Friday 22 November 2013

DREAMS PART 7


FINIX OPEN FLOOR UNCENSORED 30/11/2013    











          Now we have money with us and we must deliver a good we don’t have. Twenty million naira is a price a man can pay for love and that is what we are about to make at the expense of someone’s love. The relief was already being felt by us but the problem lies in the fact that we can really do nothing to help the situation. We need rosaries that can work wonders and under strict supervision; the pressure looked more than enough for us to handle. 

We parked in front of the mud house as Khalif alighted and entered the house. It took like ten minutes before he came back outside with an old man who was supported by his walking stick. The man told us all to come inside and welcomed us. He brought out water from a clay pot to serve but everybody greeted him thanks.  He started his incantations in a language I didn’t understand. After a while he excused himself for over three hours. At this time night has come. We called the general to notify him on the progress of the activities going on here. He asked if there was solution already and we told him no. He screamed: then wait! It was some minutes past three a.m. when the man sneaked out with a pot. The pot had fire in it and I knew it was likely a sacrifice. I wanted to spy but the window was facing the opposite direction. I couldn’t sleep any longer. The snoring capabilities of the soldiers were amazing. I started reflecting on my new phase of life, justifying everything I’m doing as a mixture of poverty and a step into affluence. 
(FINIX) ZANZIBAR RESTUARANT MAITAMA ABUJA


As soon as it became bright outside, I stood up and saw the man outside the compound. He was with many rosaries doing some spiritual works on them. I greeted him but he didn’t answer. There was a leaf in his mouth. I wondered what that could mean, but I didn’t want to spoil the process that had made me sleep inside a mud house. The soldiers came out one after the other and it was then I knew they had people on patrol all through the night. The greeted the man also and silence was still the response. Khalif was the last to wake up and he knew the norms already. He didn’t greet the man at all. We tried to get water to wash our faces and get toothbrush and do a little cleaning before proceeding into the activities of the day. 

It was ten thirty am when papa called us and demanded he needs to go to the house where this whole turmoil is happening. Khalif called him aside and said he should follow us we would not be able to collect the money again. He said we shouldn’t worry. We told our escorts and called general that we were on our way back. We were warned not to reveal that the old man was coming with us. Thus what we related to everyone in Abuja is that we are coming with the supposed spiritual rosaries. 

The journey was fast as sirens cleared the road for us. It was Lokoja that saw our first stop. Hunger had set in. we ate lavishly just to spend a little of the millions inside the car. Afterwards we continued with the journey and Abuja became so close. The house was waiting for us and I knew today will mark the confirmation of wealth into my life. The whole dreams I’ve been having is a about becoming a reality. At this moment I knew there was no stopping me. I thought of Aisha again and how she would be healed completely and how I would become influential. I started thinking of the country I would love for honeymoon. The horn was so loud that I woke up. We were back home and general walked swiftly towards the car to ask if it was successful. The old man came down and I saw the surprise on general’s face. They greeted themselves and he told general that the gate should be locked. Nobody is leaving the house again in a while. He called everyone into the house and told us the source of the problem is within. He brought some leaves and started burning it. The smell was horrible but we all could bear it. It took a while before we saw some manifestations. Aisha came out with some in a confession mode and the rhetoric was surprising. 

She had been the problem in the family. She put the illness on her mother. The grandmother’s case was a medical condition. He was the one also that gave his father hypertension. He was supposed to submit someone in their coven thus I came in. I looked at myself and wondered how I was a real sacrifice in some world I didn’t know. The more the leaves burn, the more she confessed. The session was for a while and at last she fell down and fainted. The ashes were poured inside a bowl and water was added to it. The bad spirit was removed from her and was declared free at last. 

When she woke up there was newness in her. I could even see it but I wasn’t interested again. How would I marry a witch? I thought of the 15million naira cheque and all I would gain. Is that commensurate to the spiritual pains I could go through if her spiritual family members come visiting again? We have twenty million inside the booth though. So afterwards Khalif and the old man brought out the rosaries and gave general, which all the members of his household should wear these all the time except they want to shower or have sex. 

Papa looked at me and said she is free. I walked to Aisha and hugged her. Slowly I felt something shocking and with energy so enormous she pushed me to the wall. Her eyes turned red and surprisingly papa was the first to run………

Tuesday 19 November 2013

DREAMS PART 6




I reflected on my life for a while and turned the instances of my pain into a dream come true. I didn’t even know where this dream is taking me to. The risk of sleeping with a general’s daughter in his presence as left me with a fifteen million naira gift. If I’m left alone I’ll keep sleeping with all general’s daughters. I held her so close and started whispering some sweet words into her ears. The promises were many: You are the most beautiful, smart, and generous person I have ever known, and I promise always to respect you and love you. Your beauty, heart, and mind inspire me to be the best person I can be. I promise to love you for eternity, respecting you, honoring you, being faithful to you, and sharing my life with you. I will never leave you. I’ll be the best guy you’ve ever been with and she said, also the last. 

The promises were real while I was making them.  He rushed back to the house to get some things done. I started roaming in the big house I was also rewarded with; thinking aloud in my native language. I sat on the floor at the kitchen and cried. They were tears of joy though. I haven’t seen myself in this vain thus it was a larger dream than I have ever imagined. I started loving her really and conviction of seriousness started building in my heart. 

There was something I wasn’t sure of; if Mustapha was aware of all these drama. But am I expected to go tell him? I thought to myself for a while before the real thought came to my mind.  Why are they so particular about marriage? Hope they are not trying to tie me down because they feel I’m from a poor family, thus they can manipulate me. But really they can manipulate me. And a deeper thought came as “hope Aisha does not have a problem I’m not aware of, and so they want to force her on me”. Many other thoughts roamed my mind. I forgot every minute I look at the cheque. It was a consolation that there was a future and I’m stepping into it. 

The car drove in and Mustapha came back with Aisha. They were both smiling and for the first time I saw the resemblance in wealthy children. In wealth, people look alike when they smile or the way they spray money or drive for politics but poor people look alike in things like hunting, fighting and ugliness. I opened the front door and he hugged me “welcome to my family” I just heard you people are planning to settle down. I giggled with an acceptance but within me I wasn’t actually sure. What is the game plan of the Alhajuris? 

Mustapha called me to a side of the house and started the story which is about to change my notion. Have you ever seen my mum before? I answered no. We used to tell people she is not in the country but it’s a lie she is in the house, locked somewhere at the boy’s quarters with some guards to stop her from coming out. Three generations now have shown that women in our family get mentally derailed in their early thirties. My mum was not an exception. She had been there for a while now and Aisha has started showing those traits too. I felt a chill run through my body when I heard that part. That means I’m being paid 15million naira to marry a mad woman. I smiled and looked at Mustapha; it was a problem before but I can promise you it has ended. All I need to do is to locate my friend that came to Abuja with me. His name is Khalif….. He would heal your mother. 

Naaaa.. Mustapha seems not interested. Daddy would not like it. He doesn't expose his wife’s mental state to outsiders because people talk and he doesn't want to loose his respect. I interrupted him and said I’m family now and I have a right to my mother in law thus let me take care of her. Aisha got me a bold 2. It seems calls are clearer in this phone compared to my former Nokia 3310. I made three calls before I could locate Khalif. We spoke for a while and I told him to meet me off Kwame Nkrumah Street in Asokoro. He was coming from Jikwoyi (a land of the future). I wasn’t really interested in healing the woman but I know with Khalif we would make some money from the General. In a short while Khalif was here. He was still dressed shabbily like me but I know we are on the verge of smiling. As a Lagos street boy; you don’t have to be told there is a job before you know. After narrating the story to him, he said he would do it. He brought out his rosary and chanted some things in Arabic. Gave the rosary to Mustapha and said he should go and wear it on the mum and check if there would be a difference. 

They wore the rosary on her for five minutes and sanity was restored. Immediately they removed the rosary her insanity was again re-established. The shout with which Mustapha called General caused the military prowess in him to arise again and when he encountered what Mustapha just told him, he knew he had to see the guy that did this. The convoy drove in and with general coming towards the building fear was gain reinstated again. I told Khalif to make sure he composes himself so well. I bowed to greet him and he turned to ask where the guy is. Khalif stepped forward. Immediately the general broke down and said where did you get that rosary from? Whenever my wife wears it, she is sane and once you remove it she is back into insanity. Khalif looked at the general and said those rosaries are expensive. 

This that I gave you was given to me by my father, but he told me how to get more. General said how much is it. Khalif was looking at me to know how much he should say and with a wink he said, its a million naira the last time I contacted the man. General said I want twenty and I want it now. In the next five minutes we were on our way to Gbongan in Oyo state to locate a man that doesn't exist with twenty two million naira in the boot. Five soldiers accustomed us and I was forced to ask Khalif what really happened. He looked at me and said oh boy it was all a fluke ………

MY JAPA- STORY EPISODE 2

Ahmed and Awa dared to dream beyond their familiar streets, in the heart of Kano, wedged between the bustling Bompai Road and vibrant Kofar ...