As we enters a new week, i wish you all the best in your various endeavors... Do i need to define what corruption is again? won't that be like telling a fully grown man his neighbors name whom they've been living together for as long as he has lived? corruption has one of the most negative effect on our political, economic, social, environment and our growth and development in general. We must kick out corruption in our society, but no one man can do it. Let us come together and preach corruption in our best way!
I am Sulaiman Lukeman, a 300L student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna. I'll be posting my book; "Who'll save James" here with only the intention to preach against corruption, and i look forward to your best cooperation and encouragement.. Bxt of the day!

[center]FROM THE END OF THE BOOK:[/center][b][/b]

Can you save James? And even if you can, will you save him?
James would have saved himself and many other souls who felt victim of Jaguda’s last crime, if he had not accepted to Chief Ademola’s Bribe. But he did to save himself alone, and now looking for someone who’ll save him.
Every act of bribery or corruption that you do will definitely affect someone out there. Save those people who you are in charge of today, so that you may be saved tomorrow. Let us create a better life, not four our self alone, but for our society, so that we and our generation may forever live in peace. Think twice before you give or accept bribe, it might be such that will later backfire, taking away what you value even more than your live.
Let us preach corruption together.
Let us all stand against corruption, which is no doubt one of our greatest problems in Nigeria, and Africa at large. If you read this book, share it with someone else who has not read it. May God bless you as you stand against every act of corruption in your household, in your office, in your working place, in your organization, in your ward, in your community and in our country.

Stay safe and healthy!
Lots of love from your boy; Lukeman

Scenes from the book will now be coming in''''' Enjoy!
Mod front page please; you can contribute in your own way to help extend our message against corruption too.

All Rights Reserved:
This is protected under copyright laws.

No part of this work either in parts or in
whole should be reproduced in any format,
electronic or otherwise without permission
from the author.

This is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, location or business organization is entirely coincidental.

Part 1

Success at last

It was the 5th graduation ceremony of the prestigious Federal Polytechnic, Offa popularly known as Offa Poly. The campus was filled with celebrations and jubilations, most especially by the graduating students and a lot of well-wishers who were either their parents, families, neighbours or friends who have come from different places to celebrate with them. It was indeed a great place to be as the reputable one of African giant’s polytechnic; Offa poly discloses her already well trained young men and women who are no doubt satisfactory to practice their respective professions and make best of live for themselves, and their community.
The ceremony which has just started had one of its great addresses by the school rector. Everywhere was silent that you could easily hear the sound of a passing fly as she starts her speech. This must have been because of the popular talk about how wonderful she have being; working so hard to ensure that the polytechnic, despite young, provides a conducive academic environment that will enhance learning and academic excellence and eventually become one of Nigeria’s best polytechnic. In her speech; after welcoming everyone to the event, she said;
…My Dear Students, you have been trained in important areas like medical sciences, engineering sciences and other applied sciences, in management and in arts and culture..
We have given you everything that you need to be anything that you wanted to be, and we believe that you’ll use it to benefit yourself and your community. Take the advice, take the challenge and grab the opportunity. Make the future for yourself, for your country and if possible do something for the mankind. We believe that you’ve acquired satisfactory knowledge and character which will serve as the testimony of the paper we issue to you here. Listen to the advice we receive from the great people at our premises today who will be addressing you shortly.
Finally I would like to congratulate all of you; the graduating students. Today is an important milestone in your life and as you cross this milestone, do not forget that every level of achievement, academic or otherwise brings substantial responsibility. I wish you all the best.”

Listening to the rector’s speech, James who is also among the graduating student could think of only to be a great man. He derives a lot of power and encouragement from the numerous impelling speeches delivered by great men of honor who were invited to the ceremony. And it was indeed one of the best days of his life as he was filled with power and hope for the future. His happiness begins to fade into sadness as the face of his mother begins to flash through him. This flash continues bringing several views of struggles and pains which he had watched his mother pass through just to see that he got to where he is today. He lost control of himself and could not concentrate anymore. His friend Shola, who is also his landlord, was sitting right beside him. He noticed that James was not concentrating and pinched him, but James did not respond. He called him for three times, torching his shoulder and slightly pushing it away to turn his face to himself the third time he called him. And it was then that James responded with tears gushing out his fire-like eyes. Shola felt embarrassed and immediately asked James to let go outside. James cooperated, and they both left the hall and head towards the school shop complex.

Don't just read please... your comment is very important... only together can we do it.

Shola and James got to mama cool’s place where kunu and sobo is served only cold. The slight flavour taste in mama cool’s sobo and the thickness of her kunu which blends well with her delicious doughnut make her place a sure place to be in other to relieve your body and mind with the best of chilled kunu and sobo, especially after a lot of stress on a sunny day. James and Shola sat down on a bench just by the corner of the shop after which Shola has ordered two sobo and four doughnuts for himself and James. As they were eating, he turned to James who could hardly eat and said;
“Hey brother, (just as he used to address him)
I understand your pain…
And I as well know very much of what you may be feeling right now…
But remember that this is a day that you’ve always waited for…
You may not have the rosy celebration like your colleagues, but you should understand that it does not end here.
Since I have known you, I have always thought of you as my brother. And I have a strong believe that you will grow to be a great man.
Remember that though your mother may not be here to celebrate with you, but I am very sure that she will be proud of you wherever she is, and her heart must be dancing in joy with the thought that her most wonderful son has end a journey of many miles, which only but few in the family could reach.
Brother, remember what you use to tell me that today may not be the end of life, and that we should always prepare for tomorrow… tomorrow will surely meet us alive, but before then, yesterday has passed and you have made wonders out of it, being not just among the graduating students, but one of the best among them.
So today, you should celebrate not thinking of the hardship you pass through to get here, but what you have made amidst of such hardship.
If you are feeling like this, what do you want me to do?
I met you when you were in ND1 five years ago. But here you are today... already with a distinction of Higher National Diploma (HND) in Sociology, while me… I am here with no class in Paintiology. Had I known, I will have joined you when you use to advise me to.”

Hearing this, James shouted at once;
“Hey man!
Forget that thing… forget class!
You are wonderful man, and you are none but one of those few people whom without, I may not have been able to make it this far.
Who want try our Paintiology skill for this entire Offa self…?
Not even now that I have graduated with a distinction in Sociology, and free to be a Sociologist of Paintiology.
And you know what that means…? We go they socialize paint from every corner…
Believe me, Oyinbo go hear us!
Ehen! That makes me remember my beautiful girl.
Oh! How I wish Eniola is here.”
James suddenly jumped up from sitting, took a dancing formation… and started dancing like someone who is dancing around a little child while he was singing;
“Oya…. Oya!
Eniola mi… oya dance with me!
Eniowo… dance!… oya! Oya! dance with me.
Eni temi ni kan… temi nikan… enitemi nikan.”

“See shola, make I here say I no get money for this life…” James told Shola as he stops dancing.
“Why now… you go too get am ma…” Shola responded.
“Anywhere wey money enter, I must to find am. No be for myself o, but I have to give the best to my daughter; Eniola.
I have to be the best dad to her.
Shola, something i have not told you yet is that; I was able to cope through all this hardship because of that beautiful angel of mine o. In fact, I have been able to live so far because of her, and I will make sure that she live, play and dine with only the best people in the world. Believe me; I will do anything for that girl… I swear!”
James was once again full of energy and was back to his usual self.

Hey! Mama cool……
“Add doughnut… make it three, Eniola too go chop.” James ordered ….
Shola laughed.
The two friends ate their snacks and went back to the graduation ceremony. They joined the celebration, and James got well along with his colleagues, whom he snapped a lot of pictures with after the official ceremony. Shola was with James throughout the celebration as the only friend and family who have come to celebrate with him on his graduation.

James met Shola when he was in ND1. It was on Friday evening and James, just as usual was going around construction sites in new development areas of Offa town, looking for painting or labourer work to do for the weekend. He most of the times will take up block movement work since house painting is comparatively scarce. Whenever he gets a block movement work, he will go there on Saturday to do it, and if he could not finish it, he will then go back on Sunday evening to finish it. This beautiful Friday evening, he met a man and a young boy at a fresh completed building, and approached them.
“Good morning sir…” James greeted.
“Yes… Good morning to you,” the man replied.
“Please who owns this house?” James asked.
“Who are you?” The man responded.
But the young boy was pointing to the man. James who noticed this, immediately composed himself as he was earlier chewing groundnut, accompanied with bread which he kept in his back pocket. He asked the man to excuse him, and why the man was trying to do but a bit hesitant, staring at him. James quickly tells the man;
“Sir, I am James.
I will paint your house if you have just the money for the paint and brush. You can pay me anytime you have money…
And Ehn sir! I even have a roller which is still usable, so you won’t need to buy more than one roller at most.”
The man was caught un-expected, staring at James and constantly turning his face to the boy behind him just as if he wants to ask him question. But he was probably looking for what to tell James. The young boy with the man is Shola who is a painter. Shola and the man have come to the site together to discuss the painting pattern and expenses of the just completed house. Not knowing what to say, the man casually responded while moving away from James saying;
“Ok, I will see what I can do.”
He got back to Shola and they continued their discussion. But this time the man was not as friendly with Shola as before. Shola who noticed this thought it was because of the person waiting for the man, that he quickly asked the man;
“Sir, maybe I should go now since someone is waiting for you. I will bring the paint chart together with the quotation here on Monday morning”.
Shola left the site immediately after saying this. The man who turned around immediately, caught James rushing to compose himself as he was throwing in his mouth the groundnut which he enveloped in a piece of bread.
The man said;
“Hey!”
“Ye.. ee… eeh sir,” James murmured trying to quickly swallow the un-chewed bread and groundnut in his mouth.
“But I said I will see what I can do…” The man said to James.
“Yes sir, I heard you and that is why I have been waiting…” James replied.
“What do you want me to do now?” The man asked James, and smiling after noticing that James has been eating the bread which he kept in his back pocket.
“Bo r…. but I already told you what I will do for you sir…” James replied.
The man said; “Ok!... try and meet me here on Monday morning.”
“Thank you sir,” James said as he lifts a plank lying across the road, which he carried and place beside the wall, and then left. He moved few steps and turned around. He saw the man still staring at him and felt shy that he quickly said;
Bye bye sir… Great mummy o.
And immediately increases his walking step speed and space as he walks out of the site.

After church the following Sunday, James went to Gani who resides few rooms away in the same hostel block with him.
“Gani! Gani!…
Gani the Dantata of garri!
The Fajemirokun of Kuli!
And the Doyin of suger!
Indeed the most influential businessman of our time. Any other garri seller in this hostel shall sell and not make profit.”
James hails Gani as they exchange handshakes. Other students in the room start to laugh.
“O boi, na garri o…” James said to Gani.
“K! how many hand;” Gani inquired.
“O boi, you too much. Na any how you feel do am for your boi o. as I dey so I never chop since last night… To avoid story that touch, make I just say 2 burdens sha and #5 disturb, make I no add the pain join am for you, because as I dey so… I no hold coins at all.” James replied to Ganni.
“James, I don’t understand all this your terms o,” Gani said turning away from James and bringing out an almost filled sack of garri from his cupboard, while James explained;
“You know say I no get money na, and as you won help me so, the garion go be the burden wey I want put on top you, and the kuli go be the disturb, while the sugar go be the pain wey i no need add for you.”
Gani said after James was through with his explanation;
“You ehn….
You no dey ever get money.
If no be because say you they help me do my assignments, walahi I for no sell credit give you.”
Ganni was selling the garri for James while James bent down putting out his 100cl stainless cup.
“Oh boi… How about jara now? you no dey try for your boiz o.“ James said as Gani was returning his sack of gari.
Gani replied to James saying;
“Come and get it after I have become Nigerian president…
Just dey pray for me, walahi I go give you then.”
James quickly responded saying;
“Who?…………….. you?
Nigerian president?
See Gani o… like say na gari them dey sell for there.
Gani ehn, make i advice you, and I hope say you no go ever forget my kind advice.
Just hold on to your divine talent and who knows, you may someday become the Dantata of garri and the Fajemirokun of kuli.”
The joke continues and James has almost finished his garri, as he continues to eat it dry.
“Hey James… see you! No be soak you won soak that gari drink,” said one of the students present in the room.
“Oh boi eeh…
See me forget myself when Gani talk say him won become Nigerian president.
Gani of all people… Nigerian president? Gani wey like money pass his mother… Nigeria go suffer!
See, my garri saviour, I go pray for you. But you go suffer pass the people wey they carry leg go Mecca before you fit become Nigeria’s oga patapatest”. James said and immediately rushes out of Gani’s room.

It was Monday morning, and James got up very early Just as usual. He read for two hours and did his morning prayer at around 6:00 am. He rushed down to the site where he met the man on Friday, so that he could still make it back for his 10:00 lecture; so he thought. He got there and met no one, and it was then he realized that he must have come too early. He wander about for more than an hour until he saw the same boy he had seen with the man on Friday approaching his direction.
“Good morning brother. It was you that I saw on Friday right?“ James asked as Shola got to him.
“Yes… How about this man?” Shola asked James as James question collide with Shola’s question. James was also asking; “How about that man? I mean the man I saw you here with on Friday.”
“Ah… ehn… but I thought you were together?” Shola replied James.
“I thought same too,” James Said.
“Okay o,” shola concluded.
“I am James; I was here on Friday hoping to take the painting work of this house.”
Shola stared at James with surprise, but James did not notice as he continues his talk.
“You see, I’ll paint this part chocolate. I’ll add a little mushroom to this place, and to lighten the shading, I’ll use cream as the major colour.”
Shola was lost in surprise as his mouth was left in ajar. James noticed him, thought he must be excited and continues…
“Look at the environment brother… from far, cream may look too ordinary. I think I’ll have to darken it a bit.
And do you think the man will pay me well… oh! I am putting the last question first … I told him that I’ll do the work on credit. Do you know if he will pay me when he has money?”
Shola; not only surprised but was also amazed at James analysis about how he will paint the building. “If this man meets this boy, he may not want to give me the job again o;” he thought within himself.
“Don’t worry James, the man is a nice man… so he will pay you, and in fact better than anybody would do. And that is why I love working with him.” Shola said to James.
“Okay shola!”… James concluded.
“But what kind of job do you normally do for him?” James asked Shola.
Shola, who had stayed mute for few seconds, suddenly rose up his head to talk, and saw the man coming.
“Enhen!… see the man is coming,” Shola immediately told James.
When the man got to them, shola greeted him saying;
“Good morning sir… I hope you had a good sleep?”
“Yes shola,” the man replied while looking at James who immediately greeted him.
“Ehen boy… You were the boy from Friday I recalled. Very good of you to have come this morning as agreed.”
Shola quickly interrupted saying;
“Sir, he’s James.
We met over the weekend, and he will be working with me… we will do the job together.” He immediately turned to James saying;
“James, tell him how we’ve planned to do it? …I mean just exactly as we discussed here this morning.”
James was surprised, but did not want to mess up his first painting job at Offa after searching hard to get one, so he begin explanation just exactly as he have explained to Shola. Shola also backed his explanation up with the chart he was holding, pointing fingers at each corresponding colour mentioned by James for the man to see.
The man got very excited with the imagination of how beautiful his house will look when the job is completed, and immediately gave out the work to the two of them. James, whose elder brother’s name is also Shola, felts so delighted to found out about Shola’s name, claiming that he’s also his real brother from another mother. And that was how James and Shola met.

Part2

The poor great dad

James hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of the central and yes, only Nigerian conference state; Kogi State, where the two biggest Nigerian rivers make an agreement. Ayetoro Gbede Is a fast growing town located few miles west of the great Kabba; along the Kabba - Ilorin road. And now you have a clue of where Ayetoro Gbede may be after hearing Kabba, I believe. The Kabba, Ijumu and Yagba people who all live west of Kogi state are regarded together as the Okun people, which is a sub tribal group of the Nigerian Yoruba’s. This people are as well popularly known and called the “Kabba people” across Nigeria and beyond. We are the Kabba boys among our mates, and yes we never take last. We are very happy and positive people, full of hope, energy and enthusiasm. And just like every other tribal group of Nigeria, we have been breaking waves both nationally and internationally, leaving remarkable footprints on the black’s land, and making renowned history in the world. You must have had of Chief Jide Omokore, Major Gen. David Jemibewon, Sen. Smart Adeyemi, Ach Yomi Awoniyi, Chief Bayo Ojo SAN, Prince Olushola Akanmode, Otunba Dino Melaye and Late Pastor S S Jemigbon to mention but few on the endless list of the Kabba boys who have grown to become great men and achievers, having both national and international recognitions through their numerous selfless contributions to the greatness of Nigeria and Africa. This spirit of positivity possesses by the Okun people must have been the reason why James was able not just to survive but still graduates with a distinction amidst his uncommon difficulties.
James is from a family of two, been the youngest child of the family with his elder brother; Shola. His father; Mr Morohunfehinti is a young commercial driver, which despite not been able to make much for the family, believes so much in his two sons future. And will do all within his power to ensure that they never end up like him. James mother; an orphan called Wuraola and popularly known as Iyaniwura was a woman of “family first”. She got married to her husband; Mr Morohunfehinti when she was around 19 years old, and since then she has not been enjoying much love from her siblings who believes that she is her husband’s dog, that takes all commands and instructions from her husband and will not hesitate to divulge any secret between them, or anything that they told her to her husband.
Mr Morohunfehinti loves his family so much and they were living though not with too much but happily. He’s found of playing with his sons every night after work. And though could not teach them formal education nor help them with their assignments, but he never forgets to ask them about it. They have a neighbour named sister Iyabo who the two young boys meet every day after school for their assignments. So there father will ask them every day that;
“James …. Shola
Have you done your assignments?
Okay! …don’t forget to go and great sister Iyabo tomorrow morning o.
I hope you understand all that she taught you?
And I believe she treats you well?”
Then after which he will also tell them;
“James… Shola,
You see,
Everything that you know both in school and at home is your gain.” And he will show them either his car key or money, and ask them;
“Do you know what this is and what it is been used for?”
The boys most of the time will respond;
“Yes daddy, we know what it is and what it is use for.”
Then he will tell them;
“Imagine that you don’t know it… what will you say?
You definitely will be looking just as you’re looking now.
So everything you don’t know is your lost… and my great boys, you can know a lot of things, if you read and study well.
Believe me! The more you know, the less you will be a dummy when asked or faced with something and you are expected to respond or act.”
James was though very playful, but was the wonders among his mate, maintaining first position in his class as if it’s his birth right. Perhaps that was the reason for his popularity. His elder brother, Shola was not doing so well in school like James, but their father never treats him as such. Instead he’ll tell him every time when they are alone together that;
“Shola, you see…
You may not have the best of report card from school, and you may not be the most popular among your mates… but I am proud of you.
I am proud that you are my son.
I am proud that you’re James brother. And I strongly believe in you.
I believe you can do anything, even better than your younger brother because you’re older than him, and you know much more than he’ll ever know. But you’re just not concentrating.
But listen to me my son, and always remember my worlds.
I’ll never beat you when you fail
And I’ll still keep both your Christmas and end of the year gift coming.
But I hope you’ll never forgive yourself when you get to the exam hall and was faced with something that you’re expected to have known, and you could not make an attempt at it.”