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 laug
hed 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.