The president was seated in his office looking worried and gloomy, from the look of things, he was a few seconds away from tears. The door into his office opened and his special adviser of media and publicity.
“Mr president.” He said.
“Take a sit.” The president pointed to on of the two empty chairs before him. The special adviser sat down and faced his boss.
“Take a look.” The president said handing a paper to him. He read the letter over and over again with fear written all over his face.
“What’s this?” He asked.
“You just read it, didn’t you? Its an impeachment notice.” The president replied.
“For what offence sir?” The special adviser asked.
“Look here, I am not cut out for all these pranks of yours, the National assembly just sent an impeachment notice to me and I am expected to respond to the letter before the end of the day, and we both know it is your duty to find the best possible ways to debunk every claims.” The president said hotly. The special adviser was deep in thought, who could have given the National assembly the hints of the presidents dealing.
“Where is Mustapha?” The special adivser asked. Mustapha was the Special assistant to the president of media. The same man who went to the senate to disclose every secret of the president to the lawmakers.
“Mustapha, resigned last friday.” The president replied.
“Any reason as to why he resigned?” The special adviser asked.
“He said he would like to pursue his political ambition. The gubernatorial seat in his state.”
“Under the platform of?” The special adviser asked.
“The Democratic congress.” The president replied.
“Has he decamped?” The president shook his head in the negative. Everything was now becoming clearer to him, if his media aide of over ten years could go against him at this crucial stage when he needed the support of Nigerians and most importantly, the members of the National assembly where the majority of the two houses are from the ruling party, he needed their trust and support to win votes from their senatorial district and constituency, which was why he recently signed an increasement bill on the lawmakers at the federal and state level.
“Chief Pat said, Mustapha is in a period of consultation. He had consulted the Democratic party chieftains and they have given him the passage to join then. All he had to do now is to consult our party chieftains and he’ll be out in no time.” The president explained.
“Sir, to speak the truth, I don’t think we can get out of this. You know most of this lawmakers are aggreived because they felt skimmed out of the race to pursue their ambitions, I am afraid they’ll gang up with the opposition to form the majority.” The special adviser said. Just then, the president’s head of security walked into the office with a phone held out in his hand.
“You have a call sir.” He said.
“Talk to whoever is on the line.” The special adviser said.
“Chief Obi Patrick sir.” The president quickly collected the phone and placed it on his ear.
“Hello Pat.” The president said.
“Yes Mr President. Mustapha is in my house with his kinsmen, he wanted out of the party without following the right protocol.” Chief Patrick began. The president exchanged looks with his special adviser and the phone handler.
“Put a call through to Maleek, he shouldn’t leave that place alive, his kinsmen too. I have just been served an impeachment notice by the National assembly, he is the brain behind it all.” The president said firmly.
“Right away.” The line went dead with a click.
“Prepare the defense note and be ready to submit it before the senate when the house re-opens in the afternoon.” The president instructed.
“Yes sir.”Chief Patrick walked out of his study and descended the stairs into his living room where Mustapha and his kinsmen were seated.
“Welcome chief.” Mustapha said, the Hausa intonation still evident in his words.
“Thank you. I think we should stage this meeting somewhere else. Maybe the party guest house will be okay for the meeting. And moreso, the party chairman and other top officials of the party are waiting for us.” Chief Patrick explained.
“But Chief, I don’t want my cross-carpeting activities to be made public. I want to discreetly switch alleigiance so no one knows.” Mustapha replied.
“And if you end up decamping and in the new party, you won the ticket to be the flag bearer for the guber election. People will definitely see you then and there is no difference if they know you’ve decamped now or later. It gives you more support base, because people will know the party you are supporting from the start and will give their votes to you.” Chief Patrick explained thereby throwing his visitors into confusion. It was expected of Chief Patrick to frown his face at the idea of decamping, but here he was sharing his wealth of experience with them. There is something fishy.
“Shall we leave now?” Chief Patrick asked.
“Definitely sir.” They chorused.
Mustapha and his kinsmen, numbering up to twelve all rose up and walked filed out of the living room into the spacious compound where about five cars were parked.
“Are you riding with us?” One of Mustapha’s kinsmen asked. Chief Patrick considered his chances, if at the end of the day, things worked the way they wanted, and all of them killed, he’ll be left stranded and he won’t have any means of transportation back home.
“I’ll come behind you with my car.” He replied and at once the gate swung open and the cars drove out in royal fashion. Five minutes into the journey Chief Patrick brought out his phone and dialled a number.
“Hello Maleek, send your boys to the adress which I will forward to you now.” Chief Patrick said and hung up.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Maleek was seated in the great hall serving as his office and meeting place with his top officials. For the past two weeks, Maleek was always summoning his council members for meetings lasting up to five hours in total per day.
“All you guys need to do is to storm in there and eliminate those men as ordered by the president.” Maleek began. Hakym nodded in understanding and urging his boss to continue.
“But, how are we going to eliminate the thirteen men we are asked to eliminate?” Kelvin asked.
“By the sitting arrangement, you’ll know. The party members will be seated at the high table while the thirteen enemies will be seated opposite them. I believe you’ll be able to differentiate between them. Moreso, we all here are no stranger to Dr Mustapha, just kill him, as well as every other person around him.” Maleek explained.
“Okay boss.” Hakym said and stolled out of the hall with Danger-kelv closely behind him.
———
Hakym with the help of his leg bursted the door into the guest house open, everyone in the room frozed in fear at the sight of the two gunmen, Hakym and one other guy. “Anybody moves, you all are dead.” Hakym said as he inched towards Mustapha.
“Are you Mustapha?” He asked. He nodded his head in affirmation .
“You are the enemy? The backstabber? The one who couldn’t keep secrets for his long term boss?” Hakym asked. “All because of your selfish interest. But believe me, you aspiration is dead on arrival.” The other guy said. Mustapha was pleading with his eyes. “You’ll be killed now, as well as these useless men urging you to take your political ambition a step further and destroying someone else’ ambition by denting his image.” Hakym explained.
As planned, Danger-kelv majestically strolled into the room with his gun in hand. He froze in fear the moment he saw his father among the planners or better still put as those who contacted Khal corp for the execution of their political enemies.
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Examination they say may not be the true test in life, but one way or the other we are examined at one stage or the other in life. An examination prepared or organised by a set of people may not be the true test on needs to achieve great things in life. A medical doctor will always get challenges from time to time, he could be assigned to treat a patient who is as good as dead and his chances of survival are as high as zero. That becomes his exam at that particular time, but his ability to overcome the challenges posed by the exams by research has been cultivated in him right from the time he was a student.
As an aspiring medical doctor, he would have taken series of professional examinations which would have prepared him for the tasks ahead. He would have learnt the theoretical or tactical aspect of the work as a student and after his graduation, it is expected of him to go out there to put all he had learnt into practice in a bid to achieve success in the forthcoming exam on the field.
Such was the case when Dolapo walked out of the exam hall and saw some large amount of students rolling on the floor, thanking God for seeing them through a turbulent five or four years stay in the university. With the way the time table was drafted, some students will write their last papers on Monday while others will write theirs on other days. Dolapo was one of those writing theirs on wednesday, thereby making Tuesday a free day for her.
She hurriedly walked past a group of students who had suddenly turned themselves into prayer warriors as they prayed, thank God and prayed for success in all the exams they have written so far. From the little she heard from their prayers, she realised they forgot to pray for the subsequent exams they’ll be writing after their youth service.
In advanced countries, there are only two exams for professionals, the first while you are learning to become a professional and the other when challenges arises at your work place and the only way to solve them is to put into action what you learnt. But in Africa and most especially in Nigeria, there are numerous exams, the first is the struggle to get admitted into the university as an undergraduate, even with a good result you won’t be admitted, unless you are connected like they say, the second exam are the series of test and exams you write as a student and other challenges like cultism, the third exam is the most difficult, getting a job and the last is putting what you have learnt into practice.
How she wished these people can just reason the same way she does and realise that, there is really not much reason to celebrate now. Of what use is a first class result with no job to keep body and soul together.
As she prepared to cross the tarred road that demarcated the exam complex and the parking space, she heard her name. She knew who had the voice, it belonged to Darasimi, the only friend who has stood by her. The other two friends who had tried their best were Tokunbo and her roomate Charity. But they only conversed on phone which is okay by her and apreciated.
“Dolapo, I am now a graduate. The first in my family.” She screamed as she threw herself on her friend from behind. Dolapo wanted to tell her about what has been lingering on her mind about the challenges on faces on the ladder towards greatness, but she couldn’t because she had heard a gunshot just before Darasimi hugged her from behind. And from the look of things, it seemed all of Darasimi’s weight was put on her. She wanted to push her off, but she felt a liquid running off her back, she knew it wasn’t sweat. This was a lot more thicker than sweat. But seeing everyone scampering away and the police and the school security council in action said it all, someone has been shot. She just hoped its not someone close to her.
Then Darasimi slipped off her back and fell, it was then she knew the evil that befell her just again.
“Oh my God!” She screamed loudly that even God in heaven will have to block his hears to prevent the noice from doing damage to his hears, a strong masculine hand griped her and led her towards the waiting police van. She could see everywhere getting deserted as the policemen advanced towards the storex water tank beside the exam complex with gunshot still sounding from every corner.
A policeman hopped into the car and drove away. Just before the driver made it out of the premises, she could hear Ngozi’s voice and one other masculine voice ordering some people to drop their weapons.
“Oh God, nothing must happen to Darasimi o.” She prayed.
“Lie down flatly on the seat, you must not be seen. They may be lurking around town.” The policeman said.
She wanted to ask who would be lurking around but her questions has been answered already.
—
Kelvin shrugged off his surprise and approached the thirteen to be killed enemies who by now are on their kneels. He brought out his gun from his hip-holster and fired brilliantly without missing target, each and everyone of them on the head. He finished off his last three bullets on Mustapha who died a slow and painful death.
“Lets get out of here.” Hakym said running out of the guest house, the other guy followed while Kelvin stayed behind. He walked towards Chief Obi Patrick and grabbed him by the collar, he dragged him outside.
“D-K, lets get out of here.” Hakym said furiously hitting the car honk. Kelvin ignored him as he continued dragging the old man until they were out of sight, safely concealed near the generator house of the party guest house.
What do you want with me?” Chief Obi asked with confidence. Maybe he was not afraid of death afterall. Kelvin smiled as he lifted the mask of his face and smiled at his father.
“Kelvin, what are you doing here?” His father asked foolishly. “Don’t tell me you…?” His voice trailed off.
“Dad, yes, I work with Khal corp and surprisingly you are our sponsor. This world is indeed a small place.” Kelvin said smiling like what he just saw or discovered is not enough reason for him to commit sucide.
“We’ll talk about this at home.” His father said. Kelvin carefully covered his face with the mask and returned to join Hakym in the waiting car.
“Guy, don’t tell me you went to charge that man. Did you?” Hakym asked as he pulled out of the guest house.
“Trust me now. I only left to deliver a message from Maleek to him.” Kelvin lied. Who would believe him anyways? With the way he dragged the man like he was off to kill him, what kind of message requires force? But he had to let it pass anyways.
“Do you know that man before?” Kelvin asked.
“You mean Chief Patrick? Everyone does.” Hakym replied. Still not satisfied with the response.
“I mean, do you know he is one of the sponsors of the corporation?”
“Not at all. But he is likely to be a sponsor considering how power hungry he is.” Hakym replied. Kelvin was left deep in thought with the recent happenings, he was the least heartbroken of the lot, but he was surprised that he worked for his father unknowingly.
“He has two sons. Have you met any of them?” Kelvin asked.
“One of his sons is a leading police officer, a threat to the corporation, an asset to the force, a blessing to the nation. Everyone knows him, but his second son is always shying away from the media. No one knows him in the corporation, a low profile individual he is.” Hakym explained.
“Why are you interested in this man’s affair?” The third guy asked from the backseat.
“Shut it. When am talking, don’t question me. Okay?” Kelvin hit back immediately.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For security and safety purpose, Dolapo was driven to the police headquarters immediately after her escape from the hands of death. She was sitting on the floor inside Clement’s office crying and thanking God for saving her life, she cried at the though of loosing Darasimi. She couldn’t imagine what she may be going through right now, considering the damages the bullet might have done to her.
But the man called God must be a very wicked person. How could he be so wicked that he made Darasimi come into this world with her parents aiming the best for her, she gained admission into the university on a quest to achieving greatness, and on the day she was supposed to take the last step into becoming great, her happiness was shortlived. Even if she survived the attack, will she ever be the same again? Could she be in coma like Tolani was. It would have been a lot more better if Darasinmi hadn’t been given birth to, not to talk of going to school.
Then her mind flashed back to the night when Tolani was shot, she remembered what Darasimi said that night.
“You know I can never do anything to hurt you girls. Even at the expense of my life, just to keep you safe.” Does that mean she sacrificed for her? Could she have seen the attacker with the gun and decided to foil his plans by getting hit by the gun? Just then the door opened and Clement walked in. She scrambled to her feet and held Clement.
“How is she?” Dolapo asked. Clement ignored her and went to his seat. She followed him but he couldn’t look at her in the face. In a bid to get his attention, she threw all the books on his table to the ground and it worked. Clement faced her with his hand on her shoulder.
“Am sorry Dolapo, she couldn’t make it. She died on the way to the hospital.” Clement said. And that was it, everything turned dark like nightfall. She could feel herself floating, but this time not on water. The world was spinning so fast before her eyes. She had passed out.
–to be continued–
