"If you like slam your head into the Wall, I still refuse to be swindled. I will not partake!"
"It's okay, it's okay! We hear you. Jamiu, our friend have refused to be scammed, like we choose to be scammed. Let's leave him alone, after all, it's his life!"
"Abi o!"
"The only thing here is that when we start to dey enjoy the benefits of being scammed, make no one come dey disturb me o!" Akanni warned. Komlafe hissed.
"Siddon dia dey dream. I pity una. Ehen, when some people get scammed make dem no come my dommot dey cry o. Because, I go take style rubbish dem!" Komolafe too warned. Jamiu and Akanni looked at themselves and laughed.
"Let's change the subject abeg!" Akanni urged.
"Yes. My friends, I want to thank you both for being so nice to me. There was I thinking it was all over and you guys came to my rescue. It's only God Almighty that can repay you. I can't, I obviously can't!"
"It's okay Jamiu, haba, what are we friends for. Stop all those gratitude thing abeg, it's getting embarrassing!" Akanni responded.
"Eh, you won't understand, I know what I'm talking about"
"It's okay! Ah! We are here, we are here...we are here for one another. Whatever I do for you, I've done for myself abi Akanni? Talk now!"
"I have and I know he understands now. You see, Jamiu, you are like a brother to me and to him. When it comes to our daily lives, we are one and the same. The only difference here is the religion. He's a Christian, I'm a Muslim so are you. Even at that, we still celebrate together and wish ourselves well. It's only during the religious festive periods that we are not together. But that doesn't mean that I don't eat his food on Christmas day and he too accepts and eat Sallah meat.This is the only difference we allow in our relationship...religious matters only. We tolerate each other and forge ahead together!" Akanni explained.
"I know these things. I've been with you guys long enough to know that. It's just that I never expected the kind of financial help you've been offering me. Ordinarily, what happens is that I'll get sidelined the moment it's clear that you guys are on a higher level of finance. It happens everywhere! Instead of doing that, you guys decided to pull me along. I'm so grateful, May God Bless you guys abundantly!" Jamiu prayed.
"Okay. Now, I understand. But you need to stop the excessive thank you thing, okay? We don't like it. If we did something nice, you can say thank you that day and the following day and no more, okay?" Komolafe explained.
"Okay.Thanks for the info!"
"You're welcome"
"So, how far about the Woman, what do you think of her now?" Akanni changed the subject.
"Ah! That mad woman? Don't mind her, who knew she would end up paying so handsomely for the same set of fish she had so down played its quality?" Jamiu asked. Komolafe and Akanni laughed.
"Na so e be o! Na packaging!" Akanni answered.
"Ehen, packaging?"
"Yes na? If we hadn't repackage the fish for you, she would have done far worse things." Komolafe chipped in
"Ehen?"
"Yeeesss!"
"You need to know your customers and present your products to them the exact way they'll love to have it. That woman is no local woman, she is the working class type who would pay double for a product just because it is wrapped in some cheap fancy nylon bag!" Akanni continued.
"Really?"
"Yes! When I started selling bitter leaf and locust beans, all I do is to just put the leaves in a nylon bag after they must have priced it to the extent that all that's left for me on the vegetables is just a few Naira...sometimes, my profit is less than N5 on a bundle that I was expecting to make as much as N20"
"Ehn?"
"Today,I dry my locust beans after I have washed and mixed in some salt for preservation, I'll get myself small plastic bowls and stuff them in...I also get to grind some into powder. as for bitter leafs, I cure them, cut them into shreds and air dry them before I pack them in some fancy nylons. Come and see pricing!"
"Eeehn?"
"They no longer argue with me. I triple the price and they pay without a word of objection!" Akanni said.
"Wow!" Jamiu exclaimed.
"The same thing goes with my rice. I buy at very cheap price from my Tapa friend who sometimes give me a few more bowls as bonus. According to him, I'm his first customer that buy from him regularly. Others that buy as much as I do come only once in a while. He had also noticed that I tend to buy more every time I come around. To cut the long story short, I take the rice in its crude form and hire a few youngsters right there in the market to remove all the dirt for me. There are also some women I employ to use ordinary water in removing all the stones in the rice. All these costs me very little money. It's only after that I dry and bag the rice and print my name on it"
"Do you have NAFDAC number?"
"NAFDAC number, wetin concern me with NAFDAC number? I write the name sell like that!I no go international now,I've not even covered a local government. I'll get NAFDAC number when I might have covered more than half of the local governments in the state. Then, money go don full ground and na that time NAFDAC sef go dey find me. For now, I sure say dey no get my time!" Komolafe concluded. The three friends busted into laughter.
"So, Jamiu, the koko na packaging...na packaging we dey chop!" Akanni submitted.
"Okay! Now, I understand. Make I dey think of the best ways to package my fish now!" Jamiu said. They all laughed.
___________________________________________________
"Yes! Prof, you are right. The road should be the first!" Balogun said.
"What of the Secretariat?" asked the Corper.
"That has been taken care of for now. we can manage the rooms that the King have offered in the Palace. We need the road. If the residents of the town learn of our intention to construct a linking road to the Federal road, they'll be more than willing to join in." The Youth Leader explained.
"Hmmm...if only we can give them a road...." The Professor started
"The politicians would stop using it to score cheap political goals against us. I'm tired of hearing the same set of unfulfilled promises of the provisions of goods roads every 4 years. It's so annoying." Balogun complained.
"Okay sirs, I'm in."
"Good. Now is the time to pick on which road to work on." The Prof asked.
"That shouldn't be a problem. Which other do we know other than the main road we have in this town." Balogun replied.
"I don't think that would be a good idea" The Youth leader said.
"Why not? There are no other road available. Besides, it's our road isn't it?"
"No, it's the State's road?" The Professor commented.
"So what? It passes through our town, we have rights on the road" The Balogun protested.
"Yes, you do...Balogun, I'm sorry, it doesn't work that way. We cannot work on the road without permission from the state government..."
"What? Abomination!" Everyone else laughed.
"The State can sue us for trespassing if we do anything on that road without permission" The Professor concluded.
"Ah-ah, ah-ah! But we have worked on this same road severally without permission, why should we need permission to walk on it now?" Balogun lamented.
"Because, we suspect that the Governor is not happy with us now and he would fight back with all at his disposal. The road is definitely one of them." The Professor explains.
"Ehn, what do we do now? We need a road!" The Balogun declared.
"May I suggest we construct ours from the scratch?" The Corper chipped in.
"Ah! that's a very brilliant idea, Corper. I like that!" The Professor said
"Thank you prof" He responded.
"You are welcome, my dear."
"Would that not be too expensive for us?" asked the Balogun
"I don't think so sir?" replied the Corper.
"Hmmm...okay o! So, where do we start from" Balogun queried.
"I'm thinking of the Isale Odo" The Youth leeader suggested.
"Isale Odo? That's a foot path!"
"I know..."
"That's a perfect road to build. I know that path very well" The Professor interrupted.
"But, Professor, but, you know that there's a river on the way and there's another village on the other side of the foot path."
"Of course I do. The Happy thing is that Abule Agba is our sworn ally. We can even commence construction without permission. But, as you know, courtesy demands we consult with them first. That shouldn't be a problem." The Professor answered.
"Isale Odo. everyone agrees?" The Balogun inquired.
"Yes" was the chorus answer.
"Okay. Then, Olori Odo, move your men down to the place. They should start work immediately. I shall brief the King." The Balogun said.
"One more thing sirs" The Corper chipped in.
"Every man that would work with us must agree to the levy."
"Of course! All the three hundred are paying this month end. as a matter of fact, they think it is a very good idea and that they are with the King on this one" The Youth leader assured.
"Okay. Thank you for coming gentlemen. God bless us all" The Professor prayed. They all said 'Amin'
To be continued on Wednesday!
"It's okay, it's okay! We hear you. Jamiu, our friend have refused to be scammed, like we choose to be scammed. Let's leave him alone, after all, it's his life!"
"Abi o!"
"The only thing here is that when we start to dey enjoy the benefits of being scammed, make no one come dey disturb me o!" Akanni warned. Komlafe hissed.
"Siddon dia dey dream. I pity una. Ehen, when some people get scammed make dem no come my dommot dey cry o. Because, I go take style rubbish dem!" Komolafe too warned. Jamiu and Akanni looked at themselves and laughed.
"Let's change the subject abeg!" Akanni urged.
"Yes. My friends, I want to thank you both for being so nice to me. There was I thinking it was all over and you guys came to my rescue. It's only God Almighty that can repay you. I can't, I obviously can't!"
"It's okay Jamiu, haba, what are we friends for. Stop all those gratitude thing abeg, it's getting embarrassing!" Akanni responded.
"Eh, you won't understand, I know what I'm talking about"
"It's okay! Ah! We are here, we are here...we are here for one another. Whatever I do for you, I've done for myself abi Akanni? Talk now!"
"I have and I know he understands now. You see, Jamiu, you are like a brother to me and to him. When it comes to our daily lives, we are one and the same. The only difference here is the religion. He's a Christian, I'm a Muslim so are you. Even at that, we still celebrate together and wish ourselves well. It's only during the religious festive periods that we are not together. But that doesn't mean that I don't eat his food on Christmas day and he too accepts and eat Sallah meat.This is the only difference we allow in our relationship...religious matters only. We tolerate each other and forge ahead together!" Akanni explained.
"I know these things. I've been with you guys long enough to know that. It's just that I never expected the kind of financial help you've been offering me. Ordinarily, what happens is that I'll get sidelined the moment it's clear that you guys are on a higher level of finance. It happens everywhere! Instead of doing that, you guys decided to pull me along. I'm so grateful, May God Bless you guys abundantly!" Jamiu prayed.
"Okay. Now, I understand. But you need to stop the excessive thank you thing, okay? We don't like it. If we did something nice, you can say thank you that day and the following day and no more, okay?" Komolafe explained.
"Okay.Thanks for the info!"
"You're welcome"
"So, how far about the Woman, what do you think of her now?" Akanni changed the subject.
"Ah! That mad woman? Don't mind her, who knew she would end up paying so handsomely for the same set of fish she had so down played its quality?" Jamiu asked. Komolafe and Akanni laughed.
"Na so e be o! Na packaging!" Akanni answered.
"Ehen, packaging?"
"Yes na? If we hadn't repackage the fish for you, she would have done far worse things." Komolafe chipped in
"Ehen?"
"Yeeesss!"
"You need to know your customers and present your products to them the exact way they'll love to have it. That woman is no local woman, she is the working class type who would pay double for a product just because it is wrapped in some cheap fancy nylon bag!" Akanni continued.
"Really?"
"Yes! When I started selling bitter leaf and locust beans, all I do is to just put the leaves in a nylon bag after they must have priced it to the extent that all that's left for me on the vegetables is just a few Naira...sometimes, my profit is less than N5 on a bundle that I was expecting to make as much as N20"
"Ehn?"
"Today,I dry my locust beans after I have washed and mixed in some salt for preservation, I'll get myself small plastic bowls and stuff them in...I also get to grind some into powder. as for bitter leafs, I cure them, cut them into shreds and air dry them before I pack them in some fancy nylons. Come and see pricing!"
"Eeehn?"
"They no longer argue with me. I triple the price and they pay without a word of objection!" Akanni said.
"Wow!" Jamiu exclaimed.
"The same thing goes with my rice. I buy at very cheap price from my Tapa friend who sometimes give me a few more bowls as bonus. According to him, I'm his first customer that buy from him regularly. Others that buy as much as I do come only once in a while. He had also noticed that I tend to buy more every time I come around. To cut the long story short, I take the rice in its crude form and hire a few youngsters right there in the market to remove all the dirt for me. There are also some women I employ to use ordinary water in removing all the stones in the rice. All these costs me very little money. It's only after that I dry and bag the rice and print my name on it"
"Do you have NAFDAC number?"
"NAFDAC number, wetin concern me with NAFDAC number? I write the name sell like that!I no go international now,I've not even covered a local government. I'll get NAFDAC number when I might have covered more than half of the local governments in the state. Then, money go don full ground and na that time NAFDAC sef go dey find me. For now, I sure say dey no get my time!" Komolafe concluded. The three friends busted into laughter.
"So, Jamiu, the koko na packaging...na packaging we dey chop!" Akanni submitted.
"Okay! Now, I understand. Make I dey think of the best ways to package my fish now!" Jamiu said. They all laughed.
___________________________________________________
"Yes! Prof, you are right. The road should be the first!" Balogun said.
"What of the Secretariat?" asked the Corper.
"That has been taken care of for now. we can manage the rooms that the King have offered in the Palace. We need the road. If the residents of the town learn of our intention to construct a linking road to the Federal road, they'll be more than willing to join in." The Youth Leader explained.
"Hmmm...if only we can give them a road...." The Professor started
"The politicians would stop using it to score cheap political goals against us. I'm tired of hearing the same set of unfulfilled promises of the provisions of goods roads every 4 years. It's so annoying." Balogun complained.
"Okay sirs, I'm in."
"Good. Now is the time to pick on which road to work on." The Prof asked.
"That shouldn't be a problem. Which other do we know other than the main road we have in this town." Balogun replied.
"I don't think that would be a good idea" The Youth leader said.
"Why not? There are no other road available. Besides, it's our road isn't it?"
"No, it's the State's road?" The Professor commented.
"So what? It passes through our town, we have rights on the road" The Balogun protested.
"Yes, you do...Balogun, I'm sorry, it doesn't work that way. We cannot work on the road without permission from the state government..."
"What? Abomination!" Everyone else laughed.
"The State can sue us for trespassing if we do anything on that road without permission" The Professor concluded.
"Ah-ah, ah-ah! But we have worked on this same road severally without permission, why should we need permission to walk on it now?" Balogun lamented.
"Because, we suspect that the Governor is not happy with us now and he would fight back with all at his disposal. The road is definitely one of them." The Professor explains.
"Ehn, what do we do now? We need a road!" The Balogun declared.
"May I suggest we construct ours from the scratch?" The Corper chipped in.
"Ah! that's a very brilliant idea, Corper. I like that!" The Professor said
"Thank you prof" He responded.
"You are welcome, my dear."
"Would that not be too expensive for us?" asked the Balogun
"I don't think so sir?" replied the Corper.
"Hmmm...okay o! So, where do we start from" Balogun queried.
"I'm thinking of the Isale Odo" The Youth leeader suggested.
"Isale Odo? That's a foot path!"
"I know..."
"That's a perfect road to build. I know that path very well" The Professor interrupted.
"But, Professor, but, you know that there's a river on the way and there's another village on the other side of the foot path."
"Of course I do. The Happy thing is that Abule Agba is our sworn ally. We can even commence construction without permission. But, as you know, courtesy demands we consult with them first. That shouldn't be a problem." The Professor answered.
"Isale Odo. everyone agrees?" The Balogun inquired.
"Yes" was the chorus answer.
"Okay. Then, Olori Odo, move your men down to the place. They should start work immediately. I shall brief the King." The Balogun said.
"One more thing sirs" The Corper chipped in.
"Every man that would work with us must agree to the levy."
"Of course! All the three hundred are paying this month end. as a matter of fact, they think it is a very good idea and that they are with the King on this one" The Youth leader assured.
"Okay. Thank you for coming gentlemen. God bless us all" The Professor prayed. They all said 'Amin'
To be continued on Wednesday!
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