Diary of an Okada Rider.

 "DO AS I SAY"

Jaji took another hasty glance at his wristwatch and chewed on his lower lip. 4:26pm. Four minutes more and the appointment with Chief Akindele would have been futile. He wondered why Famous would never ever keep to time.  He wondered still why he too never learnt from past experiences and went ahead to schedule appointments with him! Well,he was the person dictating the tune here having intimated him about the vacancy in Chief Akindele's household.
 The sound of an oncoming Okada alerted him and he quickly raised his head to find Famous jauntily sitting astride his Okada as he veered into the compound. He marched the brakes and gestured at him to hop in behind him.
"Na now you dey com abi?" Jaji's forehead was still creased in a tight frown.
"So far I com now." He scratched his  overly grown hair and grinned.
"I go so vex if Chief Akindele refuse to see us o,cos time when hin giv us na 4:30.. na to five now!"
"Cool down Jaji! Chief Akindele na nice man. He even give my broda work for hin oil factory."
 Jaji rolled his eyes. Famous was either dumb or his effort at humour was lame! How did his brother's employment relate to the fact that they were behind time?!
 However,he settled himself firmly behind his friend on his Okada and Famous stepped on the accelerator.
In less than 20 minutes they arrived Chief Akindele's premises which was a magnificent building that reeked of wealth and opulence.
"Oh boy,some pipo dey get money for dis life o!" Famous exclaimed in wonder,eyeing the massive see-through gate and massive structure in the compound.
"Sharrap dia! Na every where u go dey do like bush man?" Jaji nudged his ribs.
"Na true o. Make I behave myself. Chief fit get video wey go dey video us as we stand here so oo." His eyebrows furrowed in fright.
"Cctv you mean?" Jaji smiled momentarily, somewhat pleased he knew the true meaning of the 'video' as implied by Famous. "Abeg Famous,ring the bell make we know wetin dey for us."
Famous did just that and a few seconds later the gate slid open. The uniformed gate man that scurried down resembled a club bouncer. Well above 6ft and thickly set,he towered above Jaji and Famous,glowering at them.
"Good day Sir. Please, we are here to see Chief Akindele." Jaji quickly said,not a bit trusting his friend to speak coherently.
"Yes? Do you have an appointment with Chief?" the gate man's voice was a friend to thunder.
"Yes." Jaji and Famous chorused in unison.
He eyed them briefly and handed a visitors'form for them to fill. When they were done, he told them to hold on a while and then disappeared inside the compound. A few minutes later he returned and ushered them in.
Jaji and his friend waited at the visitors' room,their hearts racing furiously,eagerly. Each man's mind wandered,simultaneously thinking what he would do with with his first salary. Their thoughts were rudely interrupted by the deep voice of the gate man. "Oga say mek una com dis way." He called at them from the doorway. They stood and followed him to Chief Akindele's living room where they met him seated in a collapsible chair with a glass of red wine in his hand.
"Good evening Chief." Jaji and Famously instantly prostrated before him.
"Hmmm.." he nodded and turned towards them. Soon as he set his eyes on the prostrated form of the men he got up abruptly and demanded,"Who..who.. are you? "
Jaji turned to his friend and they exchanged surprised glances.
"Chief,haaa..its me o. Na me Famous that you say make I come and get a job as a driver here." he rushed, standing up. He took a tentative step nearer Chief who was staring at them blankly. Jaji got up too and watched Chief. His eyes appeared somewhat droopy like..he was high on some sort of drugs!
" When did i..i..tell you to come?" Chief Akindele threw his head and began to laugh hysterically.
"Chief.." famous started to say.
"Don't chief me.. they are after me.. they are after you......" was all Chief ever muttered again before he collapsed on the chair. A few seconds later his glazy eyes shut on to sleep. And then he started to snore heavily.
"Famous,na to comot here o. Dis Chief na psychro-chro. The man don sleep!" Jaji whispered and took his friend's hand.
" which kind yeye psychro-chro? No be any psychro-chro o! Na my village people dey worry me...dem no want mek I get beta job. Na Okada dem want my enemy to dey ride all de days of hin life,not me! Come follow me go see my shepherd. Hin musto pray for us -"
Jaji dragged his friend out of chief's living room and preceded him out the gate.
"You no hear say Chief say 'they are after you...' and hin dey refer to me! if not,wetin go mek am forget appointment wey Hin get with us? huh? Talk now? " Famous rounded on Jaji soon as they stepped out.
Jaji shook his head in exasperation and said," Famous,all those words na the disjointed words of a drug addict naa -"
"Wetin be disjointed? Sometimes Jaji E dey pain me say you no finish school!" he threw at him,every word oozing of sarcasm.
Jaji folded his arms and hid a small smile. "So wetin you plan to do now? Since revelation don come from your future employer say dem dey worry you from village? Cos as for me I no fit work for junkie."
"Dat na your own!" Famous countered. "God fit use anybody tell you word. You go folo me go see my shepherd kia kia! Now now hin go wash my head with holy water and we go return back to dis house. I must work for big man! Dem no use Okada work swear for me!" he sounded almost enraged now.
"Hmm..." Jaji sighed and got behind Famous who had already started the Okada.
As the wind blew past them through the streets of Coral,Jaji was grinning from ear to ear. He never for once had the slightest idea that his friend was this daft. Well,maybe a bit naive but not out rightly foolish!
In no time they arrived the Shepherd's house which happened to be a thatched-roof hut situated near the river. When he saw the men alight from an Okada from within the darkly illuminated hut he rose from his lying position and went to them.
"Shepherd good evening." Famous bowed his head. Jaji mumbled something under his breathe that resembled a greeting and ran his eyes through the thickly bearded Shepherd wearing a long,white robe.
"Come in lost Sheep." He said in a soft voice that instantly reminded Jaji of a girl.
Na you be lost sheep! Jaji rebuked within himself and followed them in.
After they got seated on a rickety bench,Famous reeled the uncanny revelation from his employer and promptly awaited the Shepherd's solution.
The shepherd cleared his throat and said," Chief was right!"
Famous turned to Jaji with the 'I-told-you-so!' expression and quickly prodded the shepherd to go with a nod.
"Some of your family members do not want you to work for Chief! They are witches and wizards but they shall never succeed. I must do the "touch and follow' good luck charm for you right away and you must return to Chief's house. Immediately you touch him,he follows your every command. I tell you,the job will be yours. The shepherd has spoken! " He got up and went into an inner room. He emerged with a white plastic bottle. He handed it over to Famous and said in that feminine voice again," Wash your face with this holy water and ask Chief anything..."
Immediately Famous went on his knees and rendered effusive gratitude to the shepherd.
"It's only three thousand five naira only." He said finally,with a smile curving his dark lips.
"Ok Shepherd." Famous quickly dipped his hand into his trouser pocket and brought out the money.
 To be continued in a bit..
 Written by Osarhieme Okungbowa.

*Hey guyz,whatcha think about Jaji's diary today?