The Activist - Season 1 - Episode 36

5 years ago

The Activist - Season 1 - Episode 36

☆☆☆☆☆

“Your son? Do you mean the one that is in school?”
“No, not the one in the university. You see, I had two sons. One is dead and the other is in the university.”

“Okay, so tell me more.” Nifemi held his hand.”I am here for you, just take it easy and tell me.”

“Well, Andrew was my first son, my first child. I loved him more than anything I loved in this life. My wife, My Medical career paled in significance to him. He was everything to me and it was worth it, because he was all I could ask from a son.”

“Until he entered the Varsity and changed. Then he got lost and was killed by cult members in his school.”

“I was so devastated, that it wrecked everything around me. I wanted out of the whole marriage because it reminded me of him. I was totally unhappy til I met you.” He touched her cheek.”That’s why I want to restart life with you.”

Nifemi looked at him gently, wondering if she should tell him her mind or not.

“Wale, do you want to know what I think about what you told me?”
Wale nodded his head.

“You need help. You need to move on from whatever this your son represented. I don’t necessary mean divorce.”

“Divorcing your wife and marrying me will not solve the problem. You will need to man up, Wale and go on with your life. Unfortunate things happen to the best of men and I understand if it derails them but allowing it to wreck your life is not what I will stand for. Wale, that young guy has taken a hold in your life and I can’t remove it nor can your wife. Only you can do so and you can’t do it alone. I suggest we see a psychologist.”

“A psych-what!”
]”A psychologist. You need someone that you can talk to and will give you professional advice on what to do.”

“So the solution is a shirk?”
“Psychologists are not shirks. Jeez, I can’t believe that I have to explain who a psychologist is to you in the medical field. If it were a layman or someone that studied an art course, it will be understandable, but for someone that comes from your side of the divide, I …..”

“I know a shirk and a psychologist are different.” Wale interjected unhappily. “But they do similar functions, work on people with mental and psychological issues. Its not like my organs have stopped working, have they?”

“Wale! This is not about your body functions, this is about your mind and your well-being! You may not realize it, but you are allowing that experience to dictate how you react to everyone else that is close to you and that’s weak, very weak for a man!”

“Okay, okay, I will go.”
“Wale, look at me. I am not trying to be bossy or whatever, but this issue is affecting you, even while sleeping. So please, don’t be offended that I la!d it bare to you but you need to hear it.”

Wale smiled and hugged her. “That’s why I love you dear. ”

It has been two days since that message and Chuks was uncomfortable. Ronke had not been found and nobody seemed to know her whereabouts, save for Dotun, who Chuks knew had something to do with her that night. He wanted to ask for who Shodipo was, but then asking around will just increase suspicion from those who abducted her. He was certain that it was cult members, especially as Dotun was involved. He could almost link her predicament to her refusal of Dotun’s request of copying her in the in-course.

The day’s classes were few and by eight am, he was done. Chuks walked straight to the room and la!d down, wondering what will happen if Ronke did not show up. His phone suddenly rang.

“Mide, what’s up?”
“Chuks, better come faculty now, serious gbege dey.”
“Wetin happen bro?”
“Just come jare! I can’t explain on phone.”
Chuks jumped from his bed, wore his shoes and ran out of his room and quickly got a bike before driving to his department.

On getting there, he found a most unpleasant sight.

In front of one of the lecture theatres was a small basket, looking like it had just been dripped in blood and brought out. In it was various parts of what was surely a human being, yet was unrecognizable as such. The burnt areas were completely unidentifiable.
On the side of the basket was written ‘Ronke’.

Not up to two minutes later, some lecturers came into the scene with ‘crackers’ ( school security) and took charge of basket, carrying it for investigative purposes.

This led to some squabbles between students, as some students were accusing others of blocking them from looking at the scene. As they argued, one of the school security men then asked if they wanted to write statements. That immediately forced them into silence.

Chuks walked straight to Mide.
“When did they see it?”
“It was not up to an hour after lectures, one of the cleaners saw it hidden below HSLT C”. Mide replied, pointing to the woman in question, who was being questioned by the security officers and two police officers that just came on the scene.

“She brought it out and then we saw it. Chuks, this one wey you dey find Ronke since, I hope it has nothing to do with this.”

Chuks shook his head. “I had not seen her for two days, that’s why I asked.”
Feeling sick already, Chuks walked back to the bus stop, got a bike and went back to his room.

Meanwhile Tade was feeling high and fly. He had just won his first debate, days after joining the debate arm of his Faculty. He was not the lead speaker, but he was brilliant and received great applause. Of course that was not the high point of the debate, it was because he got the highest number of points, save for the lead speaker. All this while he was unprepared prior to that day. Of course he was given a day’s notice but a day’s notice is as good as not giving a notice at all, especially if the ‘day’ was six pm the night before the debate.

He entered his room just to see Made and Shittu gather round an unhappy Chuks.

“Guys, wetin happen?” He shifted attention to Chuks. “Chuks what happened?”
Made took over. “Chuks has a problem. One of his classmates was murdered and he has a clue to it.”

Chuks just noticing Tade’s presence sat straight up.

“Tade, do you know anyone bearing Shodipo?”

Tade’s blood ran cold.