LIFE OF PAINS
Episode 9
.
Bright stood at the be-dside of his
beautiful daughter. He was in shock. The
whole of her face was bandaged. She
had sustained injuries to her face and
had dislocated her left shoulder. The
airbag basically saved her life. Janet was
not so lucky. She had bur-st throu-gh the
windscreen and died instantly. It was
unbelievable. He looked at her and
sighed. She has been in a coma since the
accident. He felt so old and tired. His first
wife, Mama Benson, walked into the
room. She looked at the bandaged face
on the be-d and sighed. She turned to
look at the shrunken figure seated on
the chair by the be-d. He looked old. Her
accident affected him more than Ebiere’s
death. Hmmm…
Mama Benson: “I brou-ght food, Bright.”
She said quietly. He gave her no reply. He
has not been home since he c@m£ back
from Dubai. The fool nee-ds to eat.
Mama Benson: “you know you nee-d to
eat. You have drugs to take. St©p being
stubborn. If you do not eat, will that help
in bring her out of the coma?”
Bright raised his gaze to her. He looked
at her for a minute, anger spre-ading
across his face like a stain. Mama Benson
moved back. She knew his anger in all its
forms, after all she has been with him
forever. Then it pas-sed like the sun c@m£
over a cloudy sky. He sighed and bent his
head again. Hmmm…he is broken, she
thought to herself.
====
Madam Amina stood in front of Bimbo’s
corpse in shock. She heard none of the
things the policeman was saying. She
stared at Bimbo’s face; is this how we
are looking when we die? See as she
look like she dey sleep. She felt tired and
old. She could not cry, the shock had
locked her tear ducts. Abel…Abel kill
Bimbo? D story does not make s-en-se.
Abel dat I know does not fain trouble o,
she thought to herself.
Policeman: ‘we have her killer in our
custody. If you want, I can take you to
see him. He was the one that gave us
your number.”
Madam Amina looked at the policeman,
then she turned and walked out of the
mortuary. The policeman followed her as
she walked to the gate. She didn’t see
where she was walking towards, her
mind was de-ep in thought. Ha! Bimbo,
how did you end up like this? God! What
will I tell you mother? Kai! Abel…she
turned to the policeman,
Madam Amina: “let’s go to the police
station, I want to see Abel.”
====
Abel sat quietly by the door of his cell.
The innocence was leaving quietly. they
had beaten him up at the interrogation
cell in order to f0rç£ a confession out of
him but he had managed to face the
ordeal without cracking. His face was
blank from shock. He knew now, that he
was doomed. He had time to repl@yhis
life from the beginning. There was
nothing to recommend him.
So why u bring me con life, God? So dat I
go sufa? I neva fain trouble for my life o.
we-tin I do u? I no get papa, I no get
mama, I no fit still get peace? Ha! Collins,
you wey say you b my friend, see as you
abandon me. See me for prison, nob©dy
to help me. God! Bimbo, I sorry… I sorry…
He cried silently. The two guys that had
joined him later that night, looked at him
in irritation.
First Guy: “O.C how far na? whats d level?
Make we reason na. I gats comot for
here o. my work dey del@yo, you know
how d street be. Abeg come, dis legbere
cry dey pinch me for ear.”
Second Guy: “I no un-derstand o. which
one d guy dey cry like pikin wey e mama
abandon? You kill person?”
Policeman: ‘make una shut up for dere o.
you Akpevwe, you dey fv¢k up wella. You
feel say you fit dodge your dues abi? You
tink say we no know say you just collect
better bre-ad?”
Akpevwe: ‘na wa o. level wey I never
collect. I no go collect am first before I go
reason una mata.”
Policeman: “Oya, come outside make we
reason.” He walked over and opened the
cell door. Akpevwe c@m£ out and they
both walked away, talking like old
buddies.
Abel watched them leave quietly. So
nob©dy dey to help me? Dis na life? He
thought to himself.
A policeman walked into the cell area,
behind him was Madam Amina. Abel rose
up in fear.
Abel: “madam I no kill am o. I no kill am.
Na one girl wey dem dey call Preye, naim
kill am. I no kill am.” He wept, as he
spoke. He went on his knees, pleading.
Madam Amina looked at him sadly. Dem
don beat am. Poor boy.
Madam Amina: “una dey beat d boy?”
Policeman: “He no wan confess na. Dem
question am, na only ‘I no kill am’ e dey
talk.”
Madam Amina: “Abel no be like dat. Since
I know am e never fight anyb©dy. D girl
wey die so na my niece. Na all of us dey
leave together like broda and sista.”
The policeman shook his head and
looked at Abel,
Policeman: “the Police will find out the
truth, madam. Don’t worry.”
Madam Amina: “dis boy no get papa and
mama o. e papa na police like you before
e die o. na una pikin too.” The policeman
looked at Abel with interest.
Policeman: “we-tin b your papa name?”
Abel: “Ghenero Okotete. E dey Enerhen
Police Station before e die.”
Policeman: “I go find out. but d fact say
your papa na police no go help you o. if
like say we see d girl, or d people wey
you say carry you go d h0tel now, ehen,
we for fit hear deir own side of d story.
the cleaner say na you and the dead girl
dey argue before she die.”
Madam Amina:”we-tin Bimbo go do for
dere sef? Dis na devil work o. kai!” she
started weeping. she composed herself
after some time. Abel stared at the
ground in shame.
Madam Amina: “you don eat? I go s£nd
Kabiru bring food for you. I go soon
travel go village to go bury Bimbo. I no
know we-tin I go tell e papa. Why you run
comot for house sef?” she asked
suddenly curious.
Abel: “Kabiru come tell me say Bimbo get
belle and e get one day wey e be like say
we sleep with each other. dat day I pas-s
out like say I drink, when I wake up, me
and Bimbo n-ked for chair.”
Policeman listened and nodded his head.
We didn’t know this before, interesting.
Policeman: “Madam e don do. You nee-d
to come dey go. We go investigate the
matter to the end. Don’t worry.” Madam
Amina nodded her head, looking at Abel
sadly. She turned and left with the
policeman.
Abel sighed and sat down. His spirit had
lifted a little on finding out that Madam
Amina believed him. Hope dey. She go
help me. God I tank you o, he thought to
himself.
====
Bright sat at his Warri office and thought
de-ep and long, as he smoked and drank
a glas-s of whiskey. A knock c@m£ on his
door, then it opened. It was his
secretary, Pamela. She was a bu-sty thirty-
five years old spinster, with an insatiable
appetite for S-x hidden behind her drab
dee-per life looking dresses. He had tried
ma-king her wear more S-xy clothes but
it never worked. In be-d though, she was
a vixen. She was also a great secretary
too.
Pamela: “Sir, there is one police detective
here to see you sir.” Bright raised his
eyebrow in surprise.
Bright: “what did he say the problem
was?”
Pamela: “He says it is about a car
registered to you, which had an accident
along the express, some days back.”
Bright sighed.
Bright: “s£nd him in. reschedule my
meeting with Chief Omonigho for
2:00pm.” Pamela nodded and walked
out.
The police detective walked in. he was
medium height, wearing a rumpled shi-t
and well-worn trou-sers. He limped as he
walked.
Detective Calixtus: “good day sir.”
Bright: “good day officer. What can I do
for you?”
Detective Calixtus: “I know you are a
busy man, so I won’t waste your time.”
He said as he sat down.
Detective Calixtus: “did your daughter
survive the accident?” he asked. Bright
stared at him
Bright: “She has been in a coma since
the accident, she sustained grievous
injuries to her face, her head and her
right shoulder.”
Detective Calixtus stared at him,
frowning.
Detective Calixtus: “I am very sorry. I
would have loved to talk to her”
Bright: “In relation to what?”
Detective Calixtus: “one more thing, was
your late daughter at The Cardinal’s at
any time the day before the accident?”
Bright: “The Cardinal’s? What’s that?”
Detective Calixtus: “It’s a h0tel slash bar.
You don’t know it? “
Bright: “I won’t know if she was there or
not. I don’t keep tabs on her movement.”
He answered, ignoring the last question.
Detective Calixtus: “well, you should do
well to find out. A young man’s freedom
depends on that. It seems your
daughter, who is conveniently dead, was
implicated in the murder of another girl
in the h0tel toilet. Several witnesses
remembered seeing a car that fits the
car damaged in the accident, at the h0tel
that night. “
Bright: “I don’t have time for this. My
wife died some months back, now my
daughter’s condition is critical. If you
have a case to solve, go ahead and solve
it. Leave me be Mr. Detective, plea-se.”
Detective Calixtus nodded his head and
got up,
Detective Calixtus: “If any new
information comes up that will help this
case, plea-se do not hesitate to call me.
this is my number.” Detective Calixtus
pu-ll-ed a card out of his wallet and
handed it over to Bright.
Bright looked at the card for a minute
and nodded his head.
====
Some hours and several meetings after,
Bright’s phone rang, it was Tare, one of
his daughters. she had been tasked to
be at the hospital with Preye.
Bright: “Tare what is the problem?”
Tare: “dad, Preye had a seizure o then
she st©pped breathing?” she wailed in
the phone.
Bright: “what does that mean that she is
not breathing? is she dead or what?”
Tare: “i don’t know o, dad” she was
crying heavily.
Bright: “my friend st©p disturbing my
ears with that noise, i am on my way.”
He ended the call and rushed out of his
office. he beckoned his driver, Godwin,
as he rushed to the car.
On the way to the hospital, Bright called
Dr. Benson, his first son and asked him
to come see him immediately.
LIFE OF PAINS
Episode 10
.
Madam Amina did everything she could
to make Abel’s stay in police custody
comfortable. She brou-ght food, toiletries
to help ease the boy’s predic@m£nt. Abel
got none of these things. The police took
some and his increasingly brutal cell
mates took the rest. Detective Calixtus
c@m£ to check on him and ask him
questions about the night of the murder.
Abel had nothing new to add. All his
hopes depended on Madam Amina but
she was not a wealthy woman, she had
no money for lawyer’s fees. He had
grown leaner and leaner as the days
went by, then the weeks. One day,
Madam Amina c@m£ to see him with
news.
Madam Amina: How are you Abel?”
Abel: “fine ma. How you dey? How
shop?” Madam Amina smiled.
Madam Amina: “shop is fine. I just come
back from village. We don bury Bimbo.”
Abel nodded his head sadly.
Madam Amina: “I don go find lawyer to
handle your case o. the lawyer na good
one o. dem say na big big case e dey do
for Benin.”
Abel’s face lit up at the mention of a
lawyer handling his case. Finally God don
answer my prayer. Thank God o.
Madam Amina; “he go come see you
tomorrow. He go tell you when the case
dey start.”
Abel: “tank you ma. Na God go bless
you.” Madam Amina shook her head.
Madam Amina: “you be my pikin. I no go
fit see you dey sufa den troway my face.
No worry, everytin go beta. Make I come
dey go. I wan go market.” She got up as
she spoke.
Abel: “ok. Tank you. Greet dem for me.
Tell dem say I no kill Bimbo o. I no kill am.
Tell dem abeg.” Madam Amina nodded
and walked away leaving Abel alone with
his thoughts.
====
Detective Calixtus was stuck. He had
gone to the h0tel to question the staff
and got nothing. They all claimed to have
seen nothing. The cleaner did not
change her story. He had tried to
interview Preye’s family but got
nowhere. The investigating officer,
detective Obaraye had made it clear that
he had no right to be investigating his
case for him. But the dolt was doing
nothing. He was so slow. God! He
thought to himself as he sat in his h0tel
room drinking tea. His vacation was
turning into work. He had only come to
Warri to see old friends.
Something bugged him though. One of
Preye’s step-brother’s that he had
managed to question before that dumb
detective c@m£ to end his investigation…
what was his name again? He thumbe-d
throu-gh his diary, Pere, yes Pere, had
said something that stuck to his br@in
like a leech. He had said that his father
and Preye were very close. That the
father supported Preye’s wild ways.
What does that say? The man will do
anything to protect his beloved
daughter. He sighed as his thoughts
swirled in his br@in. He nee-ded a break
in this investigation and he nee-ded it
fast. The case will soon go to trial and my
vacation is almost over.
====
The lawyer c@m£ to see Abel the next
day, as promised. His name was Barrister
Gideon Obokare, he said. He was fat and
breathed noisily as he talked. He stank of
garlic and cigarette smoke. Abel could
ba-rely breathe throu-ghout the short
interview they had. He told him that the
case looked bad and he was going to try
his best to get Abel a light s£ntence. He
also told him that a d@t£ has been fixed
for the hearing. The case was coming up
for hearing two weeks from today, he
said. He claimed to be familiar with the
Judge handling the case,
Barr. Gideon: “don’t worry my boy. Judge
Akporobaro is a lenient woman. She is
known to temper justice with mercy. Just
don’t worry ehn, my boy.” He said,
breathing heavily.
Abel nodded his head and stared at an
ant crawling speedily along the scarred
table. He moved his hand to crush the
ant, but changed his mind. He was no
different from the ant. Our life dey big
big people hand. Which right I get to kill
am? He watched the ant rush to the
edge of the table, then crawl out of sight.
====
Kelvin sat quietly in clas-s, writing. He had
not been able to attend clas-ses for two
days. He had been ill. He turned the note
he was copying from to see properly. A
shadow c@m£ and blocked the light. He
raised his head to see Cynthia, one of his
course mates, standing before him.
Kelvin: “Cynthia, you dey block me. Abeg
shift go corner.” Cynthia moved from the
light and c@m£ to sit close to him.
Kelvin turned to look at Cynthia. They
were not really good friends. Just the hi…
hi… kind of friend. What does she want?
He thought to himself. Cynthia ignored
him and rummaged throu-gh her bag,
then brou-ght out her phone. She looked
at Kelvin and smiled.
Cynthia: “how you dey?”
Kelvin: “fine.” he answered, looking at
her suspiciously.
Cynthia: “why you dey look me like dat?”
she asked laughing.
Kelvin: “Cynthia, we-tin you want?”
Cynthia: “ehen… I hear say your friends
go p@rty, dem drink come get accident
for motor.”
Kelvin sighed. Well the news had spre-ad
around school. Preye and Janet were
really popular girls. He looked at his
notebook. Their death had shocked him.
That was why he fell sick in the first
place.
Kelvin: “Cynthia abeg go meet another
person make una do dis aproko. I get
tins to do.”
Cynthia: “tell me na. I know say dem be
your friends. Na true?”
Kelvin: “I say make you comot for here!
You dey mad? Abi you smoke
paracetamol? You hear say dem don die,
ok. Why you no go where you for hear
make you find out how dem take die.”
He stood up as he replied at the t©p of
his voice, angrily.
Cynthia: “Ha…Kelvo e never reach quarrel
na. Why you dey holla na?”
Kelvin: “Come babe, if you no want make
I change am for you, just carry dat
weavon head wey b like we-tin juju use
remain comot my front.”
Cynthia: “Kelvin you dey curse me
because of simple question. Na wa o. no
vex, you hear. No vex.”
Kelvin looked at her and sat back angrily.
He looked at his notebook quietly for a
while, his fists clenched in anger, then
the anger fizzled out like a leaking
balloon and sadness replaced it. He
packed his books and walked out of the
clas-s.
As he got to the door, he c@m£ face to
face with a man, who beckoned him
over.
Detective Calixtus: “you are Kelvin, right?”
Kelvin: “who is asking?” he asked,
looking at the man suspiciously.
Detective Calixtus smiled.
Detective Calixtus: “I am sorry. I am
detective Calixtus from Lagos State CID.”
Kelvin: “I have not been to Lagos in years
and when I was there I didn’t do
anything to warrant police attention.”
Detective Calixtus: “I am here on a
personal issue. Can we go seat
somewhere and talk?” Kelvin looked at
him suspiciously but walked along with
him.
They got to a bench placed un-der a tree
and sat down.
Detective Calixtus: “I will not waste your
time. I hear that you were friends with
the two girls that had a car accident
some weeks ago?”
Kelvin: “Preye and Janet? Yes we were
friends. I have alre-ady answered
questions from the police o. I don’t
un-derstand?” Detective Calixtus nodded
his head.
Detective Calixtus: “before I was
transferred to Lagos, I worked in warri. I
was very good friends with one Ghenero
Okotete. He was a pri-vate like me then.
He never got promoted because he had
little education and had issues with
drink.”
Kelvin looked at the policeman. He did
not know where this conversation was
headed. What has Preye and janet’s
death got to do with a drun!kpolice.
Detective Calixtus: “I am on holiday,
recovering from injuries I sustained
during a case in Lagos. I thought to st©p
by and see old friends. I heard on my
inquiry that Ghenero is dead…”
Kelvin: “Oga police, I no un-derstand this
your story o. E get we-tin you wan tell
me?” he asked, cutting in.
Detective Calixtus: “am sorry, plea-se bear
with me. Preye is a suspect in the killing
of a girl the night before the deadly
accident. My late friend’s son is pres£ntly
in police custody as the main suspect but
in his statement he says Preye was the
one who killed the girl not him.”
Kelvin looked at the policeman in
disbelief. Preye killed someb©dy? No
wonder dem run go dat h0tel.
Detective Calixtus: “I cannot question
Preye or Janet as you know. My reason
for coming to you is to find a way, no
matter how small to save an old friend’s
life. You were her friend. What was she
like? Did she have any scre-ws loose, was
she violent? I nee-d something, anything.
I have spoken to her father and got
nothing…” Kelvin laughed.
Kelvin: “Her father…that beast!” He said
with venom.
Detective Calixtus sat straight and looked
at Kelvin.
Detective Caslixtus: “what do you mean
by that?”
Kelvin looked at him sadly.
Kelvin: “It’s not my place to say. I have to
go.” He got up to leave.
Detective Calixtus stood up and held his
arm.
Detective Calixtus: “plea-se tell me. Give
me something. A young man’s life
depends on this, plea-se.”
Kelvin shrugged the policeman’s hand
off his arm and started walking away. He
st©pped and turned,
Kelvin: “ask the Oil Baron, the great Chief
Bright of Omini Oil, ask him why his
daughter hates him with everything in
her.”
Detective Calixtus stared at him in
confusion. This makes no s-en-se.
Detective Calixtus: “according to his
family, she was his favourite. They were
very close….”
Kelvin laughed sarcastically and walked
away. Detective Calixtus sat back on the
bench in confusion. There is something,
I am not getting and I don’t have
enough time.
Question: will detective Calixtus find out
Kelvin meant by saying Preye hated her
father?
watch out for episode 11…