The Activist - Season 1 - Episode 11

5 years ago

The Activist - Season 1 - Episode 11

☆☆☆☆☆

Next week went by, with Tade working as the substantive class captain. Ortega’s absence was becoming more evident and worrying, much so as other students and some lecturers started questioning Tade over his disappearance. It was becoming a terribly nauseous hangover of a dream for him, only that in this case it was real. This was no dream.

The last week of lecture came up and everyone temporarily forgot about Ortega, rather focusing on photocopying notes, finishing assignments and rounding up lectures. Some of the lazier students started to show up in class, in a late effort to have some attendance. Tade himself was so worked up that he forgot about Ortega.
Until Ortega showed up on Wednesday, looking ragged and mentally unbalanced. It was the cry of a female student around White Wall that aroused the attention of everyone to Ortega’s re-emergence. The Student Union officers were called and he was been watched by students, who out of sympathy or curiosity looked at who was once an OAU Law student.

As he moved towards the main road leading to the academic section of the university, not up to twenty minutes after his discovery, a fast moving bike drove towards him. The bike was definitely not the commercial type, as its design was more like that of a speed bike. As it drove towards the SUB bus stop, students moved back in a bid not to get hit, giving the occupants of the bike space to see Ortega.

That was a fatal mistake as the bikemen, who wore shaded helmets and other protective clothing, shot Ortega on the head, once they got through, shattering his skull and forcing brain tissue out of his head with a shot gun, before speeding off to the Main gate of the campus, leaving students flying to different directions for safety.

Ortega was dead,and Tade never got to see him.
]Tade was busy making copies of his lecturer’s handout when a student called out to him.
“Ortega is back! He is at SUB!” The student told him as Tade diverted his attention to him.
“When did you see him?”
“I did not see him, Shodipo told me to tell you. He sent me just now.” At the mention of Shodipo’s name, Tade’s stomach churned. He was beginning to dislike the guy. However, he was eager to see Ortega, so he quickly collected the ready-made copies of the handout and headed straight to the place.

As he got to motion ground, he heard the shot.
“What is that?” He asked the unknown student, who looked incredulously at him.
“Its a gun shot, probably those hunters who go after bats.” He turned back towards the road only to see students running around. Tade also noticed the pandemonium and ran towards the scene, fearing for the worst.

He came upon a crowd of student, murmuring silently and some of them looking sorrowfully at the ground, probably at something.

He charged into the crowd and made his way to the front, only to see the scattered brain of Ortega jutting out of his skull.

He immediately went out of the crowd and puked, the image of the remains of Ortega turning him over.

“Are you okay, sir?” A few students asked, two according to his estimate of the number of voices he heard, even though it was one man he saw when he recovered from the irritation and rose his head up.

“Am fine. Just a bit nauseous.” Tade said to the man, looking a bit weary.

“Are you sure that you don’t need a hand? I could help you to a resting position if you wanted.” The man insisted.

Tade looked around and saw people gather round. He decided to leave before he became a spectacle.

“Am okay, sir. Thank you very much.” As he turned to leave the man, he fell down and fainted.
When he came to, he found himself on the hospital bed in the Health Center. Made and the man were staring at him, alongside a lady in white overall, which he later deciphered as a ward coat. He could hear Made asking about his well-being and the lady talking of dehydration. Did he faint or what happened he thought, his mouth conveying his exact thoughts.
“He is awake. I have to observe him for some time. Cynthia, please come and place another drip on him. Can you please wait outside?” She ushered Made and the man out of the place, with a pretty young nurse coming to his ward. Tade la!d down again and rested.
The next day being Saturday there was no class so Made was able to bring Shittu and Malik to the ward. Shittu almost caused trouble for the nurses, who did not want overcrowding but the matured way in which Malik handled the situation doused the tension. Tade then told them what happened.

“Ehen? So na so your class captain die be that?” Made asked, looking shocked.
“Na so o! The funny part of it was that it was inside campus, if na town na another issue.”
“Its not the first time dem go kill person for campus, only that e no dey plenty. Malik informed the group. Usually, such stuffs happen in town.”
“Who kill am?” Shittu asked.

“How I go know? Shey I dey there when him pafuka?”

“But e possible say you…..”
“Him no no!” Malik and Made shouted in unison, disturbing other patients.
“Abeg I wan rest, maybe when I recover I go tell you wetin I know.” Tade told the rest, which led to Made to drag Shittu away. However he beckoned on Malik to wait.

“The person was on a speed bike.” He whispered to Malik.

Malik then paused for a minute like he was thinking.

“It must be Dumuje then.” He told Tade.
Malik patted Tade on his head. “Rest well and recover your strength. Remember that next week is lecture free week.” He walked away, smiling at the weakened student.
Lecture free week and exams breezed by for OAU campus, as nothing of note happened save for the few issues of examination malpractice in some courses. Tade himself had obviously recovered and was busying himself with his papers.

It was after one of such papers that Shodipo nosed his way to Tade’s front.
“How far?” He attempted a handshake on Tade with that fake smile beaming brightly like the sun. Tade did not buy into it, however and refuse to shake hands with him.

“What’s wrong with you, bro? You do as if you no know me.” Shodipo said in a mock rastafarian style.
“What do you want?” Tade asked him, obviously uncomfortable with the appearance of the latter.

“I see I am not welcome. Keep your greetings man, keep your greetings.” Shodipo said as he ran after Dumuje,which was a relief for Tade.
On getting to his hostel, he called Salisu to come the next day to take him home. He decide that a change of atmosphere will do and fortunately for him, that was his last paper. He gave out some of his foodstuffs to Malik and Andrew, who were staying behind because of their project, while he kept the provisions in his locker. The next day, Salisu came by and they left for home.