Must Read: The Devil Who Loved Me

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: The Devil Who Loved Me

It was past 6am when we got to Lokoja.


We stopped at a fast food restaurant. I don’t
know if those Lebanese refugees ever slept,
because we were flooded by them as we got
out. Two little boys and their sister tugged at
our clothes, while their mother looked from a
distance.


I went to the rest room to clean myself, while
the guys went to other food. I planned to tell
him we would leave as soon as we were done
with breakfast. I picked up my phone to call
Abayomi.
Me: hello
Abayomi: where are you, we are coming to your
house for breakfast. Bread and egg o..
Me: I am in Lokoja
Abayomi: I know you are a witch, but can you
fly that far?
Me: serious jor..Jafar drove me here o..his goons
are here also, enroute Abuja.
Abayomi: what is happening there, why didn’t
you tell me?
Me: see I was drunk, I will tell you when I get
back..i am hungry and suffering from a hang-
over.
Abayomi: when are you coming back?
Me: soon, will tell him to bring me back after
breakfast
Abayomi: no p..Toun is sleeping beside me… I
will call you later..
When I got back to the guys, they had ordered
the meals, the three of them were eating fried
rice and an ugly looking fried chiken. Jafar was
eating beans and plantain..
Jafar: I got rice for you, alright?
Me: nope, I rather eat what you are eating..
I took out the spoon in my proposed rice and
started eating with him. He left the food for me
after a while and concentrated on the canned
Schweppes he was drinking. Sparrow and the
short guy pounced on my rice, before I could
say jack, it was finished.

My phone rang, it was Timi.
Me: hello
Timi: didn’t know when you left the party..
Me: I didn’t come with you, so why should I tell
you?
Timi: why are you talking like this?
Me: see I am busy now, talk to you later
Timi: wait..where are you?
Me: Lokoja
Timi: what….

I hung up and felt so good about it.

It was time for me to tell Jafar to take me back.
In another day and another world, it would
have been get-away but I really had to go
back..
Me: Jafar please can I talk to you privately?
Jafar: sure.
We walked outside to the front of the Hilux. My
phone rang again.
Me: Toun howfar
Toun: I am so fine, we are on our way to Lagos
now..
Me: you and who?
Toun: me and Abayomi ofcuz. On the way to
the airport. Arik afternoon flight to Abuja..
I excused myself from Jafar and walked to the
other side of his Benz.
Me: but I will be on my way back soon.
Toun: better stay there, I have been looking for
a good reason to spend my Dad’s money, Abuja
it is!
Me: did Abayomi agree to this?, did he tell you I
am with Jafar and his friends.
Toun: yes, you aretalking to much, see you
before 4pm.
She hung up.


Jafar: so what is it that you had to tell me in
private?
me: can Abayomi and Toun join us in Abuja?
I have seen him smile, but this particular smile
was deep. I felt good I contributed to it.
Jafar: the more the merrier..
Toun is the worst friend ever!
Jafar: we will be staying in Lugbe, it is close to
Gwagwalada and also to Berger.
He said this as we passed a junction that was
called Giri. We entered Abuja at some minutes
to 9am.


Me: I don’t know Abuja, I have never been here
Jafar: I seldom come around, except my dad
beckons.
Me: tell me about your Dad
Jafar: No.
I saw why Abuja was the next best thing
besides Lagos. the road was wide, wider than
the girth of cars passing through. it wasn’t as
crowded as Lagos, but had an exotic feeling to
it. Yaradua’s posters flooded the town, I felt it
was a waste of money carrying out a
presidential election because he was liked by
both his peeps and the opposition. Though a
PDP member he embodied all that PDP wasn’t.
Me: who would you vote for in the elections?
Jafar: I won’t be voting
me : why?
Jafar: for the white man, voting serves as
liberation, it’s a symbol of freedom to choose
who they want. But for the black man, Elections
is a form of enslavement. Too many poor people
vote, they don’t vote with their head, they vote
with their stomach. Too many illiterates vote,
they don’t vote for the best person, they vote
for their tribe.
Me: What tribe are you and what do you think
should replace elections?
Jafar: I am Jafar Ndanusa, I am Nupe. The white
people made sure they saw themselves as a
people before democracy was introduced. In
Nigeria, the different tribes are still in courtship,
democracy came at the right time, but the
citizens aint ripe or mature enough for it.
Me: I repeat my question, what should replace
elections or democracy?

Jafar: A selfless authoritarian head of state, like
Sankara of Burkina-faso. After making sure the
Hausas, Igbos, yorubas and middle-belt see
themselves as a people, then he can relinquish
his power for a democratically elected
president.


Me: that’s deep for a cultist.
It came out of my mouth before I realized I had
said it. His brows shot upwards, signaling that
he heard what I said, but he kept quiet.
Me: I am sorry.
He didn’t answer me, he just kept driving until
we got to Federal Housing,Lugbe.
I wasn’t looking for the awkward moment when
I would have to tell him that I needed a room to
myself, but I didn’t need to. When we lodged at
Progandy Hotel, He and Uche stayed in the
same room, while Sparrow and the short boy
known as Aji stayed in a room. I was given my
own room.
Jafar: when Toun and Abayomi comes, they
would have a room waiting for them.
I was sure Toun would stay with me in my
room.
Me: thanks
Jafar: go to sleep now, you look drained..
Me: thanks for this get-away
Jafar: you are welcome ma’am.