Call To Duty #29

"Chairman, is it true?"
"True, what?"
"That your king is employing based on the payment of the royalty fee he's illegally collecting?"
"Yes sir, it is true...but... who told you about it? I just confirmed the matter last night and was coming to report it in person." The Local Chairman was shocked.
"Forget that please, tell me, how he's able to do that considering that he is still a third class king. Where is the money coming from?" The Governor inquired. The Chairman laughed.
"Now, I know that you have underestimated the potentials of the King of Ijinle town. He's smart, intelligent and very ambitious. What he lacked all this while was a sense of direction which he has finally found, courtesy of the Corper?" The Chairman explained. The governor was silent for a while, he started dashing up and down his office. Then, he suddenly stopped and turned around to face his spectator who has been watching him dashing around since.
"Chairman, I've been thinking, can't we...you know...coarse him...you know?" The Governor muttered. The Chairman squinted his eyes thoughtfully for a while then shook his head  disapprovingly.
"Your Excellency, I'm sorry, that won't work. Haba! you know who we are up against now! This is the guy who was heavily sanctioned by the abandonment of all state projects in his domain and worse still, he was denied his promotion for the second time to a second class king, what did we get? Nothing but a higher level of defiance and his people are still backing him up strongly!"
"May be we should dethrone him!"
"How are we going to do that?"
"We can always think of something, you know?"
"Hmmm...nope! I still don't think it's a good idea"
"What is wrong with you, why are you being so antagonistic?" The Governor was mad.
"Your excellency, I beg you, calm down. This matter requires a lot of care, we just can't afford any further mistake. Please, bear with me, it's for the best. We can't afford to loose out on Ijinle town. That community is a hot spot for us!"
"I know, but can't you see that's it's slipping away already?"
"The more reason we cannot afford to take rash decisions concerning the town."
"Well, I just bore my mind on the matter, do you have a better idea because if you don't, that guy is a gonner"
"Your Excellency, the people..."
"I don't care what the people say! If he is not for us, then, he is against us and whomever is against us must go!" The Governor roared. The Chairman shook his head in disapproval.
"Your excellency, I need time, give me time to think this over. Like I said earlier, I came here to inform you formally of the newest developments. Now that you are informed, I'll urge you to show restraint, we can't afford the consequences of another rash decision here. I'll surely get back to you pretty soon okay?!" The Chairman begged. The Governor sighed.
"What is going on Chairman, this is so funny. The opposition party is no longer our biggest threat. It is now a King, a king we literally feed!"
"That was then, sir, we no longer feed him, yet, he still manages to survive without us! You should have listened to me, the Leader should have listened. Now he has grown from being a sheep into a roaring lion. You cannot deal with a lion as you do with a sheep, can you?"
"Oh yes, we can. If a sheep's transformation into a lion makes him misbehave, he might have to answer to our guns!" The Governor declared. The Chairman laughed.
"No hunter dares to shoot a lion in his pride. He would rather creep into hiding for the safety of his dear life and would use the gun as a means of defense as he creeps away from the presence of the Pride!" The Chairman retorted.
"Your Excellency, if you make any funny move behind my back on this matter, you can as well count me out of any further discussions on the matter. The King of Ijinle town, you may not know, is enjoying a very huge home support from his people. We left him hanging for too long for him to fear us anymore. As far as he is concerned, we no longer exist. He has no use for us which is true.We are the ones that need him now. Unless we do something fast, we won't be getting a single vote from the whole town. we both know what that means, don't we? Ijinle town is a role model in the area, there are so many villages and towns in the Local Government that look up to the King of Ijinle for guidance and leadership. Wherever Ijinle goes, they go. Unless we make peace with the King, we are definitely going to loose in the coming election season." The Chairman submitted. The Governor gave a big sighed as he sunk into one of the 3 seater chairs in his office.
"So, if I get you clearly, we can't dethrone him?"
"Yes sir!"
"Then, what should we do? He has just successfully created a parallel government. I mean, he collects taxes, embark on projects and now, he is employing people to work!" The Governor asked.
"We would mend fences with him"
"Mend fences, is that the best you can do?"
"Your Excellency! That's the best we can do!We have lost the battle. It's time to wade in and manage the situation. We need to salvage the situation before it goes worse. If we join hands with him now, we still stand a chance. But, if we don't, we shall loose out not only in Ijinle town but the state as a whole!"
"The state? You must be kidding!"
"Oh! I'm dead serious! People would start to spot the difference, the Independence of Ijinle and would start to inquire as to how he did it. Before you know, copy cat effects would start to emerge statewide. By then, things would have gone way beyond repairs and the Dynasty of our leader will fall and we shall fall along with it!"  The Chairman bellowed. The Governor didn't like what he heard.
"Ah ha! I said it!"
"Said what?"
"That you have betrayed us!"
"What?!"
"Don't bother, I have everything recorded. The Leader must hear of this! You dare open your mouth, gbagam, to prophesy the doom and fall of the Leader's dynasty, how dare you?!" The Governor accused the Chairman who is already on his kneels.
"Ha! Your excellency, I didn't mean it that way..."
"How did you mean it? You questioned the authority of the Leader about his sanction on the King of Ijinle...abeg, tell me, what would happen if the Leader ask me to dethrone him, what would happen, what can anyone, even you do about it?"
"Nothing!" The Chairman agreed he had started sweating profusely despite the fact that the air condition of the room was still blaring very cold air around the room.
"Better watch your tongue! Who would believe that you were the one talking about a lion becoming untouchable for the hunter not long ago? Get up, my friend!"
"Let me remain on my kneels sir"
"Get up jor!"
"I should get up?"
"Get up!"
"Thank you sir!" The Chairman thanked the Governor.
"So...when do you say you'll get back to me?"
"Ah! No sir, whatever you say?"
"Whatever I say?"
"Ehn...whatever you say!" The Chairman was still jittery.
"Chairman! Hahaha!"
"Yes sir!"
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. But em, why do you think it's impossible to dethrone the King. I mean, once he's dethroned, we can put anyone of our choice in place and the whole matter is buried forever. Or...maybe we should...you know cancel him...as in kill him...what do you think?"
"Whatever you say sir"
"Whatever I say?"
"Yes sir!"
"Ah-ah! Nawa o! Chairman!"
"Yes sir!"
"Tor"  
 

Call To Duty #28

"Akanni, Jamiu, where are you coming from?" Komolafe asked his friends.
"Ah! No vex ore, we had to reach the Palace to drop our royalties with the King" Jamiu replied. Komolafe laughed.
"Don't mind me jare, I've forgotten that you one of the very mumu's that are left in this town.You need to see how a stubborn goat like you guys was disgraced in my neighbourhood this morning. But, knowing him for who he is, I know he would still see it through. But, ah, ore, the embarrassment was so horrible that his wife wept for him.He had to force his wife and grown up kids to pay the royalties because, left to his kids and wives, known of them would be paying the yeye levy"! Komolafe narrated. His friends shook their heads pitifully for him.
"Eh, na so e be my friend, all of us cannot be wise, the society would not be complete without fools like us." Akanni said
"Abi!" Jamiu commented mockingly.
"Shall we go straight to business?" Akanni suggested.
"Sure! why not?" Komolafe agreed. The three friends settle down and Akanni opened the minute book of their meeting.

_____________________________________________________

"Kole, how far ?"
"Omo not too far jare, I dey kampe!"
"As you know that we are gradually coing to the end of our service year here in Ijinle, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind to stay back and work with us... you know... for a while?" Adisa asked. Kole smiled knowingly.
"Adisa, you are funny o! Anyway how much are you willing to pay for my service, what makes you think you can afford the services of a graduate? As an Economist, a graduate of the Prestigous Obafemi Awolowo University of Ife my take home would not be less than N100K per month with a befitting living quaters and an official car among other benefits!" Kole Bragged. Adisa could not hide his surprised with his eyes wide open.
"Ah! Oga, no vex, I was thinking that you wouldn't mind working with us now and getting paid later. I was thinking that you'll be able to to delay gratification for a little while our efforts starts to bear fruits. I'm very sorry for disturbing your peace...it...won't happen again. Sorry!" adisa said and turned back.
"Ah ah, bros, them no dey shakara una ni?"
"As how, you call that shakara?"
"Yes now, you don't expect me to just give in like that now...okay, how much you won pay?" Kole asked.
"N20 K"
"Ehn?! Money for wetin be that?"
"Ah-ah, for your upkeep na! Look, if e no reach you, no wahala, make I dey waka..."
"Ah-ah..." Kole pulls adisa back by the arm.
"Your shakara sef do dey too much, omo, twenty bay...on top all the suffer suffer wey I suffer school? Haba, that one no fair now! Make, make you try adjust small...as in add something now and make your boy happy!" Kole urged him.
"Okay, thirty bay, last!"
"Ha! Thirty bay..."
"Yes! No more, no less!" Adisa declared. even though he's not too happy about it, Kole was glad that he's getting a head start
'At least that would be enough to keep soul and body together in the mean time.' he thought.
"Okay o...chairman, I don hear o!"
"You hear or you gree"
"No be the same thing, shooooo, I tire for you o!"
"No be the same thing abeg, this is business care must be taken in everything. O'boy, Rachael go dey useful too o! You talk am for am?" Adisa asked.
"Which kain tin be that, abi you won put personnel manager join the one wey you won give me?"
"How you dey talk like that? You know say, I no sabi am reach you and i know say she go quickly gree if you talk to am than when anyone else does...please na" Adisa begged Kole who is already rubbing his cheek mischievously.
"Ehn...no wahala na...so...how much you go give me?"
"As how?" Adisa with a frown.
"Ehn, how you go dey frown your face like that...no be job you give, abi when e don become a crime to get paid for a job?" Kole asked. Adisa was furious. He hissed.
"You no serious!" He said angrily as he turns away. Kole pulled him back laughing.
"Nawa for you o! Them no dey play with you? Kai! You too like money!" Kole teased.
"Anyway, Rachael is staying back with me. You should know now...we are both like the snail and it shell...no snail leaves it's shell behind, okay? So, calm down it's a done deal. But, you go find something for her too o!"
"That one no be problem. You should understand by now, that I no fit do you guys bad. I deliberately asked that you guys be included if you show interest. I did this knowing fully well that you no get anything at home to keep you busy just like myself. Although I couldn't tell for Rachael, Shade already made me realize it that we are in the same category in the regard so ..."
"You decided to ask from me, her boyfriend?" Kole chipped in jokingly.
"Exactly!" Adisa agreed. Kole was happy to hear that and showed off with a knowing smile and a slow proud rub of his bare chin.
"It's okay, I'll talk to her and i know she'll agree. Just make sure you keep your side of the bargain"
"Oh, you can count on that!"

_____________________________________________

"Keji, is it possible?"
"What?"
"All the things the things the Balogun and Iyalode said"
"Why not? I believe it is very possible if they are have sincerity of purpose. But how many have that today, Omolara?"
"Ehn? I hope you are not insinuating that ..."
"I'm not insinuating anything my friend. It's just that it is hard to come by anyone in this country of ours that would be that faithful. as Yoruba would say, 'Bi a ba lowo lowo, iwa oniwa lama nwu' (meaning: the true character of a man is manifest only when he becomes a man of means)"
"Hmmm...you are right ore mi!"
"This however, does not mean that they wouldn't do anything. They would, my prayer is tat they should do more work than embezzlement"
"Amin ore mi" Lara responded.
"Ehen...don't forget that tomorrow is the D- day...this one that you come to work late these days...hm! Nawa o! My just be careful!" Lara said jokingly. Keji laughed.
"Don't mind me. I won't let that happen tomorrow. I would not sleep in the room tonight and I would be wearing like 3 shorts altogether!" Keji said. The two friends laughed heartily as they make there way back to their place of work.

Call To Duty #27

In just 3 weeks after the announcement, people have started asking where and when they could start paying the Royal levy. The King was impressed and had summoned the Corper, Balogun, the Youth leader and the Professor to an emergency meeting. Balogun suggested that the Iyalode too be included and the king sent for her.
"My people, with a very light and glad heart do I announce the pleasant surprise I've been experiencing in the past few days."
"Pleasant surprise? Kabiyesi, we are all ears and ready to celebrate with you. Please, tell us all about it" Iyalode urged the King.
"Hmmm...thank you very much Iyalode. People of all works of life have been coming to the Palace to pay solidarity visits to me and have been expressing their readiness to play their part by paying the Royal fee. The surprising part of it all is that when I responded that we are still working on it, they'll urge me to ensure that the payment begin as soon as possible!" The King narrated. Everyone laughed.
"Kabiyesi! I thought I was the only one being confronted, I never knew that they have been coming here too" Balogun said
"They have o! They have and I've been getting a little jittery myself because I know fully well that we have not done anything in that regard and these people are wishing we should start collecting the revenues immediately"
"Well, Kabiyesi, let's kick it off this very minute!" The Professor suggested.
"How???" The King queried. The Professor turned to the Youth leader.
"Olori Odo, please, go to my house and tell my wife to hand over my laptop to you..."
"What for?" The King asked
"For Drafting the necessary documents to ensure the collection begins today!" The Professor replied. The King laughed excitedly.
"Prof - Prof!" the King hailed the Prof who bowed gently
"Kabiyesi o!"
"Eh...don't bother, you can always make use of mine and...okay, since we have agreed and have swung into action, I shall order for like 5 laptops and ipads to kick off the revenue collections and I shall also donate the sum of a hundred thousand Naira to the fundraiser." The King announced and everyone present hailed the King and  paying homage to him. They chorused
"Kabiyesi o!"

_______________________________________________

"Ooooh! Akanni, leave me alone o! Ah!"
"Baby, relax, the day is still very young?"
"Young you say? It's 4:30 already!"
"That's my point...ok, let's wrap it all up with a little quickie..."
"Quickie, after 4 solid rounds, Akanni, you are beginning to scare me, maybe I should move to the sitting room"
"What?!"
"Yes! Four rounds and you are still acting like you haven't had it at all"
"Oh, baby, no be my fault na"
"Ehen...whose fault is it?"
"Yours of course!"
"Me, how?!"
"You are too sweet to be resisted...to be candid, I think we should...you know, skip work today and..."
"Ah! Now, I know you are not serious,leave me joor!" Keji said standing up from the bed. Akanni quickly went after her pinning her to the wall by the door and started romancing her.
"Oooh! Ah! What is it now....Oooh...Akanni...Akanni...no...please stop!" Her voice started getting lower as she spoke. Akanni had started kissing her before she could mutter another word. He pulled her slowly back into bed...

_______________________________________

Kole had barely reached the staff room before lamenting the 'Torture' he had just received from the Senior Secondary School 2 students he had just finished teaching.
"Nawa o! Honestly, Adisa had just added to my work load and it's not funny at all!"
"What is it again, corper is any student acting funny?" The Agricultural Science Teacher Mr Jatto asked
"No, no sir, it's actually the whole class"
"The whole class?"  Mr Jatto was mad. Kole was amused
"Ah! Not like that sir!" He said laughing
"Ehen?"
"Yes sir, it's just that they bombarded me with much more questions than usual and funny enough it's all about the activities of my fellow corps member, Adisa."
"Oh, okay. I can understand why they are so curious. Just like we the grown ups, we never thought that anyone is capable of what he is doing outside the government. This is why we have been suffering for so long in silence." Mr Jatto explained.
"I understand sir. Come to think of it, it's not like he is doing something extra ordinary. In my opinion, I think the extra ordinary part of his activities is his bravery and courage to not only think but act 'out of the box'!" Kole submitted.
"Now, that's the simple truth!" Mr Andrew, the Government teacher said
"He literally blew my mind with his move. When I quizzed him after the launch of the project, I was like, why didn't I think of this?"
"Well, to me, the answer to that question is that we never thought of being creative...this, as funny as it is, is the main problem of this country...lack of creativity!" Rachael contributed to the discussion
"How can we be creative when we are starving?" The Government Teacher asked. Everyone laughed except Mr Jatto.
"Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. What better motivation to creativity is there than hunger? Truth be told, Rachael is right, we have been foolish indeed! We lack passion for our job and anything for that matter. It is not possible to go creative when you lack passion for your profession.
 Most of us here in this staff room are not contented with what we have, our minds are not here, we are always looking and hoping for that better job, hence, we pay the very least of attention to what we do. We don't really care about the students we teach...the only reason we teach is for the salary! This is the main difference between us and that boy, Adisa. This at least is what I learnt from all these and I'll be forever grateful to Adisa for the invaluable inspiration he has given. It has helped me reposition myself and I see myself doing great things not only in school but also in the society in general" Mr Jatto submitted to the admiration of his audience who he left speechless afterwards.