Oga Martins - Season 1 - Episode 18

Episode 5 years ago

Oga Martins - Season 1 - Episode 18

The landlord returned around 12p.m. to find out if they had repented of their ways and willing to hand over the culprit. Since there was no culprit to hand over considering the fact that no one had confessed to starting the fire, he had left, refusing to call off his dogs. While they stood or sat in the sun which was shining down on them in all its glory, their guards sat down in a makeshift tent, shielded from the scorching heat. They had also been properly fed by the caretaker who returned shortly after the landlord left with food and drinks for them. Deji had hoped they would fall asleep after their meal and they could find a way to steal the key and escape but no, the two men were wide awake and alert.

“Look guys, we have to find the culprit!” Martins stated, already feeling the pangs of hunger. Communication was now done in hushed tones so as not to alert the guards to whatever plans they might come up with. “Do you guys want to stay here forever?” he asked Deji, Chris, Fidelis and Rotimi who formed an arc around him
“Of course we don’t want to but how do we find out who started the fire?” Chris asked
“Why do we need to find the person? Why can’t we just point fingers at someone?”
“Rotimi!” Fidelis stated in disbelief and disapproval
“Wetin?” Rotimi asked defensively. “You no wan go your shop go sell market abi you think say I no get things to do?!”

“We can find the person!” Fidelis stated
“How?” Rotimi asked his voice sarcastic. “How we wan take find the person? You be police? If you are waiting for someone to confess, O-Y-O o; on your own mehn! So if na me start the fire, you think say I go confess make Landlord kan kill me abi?”

“But what you are suggesting is wrong!” Fidelis pointed out
Rotimi twitched his nose at him as Deji spoke, his voice hushed. “Who do you think we should point at?”

Fidelis stared at him in disbelief and his eyes widened in surprise when he realized the other guys are looking at their other house mates, trying to determine who they want to make the scapegoat.

Baba Ruka sat on his generator, his two hands intertwined with his elbows resting on his lap while his wife sat down on the pavement beside him, her back turned to them. He was shaking his head at his wife as if he disagreed with something she said. Comfort and Temisan sat on the double steps that led into what used to be the passage of the house which was now an open wide space with rubbles, whispering to each other while Mama Nkiru sat on the ground, dozing off from time to time.

“What are those two talking about,” Chris said, wondering out loud

“Maybe they are planning to set one of you up as well,” Fidelis stated sarcastically. “I wonder who it will be!’

Deji glared at him as he addressed the others. “Ignore him and just focus. Who?”
“Temisan!” Rotimi suggested
“No! She will deny it!” Deji countered
“Does it matter? It’s five against one!” He looked in Fidelis direction and muttered, “Well four”

“I don’t think we should pick any of the trouble makers. I was thinking Comfort,” Deji said

“Why?” Martins asked
“She won’t have the strength to argue or deny it for long before she gives in and starts crying!”

The four guys exchange a look
“You have a point,” Martins agreed. Deji might be lazy about physical work but he was good at strategy

“So how do we do this?” Chris wanted to know
“Just follow my lead,” Deji stated
“I can’t believe you guys are really going to do this!” Fidelis said, his voice incredulous
“You better believe it and you are either with us or against us,” Rotimi fired back. “Maybe we should make him the culprit”

Fidelis looked at each of them not doubting they could implicate him if they wanted to. It was their word against his and in a world where majority carries the vote even though the majority could be wrong, he didn’t stand a chance. He had to concede as they all stared at him, waiting for his response.

“Okay fine!”
They all turned back in Temisan’s direction only to see Mama Nkiru approaching the body guards. Everyone was staring at her, wondering what she was up to.

“I wan go see my children,” she stated as she stared at the two body guards. “Dem go dey cry as dem no see me since. Na for Mama Victor house I keep them since midnight.”

“Tell us who burn the house and I go allow you go,” one of the guards stated.

She pointed at Temisan who quickly got to her feet. “No lie on top my head! Na you!” Temisan shouted, equally pointing an accusing finger at her

“Na true!” Deji chipped in. Everyone looked at him in surprise, including Temisan. “Na Mama Nkiru start the fire!”

“Hey! See lie! So you people want to lie on top my head. Never! Na you and Temisan plan this fire!”

Deji looked at the other guys for support and Rotimi quickly spoke, corroborating Deji’s claim. “”Mama Nkiru, na you, No try to play wayo! Na you start the fire!”
“All of una go burn for hell fire because all liars go to hell! Me wey dey sleep inside room jeje wey…”“Na me!” Mama Ruka’s voice boomed and they all turned to see Baba Ruka trying to make her shut up but she refused, freeing herself from his grasp. “Na me cause the fire!”

They all stared at her, too dumbfounded to react!