All that glitters......

          After four years of a fruitless job search in Lagos, I considered today to be one of the best days of my life. I met a man who offered to employ me and pay me a monthly salary of N500,000. That sounded unbelievable to me since I couldn’t remember that last time I held such huge amount. I therefore asked him what sort of job he wanted me to do that made him want to pay me such an amount considering that fact that I was only a second class lower graduate.

“The job is very simple” he said. “you get to work only once in a month and you will still have your salary. What he said made me raise a brow. “All you have to do is this” he continued, “on a chosen day in a month you will be given some packages which you will deliver to a given destination. When we have confirmed you have delivered the packages, we will transfer your salary to your account”.

“What are inside the packages” I asked the man. “oh, you want to know?’ he replied, “well, I will tell you. They contain cocaine.”

“cocaine?” I exclaimed. “I knew I would get this reaction from you as a first timer” he said as he opened his drawer. “Anyway, here is my card, call me if you are still interested” he implored me. I collected the card and left his office still baffled.

          I couldn’t wait to relate what I called my once in a lifetime opportunity to Aunty Bukky whom I have been staying with ever since I started my job search. I welcomed with the news of the job offer immediately she got back from her shop where she sells home wears to make a living.

“Ken, I am happy that you have got a job offer today but please can we talk later”? She pleaded. “I really need to rest, please bring my food to my room” she said as she stood up to enter her room. I quickly prepared a hot meal for her and told her to rest for a long as she wanted and that I would wait in the parlor till she was ready to talk. I slept off on one of the cushions in the sitting room after waiting for a long period of time. I was awakened the next morning by Aunty Bukky’s noisy movements as she prepared for the day.

“Aunty good morning” I greeted, still feeling dizzy. “Ah, ken, how was your night”? She asked. “Fine” I replied rising from the cushion. “Go and clean up, I would like to have a discussion with you before I leave for the shop.

She was already finished with her preparations and was waiting patiently for me by the time I was done cleaning up. I took a seat opposite her for better communication.

          “Ken”, she began, “ I know you will be wondering why I chose to talk to you now and what I have to say concerning your job offer”. “Well”, she continued, “I am happy you got offered a mouth-watering job offer after a long period of searching but I must tell you this. Involving yourself in cocaine business is just not the best option.”Aunty Bukky” I interjected, “may be you don’t understand how easy it is, I got to work only once in a month and besides, I am guaranteed back-up in case I have any confrontation with a drug agency”.

“Hmm” she murmured as she sighed deeply “that is what they will tell you first timers” “Aunty bukky, please I don’t understand what you are talking about” I replied inquisitively.

“Ken” she said calmly, “I think it’s time I let you know a little about me”. “I wasn't always like this” she continued, “like you I got offered a drug deal that would fetch me millions if I accept. I took the offer and was making cool money. I had everything I could think of; money, cars, houses, hotels to name a few.

“Everything came to an end when I got caught on one of the drug transfer I was to make. Everything i had was seized and I was thrown into jail” she concluded beginning to cry. I moved closer to console her.

“Ken”, I don’t want you to waste your life. Look at me, at age 46 and out of prison not too long ago, after serving a 21 years sentence, what does life have left for me?. “Aunty, I am sorry. I never knew life was this hard on you”, I said feeling guilty of jumping at an illegal offer.

“it’s alright. All that has happened is history now. You still have a choice. I don’t what you o make the same mistake I made”, she said wiping her tears. “just keep on looking and praying for a job opportunity but please never go for any with dire consequences.

“I won’t aunty” I re-assured her as she stood up to take her leave.

“Ken”, always remember this; I will always love you and take you as the son I never had. I am sure the God I serve will not disappoint you. “Amen” I said as I aw her off.

          On getting back to the house, I picked up the drug baron’s contact card and gave him a call. “Hello, who am I speaking with”? he asked on picking my call. “Good Morning sir, you are speaking with Kenneth, the boy you met in your office yesterday” I replied. “Oh!, I have been waiting for your call” he said on an excited note. “so tell me, what is your response to my offer”? he questioned I m not going for it sir, I responded. “What!” he exclaimed,” Do you know what you are saying no to?” “I know perfectly well sir”, I replied and with that I hung up the phone.

          Knowing that aunty bukky was a victim was enough for me to make up my mind.

                                                                                                -Felix Stephen

Innocent Victim

          It's been six years since I took in Simbi whom I found by the road side crying.At first when I saw her,I thought she was a lost girl looking for her way home.The good samaritian spirit in me urged me to come down from my car to see if I could be of any help."Hello my dear!",I greeted,moving towards her."Why are you here all by yourself?,have you lost your way home?".She stopped crying for an instant and raised up her head to look at me before lowering it to start crying again.This time,it was with full force.Seeing she was quite troubled,I introduced my self."My name is Nneka",I said,offering her my hand."There is no need to be afraid".She stopped crying immediately and wiped her tears with her rather dirty and tattered clothes."Aunty Nneka,my name is Simbi",she said,trying hard not to cry."So Simbi,what were you doing that made you loose your way?",I inquired moving to stoop beside her."I did not loose my way aunty",she replied angrily."My parents abandoned me"."Just like that?",I asked."Yes",she replied starting to cry again."Oh my dear Simbi,you don't have to do this to yourself",I said trying to console her."Why don't you come home with me so I can get you something to eat and a change of dress?",I offered.She took a long look at me amidst her tears before agreeing to come with me.That was how Simbi became a part of my life.I later found out from her why her parents abandoned her.

          Her parents who were low income earners had her sell oranges after school hours to contribute financially to the family's upkeep.She was seven months into the business when she got the cut that changed everything.It was from a razor she found on the floor and was using to peel the oranges she was to sell that day.The bleeding was severe so she ran back home to tell her parents who then rushed her to the local clinic that operated based on funds from NGOs.The doctor on duty took a blood test and treated her promptly.He told her parents to come for the result the following day.Her parents according to the doctor told her she was HIV positive.They said they were not going to allow her carelessness to ruin their name in the village hence they brought her to Lagos and abandoned her.She was in her third day of wandering the streets of Lagos when I found her.I wanted to take her to an NGO at first thought but after due consideration,I decided to let her stay with me.She needed time and assistance to heal from the emotional trauma her parents caused her and I knew she was not going to get that healing in an NGO.I took her to a family doctor who put her on 'Antiretroviral' drugs to lower the levels of the virus.I enrolled her into a school near home and ensured she took her drugs regularly.We became so close and bonded to each other that she started referring to me as her mum.We were practically inseparable.Everything was going on well until now.She suddenly lost weight drastically and was always having fever. She complained of swellings on her body that she couldn't see but knew were there.She was constantly feeling very weak and collapsed on two occasions while in school.I took her to the national hospital to know what was wrong and I was told she had to be admitted for full observation.I took my leave from work earlier than planned in order to be with her.

          It was on the sixteenth day of her admission into the hospital while I was chatting with her in her ward that the overall doctor in charge called me to his office."Miss Nneka,please have a seat",he  said as he sank into his big chair."I understand you are the mother of Simbi,am I right?"."Yes doctor,that's correct",I replied feeling nervous."I am sorry to break this news to you.According to the result of the series of test carried out on your daughter Simbi,the HIV virus in her body has reached its final life threatening stage.She now has full blown AIDS and can die any moment from now".I was still recovering from the shock of knowing that Simbi could die any moment when the doctor stood from his chair and came to my side."Miss Nneka",he said holding my hands,"Simbi is passing through the last moments of her life.Please make sure that this final moments be her best in life"."I have to go now",he said releasing my hands,"Other patients need my attention".As he closed the door behind him I began to cry.

          Simbi was waiting eagerly for me by the time I returned and couldn't wait to hear the supposed 'good news'.However,my moody face made her downcast."Simbi,please I want you to know that I have always loved you and...",I couldn't finish the sentence before I started crying again in her presence."Mum what is it?",she asked.I stopped crying and quickly wiped my tears."I'm going to die,right?",she asked looking at me in the eye."Simbi don't say that,you are not going to die"."Mum,should anything happen to me,I want you to be strong",she said holding my hands."I thought I would die a long time ago but your love and care kept me this far.You took me in and gave me hope when no one seemed to care.When I get to heaven,I will ask God to give you a husband that will treat you well and children that will give you joy"."Simbi lets enjoy the time we have together",I said hugging her like it was our last."Mum you are choking me"."Sorry",I said releasing my grip."Please can you go home,rest and prepare rice as you come tomorrow",she pleaded."No problem,I'll do just that",I replied."Till tomorrow",I said as she managed to see me off.What I didn't know as I left the hospital was that it was the last time I would see Simbi alive as she died in her sleep later on at the tender age of eighteen.

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