Diary of an Okada rider.

Thursday 9th of Jan' 2014..
Jaji in "Fishers of Men."
 The moment Jaji opened his eyelids to a bright
new day,it hit him that his Okada which had
suddenly gone faulty the previous night had to be fixed immediately. Christ knew it was his only source of livelihood and any further delay in repairs would spell catastrophe. Instantly he rose,yawned and stretched his lanky frame languorously. He reached for his toothbrush and applied the little bit of toothpaste left. He needed to change this toothbrush,perhaps on his way back from the mechanic's for he could actually count the few,weak strands left of what was once regarded as a good brush! He flung his towel across broad shoulders,picked up a bucket and left his room for the bathroom which was located at the backyard of the 'Face-me-I-face-you' apartment he shared with a multitude of tenants. He was number 3 on the queue of tenants awaiting their turn to have a bath and he patiently did wait,humming an old tune from yesteryears and thinking about how much would roll off his pocket to fix his Okada.
"Oga Jaji..oya na ya turn." cut in the hoarse voice of Mama Fidelis who had just emerged from the bathroom with a stench that almost damaged his nose. Christ! Was it that she was too fat to bend over to scrub her vitals or what?! Fine she was near obesed but that wasn't enough reason to get into the bathroom and come out as stinking as..as.. in fact words failed Jaji!
 He muttered,"Ok" under his breathe and fled inside.
  A few minutes later he was all dressed in navy blue T-shirt,denim fez cap,black jeans trouser and a pair of sandals his friend Famous so often teased. He referred to the strappy leather footwear as 'Opanka'..Whatever that meant anyway! If you knew Famous very well then you could hardly get angry over his one too many jests. Everyone knew he was bad-mouthed but possessed a good heart.
The mechanic's wasn't too far from where Jaji lived. Step by step he rolled the Okada into the workshop and signalled on one of the mechanics to come check out what the problem was.  After a few assessment here and there,it was stated that his Okada needed some time off the road so it could be properly serviced as it was quite a long time he actually did that.
"When I go com carry am?"
"Around 5.30pm." replied the cross-eyed mechanic.
Jaji's face broke into a tight frown. "From this early mor-mor till evening time?! Wetin I go tek dey work? Moreover I get somewhere important to enter around 2pm nah. How we go do??"
The cross-eyed dude smiled,revealing a set of tobacco-stained teeth. "Oga Jaji,i no fit lie you,we get plenty job for hand. Na sake of say you be our old customer na hin wan mek me even do am sharp sharp for you -"
"How much?" Jaji interrupted impatiently.
" Oga Jaji,na 3,500."
"Taaaaaaaa! Wetin be 3k,500 naira? Run dis thing for me mek I give you 2000,na small fault spoil hia now."
" Na small fault na hin you no fit take am work?" The mechanic threw his head back and laughed.
"Wetin dey make you laugh? " Jaji was a bit annoyed now. "Do this thing 2,500 naira mek I dey go. Wetin you need to buy sef? If you no do am like that,i go carry the motorcycle go elsewhere."
"Oya,leave am mek I do am." the mechanic revealed yellow teeth again. Jaji shook his head thinking to himself that the mechanic had slightly missed being a moron!
He took his leave afterwards.
   As he stood along the road waiting for a bus to convey him to Famous' place where they would together head to see Chief Akindele who needed an experienced driver and cook,he wiped the circle of perspiration that had formed on his forehead.  Soon he sighted an oncoming bus and flagged it down.
"Clima way! Clima way! "The conductor bellowed as the bus slowed down and finally halted.
"Yes,Clima way. I go stop by the round-about." Jaji told him,scrambling into the rickety  bus.
"Na 50 naira."
"I hear." Jaji looked around and then noticed a middle-aged man holding a battered bible standing close to the conductor. He was wearing a starched faded white shirt that was well tucked in a pair of black pants and a weather-beaten leather belt that missed more than a few loops probably while he he had donned it earlier on. Jaji could have passed him for a humble man of God ..but there was just something about his eyes.. a queerness that didn't depict the true picture of a Man of God. Well,they said looks were deceptive,didn't they? God forgive him if he's judged wrongly.
"As I was saying,Sister Iyabo before this gentleman stepped into the bus,God wants to make you a fisher of men! Somebody say Halleluyah! "
The so-called 'Sister Iyabo' screamed a resounding Halleluyah and some other passengers joined in too. She lifted her hands in a gesture of supplication and reverence.
"And you brother Jericho,the Lord has healed you of that pile,shout Halleluyah!"
A lanky brown-haired brother Jericho screamed Halleluyah and broke into tears. "Thank you Jesus! Oh thank you Jesus..!" He touched his backside and his eyes popped in utter shock. "Daddy,oh Daddy it is not there again! I'm healed! I'm healed! I don't feel sore there anymore! "
"Good,"replied the preacher,"God wants to make you a fisher of men unto his kingdom.. If you
believe you've been healed,deep your hand into your pockets and sow a seed of healing and thanksgiving to God right now! Sister Iyabo,brother Jericho and you,Sister Kehinde."
 Jaji watched as they quickly brought out wads of naira notes and shoved it into the palms of the man.
"It isn't by force. You give as you are led,okay?" he placed the money into his trouser pocket and made a sign of the cross. "God is only interested in making us all fishers of men. When you become saved,you bring your neighbour,your friend,your relative to him. That's all. "
"Oga pastor,your money." The conductor demanded of the preacher now.
"Daddy,please let me pay for you."promptly came the voice of sister Iyabo.
"Bless you my daughter." He said softly and went on with his fishers of men preaching. And then suddenly he turned to Jaji.
"Hmmm! God wants to make you a fisher of men as well!"
"Me?" Jaji hid a small mischievous smile.
"Oh yes,you! "
"You are not married..Hmmm..you seek a good lady to marry, is that not so?"
Jaji momentarily hesitated. He wasn't in need of a wife yet..his finances had to be in good shape to begin with.. so should he play along or out rightly rebuff him?
"Yes sir." Jaji decided to play along.
"Hmm the spirit never lies!  You lost your job sometime ago,right?"
"Yes sir."
"Your mum is the cause of all your misfortunes. But you see,my God will make you a fisher of men today!!! Somebody shout Halleluyah."
"Halleluyah!" the bus literally shook.
"Good. You've been having an ache somewhere in your body..."
"Yes sir! "
"And you always have nightmares,right?
"Yes sir."
"Hmmm.." The man shook his head and his mouth curved in a small smile. "Today you are set free! "
"Ameeeeeeeeen!!! " Jaji screamed in the manner the others had.
Just then the door pulled open to accommodate a passenger -a tall,broad chested hunk of a man  who made every other passenger in the bus appear like ants. Immediately the preacher saw him,he abruptly turned away and stopped talking.
The hunk frowned and then looked closer at the now silent preacher..and then he burst into mirthless laughter.
"You? Hahahahahahaah,everyday for the thief,one day for the owner! Driver please stop this bus at one! " he thundered,grabbing the preacher by the neck.
"Please sir..please sir.."
"Pls what? " he turned to everyone in the bus now and began to speak," This man is a fraudster who's been duping everyone in the name of the Lord ! This old fool took advantage of my little niece and extorted a whole lot of money from her and made her swear an oath never to divulge any of their dealings to anyone. This sick bastard even defiled the little girl of 16! " his hold on his neck was tighter now."Oga I no tell you say if I ever catch for this kind business I go personally take my hand kill you??! "
The preacher was trembling now like a trapped bird,his eyes popping on the verge of strangulation.
"Oga,abeg una two go come down! Abeg! Driver stop make dem come down!" yelled the conductor.
The passengers were chattering aloud now. Some were heaping insults on the fake preacher while others were begging on his behalf. The door drew open now and the hunk dragged the preacher out after giving him a punch on his head.
"Oga,abeg no kill am! " sister Iyabo cried," Na my husband! Please.. "
The passengers made a startling sound of shock.
She jumped down the bus as the driver sped off leaving the preacher to the mercy of the hunk.
"You nko? Who the fake preacher be to you?" Jaji asked the young man who was supposedly healed of pile. He was brother Jericho
"Er..er.." he stuttered,a desperate look on his face now.
"Na ya papa?"
"Oh no!" he exclaimed swiftly,turning his face away.
But Jaji had already been quick to see the striking resemblance.
He tapped the young man on the shoulder and whispered," You go comot hand for bad tin,you hear? Cos if me sef catch you for this kind business next time,I go beat you pass as that giant take beat ya papa. "
"Yes sir." He shook his head vigorously as the bus neared the roundabout.