Dedicated to those suffering from terror, especially those in the northern parts of Nigeria.


“You have a wonderful family Michael. Great kids and beautiful wife who I must say is a very good cook too.”
Laughter filled the room as they all took their seats. Michael took his wife in his arms as they sat across from their visitor and said, “I know Chibuzor,” smiling at his wife.
He looked at Chibuzor his friend saying “and thanks to you they still have me.” The room was quiet for a moment as their minds flashed back.
“Thank you again Mr. Chibuzor for saving my husband’s life, if not for you I would be a widow now,” Michael’s wife thanked Chibuzor.
“Nonsense, I am sure one way or the other he would have found a way out of the challenge.” “No,” Michael cuts in immediately, “that’s not true Chibuzor, I was lucky you were in that bush if not, that for sure would have been my last day on earth. You know I can never forget that day. I go to bed and still have nightmares about it. During the day I sit down and close my eyes only to open them with trembling hands and eyes filled with tears,” Michael was emotional as he spoke in such a way that showed he was remembering what had happened that fateful day.
With eyes still fixed on Chibuzor’s, he went on. “When I came to Kaduna a day earlier to meet Ibrahim, I never thought my life would change the way it did. I was there to discuss a new business proposal with Ibrahim concerning his farm produce. I planned to start buying from him for exportation to Lagos. I had gotten there with Wale, my friend who was supposed to partner with me and oversee things in Lagos. Ibrahim was an old friend of Wale’s and we thought we could rely on him for some good business. How wrong we were. I really didn’t know how they had met and I never got the chance to find out. The night we got there, Ibrahim welcomed us and helped us check into a small hotel. We were to run an inspection the following day and conclude our business before finally leaving.”
He paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and continued. “Everything seemed so normal at first. It was about 6a.m when we started hearing the chanting and shouting. We had no idea what was going on but we thought staying back at the hotel was the best idea; our very first mistake. About ninety minutes later there was uproar outside the gate of the hotel, so decided to peep and see for ourselves. We soon realized it was a riot. We had no idea who was rioting or why, but when we saw the fires and people running helter-skelter we knew we had to move. We quietly packed our small bags and ran out through the back of the building. The mob was close now and had blocked the entrance of the hotel demanding to see everyone inside the hotel. So we had to climb over the back fence. We ran as fast as our legs could carry us, even though we had no idea why we were running. Wale led me towards Ibrahim’s street, hoping he could help us.”
Michael closed his eyes and tried to control himself. “That was our biggest mistake. We saw Ibrahim running towards us and our hearts leaped for joy. “Thank God,” Wale exclaimed. I believed we were safe at last, but that feeling was only for a while as I noticed what Ibrahim was holding. I stopped in my track but Wale did not notice on time and even though I tried to call out to him it was too late. Ibrahim struck him down with a cutlass. I saw it. I saw it all as he kept slashing Wale with the machete over and over again like an animal, shouting words in a language I could not understand or wait to hear better. I ran as fast as I could.”
He stopped again and opened his eyes. “I left him. I saw that Ibrahim had been joined by other people and I just continued to run.” He took a deep breath and looked up at Chibuzor. “I noticed Ibrahim was running after me so I ran faster into the bush and just kept running without knowing where I was heading. I sensed he was still following me but I could do nothing order than to run. Gripped with fear I missed my steps and hit my legs on a tree root. I fell and could not get up, I could not move my legs and I feared that was my end. Then he caught up with me…..”
He stopped and took another breath, this time deeper. “That was the darkest moment of my life; the fear of dying in a forest in a strange land without ever seeing my family again was more than I could bear. I knew begging was no good for a man who had just killed his own friend in the name of faith or so I thought, but I begged him to spare my life. I knew I did not stand a chance but still I begged. Ibrahim looked at me and I could not believe that this was the same man that sat together with us last night over drinks? I could not believe this was the same man that expressed how happy he was that we brought the offer to him. I remembered how he looked at us like friends, I remembered how he smiled at us and it was then I realized that whatever it was he believed that led him to act like this was to him the right thing to do. I closed my eyes and waited for death.
“That was when you saved me. You came out of nowhere like an angel sent by God and you hit him on the head with a stick. He collapsed and we ran for our dear lives.”
He smiled as he turned to his wife whose eyes were now filled with tears although her face had a ray of joy and relief. “I can’t say if he died or just fell unconscious, and honestly, I did not care. I even wished he died. Chibuzor helped me and we ran deeper into the bush where we slept through the night. The following morning, the police and the army were everywhere as we came out to the road.”
He looked back at Chibuzor and said, “You took me to your friend’s house and cared for me; a total stranger. I was lucky that day, and it makes me glad that we are still friends today. I know you don’t like talking about that day but it’s been three months now and I still owe you my life.” Chibuzor smiled back but they could see he was uneasy. “What were you doing in that bush?” Michael’s wife, Uforma asked. “If you were not there that day and at that time, I would never have seen my joy again but I really want to know how you got there?”
Chibuzor gave a deep sigh and even though they knew he doesn’t like talking about it, but this time he had no choice. “Five years.” Chibuzor said. “That’s how long I have been living in Kaduna. I was posted there for my NYSC and the company I worked with retained me after service. I had been with them as a full time staff for four years. It was a one-man business with a small staff team but it paid really well, and although my people had always begged me to return home and settle down I did not. I could not for two reasons; the first being that I could not resign my job knowing how difficult it was to get a good job in this country, and the second was that I had met during my service year someone I wanted to marry and make the mother of my children. She was also retained and was staying with her uncle in Kaduna.
“I woke up late that morning for the first time since I lived in Kaduna. I have always been an early riser. It was 8:45a.m and I was getting ready for work in a rush. The radio was on and that was how I heard what was happening. I picked my phone and tried calling my colleagues as I hurried out of the house, they were not picking, and that was when I saw people running everywhere and there was a huge number of people chasing them. They were mostly men and carried various weapons; bows and arrows, sticks, machetes, you name it. I took to my heels and ran into the bush to hide. About fifteen minutes later I saw you running to where I was hiding and you know the rest.”
He glanced at the picture hanging on the wall. “The following day, I learnt they had attacked my office and killed all but one of my colleagues. They were slaughtered like animals.”
“Jesus!” exclaimed Uforma. Chibuzor did not even blink an eye. “When I got back home two days later, with thoughts that the place was safer, I realised that they had burnt down my house and car, everything was gone. That’s why I don’t talk about it, because I lost everything that day. And one week later it was like nothing had happened as the government did nothing; the media slowly went down on it as it was no longer news. I travelled back to my home state and re-settled in with my family. Now, I am searching for a job; that’s why I came to Benin to see you. I need your help to get back on my feet.”
“And your fiancée, did she travel back with you to the east?” asked Uforma. Chibuzor, who had now turned to look at them, shook his head. “I said I lost everything. I learnt it all started in her area. Her Uncle’s family including my fiance was all burnt alive while they slept early that morning.”
“Oh my God!” Uforma cried, running from the room.
“You never told me any of this? I am so sorry for your loss my friend,” Michael said. “God knows best and knows why He allows these things to happen. You were lucky you over-slept that day, and I am also lucky for that same reason.”
Chibuzor looked back at the frame on the wall. It was a picture of Christ. “For the first time in five years I woke up late and it had to be on that day. No, Michael, luck does not have anything to do with this one. You know, sometimes I wish I had actually woken up earlier that day. sometimes.”

[right][/right]An extract from my new book 'World Upside Down' by AdrianPastol.
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