A

Danhumprey: Can't believe that Agrika is an Hausa gal. She look more like an Igbo gal.


@topic,nice thread you have here. Keep it up man. When would you reach Akwa Ibom? So that you would be treated to a lavish reception at Ibom Tropicana. #just joking. Anyway,would really love to have you visit Akwa Ibom.

Do you know Shelter Afrique Housing estate?? In Uyo

Chapter 120

We left Surulere through Ijesha bus stop along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway and drove towards Ojota, Shagamu and Ijebuland.
Since I didn't know that road very well, I decided to leave early and drive at a low speed.
To me, low speed meant between 100 and 130km. Though one advantage I had with the six cylinder engine was that if I was doing a 120kmh, no 4 cylinder vehicle can overtake me even if it was doing 130kmh.

We got to Ekpoma before 11am and diverted left to a street called 'King Jesus'.

Surprisingly, Maria's mother had been waiting for us.
''Una come early ooh'' she said.

What! How did she even knew when we left Lagos to determine whether we came early or not. I thought I had Maria on check the whole time.
After greetings and smiles, we were led to the parlour were Her father sat on a chair with a plate of bitter Kola in front of him.
His stroke wasn't severe. One can see the right hand where the deadly attacker had struck but he was still relatively fine.

''How are you my son'' he had asked after speaking with Maria in a strange language. Despite the fact that I didn't understood the language, I was paying maximum attention to see if I could hear something that sounded like ''husband'' or its similarities. I didn't hear any, not that I expected to anyway.

''I am fine Sir, how is your sickness'' I had responded.

He said he was getting better. He motioned me to sit down in a sofa Chair opposite him.
I thanked him and chose a different chair. He didn't complain.

Before sitting down, I remembered a story I had heard when I was a kid. It was about a Visitor in Ngwa Abia state who fell into a hole dug for him while attempting to sit on a chair prepared for him.
The story said that the people of Ngwa had dug the whole and covered it with some leaves, then put a seat on it. The story also said that the Ngwa people used to eat human beings then.
It could have been a folklore but whatever it was, I was determined not to fall into a hole dug for me.

The trait followed me whenever I go to a new place to meet a new person in Nigeria. I would try as much as I could to displace whatever plan one must have made for me.
( I did that two days ago in Port Harcourt when my host asked the hotel receptionist to give me a room. I was given room 203 which I declined and asked them to give me another room. I was eventually given room 205. I knew my friend firearm would know why I did that but of course, he is a gentleman and should understand why I did that. I even wanted to be at the hotel before him but due to hold up, he beat me to that and surprisingly, he had packed somewhere and saw when I entered the hotel smart man/move.)

''This one is better'' Maria's father said as he pointed to the seat opposite him.
I told him that I was Ok where I was.

Maria had sat beside the man, touching the affected parts of his body while the man asked where I came from and other expected questions.

I told him I was from Enugu state. He was a driver and said that he had been to Enugu several times. He claimed that Enugu people were hospitable and generous.
Of Course why won't he say so? I was a potential son in-law and it would be better for him to start reminding me how generous my people were, so that I won't change from that. And if I didn't change, he would be a major benefactor of my generosity if I married her daughter.
I didn't know what Maria had told them but I was sure that nobody was going to push me into marriage when I didn't want.

He asked that I take a bitter Kola but I declined. I had come with over ten pieces of tom tom which I unsealed and threw into my mouth occasionally. I wanted them to know that I was eating something, so that they won't ask me to eat anything but they did anyway.

Their house was a small bungalow of about three rooms and Parlour. I suspected it was built by Maria. I followed as she walked around and inspected the new house. It was painted yellow.
After touring the house, the mother announced that she had finished cooking.

The food was served in an earthenware pot. It was a combination of boiled planting and soup. The soup was made with ground tomatoes, red oil, crayfish, smoked fish and others.
I had forgotten what they called it.

Like always, since I was eating with Maria from the same plate, no problem. If they wanted to charm, confuse or kill the woman who had built their house, then let them do that to Ozoigbondu too but Devil would punish them if they tried and failed.
Well nothing happened after the food.

We spent over two hours with them before Maria said we were going to benin city to visit some of her friends. Fine with me.

When it was time to leave, Maria gave his father N10,000 and gave N20,000 to the mother.
I on the other hand, decided to be generous too aftearall I was an in-law, no matter how temporal.
I gave the man N15,000 and gave the woman another N15,000.

Maria was surprised. She said she didn't know that i even had money with me since I had refused to pay for petrol on our way coming. I had laughed at her and told her that the Journey was her journey. I had already done enough by donating my Engine, oil, cacamber, music, suspensions, types and air conditioner for the Journey.

'' The more generous we are the more joyous we become''

Foxy_Flow: DEDICATED TO THE THREAD... THERE AND BACK IN TIME!!!
I already made a name for myself.
PEACE OUT MUDAFUCKAS!!![/b]

Mr. Foxy_flow may ur name and ur talent take u there and beyond.
Bro ur poem is like an accompaniment to Zuby's great tale. People are fond of ridiculing what they can't fathom. when the time is right it will make sense to them.
.
keep it up!

My food got burnt today cos of dis story,Hmmmmmmm.zubby I hail ur efforts.

ZUBY77: The next chapter is dedicated to all the Port Harcourt fans.

Your homeboy Firearm covered you perfectly.

Two rooms in a Four star hotel for me and my cousin,
Expensive dinner and breakfast plus drinks.

He was opportuned to see the BMW first hand though i forgot to show him the battery in the boot. The car will be used anytime i will meet a nairalander for first hand view.

Any of you who show up around my area should holla too.
Life goes on.

wow them try o, please will i be asking for too much if i plead with u to upload a pix of the famous zubby's BMW car that we have been hearing abt

oga u don try

@Zuby dat soup you describe is actually called OWO in benin language.

DankemzI: Do you know Shelter Afrique Housing estate?? In Uyo

Yep! Any problem?

Danhumprey: Yep! Any problem?

Mek we try meet na. I live in Federal Housing. Zuby might visit Akwa Ibom soon.

10 wraps of tomtom! Lmao! I'm Learning faster.....

Foxy, fire on, notin do u

so where are we now?

I hope zuby will utilize the Edo travel to count census for that state .

anyway who ever eats with the devil in the same plate should use a long spoon,if not you will be on a long thing.............

@Zuby Ʊ pointed out earlier dat one thing must surely kill a man.
Your anxiety to always twart or displace any unforseen may not always be acrrued to your smartness rather 'Luck' perse. Take samson and deliahla (in †нэ bible) as a case study.

'Life is a movie, na we b †нэ actors'

Datshyguy:
wow them try o, please will i be asking for too much if i plead with u to upload a pix of the famous zubby's BMW car that we have been hearing abt

4 real mehn....i wud sure love 2 see dat ride jooor...i don draw am 2much 4 my imagination lol...zubby-way...abeg give us pic...naaah....

What a quote u have there @oga zubby. Ur realy amazing. Keep up the Good work

lil jboy: OPERATION COLLECT YOUR MONEY FROM AREA BOYS. . . Sitting tight with my alomo and bitter kola.

mehn those 2 combination, the bitterness no go be here ooo.

'' The more generous we are the more joyous we become''[/quote]


I love the above post. I discover that each time I give, a kind of happiness envelops my conciousness

Zubby my friends need updateoooooo.Nice work bro.

Zubby this chapter has cost me my pot of stew, I forgot that I was cooking while reading this chapter until I doze off only to be waken by the smoke emanating from my kitchen. Everything has turned to charcoal. Chai

Oga zubby is updating dis morning

Chapter 121

We got to Benin a little after 3pm. The sun was blazing from the sky. The traffic was jammed and the people moved around as if everything was fine.
I noticed their young girls wore skimpy clothes that exposed their upper thighs.
Hmm! Maria was going to be careful otherwise, just otherwise.

''Baby, I will be looking around the beautiful city of Benin while you go visiting your friends'' I had said to Maria.

''Uhhm nope, nope. We are going everywhere together'' she said while laughing at my ridiculous suggestion.

Our first visit was at the textile mill road.
Her name was Agnes. According to Maria, she was an old friend who had tried to join their travel group to Italy but was dropped at the 11th hour.
One could see that the grudge was still written all over her face. I wanted to advice her on how to take life easy but it wasn't my business.
She started weeping when she saw Maria.
''Look at how fresh you look, you even have a husband now'' she had said between sobs.

What was she talking about? Husband.

Anyway I decided to allow Maria to enjoy her Benin visit. I could be called her husband or her son as long as it made her happy. I didn't know what she had told them on the phone. I had seen her made some calls but spoke in a native language that I couldn't figure out. Maybe she had told them that she had returned with her husband.
She would pay for that when we returned to Lagos.
Enjoy your visit Mrs Maria Ozoigbondu.

After minutes of trying to console and control Agnes, she calmed down and asked Maria when she was returning to Italy.

''I don't think I will go back. Life is very difficult there'' Maria had said.
It was the most clever answer I had heard from her. She had found out that telling Agnes when she would return could trigger a new round of tears, therefore she tried to paint Europe black. I liked her for that.

We left Agnes after 30 minutes. Maria gave her N5000. I gave her nothing since I figured out that she was a desperate girl. She could have gone to do some Juju with my money.

Our next call was to another lady called Aisha. She was half Hausa and half Edo. I didn't know how she came to be but I figured out her father must have gotten hooked up with the mother somewhere in the Northern Nigeria.
Aisha was pretty with a pointed nose. She was Maria's classmate.
I wanted to tell Maria that I liked that one, but I didn't know what Maria had told Aisha about who I was. The way Aisha looked at me and tried to serve me showed that she also considered me Maria's husband or Atleast a serious boyfriend. Maria also gave her N5000.

Where did she hid all those money? It seemed that she had some money but since we met, I never asked her how buoyant she was. I only knew that we met at the beach and that she drove a rav4. Most of the time that we had been out together, I had taken up the financial responsibilities voluntarily.

We made our third and the final visit of the day to a Madam Comfort. According to Maria, she was the mother of her Madam in Italy. She had come to pay homage and had bought her Breads and Juice. Madam Comfort was delighted to see us but also said that some other girl was there two days before with her husband too. She asked us to kneel down and closee our eyes while she held our heads and prayed for us.
Close my eyes? In benin city, noo.
Gam!! That was the trap I had suspected. Well whether it was or not, I wasn't going to do that.

''Don't worry ma. I am not a Christian. I don't need the prayers'' I had said.
I wanted to tell her to say her prayers without holding my head but a quick thinking asked me to deny Christianity entirely. Not that it mattered but I remembered that Peter denied Jesus in the Bible too.
Apparently it was a wise thing to safeguard yourself first. Then take the blames later.
If Peter, who was called the rock of Christianity, the first Pope, the keeper of Heaven's gate etc denied Jesus despite being foretold, who was I to think twice before denying too.
Madam comfort said her prayers anyway, wishing us many Children and prosperity. When it was time to go, Maria gave her N10,000.
I on the other hand asked Maria to give her another N5000 on my behalf.

''I will give you the money when we got to the car'' I had said.

''I don't have any more money with me here'' Maria had answered.

Hmm? The whole point was not to give the woman the money by myself. The only other alternative was to send Maria to the Dash hole to get the money by herself but I didn't want her to see the money I left there.
I had over N100,000 and another €500 in the pigeon hole.

I asked Maria to follow me to the car, She came and stood at the passenger door. I opened the hole and gave her N5000 for the lady. Maria said that I should go and give her the money by myself so that she would know it was me who gave her the money.
The chicken brains at work!

I asked Maria to wait in the car. I walked back through the gate and told Madam Comfort that there was no longer enough money in the car. I told her that I would give Maria money to give her when we go out to the bank the next day. I didn't wait for her to respond as I turned back and walked quickly back to the car.

Before Madam Comfort was able to come out from the gate, I already turned the car around and was already moving out of the area.

''Did you give her the money'' Maria asked me.

''What else did I went to do in the compound Maria. I don't like silly questions'' I asked her. I was getting angry and I didn't want her to know that.

We got to a hotel and I packed inside.

''Go inside and check how much a room cost and if there is a room available'' I said to Maria.

She went into the hotel reception. Her bag was on her seat, therefore, I opened it and saw a bundle of N500 notes. I didn't count them but I knew it was still more than N40,000.

Why on Earth did the girl told me she had no more money when I asked her to give madam Comfort money on my behalf? What exactly was she planning?
Two things were her possible plan.
First was to save money, maybe she had spent more than she wanted.
The second scary option was that she wanted me to give my own money to madam Comfort, by myself too. It was scary because even back in my own village, I was warned not to give people cash. As a result, I had to direct the old men and women to get the money from my mother who I had left some money in her care.

What the heck was this Edo girl planning? Then I recalled that the first time she said she was going to Edo, I had declined going with her. She had said that I would lend her small money which she would pay when she returned. I had read no meaning into it but there at the hotel, my mind was racing.

I began to recount the money deals I had with Maria in recent past days. There was really non. I had not given her any money recently. My money had not gone missing too because most of the time, I left my wallet and money inside the car.

I was almost tempted to leave Maria there and drive to another location and sleep but I decided to play dumb until the next day.

''They said a room is N5500 a night'' she said.

I locked the car and came down.
''I guess since you said you don't have any more money, I should pay'' I said as I followed her to the hotel.
I wanted her to think that I didn't search her bag and It work. I could almost see the smile on her face.

''We can never be too careful in the choice of our enemies''

Oga zubby u too gbaski. Nice write ups... I salute ur smartness nd ur clerverness in dealing with madam nd maria. U re a brain box.

Maria and zubby.

Nice combination.

Happy marital life.

The don Corleon himself. Always on alert. I must confess that even me that is reading the story; its tiring, always trying to read meaning into people's actions all the time. Ride on.

Zuby, I hail! You have indeed lived an interesting life.

I've missed this lovely page!

Thanks Gen. Zuby for bringing back the reading culture to Nigerians... You are a REAL HERO boss

Zubby so u self dey fear

Mr zubby,i must commend your hard work,i had being reading without a comment.you had made my day.i am also from Enugu state,from nkanu east local govt area! And Ugbawka town in particular.it's really nice meeting a brother on nairaland!

01emek: Mr zubby,i must commend your hard work,i had being reading without a comment.you had made my day.i am also from Enugu state,from nkanu east local govt area! And Ugbawka town in particular.it's really nice meeting a brother on nairaland!

hmmmm am frm Nomeh , just beside u, nice one bro!!!

Speechless I am . Ug I sight u oooo.

@ZUBBY, this your level of Paranoia no get part 2, you believe everybody you meet is out to harm or take advantage of you, well it's good to be careful with strangers but when it borders on bn constantly paranoid, na wa o, u'd never know how many nice people u've lost by bn dt way...anyways seems to be working for u...still a fan .

I knew it!

Census would be counted in Edo.

Maria seemed to know the game too.

Cunny man die cunny man buriam.

oya next .......