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 gett
ing 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.