapped in wrapper; he was thrown into the hole and covered, no ceremony, no cows were killed, cow? Not even a lizard was killed, except for the organisms we must have displaced while digging. He was poor, no friends; after all a pocket less man lives on his own on earth.

"Matthias, indeed a great worker, forever will be remembered in this company, for his honesty and veracity, rest in peace. Let's have a minute silence in respect for his departed soul," I said and kept quiet, everyone else was quiet so they just remained quiet and bowed their heads. Time was going; I was certain it was approaching three minute, no one made moves to break the silence so I finally did.

"And may his gentle soul rest in peace" I said in a low sober tone and they all answered amen.

"Today is off, there will be no work, but as from tomorrow you all will return to your normal duties. Those who came from other parts of Africa with reports lodge in my hotel for free for this one night, I will make that known to the manager, or is the supervisor here?"

"Yes sir" a loud harsh voice said from amongst the workers, I could not tell who did; they all looked like they haven't spoken.

"Who just answered?" I said sternly.

"I did" a short dark man with bowed legs said as he walked from behind, I haven't seen him before, I was sure about that, even if I didn't know all my workers, I could remember their faces and besides this man had unique features that can't easily be forgotten.

"And who are you?" I asked.

"I am Mr. Nkpoto, the current supervisor of happy life hotel"

"Who employed you and were you credentials forwarded here before you resumed duty?"

"Yes sir"

"Then how come you haven't come here before, I have never seen you."

"I do sir, perhaps you don't just notice"

"You will be noticed anywhere, anyway tell the manager I said these ones are coming over to spend one free night at the hotel, okay?" without waiting for his reply, or perhaps he replied and I didn't just hear, I turned to Ndoka "write a note for him to take there" I said.

"And you, I will come over to that place to confirm your authenticity or Ndoka, follow them and confirm"

"Okay sir" he replied as they all went away. They went slowly and sadly towards their cars. He deserved it; he deserved the sorrowfulness they displayed even if I knew some others were there like me there who just did it because others were, most of them looked so fake, but am certain I wasn't looking fake, I am a good actor.

I waited until they all left then I walked to my car with thoughts just flowing through my brain, thoughts of how much I have lost that day; I needed Forbes to rate me among top ten multi-billionaires in Africa, am not asking for much I just want to leave that number fifteen to a one digit. I thought of why my workers refused to say at least congratulation, not even Ndoka, the one who wrote the speech for me. It seems they don't watch the news but at least they listen to radios or if not they would also have heard it from the general 'bush radios'- rumors. I know just what to do, as from next week, am going to run a current affairs test to all my workers, anyone who doesn't pass doesn't deserve his position and hence will either be demoted or have his or her salary cut down by a reasonable amount and most certainly, question fifteen will be 'who is the winner of this year's UNESCO peace prize?' anyone who fails that automatically gets fired. Ali was already in the car when I came, the escorts too were at their normal positions; the ones that walked with me ran to their various assigned vehicles and we went home.

Bisola mood has changed, she no longer acted like the sadistic person she did act like a night before, I didn't know if she had continued the mood that morning but that wasn't my concern, the most important thing here is that she is fine now.

"Oh my husband, I am so sorry, I heard what happened on the news," she said as she ran to hug me. I didn't even notice the press presence there, or could it be that they have gone before I even arrived, no, they came after I have gone; because there is no doubt that if I was there and they were there also, they would all rush to me.

"Its business my love, we don't expect perfection, things like this happens once a while" I replied immediately she release me from the safety of her hands. "honey, I am hungry, I couldn't eat breakfast this morning as I was rushing to work" I said, I could notice the shock on her face, she knew I don't rush to work; most bosses don't, only employees do so as to keep their jobs.

"Let me toast bread for you, do you want it with egg or what?" she said, I knew she seek just an opportunity to make up for what she did a day before, I had to give her that chance.

"I would prefer the egg honey," I replied even if the family doctor had warn that egg was not too healthy for a man of my age, but should be served to Michael and Jessinta for their growth instead but I love eggs. Children shouldn't be the only ones enjoying it, after all when I was a child, I didn't have the opportunity to eat eggs so am making up for those starved past times. We both went to the kitchen; yes, I knew men of my caliber don't, except those so attached to their wives like I am, that possibly wouldn't take a mistress outside, even those who made it to the top by being chefs don't. Nevertheless, this was Bisola and I; a very romantic couple I must testify, we usually do that when we first got married, but as time drew forward works of life hindered it. Actually, this time I am not going in there because of the romance or it like, am going in there to monitor the salt level.

We ate, drank and had good times together; times we rarely had due to works and its kind. We sat to watch a Nigerian Yoruba movie; with their usual concept of confessions, herbalist, ifa priest, wickedness and the rest of its kind, yet we never got tired of watching them. It was fun to watch evil people being caught at the end of the day as the adage will say 'ninety-nine days for the thief, one day for the owner,' actually ninety-nine days is more than enough for the thief to enjoy what is not his. The owner just have one day to enjoy his own stuffs; that's if he will really enjoy it; it's just like someone wearing your cloth for years and one day you find out after being naked all those years he had worn it, collect the cloth and wear it, it's actually not nice, who wouldn't prefer to be the thief? Watching justice taking its course no matter how long the wicked person stays in his wicked acts etc was nice to watch not because I was good. Actually I wasn't even watching it because I was happy with justice, no, just wanted to know possible ways an evil person could be caught so that possibly I will know how to escape such situations if found in one. Bisola was the one who introduced me to watching such kinds of movies, rather any kind of movies, where would I have watched one then. Before Baba died, he could not afford three square meals, even if he sold his head at that time, it won't buy a black and white television; I meant the CD's. Initially, I don't even watch movies when I got the money to afford a television set but after Bisola showed me a few that we watched together, I think I even got to love it more than she did perhaps because she was used to it already, her mum was well to do, she even had a car then.

"Its 2:30 already" Bisola said as she stood up from the seat, she doesn't stand up in the middle of a movie, especially a Yoruba movie, so I knew anything this 2:30 was all about was very important to her.

"And what happens 2:30?" I asked.

"The kids, they close by 2:30 at school" she replied.

"Oh!" I said. I don't know when they usually close from school. Most times I don't even know if they went to school or came back. I leave home before they go and come back when they are fully dressed up in house clothes, I don't even know how their school uniform looked like, that was when I started to realize how bad of a father I was, I needed to make this up to them. Going to pick them up in school today wasn't a bad idea on how to make it up to them, at least to show them I love them but works have kept me away. At least they enjoy the benefits of the morning until night hard work, controlling close to fifty companies in Africa was no joke, it required real hard work. And I wasn't really that bad of a father, I make sure we have family happy hours together in the evening and tell Jessinta stories before we all go to bed but today I will surprise them, I will go there to pick them up.

"Let me go and dress up, am sure they must be waiting and that Dogara will never come to remind someone, he knows he always takes me there but he makes sure I come there first" she said as she walked to the room.

"Don't worry about that honey?" I said.

"Worry about what oko mi, hope you don't intend firing him?"

"No, I meant about going to the kids school"

"Would they sleep there?" she said as she kept walking.

"I will go and pick them," I said. She walked a few more meters and paused shocked as though she had just heard what I had said.

"You mean you will go there?" she said, as she turned around coming closer to me this time.

"Of course I will" I replied.

"Hey! Wonders shall never end oh; there will be a heavy down pour of rainfall today oh" she said as she danced around, her usual habit anytime she was excited, she just danced. "This is rainy season honey, if rain falls today again its normal," I said.

"No, it's not normal, today's will be a heavy downpour" she said as she continue to dance in excitement.

"Let me get going dear, there might be no rain today self" I said.

"Watch and see"

"Ali" I screamed ignoring her. In no time Ali rushed inside the house "yes oga", he said. "Pick the car keys, we are going out now" I said to him "oga where is we wenting to?" he asked.

"Just pick it up first," I said and he rushed to pick it up without saying one more word.

We drove out of the compound in my Hennessey venom, most times I don't permit Ali to drive me in it, I let more experienced drivers do that; that car alone could buy about three politicians houses on my street, yes! It's my street, it was named after me, I was the most influential person that lives there. Today was a different day, I wanted to my children to be proud that their father had come to pick them up.

"Do you know the kids school?" I asked Ali just to ask even if I suppose he should know.

"Ah! Oga, me no sabi that road oh, me never ever go there for my life" he said, I was shocked.

"You mean you don't know their school?" I screamed.

"Oga walahi, it's only you me is carry to work, is Dogara is carry Madame to pikin school" he replied.

"Okay, reverse the car and go and call Dogara for me" I said and he complied immediately without any complaints like he normally does.

Dogara was soon in the car driving, it looked strange actually, because Dogara never drove me since he came into my house. It's being over ten years since he started working for me, Dogara was learned, a university graduate. He was lucky to even have a job, there are no jobs in Nigeria again. Even though it was a third class degree am sure his pay was far better than several other first class graduates; no one who worked for chief Tayo was ever broke, no matter how insignificant their role was, and that is because I am a very generous man. We didn't talk to each other throughout the ride like me and Ali usually does, we weren't close to each other. Soon afterwards, we arrived at the school premises; the whole place was empty except for the gatekeepers, the security and a few other teachers who were about leaving. No one there was on school uniform. Where could my kids be? Could they have being kidnapped? Because it seems kidnapping too aside being a pastor has become one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria, two teachers ran to me when they saw it was I who came down from the car.

"Good day sir" they both said smiling as they rubbed their palms against each other like a girl who just got into her husband's house and is still shy when being talked to.

"En-hen, how are you?" I said without even looking at their faces, I knew all those nice gestures they portrayed was because they wanted tokens from me, tokens that might never enter into their hands or rather will be removed from their bank accounts to bail themselves if my kids were not found.

"You came for your kids' sir?" they asked and I wondered what else I would come there to do, perhaps, buy the school? Alternatively, rent teachers?

"Of course yes" I replied.

"Okay sir, they are at the waiting venue sir" he said pointing through a passage way and suddenly dropped his hands and smiled the second one just stood there smiling all through "but we can take you there sir" he continued. I wondered what they took me for, a dumb person or what? We could see the signboard over the hall clearly written 'waiting venue' they just wanted that token.

"Don't worry, we can reach there on our own," I said as I smiled but such people don't give up.

"Ah! No sir, you won't come to our school and we put you through all these stress, don't worry we will go and get them" they said as they ran to through the passageway to the hall. These were certainly 'die hard', how sure am I that my kids were in the right school are these teachers paid well at all? I thought loudly.

"Yes sir, I think they pay them well, I think Madame usually pays about one million naira per head" Dogara replied, I never knew he would finally speak, I was almost thinking he was dumb.

"Okay, so why then do they act like die hard?" I asked him.

"No sir, that's not how they do act. You are an important personality in this nation, anyone who sees you any other place aside the television screen would act likewise"

He said and my head felt heavier. Why do I have to keep hearing these words repeatedly? No matter how much more I hear it, each time I hear it I just feel cold in my head, as if ice has been dropped on my brain.

"Oh! I see" I replied in a proud tone when I saw the kids running in front of the teachers who tried to maintain the distance too by walking faster. "Daddy, daddy" they screamed as they ran towards us "so it's true?"

"And what takes the place of the 'it's'?" I replied with a smiling face, it was a common thing among us; replying a question with another. Jessinta ran in front of her brother, I knew that if it was their mother that came; Michael enthusiasm would have being more. None of them replied until Jessinta jumped to hug me.

"The 'it's' is you coming to pick us from school today daddy, it's rare, you never did that. What have we done to deserve such great honor by our very own father, the great chief" Jessinta said as we all laughed to it.

"Don't worry kids, I will be doing this more frequently now, okay?" I said and they moved back, imitated their mum's favorite dance a bit and then burst out into laughter.

"Your mum must hear this," I said laughing, these were the happiest faces I have seen so far on my kids.

"Haba daddy, please don't tell mummy, she has promised to take us to dancing school if we imitated her dance steps again," they both said as though they had rehearsed.

"Okay I won't tell your mummy if you don't also tell her where I will take you people to," I said in a low tone. They both brought their fist forward and I brought my too and we all hit it together and shouted 'deal'. They jumped into the car and as I turned to enter too, I noticed the two teachers still stood there smiling.

"You have kids?" I asked them.

"No sir, we don't, we are not married yet" they said.

"Then you certainly won't understand, this is father to children chemistry" I said as I counted out a few notes and gave it to them.

"Thank you sir" they said as they collected the money and bent a bit in respect and they waved as we drove off.

"So kids where would you want to go to right now before we go home?" I asked as the car moved down the empty tarred road.

"Honey bite" Jessinta shouted in excitement "no lets go to president chicken" Michael protested and soon they both began to argue, I needed to settle this dispute between them, they never agree on anything; probably because we the parents shared them amongst ourselves with favoritism.

"Its okay" I yelled at them "nobody fights in front of daddy"

"Sorry daddy" they both said in sober voices and heads down. I certainly won't let the happy moment we were sharing get ruined; I needed to let the fun continue.

"So now daddy will be the king Solomon," I said in a calm voice, I immediately saw a quick change in reaction from the kids as they began to shout "king Solomon let justice be done"

"Justice will certainly be done; King Solomon is incorruptible and receives no bribes, so none of you is permitted to bribe me with a smile" I said as I drew their noses immediately they both began to smile more and more, that was the trick they needed to be happy, and I had the medicine to making them happy. I placed my hands on my face as though in thought and said quite audibly "if King Solomon was here, what will he do?"

"He would split the baby," Jessinta shouted immediately. "No he won't" Michael protested again.

"I am the king Solomon here, so I am the one to decide what to do. I will split the baby, so we will go to both honey bite and president chicken" I said.

"Yes!" they both shouted, the genius, King Solomon, delivered justice once more. That was when we noticed Dogara had parked beside the road.

"Why are you parked?" I asked Dogara.

"Sir, I was waiting for you to decide where I will go" he said.

"But now you know, so you can move" I said. It's good to be a boss, even without verbal orders, you are obeyed.

We reached home around about 5:30pm, the kids held the few other items we had bought for their mum but on reaching home we couldn't find her. Where could she have gone? I thought, she never mentioned she was going anywhere to me. I picked out my phone to call her when I saw about thirty two missed calls of which twenty were from her. Immediately I called her but she was already at the school looking for us, perhaps thinking I was looking for the kids who might have gotten missing, we actually wanted to surprise her but when she came back so tired, it no longer looked necessary nor did it look right so we just explained it all.

We were all tired, this made one more night that we couldn't eat dinner nor have our family happy hours before we went to bed. The first was three years back or there about, that day we were all chatting on the dining table waiting for Nkechi to serve dinner when all of a sudden Jessinta slumped; it never happened since she was born so we all got scared and immediately rushed her to the hospital. She was then given a few drugs; the doctors confirmed that it happened because she hadn't eaten since morning. When she was asked why, she said because she didn't like the meal. for God sake cornflakes, she said she was tired of it already, it made me remember when I was just a little boy, on days we were lucky enough, I mean when Baba got a few notes from his labor, we would drink garri twice that day with sugar and at times fried groundnuts are added, it felt like Christmas day to us, so you could imagine what a day that didn't feel like Christmas looked like. I have stayed without food for days countless number of times and not once have I felt dizzy about it not to talk of slumping, Baba would just bury me, he won't sell his head to pay any hospital bills, am certain it won't even cover for just drugs. That day as soon as we took her home we were so tired so we just slept off, Michael was already sleeping before we arrived; he merely knew what was happening; he was just two years old then.

We all went to bed, I was so tired that I couldn't go to sing to the kids goodnight or rather sing to Jessinta. I was barely sleeping when I heard whispers, it was the kids, they came to tell daddy goodnight; they do that when they wait in their room for long without seeing me. All I could hear was 'sleeping'. I could tell they didn't want to disturb me, soon they both left. It rained heavily that night and I wondered if truly the skies too were surprised, I went to pick my kids up from school.

It really was a rare day, perhaps it was a good thing Matthias died; I had quality time to spend with my family. Am not being heartless, am just trying to be an optimist; seeing the good side to everything, that includes the good side to Matthias' death, after all we all will die; this might just be his time. And perhaps there still lie other good sides to his death, other good sides that we might not know.

# CHAPTER SIX

As expected, it was yet another very stressful day at work, going through all the files and reports the representatives had brought from the different companies and institutions across the continent; I would have employed someone to do this job, but in Nigeria, in short the world at large, no one can be trusted. You can keep someone in charge and he will divert most of your money to build his own companies until yours is all dried up then the criminal runs away. You get the blame for mismanagement. Besides, a food cooked by you taste best because you know just the taste you want.

It was time for company thirty-five to come and present its reports to me and the rest board of directors. I was so tired, I needed rest at that moment, but procrastination was just not the right thing to do at this moment because I had to do a two-day job in one day. Being a rich man isn't as easy as many would think. Most poor men are found sleeping by 9pm or 10pm but rich men rarely have time to, except if they are tired of acquiring more wealth, which was impossible. There is that insatiable desire in us that want us to do more and more so as to acquire more and besides even spending sleepless nights to acquire more, you also have to preserve the one at hand. I had studied life and discovered it's only the poor ones that are satisfied with their current situation. H'm poverty, then all Baba's goal was to get what to put into his mouth for that day. He never thought of how to build his own house, even his N20 house rent, its until he is reminded before he goes to work for it, he was satisfied with his situation until he died, poverty did killed him. He died of cold, a rich man would have bought a blanket and go to the hospital to get drugs, but Baba when drugs was mention to him as an option he would ask whether he would sell his head to get one.

"Next!" Ndoka shouted. I had made him the chief director among my board of directors. Ndoka is one man that has found favor in my sight since the day he came into my company to apply for the position of a clerk. He was quite honest, a quiet and reserved person who knows a lot about how to keep secrets, he had full grown mustache which he refused to shave; like the adage will say ' a man with mustache has something hidden in his nose, because of him I believed the adage.

"Company's name" he asked the representative that just entered.

"Paragon hotel and suites, Johannesburg, south Africa" the representative, replied in a loud, sharp and fast tone.

"So in naira, what is the total profit of the last week?" I asked. I was only concerned about the profits, anytime the profit decreases I make sure I go there to confirm the problems. Even though I know in businesses, we don't always make profits, sometimes losses too are experienced but I make sure every loss is properly investigated.

"Except I calculate sir, the values here are in rand" he said.

"Calculate and make it fast, we don't have the whole day" I said as he immediately pulled out a pen from the file he came along with and started calculating, it took him about two minutes to complete his calculation, he stopped and took in a deep breath. "How much is it?" I asked again.

"3.2 million naira sir" he replied.

"Good, good, so is there any problem the company is currently facing?"

"None I could find out about before I left," he said "profit was much this week because of the UNESCO awards" he continued. I knew he was trying to cover for the future stolen money, so that next week when he comes with a far lesser profit, he would be able to justify himself.

The day moved slowly and I kept praying it would just end. Companies after companies came and it was time for the forty-seventh company; the last one, or rather, the second to the last I usually call it the last because the real last one is the only with the board of directors not more than one man which I named 'the company'. Soon we finished at the office, I was so happy with myself but there was one more company left, the biggest of them all although with the smallest structure but generates the largest profit. The meeting for that company usually holds in the company itself, it had just seventy workers but one unique feature that made it defer from the others; only the workers, its customers and the owner knows that the company exist. Could I make it there today? I thought. Its 6:30pm already, I will go there tomorrow instead. I walked out of the building to my car and went straight home; I couldn't buy any usual 'goodies' for the kids. What I needed at that moment was a cool shower, a good food and then sleep.

On reaching home, I met everyone seated in the sitting room, happily watching a soap opera, as I walked in, they all knelt down to greet me meanwhile Jessinta and Michael came over to hug me and Bisola followed behind.

"Daddy welcome, how was work?" they said

"Work was fine, my children but really stressful"

"That's always your excuse when you didn't buy any 'goodies' for us" Jessinta said in a low sad tone.

"Honey, it's not like that"

"Okay you said so, did you bring any 'goodies'?"

"Err... err" I stammered.

"You see," she quickly yelled.

"Leave your daddy alone, can't you see he is tired, he needs to rest" Bisola told Jessinta. As soon as Jessinta left me, Bisola came to take her place, folded her hand around my waist and dropped a soft kiss on my cheek. It almost seemed like a mother and daughter competition to me, fighting for the love of their dear husband and father.

"But mummy you just said he needed to rest" Jessinta said smiling shyly.

"Yes I did and this is where he gets rest, in my arms. When you get your own husband go and give him his own rest," she said jokingly and we all laughed. It was indeed my place of rest; I never got tired of such cuddles from Bisola, when her soft plump bosoms press against my chest, even if I was angry that cools me down almost forever.

"Honey, some politicians came looking for you today, I think it's... about five of them" she said as she release herself. Even if I wished, she never left me I was still addled by the fact that those politicians came to look for me. What is it that they need this time?

"Which politicians?" I asked her.

"Err... Senator... they dropped a number that you should call so that you can tell them when you would be free so they would come. Where could I have dropped it?" she said as she walked towards the dining table.

"You brought the message so you will call them to give them my reply. Tell them to come 8am tomorrow morning and tell them that's the only time I could spare so they should come quickly" I said and walked down to my room then the bathroom to take my bath forgetting that dinner was a general meal we all ate dinner at the same time except when we travel. I showered for less than three minutes and I felt fresh, wore a casual cloth and went to the dining just to realize they were all waiting for me to come and eat. I apologized and then we ate and cheered.

As usual, at 7:30pm, Jessinta was at the garden waiting for me to come so that we can sing together, though I felt s little bit feverish but I had to keep my words. Immediately I reached I started off.

# CHAPTER SEVEN

I could hear noises from the sitting room right from my room; it was rare because the sitting room was so far from my room. Whom could those be that can't talk low but shout even to this extent? Even when the loudspeakers were turned on to its highest volume, I could hardly pick the words when am in my room. However, these ones were so audible, or, could it be those politicians? But this is just past seven; I thought I told Bisola to tell them 8am. I knew they seek a sponsor for their forth-coming elections. I just hope there would be a special place in hell for them if not it will be very unfair and partial. After they have stolen all the money from the state they still squander it, if not just imagine some are still in office, you have seen no effects of their presence but when elections period comes they still don't have money to do the camouflage campaign. Yea camouflage and they know why it is called camouflage. I walked down the stairs because the mini elevator got spoilt three days before we left Nigeria for South Africa.

"Chief Chief" they all greeted in their big and flowing agbada, and they continuously rolled the sleeves over their shoulders as if they have timed intervals. That is what most big men in Nigeria do, that's the major way they usually show that 'owo ti de'-money have arrived. I didn't wear a smiling face so that it won't look as though it's when I was asked for money that I will change my facial expressions.

"Good morning" I replied as I went to sit at the chair opposite them. they were looking very excited that morning, this is not the way they usually look when they come to ask for money, they are usually sober so that you will have mercy on them, saying 'do you want to fate of this country lie in the hands of thieves and people who will ruin it, ruin what our forefathers worked for endlessly with their lives?' whereas they are the real thieves.

"What have I done to deserve this kind of visit?" I said.

"Everything chief, everything"

"Which includes... oh I am sorry... Nkechi!" I shouted when I remembered at least visitors suppose to be served no matter their reasons for coming.

"Yes sir," she said as she came to the sitting room in her blue and white uniform that was sown to cover her plump wrinkled body. When she first came into the house, she usually ties a wrapper just a bit over her sleeping breast, it wasn't good for the maid of an important person to go about almost naked, if it were a young girl, it would have being better, but this was an old woman, so we sew uniforms for all of them.

"Get drinks for my visitors," I said to Nkechi.

"What type of drinks sir?" she asked.

"Ask the people that will drink it, not me"

"We will take red wine," they chorused as if they had being waiting for me to ask. These were not real Nigerians; real Nigerians would have said 'no thank you sir' even if they don't mean it, until they are persuaded. Anyway, I can't blame them, they know this is chief Tayo, if they had said 'no don't worry' I would have told Nkechi to leave us perhaps they have experienced that from me before that the reason they did what they did.

"Okay then, serve them red wines," I said to Nkechi who was leaving already then all of a sudden she stopped and turned to me. What could it be again, another question? She was fond of asking too much question to be sure, of what she is bringing, but it was good, when she first came to the house, she could run just one errand thrice or more because she brought the wrong thing.

"What type of red wine, sir?" She asked, her questions were frustrating me already, I needed to go to 'the company' and her questions were elongating the meeting.

"Just bring any," I said to her angrily.

"Haba chief, we are not anyhow, or are we?" senator Femi said as he turned to his other fellow politicians.

"No, we are not" they replied smiling.

"Okay, so which red wine do you want?" I asked the politicians in a low tone, they knew I was getting impatient with them.

"Give us cold Barolo" senator Femi said. "Let my own be a little bit warm, I have catarrh" senator Joseph added. They all had their different problem, I had never seen where Barolo was taken warm, how will it taste? Moreover, I wondered why he wouldn't have catarrh; the people who have died due to the roads they didn't repair may be after their lives. "Okay, do as they say Nkechi" I said and this time she left finally to bring the drinks. "En-hem, as I was saying; what have I done to deserve such visit?" I asked the politicians when their potbellies caught my attention. And who said my belly was very big? Now I have seen something bigger. These people eat a lot of money, money not worked for, that's how it is squandered.

"We have a lot to discuss with you chief" senator Femi said, he was their spokesperson, the rest were mostly quiet during the conversation.

"Did you just say a lot? I have but limited time to spend with you, I have an appointment I have to catch up with by 10am this morning and the time is..." I said as I turned to look at the clock. "Oh 8:30, but I still have to bath, dress and do other arrangements before I go."

"Chief, I just said a lot but we will cut it short," he said in a faint smile.

"Please do"

"Okay we..." he started but was interrupted by Nkechi who walked in with the wines in a big white tray that contained several glass cups too, exactly their number.

"Here are the drinks," she said as she dropped them on a table in front of them and left the sitting room, possibly to continue kitchen works.

"Thank you very much," they said in a low tone to Nkechi so as not to interrupt the discussion any further.

"We heard a rumor that you belong to no party chief" senator Femi said.

"Yes, that's right" I said. I just hoped they don't want to call me to join in their party again, the last time it was PDP, the time before ANPP, now DOPP they can't get me, I have rejected the offer from bigger parties, and I can't reject those ones just to settle for less, I wasn't less.

"That's not so good chief, you ought to be in one, people in your caliber are there too, like Mr. Dan now belongs to PDP" he said thinking that would make me change my mind concerning not joining them, telling me of Mr. Dan, Africans richest man. He doesn't know I hate to be compared with my calibers; I love to outstand no matter what I have to do.

"Am not into politics business, I just believe anyone who is meant to rule will rule" I said.

"You believe that too?" he said laughing "tell me; why do you think Mr. Dan joined politics?" he continued. In addition, I wondered why this people can't say a sentence and not mention Mr. Dan, if they continued I would be tempted to leave them.

"Because he was interested in politics, what else could have made him join?" I answered casually.

"No chief, far from it. Aren't you in this country at all? He joined for its benefits"

"What kind of benefits will be in politics?" I asked as though I don't know that money is stolen, but actually am getting tempted to join for the money, I needed to be richer, possibly richer than the Mr. Dan.

"A lot, very many benefits chief" he continued "for instance for members like you who have so many companies, we can cancel all your import duties when our party is in power and you will get much more money. It is good business I must confess," he said smiling. Would I fall for this? Actually, being there will give me so much influence and possibly, when 'the company' is doing one or two exports or import, the influence will make it easier and that means more money. However, if I say yes now, won't it sound too soon? And what if I try to act hard-to-get and they just leave? So many women that do that never got a husband until they go advanced in age. It would be honorable to say a yes now than leave them to start going then call them back.

"Is that so?" I said in a low tone as though I was still contemplating meanwhile within me my mind was made up.

"Very so chief, in short we have a great offer for you immediately you accept" senator Femi said. This was getting bigger and bigger for me, only a fool will throw away such offer.

"And what is the offer?" I asked.

"We are meant to close our mouth till you accept the first proposal," he said as they all dramatically used their two fingers to clip their lips together. We all laughed at it, it made me remember childhood when if Baba Agba flogs me and when am screaming he tells me to hold my lips and mention no more word.

"Okay it's accepted, now tell me what is the big offer?" I said. I noticed the happiness on their faces, they never bothered to even try to hide it because it will be no use, They would not be able to; chief Tayo who has rejected other parties' request finally accepts DOPP, h'm... nice headlines.

"This calls for celebration chief, do you what this means to us? You have elevated the party" they said as they stood up rolling their agbada as usual and then attempted to dance as I wondered if I was the only one who don't love to dance at every slightest jubilee or perhaps, cause of joy.

"No no no... that would certainly not be now, when I come to your office for official acceptance then we can celebrate... remember I told you I had somewhere to go?" I said. Going to 'the company' was very important to me. It was my major source of fund every other were camouflages, 'The Company' was the first company I opened after working under wasabi for seven years.

"Okay then we will reserve the best things for the last, but anyway the chairman has told us that if you agree to this offer you will be the flag bearer for our party for the governorship elections in Lagos state."

"Are you seriously joking or what?" I said. I knew for certain how much I will gain, I knew the state's budget and one more thing I knew how to calculate well was how much was used from the budget for the work itself and I also knew the pockets it entered just that I didn't know how many lips were sealed with notes. But on a second thought, money I get from this, how will I declare it as part of my assets? Everyone knows how much the governors are paid, anyway, that's not a problem; they will only see what I let them see, after all that's what all politicians do.

"Since am not seriously joking I guess I will say am 'what' that's the only other option left" he said as he laughed, his crooked laugh filled the air, but now I didn't mind, initially it irritated me, but now I want to listen to it over and over again because I will be the governor.

"But isn't there any rules of any kind that prevent new comers from being flag bearers" I asked. What I hated the most in life was rising my hopes about something just to see it crumble to my face.

"Chief, this is Nigeria and anything happens here" senator Femi replied. I wasn't a novice in this country; I knew many things could happen but the word 'any' sounds so much like exaggeration.

"That is no problem; we will discuss that better when I come to your office, just bare it in mind that chief Tayo has accepted the request" I said. They all stood up and I escorted them to the gate. I called Ali to give them each one bottle of their favorite, the Italian Barolo red wine.

"Thank you so much chief.... Or rather, governor" senator Femi said as we all laughed to it.

"Wait first let me become the governor; it's still Mr. Shola's time to reign" I said as I bade them goodbye and they all drove off in their flashy imported cars. I know all cars that were imported, because I have being to almost all the car dealers in Nigeria.

# CHAPTER EIGHT

I went to 'the company' in disguise and also in a car, nobody knows me with, no one will follow me if they don't know I am the one; actually I learnt that from a movie too. 'The company' looked empty as usual. A small building, it had the design of the first two bedroom flat I built when I first started making money; an aluminum hip roofing and the structure was painted orange and milk color, yea it seems quite feminine but that was because it was the house I married Bisola into, I wanted to impress her. Then I was already feeling like a big man; but now to me people who live in such kind of houses are still infected with the disease 'poverty'.

I walked through the door, the building was fenced round and high with electric barb wires around it. I couldn't be seen from outside; normal passer bys will think it is just a house where a man with several daughters lives; when a man has more than two female daughters he increases the height of his fence and place barb wires.

"Is any one in?" I whispered as I walked through the passageway for a while I got no reply, I was used to that kind of atmosphere, they wanted to be sure who was coming in. soon afterwards, Daniel came out.

"Baba oh" he screamed as he stood on his toes and saluted, Daniel was one man like all other workers that his looks change with his dressing, he doesn't look like someone forced to wear a cloth. When he wears suit, he looks really official, on agbada, he looks so much like a big man and on dirty clothes he looks like a road side mechanic and knows so well how to change his facial expression to how you want him to look. His parents were not poor, but he was one of those spoilt kids who hate to go to school. He dropped out and ever since his parents were angry with him, his allowances were cut short so I gave him this great offer now he doesn't even live with them, he has built his own house, he doesn't even need a certificate anymore. According to him, he told me he was an aficionado of music but his parent will never just let him do that they wanted a doctor out of him and he couldn't just cope. Seeing he couldn't cope, with lines and lines of carry-over, he decided to live like a bad boy, not because he wanted to, but he needed something to cover the shame on his face, the mockeries from his mates and the insults from his parent.

"How are you?" I said in a low voice because of the echoes the sounds produced because the room was empty.

"Am fine oh Baba," he said, as he dusts down the dust from his dirty attire.

"How many times will I tell you to stop calling me Baba, you make me feel like a local old man or an herbalist with that" I said " I would prefer Chief then a full stop." Baba was what I call my father, yea, he was local and the way I could remember him, he looked old, even if Baba Agba said he died at thirty-six. Baba Agba, also another old local man, the one I stayed with after Baba died, I was suppose to stay at his place then for him to take care of me since Baba died but when I reached there the reverse was the case, I fed him and took care of him. Again, Itumokuru, the old, near to death medicine man who helps us sanctify our products so that those who will confiscate them won't see them was called Baba.

"Okay Chief" he said smiling.

"Now how does that sound in your own mouth?" I asked.

"Baba that one is boring oh let us leave Chief one side now, I like to call you Baba, it sounds even more than a chief to me, it is like reverencing a superior" he said. I knew this boy, so I just had to let go of that issue, I certainly won't want to spend my whole day here, it might start raising suspicions. I also learnt that from a movie I watched sometime ago; to try to look available at all times in public places. If not it will raise small suspicions of where I went to and certainly suspicions leads to investigations by those who want to see me fall no matter how little it may sound and which might also lead to an arrest. but this is Nigeria, I could bribe my way through but my kids finding out might affect their future and diminish my respect in their face.

"Okay, where are the rest of them?" I asked.

"Baba, some are asleep in the room while the rest went to buy drinks" he replied.

"So that means no one is working?" I asked or have business gone down here at my major source too.

"We worked all night packaging all our products for distribution, now we are through what's left now is flying out with them to the respective countries"

"That's impressive" I said as I smiled nodding my head in joy, my boys have been hardworking since day one. Perhaps I am just getting repaid for the total allegiance I pledged to wasabi, I just hope one day I won't be back stabbed too anyway am way smarter than they all think they are, wait, wasn't that what wasabi thought when I was working under him? No, he was too dull to think I would betray him, it came as a shock to him he was ready for nothing. Our people will say then that when you kill a bird when it's not concentrating or perching on a food then you are a coward, but will you stay in front of a lion with a knife to attack? No, you have to go from behind. Daniel paused a bit then turned to me.

"En-hem Baba, we have one new guy that have come to join us" he said. Another new guy? I thought, when the new people are getting too much don't it means trouble? Jesus had just twelve disciples and there was still a Judas amidst them, now if this is added there would be about seventy one workers here, if out of twelve one Judas arose, what of out of seventy one?

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He is inside"

"Hope you have done all the investigations on him?" I asked. This is a risky business; some people might just come there just to find out what's going on in here, thirteen of such has been killed over the years, yea just thirteen of those who feel they could threaten me, that little brat Matthias was the thirteenth. However, the boys I sent to do Matthias jobs weren't good enough. I told them to do it clean and unsuspicious but instead, it was done in my company. Perhaps they thought they were brilliant, doing it in the company he worked at and burning the room down might look like an accident, but am certain this will raise a lot of suspicions but it's easy to clear off. The EFCC chairman, Mr. Richards my friend, I knew how well to set him up if he tries to go into my case, I know of all his escapades, how he killed the former chairman and paid several people to recommend him, I have my proves and IGP, h'm that one is so easy just collect his account number. "Ah! Baba this one it's me that is bringing him oh, I fully recommend him he knows the job too well" he replied. I paused and gave out a sigh, Daniel recommending someone was rare, he was the one who always condemn the new ones no matter how others are for the person then I knew this one would really be good.

"Call him for me," I said. I have not finished speaking when he came outside from the room he stayed in; he had being eavesdropping. The boy he brought seemed very much of a criminal to me, he was tall with rough beards and fierce looking, flashing eyeballs; I had seen these appearance somewhere, it looked faintly familiar, I couldn't even place where I had seen his face.

"Where did I know you from?" I asked him.

"Baba, no be me you see oh, nobody dey see my face... but e fit be me... Maybe I con rob for your house once or twice or kai... even if I con rob for your house, you can't fit see my face, am always fully covered," he said in a high-pitched voice. This man must be a talkative, which wasn't certainly part of the qualities of these workers; I will ensure I watch him closely before he lands me into gbese. Nevertheless, on a second thought, maybe he is just trying to impress me after all that was the first time we were meeting.

"So what are your qualifications in this... I don't even know your name," I said.

"Baba my name is osekere a.k.a master duper of the oyingbos"

"What kind of name is that and where are you from?"

"ebute meta, awon original Lagosians by birth and by life and for life" he paused and saluted as though paying respect to his people. That seemed impressive, I knew of a few people who came from that part of the state, they were very good, secretive, skillful and wise.

"So what are your qualifications?" I asked that to be sure he was not one of those charlatans. or rather, they make others believe what they are not because as for me when a bad egg enters I perceive the smell immediately no matter how he tries to mask it up with a perfume.

"Ah, Baba that one is small thing but before I start naming them let me start by this." He said then he paused for a while took a deep breath and walk around a bit, I wondered what he was up to but I was alert up in my brain so that if he wanted to try something funny, I would get him. Suddenly he stopped walking and dipped his hands into his pocket, he wasn't that smart, immediately, almost with the speed of light, that's an exaggeration, yea I know but I was very fast, faster than he was, I pulled a gun out of my pocket and pointed it at him.

"Kneel down there, so you are a police... ehn... how many others did you come with now, tell me now?" I screamed at him, he felt a little shocked, I had being in that position before, when you think you are smart just to find out the person you were trying to outsmart whom to you looked dull and unwise was way smarter the you.

"Err... err sir, how will I be a police, I hate all of them that wears that black black cloth like mourners and parole the street collecting twenty naira from people" he said in a shaky voice.

"Then what are you trying to remove from your pocket?" I asked as I pointed the gun closely to his head so that he won't attempt to make any moves.

"It's your phone sir"

"My phone? Let me see it" I said and he removed my phone from his pocket. It was shocking; I immediately searched my pockets and found nothing. How did he do it? When did he come close? Were the questions that jogged inside my head. I had been with me why I did not even notice when he come close not to talk of carrying it. It looked impressive to me; I tucked my gun back into my pocket.

"How did you do that I asked?" I asked.

"I make you believe what I want you to believe. All those drama I acted, shouting Baba was just to draw your attention away from yourself then I struck when am fully sure you are no longer with you" he said in a calm and fluent English and I wondered if it wasn't the same person I was just speaking to right now. He seemed entirely different just by changing the way he spoke, at first I thought he was a total illiterate but now he seem like a graduate.

"Wow, that's impressive. You are taken, as soon as Itumokuru arrives you will do all the rest rights and your protection charms will be given unto you. You might be smart but sometimes you make mistakes, the protection charm corrects those mistakes," I said and he jumped back to his feet, returned to his barbaric acts, and screamed.

"Ah me? Baba oh, thanks you so much," he said then he lay on the floor like a real Yoruba man shows respect. I will certainly like this man, he will be a fool to me, I like those workers I can toss and toss just like the way I do to Ndoka.

"You will also take the oath of allegiance with Itumokuru. Not because I don't trust you or any of them who have taken the oath but we are humans living in flesh, sometimes the flesh tells us to betray but when this oath is taken it suppress the flesh in such situations" I said without even a break, when I was through I took a deep breath.

"Baba that one is small thing, even my father is a Babalawo, his father was one too in short we are the family of babalawo when I get to seventy too I will be a babalawo." He said confidently and he smiled happily. I recited some incantations and he began to cry. "Ah Baba please don't curse me, my father is not a Babalawo I don't even know him, my mother was raped by some armed robbers even she don't know my father" he said. I began to laugh, he was a drama, a funny one, am sure if Wole Soyinka had known him he would have given him the role of the character Lakunle in his play 'the lion and the jewel'.

"Am not cursing you, it's just a mere panegyrics, if you were into babalawo things you would know that" I said as I raised him from the floor where he lay down.

The three of us walked through the passageway to the room, we saw a few workers sleeping the rest were playing cards, I advised them to play cards frequently because it aids their brains to know how to act fast and smartly. The female workers were very pretty; everything I do in that business, I do them with wisdom anyway this is one of those things I learnt from wasabi, may his life jail sentence be more laborious. I selected the pretty ones because they know how well to distract those men searching at airports. I had just seventeen of them of which just thirteen of them are my mistresses, they take weekly turns; this is part of the thing Bisola and every other person don't know I do, to her I would never look at another woman, but a big man remains a big man, we sometimes need something to keep the body and soul active, we needed variety of tastes.

"Baba is around" Daniel screamed and they all left what they were doing and bowed a bit to show respect. However, it happens everywhere but I am usually happier when it is done here.

"Who is the newly appointed cashier among you?" I asked and waited for a while nobody raised up his or her hands to signify.

"So this company has no cashier? Do you people want to land me into gbese?" I screamed.

"Baba, we were waiting for you to come and assign one, but Funke is the one we kept in charge of the money for the last mission" Daniel replied. Funke have never being my mistress even once, so it was a good thing she was kept in charge, the other ladies who had taken turns in being my mistress will mishandle the money because they feel they were very close to me, seeing things the rest haven't seen.

"Okay then, since you all trust her that much to keep her in charge, from henceforth she will be the cashier" everyone there clapped but I knew they weren't all happy, that's just how success is, not everyone is happy when you are succeeding.

"So how much was made last week?" I asked.

"N500 million and a little plus in front" she said smiling and I wondered if after five years of her working under me she don't know how much I love money, I love to listen to every detail down to the pluses.

"Is that a precise value?" I asked in a harsh tone before the next time she will call values she will subtract the pluses.

"Sorry sir, its five hundred million three hundred and twenty seven thousand naira" she said in a shaky voice.

"Was it in Nigeria all the goods were sold?" I asked.

"No sir, most were even sold in....."

"You can keep the explanations to yourself. If they were not all sold in Nigeria then am sure the monies were changed at the bank"

"Yes sir"

"Then, why wasn't the kobo included?"

"But sir, in today's Nigeria, kobo is not val....."

"To Nigeria not to me, okay?"

"Yes sir" she replied in a trembling voice and I smiled to the effect my actions have caused. I wanted to make a show to make her realize I don't joke with any single penny of mine and just one act and it worked so well, I would make a good actor, Nollywood might be my next target.

"Open the shelves I want to see the packaged goods," I told one of the boys who was seated at one end of the wall. Immediately he stood up and pushed the wood across the wall. Anyone who just entered the room for the first time or even forever without being told would think it's just an empty room awaiting a tenant but to those who knew it well knows where the products are hidden. As soon as the woods were pushed open to reveal the drugs, I noticed osekere swallowed saliva. H'm he must be a drug addict, I just hope he doesn't take all my drugs when he is told to go and do supplies I will deal with him if my money is not complete, but he is so smart, I will give him a closer look.

"Okay, nicely packaged. Close it up; Itumokuru will be here any minute soon" I said and he closed it immediately, my boys were hardworking anyway there is a saying that says the students are influenced by their masters; I am so hardworking they learnt it from me.

We waited there for quite a while, those who went to buy drinks had returned, yet Itumokuru didn't come. We were getting frustrated, I called him just a night before and he told me he will come quickly, by his quickly I thought I would even meet him there when I arrive but that's not the case I had to even wait for him. We all tried calling his phone but it was switched off, he always switched it off when he is in the shrine, he says it keeps him away from disturbances from his clients. Yea clients, they are so many, the first time I was at his shrine, I saw pastor Oscar, one of the world's most famous pastors but he didn't know I saw him there if not am certain he will send killers to take my life so that I won't expose his secrets. I went to the back to ease myself of urine when he walked outside giving Itumokuru some notes, when I asked Itumokuru he told me pastor Oscar was one of his most faithful clients, sacrificing more than thirty two heads since he had started attending to him, he gives him rings, handkerchiefs and water, the so called holy water to use in his church. At least if not for anything, I was glad I wasn't the only famous person that had something sealed and I was glad since Itumokuru's charms were as potent as making pastor Oscar that famous, then it would help me achieve my own goals too.

Itumokuru later arrived at about 3:30pm, I knew that Bisola would have gone to the headquarters to look for me; she usually does that as every good wife would. But today would just be another day that I had to lie to her. if I knew I would spend this long here I would have called Ndoka to tell him to tell my wife that I just went out but she will want to wait and waiting too was risky but what was worse was if she was told I hadn't come to the office throughout that day where would I tell her I went to? Wish she knew about 'the company' too, but it wouldn't be good. To her I looked like the best man in the world with just a few faults. I have overhead her said that a number of times either when she and Nkechi are together in the kitchen or when she talked to her friends, telling her would reduce the level of respect she had for me, I guess I just have to conceal it from her till perhaps when we are about to die at old age, that's if we reach. Itumokuru pleaded with us for a while telling us his usual stories that he wanted the charms to be very potent. "My son, am so sorry, you know most times we just aren't satisfied with the potency of the charms. If we try it on a goat and it works, we won't stop there, we will migrate to elephants, to humans and then to spirits" he always said. It was becoming an ad nauseam already, at first it seemed interesting to me how a human; no matter how much he hated to be called a human, he said he was a spirit, animal and human, will test the potency of a charm on spirits or even animals. it seemed strange truly but now we were tired of hearing that over and over again. Itumokuru was an old man, but when he walked on the streets, he usually dressed like a young man, on a face cap and jean trousers if you didn't look closely you won't realize you are talking to an old man who is approaching his eighties because he doesn't even walk like one.

"Open it up so that I can sprinkle the charms" he said as he used a banana leaf to mix the liquid in the calabash. Daniel immediately opened it for him and he sprinkled the white liquid with the banana leaves he attached together and whispered some incantations as he sprinkled.

"That's all for today" he said as he walked down through the passageway of a sudden he paused and turned around to look at osekere, that was when I remembered that osekere was to do all the requires rights and allegiance and be given his own charm for protection.

"Is this a new guy? I have never seen his face here" he said, Itumokuru still gets me wondering, he was an old man but he had an active brain that even sometimes make me believe if truly he is a mixed breed of man, animals and spirits.

"He is new here" I replied

"Have he done all the required rights he have to do with me?" he said sternly as though vexed. These medicine men are usually very suspicious just in case you have started visiting another medicine man, he would think the rights have been done on osekere by another medicine man.

"He just came in today" I replied "we wanted to tell you since but your late coming had made us gotten so acquainted with him that we even think he has being here with us for long" I continued.

"Okay then, if that is the case let me begin the rights on him," he said and he told osekere to kneel down. He did the usual rights on his head: breaking an egg in front of him, telling him to bend a bit as though he wants to lick the egg liquid, then rolls a calabash over him, scatter chicken's feather on his head and finally gave him kola nuts to chew and other kola nuts he will chew when he is going a mission. That was for protection, it was time for allegiance, I put my hands first on his own then Itumokuru's own followed, and then the rest of them made sure they had contact with one person who had contact with him. Prayers were made on his head and right at that moment, he swore allegiance to the entire family. Itumokuru later left when he was through with everything and I sat and wondered what kind of a herbalist he was, he doesn't live in the bush like all other fellow herbalist, he lives in a bungalow. He don't only travel overseas just in spiritual forms he also travels in planes, drives big cars and do enjoyable things like any other rich man would. Nobody will ever know he is an herbalist or a medicine man unless told, even when he or she is told they would not believe.

# 

# CHAPTER NINE

I walked down to my car when all was done and settled; when I had made sure, the money was split among the workers according to experience, which includes numbers of years spent. I thought of how it would be like to be the governor of this great state. I would even move around the state one day to see the state and people I will soon rule before am officially announced as the flag bearer of DOPP for the governorship elections, I know certainly that spirits will drop when they hear am the one running, because just like anything else I will win this one, rigging is not required because am so popular, many will believe I will do a lot of work because even before going into power I have being doing great things for the people, but if the situation warrants rigging then I guess there is nothing else we would do but to rig, I just have to become the governor no matter what. Though, then I had never thought of it before, all I thought of was going into more and more business possibly even build an airline, but now that the idea has been put into my head I feel a strong desire within me to do just that, it's very easy and very lucrative. Bisola had never liked anything politics because she believed it was violent, it really is anyway especially in this part of the world but even the bible says, '... only the violent takes it by force'. If am requires to go violent to take this by force, then I certainly would not minding what Bisola would say, she would definitely not even know all the violent means I will use, that would certainly be kept sealed from her and the rest of the world just like everything else I do.

Things change too quickly, I thought as I sat in my car, wind up the tinted glass so I won't be seen, then I put on the car's air conditioner. It just seemed like yesterday to me when I struggled so bad with life, that certainly what happens when you are born with no spoon in your mouth, you certainly don't know your future, but in my case perhaps I did but things changed so easily. Born by a lazy man, who didn't know why he was even on earth, he could hardly put food in his mouth without biting his finger because the food was never enough but yet he went out to pick a wife, a wife whose father faced the same problems of my father. According to him, he said he struggled for two years to work so he could buy a chicken as bribe price for Mama's family. on the other hand, I guess they too were very happy, because if they were as poor as we were, a chicken would certainly be a life time opportunity, they couldn't reject that after then my father never tasted chicken again till he died, he never even tasted chicken, garri- cassava flour was his favorite, rather the only food he could afford. And I wondered 'what if garri never existed, would he live till when he did?' I guess not. I suffered more after he had died, at five years old, I had to start taking care of myself and certainly someone else who was suppose to be the one taking care of me, Baba Agba, his father, a very lazy poor old man just like his son, or rather the son was just like his father. Though I wondered why he lived so long, perhaps the son had just the laziness and poverty quality of his father but not the strength.

There was one thing Baba Agba never ceased to say 'honesty' and ever since, till I found out what honesty means I hated it so much, if Baba Agba who claimed to love honesty this much and still remained so poor, then I guess to be rich, that's just what I needed to hate. I love to sing a lot and play trumpets and flute, then and I had a good way of catching an audience with my songs, he usually flatters me that I could even entertain animals and that if I could settle on that I would be known by the whole world.

"You could be like Michael Jackson or King Sunny Ade," he would say in his old quack but melodious voice, he could sing, why didn't he go into music too? Alternatively, did he and he become this poor by doing it? Then certainly, I won't do what he says. My life will certainly not end like his; a nobody. If he worked one, I would work ten, if he hated rice then I would love rice and if he loved beans then I would hate beans. Everything I did soon began to work for me, I became a mason, building shops for different poor people then working tirelessly from morning until night until I met a savior, wasabi who introduced me into cocaine dealings. At first, he started that he wanted to take me abroad and I was so excited, me a commoner would go abroad. At least, I had something I could boast about that my father and his father didn't do, I don't know if anyone has done that before in their generations, possibly the ones taken away for slave trade, but I also heard the lazy ones weren't taken because they usually die on the sea. When he told me all I would do, I agreed, charms were given to me and when it was time to do the oath of allegiance, trust me I was smart, would I risk going dumb when I knew certainly I would betray him one day? No, so I didn't swallow the kola nut of allegiance. When I betrayed him he laughed and told me I would go dumb because I had sworn the oath, I didn't take him serious because I knew what I did, and I watched him walk into jail.

The sun was going down already so I drove home, as usual met Bisola outside, waiting for me on situations like this when she doesn't know where I have gone.

"Where have you being honey? I have searched all over for you, dialed your number but it wasn't going through. You got me really worried," she said in a romantically worried tone. I needed to just like to her, if not she won't be satisfied, but I haven't thought of what I would tell her unlike other days when before I come I sit for about ten minutes to fix words together, she believes almost everything that comes out of my mouth, what I just needed to do was speak.

"Err... err" I stammered words refused to come into my head at that moment and I wondered why I hadn't spared a little time from thinking about my past to just think of what to tell her. I waited for a while and words still refuse to come, but just what I needed at this time she did.

"Don't tell me it's that DOPP office you went to again?" she said, she had just given me something to tell her.

"Yea honey that where I am just coming from, I didn't want to tell you because I know how much you resent politics" I said in a low and as though sad tone.

"That's okay honey, if that's what you want, I won't stop you and besides, I will be the first lady of this state when you win" she said as she walked proudly on her toes bouncing as though trying to imitate a queen. We then went inside the house and the usual routine continued.

Although it was an entirely different day from all others, with too few weird things happening around me, the most that shocked me when I saw Michael waiting outside with Jessinta to listen to my songs.

"Wow you came to listen to my songs today, son?" I asked.

"Yes dad" he replied happily.

"You won't understand it, didn't she tell you that it's a continuous song story, I usually continue from where I stopped the night before."

"Oh, she also didn't tell you that I have been interested in your song stories since day one. It seems she not so good at telling things that happens in one party to the opposite party, she tells me of it daily, today I have decided to listen to it from the horse's mouth" he said and that shocked me. He had never acted as though he was interested in my singing so I was pleased at his turn up.

"Wow, that's interesting," I said. "So where did I stopped last night?" I asked Jessinta. "Today is trumpet night" Michael replied. That shocked me even more.

"Wow, okay then I will do just that" I replied and I cleaned my trumpet and blew for a while.

"Dad, how do you play this thing so well? I want to learn, I want to be like you" jessinta said when I finished.

"one day I will teach you, but now we have to go and sleep, it's getting late" I said and we all went to bed.

# TWO YEARS LATER

# CHAPTER TEN

Days on days passed by, but time never seem as though it moved to me that when I gazed at the newspaper in the morning seeing 'Happy eighteen months in power our lovely governor' I was shocked. I knew I wasn't a lovely governor, I was just being a good businessman, making profits from all parts of life. I enjoyed myself, as I had never done before. Being the governor made me feel on top of the world that I even began to wonder 'what if I was the president of the USA'. However, I had always felt on top of the world right from day one, but this felt different. I started feeling on top of the world when I earned my first N50, Baba never did. After then, I was also given the first contract on my street to build the first tomato stand as a mason, ever since, I knew I would go places.

I sat on my cushion thinking and smiling 'so this is what that scoundrel, Chief Adeleke would have made me missed' but anyway it was a good thing he died. May his stubborn soul rest in peace, at least that was the gift I could offer him for letting me become governor by dying, if he wish, he could accept my offer.

"Dad, I no longer feel comfortable when I am around you as I used to feel before" Jessinta said from behind me, I didn't even know she was behind me until she spoke and her words cut through me like needle.

"Baby, why did you say that?" I asked as I placed my arm around her.

"You are not just the same father I used to know since you became governor. You no longer tell sing or play trumpet to me. Every day for three weeks, I went to the garden waiting for you but you never showed up but each time I tried to give an excuse to myself for you that perhaps you were busy" she said and tears rolled down her eyes like a newly wedded wife that found out her husband had a child with another woman. I had never seen her that emotional before so it touched me more.

"My love for you hasn't diminished a bit; I have just been very busy. Being the governor is not an easy job..." I said as I patted that her twelve-year-old back gently, I noticed it did no good; tears still flowed down her eyes.

"Okay then, I will make it up to you, which eatery do you want to go to?"

"Dad, I eat every day in this house, food is not a problem, I just that father to daughter 'thing' we had then, the songs, the trumpeting you promised teaching me etc, I know you remember what I am talking about" she said

"Yea, I know okay let me sing to you a song now about...."

"I don't want a new song, continue that song on life you promised to finish"

"The last time I sang to you was two years back, how on earth will I remember where I stopped?"

"I do... remember I told you I never forget a word of your songs"

"Wow" I said as no other word came out, ashamed of myself.

"You stopped where..."

"Wow" I said again interrupting her.

"Yea, dad, wow"

"Okay then...." I stopped for a while trying to remember the story behind the song I sang to her because then I sang anything that came into my head at that time.

"Yea, okay, then as we floated..." grin grin my phone rang. It was Osekere, my new main boy at 'the company', most of the others were arrested including Daniel, since I became governor and he seemed to be the most skillful there available so I made him the head. He never called until there was something that needed my attention urgently, so I had to pick the call.

"Give me a moment dear...." I said to Jessinta, I noticed her smile faded away. "... Hello Osekere"

"Hello sir" he replied in a low unusual tone.

"Hope there is no problem?" I asked.

"Just a little, our suppliers have refused to leave sir, they said until they see you."

"Settle things out with them, you usually do that, don't you?"

"Yes I do, but this time they want to speak to you directly, I don't know why, they seem very angry."

"Okay then, am on my way" I said and cut the call.

"Baby, I promise you I will sing to you tonight, okay? Just wait at the garden for me," I said to Jessinta but she neither smiled nor replied; she just walked to her room.

I ran into my room and as usual, changed into my unusual dress, a dress I would look unrecognized in. I went to my car and left for 'the company'. The whole place was unusually silent when I entered and I felt as though nothing was just right about the place but I ignored it because I felt it was because of the mood I left Jessinta in.

"Good morning, Mr. Governor" Osekere said as I entered the building. He never called me that, yet I ignored him because he always tries to bring out a drama from everything.

"Where are those men?" I thundered.

"Inside boss" he replied and he walked behind me as I walked hurriedly into the building. When I got in, they were all seated in angry faces.

"What is going on, he have settled you so why the complaints?" I shouted as I saw them without even greeting, as I was annoyed.

"We are supposed to be asking you that, why didn't you tell him to settle us?" One of them replied.

"Osekere, I thought you said you have settled them?"

"Actually, I can't remember saying that... but so far it brought you here, that was all I wanted" Osekere replied. I felt as though I should shoot him down that moment but I forgot my gun as I was rushing.

"I am already getting used to this name Osekere that sometimes when I am even called Micah, I don't realize its me..." I couldn't place what he tried to insinuate but one thing I knew at that moment was that I started to feel a little afraid, I felt it was a set-up, what I had done to Wazabi is now coming back to me.

"I am secret agent and my name is Micah, police headquarter, Abuja..." he said and he removed an I.D card from his pocket and my lower mouth fell opened.

"Two years back, I was sent to find out the source of your wealth, after calculating the worth of your companies and relating it to your net worth, we noticed the difference was much and I was sent here. After briefly sending some officers to interrogate your workers, Matthias, the man you killed and burnt in your company told us everything, may his soul rest in peace. How did you know he even told us anything that you killed him two days after he told us? Anyway, that is your problem. I came as a worker here so that I would find out more information and evidences which I did."

"How come you waited this long to do what you want to do?" I asked.

"About nineteen months ago, I wanted to make my arrest but that day I overheard your phone conversation of how you killed Chief Adeleke, then I paused, I knew there were more charges that could be raised against you."

"Then why are you doing it now?"

"I have succeeded in taking all your boys, one after another to jail and there is nothing more in your life to check on aside the billions you stole from the state."

"You fool" one of the wholesalers shouted and he removed a gun from his pocket to shoot Osekere, or rather Micah but was shot from outside, that was when I noticed the whole building had being surrounded by police men and the press.

"Take Me," I said as I walked out of the building, head down with shame and my hands were handcuffed as I was pushed into the van. As the press pushed towards the van, I imagined what the headlines would look like the next day, 'Governor Tayo...etc', I wondered how Bisola would cry and the shame the children will have to face at school and how it would affect their future. Tears rolled down my eyes and like a flash I remembered when Baba Agba would recite to me as he drew my ears.

Sealed, sealed, sealed,  
Their hearts were set ablaze for wants,  
Full of abhorrence for truth and honesty  
Their intents were so evil. Eyes could not gaze  
Deceitful looks, charms and fame.  
Could it ever get abate?  
So, they seal, conceal  
So many skeletons in their cupboard  
The cat would never leave the bag,  
They would jabber  
The seam seem so strong  
But always, in the end  
Things get berserk; seals are broken  
The freed cats now whine its tail to their face  
Cacophonous mockeries, reddened face with shame  
Is always the backwash  
'Perhaps, I should have done it right  
Seeking truth and honesty  
To live, enjoy and for life, have a good name'  
are always their last words.  
Now so that will also be my last words.

# CHAPTER ELEVEN

I was behind bars for two weeks with five other prisoners in the same cell, no one except the press came to see me. I knew Bisola would not come, I didn't even want her to, how will I look at her face to tell her, what would I even tell her?

"Sir, someone is looking for you," the warder said as he opened the cell's door. I was glad that at least he called me 'sir'; at least someone still had respect for me.

"Who is that?" I asked as I came out.

"Why not find out yourself, drug dealer" He said as he dragged me to the visiting venue.

On reaching there, to my surprise, I saw Jessinta. I dropped my head down, ashamed of myself but she smiled that I wondered if she was too much of a small child to know what was happening.

"Hey dad" she shouted as she ran to hug me, "You didn't keep to your promise again by not completing the song and teaching me trumpeting," she said still smiling.

"I will, but this is certainly not the right place to do all that," I said with my head still down.

"But dad..." she said, this time I could tell the smiles have left her face because her voice quivered "... why didn't you just become a musician? You sing so well that every day I wish to listen to it over and over again" I raised my head and I saw tears rolled down her eyes, I couldn't resist it too so I wept.

"Perhaps, you would even become greater than you were if you did." She said and she used her hand to wipe her tears.

"Mum said we would be going to London today to stay there forever but I insisted I will see you before I leave... bye Dad" she said as she hugged me tightly and left, weeping as she ran through the door.

I tried to think but I couldn't, so I just staggered back to my new home, the cell, I knew it was certainly a life-sentence.

****

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