Bad Market – Episode 9

Dad’s sudden collapse following Onyeka’s revelation destabilized everyone present. With the help of Cletus I tried to resuscitate him and in no time he was brought out of his unconscious state. We took him to the car to stabilise whilst we dealt with the issue on ground.

“Oga Cletus, make sure this matter is resolved before we leave this place. I don’t know how you are going to do it but I don’t want to see that girl in that apartment after now,”  my dad voiced out in plain terms.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Read the previous episode here::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When we returned to the frontal part of the building that housed Onyeka’s controversial self-contained apartment, Ebun and Onyeka were involved in a heated argument. Cletus had to intervene to calm obviously frayed nerves.

“So Onyeka, as it seems you may have to vacate this property,” I said without mincing words.

“Thank God you used the word ‘may’ because I won’t leave!”

“You won’t leave? Is it your father’s property?” I countered

“No it’s your father’s property”

“I can see you lack manners”

“E be like say this wan they craze”

“Onyeka will you stop that! That’s my elder brother you are talking to o!” Ebun bellowed.

“Who cares? He should learn how to talk to people”

“Oga Cletus can we throw her things out of this apartment please,” I was beginning to lose my cool.

“Dem no born you and your papa well…E be like say you no know say na for Warri I grow up. No make me display the craze wey dem born me with for here o!”

“Onyeka calm down now!” Ebun tried to pacify her irate friend

“Hold am there! No tell me say make I calm down”

“You know say because of you now my papa bp don rise”

“Na your papa wan make him bp rise naa”

“Oga Cletus what are you still waiting for naa”

“Ermm Barrister, we have to arrange boys to run the show”

“How much will that cost and how many boys do we need?”

“Three guys will do but they will need at least 5 thousand to execute the job”

“Okay, let me go tell my dad.” Ebun stopped me as I turned to leave.

“Egbon, it has not reached that extent”

“Ebun just stay out of this. I’m sure dad will thrash out your matter when we get home” I walked briskly towards the gate that led out of the compound, my destination was where I packed the car I and my dad drove in. As I walked out I could hear Onyeka’s loud voice…

“He be like say bomb dey this guy head. Wey my phone make I call this guy. Dem no born you and your Papa well to comot my load for here.”

“Ebun shebi you can hear her….imagine such insolence! We are getting this girl out of this apartment in the fastest possible time. I can’t stand her brashness,” I spoke out loudly from where I was.

“Oga it seems you are forgetting something…Your sister is owing me 70,000 naira and except you come back here with that money you have no right to throw me out.”

“But you’ve stayed here for three months already,” Cletus replied her

“And so? That’s compensation for the money she’s owing me. At least no agreement was reached, so invariably she’s still owing me 70,000 naira.”

“Haba Onyeka! I can’t possibly still be owing you 70,000 naira after staying here for three months, you too check am now”

“E be like say the disease wey dey worry your brother dey worry you too”

“Ebun I still don’t understand how you made friends with this kind of person to the point that you even borrowed such huge amount of money from her. Look young lady even if we have to pay back the money she’s owing you, it can’t be 70,000 naira anymore.”

“Say wetin happen?”

“Shebi you don’t know how much they rent self contained around here ba?”

“And you’ve stayed here for three months now,” I walked back into the compound to join in the argument

“See as una dey talk like say na mumu be the person wey una they follow yan. Did we draft any form of agreement concerning the matter abi did Ebun tell you that we agreed that she will be deducting the money she owes me according to the period of time I spend in the apartment? All we agreed on is that I will vacate the apartment the moment she pays me the money she’s owing me, shekinah. So all these ones wey una dey yan so na trash!”

“Okay no wahala, shebi na trash we dey yan. Oga Cletus, this is 5,000 naira. Please go get the boys” I handed the cash I collected from my old man to Cletus, who in turn left immediately to arrange the boys. It was a duty he was accustomed to, so it wasn’t going to be a big deal to actualize.

“This guy no know who him dey fumble with sha,” Onyeka went inside the apartment to pick her phone and came out almost immediately. She dialed a number on her phone. “Bobo afa? Where you dey naa?… You no see my message ni…Abeg show with your crew na….You know the usual… I go give you as you like am…You remember the address?….Okay, I go text am to you, abeg no waste time o!” She ended the call then advanced forward to confront me. “Shebi you say your brain dey touch”

“See I don’t have any business with you young lady. The owner of this apartment wants you out of his property, that’s all that matters.” A loud noise at the entrance turned my attention from Onyeka to the source of the noise. Obviously Cletus had come in with some hooligans in  the area and they were already constituting a nuisance even before getting to the area of their assignment.

In no time the boys moved into Onyeka’s apartment and began throwing her things out with reckless abandon, amid stern protest from the victim.

Then another group of boys stormed into the compound causing a stir amongst the onlookers. Ebun ran off on sighting the guys numbering about five, with machetes and clubs. One of the guys looked familiar. I searched for a place of refuge as they advanced forward towards us. Cletus hid behind me while we watched the miscreants brandish their weapons in mid-air. Even the boys Cletus employed to throw Onyeka’s things out were long gone.

“Oga Cletus who are these ones o!”I asked with trembling voice

“I don’t know oh! Probably they are Onyeka’s boys,” I could swear his voice trembled more than mine did.

 

“Where dem they? Why una come dey hide now?” Onyeka walked to where we hid to make fun of us.

He must have entered the compound without realizing where he was but the moment he got to the scene of the incident he soon realized he was on his father’s property. Although he wasn’t holding any weapon himself, it appeared he was the leader of the gang that had now taken over the compound.

“Timi what are you doing here?” I asked with eyes wide opened

“I should be asking you that question.”

Ebun gradually stepped out of her hiding place on sighting her brother.

“Ebun! Where is Papa. He’s in his car” I asked her since she was heading from the direction our car was parked

“Wait a minute! Timon! This babe na your sister?” Onyeka was finding it difficult comprehending the interactions.

“Onyeka wetin dey happen here? So na my papa property you send me come?”

“Omo this world na small world o!” Timi’s revelation sent shivers up Onyeka’s spine.

 

Bad Market continues next week…