HOSTAGE

BY
DAVID ENYIDA
Short Stories
David Enyida 2008
All Right Reserved
No part of this publiation !ay be reprodued" stored in a retrieval syste!
or trans!itted in any for! or by any !eans #ithout the prior per!ission of
the opyright o#ner$
%SBN &'8(0''(')* +
,-.%N/ -01 S--N
)$ 1entales of 1error 2a novel3
2$ 1a!ing the Bully 2olletion of short stories3
4$ %5! not /uilty 2a novel3
1o the fond !e!ories of polie!en #ho lost their lives in the line of national duty$
1his boo6 is a fition based on onte!porary issues of our ti!e$ 1he na!es of the
haraters and loations used have got nothing to do #ith any plae or anybody dead or
alive$
,-N1EN1
7ostage88888888888888888888888$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
A Dane #ith the devil 88888888888888$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Be a dog or be a pig 888888888888888$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Aninta 88888888888888888888888$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
/lossary 8888888888888888888$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
9rologue
The Police is:
Denounced by the public
Criticized by the preacher
Ridiculed by the movies
Berated by Newspapers
And supported by prosecuting
!!icers and "udges #sometimes$
They are:
%hunned by the respectable
&ated by criminals
Deceived by everyone
'ic(ed around li(e !ootball
)*posed to countless temptations and dangers
Condemned when he en!orces the law
Dismissed when he doesn+t,
They are:
%upposed to possess the -uali!ications
o! a soldier. doctor. /awyer. diplomat
)ducator. with remuneration less than
That o! a daily labourer,
0 August 1ollmer. 2343
5orce Police Public Relation Department 5orce &ead-uarters. /agos,
HOSTAGE
Inspetor :itory ;ani! sped to the Area , 9olie Station at about l*00hrs$ 1he
traffi #as beo!ing heavier beause evening rush hour #as gathering !o!entu!$ 7e
had rested suffiiently so he felt stronger" fresher and !ore foused$ 7e #as happy to
have gone ho!e to rest$ 7e #as ready to ta6e #hatever pressure !ight o!e his #ay for
the ne<t thirty hours$ Even though they !ight be hallenges or pressures fro! the pit of
hell" he #ould be able to ste! the!$ So!eti!es polie offiers failed" not beause they
did not 6no# #hat to do but beause they did not rest fully in order to !aintain a balane
bet#een body and soul that #as neessary to handle their =obs #ell$
%nspetor :itory ;ani! #as a young !an of t#enty(t#o years #ho enlisted into
the Nigeria 9olie >ore after he graduated fro! >ederal 9olytehni" 9ida" #ith an 7ND
in 9ersonnel .anage!ent$ 7e enlisted as a adet inspetor and #as trained at 9olie
Aade!y" ;isah$ ?hen he graduated" he #as posted to Area , Division$
7e #as the offier o!!anding S%1-S@ Speial %nvestigation and 1atial
-perations SAuad" the ne# outfit that #as put in plae to he6!ate the ri!inal
ativities" #hih had reahed so alar!ing a stage in the area" that the D9-B" .r$ %dagbe"
in his #isdo! had for!ed the sAuad$ 7e personally handpi6ed the inspetor #ho! he
sa# had the heart of a feroious lion" for that 6ind of =ob reAuired bravery@ it #as not a
=ob for the hi6en(hearted individuals$ 1he inspetor then enlisted SgtB Ade -la and
,plB,aleb -gutu! fro! the ran6 and fileC together they had #or6ed tirelessly to bring
sanity to the troubled area$ 1he sAuad had not failed$ %t had perfor!ed reditably #ell in
sanitiDing the area of ri!e and ri!inals$
Area , 9olie Station #as situated at the point #here the North(South and East(
?est Roads interseted$ %t #as a 6ind of onferene point$ ,o!!uters and travelers
onverged there fro! the various parts of %guoha 1o#n$ -riginally" it #as a Eghetto5( an
area set aside for the lo#(ino!e lass of the soiety" but it soon gre# in eono!i
ativities" in fat" it bea!e the !ain eono!i hub of the to#n" #hih in turn attrated
ri!inal ativities" that polie and the govern!ent authorities dee!ed it neessary to
establish the Area , 9olie Station to urb its e<essive ri!e$
?hen %nspetor ;ani! got to the station" a #o!an rushed into the station #ailing$
She #as so disheveled that she ould not be o!forted as she la!ented the !ore$ 7e
Aui6ly got out of his ar and #al6ed bris6ly to see #hat the !atter #as" beause" a toad
does not "ump about in broad daylight !or nothing, 6t is li(ely something is a!ter its li!e or
it is a!ter something,
?hen he got lose enough" he enAuired #hat the !atter #as$ 1he #o!an narrated
that a gang of four young !en and a #o!an #ho had driven off in a B.? ar had
6idnapped her only son$ An hour later" they had de!anded a ranso! of five !illion naira"
if she desired to see her son again$
F?here #ill % get five !illion naira fro!GH she #ailed$ F9lease" polie" help !e o"
!y only son o$ 7y own don !inish o"H she ried out piteously$
F% 6ne# it$ % said it beforeI"H e<lai!ed Sgt Ade -la$
F1his is =ust the genesis of atehis!"H affir!ed ,pl ,aleb$
F% see 7ostage o!ing$ % see 6idnapping and abdutionIH shouted %nspetor
:itory$ FJidnapping and hostage ta6ing is not in our ulture$ But #hen greed ta6es hold
of the heart of !en that ought to be servants of the people" #hen looting and un!itigated
sho# of affluene are the order of the day #hile around you is total deadene" hunger"
pain and i!poverish!ent even of the !ind" the resultant senario is hostage ta6ing$
Robbery$ Abdution$H 7e letured his subordinate offiers$
F%t baffles !e"H the orporal refleted" Fho# leaders of the people #ould deide to
ar! those #ho! the onstitution e<pressly onde!ned to bear firear!s but refused to
ar! the organiDation #hih the onstitution e<pressly allo#s to arry ar!s$H
FYou 6no# #hat" Coprito8H the inspetor as6ed in refletively$ F%f the polie is
properly ar!ed" these politial thugs" politial ar!ies and politial foot(soldiers #ill not
find spae to operate$ So the best #ay for the! to sueed is to starve the polie fore of
the basi neessities and tools of its trade and then relegating it to the ba6#aters in soial
re6oning" so that these unonstitutional or illegal Ear!ies5 #ill flourish"H he letured his
lieutenants $FBut one thing is ertain"H the offier ontinued" Fby the ti!e these politiians
#ill retire fro! ative politis these guns #ill be #aiting for the! at the threshold of their
door$ And 7ostage(ta6ing" 6idnapping" espeially for ranso! #ill be the order of the
dayIH
FSureGH" the pl responded doubtfully" Fbut the disturbing aspet of it is that
innoent hildren and #o!en #ill suffer" people #ho do not 6no# anythingIH
FBad attitude"H the young offier ontinued" Fis ontagious$ As the ne#s of the
politial u! big ti!e 6idnappers sueed #ith heavy ranso!s" the lo#er" petty
pi6po6et thieves #ill be attrated into the inglorious business$ ?hat #ill happen #ill be
that they #ill 6idnap even the very poor even for NK"000I
FYes you are right"H Sgt$ Ade said approvingly$ FEverybody has his or her o#n
prie" so!e NK"000" N)0"000" N) !illion" et" and the ri!inal #orld is stratified as #ell"
they #ill operate as per their levels and pries$ 1he situation is haoti$H
FBoys"H ;ani! alled out #ith a lap of his pal!s as if pri6ed by a pin" Fthe
politiians have betrayed the polie fore" 1hey have handuffed us behind our ba6$
1hey have abandoned us li6e orphans$ ;ust loo6" no vehiles for patrol$ No a!!unition$
No !uh servieable firear!s" no paper even to ta6e o!plainant5s state!ent$ And !ost
of all" no good #ill fro! the people for #ho! #e are sta6ing out our ne6$ 1his is the
bane of our glorious profession$ ,heer up and pray to /od" that one day a !essiah #ill
o!e and lead us to our pro!ise land$H
LBut is it the sa!e in other nationsGL ,pl ,aleb as6ed in despair$
L/entle!en$ %t is not the sa!e in other landsI % have the privilege to have visited
not fe#er than ten ountries$ .ay % tell one broad daylight truthG % have not seen suh a
!adness and absolute neglet of polie as found in this ountry$ %n other lands polie !en
are revered and held in high estee! but on our shore #e are treated li6e orphans by all$
Never !ind$ -ne day the situation #ill hangeL" he onluded sole!nly even though he
6ne# it #as a furlong hope$
F.ada!" it is alright$ Dry your tears$ By /od5s grae you #ill see your hild
again$ 7o# did they ontat youG By phone or letterGH he as6ed her$
FBy /S. phone" sir"H she ans#ered" then turned her fae outside the irle of
!en" and ble# her nose as if in affir!ation$
F?here is the phoneGH
F7ere it is" sir"H she handed over the handset to the inspetor$
F?hat an #e do to stop this =uggernauted business"H the orporal as6ed #ith
an<iety sta!ped over hi!$
F%t annot be stopped$ 1he soiety as6ed for it and no# the soiety has it$ %t is
i!possible to sta!p out"H the sgt$ ans#ered de=etedly$
FYes" there is a #ay to urb this dangerous business"H the inspetor announed
philosophially$
F?hatI 7o#IGH the t#o N,-s e<lai!ed at the sa!e ti!e in onsternation turning
their attention to the inspetor$
FSee" !y brothers"H the inspetor started" FYou !ust have notied that the po#er
of this 6idnappers lies in the o!!uniation #hih /S. or !obile Mell phones provide
in order to ontat and de!and their ranso!$
FYesIH the N,-s horused in unison" rapt in attentiveness$ F?henever there is a
ase li6e this"H the inspetor ontinued" Fthe /S. phone servie providers should be
!ade to dislose the loality the alls are o!ing fro! and infor! us and the rest #ill be
up to us$ You 6no#" all the phone servie providers 6eep reords of suh onversation
and an loate the very area #ith sli!" degree of ertainty$ 1his #ay the business #ill
stop if the ri!inal #orld 6no#s that yawa don gas in the business it #ill leave it alone$
7e onluded$
F6nspectorato hi!self"H the orporal shouted praising the inspetor$
FYes ertainly" there lies the solution to the pestering sore"H the N,- affir!ed
happily$
F,o!e #ith !e" please"H he said to the Edistressed5 #o!an as he led the #ay to his
offie$ 1he #o!an gave her na!e as .rs$ Susan ;u!bo" residing at Nu!ber K ,hiolu
Street" off the East ?est Road$ She further inti!ated that she #as a business#o!an"
!arried and the !arriage #as blessed #ith ,hioso!" the 6idnapped boy$
F?here is your husbandGH the offier de!anded of her$
F7e is a#ay on a business trip"H she replied$
F%5ll li6e to see hi! anyti!e he returns"H the inspetor reAuested$
%nspetor :itory then ordered Sgt$ Ade -la to Einident and dispath5 the ase
i!!ediately at the ounter #hile ,pl ,aleb -gutu! reorded her state!ent$ 1hen he
#ent to brief the D9- on the ase$
An hour later" .rs$ ;u!bo5s phone suddenly rang" =olting everybody to reality$
She infor!ed the offier that the nu!ber on the set5s sreen belonged to the gangsters$
1he inspetor advised her on #hat to say$ 1he voie on the other end of the line
o!!anded her to bring the !oney to the southern gate of the 0niversity of Niberal
Studies and #arned her not to ontat the polie or else her son #ould be 6illed
i!!ediately$ ;ust then" the lad5s shrill voie #as heard$
F.u!!y" .u!!y" don5t allo# the! to 6ill !e" please$ .u!!y" please$$$IH 7is
#ail trailed off$ %nspetor :itory5s heart #as torn out of its sitting and he rene#ed his
resolve to help her" no !atter the ost" =ust to bring =oy to the faes of both !other and
hild$
FSir"H ,pl -gutu! said onspiratorially" Flet the #o!an !obiliDe us" at least" to
buy paper$H
FAre you !ad ,plG ;ust loo6 at the #o!an$ ;ust see the sorry state she is in$ ?hat
ursed !oney are you tal6ing aboutG % #ill not be a party to it and it #ill riot be done here
as far as % a! in harge$ Noo6" for goodness5 sa6e" it ould have been you or so!ebody
you 6no#"H he hided the orporal$
FSir"H ,pl -gutu! pressed further" Fthere is no vehile at our disposal$ 1he patrol
vans have bro6en do#n$ 1he underover ar has no fuel and no# no !oney to refuel it$
?hat do #e doGH
FDon5t #orry"H %nspetor :itory replied" F% #ill thin6 out so!ething$H 7e then set
about planning the battle strategy to resue the Edistressed5 lad$ 7e olleted t#o
!ediu!(siDed sa6s #9hana0 7ust09o$ bags and #ent about utting ne#spapers" the siDe
of urreny notes and sta6ing the! into the bags$ At last" he filled the sa6s to their
bri!s$ 7e overlaid the last layers #ith N)00$00 notes$ ?hen he finished" he eduated the
#o!an on #hat to do and enouraged her to put her trust in /od" to be onfident" and that
she should not !a6e any rash !ista6e$
F% a! inspetor :itory$ You !ust have heard of !e$ % have never failed and % #ill
not li6e to fail in your ase$ ?e abhor failures beause if #e don5t" the o!!on !an has
no hope again in this ountry"H he enouraged her$ F.ada!" an you driveGH he as6ed$
FYes$ % an drive anything" sir"H she replied$
F/ood$ %t #ill !a6e our =ob a bit easier"H he e<lai!ed$ FNo" #e #ill go by our
a!ouflage vehile"H he ended as an afterthought$
FSargey" you #ill drive the 7onda #hih % a!e by to the station$ You #ill be #ith
,pl ,aleb"H he told his lieutenant$ F.ada!"H he turned and addressed the o!plainant"
Fplease #e !ust #ire your body #ith this"H he e<plained to her$ 7e then direted #o!an
9 Ego N6anu to #ire the o!plainant5s body #ith a t#o(#ay radio reeiver trans!itter$
1he #o!an hesitated to o!ply$ FDo it !ada!$ %f you !ust #or6 #ith us to save your
hild" you !ust do #hatever #e as6 of you$ 7ave % !ade !yself learG ?e should not
#aste preious seonds on irrelevant argu!ents"L he autioned the o!plainant into
sub!ission$
FAt last gentle!en"H he said" Fhe6 your ar!s and ount your a!!unition$ %s
everything all rightGH he as6ed of his olleagues$
FYes" sir"H they horused in unisonC he #ent outside to test the radio set$ Satisfied
#ith every arrange!ent" he produed a bottle of to!!y le!onade #ine" unor6ed it"
dran6 fro! it and passed the bottle round to his olleagues$
FDrin6 it$ %t is the to6en of our o!radeship and allegiane to one another$ ?e
!ust go as one and return as one$ ?hatever your differenes" bury the! deep" beause
your life !ay depend on your friend5s hand$ /ood lu6 and /od bless you" soldiers for
the e!anipation of hu!anity$ Bear in !ind" that one you deide to lie lo#" soiety #ill
lose its sanity$ Soiety #ill be ha!strung and sha6led$ ?e annot aept suh a
situation$ ,an #eGH
F?e are speifially seleted as the best in the division$ -ur people believe in us
and #e #ill not let the! do#n$ -ne again" than6 you" good lu6 and /od blessIH he
harged the!$ 1he D9- also briefed the!" harging the! as #ell as praying that they
returned in one piee$
Earlier" the inspetor had given his olleagues diretion on ho# to position
the!selves after they had studied an i!provised !ap of the university area$
B B B
>orty !inutes later" they got to the plae the 6idnappers had designated ( the
southern gate of the 0niversity of Niberal Studies" %guoha$ 1he inspetor #as behind the
#heel of the underover ar and the #o!an sat #oodenly #ith the sa6s in the ba6 seat$
>ear #as #ritten all over her li6e the legendary hand#riting on the Babylonian palae
#all$ She #as so visibly sha6en that she ould not fous #ell$ 1he %nspetor surveyed the
area before hi!$
1he institution had three gates@ the !ain gate #as the northern one #hile the
southern one #as rarely used$ 1he road that led to it branhed out and ran to the riverside"
for!ing a natural ul(de(sa" #hile the fene that ran parallel to it #as lined #ith assorted
orna!ental trees and !a6eshift eating(ho!es$ %n the evenings" the area boo!ed #ith
people fro! all #al6s of life@ students and #or6ing lass" ri!inals of all 6inds and
shades abound$
1he Area #as =a!(pa6ed #ith people" for it #as the pea6 business hour$ 1here
#ere students #ho a!e to transat one for! of business or the other or to eat their
dinner in the !a6eshift mamaput restaurants around the gate$ .usi #as blaring fro! a
fil!M!usi ,D vendor in one of the stores attahed to the #all of the institution5s fene$
1here #as a aophonous !OlPe in the i!!ediate !ilieu that is synony!ous #ith all
ghetto at!ospheres$ 1he onfusion oasioned by the !ultitude suited the la# agents fine
beause it afforded the! the easy tas6 of !elting into the ro#d and onealing
the!selves as planned" but #or6ed against the hoodlu!s$
F.ada!" don5t fear$ % a! #ith you$ ) a! %nspetor :itory$ % don5t let people
do#n$ % don5t abandon !y friends or o!plainants beause 6 am not a !air : weather
police o!!icer$ You are trying !e in the stor!$ ;ust #ait and see #hether % #ill disappoint
you$ Everything #ill be all right" =ust do as % tell you$ No#" go out$H
1he o!plainant hauled the sa6s out of the ab one at a ti!e" and dragged the!
to#ards the entre of the learing" #hih #as a fe# yards a#ay fro! the entre of the
throng of people in line #ith the diretion given to her by the 6idnappers$
1he 0niversity of Niberal Studies5 i!!ediate environ!ent #as notorious for all
6inds of ri!inal ativities" and polie had not been able to ra6 the gang and bring the
ulprits to boo6$ %n fat" the fear of the area #as the beginning o! wisdom to polie!en
and ivilians ali6e as it #as a ri!inal paradise$ 9olie!en had been 6no#n to disappear
in the area #ithout trae$ 1herefore" no polie offier #ould venture into the area #here
even angels feared to tread$ 1he inspetor #as annoyed over the notoriety of the area$
7o# ould suh an area defy poliingG %f all the areas #ere as stubborn as that one" #hat
#ould happen to the i!age of the foreG %t #as grossly unaeptable to the!$ 1his #as a
=in< that they !ust brea6$
7e #as =olted to alertness by the dialogue on the radio trans!itter bet#een the
o!plainant and the leader of the 6idnappers$ 7e #aited patiently and 6ne# that his
olleagues #ere ready also$
F?o!an" do you bring the !oneyGH a hus6y voie aosted the o!plainant$
FYes" sir"H she replied$
F7o# !uhGH
F>ive !illion" sir$H
F-6ay" o6ay bringa! here"H he o!!anded her$
F>irst" #here is !y sonGH she ountered$
FDo you o!e aloneGH
FYes" sirIH
F?hat of the ta<i driverGH he as6ed her$
F7e is ta6ing a bottle of beer$ 7e does not 6no# #hat is happening"H she infor!ed
the 6ingpin$
F-6" o6"H he said" and !ade a #ild birdli6e sound" #hih triggered off a sort of
ation a distane a#ay$ 1he boy let out a blood Q hilling srea! fro! inside a par6ed
B.? ar$
F1hat5s your son$ % hope you no# believe that he is alive"H he said #ith pride" as he
!oved for#ard and grabbed the bags and #ith the sa!e !otion" produed a Sorpion
se!i(auto!ati(!ini rifle fro! his ba6 and pointed it at the #o!an$
F.ada!" than6 you and your son$ You #ill help us first"H he told her$
1#o B.? 4)8i ars sped into the learing and sreehed to a stop" their tires protesting
loudly$
1he inspetor then bar6ed out orders to his olleagues to s#eep do#n on the
hoodlu!s$ 7e got out of the a!ouflage ar" t#o berretta pistols in his hands" too6
aurate ai! and puntured the front tires of the ars rendering the! i!!obile$ 1he
6idnappers" seeing the o!inous trouble dived out of the ars and fired at the inspetor
#ho #as do#n on his sto!ah" ra#ling in a DigDag !anner li6e an overgro#n python
fro! spiritus mundi$ 1he !ultitude ran helter(s6elter and dived out for #hatever overs it
ould find in the sa!e !anner that hi6en do #hen sensing o!inous sign of a ha#6 or
6ite5s s#eep$ 1he #hole blaDing !ultitude !elted li6e #a< on fire that no single being
#as seen on his or her feet$ 1his suited the inspetor5s plans$ 7e had no intention of
6illing innoent persons$
7e too6 aurate ai! intending to !ai! unless he ould not help it$ 1#o of the
ri!inals #ere 6illed and the leader" a sto6y !an of about 2' years" #ith a hest the
#idth of t#o doors put together" got the boy and held the !uDDle of his rifle to the boy5s
head" #hile ordering the inspetor to disar! hi!self or he #ould 6ill the hild$ -ne of the
hoodlu!s seiDed the opportunity and pointed his gun at the srea!ing #o!an$
1he inspetor stood i!!obile for so!e seonds" !ade as if to drop his guns" but
spo6e in a lo# voie into the !outhpiee of the s!all radio trans!itter hidden on his
hest$
FSargey" do you have the! in sightGH he as6ed his olleague$
FYes" sir"H the sergeant replied$
F,opritoI ?hat about youGH
FBoss" %5! fine$ .y !an is as good as dead"H he replied =oyfully$
F1a6e the!IH he o!!anded and the report of the gunshots fro! the t#o N,-s
sounded li6e one" as the t#o aptors slu!ped in !ovie(li6e slo# !otion$ Blood splashed
about$ 1he third thre# do#n his gun and raised his hands in the air before the inspetor
ould pull the triggers of his guns$ 7e #as handuffed i!!ediately$ 1he leader did not
die" even though the ,orporal5s bullet severed the 6iller5s right ar!$
So!e seonds later" the N,-s stepped into the sene as the o!plainant and her
son poured #ords of gratitude to the polie and to /od$
FSir" #hat do #e do #ith hi!GH the ,pl as6ed$ F7e #ill !a6e us run into
e<penses$ .oreover" if he esapes" he #ill double up and atta6 us again" and he #ill be
!ore dangerous than ever$ So" let hi! go #ith his olleagues that he led into ri!e"H ,pl
-gutu! suggested to the inspetor$
FNo"H %nspetor ;ani! replied" Fthat is e<tra =udiial 6illing$ Nife is preious and
sared$ ?e are not !urderersC #e are here to preserve life and not to destroy it$H
F?hat preious life does a useless ri!inal li6e this deserveGH the orporal
retorted" gesturing at the #rithing !ass on the ground$ FYes$ % agree totally #ith you"
ogaH the pl added as an afterthought$ F%f #e !ust preserve life" then #e !ust eli!inate
hi! and his li6es at least that5s our duty$ % believe #e5ll be doing the soiety a disservie
if you preserve his life$H
F?e are only investigators and annot be =udges and e<eutioners at the sa!e
ti!e"H the offier letured his tea!$ ?ith this" the inspetor !oved to#ards the
i!!obiliDed B.? ars to fi< the spare tires$
F.r$ Jidnapper$ $ $"H the sergeant addressed the #ounded hoodlu!$
FNoIH the inspetor shouted" 6no#ing #hat the N,-s #ere about to do" ran
to#ards the!$
F8$$ #e aught5 you red(handed in the at"H the sergeant ontinued" addressing the
#ounded hoodlu! for the role you played in tor!enting hu!anity and for shooting at
polie offiers$ ?ith the po#ers onferred on us by the onstitution of this great ountry
to o!bat ri!e in order to save hu!anity fro! the luthes of soial nuisanes li6e you"
% hereby send you to hell" guilty as harged$H
1he 6ingpin" 6no#ing he had no option for survival" fired first #ith a loally !ade
pistol onealed in his left uff" and =ets of blood sprayed out fro! the inspetor5s left
ar! li6e a !alfuntioning #ater tap$ ,ursing" the inspetor responded fire for fire$ As he
fired" t#o other shots rang out and their report !ingled #ith the inspetor5s EEsounded as
one$ 1he perforating !ahines spat fires of death on the left side of the hoodlu!5s hest$
1he inspetor #as sho6ed by the auto!ati ation$ %t #as as if a !ehanial fore
propelled the!$
F1hat #as a lose all$H 1he offier e<lai!ed$ F7o# ould % have 6no#n this
bastard had a piee of throway$ 1han6 you boys$ Yes" % li6e that$ %t is solidarity at its
best$ %t is a sign of our abhorrene of ri!e$ %t is the voie of unity and deter!ination"H he
prolai!ed$ F1his definitely #ill !ar6 the end of the notoriety of this university
environ!ent$ % a! pleased" he said triu!phantly$
F% told you"H the pl said triu!phantly" Fthat guy did not deserve to live$H
1he N,-s #ent about bandaging the inspetor5s ar! )ith R hand6erhief$5 1hey
reovered the bodies" the ar!s" the re!aining suspet and Fvehiles$ 1he o!plainant and
her son drove in the ba6(up 7onda ar" #hile both N,-s !anned eah of the B.? ars
and drove out of the gory5 sene of the shooting to Area E,5 9olie Station" li6e 1ro=an
#arriors returning fro! battlefield$ 1he #hole operation lasted for about forty(five
!inutes$
1he D9- #as over=oyed to see his !en return vitorious fro! the operation$ 7e
reeived the! #ar!ly and felt that they had dealt yet another blo# to the under#orld
6ingdo!$ 7e alled the inspetor to his offie for a short personal briefing on the
operation$ 1he inspetor gave hi! a hronologial aount of the operation #ithout
painting it #ith unneessary artifiialities$
FSir"H he said" Fthe hoodlu!s #ere not #illing to release the hostage even after
they reeived the sa6s" #hih they #ere onvined ontained !oney$ 1hey too6 the
#o!an hostage$ %t #as not aeptable to us$ You an guess #hat happened ba6 there$
7ell #as let loose and four of the! died in the shootout that ensued" inluding the fe!ale
!e!ber of the gang$ ?e ould only arrest one" sir$ 1he #hole affair is li6e a ga!e of
hess to !e" of ourseC #ith a deadly after!ath$ %f you play and Eouts!art your opponent"
you then #in"H he e<plained to the D9-$
FBoy" you are bleedingIH the D9- e<lai!ed$ FAre you o6ayGH he as6ed" visibly
#orried$
FDon5t #orry" Sir" the inspetor replied" F%t5s =ust a srath" nothing serious" sir$H
And he slu!ped on to the rug" unonsious$ 1he D9- raised an alar! and the division
#as plunged into pani over the safety of the brave inspetor$ 7e #as i!!ediately rushed
to Sion 7ospital for !edial attention$
B B B
Sgt Ade -la rushed into the hospital #ard #here %nspetor :itory had been
ad!itted" brandishing a popular ne#spaper" a opy of the Daily .irror" a day after the
fiere shootout at the university gate$ F,o!e and see nonsense$ 1his stupid reporter
lai!ed #e 6illed innoent Engineering and .edial students" that #e ould not ta6le
the robbers and the 6idnappers but !o#ed do#n hapless students$ 1hey are alling us
!urderers and de!anding our arrest and proseution"H he o!plained breathlessly$
F%t is the trade !ar6 of our profession" !y friend$ So!eti!es" those #ho! you 6ill
yourself to protet turn around and bite you on the nose$ 1a6e heart"H he enouraged his
#orried subordinate offier$ F% hope you reorded the state!ent of the surviving suspet
on video$ You an never tell$ But #hen the truth o!es out" they #ill sing a ne# version
of the sa!e song$H ?ith this" the inspetor gently al!ed the sergeant$
F7o# are you today" ogaGH the Sgt greeted the inspetor after he had al!ed
do#n$
F% a! #ell" !y brother"H the offier replied$
B B B
1en days after the resue operation" the inspetor drove into the station fro! the
hospital after seeing his dotor$ 7e sa# a ro#d gathering in front of the polie station" as
a #o!an shouted at the pith of her voie$
F% #ill sho# these stupid" good for nothing i!beiles that % a! not a #o!an they
an play pran6s on$ 1hey al#ays do #hat they are not supposed to do and the things that
are e<peted of the!" they annot do$ All they 6no# is to e<tort !oney fro! hapless
ivilians$ Bribery and orruption is all they 6no#$ >oolish people$ You #ill tell !e #hy
you should arrest !y husband$ % #ill teah you a lesson" for enroahing on innoent
people5s privay"H she ranted and raved uneasingly$
%nspetor :itory #as ut short in his stride as he heard the ausations" #hih the
#o!an #as heaping on the!$ 1his #as .rs$ Susan ;u!bo" the #o!an #hose son had
been 6idnapped earlier but resued by the S%1-S agents$
?hen the inspetor got loser" he #as enraged by the #o!an5s ausations$ %t
bro6e his heart" for he had thought that she" at least" #ould say a pleasant #ord for the
>ore after all the ris6s polie had ta6en to save her and her son fro! the luthes of the
6idnappers$
F.ada! ;u!bo" is anything the !atterGH the inspetor al!ly as6ed as he dre#
nearer to the ro#d$
FYou have reated !any proble!s and you have the guts to as6 !e #hether there
is a proble!$ Yes" there are proble!s$ You have sattered !y ho!eIH she shouted at the
inspetor" and in a flash thre# herself at the young offier of the la# and slapped hi!
po#erfully on the fae$ 1he inspetor sa# the blo# o!ing but deliberately refused to
dodge or parry it out so that the #o!an5s evil nature #ould be revealed to all$
F.ada!" you slapped !eG .ada!" you raised your hand and assaulted a
polie!an #ho ris6ed his life to save you and your sonG 1he polie no longer !ean
anything to youIH he upbraided her rhetorially$
1#o polie#o!en bro6e out to give her the beating of her life but the inspetor
restrained the!$
FNeave her alone$ A #o!an that is Aui6 to forget #hat #e did for her barely ten
days ago is not nor!al$ So!ething is terribly #rong #ith her$ %t !ay be she is already
dead and is loo6ing for so!eone to esort her to her grave so that she #ill point an
ausing finger at suh a person"H he told the!$
F.ada!" #hat have % done5 to youGH he turned and addressed her oldly again"
rubbing his fingers over the #eal$
F?hy did you arrest !y husbandG ?hyG ?hy" stupid inspetorGH she spat at hi!$
F-6ayI %s that #hy you are behaving li6e a !ad dogG 1ortoise atually said it all"
Ethat the lappa he tied around his waist had caused his down!all+$ %f % #ere not lenient"
gentle" !eriful and onsiderate to your plight" you #ould not have had the po#er to raise
your hand against !e" or open your stin6ing vent against the i!age of the polie$ You
have bitten the finger that saved you and you #ill surely pay dearly for it"H he pro!ised
her$
FSargeyI ,orpritoI A!andaIH he alled out$ FBring the television set and the video
players and tapes" let us !a6e this stupid #o!an the =udge of our ativities"H he shouted
to his subordinates$ %n t#enty !inutes the sets #ere in order and playing in the D,BB
hall$ %t sho#ed the only surviving 6idnap suspet$
F.ada!" % hope you reogniDe this !an" one of the !en that 6idnapped your son
and al!ost 6illed usGH he inAuired of her$
FYes" and #hat about itGH she retorted dryly$
1he suspet narrated ho# .r$ ;u!bo" the #o!an5s husband and the father of the
boy" hired the! to 6idnap the boy in order to ollet the ranso! of five !illion naira$ 7e
also revealed that .r$ ;u!bo #as the one #ho gave the! her phone nu!ber as #ell$ 7e
eAually revealed that for the #o!an to part #ith the !oney" they had to hold the boy as
leverage$ 1his" they did but did not re6on #ith the s#ift and brave ations of the
inspetor and his tea!$
1he ne<t sene sho#ed .r$ ;u!bo in the interrogation roo!$ 7e #as defiant" his
eyes blaDing li6e blobs of live oal$
F.r$ ;u!bo"H the inspetor5s voie #as heard fro! the television set" F#hy did
you do itG ?hy did you 6idnap your sonGH he interrogated the pri!e suspet$
F-ffier"H he started" F% don5t have any grudge against you$ You are doing your
duty$ But %5ll tell you one gospel truth$ 1hat #o!an you helped is a devil in a #o!an5s
s6in$ She !ade !e lose !y =obC she urged !e to resign so that #e ould go into business"
only to resind the deision after % had resigned" thereby leaving !e stranded li6e a fish
out of #ater" gasping and panting desperately for life sustaining air" only for that she Q
devil to turn !e into a house help you ould ever i!agine$H
F% deided to pay her ba6 in her o#n oin sine she betrayed !y love and trust"
beause a rare 6indness attrats a rare re#ard and onversely" a drasti betrayal evo6es
severe negative reations$ % don5t have any regrets for !y part in the dra!a even though it
did not #or6 out due to polie intervention$ At least" % !ust have dented her i!age"H he
onluded de=etedly$
7is state!ent #as born out of anguish and despondeny due to the evil treat!ent
!eted out to hi! by so!ebody he held in high estee!$ .rs$ ;u!bo bro6e do#n and
#ept$
F.y eyes have seen the ba6 of !y head oI ?ater don pass !y gari oI -h" #hat
do % do no#GH she #ailed piteously$
FYes" .ada!G 7o# does it goG Advise us on #hat to do in a ase li6e this$ 7ave
you seen #hy #e arrested your slaveG .ada!" % a! fored to believe #hat your
Ehouseboy5 said beause of your attitude to#ards us no#$ % doubted his story" but % no#
believed hi!$ .ada!" are you a hu!an being at allG Do you have a heart in your hestG
-r" perhaps" it is a !assive stone instead of flesh$ %s it blood that flo#s in your arteries
and veinsG % believe it is not blood but veno! of the #orst 6ind$H
FA!andaI AdaIH the inspetor alled the t#o polie#o!en" Farrest this #o!an for
serious assault$ Searh her properly and bring her detention order for !e to sign$ >irst
thing to!orro# !orning" Sargey" reo!!end her ase to be harged to ourt" she is an
ingrate$ And ingratitude 6ills friendship and love" hard #or6 and dediation to duty$ She
is not a hu!an being but a beast and it is better #e send her to the Estate of nature5 so that
she #ill be out of irulation$H ?ith that" he sta!ped his foot in an air of finality and
!arhed off to his offie$
THE END
A DANCE WITH THE DEVIL
6! you touch the devil.
&e will not let you go,
;hen you dine with the evil spirit<
;hen you wine with the evil spirit
&e will chain you down
The day you dance with the devil.
=ou are surely doomed,
A proverbial song o! )(peye ethnic nation o!
Rivers %tate in the Niger Delta region o! Nigeria,
FUnle" please help !e"H :itoria ried fro! the ell" pleading #ith 9olie
,orporal Davies$H She #as being detained for al!ost seven days for ar!ed robbery$
F:i6yI ?hat are you doing there in the ellGH ,orporal Davies shouted ba6 at
her in surprise as reognition da#ned on hi!$
FNa polie lo(6 !e inside ell o" 0nle"H she sta!!ered$
>;etin you doGH
>6 no do any tin o, 6 no do any tin on.? she #ailed in despair$
FYou no do any tin and polie put you inside ellG 9olie don beo!e !ad" ehG
&ow many people wey dey wa(a pass !or road and na only you police see come catchG 6!
you wan ma(e 6 listen to you. you beta tell me wetin you do,? 1he youngish orporal5s
repri!anded the fe!ale suspet$
:itoria #as a young #o!an of about eighteen years of age$ She #as beautifully
!ade #ith strong physial features$ %t see!ed /od had lavished her #ith uneAualled
!agnani!ity$ She had an angular fae that broadened to#ard her frontal hairline$ 7er
large eyes and s!iling lips adorned her #ith a perpetual happy and pleasant faial
e<pression$ 7er general physiAue #as al!ost a reprodution of Ann N=e!anDe" the
Nolly#ood !ovie atress$ She e<uded an aura for se<uality and a !anneris! of #in6ing
#ith her left eye" #hih her nu!erous !ale ad!irers al#ays !istoo6 for an outright
invitation to se<ual feast$ 7er hair #as healthy though un6e!pt@ sattered li6e pal!
fronds after a severe rainstor!$
She #as the fourth hild in a polyga!ous fa!ily of thirteen$ 7er !other #as the
senior #ife #hile her father #as a retired ar!y lane orporal$ She spea6s passable
7ausa" Yoruba" %gbo and strands of Nigeria languages and dialets ourtesy of her
fatherTs nu!erous transfers and postings in the Nigeria ar!y$
B B B
Police Corporal Davies was a young man of twenty, having enlisted into the
Nigeria Police Force at the age of eighteen and acquired the police basic training at
police College, Nuraku. e was a pleasant man though average in looks. e bore a
natural birthmark above his left eyebrow! arguably one of nature"s perfect
imperfections, which made him a gold fish without a hiding place even in a crowd.
#hough what he lacked in beauty, his unbridled amiability made him charming and
likeable. $ highly dependable %unior officer that soon won the heart of the
Divisional Police &fficer, that he posted him to the Finance section of the
$dministration of &doli Divisional eadquarters, in the suburb of &dagha city. #he
NC& reali'ed that an irreconcilable polarity and inconsistency e(isted in his life. No
matter how desirous and determined he was to overcome the black spot in his life, it
remained indelible like an indigo mark. #his made him to believe that there was
something intrinsically good in the worst person and some degree of badness in the
best. #herefore, he strongly believed that no one should be condemned without fair
trial.
-doli Divisional 9olie 7eadAuarters #as situated in the heart of a s!all
o!!unity that housed about one hundred thousand people$ 1he station #as so situated
due to the inessant ri!inal ativities" #hih resulted fro! the rise in eono!i ativities
in the area$
1he harge(roo!" #hih #as part of the ad!inistrative blo6" #as the very first
port of all for anyone o!ing to the station$ At the front verandah on the right" ran a
flight of stairs that led to the offies upstairs$ A five(feet high table(li6e ounter
barriaded the harge roo! fro! the rest of the offieC behind it sat nu!erous =unior
polie!en of diverse ran6s faing the door#ay$ 1his #as #here o!plaints #ere
reeived$ Behind the ounter" the rest of the offie #as ranged #ith benhes for suspets
about to be searhed before detention$ >ro! there a passage led to the ells$ 1here #ere
four in nu!ber" t#o on eah side@ ,ells one to four$ ,ells three and four #ere reserved
e<lusively for ar!ed robbery suspets$ 1his #as #here the orporal first enountered
:itoria that Sunday !orning$
1he previous >riday afternoon" the D9- had infor!ed ,pl Davies that he #ould
deploy hi! to ounter relief duty as Station ?riter %%" to be his Feye and earH at the
station the ne<t Sunday$ 1he young la#!an had protested vehe!ently" but the D9-
re!ained ada!ant to his diretive" announing that his deision #as as final as the
s#ithing off of an eletri light$ 1he orporal had reoiled in anger" as #ee6ends #ere
his rest days he #ould not allo# anything to interfere$
-n that Sunday !orning" he had arrived at the station" ta6en over duties and !ade
a tour of the ells to asertain if the suspets detained in the ells #ere physially present
as stated in the diaries and registers that had been handed over to hi!$
F,ho(a(on for SergitoIH he alled out$ F/ood !orning" sir$H
F/ood !orning" gentle!en and ladies"H the sergeant responded$
F.en on relief !orning duty ounter" ta6ing over duty fro! the night duty !en$
.ay % have your 6ind per!ission to arry on" sirGH ,orporal Davies intoned the fa!iliar
!ode of greeting superior offiers$
>Carry horn"H the sergeant said laughingly$
FSta(a(ad(ad(ais"H the orporal o!!anded his subordinates$
F1anda na(ohIH a onstable shouted at the Available" #o!an 9," Stella" and all
burst out in laughter$
%t #as during this tour of his duty post that he enountered :itoria in the ell$
After the initial greeting for!alities" he had gone to the detention board to asertain #ho
the %9- in harge of :itoria5s ase #as" and the partiular offene for #hih she had
been harged$ ?hen he sa# it #as ar!ed robbery" his spirit evaporated li6e !id Q
!orning !ist in the early !orning sun$
F-h !y /odI ?hy not assault or affray or so!e !isde!eanous offeneG ?hy this
felonious offeneG 7o# an % get her off the hoo6G Did she o!!it the ri!eG % do not
6no# her fa!ily to be robbers$ Neither have % heard that she had long arms+$ % 6no# her
as a nie" beautiful girl fro! our village$ ?hen she gained ad!ission into 9olytehni to
read 7o!e Eono!is" everyone #as glad but this happiness ollapsed as she dropped
out of shool for la6 of sponsorship$ Ar!ed robbery is to polie!en #hat treason is to
govern!ent"H he said out aloud$
>Na so. oga"H the #o!an(available affir!ed$
7e #as in this !ood and did not realiDe that he #as in the o!pany of others" #hen the
#o!an 9olie Available at the ounter suddenly e<lai!ed$
F,opritoI ?hat happenedG You are not here #ith us$ ?hat is the !atterGH She
fired the Auestions at hi! li6e an AJ U' assault rifle shot$
F-h" %5 ! sorry$ % #as daydrea!ing" Stella$ %5 ! terribly sorry"H he apologiDed to
her$ 1#o hours later" he obtained per!ission fro! the ,harge Roo! -ffier and too6 the
robbery suspet to the barra6s" for bathing and feeding$ 1hey returned to his offie
upstairs for a heart to heart tal6" to enable hi! asertain ho# and #hy she had landed
herself into the Tha!eleon faees5$
,orporal Davies sat in his seat" his elbo#s resting on the table" #hih separated
hi! fro! the suspet" #hile :itoria sat on the visitor5s hair faing the la# agent and
ba6ing the door$ 1he finane offie #as a s!all one@ a ten by eight foot affair #ith filing
abinets and shelves lining a #all$ A four by four foot #indo# overloo6ed the pa6ing
spae belo#$
1he orporal had furnished it sparingly #ith floor linoleu! and #indo# urtains
#hose olours blended #ith the sea(green olour of the #alls" and ontrasted a bit #ith
the pale olour of the eiling$ A pot that ontained a raffia orna!ental flo#er" stood
faithfully at attention by the #indo#$ ?hen the orporal turned on the eiling fan to its
!a<i!u!" the s#ish of air #as #elo!ing$ 1he flo#er daned and #aved its slender
verdure as if rendering a speial horal song to the duo$
1hrough the open #indo#" he sa# that the ar par6 #as deserted beause it #as a
Sunday$ -n #ee6days" it used to be a E!ini open(air !ar6et$5 7e notied #ith displeasure
the la6adaisial #ay Eaidented vehiles5 littered the pre!ises$ 7e #as obsessed #ith
leanliness and neatness$ 1he !id(.arh sun #as fully high even though it #as only
)000hours$ 1he shi!!ering sun indued an eerie feelingC as the area see!ed to have
been deserted save for the little tea! of polie!en on relief duty$
7e gaDed out of the #indo# at a la#n #here assorted speies of flo#ers #ere
ro6ing gently in the oasional southerly breeDe$ Suddenly" he #as so overta6en by the
beauty and order in nature that he e<lai!ed" FNife is beautiful after allI 1a6e a loo6" and
ta6e heart"H he said sole!nly to the suspet$
FSir" but % don5t see anything at all"H :itoria said" loo6ing in the diretion to
#hih he #as pointing$
FNever !ind then"H he sighed in resignation$ FNo#" :i6y" tell !e #hat happened
to you$ % sa# on the detention board that you are arrested for ar!ed robbery$ 7o# did it
happenGH
F% did not rob or steal % 6no# % a! a bad type$ % use !y body to get #hat % #ant$ %
hustle anyti!e and any#here" but % a! not a robber"H she ried as tears gathered in her
lo#er eye lashes li6e early !orning de# on fern leaves$
F-6$ %t is all right" :i6y$ ;ust tell !e everything(the truth" the #hole truth and
nothing but the truth"H he urged the fear(stri6en girl$
As she #as about to plunge into the story" there #as a sharp rap on the door and a
onstable put his head through it$
FYesGH the orporal enAuired of the intruder$
F1he ,R0 sent !e to he6 #hether you are #ith the suspet" sir"H he replied$
F-6$ 1ell hi! #e are here" please"H he retorted and the onstable disappeared li6e
an appeased spirit fro! a village shrine$ F1hese gossiping sons Q of Q bith"H he
!uttered to hi!self before turning to the dispirited suspet$ FYes" :i6y" go on$H
F0nle Davies"H she began" Fyou 6no# the 6ind of fa!ily % o!e fro!$H
FYes" % do"H the orporal reassured her$
F Sine there #as nothing % ould do to save the!" so % deided to use #hat % have
to get #hat #e need@ the basi neessities of life$ % too6 to hustling ( o!!erial se<
#or6$H
F1hat is prostitution"H the orporal orreted her$
FYes$ But #e" in the profession" don5t use that ter!$ % started in our village on a
s!all sale" harging bet#een N)K0 and N200" for short ti!e$ 1DB attrated the su! of
NK-0 to N*00$ % #as in suh high de!and in the area as !y lients or usto!ers #ere in
full supply that % !ade up to N)K"000 to N20"000 !onthly$ ?ith the proeeds fro! this
business" % #as able to provide food and lothing for !y fatherTs fa!ily$ Nife bea!e
better again" as hope returned to !y fa!ily$ % #as not really happy" though the faes of
!y fa!ily !e!bers radiated happiness again$ 1his #as at the detri!ent of !y happiness"
health" dignity and future$ % hope you 6no# #hat 1DB and short ti!e areGH
FYes"H the orporal replied$ 1DB !eans T1ill Day Brea6$H
F1ell !e sinerely" :i6y" do you en=oy the #or6 you are doingGH he as6ed !ost
sole!nly$
F%$$$ %" noI % don5t en=oy it$ %t is !ost dehu!aniDing$ %t is an abuse of !y dignity but
!y sibblings !ust survive$ % a! prone to ountless dangers and haDardous esapades so
that !e!bers of !y fa!ily #ould find lu!ps of garri in their plates"H she #ept$ She
stood up" #ent to the #indo#" and ble# her nose as loudly as the #histle of the referee$
F9lease ta6e this and #ipe your fae"H the offier said" handing her a hand6erhief$
She aepted the #hite hand6erhief and dabbed her fae #ith it$
FNo one treats !e #ith 6indness"H she ontinued$ F% don5t 6no# the !eaning of
the #ord NoveT"H she #ept the !ore$ 1he orporal allo#ed her tears to flo# do#n freely
li6e #aterfall for so!e ti!e" before paifying her one again$ 1he narration #as gripping
hi! #ith iron vie$
F% find #o!en5s tears partiularly unbearable$ 1ears have #ays of !elting !y
heart"H the orporal said" his eyes glo#ing red li6e polie torh at he6points$ FYou said
you don5t 6no# the !eaning of love$ But fro! #hat you5ve told !e so far" % a!
onvined you are one of the greatest lovers" and philosophers % have seen around$ ?hat
is philosophyG 1o !e" philosophy is si!ply a streth of the !ind$ Any !ind is apable of
being strethed$ So!e are strethed !ore than the others$ And % assure you that yours is
tautly strethed to its li!its$ 9hilosophy" si!ply stated" is a #ay of finding !eaning in
!an5s situation$ You have found !eaning in the a#6#ard situation of your fatherTs
fa!ily$ 1his is love in the speifi" #hih is ationC #hih is are$ Nove in the abstrat" on
the other hand" is a nonhalant and unfeeling attitude to peoples5 plight$ .y dear" you
are so !uh that you did no regard your safety or onsider the prie to your person$ %n
order to save your fatherTs fa!ily you bea!e a Esarifiial la!b$5 F :i6y sat up as if
pri6ed by so!e invisible spi6es$
F.e" ,hrist(li6eGH she Aueried$
FYes$ At least to your fa!ily"H the young !an said gently to her$
F1hese are the best and the gentlest #ords that have reahed !y ears in years$
1han6 you for understanding !e$H She brightened up a little the #ay a flo#er unfolds
before the early !orning sun" then ontinued her story$
FAfter so!e ti!e" !y fortune in the village started d#indling$ Also the other girls
and #o!en bea!e =ealous of !e$ % #as !olested and !anhandled on !any oasions$
.oreover" as !y nightly proeeds bea!e s!aller and s!aller eah passing day" %
deided it #as ti!e to !ove to greener fields$ % a!e here to -dagha ,ity at the
insistene of !y shool !other" Ada Agi" #ho operated a fashion business and enrolled
!e i!!ediately as an apprentie in the business of se#ing$$$H
F7ere in this ityGH the polie N,- as6ed asually$ F-dagha ,ity is a !odern
Sodo!$ Any#ay" #here in this ityGH
FNu!ber 4" ,hin#a Street"H she replied$ F?hen % !oved into Ada5s house" %
realiDed that she o#ned the building and had about thirty tenants" a ar" and a #or6shop$
%t i!!ediately da#ned on !e that she had other businesses other than the se#ing" and the
#or6shop #as only a front for the others$ % pestered her day and night to introdue to and
o(oped !e into the!$H She paused for breath$
F/o on$ %5! #ith you" :i6y"H the orporal enouraged her$
F1hree !onths later"H she ontinued" Fshe agreed to inorporate !e into the!$ -ne
!idnight" she #o6e !e up$ E:i6y"5 she said" Eyou are a nie girl" as #ell as good
loo6ing" so prepare your !ind for the ordeal that lies ahead and all shall forever be #ell
#ith you$5 She then produed a s!all !iniature a<e" stiletto dagger" bla6 bra" bla6 1(
shirt" red bandana" a entipede braelet" an earthen bo#l #ith a piee of sarlet ribbon"
and other ite!s % ould not readily identify$H
EAuntie" #hat are theseG5F % had e<lai!ed in surprise on seeing the ite!s$
FNever !ind" !y dear$ 1hese are the ite!s that #ill !a6e you rih"H she had
assured !e #ith an innoent s!ile$
F1#o nights after the assurane" #e travelled to Aboha to#n$ ?e started the
=ourney around *@40p! and arrived there at )0p!$ ?e lodged in a hotel till )@00 a! #hen
so!e !as6ed people a!e and esorted us deep into the forest$H
FErGH 1he orporal or6ed his head li6e a dog that senses an unusual sound$
F1hat5s the story" sir"H she said al!ly$ F1he learing #as illu!inated by log fire
in various points and spots$ 1here #ere about si<ty people #ho sat ross(legged" for!ing
se!iirle" faing a rude platfor! on #hih a hief priest and his assistants sat in(li6e
!anner" li6e so!e oriental !on6s in !editation$ %n the entre of the irle #ere al!ost
thirty to forty(five persons of various age bra6ets" all dressed in bla6 blouses" #hih
barely overed their breastsC and red lappa around their loins" e<posing their Ehillo6s5
behind the!$ 1hey #ere daning to the frenDied rhyth! of dru!!ing$ Every no# and
then" they #ere offered so!e @(ai(ai+ and the perfor!ers #ould gyrate the !ore in
supernatural estasy$H
FRubbishIH ,orporal Davies$ shouted$ 7e suddenly stood up and lenhed his fists
so tightly that the 6nu6les turned reddish as he paed the offie$
FAfter the initial registration for!alities" the hief priest alled on Ada to present
!e and he as6ed in a sing(song voie #hat !y proble!s #ere$ % narrated to the!$ 1o !y
=oy" he assured !e that these hardships #ere history$ 7e then too6 !y dagger and piered
!y right thu!b #ith it dra#ing blood in the proess" #hih he olleted into !y bo#l$
7e then sprin6led so!e on all !y ite!s and also on the sy!bol of the god #e served$ 1he
others5 blood #ere also olleted in li6e !anner" and then !i<ed all into a large tripod
pot into #hih other onotions #ere poured and stirred$ After offering the !i<ture to
the gods as libation" it #as served to all to drin6 in a ra!(horn$H
FE1his is the ovenant of the brotherhood"5 the priest said$ E1he day you reveal our
seret" you shall surely die !ost !iserably$ But if you adhere stritly to our la#s" you
shall have everything your heart desires$5 H$
F% #as then ordered to partiipate in the dane #hile the high priest and his
assistants daned #ith !e" splashing the onotion all over !e$ 1heir eyes revealed
so!e burning inner desire to have !e" #hih they did of ourse$ 1hey did lot of things to
!e" #hih % annot tell you for the sa6e of !odesty$ During the dane" the high priest
#hispered to !e his desire to !a6e !e the priestess of the fraternity if only % #ould agree
to be his !istress$ % #as so happy that % aepted" beause #ith that position #ould o!e
a lot of po#er$ %t #as then % 6ne# that % had gone too far into the devil5s territory$ At the
end of the servie" % returned #ith !y auntie to -dagha ,ity$
E<atly 2@00p! the ne<t day" !y aunty as6ed !e to he6 !y bo#l$ ?hen %
opened it" % found the su! of fifty five thousand naira" and seven 6obo in it" #ith a short
note that read@ E:itoria" ta6e this and use it$ %t is a gift fro! :ulture5$ % reported this to
!y auntie #ho s!iled 6no#ingly and direted !e to use it but never to tell anybody that
#as not a !e!ber$H
F%t !ust have been a tri6 alulated to hold you in perpetual bondage$ %t !ust
have been plaed there by your !entor to deeive you"H the young !an reasoned$
FNo" it #as not that 6ind of tri6 but a !ore serious 6ind$ 1he !oney did not o!e
fro! Ada$ % a! sure of that$ Any#ay" !y life bea!e better and beautiful$H She
ontinued" F% then slo#ed do#n on !y hustling business$ ?henever % la6ed !oney" %
#ould !a6e !y reAuest 6no#n to the bo#l" and !oney #ould definitely be there the ne<t
2@00a! or 2@00p!$ So % visited !y shrine li6e a pal!(#ine tapper" t#o ti!es daily at
these designated hours$ 1he total ta6e on these diurnal and noturnal visits yielded up to
one hundred and ten thousand naira and fourteen 6obo$ % then sent !oney to !y parents$
>ood ite!s started rolling do#n into the fa!ily as if a tipper disharged sand$ ?ith the
proeeds fro! this" % also bought se#ing !ahines and other tools$ Every no# and then
!y parents #ould send for !ore !oney espeially as !y father resu!ed his
drun6enness$H
F?hat 6ind of father is thatGH the ,orporal as6ed #ith burning anger" as she
paused for breath$ 7e then enouraged her to ontinue her story$
F/o on"H he enouraged$
FNo one #arned !e that there #ould be a payba6 ti!e$ No one infor!ed !e that
% #as !oving to !y doo!$ 1here #as nothing to stir up !y suspiion that the plunge into
anarhy #ould be o!plete and deadly$H
F?hen #e e!bar6ed on our ne<t landestine visit to the shrine" % #as o!!anded
to na!e three persons % love !ost in this #orld$ %nnoently and ignorantly % na!ed !y
i!!ediate younger brother as the nu!ber one" !y grandfather and !y youngest sister" in
that order$H
F,ontinue" please"H the orporal urged$
F1he ,hief priest produed the entipede sy!bol and a doll$ 7e poured libation
and stabbed the doll #ith !y dagger as he invo6ed the na!e and the spirit of !y
i!!ediate younger brother four ti!es$ 1he follo#ing day" ne#s got to !e that !y
brother had died !ysteriously the night before" around 4@00a!" after vo!iting blood
through his !outh and nose$H
F7!!"H he grunted$
FYesI Yes" % 6illed hi!"H :i6y #ept profusely$ F1he re!ote ause of death"H she
ontinued a!idst sobs" F#as as illusive as the Efoot of the rainbo#5$ % #ept bitterly$ %
6ne# % #as the one that had ut short his vibrant life #ith the 6nife of the high priest$H
1he polie!an strethed out his hand aross the table and laid it on her shoulder"
o!forting her as a father #ould his agoniDing hild$
F1his sho#ed !e that all is vanity$ % laboured and 6illed !yself to save the!" only
to 6ill the! in the proess$ ?hat use is all the !oney in the #orld to !eGH she #ailed
regrettably$
F?hat happened ne<tG go on" please$H
F% pa6ed all the devilish !aterials" rushed to the shrine" and thre# the! at the
priest5s feet in hot protest$ 1he priest pro!ised !e hell$ 7e said % #ould s#i! in blood$
So one again" % resu!ed !y hustling as % left !y auntie5s ho!e" though she persuaded
!e to stay saying that she too had 6illed four of her brothers" adding that" if one needed
anything" one !ust be prepared to !a6e sarifies$H
F?e suspeted foul play in the seAuential death of the four brothers" but #e had no
evidene"H he said intelligently$
F% roa!ed about the streets for so!e days before % hoo6ed up #ith ENa6ed ?ire5"
the ar!ed robbery suspet detained in ell U$ Eah ti!e Na6ed ?ire and friends #ent out
in !as6" they #ould return late #ith !oney and other valuables$H
FSeven days ago" #e #ere #athing blue fil!s in his roo! #hen polie!en
stor!ed the yard and arrested all of us for robbing a !ar6et #o!an fro! %do6u village"
dispossessing her of three hundred thousand naira" at gun point$
FSine % absonded fro! the :ulture >raternity" things have beo!e unbearable
for !e$ Even after hustling" instead of pay!ent" % al#ays reeived sound beating$ 1o
#orsen the situation" !y parents #ere sending for !oney and urging !e to do #hatever it
#as % did that had poured !oney on their laps$ 1hey #ould not hear anything of !y
abandoning it$ 1his #as ho# % landed !yself into this !ess" 0nle$ % a! not an ar!ed
robber$ % only had Ea ro!ane #ith the devil5H she ended fearfully$
F?ell" #ell" #ell"H he said after an eletrified silene$ F%t is indeed Ea dane #ith
the devil5 you had" :i6y$H
1he offier stared furtively" then sole!nly at the large" glassy eyes and a pair of
pu6ered nostrils dripping !uus li6e the anus of a goat suffering fro! runny sto!ah$ %t
#as around l200hours$
1he ne<t day" ,orporal Davies #ent to Sergeant -6o#ah" the %nvestigating 9olie
-ffier in harge of the ase to asertain the level of :itoria5s involve!ent in the !atter$
1he state!ents of the five ar!ed robbery suspets highly i!pliated her in the robbery
esapadesC there #as no visible #ay of esape fro! the hang!an$
1hrough the efforts of the ,orporal" the %9-B" in his final report" absolved her of
the ri!e and granted her bailC but no one agreed to stand surety for her" not even her
father for #ho! she had laboured so !uh$ 1he orporal tried to seure so!ebodyC
so!eti!es they #ould agree due to the influene he #ielded" but as soon as they learnt
that the suspet #as an ar!ed robbery one" they #ould #ithdra# li6e a tortoise into its
shell$ >inally" ,orporal Davies prevailed on his pastor #ho agreed to save the helpless
soul fro! physial earthly hell$ At last" she #as released fro! polie ell on bail$
B B B
-ne gloo!y 1uesday !orning" Na6ed Q ?ire and his ohorts #ere ta6en out of the
polie ell and herded into a polie patrol van$ 1hey headed to#ards -dagha !ain
high#ay$ 1he patrol and guard offier" .r$ ?ilo< -=o6ota" EAS95B" led the tea! in a
onvoy$ 1he onvoy #as !ade up of three vehiles$ 1hey drove at breath(ta6ing speed to
the S,%DB a!idst sole!n #ails of siren #hile polie e!ble!s and red pennant flustered
in the air as they sped by" signifying danger$
Nater that evening" the tea! returned and reported that the robbery suspets #ere
6illed #hile atte!pting to esape$ -bviously" :itoria #ould have been a!ong the!$
B B B
FNo !atter your sins" ,hrist is !ighty enough to pardon you o!pletely$ $No
!atter ho# dar6 they !ight have been$ 7e has a detergent strong enough to #ash you as
#hite as sno#$ No !atter ho# #rethed and do#ntrodden you !ay be" 7e is friendly
enough to dra# you to hi!self$ 7e has never failed before and he #ill never fail in your
ase$ -nly ta6e the giant step and aept hi! as your Nord and Saviour$ Allo# hi! into
your heart" and your life #ill never be the sa!e again$ 7e #ill turn your ondition around
by re!oulding you into a ne# hild@ for the for!er things" #ill never be re!e!bered$
,o!eI ,o!e no# and be free fro! your guilt"H the pastor pleaded #ith the ongregation$
1he 9astor sang sole!n hy!ns as he !ade the altar(all after he had rendered an
e!otional ser!on that fifth evening of their evangelial a!paign at -6pele :illage
SAuare$ 1he villagers had turned out en !ass" pouring into the arena fro! all diretions as
if running fro! leprosy$ .any had responded to his all and stepped out in faith to
reeive spiritual leansing fro! various dar6 habits$ A!ong the! #as :itoria$
She had learnt of the rusade and its spea6er" and had rushed i!!ediately to the
arena$ She o#ed this pastor her life$ 1he pastor and ,orporal Davies #ere the only ones
that did sho# genuine onern for her" even !ore than her parents$ 1hey #ere the only
ones that did not de!and se<ual gratifiation fro! her$ Surely" they !ust be true hildren
of /od$ So she resolved to follo# the!$
:itoria stepped for#ard" fell at the foot of the platfor! and bro6e out in spas!s
of #eeping$ :itoria" the E?ait Q And Q 1a6e5I :itoria" the shre#d$ :itoria the
ultist$ :itoria" the devilish daughter of disord$ :itoria" the husband snather$
:itoria" the ho!e brea6er$ And :itoria" the prostitute" 6iller and robberI 1o the
astonish!ent of the entire village" the notorious E?ait Q And Q 1a6e Q Your Q -#n5"
the EEvine"5 too" aepted ,hrist$ ?hile so!e sneered in disgust" others #ere arrested in
onsternation at the po#er of /od in saving the !ost unli6ely sinner$
Si< !onths later" Davies #as pro!oted to the ran6 of sergeant and he !arried
:itoria" the retiree prostitute and ultist$ 1hey set up their ho!e in -6pele village as
#ell as in -dagha ity$ She turned out to be the best of #ives$ She did not ease to a!aDe
her !an #ho al#ays than6ed /od for suh a preious gift in the person of .rs$ :itoria
vies" his #ife$
Sergeant Davies used his nu!erous onnetions and seured one for! of
e!ploy!ent or the other o!!ensurate to his father(in(la# and the other gro#n(up
hildren in that fa!ily$ Nife returned to nor!al as the fa!ily 6ne# peae and happiness
again$
1he ouple found that :itoria #as infested #ith se<ually trans!itted disease
related infetions and that she had also trans!itted the! to Sgt Davies$ %t too6 a
onerted treat!ent to effet a deisive ure$ 7er pregnany testified to the poteny of the
treat!ent$
F,an you guess #hat the se< of the hild is" !y DaviesGH she had teased hi! one
afternoon #hen she returned fro! antenatal and ultra sound san test$
F-f ourse" it is a girl"H he replied$
F1his ti!e around" you are !ista6en$ %t is a boyI Are you disappointedGH
FDisappointedG 1o /od be the /lory" even though % desired a girl" for it is easy for
one to beo!e a grandfather" if the first hild is a girl$ All the sa!e" % a! happy beause
hildren are speial gifts fro! /od" the Al!ighty ,reator"H he said as he lifted her off her
feet playfully$
%t #as then he realiDed #hy he had been sheduled for relief duty that Sunday$
Arguably" it #as to save :itoria" the #rethed sinner" fro! the pit of hellI
17E END
BE A DOG OR BE A PIG!
Do not "oin those who drin( too much,,,
5or drun(ards and gluttons become poor
And drowsiness clothes them in rags$
9roverbs
1he 7oly Bible$
It #as a 1hursday evening$ A!eDhini! had onstruted a si!ple age in #hih he
#ould 6eep the puppy he #as e<peting fro! his father$
FDaddy" #here is the puppy you pro!ised !e yesterdayGH A!eDhini! ried to his
father #ho #as =ust staggering in through the door$
FNever !and" !a -yibo"H his father dra#led in reply" F% #ill bay ya the dag nast
#ee6$H
FDaddy" your ne<t #ee6 no dey o!e"H he #ailed sorro#fully$ F% 6no# it is
useless to tell you to buy anything for !e$H
F-yibo" -yibo" be aal!" be aal! #ith your papa"H his father !u!bled
inoherently as he sat heavily and abruptly fell asleep before the boy ould say anything
else$
FA!eDhini!IH his !other alled to hi!" Fleave your father alone$ 7e is Esoa6ed5
already$ %t is no use" !y son$ Don5t #orry yourself$H
A!eDhini! #as t#elve years old" in ;unior Seondary Shool -ne" a brilliant
hild that sho#ed lots of pro!ise for a vibrant future$ 7e #as a favourite of his teahers
in eah lass be had passed through$ 7e en=oyed the o!pli!ent sho#ered on hi! on
aount of his aade!i brilliane$ .any delighted in addressing hi! as E-yibo5" a na!e
he herished so !uh$ At birth" !any parents had traditionally !o6(betrothed their
daughters to hi!$ 7is happiness #as !arvelous to behold in his happy or =oyful !o!ents$
7o#ever" one of the dar6est spots in his bright horiDon #as the sha!eful ondition of his
father$
-ne day A!eDhini!5 returned fro! shool #ith a heavy fae and his !other
bea!e #orried$
FA!e" !y -yibo$ A!e" !u!!y5s fair sun" ho# #as shool todayG ?hat is the
!atterG Your fae loo6s li6e you s#allo#ed a s#ar! of bees$ Did anybody beat you at
shoolG A!e" tal6 to your !u!!y$H A!eDhini!5s !other #as visibly #orried$
F.u!!y" nobody beat !e$ But it #ould have been better if he had beaten !e #ith
6obo6o"H he replied sole!nly$
F7eG ?ho is it this ti!eGH
F%s it not ,hi!a=i" .a!aIH
FBut ,hi!a=i is your lose friend"H his !other pressed hi! further$
FYes but our friendship does not e<tend to his dog"H he responded$ F% played #ith
his s!all dog and he pushed !e a#ay and arried it$ 7e said if his father #ere in the
bottle li6e !y father" he #ould not have bought hi! the dog$ /o tell your papa to stop
bathing in beer" and then he #ill buy you one$ No#" leave !ine alone5" he shouted at !e$
.a!a" an you believe itGH he reported tearfully to his !other #ho #as visibly !oved$
FNever !ind !y son$ % don5t bla!e hi!$ Your father is to bla!e$ 6! the bas(et
bearer did not !all and spill its content. the bystander would not have laughed?. she
ounseled hi! despondently$ FNoo6 at the house #e are living inC no hair" no arpet"
nothing #orth#hile$ -nly the good for nothing bla6 and #hite television and this anient
;:, radio set #e bought before you #ere born$ %f only your father an sober up" together
#e an do anything for you$ A dogG Even a dog that osts less than five hundred naira" he
annot buy for you$ Never !ind$ Re!e!ber" a@uzhi 6i ol+ u(a" B !y son"H she held the
hild to her body and ro6ed hi! gently in paifiation$
FBut .a!a" do you really believe that to!orro# holds the better portion for usGH
he Aueried doubtfully" obviously in dire need of reassurane$
F% #ill buy you a big bull dag$ % #ill build you a big house$ % #ill buy you and ya
.a!a a big ar$ No" a big tipper$ NoI A trainIH his father ontinued in his usual drun6en
singsongness$
FA!e" o!e$ 7e is already on the !oon$ No need to argue #ith hi!$ ,o!e" let us
go to bed"H she said angrily" al!ost dragging the boy behind her into the bedroo! #here
she s#ithed off the eletri light$
7is father #as a drun6ard of the #orst 6ind$ At ti!es" A!eDhini! #ould be alled
upon to resue hi! fro! dro#ning in the open drain after he had saturated hi!self #ith
alohol during drin6ing bouts at a bar situated enroute to his offie at the .inistry of
Nabour and 9rodutivity #here he #or6ed as a leaner$ 7is father #as a onstant and
eloAuent disgrae to A!e and his !other$
F7o# an % be happy #hen !y papa Ealways rides (ada inside gutter5 every
eveningGH the boy said aloud in bitterness$ F-ne5s father re!ains so" no !atter ho# bad
he is" !y teaher says" he resignedly refleted that night$
?hat a hopeless at!osphere it #as that belouded the fa!ily as a result of his
father5s undignified habit" A!eDhini!5s vista of sunny brightness de!eaned it$
F-ther hildren en=oy preious gifts fro! their parents$ .ine is sha!e and
poverty$ % have reAuested for a gift fro! !y father$ % 6no# that !y daddy is #illing to do
anything for !e but this desire is ha!pered by his poverty$ But #hy is !y father al#ays
poorG ?hy does !y daddy not !easure up to the level of other fathers li6e 9apa ,hi!a=iG
F1he parents of these other hildren" li6e ,hi!a=i5s" are not as lu6y as !ine" #ho
is an e!ployee in the govern!ent !inistry$ -thers are far!ers" E-gua=a5" or labourers$
1he ans#er to these Auestions hangs on the fat that !y daddy is a sha!eless"
irresponsible drun6ard" 6no#n all around this 0dobu villageH$
Any ti!e he reeived his salary he #ould head to the bar fro! #here he #ould
stagger bu6 ho!e" #ay after !idnight$ .ost ti!es" the salary #ould not follo# hi!
ho!e$ So!e other ti!es" hildren #ould Esing and lap5 hi! ho!e$ 1his" the hild 6ne#"
#as the soure of his father5s do#nfall ( in fat" the strea! fro! #hih their #oes flo#ed$
1hus he deided never to drin6 any 6ind of aloholi beverage ever$
B B B
A!eDhini!5s !other" realiDing that she ould never !a6e any head#ay in life by
depending on her husband alone had sought and reeived a loan of three thousand naira"
#hih she invested into petty trading$ 1he #ares only filled up a s!all table$ ?ith the
proeeds fro! this business" she #as able to 6eep her ho!e together ( feeding" lothing
and aring for A!eDhini! and his eduation$
She did not leave any stone unturned in her bid to turn 9apa A!eDhini! around
for the better$ 1i!e #ithout nu!ber" she had reported hi! to the elders of their fa!ily but
all their pleas had fallen on deaf ears$ She #ould have divored hi! but A!eDhini! #as
the unbrea6able ord that bonded the! together$ %f he had been li6e this fro! the
beginning" she #ould not have !arried hi!$ 7e had developed this habit shortly after the
birth of A!eDhini!$ She did not 6no# his reason for turning to aloholC it ould have
been the influene of his friends$
9apa A!eDhini! had gro#n pale and e!aiated in stature$ 7e hardly stood
upright and steady during pay #ee6$ 7e #ould have been sober after these periods" but in
the bar" aloholis #ere generous breed of people$ So 9apa A!eDhini! #ould hang about
bars for free drin6s$
1he 9ersonnel -ffier" in the .inistry of Nabour anid 9rodutivity had threatened
to sa6 hi! fro! #or6 on !any oasions$ 1he situation #as saved beause 9apa
A!eDhini!5s fa!ily #as the landlord of the !inistry$ 1he fa!ily and the !inistry had
signed a !e!orandu! of understanding to e!ploy the !e!bers of the fa!ily in so!e
level o!!ensurate to their status$ Sine 9apa A!eDhini! had no Aualifiation" though
he ould read and #rite fairly" he had been e!ployed as a leaner and gardener$ Due to
drun6enness" the nu!ber of days he absented hi!self fro! #or6 far out#eighed the days
he #as present but the !inistry ould do nothing about this beause of the !e!orandu!$
,onseAuently" he had been #ith the !inistry for eighteen years$ 7e #as on grade level
three and reeived a !onthly salary of t#elve thousand naira$ -ut of this a!ount" he
spent at least one thousand t#o hundred per day on (ai(ai. ogogoro and beer$ So!eti!es
the !oney #ould not last till the tenth day$
%t #as only #hen he ran out of !oney that he #ould give thought to the sorry state
of his ho!e and other pressing do!esti proble!s" and then plan on #hat to do as soon as
he reeived his salary only to renege or rather forget all about it as soon as alohol too6
over his senses$
.a!a A!eDhini! #as not happy #ith the situation in her ho!e$ >ifteen years of
!arriage and they #ere still oupying a t#o(roo! apart!ent in the old fa!ily house that
lea6ed li6e bas6et #henever rain fell due to old age$ A!eDhini!Ts father inherited the
house fro! A!eDhini!Ts grandfather$ %t #as a!ong the oldest in the village of 0dobu$
1he village #as a suburb of -!a6e to#n$ No one a!e into the to#n fro! the
south road #ithout passing through this village and invariably" A!eDhini!5s ho!e$
Dog 6eeping #as in vogue in the area$ 9eople 6ept dogs for diverse reasons in the
village of 0dobu@ one group 6ept the! for hunting" another for seurity purpose" and to
yet another group" dogs #ere pets$ %t #as beo!ing prestigious to o#n a dog$ %n order to
assuage these various yearnings" another group 6ept the! for business$ A!ong this group
#as .a!a 0nunu!a$ 1his dealer #as beo!ing so rih fro! this si!ple trade that other
dog sellers sprang up along the !a=or roads and routes of the village$ 9uppies #ere sold
at the rate of five hundred naira$
F%f only !y daddy an buy !e a puppy" % #ill be happy$ 7o# % #ill love to sho# it
to !y friends espeially ,hi!a=iI %t #ill also boost the i!age of !y fa!ily$ ?hy is it that
% a! the only one a!ong !y friends #ho doesn5t o#n oneG ?hen % gro# up" % #ill buy as
!any dogs as % #ant@ bull dogs" alsatians" hounds" spanielsC all the different 6inds that our
%nter(siene teaher taught us about$ ;ust #ait and seeI % !ust sho# ,hi!a=i yet"H he
said to his !other$
F% #ill never drin6 6ai6ai and -gogoro and to!bo and yes" beer$ NeverI % #ill
never be li6e !y fatherIH he said out loud" as he turned about in his bed$
FA!e" please sleep !y dear"H his !other said to hi!$ F% 6no# you #ill !a6e us
proud$H
>or the first ti!e" he had as6ed his father for a puppy he desired to 6eep as a pet$
7e had re!inded hi! to buy it fro! .a!a 0nunu!a" the dog seller" #hose store #as
ad=aent to his father5s #or6 plae$ 7e had hosen this partiular date beause his father5s
payday #as a fe# days a#ay$ So on this 1hursday evening" being his father5s payday"
A!aDhini! had prepared to reeive his puppy fro! his father but(alas" he had returned
e!pty(handed again$ 1he hild5s heart had sun6 li6e a piee of !etal in #ater$ Sine
A!aDhini! ould not sleep that 1hursday night" he a!e out into the sitting roo! #here
his father #as singing drun6enly and onfronted hi! again$
FDaddy" you have failed !e again todayI ?hyG ?hat have % done to you to suffer
thisGH he ried$ FNoo6 at the age % have prepared to 6eep the puppy in$ 1o!orro# is
>riday and % #ant to ta6e it to shool and play #ith it li6e ,hi!a=i and all !y friends do$H
F-h" !a bo(oy$ 1o!orro#" % #ill buy you the dag"H he dra#led drun6enly$ As the
boy #as poised for further alteration" his father slu!ped slo#ly onto the floor$
F%nehI ,o!e o" Daddy has fallen do#n again"H he shouted to arouse his !other
fro! her slu!ber" inside the bedroo!$
FNeave hi! alone thereIH his !other shouted fro! the bedroo!$
FNo .u!!y$ Net us arry hi! into his bed"H he ried as he dragged hi! to#ard
the bedroo!$ ;ust then a rooster ro#edC it #as 4$00a!$
1he ne<t !orning" A!eDhini! #rote a note on a piee of paper and planted it
inside the po6et of the faded =u!per his father al#ays #ore to the offie$ 1his =u!per
had seen ountless ,hrist!as seasons$ 7e 6ne# his father #ould #ear it to #or6 that day$
7is father trudged ho!e fro! #or6C he searhed his po6et to ensure that the
!oney" #hih he #ould use for the last !inute s#ing of alohol" #as there$ 7e found the
piee of note$ At first" he thought he had been given as hange a piee of paper for a
genuine urreny note$
F9apa A!e" e @le oA? a boy alled out to hi! fro! aross the road$
F7o# a ya !y bo(oy GF he responded" as he ontinued to streth out the note in his
pal!$ 1hrough blurred vision" benu!bed by hangover" he read the si!ple !essage@
FDaddy" please don5t forget !y puppy today$ A!e$H
F-h !a booy" ) #ill not forget it tuday"H he s!iled #anely to hi!self$ ?ith this
resolution" he !ade al!ost a three hundred and si<ty degree turn" ba6 to .a!a
0nunu!a" the dog seller5s store$ 7e purhased a beautiful puppy for his dear son$ 7e also
reAuested a tag around its ne6 #ith this insription@ F9uppy 7ors6y" a preious gift to
!y son" A!e@ Best of love" fro! Daddy$H
?ith eager steps" he trudged ho!e in his bid to sho# his son the preious gift he
had bought for hi!$ As he !arhed" ho!e#ard bound" he a!e by Madam Beer Bar" he
hesitated a shade too long and !oved on" hesitated again and #eighed the !atter in his
soa6ed !ind$ Should he ta6e a last s#ing of alohol" =ust for the roadG 7e turned and
#ent in" leaving the dog in its age on the veranda of the liAuor hall$ 1he presene of the
bar !ade this setion of the to#n bubble #ith ativity every evening$ 1he bar" as usual"
#as full" as usto!ers too6 up al!ost all the tables$ 1here #ere about t#elve !en and
#o!en in nu!ber$ 9apa A!e sAueeDed hi!self into a hair at a table in the entre of the
roo!$ 1he noise in the roo! #as at its aophonous pea6$ So!e people #ere daning
#hile others #ere singing" laughing and tal6ing at the top of their voies$ 1he light #as
di! blending #ith the din of the inn" testifying to a large e<tent" to the hopelessness of
the habitual alohol onsu!ers$
F7ey /rae" loo6 #ho #e have hereIH Sola alled out to her fello# #aitress$
FA ha(a" it therefore !eans #e go sell !ore beer this evening"H /rae replied"
giving her olleague a onspiratory #in6$
FSola" go and serve 9apa A!e drin6$ You 6no# his 6ind of drin6$ Anyti!e you
see this !an here you !ust serva! drin6 #ithout delay$ 7e is our i!portant usto!er$ %f
you pursuam" % #ill deal #ith you$ You hear !e soGH the proprietress alled out the
#arnings to one of her fe!ale attendants$
F.ada! Bee(yah" give eberybody one one bottle of stout"H 9apa A!e shouted to
the proprietress$
FBaba o" #e hail o"H the other usto!ers horused in unison as they antiipated
free drin6 fro! the generous poor !an$
?hile he #as having a good ti!e inside the bar" an ar!y of boys that #as playing
football in the viinity of the bar notied the age and rushed there to inspet it$ ,hi!a=i"
the leader of the hildren told the! that 9apa A!eDhini! !ust have bought the puppy for
A!eDbini! as a result of the Auarrel #ith hi! so!e days earlier$ 7e then oa<ed his
olleagues to replae the dog #ith a piglet fro! his father5s sty" #hih #as nearby$ FAt
least this #ill ridiule hi! before his son" A!eDhini!$ .oreover" it #ill teah hi! a bitter
lesson(never to leave preious ite!s around arelessly for a glass of (ai(ai or tombo$H 7is
#ords dre# !aliious laughter fro! the hildren$ 1hey ould not help but re!ove the
puppy" and substituted it #ith a piglet$
9apa V!e" eagerly staggered out of the liAuor ha!ber" arried the age and #ent
ho!e$
FA!e !a boy"H he alled out laughingly Fa! and ta6e your poppy" plis$H
FDaady" Daaddy -yo" yo" yooI Daaddy" Daaddy -yo" yo" yooI$ Ele oI ?elo!e
Daaddy$ 1an6 you" Daddy for buying !e the puppy"H A!eDhini! sang$ 7is happiness
6ne# no bounds" as he too6 to #ings and flung hi!self at his father" hastily olleted the
age fro! hi! and opened it$ ?hat he sa# drained the =oy out of his heart$
FDaddy" oh DaddyI % reAuested for a puppy but you have bought !e a piglet$ ?hy"
Daddy #hyGH he #ailed$ 9apa A!eDhini! #as =ostled to sobriety as the fore of the
hild5s e!otion laden ausation hit hi! li6e a tornado$
F?hatI % bought a pooppy for you$ Noo6 at the reeipt$ %t says a pooppy and not a
pig$ .oreover" % sa# it #as a pooppy and not a piglet$H
FDaddy" you !ust have been very drun6 to !ista6e a pig for a dog"H A!eDhini!
la!ented at his father5s feet$ 9apa A!e #as onfused as to ho# a dog ould
!eta!orphose into a pig$
FYou should be asha!ed of yourself for being unable to 6no# the differene
bet#een a dog and a pig"H .a!a A!eDhini! fired at her husband$
Angrily he arried the age and rushed ba6 to the dog seller$ 7e got to the bar
again and deided to ta6e a glass of beer to steel his nerves as the !atter before hi!
de!anded alohol to fatho! the reality surrounding the !ystery$ Again" he 6ept the age
in the ourtyard and #ent in for a glass of beer$ %nstantly" the hildren reappeared and
replaed the puppy inside its age and sooped up their piglet$
9resently" 9apa A!e resurfaed" for he ould not dare #aste ti!e any!ore
beause a rare !ystery reAuired urgent ation to unravel$ 7e olleted the age and
rushed to .a!a 0nunu!a #ith noisy o!plaint$
F.a!a Dog seller"H he shouted" F% don5t 6no# #hat % have done to you$ % bought a
pooppy fro! you$ ?hy did you give !e a pigGH he aused her$
F9apa A!e" % did not give you a pig but a dog"H she defended herself$
F-6" ta6e a loo6$ 1he argu!ent in defense of a !an #ith hernia is to undress hi!
for all to see and assess"H he raved$
FE(he!IH the onloo6ers thundered in agree!ent$
No" #hen the ro#d that gathered around opened the age" it #as the puppy #ith
the tag that sat snugly in a orner" #agging its s!allish tail at the prospet of release fro!
its te!poral prison$
F%s this a pigG Ans#er !e$ %s this not the s!all dog % sold to youGH the dog seller
shouted at hi!$
F?onders shall never endI 1his !an annot tell a dog fro! a pig"H a !e!ber of
the ro#d observed$
F%t is (ai(ai wey ma(am con!use li(e dat, ) don drin( sotay ino !it no the
differene bet#een dog and pig"H another shouted hilariously at the ro#d to the sha!e of
the alohol onsu!er$ 7e =er6ed up the age and s#ayed ho!e in disgrae li6e a rain(
beaten !asAuerade" as the ro#d =eered and booed at hi!$
?hen he got to the liAuor plae" he losed his eyes and ears and passed$ 7e #al6ed
and ran #ith alertness$ 7e got ho!e =ust as A!eDhini! a!e out falteringly" halting
every t#o steps" unsure #hether it #as a dog or the pig that inhabited the age his father
#as bringing hi!$ Relutantly" he olleted the age and opened its lid$ No" puppy hors6y
#as sitting in itI
F?o#" #o#IH %t bar6ed and #agged its s!allish tail at A!eDhini! #ho #as
arrested by onsternation and happiness at his father5s preious gift to hi!$
F.u!!y" o!e and see #hat daddy has bought for !e"H he alled out to his
!other #ho tu!bled out of the building on the double$
F?here is itGH she as6ed as she raed to#ard father and son" ad=usting her lappa in
the proess$
F?ath outI See that blo6" .a!a A!e$ Noo6 out" you #ill fall"H 9apa
A!eDhini! autioned her$
F%t doesn5t !atter"H she replied in e<hilaration$
A!eDhini! lifted the puppy out of the age and held it up" leared his throat and
autioned it$
FNo#" loo6 ya and listen to !e puppy" if you #ant to be a dog" be a dogC and if
you #ant to be a pig" be a pigIH
F>ro! today on#ard" % #ill never touh or taste alohol"H 9apa A!eDhini!
vo#ed$
FDaddy" #hat of (ai(ai GH
F% #ill not touh any!ore$H
FAnd tombo" !y dear husbandGH
FNoI No #ayIH
FDaddy" #hat of ogogoroGH
FNever again" !y sonIH
F.aybe a s!all glass of beer" 9apa A!eG
FNo #ay" no !oreIH
F?o#I ?o#I ?o#IH 1he 9uppy bar6ed" as if giving its approval to the
resolution$
FYou are !y s#eet DaddyIH the hild e<lai!ed in happiness and together they
piled into their building$ No one ould tell #ho #as the happiest of the Auartet$
17E END
ANINTA
All that glitters is not gold<
!ten have you heard that told,
7any a man his li!e hath sold
But my outside to behold :
9ilded tombs do worms un!old<
&ad you been as wise as bold.
=oung in limbs. in "udgement old< , ,
?illia!s Sha6espeare
.erhant of :enie
FMa!a" .a!a"H 0yodhu alled her !other fro! the 6ithen" Ftonight you #ill tell
us the story #hih youTve been pro!ising us for a long ti!e$H ?hen her !other did not
respond" she pressed her further$ F.a!a" % hope this evening #ill pass by #ithout you
telling us the story$ ?ill itGH
FNo" it #ill not"H 0yodhu5s !other" affir!ed$
0yodhu5s siblings brightened up at the prospet of hearing the all( i!portant story
that their !other had been evading to narrateC so the little ones doubled up their efforts of
tidying up their do!esti hores$
%t #as around eight in the evening" #hen nature around the village #as preparing
to sleep and hu!ans #ere either preparing or eating their supper$ So!e fa!ilies #ere
already telling stories to their hildren around bonfire in the open spae of their
o!pounds$
Storytelling #as the !a=or pasti!e in this rural o!!unity$ 9arents #ho failed to
tell stories to their hildren #ere onsidered not 6no#ledgeable in the #ays of their
people$ %t #as i!portant beause it #as one of the !edia to transfer the nor!s and values
of their people to the younger generations$
F1oday" !y dear #ife"H ,hief Egbe .oli said" Fyou #ill tell the hildren the story$
1hey have endured enough$ 7aven5t theyGH he =o6ingly teased of his #ife$
FYes" they have" !y dear$ 1onight they #ill hear it"H 0yodhu5s !other replied$
F.oreover" they are gro#n(up no#"H she onluded #ith an air of finality$
She had been 6eeping the story fro! the hildren for a long ti!e$ %t #as not
possible to oneal it any!ore$ So the fa!ily of ,hief Egbe .oli gathered around the log
fire in the o!pound$ 1he householder sat on an easy hair" his long legs strethed out in
front of hi! and his ar!s folded aross his hest$
Adanta" 0yodhu5s !other sat on a lo# 6ithen stool and strethed out her pal!s to
be #ar!ed by the fire" #hile the hildren ranged the!selves around the fire #ith eager
e<petation #ritten over their youthful faes$
-ther hildren played hide(and(see6 at the nearby playground$ 1he older girls
pratised ne# dane steps" #hih they #ould present on the E.aidens5 day of the 7unting
festival$ ?hile young !en lur6ed about in dar6ened orners in their noturnal a!orous
adventures$ >o#ls" ri6ets and other lo#er reatures sang all 6inds of lullaby$ 1he
o!!unity #as ta6en over by a aophonous sy!phony" #hih for!ed a natural
sy!biosis that #as an undisputed trade!ar6 of any rural o!!unity li6e -shi village$
1he natural horal rhyth! #as bro6en by the staato reated by the sound of pestle
against !ortar as so!e fa!ilies" noted for late night supper" pounded their !oo!oo$
1he resent !oon" #hih rose stealthily over the great 0be tree that stood
bet#een river 0te6e and %6a far!land also see!ed to add its presene to the
onduiveness of the evening$
,hief Egbe .oli5s o!pound #as situated in the heart of -shi village$ 1he
o!!unity #as 6no#n for its si!pliity and industry$ 1he people #ere reno#ned
far!ers" hunters and fisher!en so foodstuffs #ere al#ays plentiful in their seasons$ Ne#
Ya! and 7unting >estivals #ere the !a=or oasions that everyone loo6ed for#ard to$
Danes and tale(telling for!ed the highest points of these festivals so the preparations for
these great oasions #ere daily affairs$ Evening by evening" these noturnal onferenes
#ould onvene till late unless the rains disrupted the!$
At last the little fa!ily that gathered by the fire #aited attentively$
FE(E(he(e"H 0yodhu5s !other !ade the autionary all to the little gathering$
F%yia"H the hildren responded and bea!ed hopefully around$ But their father
re!ained #oodenly in his hair$ %f not for the slo# !ehanial ro6ing of his legs" one
#ould have !ista6en hi! for a statue$ 0yodhu ad=usted the he! of her s6irt" folding it
deliately into her laps$ 7er !other5s fae bea!ed beautifully as it glo#ed in the
fli6ering fla!e of the log fire$
Adanta #as the belle of -lodhi village in her early days before she !arried ,hief
Egbe .oli$ 0yodhu #as a hip off the old blo6" as she rese!bled her !other losely$
1he differene bet#een the! #as ageC #hile the older one #as thirty(eight years" 0yodhu
#as eighteen$ %f it #ere not for the gap in their age" one #ould be te!pted to believe that
they #ere sisters$
F T-ne upon a ti!e"H 0yodhu5s !other started" Fin the village of -lodhi -6o!a"
there #as a beautiful young #o!an alled Aninta$T H
F.a!a" that is your village" isn5t itGH 0yodhu as6ed her !other in be#ilder!ent$
FYes" it is$ 1he story %T! about to tell you is not a fairy tale about tortoise and
rabbit but al!ost a real life one"H she ans#ered her daughter$ F T1here #as no beautiful
#o!an li6e her in the village$ She #as the toast on every one5s lips and all loved her$ She
#as as fair and gentle as the early !orning sun and as innoent loo6ing as the sunflo#er"
though she #as not as intelligent as she #as beautiful$ Another thing #as that she #as a
shade too proud for the li6ing of all$T H
F TBy the ti!e she #as nineteen" al!ost ten suitors had sought her hand in
!arriage but she re=eted the! all as she found a short(o!ing #ith eah suessive one$
7er na!e bea!e synony!ous #ith pride and defiane$ 1he suitors@ young !en" old
!en" rih !en" and honourable !en" poor !en" handso!e !en and ugly !en@ all had
o!e" but Aninta ould not find one good enough$ 7er parents #ere visibly #orried about
her staneC !ore so as they ould not influene her deision other#ise$TH She paused for
breath$
F?hy did Aninta re=et every one of the!GH 0yodhu as6ed #ith hildish anger
registering on her beautiful fae$
F.y daughter"H her !other replied" F Tyou are gro#ing older and soon" you #ill
understand #hy$ You see she #as #aiting for T.r$ RightT or T.r$ 9erfetT for she #anted
the best #ithout an iota of ble!ish"T H she e<plained$
F T?hen everybody had lost hope" .arshall returned fro! 9ort 7arourt for the
,hrist!as holidays$ At t#enty(si<" he had established hi!self as the best in the lan$ 7e
had a fleet of ars and streets of palatial(styled houses(in the village as #ell as in 9ort
7arourt #here he resided"T H 0yodhu5s !other ontinued$
F T7e also floated a sholarship progra!!e that atered for the underprivileged
persons in the lan$ During the festival seasons" he #ould bring in pi6(up load of bags of
rie and vegetable oil and distribute the! to all in the o!!unity$ 1his #ay" he endeared
hi!self to the hearts of everyone" as his !agnani!ity 6ne# no bounds$T H 1he fire
ra6led and a6led as 0yodhu5s younger brother" 0do" stirred it and added !ore t#igs
to it$
FYes .a!a"H the hildren horused" F#e are listening$ ?hat happened ne<tGH they
as6ed in unison$
F9atiene$ 9lease" patiene"H she autioned the!$
F TEverybody 6ne# hi! as an i!porter of rie fro! ula igbe(e$ 7e #as therefore
the drea!ed ideal husband for the best young #o!an" espeially as he neither s!o6ed
nor onsu!ed aloholi beverages in publi plaes$ 7e #as the undisputed !odel #ho!
every parent yearned for hisMher hild to e!ulate(an epito!e of suessIT H
F T%t #as not surprising #hen .arshall5s parents visited Aninta5s parents see6ing
Aninta5s hand in !arriage for their son$T L
FDid she agree this ti!eGH Ebe" 0yodhu5s i!!ediate younger sister hastily as6ed$
F TYes"H 0yodhuTs !other replied" FReadily" Aninta aepted the !arriage
proposal$ %t #as beautiful !ath and both parents ould not #ish for anything !ore than
this angeli union$T H
F?hat a !ath" .a!aIH 0yodhu e<lai!ed$
FYes" so everybody thought then" !y daughter"H 0yodhu5s father inter=eted
#ithout #arning and ontinued the slo# !ehanial !otion of his legs$
FYes .a!a" .a!a" #hat happened ne<tG Did they !arryGH 0yodhu fired at her
!other$
F1hat5s the story" !y daughter"H 0yodhu5s !other replied$ F T1#o #ee6s later" the
!arriage #as onsu!!ated$T H
F1han6 /odIH the hildren sighed #ith relief$
F TEarly in the Ne# Year"H she ontinued" Fthe !an and #ife left for 9ort 7arourt$
1hey radiated peae and happiness and ooDed generosity$ %n 9ort 7arourt" they resided
at 0bola Street in 0ya Estate" a palae fit for a prine$ All these added to Aninta5s sense
of seurity in life$ She ontinually thought she had forever bidden goodbye to poverty$
7er sense of seurity #as also heightened as her husband gave her a 1oyota ,orolla ,ar
as a bridal gift$ She felt her #ait and searh had paid off at last$ %n fat" it #as #orth all
the trouble and na!es that trailed her$T H
F TA !onth later her husband o!!ened business and !oney rolled in again$ But
the snag #as that he #ould disappear for days or #ee6s only to reappear une<petedly$
1he attendant an<iety #as s#allo#ed up by the huge a!ount of !oney he #ould bring in$
-ne day" .arshall left for business as usually and did not return$ Still she did not #orry$
%t #as his usual !ethod$T H
FBut .a!a"H 0yodhu as6ed sole!nly" F#hat 6ind of !arriage #as it" that you
annot find your husband #hen you need hi!GH
FE(he!!I %t is !oney !arriage" Sista"H 0yodhuTs siblings ans#ered before her
!other ould say a #ord$
FDaddy"H 0yodhu started" F#hen % !arry" % #ill li6e !y husband to al#ays he
around as you are$H She glaned in her father5s diretion$
F6yiama0a"H her parents ehoed in benedition$
F.a!a" !u!!y"H the hildren shouted" Fplease tell us #hat happened ne<t$H
F TAninta #as #orried #hen for three nights she ould neither see nor hear fro!
her husband and there #as no #ay for her to get in touh #ith his friends$ So she spent
sleepless nights$T H She paused" dra#ing in a lungful of air$
F T-n the !orning of the fourth day" a tea! of polie!en a!e to Aninta5s house
to find her$T H
F TAre you .rs$ Aninta .arshallGT H the learn leader" a tall bullish(loo6ing polie
!an as6ed her$
F TYes" % a!"T H Aninta replied as she shoo6 #ith fear$
F TYour husband #as involved in an aident and #ishes to see you$ 7e is in the
hospital$ 9lease o!e #ith us$T H
F T,heiI .y /od oI ?hatIT H she #ailed #ith fright$
F TEasy" !a5a!"TH the offier al!ed her$
FT7o# a! % sure you are real polie!enGTH
FT1his is !y servie #arrant ard" !a5a!$TH
FT-6"TH she ad!itted" even though she ould not identify a fa6e ard fro! a
genuine one" then she follo#ed the!$FTAfter about one hour" they arrived at the station$

LEA5 Divisional 9olie 7eadAuarters #as situated along Seaport Road in 9ort
7arourt$ 1he polie!en at the Station #ere at alert sine the arrest of so!e notorious
ri!inals$ She #as ushered into the offie of the Divisional ,ri!e -ffier 2D,-3 #ho
later too6 her to a private lini aross the road$ She #as about to protest #hen she aught
sight of her husband lying in a heap" in a pool of his o#n blood on the bare floorITH
FE(# o oh IF 0yodhu e<lai!ed$
F;esus e eIH the other hildren shouted$
F.!!"H their father grunted" Fsuh is life$ 1here are bad things under the sun and
this !oon that is loo6ing do#n upon us" !y hildren$H
FTSoGT the offiers had enAuired of her$TL
FT.arshall" #hat are you doing hereGH she as6ed$ But .arshall 6ept his lips tightly
sealed$ She #ailed unontrollably$ .arshall then !ade to rise but his right leg had
shattered and a bro6en fe!ur had piered through his sto!ah and ripped it open$ 7is
innards had spilled out" yet he did not die$TH
F1han6 /od oIH one of the hildren e<lai!ed$
FT-ffiersIT Aninta shouted at the polie!en" T?hy don5t you give hi! !edial
attention if he is an aident viti!GT She #as furious at the see!ing allousness of the
polie!en and the nurses$TL
FTYour husband does not deserve to live beause he is an AR.ED R-BBERITH
FAmu giniGH the hildren e<lai!ed fearfully$
FTSAmi wetinG"T Aninta had shouted at the polie offier$L
FTAr!ed robber" !ada!"T the D,- ans#ered her$ T.oreover he refused the bed
and !ediations relutantly offered hi!$ %t see!s he has resigned all hope" !a5a!IT the
offier ontinued$L
FT.ada!" your husband #ent for a robbery operation$ 1hey a!bushed our !en on
Espeie esortB5 on the high#ay flyover$ 1hey #ere five in nu!ber$ 1here #as a fiere
shootout and fortunately" our !en overpo#ered the!" got one arrested" #hile three of
the! died instantly in the rossfire$ A polie onstable died #hile another sustained
severe in=uryC he is in ritial ondition$ %t !ay interest you to 6no#" that your husband is
the leader of this E7a#6 gang5 #ho! #e had been loo6ing for" for over t#o years no#$
1his is #hy #e are !aintaining !a<i!u! seurity around the station to forestall any
atte!pt of atta6"TH the offier paused for breath$
FT?hen your husband sa# that he did not stand a hane in the shootout"T the
polie offier ontinued" The flapped up an u!brella and" using it li6e a parahute" sailed
do#n the flyover bridge" but the sergeant that led the tea! sa# hi! and puntured the
u!brellaC this !ade hi! rash do#n and brea6 his legs #hih in turn piered through his
sto!ah and spilled out his intestines as you an see$ % shouldn5t have told you all this
detail$ % see that you did not 6no# your husband inti!ately$TH
FT?e #ould have 6illed hi! there but #e are not !urderers$ .ada!"5 the offier
defende$ TAll the !oney he has a!assed a!e fro! ar!ed robbery$TH
FNo"T Aninta argued" T!y husband is a rie i!porter and not a robber$TH
FTYes" that5s #hat he tells those #ho do not 6no# hi!$ 7e used that business as a
over"H the offier letured her patiently$
FT-h" !y .arshall" tell !e it is not true$ %t is a lie"T she #ept and #ailed$ T.arshall
ould not #ithstand the sight$ 7e 6ne# he had no hope of living any!ore" as he #ould be
6illed either by hanging or firing$ 7e then dre# out his intestines$ Shouting in pain as he
did so" he suddenly onfessed in roa6ing" defeated voie" T% a! an ar!ed robber$ % have
6illed so !any people and % have no regrets about it$ % only pity you$ % #anted to resign
after this operation$ But #ell" that5s Ethe #ay the guyman ru!bled$5 Aninta !y #ife" %
love you" goodbye$T 7e bit at his intestine" severing it into t#o and gasped as the throes
of death gripped hi!$L Adanta paused for breath$
FTAninta fainted$ ?hen she #o6e up" she #as in a bed in the hospital$T 0yodhuTs
!other ontinued$ TA fe# hours later" Aninta returned to her ho!e and found that
polie!en had onfisated everything they had" e<ept her personal belongings$ 1hat
sa!e day" she boarded a bus ba6 to her village$ 1he ne#s of .arshall5s true self then hit
their o!!unity li6e a polluted tsunamic air$ Aninta learnt the true !eaning of the
saying" EAll that glitters is not gold$5 1hat is the story !y hildren$TH
0yodhu5s !other finished her story" sobbing pitiably$
F.a!aIH the hildren shouted" FYou are rying" .a!a$H
F?hy" .a!aGH 0yodhu pressed her further$
F%t is beause she #as the A(N(%(N(1(A in the storyIH 0yodhu5s father said biting
off the #ords one after another as if afraid to drive ho!e their i!port$ F%t #as one year
after these unfortunate happenings that she hanged her na!e fro! Aninta to Adanta$
1his is the reason #hy she had been relutant to tell the story$ But no# you are getting
older and very soon" suitors #ill be arriving at our doorsteps" see6ing your hands in
!arriage$ Bear in !ind that not Eeverything that glitters is gold5" so!e are !ere useless
iron dross oated #ith gold on the e<teriorC so you !ust loo6 properly before you leap$H
By the ti!e they pa6ed their seats" the fire had died do#n" and the !oon had also
Egone to bed+$ Even noisy nature #as silent" as if observing so!e !inutes of silene in
honour of the sole!n story$
17E END
GLOSSARY
AS9 Assistant Superintendent of 9olie$ %t is the ran6 above that of
%nspetor
A+uzhi li ol+u(a 1he future holds the better portion$
Corprito A orrupt version of ,orporal$ An infor!al for! of address by the
lo#er offiers to lose !e!bers of the orporal ran6
,9N ,orporal is the ran6 belo# that of Sergeant$
,R- ,harge(roo! -ffier$
D,B Divisional ,ri!e Branh
D,- Divisional ,ri!e -ffier
D9- Divisional 9olie -ffier
DS Des6 Sergeant$ 1he non(o!!issioned offier in harge of the
harge(roo!
)0e:he0e %t is a autionary #ord !ade by the storyteller to dra# attention
before he starts his story" in E6peye language" an ethni group in
Rivers State" Nigeria$
%9- %nvestigating 9olie -ffier
6yia %t is the response given to the autionary #ord" ) B e B he B e$ ?hen
this response is heard" it is a #ay of infor!ing the storyteller to
proeed" that the attention he sought has been granted$
6yiama0a 1his is a for! of affir!ation or benedition in ans#er to
suppliation$ %t is an E6peye language version of EA!en5 or Eso be
it5$
N,- Non(,o!!issioned -ffier@ that is the ran6s of orporal and
sergeant$
SER/EY A orrupt version of sergeant" a slang used by =unior polie offies in
addressing an inti!ate !e!ber of the sergeant ran6$
S,%D State ,ri!inal %nvestigation Depart!ent$
S/1 Sergeant$
S%1-S Speial %nvestigation and 1atial -perations SAuad
S9E,%E ES,-R1 Evauation of !oney under polie esort fro! one plae to the ban6
or fro! one ban6 to anther destination$
C/A 69B)') -verseas$ >oreign ,ountry$
AB-01 17E A017-R
David Enyida holds a BA degree in English Studies" fro! 0niversity of 9ort 7arourt"
Nigeria$ 7e is an old boy of /overn!ent Seondary Shool Boro6iri" 9ort 7arourt"
Nigeria$ 7e #as born about thirty(nine years ago in -6poro#o village Ahoada East N/A"
Rivers StateC ?here he attended pri!ary shool$
7e enlisted into the Nigeria 9olie >ore )& years ago and has risen to the ran6 of
%nspetor$ 7e has served in various apaities suh as patrol!anC beat duty offier" ri!e
investigator as #ell as finane offier in Boro6iri" Ahoada" .ini -6oro and Ele6ahia
Divisions" all in Rivers State" Nigeria$ 7ostage is his first literary #or6$ -thers to be
published soon are@
DTentacles o! Terror
DTaming the Bull
D 6+m not 9uilty,