Azed 10B

Azed 10B

Sere, abo ri nkan. B’olorun oba ma se ‘n pese fun awon ti e niyen o.. jeje la kuku jo sibi, tati ro pe, a ma gbe gbogbo wahala yen wo new year
(Sere, can’t you see, we only just sat here peacefully thinking we’ll take all our troubles into the new year, see how God provides for his own)
Ghetto, bawo lose ma ro be. Wo freeeeesh fish ti Olorun pese fun wa… ko nipe jina
(Ghetto, how will you think like that. Look at the fresh fish God has provided for us. It’s almost ready to eat)
Minutes later, I felt hands pulling me up. It was then I looked down and realized I was only wearing my boxers. I couldn’t make out where I was but it was poorly lit and hollow with a strong smell of something like urine. With my single eye, I looked at the walls and saw several inscriptions…
Ajala waz ere ’07………
Fashola, obo tinubu……
To God be tha glory……
There was one section that had so many writings, it almost looked like a mural. The thoughts began to come back, the policemen, the checkpoint, my car, the money. I managed to open my right eye then and it was then I saw the metal bars. We were in what looked like the courtyard of a cell. There were doors all around that led to this open space. Two gutters ran across the yard stinking seriously. I turned my attention back to the hands that were moving me. They belonged to the tall light man. The other man lingered behind, still beaming heavily.
I was in so much pain, I just couldn’t move any more and even my Samaritan noticed and proceeded to heave me onto his shoulder. As he walked towards one of the seemingly dark rooms, I heard a voice call out:
Sere!!!
Sere!!!
Mathew kilode… kilode now.
Sere’s voice was a huge contrast to his figure. If anything at all, he sounded like a mouse and somewhere in my thoughts, I managed a laugh.
Mathew, we don warn you make you no dey chook your mouth for our business oh, the other man said. His voice sounded like that of a veteran Agbero.
I heard locks being opened and as Sere dropped me, I realized Mathew was a police officer and he had come into the courtyard with two other officers.
Eyin boys, ema binu, eleyi ti lo. Oga ni kin gbe wa. (Boys, don’t be angry, this one has gone. Oga said I should bring him)
Amidst shouts and murmurs of displeasure, the other two policemen dragged me out of the coutyard with Mathew trailing behind.
We moved into an office area. It was also poorly lit, the walls looked like they had been painted by the inmates – green glossy paint over unevenly plastered walls. On the wall were portraits of the president, state governor and current I.G of police. I didn’t recognize his voice immediately but it didn’t take long for me to. Standing by the counter was Senior. He was having a word with one other police officer was looked well dressed in the blue and black ceremonial uniform. They shook hands and then Mathew dropped some clothes in front of me. They were mine. I felt some strength return to me out of nowhere. Maybe it was the thought of almost being free. I managed to wear my clothes with help from Mathew and a few minutes later, I, Senior and Mathew were in a car with one other police man.
It was bright outside, I checked Senior’s watch and noticed it was almost 1pm. I had been knocked out and in this mess for over 6 hours I thought to myself. Incredible. The policeman drove us to the checkpoint I had stopped at earlier. I and Senior got off and then he drove off.Where is the key, Senior asked?
I hobbled to the car, opened the door and stretched my hand to the side of the drivers seat. I felt the key almost immediately. I pulled it out and Senior came to me and took it.
Go and sit.
I went round to the passenger’s side in front and got into the car. Without a word, Senior started the engine and began to drive. I wanted to ask where we were heading, how he knew where I was and a lot of questions but I was too weak to talk. My eyes fluttered and then shut again. I woke up to sounds of my name.
Azeez…Azeez…
It was Senior – how did he know my name? How… I was drowsy. I looked round and noticed we were in front of my hostel. How did he……… I couldn’t think.
I’ll drop the car off at Princess’ house. You can get the key from her help.
I got out of the car and Senior zoomed off. I dragged myself into my room and all I wanted to do was take something for the ragging pain in my head. I got into my room and as I shut the door, I caught a reflection of my face in the mirror behind it. WOW. I noticed a huge black patch on the right side of my face. That explained the pain. I took off my clothes then and looked round my body for other cuts or bruises, I didn’t see any. I needed rest. I looked through my locker looking for a painkiller. I noticed my watch then and I saw it read the day as TUE instead of MON… I was hallucinating. I needed sleep. I found some panadol extra, got pure water, took it and somehow found my way to the bed.
I woke up the next morning to sounds coming from my stomach – hunger. I managed to get out of bed. The pain had subsided in some parts of my body and I could open both of my eyes even though it still hurt a lot. I had barely began wondering where to start my haunt for food when I saw a nylon bag right beside my bed. It was from an eatery. I opened it and found a pack of food, fruits, a phone and some drugs. The sane part of me would have questioned this but I was too hungry to think. I assumed Senior had come back to drop it and so I began eating the food. I finished it all in a matter of minutes and proceeded to take the drugs in the bag.
I knew I had to get out of my room and move around if I wanted to heal quickly enough. I managed to fetch a bucket of water. The hostel was almost completely empty. Few days to Christmas, everyone had left school except some serious efikos. I brought my bucket to the room and heated it with Dares boiling ring. I then went and took my bath. I returned to the room feeling much better. I tried to move around and though I felt pain, I was able to.
I got dressed then and it wasn’t until I wore my clothes that I thought about the phone. I picked it up realized my old sim card was placed in it. I had all my numbers stored in it and I had a couple of messages from Fadeke. She was just checking up on me and wondering what I had been up to except reading. I had a missed call from Uncle Mufu and that was it. I had too many questions on my mind but even thinking hurt at that point. I thought about Uncle Mufu and how I had promised to spend time with him and his family during the break. I decided to go there. Uncle Mufus house wasn’t far. He lived in Abule Oja even though he had several other houses in highbrow areas of Lagos. I walked out of my room after checking to make sure I had a decent enough lie to cover for the ring around my eye. I got out of school and bought shades for my eyes before stopping a bike. I got to Uncle Mufus house in minutes and met him outside getting ready to leave.Ekaro Sir…
Ahh… Azeez… Ibo lo ma n so phone e si now … mo de call call call
(where do you always throw your phone. I’ve been calling you)
E ma binu Sir, mo ni accident die ni
(Don’t be angry Sir, I had a little accident)
Accident?
I took off my shades and showed him my eye… He moved closer and tilted my face with his hand. He gave me a look that said “accident indeed” and then he said…
Pele, sha ma rora (Sorry, just take it easy)
Ese sir (Thank you Sir).
Oya wole sinu motor, mo fe ka jo de ibi kan
(get into the car, I want you to come somewhere with me)
I was surprised. He acted as if he was expecting me. I had no choice, I got into the passenger side in front and thought about offering to drive but I knew I was not exactly in the right condition. That aside, Uncle Mufu hardly allowed any other person drive him. I hope we weren’t going far because I didn’t even know what to say to my uncle. Luckily, the journey was short. We drove into LUTH a few minutes after and I imagined he was stopping by to visit a friend.
Uncle Mufu said little, he just asked about school and that was it. We went into the hospital and after talking to a few people, he came back to get me from where I sat. A nurse walked ahead of us and we followed. I wondered what we had come to do, who we had come to see and my mind was still wondering when the nurse opened the door to one of the admission rooms and there she was – Mama.
Mama, I almost shouted.
I looked at Uncle Mufu and then the nurse and back to Mama. Was she ok? What was she doing here? How did she get here? Why?
Easy. Easy. Don’t wake her oh. Don’t worry, everything is well. Iyabo is better treated here. I know you need her close so I moved her.
I couldn’t explain how happy I was. I was ecstatic. This was indeed a Christmas miracle. I held onto Uncle Mufus hands and thanked him profusely.
No no no… no need to thank me, he said as he held my shoulder. Azeez, you know you are like son to me. I want you to be happy all the time.
I didn’t know what to say or how to respond to him, I looked at Mama then and out of nowhere, a smile appeared on her face.