CAMARADERIE TROUBLES

Amanda got the shocker news of her entire life.

Her cousin Seye had just been murdered by an irrate mob.

"He was set ablaze and murdered cold-bloodedly in broad daylight," Tolu had told her in a phonecall.

Alhaji Bayero cleared his throat before he started his address. He pulled his large expensive agbada across his shoulders for more convenience. He sat at the high table. Before him were the landlords and landladies, community chairman, the Baale and a curious crowd that consisted majorly of the men and women of the Ayetoro community. He was given the honour to speak - even before the Baale did, nothing more but because of his big afluence. Every community member bestowed so much honour and regard to him because of his wealth and of course, he had helped almost everyone in one area or the other financially.

The community had called for an urgent meeting to address the menances in the community and resolve to ways to curb them.

"My good people of Ayetoro," Alhaji Bayero began. He slightly pulled the tip of his tangaran cap downwards, making it to touch his forehead in a bid to cover his receding hairline. He knew all eyes were on him. "You have no need that I begin to make an endless list of the recent happenings of social unrest in our dear community. The major problem we need to address is the issue of theft and armed-robbery. This is increasing in an alarming rate.

Last week, the Baale's palace was bugled into while he was away on political duties and his staff of authority was whisked away. All those morons called guards and all palace staffs are presently in the police custody for failing in their respective duties. Likewise, Mr Ademilua reported to the council that his newly bought motorcycle was stolen the very night he brought it to his house. Iya Ibeji the thrift collector is presently in a heavy debt because some hoodlums bugled into her house last week's Sunday while she had gone to church and stole the hard-earned monthly contributed money of some traders which was in her possession. As if that was not enough, they carted away the plasma TVs, HiFi systems and gadgets that belonged to her son in the university. This is pathetic. This is disgraceful and we are never going to be tolerating these any longer. What happened to the Baale was a big punch to the ego bag of this community and this nonsense must stop!

The council elders just returned from the Sango shrine and it has been declared that the culprits that committed this arson has seven days to return the staff of authority back to the palace or else, he or she should be ready to dance to the music. You all know Sango. Sango Olukoso has no patience. Oko Oya's anger and vengance is always a terrible one. In the next seven days, the god of thunder will aa-act," He took his sit.

"Thank you Alhaji Bayero," the community chaiman said.

"In addition to what Alhaji said, we need to find measures to curb these crimes, majorly stealing. There should be a penalty. What should we do to any offender caught so as to serve as a scape goat for other thieves? Should he be maimed? Should we amputate his right arm like other communities do? Should we banish his family from the village? Should? Should.. we"

"Heeeey! Chair! Stop dragging this matter," Alhaji Bayero cut in.

"There is no cause for deliberating this matter any further. Why should we pity the culprits? Do they deserve to live? The wages of sin is death abeg. Let's take law into our hands! Or my people, what do you say?"

"Yess!!" chorused loudly from the crowd. So many 'yeses' and 'nos' in the background. The crowd soon rose to a crescendo.

"Excuse me please," a man rose his hand in the crowd.

"Okay.. what have you?"

"Taking law into our hands is termed jungle justice, and this is against the Constitution of the country. I suggest we get the police involved in this matter. Also, I believe," "Mr Man keep quiet!!" Alhaji Bayero halted him. The man was mute at the order. He was also remorseful.

"You believe what? This is exactly the reason why crimes has always blossomed in a fertile ground in this country. We are leaving everything to the police. Which stupid Police!? These men in black are more o less criminals too. They receive bribes at road blocks and also lend their arms to criminals for money. You say 'BAIL IS FREE' right? Maybe that's in another country, not on the land I stamp my feet. These bomboclats demand huge amount of money to bail even an innocent person in their custody. Just a reminder that 'POLICE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND' yet you are standing up here suggesting we report a crimina to a criminal. Nonsense!"

"So what do you suggest Alhaji?" The chairman asked.

Noises drowned. There was grave silence. Everyone was mute, staring, expecting what would be said. It wasn't even a deliberation in the first place. Alhaji Bayero had the final say - not even the Baale. That is what money can do!

"Let him be killed.. yes, he should be murdered. He should be stripped naked, humiliated and paraded in broad daylight around the local market. Afterwards, he should be burnt to ashes. No mercy for the wicked! No apology will be heeded to. No matter who the hell his relatives are, even if it is the Baale. There is no pity. Let the field mouse take heed and inform the household's. Any thief caught will be killed. Do you agree with me?"

There was an uproar among the people. An intense argument rose among the elders. Many people supported the motion but the few that opposed gave a violent demonstration. They aired out and wanted to be acknowledged by force. Votes got casted, and the majority which turned out to be the supporters of Alhaji Bayero's motion led. The new law was sealed!

Several weeks after, Seye Alhaji Bayero's eldest child and only son met his waterloo.

Seye had cleptomania. It had become a part of him to be stealing people's belongings and pickpocketing even though he had no need of the stolen items. Despite the wealth of his father and being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he never desisted from stealing little things. He soon got the nickname 'fapist' after getting caught countless times in primary school. He stole stationeries, money and other personal belongings from his classmates' bags even though he had an excess of them.

Despite being given #1000 to school everyday, he wouldn't cease to steal that #10 or #50 he finds in his mates pocket. Many times he had been threatened a sanction of expulsion but his father would find a way to settle matters with money. He had done several unimaginable things that almost dragged Bayero's name to the mud, but, money solved it!

Unfortunately, this was the last straw that broke the carmel's back. Seye was in his final year in high school. He returned back from school one afternoon very hungry. He flung his school bag on the couch and didn't consider to check the refrigerator or go to the kitchen to get food. He ran out of the mansion and went to the poor Pa Joe's hut, chased his only fowl, strangled it and roasted it for food. He was caught at the backyard right in the act.

He was firstly beaten to pulp by an irate mob which consisted majorly of the people that opposed his father's motion, then stripped unclad. The news soon got to his father who was working with some foreign investors at his company. He abandoned the project and rushed down to the spot. He begged the people of Ayetoro to pardon his only son but they refused. Afterall, he came up with the law.

"No! No! No! Alhaji we are never going to bend the law for your son's sake. If this happened to be someone else's son, you would happily agree that he faces the full wrath of the law, but duh it was yours. Seye must die today!!" Someone said among the crowd.

Alhaji Bayero tried everything in his capacity to beg the people to spare his son. He offered money to everyone present in which they refused bluntly. He promised to offer twice whatever they requested but the only thing they requested was his son's life. Justice must be done! "Blood-thirsty bastards"

Alhaji Bayero tried to play hanky panky. He hired some thugs that came to cause pandemonium at the scene, and via the process evacuate his son and enable him escape. He planned to fly his son out of the country after the incident.

The bruised body of Seye was pushed into a van after a bullet spree by the thugs. The van zoomed haphazardly into a random direction that led to an escape. Dust raised, It soon disappeared into thin air. Immediately, the chief priest came into the pandemonium scene in his traditional regalia. The people anticipated what would happen next, they knew it would be definitely intriguing. The Ifa priest uttered some chants and and a long verse of incantations. He commanded that the escapees should drive back and return against their own will. He blew some white powder into the air and in few minutes, the van drove into the scene. Jaw-dropping!!

In a nutshell, Seye was pulled out and justice was served to its maximum.

Amanda was dazzled. She didn't know if to weep or do otherwise upon hearing about the incident. In no time, she burst into tears. Her dear cousin, Seye was gone...

**

The entire family members - not excluding extended relatives, in-laws and sympathizers gathered in the magnificent living room of Bayero's mansion to mourn with him as he and his numerous wives bereaved deceased Seye. Alhaji cried grieviously. The knife he sharpened had cut him. The law he proposed had worked against him and cost him his only male child. Everyone sympathized with him. His wife and children were thrown into gloom. Selena and Amanda were also present, this was their cousin. The worst of all was that they couldn't get Seye's corpse. He was burnt to ashes, so that 'befitting burial' Bayero planned wasn't possible. Well, he was 'cremated' already.

After a couple days at the Bayeros' place, Selena decided to leave. She knew she had a week left to sort out her family and return to work.

"Selie, are you gonna leave just like that?" Amanda followed her to the door. She was, about to exit after bidding Alhaji farewell and wishing him luck in a newly-adapted-life without his son.

"Hmmm, yes. Got a lot of stuff on mind to sort out. I'm going bananas. This Seye's incident just added to my emotional instability," she replied. She placed her hand on her forehead, looking quite stressed. "What if I have a solution to what is bothering you?"

"You have no idea of what I'm passing through dear."

"Oh really? I have no idea about 'BIMBO' "

Selena was bewildered. She pulled Amanda to a corner, ready for some serious talk.

"You know about her too?" Selena asked with bulging eyeballs.

"Oh you want me to prove that? Here's a picture" she handed a printed photograph of Bimbo to her.

"Here she is, the husband snatcher and the Leviathan of your home. I know every bit about her. Her going out and coming in is not without my knowing. She told me by herself how she met uncle Solomon at a spa and had sex that night. She also told me about how he spoils her plenty and an anticipating trip to the Bahamas he promised her for the holidays. Here she is!" She double-tapped the pic.

"Wow, now my instincts are confirmed. Thought as much! I knew there was something more between babe and this ugly douche. I told my boss at work. My dear, you need to see the way my hubby acts these days. I've thought about quitting my job if that's the last thing to do to restore my good home. Despite several apologies for yelling at him sometime ago, he no gree oo. He stands on that excuse and doesn't play the husbandly role any longer. He doesn't desire anything about me again. Solomon has changed dear! He sees me as a nuisance and doesn't eat my food again. No wonder he returns late in the dead of the night. Sometimes he doesn't sleep at home at all. I thought it was his work, I never knew it was because of this, this.. this bitch," Her voice cracked and she burst into tears.

"Selena calm down," Amanda embraced her warmly.

"You really need to see the way this man treats me these days. I don't deserve this. I only decided to work and stop being a full housewife, I never had extra-marital affairs. This is so un-called-for. You can't believe this man slapped me last week for asking him about where he was coming from when he returned late drunk at night. I never expected it," she bursted into tears again. Her sister brought a napkin to wipe the tears on her face. Amanda became furious.

"Stop crying Selena. We finna find a way to treat this mf's fuck up for the shit she has done. That journey must not be possible!"

"So what do we do?" Selena looked deep into her eyes.

"Leave everything to me dear sister. I'll sort it out. She must pay for every dime for what she caused. I know Solomon is not like this. She must have cast a love spell on him and indoctrinated him. We must fight for this!" She fumed.

"Anything you wanna do, I've got your back! I've got your back, front, side, spirit, soul and body. We must let this girl realize no dog plays no games with the tiger! The elephant's head isn't for a kid to carry. We are in this together,"

Selena hugged her. She saw her off to the gate and bade a farewell.00