₦airaland Forum

michlins:
Finally am here. Glad my time is worth it

Welcome onboard man!

sheycrown:
Hey centino booboo, I'm here o. Thanks for the update.
Irikefe should better run before mama gets him. Btw, what did Maya do to mama sef.

Evil mostly defies rationality. Maybe Maya is weak. Weakness is a magnet.

jagugu88li:
Now the games begin.........

There's that wired me rooting for Mama but, the good civilian in me is blocking everything.....

Get them Mama. Show them who who are

space01:
I must confess, I have been a ghost follower. Weldon Sir. Plzz kindly come and continue what you have started. Pllzzzz. I kept looking at my phone every minute. Thanks. Yours faithfully
Ghost followers association. [color=#990000][/color]

Kaycee9242. As requested Where is my Preetiex mbok? nkay2020, you too fashied me. INDUSTRIALFAN...issorait. jagugu88li (We went to front page again after your comment) correct babe , sheycrown, kikiwendy, how nau?



EXILE


She met him already perched on the roof.

“I thought you were not coming.”

“I had to.”

“Are you really afraid of them?”

“Yes.”

“But you always said fear was an impediment.”

“Not this kind of fear.”

“What kind of fear is this?”

“I am afraid that they are not afraid anymore.”

“But it is just Irikefe and his father. How about the others?”

“It is still too soon.”

“Then you are really afraid.”

“Yes I am.”

“So what will we be doing now?”

“We can’t change our nature. We will continue to do our thing. But I am not yet ready to go back.”

“Then why did you come out tonight?”

“I needed to think. I can’t think clearly in my body.”

“It’s the boy Irikefe right?”

“Yes.”

“We should kill him right?”

“Yes.”

“But not without his help right?”

“Yes, not without his help.”

“That is easy. He is reckless.”

“I know.”

“How should we do it?”

“Dispatch him through a weakness I know. He likes money. He wants to be rich tomorrow. I can set a trap for him and he will let down his guard so I can afflict him. But I want him to die slowly and painfully. I want him to see my face every day during sleep and wakefulness for a year before he passes away.”

“What was he thinking acting like that?”

“He who the gods want to destroy they first make mad.”

“True.”

“So what will you do?”

“I think I know what I will do.”

“Tell me.”

“Not yet.”

“Okay.”

“Thanks for not insisting.”

“I trust you, that’s why.”

“Good.”

“How about Maya?”

“Visit her and find out what she has in mind.”

“We are still taking the baby right?”

“Of course.”

“When are we doing that?”

“There’s still time. At the middle of pregnancy when the baby is about to have its first kick, that is when the spirit enters the forming body. I will send one of my sisters in.”

“So she will have a girl?”

“Yes. Girls are more loyal to the cause. You when you grow up and start pursuing women, one will catch you and take you to a church and they will deliver you like Jim Iyke. Then all this training I am giving you will be wasted. But a girl, instead of them to deliver her she will bring me ten pastors.”

He chuckled and said, “They will never deliver me.”

She ignored him and said, “Nowadays, putting the perfect soul inside them is so much easier. They don’t only parade about with their pregnancies and wear so-called sexy clothes, they take pictures and put it on facebook. They do not know that there is a reason our mothers used to hide and hide us from people at certain stages of pregnancy. They knew a being would incarnate in the growing foetus and they took the precaution to ensure foul spirits don’t get attracted by association. But now, even I can easily get to them in broad daylight and stroke their tummies. And yet they wonder why there are black sheep in seemingly perfect families or people who are not better than the vilest animals in behaviours and inclinations parading themselves as human beings. It is they who open the door for these ones to come in.”

He chuckled and said, “So Maya gets a daughter who will, in fact, be your sister who is like us waiting to return.”

“Correct.”

“How do we make certain the sex of the baby?”

"That is already taken care of by nature. I was hoping they had sex the day they did. It was three days to her ovulation. The sperm doesn’t swim that fast by the time the egg arrives. 90% chance it becomes a girl. It was a long shot but it happened. We were always in luck.”

“I see.”

They were quiet for a minute then he said “So no action tonight?”

“Go to Maya if you must, but don’t make a fuss. You just want to go and read her mind. We must let everyone forget about our existence for a while. No one will show marks of having been scratched, no stories of having been pressed in their sleep, nothing. Let Irikefe and his father believe they have won, and then he will make his mistake. I also need to get close to Maya and be nice to her. After tonight, no more bad dreams for her so she does not go and live in a church. We will have to stay close, for when she will be ready to receive the new soul.”


Achike turned to Mama Tobi and said, “Is it real pregnant that she is pregnant or the type she was pregnant when that monkey came to marry her?”

“Achike, there she is, ask her.”

“But Mama Tobi…”

“Shey the first thing I asked you was whether you live in this compound?”

“Yes ma.”

“Why do you think I asked you that?”

“Because of the rumours that that new calabar boy is disturbing her.”

“Rumours abi? And disturb. Okay” she sneered, and slapped a mould of fufu on the celophone on her hand and wrapped expertly and threw into the basin by her side.

“Please ma can you find out for me if she is serious or not?”

Achike had been good to her today, even though she now sees that he had had an ulterior motive all along. Nevertheless he had done work worth more than N5,000 for her. The least she could do was to be civil with him.

“Alright. I will ask her. Thanks again for your help.”

Achike stood and scratched his head, not quite sure what to do next. But clearly he had been dismissed, he would go and buy aboniki balm and rub on his waist after having a bath. So all that fufu turning was for nothing, he thought, as he went back to his room. That Calabar boy just came and ruined his life!


Maya came out of the room red eyed and said to her mum “What did that man want?”

Her mother looked up at her and shook her head.

“I said what did he want?”

“He wants to marry you. But he has come too late. Shebi Calabar preek was sweeting you? Now that it has happened, where is he? Ntoiiii!” she said pulling down her lower eye lids and eposing watery pink skin. “Did I not tell you?”

“I will marry him.”

Mama Tobi stopped dead.

“What?”

“I will marry brother Achike if he will have me like this.”

Mama Tobi could see that her daughter was broken. It was the only reason she would be saying something so stupid. She had once been young and in love, and she had seen the Calabar boy in question. There was no woman who would not fall for the boy. But then, a good erection did not make a man, and her poor daughter had just found that out. She should not be too hard on her girl she reasoned. She was not the first and would not be the last to be in that kind of situation. So she washed her hands and stood up and held Maya, who fell in to her arms and wept.


Irikefe opened the door and found his father seated on the armchair and staring straight at him. He knew his father. He knew he was in trouble.

“Irikefe!”

“Papa.”

“Irikefe!”

“Papa.”

“Irikefe!”

“Papa”

“How many times I call you?”

“Three times papa.”

“Wetin dey worry you for head?”

“Nothing Papa.”

“Nothing ehn?”

“Yes nothing Papa.”

Papa Efe stood up and held Irikefe by his belt and brought his face closer to his son’s.

“I think say you don grow up. I no know that you still dey very stupid.”

“What do you mean Papa?”

“What I tell you about Mama Akunna?”

Irikefe suddenly went limp.

“You know what you don do?”

“I didn’t do anything Papa.”

With that, Papa Efe planted his knuckles on Irikefe’s head and his eyes shook in their sockets as he fell on the bed.

“What I tell you about that woman?”

“You said we should not humiliate her.”

“What you come do?”

“Papa I…”

“Person no dey use tail of tiger to fan him body. Pack your things now. I dey send you to Warri for one year.”


TO BE CONTINUED

alphaconde:
lol am waiting continue and end it first

e go tey.

tori plenty.

unless okadabooks fit catch me

alphaconde:
@CENTINO THIS WOULD PASS FOR A SOAP OPERA ALREADY SPANNING MONTHS

help turn it into one na

Nextlevel10:
Well done Centino. Should we expect update soon?

Yes. Sunday.

ogyunging:
Lmao!!!!!! Here is a master piece. Encore! Encore!! Encore!!! *Patientlyfollowing*

Welcome onboard

Cadec007:
Chai centino u wont kill me with laff i started the story yesterday and i just caught up with you pple.......you are very talented nice story.............da òwö ndi follower ñfo idahado........hope you get?

Most definitely man! Welcome onboard.

kikiwendy:
Awwwwnn.. Nice story
This efe boy dey play with fire ni
Centino dear how are you doing?

I'm alright kikiwendy. Thanks

Thanks y'all for the appreciation.

meetbalo:
Centino, are u not ndifreke again? Why are u not using the first-person naration any longer?

To better capture other POVs

THE RESULT

“Tell me irikefe. What has happened?” Ndifreke said, dead serious.

“Bros it’s nothing. I had a frank talk with Mama about the way she has been in this compound; constantly harassing and being a nuisance. She understood and promised to change. I was just testing to see if she really has.

“Don’t give me that nonsense Irikefe.”

“Okay I have her nudes,” Irikefe said and grinned.

“I am not joking.”

“But bros I don tell you na.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes bros.”

Irikefe could not look Ndifreke in the face. He would have loved to tell him but his dad had told him not to.

“When you win war, is not good to humiliate your opponent. This is like war we win. We will not do like say anything happened, but I know that she will humble now,” Papa Efe had said. His father would not approve of what he was doing now, but Irikefe could not resist the chance to use Mama Akunna to shine.

“So you, of all people talked to Mama Akunna and she suddenly becomes meek and sweeping the compound at your say so?”

“Bros anybody can change. You no see as Castro sef repent?”

“Nonsense.”

Irikefe laughed hard and bent over. “So you know bros?”

“It’s easy to see through him. Don’t change the subject. What have you done to Mama Akunna?”

“Honest to God truth na im I tell you so. Mama has changed. Anybody can change.”

Ndifreke regarded Irikefe for a full minute and said, “Okay I will wait till you are ready to tell me.”

Irikefe looked away and freed himself from Ndifreke’s grip.

Ndifreke looked at Mama Akunna as she straightened up every now and again holding her waist as she swept. He turned and went back inside where Maya was waiting for him in his room.

As soon as he looked at her face, he knew.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Ndifreke put his hands on his head.

“My mum told me to go for a test and I did. It’s positive.”

“What are we going to do now Maya?”

“I don’t know Ndi.”

“I don’t want to say I told you so, but this could have been avoided.”

“I know. I don’t regret what we did.”

“My God,” Ndifreke said and began to pace the room.

Maya went close to him and he recoiled, ever so subtly. She stood and regarded him for a beat and turned and left the room.

“Maya” he called feebly. He sank onto the floor in a corner and cried.



Achike selected his best tshirt and three quarter length jeans and a fez cap. Today he would make his first move. He had seen her going out that morning and made sure to greet her properly and gained her attention. He has not been able to remove the sway of her hips from his mind. He could already see her carrying his child. He put on his sneakers and dark sunglasses and regarded himself in the mirror. He was convinced he looked the part. If not for his tummy, he could have been mistaken for P Diddy. Then he waited for when there were fewer people at the backyard and then made his move.

Mama Tobi was struggling with the fire that cooked her fufu when Achike appeared and stood smiling.

“Achike, this one that you dressed like you want to sing shakiti bobo and smiling like a roasted goat, if you don’t have work come and help me nau.”

“Oh really?” He said and moved towards her.

“Give me the stick let me help you ma. This is what my grandmother used to do. Mama Tobi handed him the ladle and stepped aside. Achike took it and spread his legs and began to turn the thick cassava paste. Mama Tobi was surprised to see how well Achike was doing it. She turned to the opposite side and stoked the fire while Achike continued to turn the fufu.

“Ha Achike, you are doing it so well. The woman that will marry you will enjoy o!”

When he heard that, Achike took off his sunglasses and removed his tshirt.

“Mama Tobi, today I will show you the part of me you have not seen before.”

“Achike Achike. My son. God will bless you.”

Achike proceeded to cook three cauldrons of fufu and also offered to take the whole thing upstairs and to wrap them into single serve portions Mama Tobi sold for fifty naira each.

“You don’t have to bother Achike, you have done enough already.”

“No ma. It is nothing.”

“But you were dressed like you were going somewhere. If I wasn’t so tired I wouldn’t have let you turn all that fufu.”

“It is nothing Ma. Just show me what to do” Achike said and scooped a basin of hot fufu and placed it on his head and headed for the top floor. Mama Tobi was now suspicious. When he had finished carrying all her utensils and then settled down with her to begin to wrap the fufu mama Tobi then asked the question “What do you want Achike?”

“Er Mama, that can wait. Let us finish this before the fufu gets cold. You know your customers like it hot.”

She held his hand as he was about to pick up a serving gourd and he looked up, sweat was pouring from his head.

“Achike” she said. I have lived in this compound for thirty years. I was here when you first came to live with your brother until you inherited his room. I know you are a good man, but I also know that you are not Father Christmas. Now tell me. What do you want?”

“Your daughter” Achike blurted. He was exhausted from all that fufu turning business and he knew that he would need to have his waist massaged before he would be able to function normally again. He had no energy for any more niceties.

“Which one?”

“Maya na, Mama Tobi. Which other one would I want?”

They were seated in the corridor near her door, where Mama Tobi always sat to wrap her fufu. At the mention of her name Maya breezed past them into the room.

Mama Tobi looked up. She knew she had gone to tell him. And she could tell that it did not go well.

“You will have to ask her yourself Achike.”

“But Mama Tobi.”

“Achike you live in this compound don’t you?”

“I do but…”

“Achike, ask her.”

Achike straightened up, produced a small towel from his hip pocket and wiped his face dry. Surely, this was consent from her mother. He did not think it was going to be easy whichever way he went about it. So he went and knocked on Maya’s door.

“What is it?” she said sobbing.

“Are you alright Maya? Achike called.

“No I’m not.”

“Can I come in?”

“No”

“What is the matter?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Chineke mee!” Achike said and turned and looked at Mama Tobi. Mama Tobi shrugged and continued to do what she was doing.



As soon as Mama Akunna had laid out her table for the night’s business Irikefe turned up.

“Mama de mama” he began.

“Wetin you want?”

“Don’t give me that nonsense Mama. You can speak English better than the Queen. I heard you. So stop this yeye pidgin you are speaking and answer me in good English”

“My pikin…”

“I am not your pikin.”

Mama Akunna looked deeply into Irikefe’s eyes but the boy was unmoved.

“I am not afraid of you,” Irikefe said.

“Good for you.”

“What did you say?”

Mama Akunna remained quiet and proceeded to arrange her benches.

“Let me ask you something Mama.”

She ignored him and continued what she was doing.

“Do you know how to turn to a snake?”

Mama Akunna stopped for a moment and then she pretended not to hear him.

“Because you changed to everything but not a snake that night.”

Mama Akunna pulled a plastic bucket with a cover from under her table, sat down, opened the bucket, and began to rinse her shot glasses and stainless steel cups in silence.

“Snakes are busy swallowing millions, and you are here changing to rat to come and disturb my poor father.”

If Mama Akunna could still hear him, there was nothing in her demeanor to suggest that that was the case.

“See mama, we can use this your talent for serious business. Let me carry you to central bank in Abuja, when we get to the gate, you just change into a snake and go into the vault and bring out some millions. I will be waiting for you outside. I will make sure that even if they see you they will not kill you. Then when you come, you hand the money to me and change back to yourself then we will come back to Lagos. How about that Mama?”

If she was angry, Mama Akunna did not show it. Her first customer came and took his seat and looked at Irikefe curiously. He remained where he was unperturbed. Then when there were three customers, Irikefe said to Mama Akunna “Okay mama I wan go. Give me that three thousand wey I give you to keep.”

Mama Akunna looked at him wide eyed.

“Check inside your wrapper. Na there you put am.”

Mama Akunna looked at her customers and saw the curious look on their faces and then smiled and loosened her wrapper and then loosened a small knot at the tip and produced three five hundred naira notes.

“Na one five I get” she said.

“Okay I go come back for the balance when you don sell,” Irikefe said and took the money from Mama Akunna and bowed politely and turned and walked away.

Mama Akunna knew when he left that she would not be sleeping in her body that night.


TO BE CONTINUED.

sheycrown:
Hehehehehehe,I won't be there when mama comes back for this boy o. Centino how have you been??

Been alright sheycrown. Thanks for checking dear.

TURNING THE TABLES

Papa Efe stirred awake and tried to get orientated with his surroundings. He felt the heaviness of his legs and tasted the palm kernel oil in his mouth and immediately understood. He looked up and saw his son watching him.

“Welcome back papa.”

“Where I go to?”

“You were holding on to Mama Akunna’s wrapper and would not let go.”

“God forbid.”

Irikefe smiled and said, “That means I was right to use the potion and it worked.”

Papa Efe tasted his lips again and sat up on one elbow. “The potion must work. It has been working for five hundred years,” he said.

“I’m glad papa.”

“How it happen?”

“You don’t see ogogoro and know yourself again na. It was the crayfish they used to catch the biggest rat.”

Papa Efe had noticed that Efe had matured since he returned from the village. He now had a nonchalance about him that came with a realization of one’s place in life. It was the first time his son had cast any kind of aspersion on him to his face. That was Efe announcing that he now considered himself a man.

“So what happen?”

“You mean you don’t remember at all?” I thought it was a case of you being determined to do something regardless of what anyone said. That is how jazz is right?”

“I don’t remember. I suppose not to forget everything. Is not normal. Oya, help me to stand up. We must do something.”

Irikefe helped his father up and he hobbled to the food locker and opened a drawer he did not always open. He brought out a bottle similar to the one Irikefe produced earlier and brought out a bowl and collected water in it. He poured salt into the water and poured some of the content of the bottle and stirred with a ladle. He then sprinkled the content all over the room and then produced two brooms. From each, he took five sticks and placed at the door mouth and window ledge respectively. He then handed his son a broom and kept one.

“If na what I dey suspect all this while, we will get a visitor tonight. Don’t fear if you hear or see anything. Just pick up your broom.”


As soon as she opened her eyes she knew she had entered a trap. She was like a cockroach in a web, unable to move in any direction. She closed her eyes again and thought about the roof but felt hot burning liquid on her body as she remained fastened to the spot where she was.


Papa Efe sprinkled the water on the apparition again and suddenly it changed into a translucent elephant, and then a lion of similar consistency, and then a donkey and then a brick wall.

“Wipe am broom!” he said to Irikefe who was trembling on his feet. “Wipe am!”

Then suddenly Irikefe remembered the Grandmaster telling him not to be afraid. And also remembered his father telling him earlier also not to be afraid. “She want us to fear make she escape. Wipe am!” And then Irikefe charged in and began to flog the apparition with the broom while his father continued to sprinkle the water concoction on it. Irikefe watched the kaleidoscope of animals, which then settled as a lion for a long time. He continued to hit it with the broom and watched as the lion grew bigger and bigger and then began to shrink. It shrank and shrank and shrank until it was the size of a cat and then changed into an actual cat. Papa Efe homed in on it and started chanting “oya show yourself. Show yourself! Show yourself now!”

Then without warning, it changed into Mama Akunna. Irikefe wet himself instantly. She was n*ked except for fresh palm leaves around her waist.

“Please, please, let me go.”

“Let you go where?”

“Please let me go.”

“Where you wan go? God don catch you today.”

“Please, you have to let me go.”

Irikefe began to feel light headed. This was not happening.

“I don’t belong here. You shouldn’t see me like this.”

“Everybody will see you like this. Na here you will be till daybreak.”

“No please. Anything you say I will do. Anything you want I will give you. But please let me go.”

“How come you speak so well?” Irikefe said.

“Please let me go.”

“How come…?”

“Concentrate!” Papa Efe snapped.

“What do we do now Papa?”

“She will be here till morning and then she will tell everybody what she is doing here and how she take reach here.”

Then suddenly there was a yellow flame and then the apparition turned into a small rat and slithered under the door.

“She have escape.”

“How come Papa? I thought we nailed her.”

“Was just for us to lose concentration for one second. That is all she need.”

“What will happen now?”

“She no go trouble us again.”

“What was she here for?”

“To do what winch do na. To press people.”

“What is this pressing winch press people?”

“Na fvck,” Papa Efe said before realizing it was his son he was talking to. But Irikefe smiled and said “Papa it is you she wants in that way. The woman like you too much.”

“When e reach time to press, na everybody winch dey press. You go see that it will reduce in this compound now.”

“You mean she won’t fly again at night?”

“E go tey. She almost die. Even winch wan live long.”

“Will she remember what happened in the morning?”

“Yes na.”

“What will she do when she see us?”

“Shame go catch am.”

“I can’t wait,” Irikefe said.

“She lucky to escape. If not by morning she no for wake up for her room.”

“Papa you mean Mama Akunna would have died?”

“Yes. Once day break she for no fit return to her body.”

“Next time she will not be so lucky.”

“There would not be a next time.”


The following morning Irikefe was with the boys discussing football. Everyone noticed he had a different air about him that morning but no one could place what it was.

“You see wetin dey happen to Chelsea?”

“My guy. I just tire!”

Dem dey frustrate Conte Mehn! How can you win the league and don’t get the backing of the board? If they had bought the players he wanted Man City would not be running away with the thing already.”

“They are tired of him. Abramovich want to see the face of a new coach.”

“They would soon run out of coaches I tell you. Who remain?”

“It is their model. You go surprise say, they will appoint Austin Eguavoen and he will go there and win. E dey work for dem.”

“Tottenham beat Arsenal. Upon the Aubemayang abi na wetin be hin name. Dat guy na Calabar boy o! All those Calabar people wey run go Equitorial Guinea.”

“He is from Gabon.”

“Whatever.”

Just then, Mama Akunna walked past and everybody straightened up and greeted her.

“Good morning Mama” they said in unison. They watched surprised as she responded with a nod and kept her face down.

Irikefe’s smiled broadened.

“Mama na you we dey greet.” He said.

“I don answer. Una gudu morning.”

“Em wait there” Irikefe said and Mama Akunna stopped. She had a black nylon bag in her hand and was obviously going to buy something.

“Where you dey go?”

“I dey go buy something.”

“Wetin you dey go buy?” Irikefe said standing straight with his hands in his pockets.

“I wan go buy akamu wey my gran pikin go drink”

“You no see as this compound dirty?”

Mama Akunna looked up and when their eyes met she quickly looked at her feet again.

“You dey go buy akamu wey everywhere be like dis?”

“Wetin you say make I do?”

“Oya go bring broom come sweep everywhere!”

Mama Akunna looked up and made to protest but Irikefe scowled at her and she turned to go back into the compound but Irikefe stopped her.

“Go for our shop, tell oga Josiah say I say make hin give you broom. Sweep inside the shop, after dat make you sweep this frontage.”

She looked up and saw that everyone had frozen and some had their mouths hanging open.

“I go do as you talk,” she said and faced the floor again and headed to Josiah’s shop.

Irikefe adjusted himself and then said “Eh hen guys. What were we saying?”

They all looked at Irikefe, still speechless. Then moments later, they saw Mama Akunna bent and sweeping the frontage.

“What is this Irikefe?” Ndifreke said grabbing him by the elbow.

“What?”

“What do you mean what? How the hell is Mama Akunna taking orders from you and sweeping the compound?!”

“Bros, the table has turned.”


TO BE CONTINUED

I understand, everyone. Even me I no satisfy. But I no wan talk now before dem say I promise. But make we dey watch. Have a great week folks.

THE POTION

They watched as the drinking senior citizens continued to lose their inhibitions. One was saying, “I am not afraid of Fulani herdsmen. I am ashamed to see what our people have become because of a group of gun totting illiterate bandits. Let them enter my farm and I promise them that both they and their cows will be suspended in the air with their heads facing down!”

“What does that mean now?”

“I am saying that I will deal with them the traditional way. We have become weak and spineless as a race because we have thrown away our God given way of life in return for an alien culture all in the name of Christianity and Islam. It is only when water pass garri that some will sneak out at night and go and seek the help of the gods. We always had our own working justice and defense system before we threw it all away calling it fetish. Let any Hausa man carry his cow and enter my farm and I will show them that Akatigolo is still alive!”

“I will summon Sango!” another said rising up and staggering on his feet.

“Me I will throw Nsibidi and they will not get up”

“Those days, there were no thieves as my father used to tell me. You can display your wares in front of your house and go inside your hut and sleep. When you come back later to check, you will see the corresponding amount of cowries against whatever has been removed from your wares. That was because the person taking your thing knows that if he does not drop the money, that his blokos would become too heavy for his waist by the time he gets to his house.”

“Instant justice!”

“Chai, those were the days. Imagine that happening to our politicians of today? As they are signing our billions into their Swiss accounts their children are dropping dead one after the other!”

“All of you talking, is it while you are here in Lagos enjoying tomatoes that that will happen? How many of you know the road to your villages still, not to talk of owning a farmland?”

While all this was going on, papa Efe was still focused on Mama Akunna who completely ignored him and was busy serving her other customers. Irikefe understood what was happening. Mama Akunna having taken care of her father left him on his own to concentrate on her business, as if to say I will be back for you.

“What do we do now?” Castro said.

“If he accepts another shot from her we will go in and take him.”

“How will you explain that? His friends will laugh at him that his son is sending him to bed like a child.”

“They are not his friends.”

“Well, everyone knows Papa Efe in the neighborhood. It will not be nice to just go in there and grab him like a child. It would have been different if he were drunk. He is not. He is only in love.”

“Na your papa dey love Mama Akunna.”

“I dey tell you wetin I dey see my guy. He has not taken his eyes off her for the five minutes we have been standing here.”

“Lawd! How can my father go from zero interest in her thirty minutes ago to drooling at her now after a few shots of ogogoro? That is why we will go and grab him. He will thank me later.”

Just then, one of the men said, “Papa Efe, you never see this woman before?”

Irikefe watched in horror as his father stood, smiled, and went and sat beside Mama Akunna; the smile never leaving his face. It was when Papa Efe bent and spoke into Mama Akunna’s ears and she giggled shyly that Irikefe flew onto the scene as Castro said, “Wait first”.

“Papa come, snake! Snake!”

Papa Akunna looked up at his son and squinted like he was seeing a stranger.

Irikefe grabbed him by the armpit and Castro took the other arm and they half dragged a confused Papa Efe away from the drunken group.

“What is this? What is wrong Efe?” Papa Efe muttered as the two boys led him inside. He even turned his head to look at Mama Akunna! “Lord” Irikefe muttered.

“What happens now?” Castro said as they sat him on his bed. Papa Efe was now groggy.

“Watch me” Irikefe said and went over to the food locker and returned with a pestle. Castro watched in horror as irikefe pinned his father down and hit him on both calves with the pestle. Papa Efe groaned and turned to look at his son. Then Irikefe produced a potion in a small bottle and made his father to drink it.

“What is that?” Castro said.

“It is made with palm kernel oil. My grandfather was a witch doctor as my dad told me. He specialized in antidotes for poisons and charms. He taught his children to make the potion and to always have some at home. My father kept this one and told me how to use it if I ever thought I needed it."

“Why did you hit his legs?”

“You never know what the jazz may lead one to do. So you first render the person immobile. That way, they can’t go out and have an accident if that was the plan of the wicked or be bitten by a snake or get laid by a witch” Irikefe said with a wink.

“He fell asleep at once,” Castro said.

“Yes. That is how it is supposed to work. I never thought I would ever do this.”

“But guy, this na talent wey una dey waste o! You can make this a business.”

“Gerrout!”

“Irikefe Herbal Home. Free Yourself From The Snares Of The Evil One With Natural Medicine. I can see the signboard already.”

“Ewu Gambia” Irikefe said and they laughed.

“Alright man. Your dad is lucky and I admire you. If it were my dad, I’d carry him to Mama Akunna’s bed myself.”

“Wetin your papa do you?”

“The man is full of sh*t and he is too ugly. See as I be na!”

“You have repented now. You must forgive him.”

“Na true. I have to go now. Take care o. What will you do if Mama Akunna came for her man?”

“I will be waiting. That potion is not the only one in this house.”

*

Mama Akunna’s eyes turned in their sockets but she collected herself before her customers could notice anything.

What was the little boy up to? She was restless for the rest of the evening and as soon as her last customer left, she hurriedly packed her things and closed shop.

“Wetin dey happen hia” Irikefe could hear Mama Akunna say in the corridor.

“Irikefe! Wetin do ya papa?”

“Mama he needs to rest,” Irikefe said from behind the closed door.

“What of the snake wey you say una see?”

“I don kill am.”

“Eheenn?”

“Yes ma.”


Later that night mama Akunna lay in her sleeping position and thought about what to do. Then at the hour when everyone was asleep, her essence left her body accompanied by her grand child’s and they met at the rooftop.

“Maya is pregnant,” the man said.

“I know.”

“So what happens now?”

“She may not keep it.”

“Why not?”

“They are not ready.”

“But we want them to keep it.”

“Yes of course.”

“Is there nothing we can do?”

“Of course there is something we can do.”

“Let me guess. Make her dream bad and fearful dreams.”

“You are learning fast my boy.”

“She will see blood and get warnings not to touch the pregnancy.”

“Absolutely.”

“Let me go and do it.”

“Okay. But she does not know yet. Her mother suspects.”

“Let her dream in advance so when she knows it is already in her mind not to do anything.”

“Alright. You can go.”

“What about you?”

“I am going somewhere else.”

“Alright.”

She closed her eyes and thought about Papa Efe and in that instant she arrived in his room.

Only that when she opened her eyes she was not expecting what she met.


TO BE CONTINUED.

Pinkfeet:
thanks for the update

how was ur health now .


this mama Akuna whala too much ooooo, na by force to marry.

I'm fine now thanks.

Essyprity:
this remedy for jazz, is it applicable to a real life situation? Centino well-done.

Still scared Essyprity?

fioky:
good one sir

Thanks Fioky.

I see you're a few minutes old on nairaland. Welcome.

YINKS89, Pinkfeet, okeyben10, Dhavido, Helenbee, dupsai

Better now guys. Managed to brush up what I had and updated before I retired last night. Enjoy and have a great week everyone.

Dackrapper:
Ghost mode deactivated

Welcome to the land of the living bro

THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS

Castro shook on his bed. He shook and shook and then sat bolt upright. Then he went on his knees and repeated “Yes Lord. Yes Lord. Thank you father. Here I am use me.”

His father heard him from the adjoining room, went into the main room, turned on the light, and watched his son collapse on his knees. His face was hidden between his thighs and he continued shaking and saying “Yes Lord, yes Lord”.

Mr Zubi shook his head and went back to his bed. His mother and brothers all sat up and watched him. Then Mrs Zubi, suddenly realizing what was happening screamed: “Praise the Lord!”

After five minutes of his epiphany Castro straightened up, looked at his brothers and said: “Brethren, I am a new creation”. Then he turned to his mother and opened his eyes wide and said “Woman! I am a new creation”.

“Praise the Lord,” she said.

Just then, they heard two clicks of an audibility check on a megaphone and light seemed to enter Castro’s eyes. He grabbed a shirt, unbolted the door, and was outside faster than Usain Bolt.

“Brothers and sisters repent for the kingdom of God is at hand, Matthew four seventeen!” Sister Esther hollered into the megaphone just as Castro reached the frontage.

“I don’t care what your pastors are telling you, but I will tell you to repent. Repent! They talk about money and prosperity; they talk about husbands, cars, houses. Brethren, remember that on the last day all these things will come to naught. Jesus did not come to give us money, husbands, or cars. He came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly, John ten ten. You do not need to be rich to enter heaven; you do not need to be married to be saved. You will not drive a car to salvation. Repent!”

“Sister! I am ready to repent!” Castro yelled.

Sister Esther stopped and turned. It was five minutes past five. The road was unusually busy that early. Then she remembered it was Tuesday and Aswani market day. People from their area thronged to the market for bargains and traders mostly closed their shops and took their wares to display at the open market there. Some stopped to see what was going on.

She recognized the voice as he spoke again. “Sister! I heard his voice. He has called me!”

“Praise be His holy name. Heaven is rejoicing now” sister Esther said.

“I heard his voice. Lead me to Him sister.”

*

Irikefe was just returning from the initiation rituals. It was an all night affair where the new boys had to take their oaths of allegiance and swear never to betray the others in the event that one got caught. He had made up his mind that he had had enough of being a Carpenter and was going to leave home to stay at number 35 where yahoo boys were known to cohabit. Having persisted for up to a month the boys agreed to let him join them, but not before he went to see the prophet. They were in a single file as the man they called Grandmaster – dressed in a white robe and spotting well trimmed beard and smelling of a designer perfume administered the oath to them one after the other. When it got to his turn the man pointed a giant feather at him and said: "this one is not ready."

"Why sir?"

"Your father needs you now."

"But I don't need him. It is precisely because of him I am leaving home."

"He is in trouble and only you can help him.”

"What are you saying, sir?"

"He is about to fall into a bad situation. Go back home. Save him first then come back."

"What am I supposed to do and what is going to happen?"

The man laughed and said, "Don't stay far away from him tonight. Pay attention. Don't doubt whatever your mind tells you. Anything you think you should do, do it and it will be the right thing."

"I still don't understand sir."

“Whatever happens, Do not be afraid."

The Grandmaster then turned away from Irikefe and faced someone else. Before he could speak again, they blindfolded him and took him away to a waiting vehicle.

They drove for two hours before they dropped him off where he could walk home and removed his blindfold.

*

As he neared the compound, he heard Castro’s voice:

"Brothers and sisters I have met Jesus. I made a mistake but in the true sense, I was on the road to Damascus. Because it was on that journey that I met Christ. Had I not been humiliated I would not have been humbled. Brethren, I heard his voice. I heard him loud and clear. Ask my mother and my brothers. From this day I will serve the Lord!"

“Amen” Sister Esther said.

Irikefe tried to work out what was happening. He saw that Sister Esther had relinquished her megaphone to Castro who was now rounding off the sermon. Daybreak was fast approaching so Sister Esther said a prayer and they both went back into the compound.

Later that morning Castro was out to the frontage wearing a shirt and tie over a pair of jeans and sneakers and was blessing everyone that passed. If anyone said “Castro wetin been do you?” he would reply, “I was on the road to Damascus” with a wide smile. And if they wanted to make any jokes, he shared the story of his encounter with Christ, witnessed by his family and then would say “Brother, sister, don’t laugh at me, my mistake led me to Christ. Think about your own salvation.”

Irikefe took him by the elbow and went to a corner.

"My man Castro! I give it to you, you get small sense."

"God bless you brother," Castro said.

"Shut up dia my friend."

A flash of anger crossed Castro's eyes but he checked himself.

“Of all things I did not think you would come up with this,” Irikefe continued wearing a wry smile.

“Brother, please what is it?” Castro said.

“I am not fooled Castro. I know say yansh still dey hungry you. Nice plan to keep them off your back but know that I am not fooled.”

“What do you want?”

“Good. Now that we understand each other, tell me, how does it feel to be whole again?”

Castro looked around, satisfied no one was near he said: “Guy, you be arm robber o!”

They pumped hands and even embraced. “I miss you this yeye boy” Irikefe said. “So because you no want make dem laugh you you go hide inside house, come decide to go Damascus come back.”

“See Irikefe, I am truly a new creation.”

“Get out.”

Castro laughed and scratched his head. “O boy those gals wicked. But I swear when everybody don forget I go go revenge.”

“E be like say you wan die.”

They both laughed and then Castro said: “So what has been happening?”

“Guy, not much. My papa don come back. I don go back to dey learn work with Josiah but e go soon end.”

“What of Bros Freke?”

“Bros na married man now o. E dey shine Maya congo every day now. E don dey go work sef. We no dey too see like dat. You know say when woman enter the equation, the formula go change.”

Castro chuckled and said “True my guy”

“And Mama Akunna has stated her ogogoro business.”

“God have mercy! Dem dey buy?”

“Na this frontage all the old men for Lagos dey gather now.”

“Jesu!”

“My brother I tire. I just happy say my papa never reach there once.”

“As your papa like ogogoro reach?”

“He hasn’t drank since he returned. I just thank God. I no trust dat mama.”

“Na wa o”

"And e be like say Undertaker and sister Esther don quarrel"

"Talk true!" Castro said paying greater attention now.

"He now cooks in the general kitchen at the backyard and left under the staircase for her alone."

"Really?"

"I don't know who he quoted but he told Cosmas 'girlfriend, boyfriend, friend, all of them have END in them apart from family'

"Holy Cow" Castro said and his smile grew even wider.

"Castro I need a favour from you.”

“Wetin be dat?”

“Come stay with me tonight.”

“Guy I no fit na. I don repent. I suppose enter house quick.”

“Tell them say you wan come preach for me. Something might happen tonight. I don’t know what but I don’t want to be alone.

*

They were seated on the soakaway slab where everyone could see them so Castro made it a point to lift his voice to punctuate their conversation with Hallelujah each time someone passed by close to them. Then suddenly Irikefe stood up.

“What is it Irikefe?”

“My father is going there.”

“Where?”

“To Mama’s shed. Come.”

They followed and stopped when they heard Papa Efe say “Who gave you permission to sit here and sell this thing?”

Irikefe felt relieved but watched in horror as things escalated and now his father was looking at Mama Akunna like she was Beyonce.

“I think she put something in his drink.”

“I think so too.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I am going to remove him from there”

“How?”

“I will take one arm and you will take the other. We will take him to the room and I will not leave him till his eyes clears."

“What if his eyes never clears. It may be jazz.”

“I am the son of an old man. My father once told me what to do if ever I suspect I have been jazzed.”

“What of Mama Akunna? If she has done anything to him, she will follow up.”

“I am going to kill her.”


TO BE CONTINUED.

Dhavido:
Centino, why don’t you call mama Akunna to give you some of roots so you can be strong.
Get well soon bro

Na wetin I just do now bros

Thanks everyone. I don manage tanda. Story loading...

Under the weather guys. Prepared it but didn't sound right. Now I'm drugged up in bed. Make una no vex.

THE OTHERS (CONTD)

Maya’s eyes flickered open. She was feeling it again. A hand was traveling up her thighs and this time, rather than beat it away she decided to stay still and see the end of it. She was too tired to prepare properly for sleep when she retired. Normally she would change into two-piece pyjamas and put a table between herself and her siblings. This she did without fail ever since she began to notice her brother’s unwholesome sleep behavior. Last night she returned home unusually tired so she just spread her foam in the only space she found and slept in her gown. Staying still, she orientated herself with the conditions that night and saw that her brother had positioned himself close to her. She could hear the gentle snore of her sister Clementina farther away on the other side of him. She steeled herself as his hands groped her thighs and began to travel even higher. Then it all came back to her. An innocent ten year old playing with her father. She was sick and could not go to school so she stayed back at home. He went on all fours and said they should pretend he was a horse. He carried her like that round their centre table. It made her laugh and she forgot the headache and fever she had started the day with. Then after a while, he said it was her turn to carry him.

“Daddy you are too big for me to carry.”

“Of course you can carry me.”

“No I can’t.”

“Okay I have an idea. Lie down and close your eyes.”

Maya chuckled with fascination. What was dad up to this time? She did as she was told and then he came and lay close to her and said “this game we are about to play is a secret game. No one must know we played it. Understand?”

“Yes daddy. But can I open my eyes now?”

“Not yet.”

Then Maya felt him lift up her dress and took off her pant. Then she felt his hand as he spread her legs and applied something sticky on her. She remembered the pain that followed to this day. She remembered his hand over her mouth to stifle her scream and her pleas. It went on until she passed out. She woke up in a hospital bed surrounded by family members and neighbors. “Daddy stop! Daddy stop!” She was able to say now. But her mum rushed to her side and held her in her arms and wept.

Anger welled up in her now as her brother’s action reopened old wounds. As his hand touched her vagina she stood up, groped her way to the corner of the room where their food locker was and found a ladle and came back and began to hit Tobi. He yelped like a puppy but she hit him even harder. Her mum and sister woke up to the commotion. Mama Tobi switched on the light and saw Maya standing over her brother and battering him.

“What is happening Maya?”

Maya stopped and looked her mother in the eyes. Her mother understood. She went on her knees and pleaded. “My daughter. Please don’t be angry. Please don’t tell anybody. I will not be able to bear the shame. I have not recovered from the one your father brought on us. Please.”

“But why mama? Why always me?” What have I done to deserve this?”

Mama Tobi turned to her youngest child and said “Clementina. You too will not say anything about what has happened tonight. You hear?”

“Yes mama,” Clementina said.

Then she jumped on Tobi and bit his ear and spat out a small piece. Her mouth was bloodied like a vampire’s.

“When you go out and people ask you why your ear is incomplete, you can tell them what you did,” Mama Tobi said.

Tobi bled profusely while he fought to stifle his cries. Maya found a bottle of methylated spirit and cotton wool and cleaned his wound. Tobi would need to go to Nurse Stella for tetanus injection in the morning.

Then she began to feel faint and vertiginous. She collapsed in a chair and stayed that way until she recovered her balance. Mama Tobi regarded her daughter for a minute, shook her head, and climbed back into bed. “Father let thy will be done,” she said.

*

Sister Esther lay in bed and waited. She knew he would be coming. But how long was this going to continue for? She was now thirty-nine, twice jilted – they both said it was because of her terrible temper; ostracized by her family, married to Jesus but having regular consummations with Kingsley. She left Enugu to Lagos to start afresh. Her office assistant job did no more than pay her rent and put food on her table while she waited on the Lord. She knew her temper was still bad, but constant prayers had helped her. Her only sin was Kingsley. She could not resist that mountain of a body and hairy chest and arms. It all started when one day in the backyard, possessed with the spirit of Rahab and with no one watching, she stretched a hand and stroked his chest as he was coming out of the bathroom. That night he followed her into her room and made love to her. It was now two years she wanted to know where they were headed. No sooner had he crawled in beside in the bed did she say:

“Kingsley we have to talk.”

“Sometimes it feels better not to talk at all, about anything…”

“Eh ehn!” she cut in, shaking her head firmly. “I have lost my patience with this your nonsense. You better talk to me normally or else!”

“Restlessness and impatience are two diseases, and both of them shorten life – Mahatma Ghandi”

“Jesus eeeh”

“You shall not use the name of the Lord your God in vain – The second commandment.”

Sister Esther had told herself that she would not succumb to anger again knowing her past. So as the bile rose in her stomach she swallowed it and hummed a song to keep calm.

“Tell me, Kingsley. Why are you not talking? I want to know,” She said as calmly as she could manage.

“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new – The Dalai Lama.”

“Thunder fire you and Dalai Lama this night. Get out!” She shrieked.

*

Papa Efe peeped again from behind his window blind. The buzz was still on. The ogogoro business was clearly a hit. Older men from the different compounds gathered to drink and cheer in their drunkenness. The witch knew how to hold people with her spell. He covered the blind again and took a deep breath. It was because of this that he abandoned the idea of living in the village to return to Lagos. He was drinking too much, became jaundiced from liver inflammation, and was lucky to have been spotted just in time by a young doctor who had come home to visit his parents. It was the boy that encouraged him to visit the teaching hospital where he was diagnosed with cirrhosis. He had to sell a small piece of land for his treatment and as soon as he was given a clean bill of health, he packed his things and returned to Lagos. Now the very thing he ran away from was there staring him in the face, inviting him, teasing him. Another roar of laughter filtered through and Papa Efe made up his mind. He threw a singlet over his stick-thin frame, buttoned his trousers, and stepped out to where the noise was coming from.

“Who gave you permission to sit here and sell this thing?” Papa Efe said when he reached where they were, his face a pitiable mix of longing and grimness.

One of the drinkers pointed at Papa Efe’s yo-yo-ing Adam apple as he swallowed hard and there was another roar of laughter. Then he said

“Mama, one shot for Papa Efe abeg. See him throat” Another person said, “Add one more” and they began to cheer again.

Mama Akunna deftly brought out a steel cup, threw three different mixtures from three different plastic containers and offered it to Papa Efe.
Tears stung Papa Efe’s eyes as he stood there trying to make up his mind. Then with one swift movement of the hand, he grabbed the cup from Mama Akunna and emptied the content down his throat with two swigs. See what he had been missing. It was the finest ogogoro he had ever tasted in Lagos. And wait…there was a stirring in his loins as well! He looked up and saw mama Akunna smiling at him.

“Give me another one,” he said and found that his focus was now completely on Mama Akunna. Why did he never notice how pretty she was?


TO BE CONTINUED.

WHOcarex:
You need to spice it up a little. The thing wan dey dull feelings

Anything you say sir

In The Undertaker's voice "A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people” - Thomas Mann

Abeg I dey come

Lol. Ghost reader alert

You're welcome @pinkfeet, okeyben10, nkay2020 and dupsai. Always good to know someone is appreciative