Monday March 30th
The mood in Aso rock was pensive. Aides and staff of the Villa wore long faces. Even some that were excited about the turn of events could not risk a smile for fear of being accused of gloating over their Principal’s misfortune at the polls.

Jona had just returned from his meeting with ECOWAS delegates. At the meeting, he had given them his word that he’ll stir the country away from major crisis. He paced up and down his bedroom uneasily. The news emanating from the field is not favorable, the temptation to interfere with the process was very huge and the pressure from his party stalwarts was enormous.

He caught his image on the mirror and could barely recognize the man standing before him. His eyes looked swollen from going many nights without sleep. The stress of the office he occupies has taken a toll on him physically and mentally. But he was determined to bequeath the nation a worthy legacy of credible election, even if it is the only thing Nigerians will remember him for. He has recently realized that his major undoing was paying heed to all manner of advice that only served to alienate him from the masses. This time, he was determined to do right by his conscience.

Jona picked up his phone and placed a call to his Service Chiefs. His message was simple “no one should interfere with the process, not even members of my party”. He was determined to satisfy his conscience even if it means losing out. He has made so many mistakes in the course of his leadership and he was not ready to add the dismemberment of the nation to it. For the first time in many months, he felt at peace with himself.

Tuesday 1.30pm
Mama Peace was glued to the TV like an ordinary Nigerian watching as Collation officers reel out results from different states. This was the first time she was feeling powerless since assuming office as the most powerful woman in Nigeria after the exit of Turai. This one was beyond her control especially not with an umpire that has just reprimanded Elder Orubebe like a school boy in the full glare of the world. She couldn’t take it any longer. She reached for her phone to call the PDP campaign office.

Femi was shell-shocked as he watched the shellacking his party was receiving in the hands of his former party. He never believed it was a possibility especially after the blistering media campaign he unleashed against the General. His thoughts were interrupted by the call coming into his cell phone. It was the President’s wife. ‘A toad certainly does not run in the daylight for nothing’, he knew that whatever made Mama Peace to remember him must be serious.

“Good Afternoon Ma”, Femi greeted
“Femi the Afternoon is not good oh, Mama Peace interjected”
“Please tell me say wetin you talk yesterday say PDP dey lead with 3 million in 23 States votes na true”.
“Madam, from our projections, we believed we were leading”, Femi said.
Which one be Projector again Femi, Mama Peace queried angrily.
“ Em em... I mean, we feel say we been dey win”, Femi stammered in a subdued tune. A long silence ensued and suddenly, Mama Peace exclaimed…. Chai, Chai, hmmmm... Femi Femi so, na so we waka comot.
The phone fell off her hands as she burst into fits of uncontrollable sobs.

Tuesday 5pm Nigerian time
General could hardly believe the unfolding history being made as the 35 states already announced has placed him on the threshold of victory. After 3 previous attempts that all ended in defeat, he knew better than to start celebrating yet. His phone buzzed, the caller was Aisha.

“Good evening Mr. President”, Aisha greeted her husband of 26 years. General smiled and responded, you know that it's not official yet Madam First Lady. Aisha could not believe what was happening. She had given up and had tried everything possible to dissuade Baba from what she thought was ‘a mission impossible’. She had watched in agony as her fellow woman denigrated her husband in the name of campaign while Ayo Fayose never failed to tear his husband into shreds at the slightest sight of the media.

The vicious documentary that demonized her husband and insulted her family, was difficult to stomach and she persuaded Baba to give up and throw in the towel. When Aisha was attacked in Kwara in the course of her campaign, General felt sorry for dragging her into a turf she had no strength to engage in. He was already used to their insults and attacks but he could not bear the pain his dutiful wife was passing through because of his ambition. Remembering all these drew tears from the eyes of the General. His perseverance and resilience has paid off, Aisha’s sacrifice has not been in vain. He allowed the tears of joy to flow freely!

Two large portraits stood side by side inside the study of Burdillon mansion; one, the picture of the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the other, the portrait of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. He gazed at the portrait of the man whose ideology shaped his political outlook. They may have different approaches to actualizing their ambition, while Awo is all brains, he combines brains and brawn.

His kinsmen in Afenifere derided him for wanting to equate himself to their mentor Awolowo. Even one moral misfit boy George made it his lifetime ambition after returning from prison, to send Jagaban Borgu on political retirement. He grinned widely in astonishment of what he has accomplished. That was his finest moment in his entire political career!

One man that could not control his emotion although his name was not on the ballot was Rotimi Amechi. It was a personal victory for him, a triumph of principles over greed. He has been hated by many for daring to challenge the First family, he was labeled a traitor. When his Deputy, Tele Ikuru, dumped him to join his transducers, he broke down in tears thinking he may have made the biggest mistake in his political career.

Plans have been concluded to deal with him when he leaves office and after General must have lost again. Just then he remembered what the scripture said in Lamentation 3vs37, “who is he that saith it and it cometh to pass when the lord has not commandeth it not?” He bowed his knees, threw his hands to the heavens as he sang to the Most High in tears, saying ….ibu ngalaba ji isi ulo mu eh.

The end
©Honest Offor
Twitter handle @honest4change

Story plenty

Beautiful write up,
I love that Asiwaju paragraph!

very interesting write up.

Anyway I was in festac this morning when two igbo guys were seriously arguing with a yoruba guy. They igbo guys were telling the yoruba dude that the entire southeastern people voted for buhari but their votes were massively rigged to favour jonathan. Lol.. I just looked at them and smiled. And I know, the igbo folks will always survive the murky politics of Nigeria.

Nice One OP

Good

Catchy narrative. I enjoyed reading it. We need more of this.

I can't wait to read what Tell Magazine and Newswatch Magazine tell us in the next few weeks. A lot of thing happened in the last six months that we need t know.

NICE

I love the catchy caption 'the return of the General'. Bode George is already packing his stolen goods as soon as the General was declared winner.

ferhyntorlah:
Catchy narrative. I enjoyed reading it. We need more of this.