“… Everything was going as planned and we were 2 days away from the all important SUG Elections.
I have heard so many creepy stories about cultists threatening people in the faculty.
There was also news of 2 Political Science students that went to get Odeshi charms from Enugu Ezike in preparation for the election but were killed by the native doctor when he wanted to test the charms with a local gun.
The Security men in the university have done verifications on all the contestants and ensured that none of us was a cultist or so I thought.
I have done an exhaustive Campaign and was already waiting for the D day. I have dispatched money for the decision night and all the class reps and stakeholders were all behind me. With Jeff’s help, most staff members were with me too.
I thought all was set until that evening. I had just finished a meeting with campaign team and was going home with Amaka. We were filled with Joy and excitement. Finally, our dreams were coming through.
It was at the gate of our lodge that we met a group of boys with unfamiliar faces.
We thought they were waiting for someone or doing some other thing. It was 11pm. So it couldn’t be people who wanted to be observed.
We greeted them and they greeted us back and hailed us. They were echoing “DUKE OIL AND GAS”. So I had a handshake with each of them and went inside.
Curiously, they followed us.
As we climbed the staircase, they climbed too. That was when our hearts began to beat faster.
I opened the door, Amaka first entered, then I followed and as I was about to lock the door, one of them pushed it back.
“Enyia keezi way gị? Kee ka ịna-emezi ka mụọnsọ abụrọzi Chukwu? You wan pursue us comot? Na so you wan take be Faculty President? You dey pursue your guests? Nawaa you ooo.” One of them with a marijuana corrupted voice said.
To hide the fear in me, I told them to come in, that I didn’t know they were coming to my house.
“Nawaooo, who we wan find come for this lodge if no be presido? The one and only Duke Oil and Gas? Na only you get head for this caban nah”. The second guy said.
I smiled. That kind of smile that is half smile half cry.
They came in and I closed the door. Two of them sat on the bed, two sat on the plastic chairs and two stood up.
Me and Amaka who has been silent and sweating profusely, almost shivering, sat at the extreme edge of the bed.
After more than five minutes of silence, one of them broke the ice. “So una no dey find something for visitor? Gbọ mama? Na so you dey treat Ọga’s visitors?”
Amaka was stammering as she tried to ask them what he can offer them. I quickly went to the fridge and got the McDowells bottle there and gave them.
Then the one that appeared to be there Ọga touched me gently with his palm that was rough like the back of a pineapple.
“Normally, na kpai we suppose kpai you. Na so e suppose be. But na Kendo swear with him life say you be good boy. Say you no go do bad thing.
You see eehn, Kendo don put him life for the line for you. He talk say you go obey us, say you no go give us wahala. Kendo too trust you.
Na why we come like gentle boys like this. Wetin you go do be say, you go just type your withdrawal speech now now, post am for all the WhatsApp group, tell them say you get personal family issues wey no go gree you serve then well as Faculty President, and wish them luck on the election, you hear?” He said.
“But why?” I asked trying to man up. That was when the two guys standing brought out their guns. One was Awka made gun and the other looked more like police a pistol stolen from the police.
At that time, I moved from being apprehensive to being chilled like ice water.
They told me to start writing and I started writing the withdrawal speech.
After writing, he collected my phone to proofread it. The whole thing was like a movie to me.
Na so life take be?
The next episode will come when I recover from the shock.
DUKE THE NIGERIAN
(NAVIGATING THROUGH SCHOOL, Season 3; Episode 6) was brought to you by Ugwuagbo Emmanuel Chizoba Daniel (Zoba De Great)