PART 2
Scene 1
At Papa Edu’s compound
PAPA EDU
So what is holding all of you up?
MA CHIEMEKA
Papa Edu please I hope you do know that you’ve just caused my hypertension to come back? We are all waiting for you.
PAPA EDU
Hmm… hypertension? This is serious! Why, if I may ask? Well why don’t you just wait until you hear what am about to reveal to all of you and then you will know if you can say that again?
MA CHIEMEKA
Hoo! Please where are these children?!
PAPA EDU
Yes, where are they? Edu where are your siblings? I thought I heard Henry’s voice?
EDU
They came in a moment ago. I think they are eating. Let me go and tell them that you are ready.
(Edu leaves.)
MA CHIEMEKA
I wonder what you are going to tell us. See eh… if my mother or my brother in the village has died, why don’t you just tell me now? Must you wait until these kids are present before you can tell me, ha? Please Edu, you know I cannot bear the suspense…?
PAPA EDU
(Raising his voice) Now, woman will you stop it! I say hold it there! Don’t just get on my nerves now, do you hear me? Why are you always like this? I said I want to start talking in everyone’s presence! Always impatient, always worrying… that is what your problem is!
MA CHIEMEKA
Hey! Almighty God I am in your hands! (Raising her voice)Where are these children? Nneka…! Henry…!
(Henry enters with Edu)
HENRY
See me here. Papa good morning sir.
PAPA EDU
(Sniggering) Good morning sir? By this time of the day? Hmm… Anyway, I know you inherited your vagabondage tendencies from your mother’s side and not from my…
MA CHIEMEKA
Please Papa Edu stop! I hope that is not the reason why you called us?
PAPA EDU
Ha ha! Where is Nneka?
(Nneka enters.)
NNEKA
Papa I’m here.
PAPA EDU
Yes please sit down. It’s okay. Please let’s start.
MA CHIEMEKA
Yes I think it’s about time we finally start.
PAPA EDU
Mama Chiemeka your mother is not dead. Neither is your brother.
MA CHIEMEKA
(Breathes a sigh of relief) Thank God o! Okay then why did you call us?
PAPA EDU
Henry how long have I been on this leave?
HENRY
Papa I think it’s about one month, maybe two months… I’m not so sure…
PAPA EDU
Good. Nneka, do you know?
NNEKA
Papa you’ve been on this leave for about three months now.
PAPA EDU
Good girl. It will be exactly three months and four days tomorrow.
MA CHIEMEKA
What are all these dates all about?
PAPA EDU
Wait I’m coming. Woman you seem so anxious and you know very well I don’t like that! This is something very important that I want to tell of you. I am still considering the best way to go about it and I don’t want to be rushed. I hope you get that?
MA CHIEMEKA
Sorry sir.
HENRY
Mama please don’t rush him. Seriously, I don’t know what is wrong with you… why you women are always like this? Why don’t you just wait and listen?
PAPA EDU
Thank you Henry. I came back to this house three months ago with the news that I am on leave. Didn’t I?
EDU
You did papa.
NNEKA
And I was… I mean, we were all happy that at least you will be at home with us for some time.
PAPA EDU
Good. The thing is that I was never home due to leave. Actually, I was at home because I have been suspended at the office.
MAMA CHIEMEKA
Suspended… what?!
PAPA EDU
Oh yes I have been on suspension for the past three months.
MA CHIEMEKA
Hmm… this is strange! Very strange! And very serious! Papa Edu what exactly did you really happened? Why? Why are you on suspension?!
PAPA EDU
You see, it’s a very long story and that is why I have chosen to tell you about it today. You know I went to see Mr. Okechukwu yesterday. I went there to get the latest update concerning the problems I had in the office. Then he told me that instead of things getting any better like I was hoping for; it is actually getting very bad. And I mean real bad…
HENRY
Papa how bad is it?
PAPA EDU
Henry, very bad! I mean I am looking at the possibility of getting an outright dismissal. But that’s not all...
MA CHIEMEKA
Jesus! Hey my God! So my enemies have finally gotten at me. I am dead! I am totally finished! So this is how my enemies are finally going to laugh at me! Papa Edu, biko, what did you say really happened?
NNEKA
Papa you are killing me. Yes please tell us what really happened.
PAPA EDU
My dear it is a very long story. I don’t even know how or where to start. Seven months ago this white man came into my office at the bank. He said he was representing his company. He said he had some discussions with Mr. Okechukwu who then referred him to me. You know that I am among the team that seats on all loan granting issues at our branch.
He showed me some papers, I told him to go over the discussion he had with Mr. Okechukwu all over again with me which he did. In short to cut a long story short, he made me understand that he was into importing and exporting. He is mainly into exporting timber and cassava from Nigeria. I listened to him. He said that the problem he had was that he didn’t have enough funds to execute the project he had in hand. So that was why he came to our office.
HENRY
Hey Papa, long story short, I think you have been taken! Yes! You have been swindled!
EDU
I think so too… I know where this type of stories normally leads to and how they end…
PAPA EDU
No, it is not that way. Why don’t you wait till I finish? So as I was saying, I quickly reminded Ted, that's the white man, his name is Mr. Ted Roberts, I quickly reminded him that… are you listening Mama Chiemeka?
MA CHIEMEKA
Go on. Go on. What else is there to listen to? My enemies have finished me! Will I be able to survive this shame? (Sighs) My God where are you…? What have I done to deserve this? Please somebody should tell me I am dreaming and this is not happening…
EDU
Mama you have not heard the end of the story. Papa has not finished telling his—
MA CHIEMEKA
End of which story? What else do you want to hear again? Didn’t you hear your father say that he is going to be dismissed from office? Hey, oh my God! I am going to be a laughing stock…
NNEKA
Papa, is that what you really meant?! Please papa, what really happened?
PAPA EDU
My dear what happened was that when I asked the white what his budget was like, he said it he was looking at twenty to thirty million naira which he plans to obtain as a loan from our bank. He said it was a mega project.
MA CHIEMEKA
Now I see… he wants you to help him obtain the loan, huh?
PAPA EDU
Well, not really… but yes!
MA CHIEMEKA
And you did…?
PAPA EDU
I am coming to that… You see, the thing is that when he mentioned that figure at that time and told me how he wanted me to help him, I panicked and quickly tried to tell him off. I painted for him a very difficult picture of the processes involved in acquiring loans and repaying such loans in our bank all in a bid to scare him off. I mentioned some recent terrible experiences which the bank has been witn
essing with our customers obtaining loans and their failures in paying such loans back. God knows I never wanted a part in his business plans…
MAMA CHIEMEKA
But you still did go ahead to help him obtain the loan, right? I know you… I know what you can do? Jesus! What were you thinking, Papa Chinedu…?
PAPA EDU
It’s not like that. No, it's not. Why don’t you wait till I finish? You see, as I was saying, this Ted Roberts was really determined.
MA CHIEMEKA
Of course, why wouldn't he be? When he must have spotted out that you are a very soft person who can also be easily manipulated—
PAPA EDU
You don't know what you are saying woman. What he told me was that he has been to our bank on several occasions and has asked around and all his enquiries made him understand that I am in a position to help him. That is to say I had the means of letting him obtain the said loan as quickly as possible. When he mentioned that, my apprehension grew so I quickly told him that he was on his own because I am washing my hands off his case.
MA CHIEMEKA
So how did you end up getting suspended? That's because you finally helped him get it, isn't that so?! That’s all I want to know!
PAPA EDU
I am coming to that, please. Anyway like I said before, Mr. Ted was very much determined. Three weeks later after we had the first discussion he was back. But this time around he brought a new proposal. He told me clearly that this time the budget has increased. He was now seeking for up to fifty million. He said he…
HENRY
I said it! That's usually their style! They always talk big to make you think they are really big!
EDU
Ha Paapa! At this age of four-one-nine! I can't believe this! You mean you didn’t see it coming…?
PAPA EDU
Chinedu will you shut up there! I say shut up! What do you know about 4-1-9?10 Of course I work in a financial institution so there's nothing you could tell me about 4-1-9 that I don't know! Anyway like I was saying, Mr. Ted said he got a big contract from one of these telecommunication firms in Nigeria to supply the diesel used in powering their generators for their masts but his biggest problem at that time was that he was cash strapped.
He said that he understood how hard it was going to be for him to get that loan going by the fact that he was completely a new comer to our bank. He told me that Mr. Okechukwu has explained everything to him but he also mentioned that Mr. Okey told him that the only way he could obtain a loan of such magnitude very quickly was if he knew someone in the bank who knew someone higher up and…
MA CHIEMEKA
And that someone happens to be you eh? Eh? I'm asking you? That someone happens to you! Hey Chineke!11 So Mr. Okechukwu, so you are also part of the plan to bring us down? Mr. Okechukwu you have killed me and God knows, it shall never be well with you too!
PAPA EDU
Please woman will you stop cursing!
MA CHIEMEKA
Papa Edu I told you, didn’t I? Of course, I know I told you and I hope you’ve seen it now! I've told you on several occasions that your generosity is getting out of hand. Now where have you landed us all now? Where? Tell me, what do I do now, what are we going to do now?!
NNEKA
Mama please stop it!
PAPA EDU
Nneka your mother is right. She has every reason to be agitated.
HENRY
(Hisses) Yes Nneka, me too, I think mama is right. What kind of generosity is that? Hmm… generosity even to a completely unknown white man…? In this Nigeria of today? C'mon! Is it because he’s a white man that’s why Papa thought he’s incapable of scam? No! No way! Please someone tell me I am not listening to all these—
NNEKA
(Cuts in) Of course Chiemeka you are listening, whether you like it or not!
HENRY
Edu you better warn your sister! Someone should better warn this girl! She has started again! How many times will I warn her to stop calling me that name?! And why should she talk to me like that? Am I the one that told papa to allow himself to be conned? Am I…?
PAPA EDU
Stop! Children, please enough of all these name calling! We don't have time for that so please stop that and listen to me because the matter at hand is very dire.
NNEKA
Papa, please stop frightening me.
PAPA EDU
My dear, believe me, I’m not frightening you. I am just telling you the whole thing as it happened. Like I was saying, the white man was determined. He said that he knew that I was in a position to help him. I think he carelessly mentioned that it will be better if I would agree to use my contacts and position in the bank and help him get this loan. That is to say, in a way, he was actually suggesting we could do a deal. In fact, he made it sound like a good business deal. I help him get the loan; he rewards me handsomely for my effort. In a way he was going to pay for my efforts—and contacts…
EDU
I said it! Now, did he pay? In fact don’t even bother to answer because I know how these stories normally end! That’s 4-1-9ners for you! That's usually their signature! You make the deal look so good so as to catch another mugu.12
PAPA EDU
(Gives Edu a wicked look) Of course Chinedu I’m getting to that but I'd rather you watch your language.
MA CHIEMEKA
Rewarding you handsomely is what he said huh? By how much was he ready to reward you, if I may ask?
PAPA EDU
Mama Chiemeka please I will appreciate it if you will be more understanding and less sarcastic. It was not generosity per se. Actually, Mr. Ted, said he was going to pay me three hundred and fifty thousand naira but he later raised the ante to five hundred thousand when he brought the new deal.
MA CHIEMEKA
You see it. You see it now? Because of common five hundred thousand naira you agreed to do business with someone you don’t know very well. And please, don’t tell me you had financial problems! Hey!
EDU
Hmm mama! Five hundred tons is not common o! But anyway, even at that, it is not enough to prevent papa from clearly seeing the handwriting on the wall that he was being set up for a scam. I guess Mr. Okechukwu knew this which explains why he never fronted himself even though he stands to be a benefactor!
PAPA EDU
But you don’t understand Mama Chiemeka. It just happened that as at that time I really had some serious financial problems. I was really hard-pressed, you know? I was also supposed to pay these children’s university school fees if you remember correctly Mama Chiemeka. I believe you also knew about those three plots of land I bought that I was trying to complete the payment at that particular time. So that was why I later considered the offer. Besides, I had this feeling… that, that… I was not so sure that Mr. Ted will eventually get the loan. But then I decided to give it a try.
MAMA CHIEMEKA
After all, like you always say, there is no harm in trial huh?
NNEKA
Mama, what’s your own? I don't like the way you are taking this thing.
PAPA EDU
Nneka leave your mother alone. She has every right to say anything she wants to say because I admit I really made a grave mistake by taking that risk although I doubt if she will ever understand.
MA CHIEMEKA
Understand what? What is there to understand? To tell you the truth, I don’t see anything there is to understand on why you, you Papa Edu of all people, with all your years of experience in banking, foolishly agreed to help this white man out?
PAPA EDU
Yes. Believe me, I have been having that same thought too, of lately. It was not that I couldn’t have told Mr. Ted Roberts to wait for the stipulated period of time before his application for granting him the loan will be considered. But then, that was just the problem. He needed to do the diesel supply business of a thing fast. According to him, other contractors were also hustling and struggling for the same opportunity and
waiting for him to fail so that they will easily grab and wrap up the deal. So there was no time for the official bureaucracy that is always involved in the granting of such request considering the fact that he was absolutely a new customer with no surety.
MA CHIEMEKA
I see… So in the end you agreed to become his surety?
PAPA EDU
In a way, yes!
HENRY
Ha papa! You should have been more careful and—wise.
NNEKA
This Mr. Ted papa, couldn’t he have gone to other banks to secure this loan for this company? Why must it be your bank?
PAPA EDU
He did explain to me that he had already done that. By the time he came to us he said it was getting late and again I think I just explained to you that I needed that five hundred thousand at that time. Here is the deal. What Mr. Roberts wanted was for me to use my influence, act as his surety, help him in boycotting the long and tedious procedures involved as regards to the considering and reconsidering of his proposal, secure the loan as quickly as possible and then get paid in the end for all the trouble. I told him to go and come back later that I will give it some thoughts. He was back two days later.
NNEKA
All the while papa, you mean it never occurred to you that this white man could be a fraudster? Or could it be that Chiemeka is right and you do still think like many of our people that white men are not capable of becoming fraudsters?
PAPA EDU
To be frank with you, such thoughts never crossed my mind. Not that I never knew that such things do happen but you know I am a very good judge of men. I know it sounds crazy but there was this thing, this thing about him, I don’t know, but there was just this something about him that got to me and made me feel like I could completely trust him. I can swear he never exhibited any of those unspoken tendencies of con men. I have been in this profession for so long so I know what I am saying. But Ted, he appeared absolutely genuine.
HENRY
You mean then?
PAPA EDU
No I must confess that even up till now I still think he was real. I just can’t tell why I still feel that way about him.
HENRY
(Sniggers) I see. A very good judge of men you say, huh?
PAPA EDU
So as I was saying… I discussed the issue with Mr. Okechukwu and Mr. Okey thought it was a nice deal. It crossed my mind then to tell your mother but because a part of me wanted the money; another part of me also wanted to help the white man and I knew your mother’s ability of smelling danger as well as opposing everything, so I just decided against it because I knew she will kill the plan out rightly!
MA CHIEMEKA
You say I am always opposing, right? Okay, no problem, I agree but now look at what you have done?
HENRY
Wait papa there’s something I still don’t understand. I think the granting of loans goes with collaterals so which collateral exactly was this Mr. Ted going to use in securing the loan? Or was it also part of the plan that you will provide his collateral?
PAPA EDU
Yes.
MA CHIEMEKA
(Gasps) Oh my god! I am totally finished! What were you thinking, this man? So you want me to believe that you never considered that all we have labored for all these years could just go up in smoke if this your Mr. Roberts or whatever he calls himself never paid up? Chai! This man has killed me…
PAPA EDU
It was not like that.
MA CHIEMEKA
Then tell me how it is, Papa Chiemeka, tell me?! Tell me why you’ve decided to kill us all!
PAPA EDU
I knew all that. The issue was that since Mr. Ted was going to avoid all the red tape involved, the agreement was that he was going to be making the repayment so soon. I figured that since his line of business was just to make supplies and he was dealing with big telecom firms, that means he will be getting his money back so soon too. The arrangement seemed fine…
MA CHIEMEKA
And so?
PAPA EDU
And so I also decided to facilitate things for everyone involved rather than stalling the business by accepting to provide the collateral needed to get things done fast…
NNEKA
But papa, wait, did the white man provide any form of collateral to you personally? Don’t tell me you decided to provide everything for him?
PAPA EDU
Of course! He gave me the papers to two of his cars.
HENRY
(Sniggers) Two cars only? But is that even enough to settle the loan in the region of fifty million naira?!
PAPA EDU
No, it is not. You see, actually the papers were like mere formalities… you know, just to fulfill all righteousness. In essence, I was the one obtaining the loan on behalf of Mr. Roberts who was supposed to pay off immediately and take the papers and the cars back.
EDU
Hmm! This is quite unbelievable! Was the white man using jazz13 on you papa? Because that’s all I can see from all what you’ve been saying…
PAPA EDU
Why do you young people of today think everything has something to do with jazz or whatever you call it? Listen to me; this was no case of jazz. It was simply a case of doing business. Bankers do things like that all the time. Look at it this way. I bring a customer to the bank; the customer executes the deal with our bank.
The bank makes some money out of the deal. Me, I get some cut too. Do you understand? So the whole thing was just like the normal business that banks are into. The only thing that was not normal here in this case was the fact that the loan will be granted to this man much earlier than the stipulated period of time. Again this could only be possible if the guarantor was an inside man…
NNEKA
In that case, I take it that you are the guarantor?
PAPA EDU
Yes, I am. Okay, I was. Like you rightly observed Chinedu, when you said why didn’t Mr. Okey front himself, you see, the only reason why most of my colleagues run away from that type of arrangement is because of the high risk involved as in the case of the person securing the loan failing to pay back.
EDU
But papa how come you knew all these things and yet you still went in for the deal?
PAPA EDU
Chinedu my son, what do you expect? They say everything in life including life itself is nothing but a big huge risk.
MA CHIEMEKA
There he goes again! And you like risks huh? Mr. Risk-taker!
HENRY
But papa, I swear, I never knew you as a gambler!
PAPA EDU
Umm...not really. It was not gambling per se. I still maintain it was strictly business. To be frank with you, I was really looking forward to the next deal and many more business deals with Ted.
MA CHIEMEKA
Business deals my foot! What kind of business do you call it, where you stand a very good chance of losing all your assets and investments in the case of any eventuality? When I told you your generosity is going to be a problem one day, you thought I was mad, didn’t you? Of course, you did. You told me to shut up and mind my own business. I think someone is finally learning his lessons…
PAPA EDU
You people still don’t understand. What we have is like an internal agreement. Like I told you before, the plan was that Mr. Roberts will be making the repayment so soon. In fact the right people in charge of granting loans, that is our higher-ups, will not even hear about the whole details. We could just make some money for the bank such that by the time the internal auditors will be aware of what really happened, they would be looking at the profit made from the deal. It was just a normal practice. That was just the plan.
MA CHIEMEKA
To me it was a complete stupid and unimaginable risk based on an equally crazy and stupid assumption! The worst fact was that you, Papa Chiemeka, you agreed to bear the worst part of the crazy deal. Can you hear yourself talk? How can you tell
me that you based your own your judgment on this Roberts not being a fraudster and you expect me to believe that?! I know you. I know what you can do and I know you just wanted to help him simply because you are yet to learn how to say no! Okay, agreed, you wanted to make some quick money by the side but how come you never considered what could happen if things don’t go according to plans! Ha! Papa Edu what on earth were you thinking?
EDU
So papa what happened next? What was actually gave rise to this problem; I mean your suspension—and the likely dismissal which you mentioned?
PAPA EDU
Thank you Chinedu. Like I was trying to say, the whole plan was that Mr. Ted will pay up one month after securing the loan. In fact, it was even supposed to be three weeks but he did not.
NNEKA
Why?
HENRY
Do you still need to ask why? Of course the white man disappeared with the money, simple!
NNEKA
Papa is that true?
PAPA EDU
One month after Mr. Ted was supposed to have completed the repayment, something happened…
MA CHIEMEKA
Don’t tell me he died?!
PAPA EDU
Maybe it would have been better if he died.
NNEKA
What? How? Why?
PAPA EDU
Well, you see, Mr. Ted simply disappeared into thin air. Nobody knew what happened to him. Where he went, what became of him? There was no record of his death. Nobody saw his dead body assuming that he was dead. We checked the morgue around town and even beyond. There was no record of any white man’s dead body that fits his description deposited. Nothing! Absolutely nothing!
We tried to consult his people in Nigeria. We got nothing. The people we later got through to gave us the impression they knew nothing about what we are talking about. We panicked. It was only on further inquiries that we discovered that contrary to what we really thought or should I say, what we were made to believe, it appeared Mr. Ted was actually running a sort of one-man import and exportation business and those address and contacts he gave us were people he was only trying to affiliate with.
In fact, everything pointed to the fact that Mr. Ted Roberts has simply disappeared into thin air after collecting that huge sum of money! That was when the whole thing started to look like a pure case of 4-1-9!
HENRY
I knew it!
EDU
It then means that this Mr. Ted must be an expert con man. I bow for his modus operandi. How could he have performed this magic? Are you sure he was not working with some Nigerian con specialists? How come he knew this terrain so well?
PAPA EDU
Those are the questions that we all are still desperately searching for the answers.
NNEKA
So papa right now who is going to settle the collateral issue, that is to say, how do you now, I mean, how are you going to settle the collateral now?
PAPA EDU
After it became obvious that something has gone wrong, the people at the higher up got to hear about it and they quickly informed me that nothing could be done to save me unless I repay the loan I took. That’s how they put it. They said I should start making plans on how to clean up the mess I made. I was made to draw up a plan of how much I could come up with. After going through my list, I discovered that I couldn’t even come up with even a reasonable amount of the money involved.
NNEKA
Your people at the bank, they should have known that you were no way in the position to act as a dependable guarantor to that deal.
PAPA EDU
My dear, how could they have known? I told you it is an internal deal—something we are doing for ourselves, you know? You can’t actually blame them because I gave them the impression and the assurance I could handle it; and they believed me. In fact, the blame should go to me because I even had to inflate some of my financial data to cover up and get the deal in progress.
MA CHIEMEKA
So as to achieve what Papa Chiemeka? Papa Chiemeka, you have done it! I just want you to know that you have ruined us all and I hope you can now see that for yourself!
PAPA EDU
I know. That is why I called this meeting so that we can think of the way forward.
MA CHIEMEKA
But wait… I can’t believe you are going to share the whole responsibility of paying the whole money back. Those your higher-ups, why didn’t they seek or wait for the evidence that you could pay up in the case of any unforeseen eventuality instead of hurriedly granting you the loan? That’s recklessness on their own part too, with other peoples’ money, and I think they should also be made to pay for it too…
PAPA EDU
The issue is that you still don’t understand. What happened was that those guys in our office who agreed to the deal actually wanted me to bear the greater part of the deal. The agreement was that if I could come up with at least sixty per cent of the collateral required, they would consider granting the loan. At that time I thought it was a very nice deal.
MA CHIEMEKA
So you agreed?
PAPA EDU
Yes I agreed.
NNEKA
So papa what is going to happen now? How are you going to settle off the balance?
PAPA EDU
Nneka my dear, that exactly, is the problem right now. Since Mr. Ted disappeared, the whole burden of repayment has fallen on me. None of the men seem to remember the earlier deal we had.
HENRY
So they have abandoned you?
EDU
Henry what do you expect? Do you blame them? Me, I don’t. You expect them to suffer for what they obviously had no hand in? If it was you Henry is that not what you will do? I know you Henry; I know what you can do!
NNEKA
Edu the truth is that I don’t think you understand at all. You don’t comprehend at all, oh yes! How can you say it is not their fault when obviously they should have known that papa was incapable of taking the fall…?
MA CHIEMEKA
(Scoffs) Nneka will you shut up there! What is there to understand Nneka? Do you think everyone is as short-sighted as your father? Why do you always like defending your father in everything…?
NNEKA
Can’t you all see it? These people agreed with papa. I am sure they were also expecting their own cut. Now all of a sudden, papa is in trouble and they are abandoning him and disagreeing with him now that there is trouble and you say they should not be blamed. Is that not a sign of clear wickedness?
PAPA EDU
Nneka my dear, you are not getting it. I mean, I understand your concern and I see your point but don’t get it twisted, please. I don’t blame them not in any way. They did what they are most likely expected to do. We are all businessmen doing business. Nothing personal. The blame is mine after all had it not been for me they would never have got involved with a situation like that.
NNEKA
But papa I still think it is not entirely your fault. You never knew Mr. Ted was going to die… or rather, was going to disappear with the whole money. You thought…
MA CHIEMEKA
That is the more reason why he should have been more careful in the first place and not coming here, insulting and telling us that he is a very good judge of men. We have heard that statement many times without number. Now look where are we? A good judge of men, my foot!
NNEKA
You people surprise me. Don’t you understand that papa has a reason for telling us all these things now? And nobody has even asked him why…
EDU
It’s true. What has happened has happened so I think this is no time for apportioning blames after all no one can see the future… and to think that papa has been bearing this burden on mind all the while and no one even knew.
HENRY
That’s true. But papa why didn’t you tell us about this whole thing before?
PAPA EDU
I am sorry. I was thinking there
was going to be some positive development, some respite. I was thinking I could get some people to help me out with the repayment process. Who knows Mr. Ted might even resurface. I was thinking I could be able to raise a reasonable amount to settle the collateral within the stipulated time frame. I never wanted this issue to bother you or even interfere with your academics so that you people could study with peace of mind. I never wanted to involve any of you in my mistake…
MA CHIEMEKA
But none of those things happened. So why did you decide to tell us now eh?
PAPA EDU
You see I went yesterday to have some discussion with Mr. Okechukwu to see how things were going. Like I said earlier, when it finally became obvious that there will be no Mr. Ted Roberts, the onus to repay the loan fell on me. The people at the bank they really tried for me. They tried their best. They agreed that if I can come up with a reasonable percentage of the amount to be paid back then they could consider giving me some time to wrap up things while still keeping the whole agreement a top secret.
NNEKA
Papa how much is this percentage you are talking about here? What is the amount involved?
PAPA EDU
It’s sixty percent. That should be around thirty million naira or so.
HENRY
Jesus Christ!
MA CHIEMEKA
This is unbelievable. Where do they think you could get that kind of money from? Ha Papa Chiemeka, what have you done! This must be the end!
PAPA EDU
You see, one of the reasons why I didn’t disclose anything about this to you people is because all the while I have been battling to see how I could come up with that sum. After going through the list of all my assets and savings including our two cars, I came up with a total sum of close to five point six million naira or something close. If you add this house to those two plots of land we have here in Enugu, it will bring up the sum to a total of close to nine million. Then if you add those three plots of land we have in the village, I think the sum will be approximately fourteen to fifteen point something million or thereabout. Finally if you add Mr. Roberts’s two cars then we could be looking at anything between sixteen to eighteen million naira… that’s going by my own rough estimation.
EDU
Which is not even anywhere near the sum needed to give you a break?
PAPA EDU
Exactly! I will still have a deficit of more than twenty million—that is, after selling off all I’ve got!
HENRY
So what you are actually trying to say papa is that we are going to lose all we have to pay off the debt? Now this must be a very bad dream and I must wake up now!
NNEKA
Hmm! Papa what do we do? All I can say is that Satan has finally done his overtime here!
PAPA EDU
Nneka my dear, it wasn’t supposed to be that way. The whole agreement concerning the payback was going on fine and I was trying to make contacts to see if I could find people, even some of our customers who will help me out or do a kind of surety for me, or even get the highest bidders for my assets if the worst comes to the worst until about four months ago when a new supervisor was sent to our branch and that changed everything. This guy, he swung into action immediately and he wanted to go over all our books and he also demanded explanation for any form of irregularity found. You don’t blame him. I guess he has his own oga14 to impress.
NEKA
Did the man discover what was amiss?
PAPA EDU
Of course he did. You know the whole deal was kind of crooked. You see, the laid down procedures for granting that type of loan was never adhered to. Like I told you, it was just supposed to be like an inside job. With me standing behind him, we just agreed that within one month Mr. Ted Roberts must have completed the repayment but like I told you, it never happened that way.
MA CHIEMEKA
So what did this your new supervisor do then?
PAPA EDU
When he discovered there was a foul play, he summoned the men in charge at our branch. Those men had their jobs, their careers and of course, their families to protect. So they quickly washed their hands off the deal…
MA CHIEMEKA
So you were left to suffer your faith—all alone I guess, huh?
PAPA EDU
Yes but I don’t blame them. After all it was not their fault…
MA CHIEMEKA
Why do you keep on maintaining that it’s not their fault? Who told you it was not their fault? Was it not for the greed they harbored that made them agree to that your insensible and unreasonable request for the loan? Like Nneka said, I also believe they were also expecting something from the deal only that they were looking for a scapegoat after all, like they say, it is always good to draw the snake from its hole with another man’s hand…
PAPA EDU
You don’t understand Mama Chiemeka. Believe me when I say they did what they did just to help me. I don’t think there was a time in which they counted on the payback. If you said they wanted to make some money for the bank and by so doing boost their career standing as regards to their promotion, I would agree with you but in this case I know they were just trying to help me considering the fact that I was one of their oldest, trusted and experienced employee…
MA CHIEMEKA
I see. I hope you can now clearly see what that your experience has done to us?!
PAPA EDU
The real problem now is that I think Headquarters suspected that similar shady stuff like this one I am involved in in our branch could be—was going so many other different branches, who knows. You know it is peoples’ money that we are dealing with here so that is why the Management is always strict concerning such matters.
Who knows maybe someone might have informed them. That was the main reason why they sent in a new supervisor to us all of a sudden. In fact, thinking about it now, I have this feeling now that the Management was bent on demonstrating to other employees what I call the travails of a scapegoat. Only that in this case I was going to be the scapegoat.
So Mama Chiemeka, I think you are right with that your scapegoat allusion. I guess our people at the higher up knew this very well. That was the reason they quickly washed off their hands when it started to rain.
EDU
So what happened next?
PAPA EDU
Yes, what happened next was that they whole repayment agreement plan I earlier with our people failed. It shattered—completely! I was introduced to the new plan which was to pay the whole sum of money involved, that is the whole fifty million naira plus the accrued interest, according to the way the deal was stated in the paper, within three months or else…
NNEKA
Or else what papa?
PAPA EDU
Or else I get the boot! But first they had to put me on suspension till further notice. I was also advised never to try any funny games like going to court or trying to buy time because the management was completely ready for such games if I should dare try. They said I also risked going to jail. Like I said it was really a hopeless case of the travails of a scapegoat!
NNEKA
Hey papa what are we going to do now?
PAPA EDU
Thank you Nneka, thank you my daughter. That is the reason why I summoned all of you today so that we can put our heads together like one family and see how we may be able to solve that problem.
HENRY
Solve the problem by how?
PAPA EDU
First of all, these things that I just disclosed to all of you here, I want it to remain a very important top family secret. I hope you understand? No questions asked; no answers provided, do you understand? Good. I know that with time some of our nosey neighbors will start asking questions on why I don’t go to work again, or why my leave is becoming quite unending and many other similar questions. Mama Chiemeka? Chinedu? Are you with us?
MA CHIEMEKA
Yes I’ve heard you.
PAPA E
DU
The truth is that I don’t know who else I can ask for help for now and the worst is that I am not in the position to ask you kids to help me out since I am well aware that there’s little or nothing any of you could do to support me financially. But yet, see me here today asking you people for help because I feel that you people can do something… (sighs) I’m so confused.
MA CHIEMEKA
Something like what Papa Chiemeka? Tell me… something like what?!
PAPA EDU
Thank you. You see Mama Chiemeka I know you belong to that women daily contribution thing and you are one of their front liners. I have been thinking… I believe, maybe you can ask them for some help, you know… something like a loan…
MA CHIEMEKA
You and loan this man! When will you ever learn? So with all your so called years and experience in banking you still believe it is normal to repay loan with another loan? Hey God help me o! Yes our women daily contribution is there but how much do you think they can come up with to satisfy the debt owed—that amount you mentioned? And under such a short notice? You know that most of our women are just low income earners just like myself? Besides, the collection of funds is based on rotational basis and my turn has long passed…
PAPA EDU
You have a point there! It’s just that I am so so confused right now.
EDU
But Mama I hope you are not saying that you cannot help?
MA CHIEMEKA
God forbid! What I am saying is that it will be very hard for me to get something, something reasonable, from there. So my dear, let’s just tell ourselves the truth on time, there is no hope there!
HENRY
Shit! Where else can we look? As for me I am ready to forgo school. I will join one business and see if I can come up with something reasonable to save papa from going to jail.
MA CHIEMEKA
Nice talk Chiemeka! Now tell me what kind of business do you think will be able to allow you make fifty million naira in a space of one month or so or have you not been listening to what your father is saying?
HENRY
But mama…
MA CHIEMEKA
But what?! Don’t but me please… sometimes, I wonder how you reason!
PAPA EDU
No! Nobody is stopping schooling! Henry I have known that you are always looking for the slightest opportunity to quit schooling but like I’ve always told you education, and I mean sound and quality education, is what makes a man! And I must see to it that all of you my kids are well educated. That’s a promise I made to myself.
You see, I know I could have gone to our men towns’ meeting people for such loan but you know that I am not a steady member of the club so I don’t see them helping me out willingly. Asking them for help will definitely make me look like a user who only remembers people only when he needs to exploit them.
Don’t forget that they will also like to know what I was going to do with such a huge sum of money, which even as I speak with you here, I am convinced they don’t even have…
HENRY
Actually mama, I was just saying. Papa, what of your stock market of a thing? I thought you must have accumulated some wealth from there?
PAPA EDU
It could have been possible before now. But now the stock market is no longer an option now. Have you not been watching the stock market in Nigeria recently? Have not seen the figures in the papers? It appears the global financial crisis of 2008 took its toll on the Nigerian stock market and the market has never recovered since then so Henry my dear, there is no hope there too. To tell you the truth, I have lost more than I can count there when the markets crashed. I believe your mother is also aware of that.
EDU
Hmm… this is serious! What do we do now, what do we do now? Umm… what of forex? Why don’t we try forex? I can try forex mama!
NNEKA
Forex? Did I hear you correctly? (Scoffs) Forex indeed! Edu what do you know about forex? Do you think the forex trading business of a thing is as rosy as all those seminar people on radio make it sound? But even if forex was an option Edu, tell me, how long do you think it will take you to amass up to that amount papa is talking about? This is so bad! My brother, leave that one! Besides, from what I’ve heard, I know you need a huge capital base to start off to stand a chance of making it big in forex.
EDU
I was only trying to make a suggestion. In that case, I can’t suggest that we go to money lenders because personally I am always afraid of them after hearing such tales about how they use jazz to perpetually keep their debtors in debts and unable to pay back while the interest on the borrowed money continues to accrue. But by the way who told you need a huge sum to start forex business? I hope that’s not what Ikenna is filling your head with? Well, you might be right because I know the guy trades forex.
HENRY
Hmm, then what do we do? I think there is a real fire on the mountain now! But where do we run to?
MA CHIEMEKA
The fire started immediately your father agreed to help that wicked Mr. Ted.
PAPA EDU
I give it to you. You have a point there woman!
HENRY
(Scoffs) Sometimes I just wish I was a Yahoo15 boy. At times like this we would be laughing rather than feeling sorry for ourselves like we are doing now.
NNEKA
Yahoo boy indeed! See your head like yahoo boy. You think doing yahoo-yahoo is possible for everyone and most especially for people like you? Look let me tell you, yahooze is not for people like you because most of those yahoo guys are very smart and sharp and not blockheaded pammy drinkers like you! So my friend will you stop joking and think of something reasonable…? Besides, I hope you have heard of EFCC?
EDU
Hmm wow! (Bursts into laughter) One! Two! Three!!! Bam! That’s a smack down! Henry, Nneka has completely sliced, slaughtered and torn you apart! Hope you can still come back from this one? If I were you, my blood will be boiling hot already and I will be wringing someone’s neck by now…
HENRY
Edu will you shut up your mouth there! Who do you think you are taunting there? And as for you Nneka, you just wait for it, girl. You have just stepped on the lion’s tail. Oh yes, you have just asked for it and I hope you are ready for what comes next?
NNEKA
(Scoffs) What are you going to do? Edu please, will you stop joking? We are talking about something serious here! Mama wait! What of your friend mama Chinwe, Chief Ojemba’s wife? She can help you…
MA CHIEMEKA
Help how?
EDU
Yes mama that’s right. I think Nneka has a point there. She can help you; after all she is your very close friend.
HENRY
Of course mama! She will definitely help you! Why didn’t I even think about that first? Is her husband not one the richest men in this area? C’mon Mama if you really take Mama Chinwe as your true friend and if Mama Chinwe equally sees you as her friend, then I think you should solicit for her husband’s help through her and save papa from being disgraced and sent to jail, and also save our family from the big shame.
MA CHIEMEKA
You talk as if it is that easy Henry. Have you forgotten that she is married to her husband and as long as she is still living in Chief Ojemba’s house, she belongs to chief, her husband, and the money you talking about is not her money?
EDU
Mama that is exactly what we are saying! You tell her to discuss the issue with her chief. Hopefully something positive can come out from there!
PAPA EDU
Wait children! Wait Mama Chiemeka… wait. Discussing it with Mama Chinwe, don’t you think that will violate our secrecy code of conduct?
NNEKA
Hmm, Papa, what secrecy code of conduct are you talking about? Look eh, in my honest opinion; there are some things that should not, cannot and must not be heard by only one ear alone! Papa I think this issue we have at hand here is one of
such things!
MA CHIEMEKA
But wait, Nneka listen to me, I think your father has a point there! You know us women and how we talk and gossip? Before you know it this family will become the talk of town. A lot of people including those who know us and those who don’t will hear about the whole thing! They will proclaim that your father is a thief; they’ll say I am married to a thief and they’ll conclude that you children are nothing but children of thieves. In short, they will call our family a family of thieves. They will call us criminals! Just imagine that kind of situation! Me, I will not like that kind of thing to happen.
HENRY
So let me get you correctly, papa gets sacked and goes to jail and we lose everything then? And people will still not talk, right?
MA CHIEMEKA
No it is not that way. What I’m suggesting is that we could come up with a different story…
EDU
But mama this issue demands immediate attention. Let us look at the big picture. If we could get this money from somewhere and save papa from being dismissed, then none of those obnoxious things you mentioned will happen. But right now, I don’t see any other type of story that can best describe the kind of attention this matter demands to any interested listener apart from telling the gospel truth. Oh yes, I think the truth is what we need here! Let’s just leave keeping it a secret of a thing alone. Like mama said, people do talk and they will still get to hear about it one way or the other.
HENRY
I totally support Edu. I think he has a point there…
NNEKA
Me too!
MA CHIEMEKA
So we stick to the truth eh? Okay let me ask you people, how much do you even think Chief Ojemba will be providing, assuming he decides to help?
NNEKA
At least mama, chief is very rich. Anything that he can come up with will just be okay just to show the bank people that we are ready to do something.
MA CHIEMEKA
(Soliloquizing) Ha, Mr. Ted Roberts! Where are you?! You have completely finished me! Why are people like this? Why are people so bad? What have I done to you, Mr. Roberts? That you will you want to be enjoying your own life but you don’t want another person to do the same thing…? God knows I did not take from your father or from your mother.
Just tell me because I want to hear it now, Mr. Roberts, what have I done to you that you’ve decided to do this very terrible thing to me? It shall never be well with you wherever you are. Before God and man I say this, you shall know no peace again in your life. May your pathway be riddled with thorns!
PAPA EDU
(Sighs) Although I know I needed to unburden my heart, but this is why I said initially that I don’t know how to present this issue to you people. Now everybody is involved. Our happiness is gone! Oh what a life! And even if we succeed in getting some help from Chief Ojemba, that is another debt to be settled. O God why me? Why is this thing happening to me right now?
EDU
See papa, leave that aspect of settling the debt alone. Presently what we really need is to save our neck from the impending disaster. We’ll surely find a way to settle the other debt later.
HENRY
Hmm… na wa o! Edu you surprise me o! Look at you. You are no longer talking like the small boy that you are. That’s very commendable.
NNEKA
Henry this is a serious issue. Chinedu is making some good suggestions here and you shouldn’t taunt him. What we need is your useful contribution and not calling someone a small boy. You know you piss Edu off when you say such things?
HENRY
Hey… hey… hey, I wasn’t talking to you, okay?! Look who’s talking! So you know what pisses people off, huh? Anyway what I’m saying is true and if anyone knows any way in which we can save papa and this family from this shame, let the person say it now! I am all ears…
NNEKA
(Hisses) You problem is that somehow you never seem to know when something or anything is serious.
MA CHIEMEKA
Stop! Stop that you two, will you! We should concentrate and be focused.
PAPA EDU
So Mama Chiemeka will you tell your friend about the help we need?
MA CHIEMEKA
Of course I will.
HENRY
So mama when will you go and see them?
MA CHIEMEKA
Right now; right away. I will be leaving immediately.
PAPA EDU
Mama Chiemeka it is only God that can bless you for this thing you are doing for me. In fact God will bless this whole family. I never thought all of you will be so understanding and collective. I believe this shows that there must be a saving grace somewhere somehow.
NNEKA
I will so much like to believe so too.
MA CHIEMEKA
In fact, we need nothing more than serious prayers for God to see us through…
NNEKA
You are right mama. We need to put everything in prayers.