Tragedy Soldiers - A Novel

Silver Ojieson ..silverabhulimhen@gmail.com, +2348035503729, +2348128243139.
Silver Ojieson A.M. (Copy right owner 2012).
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Tragedy Soldiers
(A Novel).
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CHAPTER ONE This work is a sequel to the exigent experiences of Big Ben in The Chairmans Vice, if you have not read that novel it is expedient that you do so first before reading this except you want to juggle the senses with excitement worth the trial. I do not set out to write except I am compelled by the subject and character of the subject to do so. Hence I must, dear readers bring us into the world of a business mogul, Big Ben, a well deserved alias in the entertainment sector. Since precedents are so full of scandals, it is better we go A.O.B. Big Ben is a Nigerian many fellow Nigerians believe is unfortunately a citizen in a black world rated nation where fair skins are worshipped, not as gods though, but as god-fakers; because, whether you believe it or not, they do not qualify as godfathers. In the circumstance that you are not a fair skin, rivalry is the mainstay, as elsewhere when it is obvious that one is outsmarting the other, hence there is schism upon schism. In my more than half a decades academic pursuits, I got to learn that a mans shoulders have to be broken first before he is awarded a PhD. Where ever that came from I cannot ascertain except for the fact that a lecturer of mine had gone through iron and tough to earn her doctorate. If this does not pertain to everyone, especially those who got their PhD abroad, it seriously calls for concern. Well, not to philosophize so much in the rains of theories awash in the ivory towers, without due replication of its meaningfulness and functional effects on the economy and polity; it leaves us in the era of redundant ecstasy. My concern here with PhD is the PULL HIM DOWM syndrome that is common with all facets of life, especially; those targeted at well meaning individuals. It is a common and pathetic syndrome in well formed clusters and unions, including individualist tendencies exhibited in communities and societies, and finding use where necessary in the image battery campaign mounted by mostly those with a defeatist perception of life, sometimes, rarely
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though, by unengaged folks who have no serious business in the nature that is meaningfully beneficial. Politically motivated, its breath and lengths spans the immediate surround, finding comfort in the desires of those who aspire to topple successful endeavors, all for foolish fun. As in the academics where researchers must labour to be awarded a doctor of philosophy degree, so is the nature of some who aspire to heights where no foundations are laid. The sight of, and thought associated with issues that pertain to the wave making presence of success and expansion minded folks in the world of business generates contrary perceptions in the psyche of haters. For one, these haters have same head, hands and legs as well as body with their adversaries, if they be so called. In the same country where almost all men think it impossible to excel except by crook, any who surpasses certain expectation is considered beyond himself. So we must pull him down (PhD). A freaking rumour I must say has made the rounds that Big Bens life is in danger. Money has exchanged hands to the tune of mega bucks to the effect that We Kill Big Ben. All those within his reach have been excommunicated, and the least of his chores such as having a hair cut in Ajamgbadi today and at Abule Egba next week have all been rescheduled, an internal security measure, all escorts too, dropped. No more attractions, only Big Ben goes out in small cars, not so disguised. On this fateful day, when he was scheduled to have his hair cut at Festac; words had fizzled out that the big fish would be out of water. Not to go into the suburbs for Big Ben, using hair cut as a subterfuge is not to know the market potential of most down-town but densely populated places with mega bucks market value in Lagos. Thus, as early as 5am Nigerian time, the Barber who had spent all-night perfecting his blocking, such as not having his hands touch Big Bens head; collapsed, probably of exhaustion or the thought of having the privilege to barb Big Bens Big Money Making Machine Head. As if the barber were programmed to reach his 2:oclock
pm at this time, then three fierce looking guys abducted his half conscious body from the shop. Early as this time, OPC and Mai-Guards would have resort to the comfort of their bed, a measure devised to avoid their mere men setting eyes on their near-mysterious persona, especially for the crooked types, this in turn makes it relatively easier for gangs to operate early nowadays than the primetime show-offs that make box office hits at 11pm Nigerian time through 2am in the morning. When Big Ben arrived Barbers shop, it was on a platter of gold that hed offered himself unknowingly to an agent hired by a cabal. Because it is not Big Bens nature to interact at such occasions, especially as early as 5am, he simply offered to get draped and poised for his hair to be cut. Fortunately for Big Ben, the assassin whose point of duty it was to simply slit his throat is a big fan and admirer. Jayboy, as he is fondly referred to, had found a mentor in the personality of Big Ben, especially his revolutionary expansionist plans to offer a more dignified status and code of conduct for all cheaters in the entertainment industry. For one thing, Jayboy is a radical music talent, educated and handsome, but the so called god-fakers in the entertainment industry make the likes of Jayboy to lick their arse-holes and boots before they are allowed to enjoy the sunshine of stardom. Jayboy had toiled night and day carrying concrete, pushing trucks, selling and buying, being receptionist, jerk entertainer at hotel clubs, washed cars, served food at canteens and so on and so forth in the near past. He is back well informed in household chores, too. His music reflects all this, and with his hard earned cash he bought studio time, judiciously utilized studio sessions for his recordings, not allowing distractions and the hunger for stardom to becloud his faculties. Jayboy toiled, trekked, begged and got frustrated. He did not give up but whenever he manages to meet with Executive producers domiciled at Alaba Intl and Idumota, and critically at Upper Iweka too, he could not come to terms with the pee-nuts. omo boy, guy, this business is not come chop o! If you want us to make you stardom, infactu, obata go, powers must change hands. Severally
he got the same response, he was broken, because, the producer wants him to have 25%, they will have 75%- breakdown? 25% percent is piracy fee, that is, money given to Malaysian, Lebanese, Chinese and Syrian record machine duplicators in Nigeria to mass produce a dubbed master into circulation. Another 25% is production cost, transport from Lagos, including pilots who will haulage the cargo of the new album to as far as Maiduguri, Calabar, Sokoto same night and now in shops nationwide posters. Other 25% is promotion fee for Radio/Tv airtime appearances on special magazines, including settlement for committee of friends. Album launch fee comes from artiste fee of overall percentage-25%. Obviously, Jayboys reaction immediately indicated that since everything is not ten-over-ten, allowing these niggaz to have their way with his golden eaglet, his first artistic creation may ruin his career. So he opted out, but unfortunately for him, as he was inside Alaba Intl still scouting for the God-fearing prospective EP that will salvage his predicament, near-crazy state, he stumbled on piles of his record- christiened JAYBOY-JUST THE BEGINNING! If Jayboy thought shouting was the suppressant for his dizzying- almost-torn apart self, he goofed. The young man simply fainted, inside the crowdy Alaba Intl. Moments later when first aid had been administered on him by some guy man amidst the mixed multitude, Jayboy realizes that he was inside the office of a share holder, a very big man in Alaba Intl, with a lot of influence at Idumota and Upper Iweka, including Pound Road. While Jayboy obviously had caught a cold, shivering uncontrollably, Mr Bender, as this towering mammal is called, bellowed; small boy, na wetin faint you inside awa market? Shocked held Jayboy bound, his disbelief that such oddities actually exist almost removed his sanity from his soul. Struggling tough against debilitating emotional riots, Jayboy finally tells oga bender his predicament, again he bellowed in raucous laughter; small boy, you don make me laugh!. Excitedly, oga Bender laughed to his fill and began to narrate how hed mobilized militants and distributed short eye pencils to all those in
the market in preparedness against Charlie Boys anti-piracy campaign train that stormed Alaba Intl in his (Charlies) tenure as PMAN president, where the later doffed his hat and exited. So much has been heard and said about pirates, faceless but brutal, financially stable, critically cruel and economically vibrant but antithetically retrogressive. Jayboy saw a live Pirate on this fateful day, but because he was a nobody in the meantime, the small boy shielded his vengeance against these set of men who depletes the financial ozone layer of the Nigerian entertainment sector and like oil bunkers, make the black market a more stable source of profits, yet only the initiated go to these markets. Deal was, according to oga Bender; small boy, I cannot fight my children to sustain the livelihood of my neighbours household. Stunned, Jayboy picked interest and began a conversation with oga Bender, who actually holds more than three M.Sc degrees in the social sciences, Finance, Economics, Psychology and MBA-Business Administration and Management. Immediately, the small boys perception of pirates changed. A sort of orientation had been given him by oga Bender who took his time to coach Jayboy about the nature of a pirates business, though he listened with apt attention, his mind was bent on sabotaging their whole efforts. As he fell in love with oga Bender and their friendship blossomed, yet he held on to his revenge clause, like Spartacus gods of the arena, he resolved in his mind to Kill Them All!. Unofficially, Jayboy had become an apprentice pirate, learning the trade and remaking his battered album. Although he went for shows as the pirated album sold copies, the contract hed signed with oga Bender as his manager stipulates that he does not have access to any penny-youll work for the union, then if your stewardship is anything near trustworthiness, you should become the biggest music star in Nigeria Jayboy acceded and showed good promise, but as change crept into the market, that is, music sector as a result of the spiraling effects which necessitated the entrance of more movie stars turned musicians in Nigeria, oga Bender and his cabal formed alliance with movie stars to
perpetrate a hegemony of movie business production. This is not to insinuate that they were novice, but at this time, talking of the air bender union at Alaba, Idumota and Upper Iweka, their mainstay had been purely musicals. Now that they have the cross-over aggrieved movie stars in their payroll, they thought, why not why not? so these guys began massive production of home videos, tripling the home video piracy culture, this time taking it international. Because they had built a strong base home and abroad, hardly had a Nigerian film been released and it is in Accra, Dar El Salam, Monrovia, Nairobi, and Johannesburg and London. Soon, Nollywood caught the critical attention of international scholars in New York and as down South West as far as California. Industry paradigm shift at this time saw the rise and shine of the Big Bens Entertainment Empire. The entertainment business, especially movies and music had so become refined and respected in Nigeria that boom qualify for the description. Here is where the air benders union thought that Big Bens multimillion naira investment in the entertainment industry is anti-territorial. So in the nick of time, Jayboy has risen to become a tool, expendable as the case may demand. His association with the air benders notwithstanding, Jay would spend his quite moments researching and following the new industry trend and pace set by Big Ben and the Silverben Group. As a liberal minded kind, Jay would admire in the comfort of his solitary absence from the Air Benders conclave all of Big Bens move but vilify him in the presence of the union. This attitude which has earned him a staunch charisma in the union of which his tribal leanings is still a hiccup causing in many a tea cup enabled him to have access to top secret and confidential record files. Glamorous hatred for Big Ben and his organization, like aspersions cast at Dangote by the most unproductive sects I have ever heard speak about his greed for money and monopolistic tendencies to manufacture everything producible, without measuring the effect of the number he has employed leaves us with an ironic superstitious believe that creates the impression in our
psyche that it is a case of them against us. Capitalism and the free economy allows any whos got the financial clout to control the elements of production, especially labour. In this regards, the effect of the SilverBen Cinema had caused a tornado in the music/movie board of trustees, necessitating that almost all the big shots hooked up out at the vulleria, jettisoning their erstwhile god-fakers, who so much does not give them appreciate them adequately as it commiserates with the jobs they do. For one reason, Big Ben as an entertainment magnate does not make it a point of duty to conceal his success as others do, rather he ploughs back profits and uses this to expand the industry, spiraling the proportion of job creation, others would rather their cash chilled-out in Swiss banks, spending big time on unprofitable ventures such as holiday trips that do not replicate the tourism exposures they amass overseas, especially with easy to use girls, when abroad its a must go for the most expensive Mexican Sopa Opera-a prostitute! Hence, a cold war had begun in the meantime, everyone wanted Big Ben Dead. These guys were not small truck pushing and wheel barrow pushers union but men whose video cassette business had drastically reduced in the re-emergence of the cinema culture, but real-big time manufacturers, including politicians whose personality had come under critical news items in the Big Bens TV and Radio division. Economic navigators, having alleged that money lost to pirate transactions equals the budget of more than two average Nigerian state, not minding the cash flight and ripples generated by the wave making but jealously affiliated relationships of Big Ben in the Media circle and economic powerhouse, fierce contest for whose hands should be the first to have his head on a train intensified. The air benders actually think themselves better, but Jayboy- a sheep in a wolfs skin would not let a see good business transacted over the counter.
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Exceptional! That is the word for Jayboys premeditated act at the barbers shop on the morning Big Bens obituary would have been announced. The media would have been awash with the news of the sudden death of a business mogul, no less important than Big Ben of the SilverBen Group. I think that, perhaps, Hell probably got a scare crow over having enough room to contain such a VIP. Heaven on the other hand does not have need for such guests, as far as she is concerned, better media links exist, even to broadcast primetime shows, but particularly because his home coming will be big loss to Nigeria, at least God knows better. This Big Ben is well known, locally and internationally, terrestrially and in the airspace via the air waves. If truly demons habit the biosphere, he is therefore well known. Jayboy too, is not a small pikin when it comes to killing, recently, mind you. His sojourn in the air benders union has seen him rise astronomically to heights that only consecrated men of a certified caliber can assume. So, Big Ben was at the mercy of Jayboy. Of all the business in Nigeria, having a Big Ben as a guest, especially at high profile occasions and events is a rare privilege one should look forward to, yet Jayboy had it all. As it turned out, Jayboy simply ended up shaving Big Bens green headed brown head, leaving him with a well shaven, clean and better head, devoid of grey springs; this is a breach of contract, and Jayboy knows it. It means death at the arena, like when you are left inside hot water to boil to death, to slowly have your skin cooked, not burnt but peeling off at a very slow pace, the victim wishing that the ordeal could be hasten. That, is the sort of situation that Jayboy has just landed himself. The deal was to have Big Bens throat slit; no trails, no traces and for the air benders, a criminal act the type that defies forensic blablablah! Barbers reputation, if he had any would have been scrapped, but mr killer for the job, alias Jayboy, who had convinced his sponsors above others to take out Big Ben, now does contrary. This singular action dashes his hope of the promised platinum record deal, however, in his calculation, having the onerous opportunity to
shave Big Ben is a rare fit hell never stop cherishing for life, thats if he still lives. By 5:29am, Big Ben left the Barbers shop unscratched, impressed with the Barbers skills, who, during the haircut danced and sang his own best of the best songs to the delight of Big Ben- eventually landing him a Big Bens complementary card. Situation report is that, no one ever gets a Big Ben card, except on merit. You would have to prove yourself, an acid test that; fire, water, wind and circumstances cannot easily overtake. This is because, a Big Bens card is a score card, and once you have it, you have arrived. However, by the time Big Ben was stepping out, not minding the increasing number of assassins waiting to bring him down incase Jayboy goofs, which he actually did, it was into the waiting hands of a platoon of Mopols that he found security for his dearly sought after life. Then as soon as the signals of the security cleared, a fierce gun battle ensued between the recruits from the wing of the air benders union and a battalion of home crop shooters seeking an outlet for their unvented talents-outlaws! These later group had been secretly groomed by Jayboy, hed prepared and planned well for this day. In all, early Saturday morning in Festac Town that fateful day was bloody. Four men fell on the air benders side and just one in the outlaws team. The Jayboys boys who have adequate knowledge of the Festac Town terrain took undue advantage and gave the others a showdown like they have never seen. For one thing, Big Ben will live long but Jayboy has just got himself a fresh ticket to the war zone for life, thats if he has the resources to withstand his former masters. His popularity in Festac Town is not unconnected with his youth forum thingy- you know, as someone with a high intelligent quotient, hed initiated a talents hunt within the shortest time he began going for shows, mostly in club houses and open streets, building his fan base all the way. It was not this factor that mattered but peoples mere knowledge of his association with oga Bender- the prime god-faker of Music and Movie production and distribution simply referred to as marketer! The name, marketer in Nigeria
means a lot, as elsewhere though, but more formidable than the biggest film stars and directors combined. That was the sort of people that a young chap named Jayboy was now contending with; he has bitten more than he can chew. Though Jayboy sustained fatal injury, his quick recovery was probably due to his timely connection with Big Ben who he explained his predicament to. Jayboy knew the worst was yet to come. When oga Bender heard the betrayal game plan, he simply kept a wry face and silently muted the fact that no one tells a child not to grow big long tooth but must as a matter of fact be ready also to grow big long lips and flesh to cover them once in public. In Jayboys calculation, to retain Lagos as a home would amount to stupidity, so he must resort to a place not too far away and not too close, not Lagos, no, not inside Lagos else all the home video wheel barrow vendors would be willing to announce his caban to oga Bender once alerted on such terms with a price tag. So, Jayboy resorts to Sagamu, living underground and making hit singles after singles having had a cross border record label deal through Big Ben. Amidst all the rage against Jayboys betrayal, the air benders were still delighted that after all they have not been facing charges for attempted murder. Although they relished this waver, they still insist that given the slightest opportunity, Big Ben must be eliminated. Big Ben is a big fish. His persona, personal life and all that is associated with him had come suddenly under horrendous attacks following his pronouncement that he is going to build a worldapart ultra modern entertainment empire in Nigeria, West Africa and the whole of the African continent. But if the truth be told of the matter, it is that, to build the tallest building in Africa is not beans!
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CHAPTER TWO The cost of renting a Home Video had tripled while the price of a video cd rather dropped. In the interim, moviedom had been challenged greatly by the multiplicity of free to air cable stations with bouquets numerous enough to cater for indigenous languages. For as low as fifty naira, one could posses the copy right of a Nigerian home video, for keeps, this is not a transfer of ownership mind you. In the short run, these CDs lose their lifespan after one playtime. They would usually crack, and once scratched they will never play again. Instead of this ugly experience, home video lovers would rather they rented and returned the clip. This was big boom for video club owners and mega production for pirates. This period became a recess for filmmakers who began travelling to Ghana to shoot movies and releasing their films oversea (?). Ha!, is Ghana now overseas or abroad? Well, not to make bad mouth, directors and their crew could not fly, so they thank the lord for ABC couch, and visa was not so necessary-Ecowas waxed cold eventually. Then, only VIP movie stars were flown until Ghanaian stars suddenly shone bright, may brighter the way they have dared to portray the undeniably amorous scenes in their films, in Nigeria youd be losing face attempting a pseudo porn star! Moreover, it was the era ofre-release, a condition which led to the reselling of old films of say, five or six years ago, re-christened, re-titled and distributed anew with awesome photographic genius such that latest superstars, some who were not in the industry when these films were shot adorned the posters. The movie business was now an all comers affairs. In the high heels of Big Bens Crown star Cinemas, both the big and small, rich and poor were offered a new aesthetic experience. Movie theatre culture had been revived following its demise in the SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme) period when Gen. Babangida reigned in presidential hubris and harmatia.
Erstwhile, only foreigners possessed licenses to exhibit films, especially imported Hollywood and Asian clips which filled screens all over the nation, but after the indigenization decree that wrested such autonomous powers (mind you, of hard currency) from foreigners, their action having constituted the low key production of indigenous feature films, a major record was broken. As the effects of SAP paralyzed the naira, the handful of Nigerian filmmakers had parked their tools and returned to their villages. During this time, there was no film labs in Nigeria, all post-production phases were done abroad, cost of travelling coupled with the hard currency needed for this expedition were all oozed out. Under the crunch of heavy economic turmoil, some maintained a positive posture, embracing the latest technology then, Video Camera since celluloid almost drained peoples lives. The mainstay of these early productions were transposed adaptations of staged productions by the alarinjos. Until eventually when Tv productions at NTA upped the ante, wrestling and all kinds of sports was the past time. Following the debut of Living in Bondage (1992) all spare parts and electronic dealers with kiosk stationed at Idumota and Alaba Intl, Upper Iweka, Pound Road suddenly changed line of business. Scholarly records shows that quite a couple of audio cassette sellers via the wheel barrow pushing sound oozing vendors now christened marketers, took advantage of the new era. Today, the word movie is not complete except mr Marketer is the Executive Producer. It is the presence of this money bag, like all financiers in other business ventures that either mar or make the success of the film business. Since this is not Hollywood but Nollywood, where the financial clout of movie stars cannot off set a productions budget, we are left at the mercy of oga marketer. By the records he has set, Big Bens attempt to demystify this sacrosanct misconception, of an almighty-fully-powerful movie marketer is what has brought him under several severe rounds of attacks. Although these elements claim to be godfakers in their own right, adducing the premise that they built the industry from nothing to
something, and therefore having a strangle-hold on the scrotum of moviedom in Nigeria, Big Bens success in his attempt to redefine the status quo of the Cinema in Nigeria, according to global best practices is equivalent to sitting them on a keg of gun powder. His very well acclaimed plans to build movie studios to complement ongoing efforts at Crown star movie theatres nationwide has come under serious attacks, first by litigations sponsored under the auspices of professional associations affiliated to the Home Video industry, whose leadership are short sighted and epileptic economically and then a cabal of indifferent folks claiming that the movie is detrimental to the cultural practices of xyz national interest. It is an appalling kangaroo situation, yet Big Ben strides on, unperturbed. If any record exists to show for the revolutionary influence of Crown Star as a group of company in the media-entertainment line, it is the sudden conscious awareness that we have to catch with global trends. The fear of the god-fakers is that they are no longer worshipped. Artistes should have contracts, well paid and welfare-(d), but instead of the applause he deserves, torrents of scandalous news have been exhumed to tarnish the image of the one man that champions resurrection of the big screen phenomenon. Quite a lot of the well known producersmarketers who towed the movie business line and made good money invested it outside the movie business line, amassing for themselves criticism. However, four fingers seem to point to Mr Okey, Big Bens former master. Okey had enjoyed the blessings of marketers in his hay days, when men were boys. Then he also had the financial support of Madam Bonjoo, who lives no more, and Okey now, not anymore. While his glory days were sufficient for him to invest his gains, he would rather engage in campaigns against those aspiring to be like him. Okey had won best producer-director four consecutive years, ensconcing him above all his peers, a rare feat! Although he prides himself as a filmmaker above all, nowadays, he markets films and has built a niche for himself in the importation of WWE materials, including made in Hollywood productions. Hed probably used his
travel experiences, as a trained cinematographer to his advantage, nearly losing out when his main sponsor-madam Bonjoo died. If it were not for Patricia, Okey would have been at the forefront of Big Bens downfall. So many years have elapsed but Okey has not come to terms with the fact that the apprentice-boy hed introduced to his aunty is now master and king in a business line the likes of him had been revered and acclaimed the best of the best, but Big Ben does not see himself as a godfather, all men should be their gods, not anothers he would say. In a fell swoop, the papers were selling higher numbers of copies, following reports that Jayboy had been attacked by a gang of special squad commissioned to take his life, definitely by the air benders union. Jayboy had learnt not to be foolish about such things as leaving himself like that. So hed travelled to his Brass town where he was made to take a dive into the Atlantic ocean where he reportedly made himself an abode for fourteen days fourteen nights. By the time he emerged with no water dripping down his chin and clothes, he knew he was fully ready to do battle with the air benders union. To spark an already inflamed ignition, Jayboy relocated to Lagos, buying himself a world class architectural piece inside Lagos Island. If anything was the matter, it was the fact that Jayboys next door neighbor was Mr Okey, Big Bens former master. Okey who has risen to become a staunch member of the air bender had intimated the ecomog wing of the air benders union of Jayboys return to roost, so Jayboy who now has assumed multi millionaire status, received a well planned attack. The deed which lasted more than an hour of gun cracking sound tracks practically led to an unannounced curfew in the neighborhood for the next three days. When the days past and no one heard if truly Jayboy had been killed as claimed by the air benders, Jayboy resurfaced to publicly declare that he still lives. Upon this live broadcast carried by Crown star Tv, sales of JayBoys record tripled in lieu of his imminent album launch. As a matter of fact, the air benders have intensified efforts to eliminate Big Ben and Jayboy following official press releases about the
album launch-an unprecedented collection of songs involving Nigerian made Jayboy and world class acts from the US and across the globe. If this occasion held, industry watchers predicted the total collapse of the other record labels. Big deal about the album launch was that, a special security deal had been signed with a Russian Corporation which specializes in the tracking down of pirates and the number of copies of copy right works pirated; this meant no business for the air benders. If anything is the issue, it is the fact that, upon release, whether official or otherwise, Alaba Intl would usually have her own portion of records to market to wholesalers and retailers from Markurdi, Jos, Calabar and all over Nigeria. They have so established themselves that within fourty eight hours, that includes extensive delays occasioned by flight cancellations, bad weather, etc, the whole of the African continent has got to get at least a well packaged dubbed version to duplicate in all their customer-consumer nations, in and out Nigeria. When this does not happen, the amount lost equals Billions of naira and that to them is no chicken fee! In their estimation, the air bender thought they had not failed in any way. Police and investigation patrolled the premises of the Crown Star Galleria where the Album launch will hold, security of the high caliber of international guests topped news headline. If anything was noticeable, it was Big Bens magnetic ability to garnish all his recent outings with an array of international personalities, and in his line of business, the more of the international stars, the more business sold. By virtue of his organizations position as the news maker, Big Ben capitalized on the situation to sell news items to CNN and the BBC on this occasion. Local stations who wanted to hook on live paid through their nose, and for this purpose, including other such circumstances make other stations to hate Big Ben with a passion.
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The air bender had realized that Jayboy was not made by them, and so, they conferred amongst themselves, far and wide, that if they cannot break him, at least, he can be broken. This methodology meant that, the source of Jayboys towering influence, both locally and internationally had to be wiped out. This they remembered was their initial plan but somehow, the focus had changed. Instead of Big Ben, they have left person and began chasing shadows. In the preparation for the Jayboys album launch, a sovereign national conference was held in Lagos by the association of movie pirates and their memorandum of understanding was as follows: 1. To promote the album in their own way, 2. To send congratulatory/complimentary messages to Jayboy for the success of his album launch and indicate their willingness to distribute and market him in and outside the shores of the country, 3.To show appreciation for his astronomical rise to stardom within a short time and to present him with an award never given to any made in Nigeria music icon, 4. To name the newly built and about to be commissioned Electronics market in Abuja after him as recipient of the Best of the Best award for African Act in the just concluded World Music Festival at Atlanta, USA. Other terms of reference which were not disclosed but agreed upon was a ploy to bring Jayboy back into the fold and rubbish his career. Upon this last egg is the issuance of certificate of occupancy to him for a mini warehouse inside Alaba Intl where he too can invest on the sales, marketing and distribution of films and film related works. On getting the text messages in barrage, his agents intimating him of the sudden positive attitude exhibited by his former bosses, Jayboy and Big Ben resolved to extend a hand of fellowship to the acclaimed pirates. The mutuality which saw the promotion of Jayboys album resulted in the translation of his biggest album into such languages as Chinese, Italian, French, Hindu and quite a number that made them lose count. By the time billions of dollars poured in through the deals, Big Ben received the shock of his life. In his quiet moments he would ruminate and project how much could be lost to piracy
and yet, following the joint pirates venture, he was totally taken aback. Then he made up his mind to focus on his expansion plans, but at this juncture, Jayboy had been carried away with too much money. His temporary illusion was due to his sudden translation from Million to Billion, thinking himself the first in sub-Sahara Africa to be so made. Temporarily, tension between the air benders and Big Ben eased, but the worst was still to come. The thoughts of Big Bens safety had generated a lot of heat at the home front but he doggedly insisted he was safe. His wives, particularly Antonia and Amanda had travelled out of the country, leaving only Agness to stand by him. Agness had resisted her sisters ploy to have her join them and she refused the urge to abandon Ben. Right from when she began taking interest in the Corporation, which made Ben to make her Vice President, Agness has always exhibited professionalism and done her duties as if she was not in marital terms with Big Ben. Unfortunately for Amanda and Antonia who travelled the length and breadth of the world in the name of business trips, Agness and Big Ben took advantage of their proximity. At close of work, they would cool off at the presidential lodge and drink away their stress. Times there were when they did it inside the office and at such occasions, Agness knew how to make Ben uncomfortable through her pranks. Body language, speechless messages and feigned hurting were her curtain calls, and Big Ben had grown to master the cues very well. Not that Amanda and Antonia did not cross their minds, but the couple preferred not to talk about obvious circumstances without their reach. Infidelity was one such course Big Ben and Agness had concerns for. At their arrival from their trips which they always go together, Amanda and Antonia would usually prefer to stick together, not minding Agness and Ben. Most times, Agness insinuated to Ben that they were probably shopping for international gigolos. Agness had come upon their lists of handsome young men from several
nations around the world, nude pictures and bio-data of them in sexual orgies was left on their phones and laptops which Agness had access to. It broke Agnesses heart so much that, she swore to give Big Ben her all. Since then, Agness has made Ben to have the best of her. Whenever they went on occasions and events, she looked her best and radiant. Her slim physique coupled with her fairy tale-like complexion make her glow in shiny weathers and leaves her milky in cloudy atmosphere. She had received so much Fashion attention that Big Ben had to beg her not to make him have high blood pressure. Agness would sooth his nerves and make sure that she thoroughly pleased him. As for Amanda and Antonia, Ben and Agness treated them like strangers albeit they were couples. In the more than half a decades marriage, the three sisters had borne Big Ben one kid each, all three boys. All Bens attempt to make Agness conceive another failed, as for Amanda and Antonia, there was nothing more to live for except to enjoy their rent accruing from their inherited estates. Ben always made sure that they had more than enough too. Although aunty Patricia came once in a while to spend days with them, especially on her way back from international business trips, all her efforts to caution Amanda and Antonia fell on deaf ears. In quite a number of movies, mr Okey had made his friends and boys who apprenticed under him star Big Bens wives-Amanda and Antonia in explicitly romantic roles that precipitated critical out cries but it all fell on deaf ears. Aunty Patricia had come all the way from Abuja to quarrel Okey who she labeled family enemy. Mr Okey had not taken her comment to heart. He further wrote image damaging scripts and made Amanda and Antonia to star in them, yet raising more scandals. Agness would rise to the occasion and defend Big Ben on Radio, Tv, Internet and local and International papers. Big Ben had almost lost his mind severally when such films were released, starring his two wives and twin sisters fighting for a very poor but handsome school dropout. The propaganda films were so crafted by mr Okey who had background knowledge of Big Ben as his
former apprentice. Every time a film starring Amanda and Antonia starred in a film, there was always an unexpressed opinion linked to the personality of Big Ben either as a fraud star or a gold digger, a dupe per excellence. Although Agness had sued the Executively produced films by mr Okey alias four times best Nigerian director and now a marketer, ex master of Benny Ekiyor, only Big Bens track records in the industry he has transformed saved his face. In these years, Agnes had learnt to Love Her husband as a brother and protect him no matter how terrible things were. She could feel chokes of scandals here and there but, because she lived up there, the tension was not so hard to bear. It was in these tough times that Big Ben resolved to love only one woman despite the fact that he was married to three-Agness was his favourite. Since circumstances beyond his constituency had compelled him to marry three sisters, born of the same father and mother, the elders twin by birth and the last, his most dearly beloved, Big Ben secluded himself from the pomp and pageantry that characterizes the life a star maker of his caliber. Suddenly Big Ben became the type of guy youd not find on the street on a daily basis. Not as if these things were not there before, but hed rather not flaunt them, but now, he must live in glass houses and drive in Limousines. All records of him show no traces of girl friends or concubines. Big Ben does not do girls and married women are his exceptions. If this hypothesis were to be disproved, a better interpretation was needed and only a movie director with insight could afford such a luxury as the creation of fresh conflicts with already rested plots. In the brief intermission that followed Jayboys album launch, the rivalry between Big Ben and the air benders union took a romantic turn when a London School of Business graduate student came to Nigeria for her research work. The student had worked for Big Ben and is well known to mr Okey whose election as the new chairman of marketers union coincided with his position as the first vice president of the Air
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benders union. Only if we know her and what she is capable of, then all hell would not be let loose!
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CHAPTER THREE In the wake of the rested embers of burning fire and ashes winded away during and after the Jayboys album launch, Kristie had come to Nigeria for her PhD research work. Disparity in Marketing Nollywood Films: A Comparative Study of the Crown Star Cinemas and Alaba/Idumota Market was her preferred and approved title. In the course of her stay in London, shed returned to school with the intent of, but not without particular intention of especially getting a campus bobo for a husband. But when it seem like this was not going to be the case soon, the academic genius lying in wait for her rebelled against the pranks of young men chopping girls like biscuits. As a former Nigerian big girl, which she still is as a result of her several investment, but this time, when she was still at Crown star as secretary to Madam Bonjoo and alter Benny Ekiyor, Shed seen the likes of them (chop, clean mouth and run guys) before, even as far as her undergraduate days at Yaba Tech. The cause for which her only best best Remi lost the secretarys job which she had was because Remi partied and threw caution to the wind. In her grown-up self advice sessions Kristie has been reasonable enough to have by herself, she realized that if she fell for toasters and fuckers again, at this critical age (thirty seven) in her life span, there was no one to caution her. After the Benny she thought would marry her after the death she so urgently wished Madam Bonjoo eventually did not happen when Benny became husband to the Landladys three girls and paid her off to leave Nigeria, man! Know thyself became her watch word. Although she used her first year in England as a first class tourist all over the European continent, and North America, then visiting the Middle East once in a while, Dubai precisely, she slowed when unexpectedly she realized she was heavy. It was during her ordeal as a mother to be that Kristie decided she was going to enroll for a master degree in Human Resources, then another Master in Business
Administration. A Ghanaian nanny had been in her payroll and the child catered for. In due course, especially when she realized that the job she was doing rather made her look over-worked then she resigned totally and put her bounty into oil shares. Unlike Kristie, when she learnt that Big Ben was in London, she would usually go underground. Big Ben had attempted to seek her out on several occasions but he never succeeded. If there was another word worse than hurt, it would have made more sense to Kristie who felt cheated and abandoned during her pregnancy. Although she decided to keep it to herself, may be as self punishment for her overtly romantic affairs with Benny Ekiyor as former secretary of Crown star Corporation, she became disillusioned the more as days turned weeks and weeks turned months. Kristie had burned under intense solitude but desperately she was determined not to have dealings with men, they were all the same she keeps telling herself. Unlike most women who would want a man because of money, fame and etceteras, Kristie felt she was cheated. By virtue of her wages at Crown star, she was a millionaire, but this was not enough for her. One thing that makes a woman happy, not men, but that one man; the only one you may never have need to harbor your inhibitions when you have him in your life had been taken away from Kristie. If the records must be set straight, she assumes that Benny just gave in and married their former madams girls, although it could have affected his inheritance as sole heir apparent of Crown Star Corporation. Pain had become her daily nightmare ever since. She had by her money power in London made contacts at the Airports and immigrations for alerts whenever Big Ben came to the UK. Not that Big Ben had known that Kristie has a son for him, but the thought of re-union with an ex-girl who he was privileged to have dealings with, especially when he was still some kind of a starter. Yes, she remembers every now and again how innocent and creative Benny Ekiyor was, it really does inspire her until everything went sour. If her prayers that Bennys sugar mummy should die so she could have him all to herself, little did she know that so
much of her present palaver was going to come from that same family where capital was a hegemony not easily traded for mere affections. Kristie and her Ghanaian nanny had entered a deal for her to bring up David in Ghana until it was okay for her to take up the boy, and so, with all the amount she wanted, naming the child after his father, a magnanimous thing shed done from the pureness of her heart, Beatrice the nanny left England for Accra with David where Kristie would go four times a year. After her breast feeding mother episode, she opted for a Post graduate diploma in Mass communication at which time she began taking interest in the phenomenon called Nollywood. In her years as a Pgd student, a lot of Nollywood stars flocked London almost every season for shows, and some of them she knew and had a relationship with as secretary at Crown star. Upon the ignition, she decided it will be a pass over if her thesis were on the Nigerian Cinema and Home Video staples. This she thought would be pretty cool for her on getting to know that her former employers nephew, mr Okey, who is now a big marketer and as for Big Ben who now rules the world of the Multiplex, a game over for her. But if any other thing motivated her, it was revenge! Kristie had initially felt terrible loosing Benny to the landladys girls, but now, seven years after the ordeal, she made up her mind to come deal with Big Ben under the guise of a PhD research work. As if things were not already falling apart in Big Bens life, when Kristie came to Nigeria, it was mr Okey that she first saw at the airport. Although she had made up her mind to lodge up town, okey convinced her to come have a free lodge at his Lagos Island apartment. Okeys family and those in the same blood line are U.S. based, as is common with most well to do Nigerians. Upon her rest, Kristie intimated Okey about the purpose of her trip. In the course of the long talk typical of a long time no see syndrome, her memories were refined and the state of the union and nation
well accounted for. Not that Okey ever had a crush for Kristie as secretary for his late auntie but he always admired her. Kristie conducted herself then, may be not so now, with all sense of professional alacrity. She was diligent and managed her emotional riots very well. Everyone, especially those privileged to have dealings with her like Okey knew that the caliber of expatriates and Nigerians with a sense of the big life would lose focus working in a polarized universe such as Crown star. The Crown star of Madam Bonjoos days was the type that attracted men of a tensed sense of sexual appetite. Not only did high class women and up town girls made their fortune but the married and politicians wives whose brand of men are the expatriates were the sort that Kristie had dealings with at the then galaxy five star hotels. All that had changed now since Big Ben reconstructed the five star hotels into multiplexes hosting an array of cinematic experiences which ranged from the normal and bizarre. No one has ever been so accurate to know what the cinema goer wants, at Big Bens Crown star, you could see any movie from any nationality, any type and of any colour. It is this specialty and the ability to cater for all categories that drives the wheels of the heavy influx of spectators at Crown star Cinemas. But while that does not seem to be the trouble, Okeys sudden change of business line, from Movie director and producer to Marketer had inspired a season of calumnious campaign aimed at bringing Big Ben down. Then, as soon as Kristie and Okey muted their conflicts of interest against Big Ben, Okey offered to introduce her to Oga Bender. In her usual due-process manner, Kristie had mailed a self addressed envelope to Crown star corporation requesting for a research work about the corporations assistance to conduct her inquiries. Big Ben had travelled to the States for a conference but Agness had the mail which she was very much at home with. Over the net she chatted with Big Ben and intimated him of Kristies
request. He was glad to know she was still alive and immediately directed Agness to make an approval letter, then he did something that Agness least expected; employ Kristie within the six months research duration. Agness has grown to know Big Ben and so, she does not question his judgement. But on this occasion, she did. Barely did he manage to convince Agness that as an old timer, Kristies knowledge of the corporation was an experience that they should be smart enough to regain, if not, Ben assumes it will be to their detriment to just give her all she wants and then she goes away without them benefiting from her experience. Actually, Agness had no case against Kristie, but she felt that its almost a decade since Kristie left and a lot has changed. Husband and wife were finally agreed and the vote was carried. Recently too, Agness has developed a logical pattern of getting Big Ben to make rationally logical decisions. It had all began in the joint venture involving the marketing of Jayboys record with the known pirates. Agness had kicked against it vehemently, especially because her uncle Okey was at the forefront of it. In the past, Okey had almost succeeded in using Agness against Big Ben until she foiled the plan to wreck Ben through several white elephant block buster feature films and soap and series. Okeys misfortune was that, hed thoroughly announced to Agness the whole details, that it was an attempt to bankrupt Big Ben, forgetting to his chagrin that Agness was not Antonia and Amanda; those two wayward house wives. Since then, Agnesss sense of details have greatly increased, an improvement which has helped Ben to keep good records of all his dealings, weighing the good, the bad and the ugly when it was expedient. Why would Agness care so much about Big Ben, not to aid his adversaries to pull him down, she quizzed. Several are the reasons like, first and foremost, she is his wife, although being the number three and a position which she has held as first wife in the event of her twin sisters truancy. Second, she has a son four Big Ben and has desperately wanted to have another four him ever since the first without any positive results, yet she thought wryly too, that
her twin sisters also have one sons each for Big Ben. But if anything is different, it is the fact that Agness has joined Big Ben full time in the building and expansion project ongoing in Crown star corporation. Unlike her elder twin sisters; Amanda and Antonia who have businesses of their own, buying and selling precisely, including human cargo- a venture for which they have recently been known for, Agness differs because, she is committed to Crown star and they are not. Not that she does not have plenty cash, her properties which the late mother Madam Bonjoo willed to her, as well as her sisters, have gained reputable value in the real estate sector. So, without Big Ben she was well to to. On the final note, Agness thought that it was trite as a wealthy woman or man to plot the down fall of another man, whether poor or rich. The world is big enough ayekpogon!, then why bring down another man because you want to climb? Why not climb with him and fly away as far as the skys expanse. Agness was forever resolved, that come rain come shine, there was nothing in this world that will make him leave Big Ben, no, nothing! As for Amanda and Antonia who are now women cargo merchants, they have built themselves a trade empire in the name of Two Sisters World, a registered liability company in the import and export category. Officially their records show women into importation of jewelry and fabrics and operators of a chain of boutiques that goes by their trademark, but in disguise they are big exporters of beautiful girls, especially dark skinned models for prostitution. In their usual operational style, the girls chosen for foreign trips have an array of various passports to traverse various nations. In the meteoric rise of Dubai as a one stop shopping international market, Amanda and Antonia had established their presence in the Arab world, trading their wares where the stakes are high. Until a fracas over percentage sharing formula which occurred between Antonia and a popular Nigerian Actress, who the world least expect to have had carnal knowledge made the
rounds in a tatafo section in a National daily, the business side of Dubai trips meant buying and selling. As usual, the star actress lost the case when allegations she made could not be substantiated, yet all that cared to follow up on the case knew that Big Bens wayward twin Wives were guilty. During the travails, Agness would weep and cry and sometimes praying God that only if her sisters incessant menace were swept away in the event of an air mishap. Evil wish though, she was convinced it was the way out-good riddance to bad nonsense! Agness has so put herself in the corporation that, she replayed her young mothers episode so well when she was born, the time her late father Alain practically left business for her late mother and baby sited Agness, the love which eventually took his life. Not that Big Ben was retiring, but once the bad smelling odour of wayward twin wives act made the headlines, it was his nature to shut himself indoor until another subject outside his family made headlines. At such times, Agness was at her best and when Ben resumes, he was never selfish to acknowledge how perfect all Agnesss decision were. In all of these, she never calls home to ask questions, she just knows what to do. Agness had spent more than eight years working with Big Ben, a name she coined for him and which has become a stamp. Benny Ekiyor was his name, although it still is, Big Ben fits the glamour and glitz which characterize his trade. As far as his wives, the wayward ones mind you, Amanda and Antonia, so far they did not carry cocaine, all may be well, may be for now. Mr Okey had brought Kristie to Oga Bender at his Alaba Intl Market office. Their initial acquaintance had not taken the familiar student-oga helper pattern but a business-woman-malepartnership formula. In a very short time, the three of them were agreed on certain terms that would guide the appropriation of her relationship with Big Ben and his eventual demise by her arrows of death from the bow to be given her by the Air Benders union. Kristie was totally dazed.
It was not Okeys pretences that mattered to her but the desperation the men who lord it over Alaba Intl expressed. To see Big Ben die was their forever heart desire. In Kristies assertion, if Big Ben has become this important, not that he was not, as in the days when she worked with him, today certainly means a mile stone in his career as someone a whole Union has committed their resources to see pulled down. Immediately, the matured senses she has nurtured in the snowy London atmosphere of her hermitage clicked a big signal to her. Then she decided there and then, not to enter into any form of fatal partnership with these wolves. As far as this goes, these business men are irrational and their commitment to national economy, if they so know its relevance was good as nil. Killing Big Ben was not the solution Kristie swallowed and said gentlemen, if I get your drift, all you want is the death of Big Ben, nothing more nothing less? and they chorused; Gbam! including mr Okey. In Kristies academic sojourn, logic has given her insights into the possible available other ways to ride a horse instead of forcing it to go drink water at the stream. She made a succinct point which they had no choice debating. I cannot kill Big Ben she began, stunning them initially. The reasons are simple she continues. Big Ben and I have had a relationship in the past and the ghost of that affair still hunt me on a daily basis, she says, almost emotionally realistic enough for Okey to wish he had a camera in his hands for a brokenhearted climax love scene in the movies. Better for us! shouted Oga Bender. Nne, better. We already know that you had something for him and he too for you. If there is anything to go by, it is the fact that Big Ben had paid some Nigerian guys in London to help him search for you. We have all the information. Okey Nwanne here helped us thwart all his efforts, if not he would have got across to you. Startled and speechless, Kristie thought Dear Lord Jesus!, perhaps someone has been following her and she was totally ignorant of it. Well, if this does not end here, there must be a happy ending to it else she was in for a big time. The point is this Nne, Oga Bender continues.
Relax, we trust you can help us get at him. You are our last un-criminal option and nobody will ever suspect, that is the movie magic we want to create, he finished. You mean so that it will be said that two days after a London school researcher began work at Crown star Corporation, the MD kicked the bucket? Kristie said, not fearing the caliber of men she was having conference with. In the well serenaded air conditioned room, Kristie felt her skin drip with sweat, especially her buttocks. In almost a decade, she suddenly remembers that she has not known how it felt to drip with sweat. Her child birth experience was the most palatable, shed been well taken care of medically and even without a man to make her loosen the more in the event of childbirth. It was not because she thoroughly hated him to wish him death, but she cannot kill someone who has contributed so much to the economy, and for other peoples ego. It was all confusion for Kristie. Sweat and heat, as if she were being cooked made her uncomfortable. By the time she removed her coat and took in a deep breath, she evaluated the men before whom she sat and declared that if all things being equal, what will it pay me to kill Big Ben? By the time she asked, the air benders were not certain how she managed to come by that insinuation, confused and lost, they could not fathom if she meant how much they were willing to pay to see Big Ben go down, that for them, was the immediate conception, but they were wrong. As much as Kristie had tried her best to no avail since coming to Nigeria, her emotions ran riot at the thoughts of seeing Big Ben again, especially in flesh. She has been watching him talk on Tv but nothing compared to the experience she so envisaged with him. Having left the air benders to decide what the conditionality are to her role in the destruction of Big Ben as a Tragedy Soldier, Kristie also resolved to buy herself a house, for personal use and especially to avoid mr Okeys prying eyes who she feared may influence her decisions in a way that may not be favourable to all and sundry. As typical of Agness, shed called Kristies school in London to ascertain that it was genuine the research the
lady was conducting. Her curious had been well served when she learnt Kristie is dully registered as a PhD student, her doubts clearing but not erased. Kristie was a suspect, a capable husband snatcher if we go back to the records, because, before Abraham Jesus was. Agness knew it when the night she first had intercourse with Benny at the family house, on waking to use the bathroom, shed seen Benny kissing Kristie differently, tenderly so that it was almost different from the way he gave it to her. Then she resolved to follow them up. All through that night when she kept awake, she monitored how Benny first followed Amanda and satisfied her sexual needs before exhaustively making Kristies morning. As she watched Benny and Kristie that early hours, she noticed, although he was very tired, the way he made love to Kristie rang bell of someone with whom experience and mastery combined to give birth to excellence. He totally understood the twists and turn karate that Kristie was capable of, yet Benny did not fall short of her expectation having had three sisters in one night, only someone with someones good knowledge could have done so. Agness, not particular jealous as far as she could get a piece of the Bennys cake butter ignored them, but not this time. She has been the centre of Big Bens world in the past eight years, the possible appearance of a Kristie in this family picture was tantamount to ruin her happy family status. This factor had informed her rather questioning of the research work Kristie was coming to do in Crown star Corporation. But why Crown star? There are other cinemas in Nigeria, Kristie could have gone there but she chose to come to their company. she must be checkmated! Agness resolved. In the move to ensure she still had her precious husband for keeps, shed recruited a research assistant before Kristie even resumed work to monitor her and Big Ben, but little did she know that apart from memories in the moonlight, Kristie was an Alabama Wildcat!
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CHAPTER FOUR Erosions, the like we see on Tv ravaging Agulu in Anambra state does not meet the description of the emotions that Big Ben expressed when he met Kristie. To make matters worse, Agness was present. On sighting Kristie, as boss; alias MD/CEO, official caution, etiquette and blablabla supposed that oga should be more mature under the circumstance but no, he threw caution to the wind, shouted joyfully and lifted up Kristie, in public glare. The research assistant was there live to witness the first scene of an act for which shed been employed without application to write and submit reports. Big Ben was so excited he shed tears in the presence of his wife over another woman. Agness was, to say the least disappointed and it was the first time in eight whole years! Agness had never been disappointed, no, not for anything whatsoever Big Ben had done. She loves
him entirely, but this phobia wrecked her totally- an innate foresight that Kristie had come with intent to begin a long abandoned relationship. Kristie immediately noticed her reaction and attempted to frustrate all of Big Bens re-union thingy, but perhaps she does not truly know how happy her re-appearance meant to him. Big Ben has not really had fun lately, I mean, the type of fun a man would enjoy without restrictions every now and again. Though this has not always been the case, when Agness joined him to grow the Corporation, they were spontaneous in sexually related games and teasers, but down the drain in a stretch of two elastic years, the fire burnt out and died hard. Ever since, the missionary style had become their cool-offs pattern, no thrills, no frills! To make matters worse, Agness suddenly becoming cold, she preferred to put her all in working than enjoy herself. Even when Big Ben suggested that she take trips abroad and stretch away the stress, she would decline. As for Amanda and Antonia, those two twin sister wives of his, wayward as they are, especially when they return home drunk, both of them would almost gang raped Big Ben. It was only at such instances that the mad woman in Agness come out to see the living daylight; a ploy devised to salvage Big Bens trauma from the harrowing hyenas, then in a spate of two three days, the sexual hard drive in her heart disk would crash or get corrupted by work-workand too much work! Kristie is definitely a big threat to Agness. Upon her shoulders Big Ben shed tears of joy, but Kristie could not push him away. This same Ben who many bad men want to kill over business, many women too have desperately wanted to have sex with. Governors, Ministers and Presidents wives have tried without success yet known to access the John Thomas below his belt. The big deal was not because they were all far spent and many of them very ugly, or too much make up, but because, as Big Ben calculated, at this his age, it will be irrelevant to want to satisfy any
woman. That means, struggling to impress a woman in bed, such occupations meant no sense. That is all what women of that caliber want-a man to satisfy them, because as they are well plagued, oga minister and Governor and President have their call girls at Sheraton to satisfy them. Satisfy merely goes beyond sleeping with. It is a higher degree of processes that culminate in the generation of highly tensile emotional pleasures. For this kind of business, sugar mummies need a young agile gigolo, the type that do their bidding. Money was all you need. Money power gives you sexual healing. Big Ben has money and as far as he is influential, coupled with the caliber of women he has dealt with, corporately mind you, all their attempts to make him cum inside them had never proved successful. As expected, he cannot afford to rubbish his image going haywire with married women, the last thing he has vowed not to do. On his trips abroad whenever he travelled for business, pleasure was deleted. so, are you married? was the first question he asked Kristie. At this point, Agness had cautioned herself to give them the benefit of doubt for an initial re-union and familiarization talk, a tour which enabled them two to rejoin the instinctual lust that lurks inside them, locked ever since the last time they last saw each other, an evidence against which Big Ben confessed was Amandas handiwork. Amanda, when they were newly married talked Benny and Kristie out of the relationship which they had for Kristie to relocate abroad, a deal over which Kristie was heavily paid. Agness had intimated her twin sisters but as far as they were concerned, Big Ben was not so valuable, no, not anymore as in their first night when they all hustled to fuck him. Years have gone down the drain with an array of family issues, self discovery and explorative panaceas but Big Ben has not bothered about new women. Never has he said words of love or affections to, especially the number of so called big gals who came to the office in the name of appreciating the latest movies seen. All these years, Agness has led a close match and check mated him until she realized it was a sheer waste of time to bother about the death of a
corpse. Phew! Take note, Big Ben has never lost his erection though, and whenever Agness was not the workaholic he thoroughly cleaned her play head. One strange reason why Agness damned the feeling that Ben might be cheating on her was the conviction in her spirit that Big Ben was not a womanizer. There has never been any traces of Casanova-ship in his blood stream. Ever since then, her high blood pressure normalized, and shed lived in peace until the day Kristies letter was received. Without apology, Big Ben had compelled Kristie to come to their house. As a guest, not a new one to the remodeled late Madam Bonjoos big house, though, Agness had no choice but to play host. In a life time, shed never felt like this before. Especially when she had to go to the kitchen, the jealous part of her ran riots of suspicion like what if they were kissing? and then she would come into the parlour to look at them, chipping in one or two lines to avoid the devils monitor lizard. Obviously, Big Ben noticed and he showed restrain because, when he talked, he almost always had his hand laid on Kristies laps, as if to begin fingering her on the spot. Kristie had been sending him speechless messages to remove his hand and notify him that he was too close for comfort but then, Big Ben misconstrued her intentions, thinking it a go-ahead to fondle her. When he realized the damage, he withdrew a little bit but Kristie could feel the energy of attraction. In one night, a Big Corporation boss like Crown Stars had transformed into a lover boy. When it was story-story time, Kristie relayed all of her London experiences and her ordeal in run-away lover who she has a son for. Instinct signaled Agness to begin thinking otherwise, like, what if she were lying and the child was Bennys? Well, she had no facts, no clue and she was becoming restless the more, then she began to drink, something she has not done since five years now. The wayward attitude of Amanda and Antonia had made her drunk when they both returned from a trip with a really sweet
but intoxicating wine. Although shed been a heavy drinker when she lived in Liverpool and as a panacea for her then loneliness when Napoleon her ex went sea faring, a crack had occurred in Agnesss subconscious. When Big Ben noticed, he was wise enough not to stop her. The last time she was drunk, she fell sick and was bedridden for almost a week. Drinking is Agnesss old habit which she has abandoned but whenever she tried it, it paralyzed, Big Ben knew this fact and he thought that this would give him free airtime with Kristie. It was already 9pm when Big Ben asked the driver to take them to Kristies place. Kristie was very certain that if Agness heard him well she would have made sure he did not leave home at such a time, but already shed drunk to stupor. Big Ben merely helped to lie at the sofa and then left with Kristie. Kristie could notice the excitement with him as if she was a newly wedded virgin bride ready for the altar of deflowering tonight. The intention to take the driver was not because Big Ben does not know how to drive, but to remind him of home before Agness may come out of the influence of alcohol. Unlike before, Amanda and Antonia returned early from their shops to prepare for big party holding in the neighborhood. Most people have benefited from Big Bens charity due to Amanda and Antonias incessant partying where solicitors would pass a message to Oga who, to save his good name according to the twins must respond to the need in hard earned money or, as they would yak, be rated lower than his equals. if you want to reach Big Ben a popular saying has it, Ask Amanda and Antonia. While the twins did not bother about Agness who was noticeably drunk, they were however curious about who had eaten food on a third dish. Their preparations did not take so much time as they left the big house for the security men and serfs who do over night work. The serfs had been employed when some international guest frequented the house, or else, Agness made sure she prepared all of Big Bens meals. As a mother of one each, the three sisters still appear as spinsters, well trimmed, beautiful and very without traces of wrinkles. At thirty counting, they
looked twenty one, no more no less. Movie stars who dared to extend a hand of fellowship often prided in their association with Amanda and Antonia, and soft sell magazines often flaunted photos of the Billionaires wives whenever their papers were cobwebbed. A controversial head headline was their usual hit and then they will rake in plenty money, just insinuating that star xyz was spotted in a high profile occasions and events holding one of the twins hands. The scandals were not doing the twins any harm but pointed accusing fingers at Big Ben to the extent that some advocacy group began championing the closure of Crown star cinemas, insinuating that, if polygamy was not enough crime to send Big Ben packing, his wives infidelity was something worth looking at. It was at such times that Agness would appear on air and call the bluff of the group led by some women religious leaders. After lashing them, she would go as far as exposing the several attempts which some of them made at seducing her dear Big Ben, which he always tells her. Amanda and Antonia who caused the palaver would momentarily turn a new leaf but in less than three days, the demon that makes them behave waywardly would agonize them again. It has been this way, from one scandal to another and Agness interceded, using herself as a worthy example. The way she would speak, first as a woman and then as wife of Big Ben left no stones unturned. For this, shed earned a reputation that only presidential first ladies alone are accorded. It is for these reasons and more that she has been plagued by her neurosis, a phobia which leaves her helpless. The road had cleared well enough for a speed drive to Kristies new apartment at Ajah. For security reasons, Big Ben would usually make use of a below his class whenever he had urgent need to be outside home from seven oclock. As they drove past the traffic free way, bill board of Jayboys memorable album launch still adorned the high way. Looking back with such assurance
that defies the obstacles that almost thwarted the ground breaking event, he was more confident that nothing would stop him. The silence that had characterized the duo since they left Big Bens house gave way when Kristie congratulated him. why? hed said, not sure when she answered for making the biggest star to have come out of this country so far!. Big Ben had no choice but to look at Kristie, this time, with a probing look that seared through her hearts. thanks he said, almost in a hushed voice, at this time his heart skipping beats. As if Kristie were almost waiting for his cue, at the point when he opened his mouth to tell the driver to double up, she asked the driver to stop. Big Ben was stunned, and as they alighted, she told him they were going to trek it down the street in order to avoid the usual security checks which the guys at the estate gate usually conduct on entering vehicles, and in order not to draw attention to himself at this late hour, he was advised that walking down would serve him better. In a long time, taking instructions had not been part of Big Bens lifestyle. Since his sugar mummy died, not even the duo of Amanda and Antonia, mad as they are had prescribed for him what to do. All he did he assumed hed done without duress. For one thing, he is Kristies junior by age if it were by seniority, she is seven years his senior, yet the big boy in him felt insulted. On their first encounter on the emotional plain, Benny had walked out of Kristie in her Festac Town apartment almost eight years ago, but even then, he was just an up comer in the care of his late benefactor when she was still secretary. This night the story is different because right now, Kristie may kill him if she wish to and only media jamboree will come out of it. But on a second note she thought, it would be a sheer waste to kill the handsome father of three sons from three different women, the same sisters, a twin and their sister, the most sacrilegious marriage she has ever witnessed in her short sojourn on this journey called life. Four, yes, four! she remembers, not forgetting to add her son David to the list. She is rich, has made good investment and totally comfortable for the rest of her life. She is not a hustler, and
her intention, like most African women would do, is not to fight for inheritance for her son which she has for Big Ben. Not that she is not proud she has a son for Billion the type of Big Ben, but the circumstances under which she was relieved of her duty as secretary of Crown star Corporation, by those she considers oppressors and the way her lover and boss acceded has hunted her all along. If she tells Big Ben, will it change their lives? What if she just shoot him, for the sake of the pain she has gone through, with all the money she was paid mind you, or for the air benders Pull Him Down (PhD) campaign of calumny; she took a wry look at Big Ben in the almost shining moonlight and asked herself a simple question what will I tell David has happened to his father? she shook her head. A major reason she had asked Beatrice her nanny to bring up her son in Ghana was a ploy aimed at discouraging every logical rational associated with the lifestyle of European/American kids always wanting to meet daddy. She had seen quite a couple of devastated mothers going through tough times with their often too sharp kids plaguing them with concerns of having to see Daddy when it was very obvious most were serving prison terms or denied the pregnancy. A simple push and the door opens, come right in she tells Big Ben. Please do not mind the nature of the apartment, I am yet to furnish it. Big Ben had developed cold feet as they entered the gate of the compound and waded through unpacked luggage to access the parlour. As he just sat there, quietly watching Kristie, she could feel the warmth of his palms fondling her breast, thats if imaginations are real. When it was obvious that the silence was persisting, Kristie, who did not want to make moves, so as not to give Big Ben a bad impression of herself randomly switched between channels then Big Ben shocked her when he asked Are you nervous or something? She pretended as if she did not hear him, then got up to fetch a bottle of Irish wine. As soon as Big Ben
saw the brand, he knew it was the type that inspires erotic circumstances, laughing in the deeper parts of his soul, not knowing when he laughed out. why do you laugh, Ben? then he just got motivation to rise boldly and come over to sit by her, then says I am a well travelled man, Kay. I know what this means! The duo did not wait for more the tumbler to measure the amount that they could control, throwing caution to the moonlight that found its way through the window blind, despite the lights, they gulped the bottle mouth to mouth and hugged at each other without permission, tearing off their clothes. If Big Ben was never bothered about anything in life, it was on which clothes he would return home after what has just begun. CHAPTER FIVE The following day, as if Kristie was the real Tragedy Soldier, when Big Ben left her house, it was to the family hospital that he landed. If anything more than ever baffled him, it was not the discovery that Agness had woken up sick the following morning with no memory of where Big Ben spent the night and, emaciated too, lying weakly on the hospital bed. It was not as if Big Big did not envisage this when he allowed her to drink excess of wine, a consequence for which she must suffer the comfort of the immobility associated with hospital bed. The real bang was that, Amanda and Antonia too were in the hospital, this time, as before when Agness had slight mood swings and had to be admitted and they would have to visit, the best they owe her in the name of sister; today, they were both admitted too. Initially this looked like a parable to Big Ben; that his three wives who happen to be from the same blood father and mother for that matter, were hospitalized the same morning. Mysterious! he let the word slip his lips, it was the first time in a long time a word of that nature would escape him unnoticed, for he has high regards for critical judgment. If Kristie were the catalyst for this condition, Big Ben would have known, but she just
arrived. It was not a case of voodoo as some water melon skulled fellow would think. Obviously, his own fears hunted him. In the early hours of the morning after he had a fill of Kristie in her new apartment, hed woken up tied to the bed. Shocked and lost, he thought he was dreaming. Then with a stainless pistol in her well aimed hand, Kristie made him understand why she really came back to Nigeria, her PhD research is secondary, but to make him pay for all the hurt he made her go through, primary. First she confessed to him at gunpoint, and in tears too, that she has a son for him-David Ekiyor who resides with his nanny in Ghana. Big Ben was happy about this and he showed it with the expressive fill of joy that registered on his counteneance, but what is joy to a man tied to a bed side, with a stainless steel pistol pointed at him? He was happy but not too happy. Kristie made sure she was not drunk because her gun was loaded else there would be an accidental discharge. But if one thing set Big Ben apart from other men, his diplomatic expertise in such situation salvaged any need for him to do gragrah! As if she were pushed to the wall, Kristie exhibited the characteristic of one who was compelled to do that which she was obviously doing. In the more than a life time experience she had just had with Ben some three hours ago, all her years of hermitage, wherein she evaded men like lepers were thoroughly replenished. Immediately she and Big Ben started kissing, she totally submitted her womanhood for his pleasure. Unlike the Festac Town episode during her secretary-ship days at Crown star Corporation, the fierce sexual encounter between these ex-lovers heightened every bit of sexual tension that they were able to bring on. Love sick and sex starved, she tickled Big Ben with her tongue, licked his sugar cane clean of rustiness and fellated him adequately. On his part, the big boss, not hers anyway, entered the character role of a well experienced gigolo and titillated her body. Under heavy quakes and infant moans, Kristie surrendered every nerve in her organism for total caress. Lips locked in embryonic formidability; they both exchanged hot breath, swapped the natural standing position
and received one to the other, head inside thigh and face below the belt. A blow-job session which lasted an hour plus left them both in tears of joy, a sexual healing had occurred which they have not had in almost more than half a decade. Finally when they made entrances into their souls, Kristie was well filled and the difference was clear compared to the first encounter she had with him back then. This time, his sugar cane had become fatter, longer and tougher. If his years as a married man were responsible for the obvious changes, Kristie did not bother to know except to savour the joy of his tight thrusts which excited her at the grip of the waist where the joints converged to send sensational signals to the whole soul. Kristies hungered for a mans touch were well catered for, not just by some any man, but the one who she knows she has love for. In the several falls that Big Ben had during the intercourse, coupled with Kristies several orgasmic tremors that shook him almost off balance if not for experience, a long sleep to suit the nerves was all Big Ben had in mind, only to be woken up tied to her bed and at gun point too. Like dream sequences in a movie Big Ben misconstrued Kristie very early but realized she was no joker, to prove how serious the case was, she removed and showed him the live ammunitions, then Big Ben believed. Obviously, Kristies concern was that she wanted her pound of flesh. If Big Bens flesh were anything thing to write home about, Kristie knew very well, even more than the air benders union that he has a well fed flesh. A billionaire of his timbre and caliber was no small fish in a big river of life. In Bens woken consciousness, he quickly averted what would have turned bloody into a amicable communion. you have every reason to be mad. But what will it benefit you if I die? he asked Kristie. Not as if she really wanted him dead, yet she could not understand why she had a gun. In her calculations, if really meant business, that is, to play the tragedy soldiers role the air
bender had optioned her for, a call through Okey and his gang, after she was fully satisfied sexually would led to Big Bens obituary, but then she thought again, that perhaps the demon that has possessed her does not have the slightest idea that she loved Big Ben and that her son would be heir of his vast business empire. Upon the self-evaluation session, she merely convinced herself that only if she threatens him and see how he will react, if favourably, the better for her, but incase it turns otherwise, she might be forced to shoot the living day light out of him. Drop the gun Kristie, name your price and youd have your pound of flesh, but do not let this craze interfere with our affair he said. Affair?, Kristie reasoned, within herself. Well if he is keen about them having an affair, as she is being made to understand, her plans to make him pay for his wrongs may come easy than shes envisaged. I cannot understand what you mean by affair, Ben! she said, her emotions at the verge of giving her up. Truly, she exhibited the traits of a better lover, holding a gun at him but in a confusion as to why she so hates him. In all of the early morning drama that transpired between them, Kristie finally broke down in tears, regretting why she ever had to dare point a gun at him, begging for forgiveness. at least you could lose me, darling Ben said. She was cautious and did not. I will not until you make me a fair deal she finally mustered enough courage to say. Deal? Of what nature? he asked. If Kristie did not have control of temper, perhaps this would have made her pull the trigger, then she shouted; do you suppose I am a joker come from London to catch silly fun in Nigeria? she asked. No! You are a serious woman, darling. Just name it, except I dont have it, I can give you anything Ben made her understand. But before she could say a word, he added Our son David, I will include him in my will, if that will make you happy, then we shall travel to Ghana and see him, what do you think? More tears rolled freely down Kristies cheek, she was totally lost. May be as she wrongly assumed, Big Ben would have wanted to play smart, but no, he seems to be fine and not shaken. Ironically too, he is
not perturbed, that actually renders Kristies act of feigned fierceness irrelevant, and she felt ashamed of herself, to be wanting to kill the man that has just given her sexual healing after her more than half a decades conscious abstinence from sex, a routine she considers detrimental to her spiritual and psychological wellbeing. Im so sorry Ben, I shouldnt have tied you she said, drops the gun and takes the knife on the desk and cut lose the ropes. Ben did not accuse her or rush towards the gun or act defensively, he just wondered why she had to, then he asked a simple question she least expected How were you able to tie me and I did not know? I drugged you in between rounds of sex and he just laughed. So as they say, such moments are a mans weakest, a tunnel which separates the cross-roads of life and death. so, apart from you and David, is there any other motivation for what you think is revenge? Ben asked and she becomes startled, the knife falling from her hand. When Big Ben noticed this, he was convinced she probably has another motivation- the air benders. Immediately he went through her research proposal and noticed that she was doing a comparative study of Crown star and Alaba Intl/Idumota, he was very certain Kristie could be amenable. So they want you to kill me, the air benders union? he asked, adding do they know you have a son for me? Big steps closer to her, this time she crouches by the corner of the bed, a flood of tears running down her chins. I am so sorry Kristie answers. In his usual maturity he simply pulled her up, not angry. we can both have a very happy life as father and mother only if you realize that those guys are tragedy soldiers, they do not mean well for you nor I Ben says, petting her. You are not the first person they will be sending to pull me down, but since I have never wished them evil, I will not die by their bullet. If the truth be told, it is the fact that you must make it clear to them that you will not be used. A rather unexpected question she asked was why do you think I cannot be used, Ben? As a matter of fact, I am more vulnerable compared to any other person for reasons I cannot explain. You have hurt me and I
want payback, also I have access to you like no other person, so you see, I am a naked weapon she finished. Well said, but for how much? he quizzed her; How much? What do you mean how much? she threw back at him. Look here Kay he said, those guys do not have as much as I have, if they do, they will not want me dead. Therefore, work for me, I will pay you more what they offered you, our son aside. But since Kristie is not among the greedy lot, she swallowed and kept silent. Obviously if she wants to fight Big Ben openly, that is through litigations, she sure knows that she will lose big time. Secondly, recalling the circumstances surrounding her forceful travel from Nigeria when Amanda, then Bens favourite wife made her exit the stage before the show had barely begun, the more weak she became. Although she can boast of some million pounds in shares and estates, she was very certain her money and Bens were not age mates and have not the same rate. I asked Agness to put you on the pay roll for the six months duration of your research work, who knows, something better could make you stay with me before that time Ben said, staring inquisitively at her. if anything will make me stay, aside from willing some of your wealth to David my son, you must also be willing to give away some of your shares, I want them or there is no deal. Wow! Ben thought, this woman has grown up. London fever has made her business minded. A moment of silence lasted before he said a word. on my part, I know I owe you more than shares, but I will have to test your loyalty before I offer you a Crown star share, you know how valuable they are at the stock market. Not that it particularly means life itself, but if you show me the kind of love and care you know I deserve, not minding Agness and the air benders union, its a deal Ben submitted. Kristie merely looked at him and whispered into his ears you sure know how to make deals and offers. He laughed and pinched her in the bum-bum, but to her that was totally uncalled for. Kristie had rehearsed her speech with a gun in hand the previous day in a secluded portion of the Lagos bar beach. In her blocking, she could see Big Ben opposing
everything, then as the action rises, a clythaclismic climax that would culminate in Big Bens death. Low and behold, the script has been totally upturned. Big Bens wisdom had prompted him to agree with her as appropriately as possible but to watch how much commitment he made to her. It was this tactics that saved the day, no, not the day but Big Bens life. Hence, after an attempt to provoke Big Ben so he could prompt her to shoot him, at which point shed actually showed him the live ammunitions, she discovered to her joy that all the effort was a waste of time. They were both thoroughly agreed with written contracts to watch each others back, including fronts when the need arises. In kisses and hugs, they parted in anticipation to see more of each other later on in the office. Inside the hospital where Big Ben was, attending to three wives at the same time, and to make matters worse, in the same big ward, he was lost between whom to cuddle and pet and what have you. Amanda and Antonia have both been admitted according to report by the night guard when he noticed them vomiting at the entrance of the gate. Their car was in terrible shape and they looked horrible in appearance as if they have been in a trance, a bad one. The house girl too had called the ambulance service which came home to carry Agness on a stretcher, she was in terrible pains, cold and calling after Big Ben, but he was not very close. A trip had been fixed on three of them in the special ward which looked like a big family parlour. As Big Ben watched his three wives with awe, fear of the unknown tormented his soul. He is absolutely clueless, and helpless too. All he could do was to call Patricia their mothers elder sister. By 12pm Patricia was in Lagos from Abuja. Before Patricia arrived, the family doctor confirmed that Agness has fibroid, a deadly one, the type which drains the blood, and the alcohol had loosen the belt of the organism like melted wax and so her travails were not unfounded. In the last six years, Agness has miscarried more than three times in a
row. Every time it happens, especially the first two which had almost reach advanced stages, she would weep tears and blood. It only takes Big Bens near retirement from work to bring the often lively Agness to the personality that she was known for, especially the way she handled family and official issues with a strong sense of foresight. shell have to be operated upon within fourty eight hours, any delay may be detrimental the doctor told Big Ben. As soon as Patricia showed up, Agnesss operation was arranged so they will leave for Canada the following day, but the pains Agness felt registered the more immediately she sighted Kristie come into the ward to say sorry. Between her painful ordeal, if she had enough strength to talk, she would have asked only one question, and that would be Honey, where did you spend the night, but right now, her case was so debilitating she could not move at all, although she can see and hear. She felt paralyzed and spiritually dead. God! she swallowed, if only this cup would pass away, she probably wished. Excruciating does not qualify for the pangs of pains searing her abdomen. When she delivered her only son Godfrey, it was painful but not this much. She obviously hurts but auntie Patricia held one hand while Big Ben held the other. Patricia was delighted to see Kristie amidst the situation and they managed to exchange some words of compliment. Big Ben was giving way to tears when Patricia encouraged him to be strong. if I were around Ben thought, perhaps this ugly situation would have had taken another course, so he just lashed at himself, conscious that if Agness were strong enough to face him one on one it would have been a tug of war. When food was brought to them, Patricia had forced Agness to eat enough food to sustain the effects of the medications she was given. Amanda and Antonia had to be taken away from the family ward to an intensive care unit when it was obvious that their condition was not ordinary. In the mean time when Agness managed to
sleep, Patricia and Big Ben went into consultation with Amanda and Antonia who spoke with great efforts. Their countenance had lost oil, suddenly darken and their skin looked rusty as if a debris of some sort had rubbished their complexion. If this discovery was not shocking enough, upon deeper probing which Patricia by her age and experience initiated, the twins began to confess that; we saw mother early in the morning on return from a party Antonia said. Big Bens response, rash as it was, he simply discountenanced the claim, calling it illogical, and not tenable. When Patricia begged the two women to tell her what happened, then they began to cry and stated that they have been seeing their mother in their dreams and sometimes her apparitions hunted them, like it did this morning. Big Bens attention was drawn, but he was not convinced that such things actually happen except on the film screen. why would your mother be after you both? Why? It simply does not make sense! Ben said. As much as Patricia knows, such things are not uncommon. In the long run, both women explained that Madam Bonjoos ghost had warned them to desist from their un-wifely attitude and to join Agness and Benny to build crown star Corporation or else face her wrath. They did not take it serious but saw it as a powerless threat. on several occasions when I dreamt, mother would tell me that her spirit was not finding rest because of the scandals our behaviours were causing Bens business and that if it persist, she was going to make sure the cane she did not use on us as daughters were used Amanda said. then this morning Antonia said, as we were coming from the party, we saw her in front of us while I was driving, but instead of stopping, Amanda asked me to crouch her so that her spirit would go to hell. We made jest of her, saying perhaps God has rejected her soul at Heavens gate and she was helpless. Then, she was gone, but as soon as we approached home, she was there with a big weep in hand and Amanda ran her over, instead it was the fence we hit. When we alighted, I received a well greased palm slap. The slap has left my jawbone broken she stopped, crying profusely. Silence pervaded the
intensive care unit for some minutes until the women were convinced they have cried their fill. I am so scared, Ben. I dont want to die Amanda said in between tears. You will not die Ben said, sitting close to her and takes up their hands. Patricia was perturbed, and to say blank, she just sat with her head bent. She knew the implication of this, especially if ones mothers ghost had any course to be cross, there was no mercy, especially with female ghosts. Benny Patricia said, there is nothing you can do. They both had the opportunity to turn a new leave of life but they took it for granted she said. I dont understand what you mean, auntie he said. As the twins began to groan, Ben made to call the doctor, no use my dear she said. Its no use, they cannot survive it Patricia said bluntly. But the doctors can administer some she cuts him short and added solemnly this is not a case for medical science, it is spiritual. However, it is too late. As Big Ben turned to express his concerns for his twin wayward wives, he suddenly realizes that they have become cold in a jiffy. Gadem it! he said, not loudly though, they were dead. Patricia came over to cover them and said aru!, pulling Ben away from the corpse. They have bad luck she said. Agness needs your attention, let us go before she wakes up. Big Ben was speechless, but the husband in him struggled within to come to terms with the fact that he just lost two wives, what a loss! he said, maybe its a good riddance to bad nonsense, but on this occasion, the sanctity of a human life, no matter how inhuman the human being touched the soft spot in his spirit. If anything has to be concealed, Agness must not know that her twin elder sisters have died. Big Ben love Agness more than them all, he cannot afford to let her die. Not as if he has regrets for leaving her all to herself alone last night or gave her leverage to drink to stupor, the consequence of which he knew would lead her into the hospital bed, no, the inevitable was that Agness had been diagnosed of Fibroid. She knew how this hurts and Big Ben can attest, a factor which has made their love life
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more else dull the more the days went by. Such days are gone for good as Big Ben would think, not anymore since Kristie is now to roost. Travel agents have fixed all schedules for flights and everything for Agness and Patricia, but what plagued her the most was that as much as she tried to say a word to Big Ben, strength failed her. As soon as she woke up she noticed a usually bright Ben with a wry face. Such expressions does not befit him, she knows. When she forced herself to turn she noticed that her sisters had been moved and this greatly distressed her. When Big Ben noticed, he opened up and lied to her that Amanda and Antonia had been taken to the intensive care units. Instincts signaled her to grasp the intent that her sisters were dead. If she did not know this fact, Bens voice which shook terribly as he told the lie indicated thus, moreover, the mention of intensive unit in the movies meant only one thing-critical condition, especially those cannot be salvaged. Quietly she laid, staring blankly into the ceiling. A private jet was billed to fly Agness and Patricia together with her P.A. by 11pm, yet she did not feel there was any need to look forward to more days. Life had become suddenly sour, leaving a bad taste on the tongue. Later on as she was wheeled out of the ward, she could notice the electricity between Kristie and Big Ben and like a helpless lot, she allowed her fate lead her away from the man under whose husband-ship her life as a wife had been well spent, no regrets whatsoever. Then she surmised that, if eventually she dies, Kristie in Big Bens life, unlike other gold diggers was a good record she kept. When the jet left the run-way, Big Ben felt eased a bit, he knew Kristie was nearby and he tried not to collapse into her arms where he could rest a bit, but if he does that now, leaning on her in the open glare, it would be inconsequential. The thoughts of announcing to the world that he lost two of his wife in one day made him doubt what peoples response would be, especially in a society where such occurrences
are rare, and when it does, the popular opinion would have it that he was a ritualist. Mr Okey would definitely be at the forefront of such campaign, announcing to the world that Big Ben had used his wives, twin sisters for that matter for money rituals. Kristie had come at the right time, if not, Big Ben imagines how he would have been able to go through the ordeal alone. In concert with Kristie, a good plan had been laid out for the burial, but first, Kristie had come up with couples of script to be acted to the effect that; after a protracted illness, the Ekiyor family, staff and friends of crown star Corporation regret to announce the passing away of her twin wivesAmanda and Antonia Benny Ekiyor. Reversed versions and several drafts were on the Chairmans table until over a week when Big Ben mustered enough courage to approve the Special Announcement with invitation for a condolence register opened at the crown star galleria.
CHAPTER SIX
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Once the condolence registers were opened, a crowd of no mean people flocked the crown star galleria, pouring in condolences. More so, numerous gigolos decried their losses; real, well built men were seen crying genuine tears, not the crocodile type. Some of them were big music stars, others models and a handful movie stars. If they had any inclination that their lovers would so soon die, these guys would have had time to reconcile their differences with their erstwhile clients who they jettisoned for Amanda and Antonia. Amanda and Antonia, Big Bens twin wives were reckoned the biggest paying sugar mummy in town. A soft sell magazine had dared to publish the names of highest paying sugar mummies in Lagos State, using a metonymy. By the time the results were in the open, majority of the finest gigolos dumped their long time clients for the duo of Amanda and Antonia. Several names, big and small registered condolences as if they would be considered as beneficiaries of the late twins will. But there was no will. The movie industry organized a candle light procession in honour of the dead. It has always been the Actors Guild of Nigerias tradition to do so, especially for big faces, the poor can go to hell. As Big Ben was not accustomed to the Lagos/Yoruba Owambe syndrome, the funeral, which by all expectation was envisaged as a long term feast, especially as they were married to a rich man, turned out to be below expectation. If someone dies in Lagos, instead of mourning, death and sorrow actually gives men opportunity to throw big parties. Musicians and well wishers parade their gluttonous appetite on the cash draft of the bereaved. Not as if Big Ben was not rich enough to call for a twenty one days chop and chop party, sure he was financially buoyant, but to do so would negate the circumstances which led to the death of his two wives. The whole of the State was disappointed that there was not going to be any such party. For one thing, the no party affair situation meant a big loss to the press, the government since no major roads were going to be
blocked and paid for, clothes merchants had lost out, and there was no occasion to network amongst the big wigs. The scenario was simply like the case of the condition of a wretched family that lost a mean father. Big Ben already knows this terrain that he was going to be criticized, but he did not care. If anything bothered him so much, it was the news that Agness had relapsed into a comma. Aunty Pat had called him a day after the operation that the fibroid had been successfully removed from Agnesss life, she was so happy the operation worked, and out of excitement she began to enquire about burial arrangements for Amanda and Antonia. Unknown to her, Agness was awake and shouted, pulling herself up with a concerted effort; aunty pat! she called, did I hear you say burial arrangement for Amanda and Antonia? she asked. Aunty Pat could not deny her the truth, she knew if she does, Agness could hate her. She just stood there, speechless. oh, so my sisters, the only ones I ever had are dead and you hid it from me? was all Agness said, then she just sulked and fell back on the bed with her back, face up staring blankly at the ceiling as if contemplating to evaporate. Unknown to them, the way Agness propelled herself up to ask Aunty Pat the question caused a split in her flesh where shed been operated on. Blood started gushing out, but before the doctors came in, Agness relapsed into a comma. After three days of sleepless nights, Big Ben instructed Kristie to manage his business while he travelled to Canada to see Agness. It was Big Bens voice that resuscitated Agness from the land of dead people. By the time she woke up, Agness said Honey, I feel too light, then, without enough courage to look up or down, she muttered something like Ben, was my body amputated? Right then, Big Ben knew Agness has lost her spinal cord and will never walk again. As they were all intimated by the doctor, Big Ben cried so profusely his tears could have floated all the beds in the hospital if they had no good drainage system. Obviously, Big Ben did not cry so much, if at all he did, when Amanda and Antonia died. A new reality had begun, he is going to be a new man. No wife, three
boys in a convent in the U.S., four mind you, one in Accra, David who Kristie had for him. At least Agness can still talk, her brain is not vegetable yet. They can still reason and make decisions together, Big Ben assured himself. In less than two weeks, they returned to Nigeria, Agness bedridden and whenever she insisted on seeing the sun, she was usually wheeled out. As much as a good husband would try, Big Ben gave Agness all the attention, sometimes he would stay at home to bath her and dress her up. Although this thrilled Agness, she was more worried and insecure. Her spy girl dubbed Research Assistant to Kristie had not reported any bad news and she felt cheated. On days when Ben returned home late or otherwise, as his custom is to kiss her on the forehead, Agnesss check and balance technique had been to smell his shirts to know if another woman had kissed or hugged him. Agness had thoroughly memorized the flavor and scent of all of Big Bens cologne and body spray, leaving her smelling cavity clearly forestalled to ascertain any form of contact with another perfume. While she was at her tricks, Big Ben had noticed how she would use her teeth to hold his shirt, not letting him go for quite some time. In a week when Big Ben had close bodily contacts with Kristie, Agness would rail and rant and cry fowl. youre cheating on me and I know it! Agness would say. True, Big Ben does make love to Kristie, not on a daily basis though, but once in a while, no a week mind you. On the first day it crossed Big Bens consciousness that the supposed Kristies Research Assistant was Agnesss spy girl, he tipped her and ask her to transfer loyalty to him, which she did. However, his recent worries boils down to the fact that Agness was still suspicious and he does not know how she comes about the results. Ben had returned home unannounced on this fateful day to pick a very important document when he saw Agness lying in the garden with all his perfumes spread over her, and she was busy sniffing them one after the other. The coming home of Ben was so necessary he boarded a cab which he
instructed to wait outside for him. When he walked into the yard, he signaled the security guard not to make a fuss about his arrival, for hed planned to go tickle his wife, thats if her nervous system would respond. The doctors had told him she was going to regain her two hands and the whole portion of the thorax, but only her limb would remain paralyzed, eternally restricting her movement or ability to walk. It was Big Bens intention to attempt the tickle-deed when he saw his paralyzed wife sniffing scents. It seemed weird! As bold a man as he is, not minding if Agness was in the seventh dimension, when he called out hey!, she just slipped from her wheel bed. Honey! What are you doing at home at this time?, she asked, trembling like a house wife caught in the act of adultery. On noticing that Big Ben was not mad, she began to confess. actually, Ive been doing this to be able to differentiate your cologne from any other when you returned from work, in case you had a woman, Im sorry darling, she said. thats amazing! was all Big Ben said, then he tickled her, Agness shouted! Wow! It worked. Agness was happy now that at least there is a part of her body which Ben could touch that would give her sensational reactions. They only relied on kissing as a means to an end. Big Ben had almost shown his disgust for long kisses which ended up in drools. If anything could make up for this loss, to kiss and caress Agnesss breast, lick her boobs and suck her nipples were new forms of experiences Agness would relish tonight. oh, I actually came home for a document, I would be travelling to Accra by the next flight to meet our partners there, something came up, Ben said. In a long time, Agness had not felt her breast absorb current from well placed hands caressing her fountain of life. She was disappointed and it showed. common darling, Im not staying long Ben said. As far as Agness was concerned, this condition is similar to a situation where a virgin bride losses her handsome and well built husband on a honey moon flight that crashed. She along others surviving. atleast bath me before you go, the suns been up and I feel hot. Clara the nanny scrubs me too hard she lied. Ben had no choice so he
wheeled Agness into the expansive bathtub, slowly removing her dresses. Although Agness is paralyzed down there, she swore she could feel hot heat like trickles of sweat run down her abdomen. Her weak legs shaking and her waist on fire. Ben had no choice but to remove his dress lest water splash on his official dress. As Big Ben grabbed the foamy sponge, Agness whose two hands has come back to life recently, held Ben by his manhood and squizzed it the way she knows how best it would make him ire. Ben moaned and she could feel like her womanhood was ready to copulate. Instead of the bath that Agness supposed Big Ben would give her, to her amazement, he began from his back, massaging like a mother would do to her little baby, rubbing oil and power from its neck down to the waist. He kissed her thoroughly, two eyes, nose, lips, neck and fondled the breast still full of life. Agness has only given birth to one and barely used her breast milk substantially. As Ben fed on them, she moaned and noticed that she was flowing with wet trickles which made her legs to begin to vibrate uncontrollably. Ben did not notice this, he just concentrated on turning her on until unable to take it all, Agness begged to be fucked. Ben had envisaged that Agness wanted it, but he could not understand how she would feel with his dick inside her body. my legs are paralyzed, fine, but my womb is not. She said. Wow! Ben thought again, this time in between Agnesss untapped essence of womanhood. As he helped her part her two legs, the entrance of fresh air helped moderate her cool. my God! she said, Have I been ignorant all this while? she asked the husband. what do you mean? Ben asked. As they stared at each other, the realization seems to be that, Agnesss womanhood had always been alife, never dead yet they assumed contrarily. I dont understand it myself. I thought I was out of fire too she added. Then, slowly, as if this was their first time ever, Ben gradually led his pen master into the inner recesses of his wifes body. oopS! she moans, then he pulled her closer to him and wrapped his tongue around her left breast, her hands propping his back in an embrace so welcoming it
indicates companionship, for life. In a second thrust while he yet attempted to begin the journey down her body, Agness shouted; ouch, it hurts, honey! Whereas Agness was lost, Ben was not, he simply stopped wanting to begin pounding her, for that would be unfair to a wife just half-ly recovered from paralysis. All this while, below her belt untouched, a situation that has allowed her womanhood to close doors against any male entrant. As Ben lay her on the Jacuzzi, her two legs spread apart, he began to kiss and lick her feet, sporadically the fingers reacted with shocks, then he waded up and arrived at the clothe of flesh that covers the entrance gate to her womb, stylishly parting them with his lips; uhmmm, so so sweet! Agness said. She just lay there, as if she is the laziest woman on earth, Agness watched Ben devour her clits and tongued her deliriously. Feverish spasm held sway all over Agnesss body, including her two legs. Several orgasm greeted her body with quakes unlike what shed experienced before. Suddenly, she regained consciousness that, perhaps, maybe, what if she was not truly paralyzed but out of shape with sexually inundated pressures? As she lay low, high in the spiritual sense of emotional frictions that Ben has commanded to make her day, torrents of sensations plagued her body. By the time Ben re-entered her inner caucus, Agness was totally awaken from her sexual slumber. She hugged him tight, as if to forestall any of his intentions to run-away from her forever. Meanwhile, as they tumbled in sexual ecstasy, Agness rose, her buttocks on the Jacuzzi while Ben saw her performing stunts. its a miracle! they both said, reaching a unanimous orgasm. Although Agness did not walk that day, Big Ben was so happy her body, the part that excited him the most, was functional again. Agness was more than happy. She looked forward to the day Ben would return home from Accra and repeat the ordeal she went through in his arms. At exactly 8:15pm, Kristie and Big Ben landed Accra international Airport. If anything was the matter, it was
the fact that, while aboard, Kristie was disappointed that Ben did not accord her the usually attention. Something must have happened, she assumed, yet she could not explain it. As the taxi picked Kristie and Ben to their hotel lodge, a place where Ben has had a permanent room since his company expanded into the international market, he was half conscious of the fact that Kristie was in his convoy. Making love to a lame woman, one of the thoughts he had as a kid. But his wife Agness was not crippled. Then, to think she could recuperate from the upper body, including her pot of life, leaving the legs dead greatly marveled him. Maybe, he thought, the legs could regain strength he wished. As the taxi stopped, Kristie and Big Ben found their way into the twin suite. damn it!, its too quiet out here she said and headed straight to the bath room where she began to sing songs so mesmerizing a deaf within earshot could get moved. As Ben thought out what to do with his life for that night, after he made notes of his activities the next day, as he always does, he picked his phone and spoke with Agness for a long time, regaling on the experiences they had of each other during the day. For one thing, Big Ben did not intimate her of the fact that he was travelling with Kristie, if she knew, Agness wouldnt have probably let him. Her ears corked to the aural environ, Agness picked Kristies voice and asked whose voice rocked the background. Off course Ben had to lie, then she insisted he turn it off, ok I will, Ben said and simply walked out of the room and completed the call outside the lobby. Little did Ben know that he was being followed. All he heard was several gunshots whose bullets penetrated his soft skin and bones like indomie. His heart failed him. The guys who shot him had done so from behind, and left immediately, leaving Ben to struggle all by himself, and as he slumped, his hands could not reach the door knob. As strength failed him, he could hear faintly, Kristies sonorous voice basking in vocal escapades. His mouth, the nerve which connected to his cavity were now bedridden. His limbs were losing the verve of life, his heart draining fast he cannot control his thought. As he
mustered enough courage, he forcefully hit the door and collapsed. The bang which attracted Kristie led her to the door which Big Ben was resting on. Ben was out of this world when Kristie saw him. As she screamed, the whole of Ghana gathered at Merchant Bastion Hotel, the place where Ben Lodged that night. As the news spread like wild fire, that Big Ben was dead, a sudden enrapture of violence began up town. Nigerians and Ghanaians clashed in gun battle. The international media blew it out of proportion that Big Ben is dead. The manager of the hotel, Agwa Poloma had been off duty the night of the incidence. The government ordered the hotel sealed, and battalions of security let loose on the street to curtail the rising rancor. Death toll increased astronomically from a mere two to seventeen within the same night Big Ben was shot, five times. The killers, which he did not see numbered five, the receptionist told the security operatives. Kristie had managed to wrest Big Bens body from the Ghanaian authorities and got it flown to South Africa by 1.17am. As the news reached Agness, she fainted three times and woke up again. Agness felt pushed to the wall but in her helpless state, she refused to give up. Already, plans had been formalized for her to join Big Bens body in Cape Town. As they arrived, Kristie had been told, even inside the private jet that flew Big Bens body by the paramedics that he was literarily dead, but unconscious. His parade between deaths valley and the mountain of unconsciousness was the Cape of Good Hope where life still lingered in his soul. hes a dead man with an eye for long life, the jets paramedic team head told Kristie. Within fourty eight hours when Agness was wheeled into the hospital to see her dear husband gadgetted with medical paraphernalia, as if he were some character in a science fiction novel, she cried uncontrollable tears like a woman whose hope of existence has just been dashed. As she
placed her hands on his flesh, she felt cold all over him. Agness thanked God her hands were working after all, if not she thought, how in this world could she know or touch him, the spots where the bullets had entered? he will never walk again. The bullets cracked his spinals and they are shattered the doctor said. But will he live again? At least, for just a day? she asked. The doctor could not answer as he watched the lifeless body lay still. Kristie consoled Agness, but in her sorrow, she had time to ask how Kristie came to South Africa before her. Kristie is her senior by far, and she knows when Agness and her two late sisters were just small girls growing their first breast, but employment constrains her to see her so. Kristie simply told the truth and intimated Agness of the purpose of their visit to Ghana. It was to bond with David, the son which she had for Big Ben that they had come to Ghana. However, Ben had also planned to renegotiate with his partners in Accra the following day. Agness was not so taken aback by the news, for she knew something was amiss between them both. you must return to Nigeria and take care of the business, there is no other person within the family that can handle company affairs as much as you would Agness said, not mincing words. These words relieved Kristie who envisaged Agness will terminate the terms of her research. I will stay here and wait until he wakes, even till eternity Agness said. As Kristie watched her cry, a call came through from Nigeria, it was Aunty Pat who was on her way to meet them.
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CHAPTER EIGHT Two weeks after the Big Ben shooting, peace was yet to reign in Accra. Jayboy was in his hotel lodge in Sierra Leone, in one of his tours around the world when learnt Big Ben had been shot two weeks ago. a whole two weeks is enough for a dead man to reach heaven by or hell by bicycle he said. As he later learnt, the act was perpetrated in Ghana. In all his walk around the world tour, an expedition sponsored by the Air Benders union as a ploy to destroy him, Jayboy was completely gone astray. A lot of times when he laid in his different hotel rooms over the world, paid prostitutes came to him and he never knew what happens after that. On several occasions they have shot at him and strangle him too, but he always came back to life as if it was a nightmare. To completely paralyze him, the air benders made sure he was in non English speaking countries where his sorrows were aggravated. As he swam through the crowds in mostly northern European and Arab nations, even as a far as Asia, he was poisoned through drinks, fired arrows with little tiny pin tips coated with venom, yet he lived. An encounter with a Senegalese ware merchant in Japan was what brought him back to his senses. The man who was fully kitted with talisman called his attention to the fact that he was under a spell, the sort he was half conscious of. As a way out, he made Jayboy to travel back to Africa with him. Their first port of call was Freetown where he was staying when he received the news that a Nigerian business man had been shot. It was stale news but new to Jayboy. With all the money he made nearly out of banks, Jayboy arrived Accra and headed to the hotel which had been re-opened a week later. As he lodged there, drinking at the bar always, disguised as Moroccan, he feigned love for the receptionist who described the five hit men that shot Ben to him. Then, fortunately for him, three of the guys came to town when Jayboy was seeing the receptionist off home. As she showed them to him, Jayboy began trailing them.
That same night, Beatrice the nanny in charge of Kristies son was killed. Although her death did not make headlines like Big Bens, Jayboy connected the two incidents to Kristie who came from Nigeria the following day to pick David. Posing as a taxi driver, Jayboy insisted on driving her. why would anybody kill a nanny, a citizen for that matter? Kristie asked herself, unknowingly she said it so loud that Jayboy heard. well, two things involved. She has probably played dirty, I guise Jayboy said. dirty, how? What do you mean? she quizzed. As they drove down the road, nearing the airport, Jayboy answered. you know, except you and Beatrice your trusted confidant, herself rest in peace, no one else knew that Big Ben was coming to Accra, he said. Suddenly it dawned on Krietie that Beatrice must have fed information to some people, the wrong people. But for how much she could not tell. so, are you a cop? How did you manage to unravel that? she asked. While the conversation was on, David was busy pinging, head phone blasting Jamaican blues the sound of it was audible. Because, I was formerly on contract with the same guys who paid for Big Bens shooting. May his soul rest in peace, Jayboy said. As they arrived the Airport, Kristie begged Jayboy whose identity he revealed to her to make sure he brought justice to the matter which has left her sons father nearly out of existence. make sure you watch your back, he told her. Then Jayboy drove away into the sunny day clouds. As Kristie flew back to Nigeria, she realized that the Air Benders had shot Big Ben in another country; a situation that has almost ruined the Nigerian-Ghanaian long standing brotherly relationship. gadem it! she said, but David was too into his games and listening to music to give a hoot about a daddy, dead or alive as far as the mother was there. As far as the boy knows, Kristie had told him during his fifth year birthday that his father was a soldier in the employ of the UN, which makes him to travel a lot and very prone to death at anytime. Since that day, David told himself to just belief that if any news about daddy will ever surface, it would be news of his death in Bagdad or Kabul. Kristie must have
reneged, she thought to have necessitated the shooting of Big Ben in Accra. Since the day she held a round table discussion with the Air benders union inside Alaba Intl and assured them she was going to return, thats like two months ago, she is yet to get back at them. Mr Okey who was in touch with her once in a jiffy had noticed that Kristie will not succumb. Moreover, she has a son for him; that alone was embargo. So, the air benders used Beatrice her nanny to tape news and have access to several of Big Bens moves. If Kristie had a weakness, it was not that she loved Big Ben more than life or any man alive, it was the fact that she would always tell Beatrice her nanny everything; including how Big Ben made her cum severally. Their relationship had begun in her school days at London, from employee Beatrice became mother, sister, accomplice, confidant and father of her son. The relationship was that serious, the effect of which necessitated Kristie to give complete custodianship of David her only son to a stranger. If any human trusts in the innocence of a stranger more than another, she must be a Nigerian. For he would rather an outsider have the upper hand over him than for a fellow citizen to. Thought of a fellow citizen evokes feeling of insecurity, treachery and evil scheming. Beatrice was dead for good. In the wake of the event, the shooting subsided immediately media reports traced that Beatrice was Kristies nanny and that Kristie had worked for Big Ben. That was that. But for Jayboy, a new chapter in his life had just begun. you cannot prove anything, youre a bitch! Mr Okey told Kristie when the latter confronted him at home. Kristie had gone to Alaba Intl on landing at the airport, leaving David in the care of her research assistant who took the lass home. It is a crazy world, David said. The first time in his fatherland, no daddy to welcome him from a foreign land and mother just hands him into the hand of some stranger girl. Things must be very wrong out here, he just giggled. Kristie had arrived oga
Benders office to meet no one to her chagrin. When she called, the baritone voiced hurly fellow bellowed an hello and told her point blank, Kristie, we have had our pound of flesh, my advise is that you do the new job of a CEO with common sense. Do not attempt to contend with us else you might go down with him. He said. Kristie was so mad she could not help it. Coupled with the traffic jam that is customary of the Olojo drive, the Alaba Intl market community looked dazed as they watched beautiful Kristie take stagger-ly steps into the taxi. Inside the belly of the hold-up, she rumbled in the inner heart of several thoughts like going to the police. But she does not have any evidence. That she had a clean pass in the hands of the Ghanaian authorities did not make her a saint. if you want war, we could give you tough time. What if we told the Ghana police that you sent assassins to kill your nanny because you suspected she was having an affair with your sugar daddy Big Ben, Kristie remembered what oga Bender said to her on the phone. Weak, totally exhausted, she made up her mind to confront Okey. Okey did not deny that they did not do it. but whose battle will you be fighting? he asked her. As far as they were concerned, Big Ben is dead for good. Five bullets is not five naira. Kristie prayed that Big Ben would live in her quiet time. Going to the police will not solve the problems of piracy in Nigeria. The government are doing something about it as much as they have always done, without tangible results, she assured herself. She just simply gave up any need to become radical. She has never been all her life. For one thing, as the new CEO of crown star Corporation, much responsibility was on her. While not giving room for any lapses, Kristie lived up to expectation, surpassing expectations. In the two months interval which came with so much speed, Kristie had been throwing up frequently. As she would learn very late, she was a whole four whooping months pregnant; for who? Ben off course, she assured herself. Ever since she called it quit with men in London, she has
remained single in all sense of the world single and not searching. Whenever she was alone, since she was hardly alone, working with several managers and agents, including international partners with vested interested, she would sink into thoughts. How come she did not know for so long she was pregnant? Well, in the last eight years or thereabout, shed never taken in and that part of been woman had escaped her consciousness. four months is not four days! she told herself. Jay boy had completely lost his mind, from pretending to be Moroccan, he is now playing CIA and had enrolled in a three months Hardcore ancient Hausa language school at Kumasi where the assassins who shot Ben reside. It is said that no one understands their language, that is, the assassins who shot Big Ben, are some Hausa talking kaffirs resident in Kumasis broad street. They are, according to legend, descendants of a great half Nigerien, half Burkina Faso parentage who ruled the Upper Volta. As far as legend goes, if it was true, they were masters in assassination of foreigners whose mainstay it is to do murder, on the account of their clients against any one as far as it is not within their town. In less than three weeks, Jayboy had learnt an ancient dialect most ethnographers and sociologists consider extinct. As a result of this newly acquired knowledge, couple with the fact that the handsome boy in him has peeled its scales, Jayboy became the darkest of the men in Kumasi and began penetrating their camps. Armed with recording tapes and gadgets, he explored the terrain with a lot of soft wares, he owes Big Ben all the money for showing him the path of stardom and affluence. Totally cut off from his erstwhile sponsors who put him on a detrimental world-wide tour, the young chap dug deep into the assassins bedrock. The Masabutu as they are known have a secret temple down the hills of Kumasi where the setting sun rests her head after the days work. Jayboy had come this far where he photocopied the payment receipt issued in the name of Air Benders Union, Nigeria Branch. This was not enough evidence, so the
young chap began to take hostages. One by one he held nearly all of the small family hostage at various locations and connected them via intercom. In all his operations, the five who shot Big Ben were fished out through his having known three which the receptionist at Accra showed him. Under duress they confessed how they were contacted by the Managing Director of crown star Corporation Ghana. Probably he wanted one hundred percent ownership of the business in his country, a thought the air bender initiated if he helped them kill Ben. Agwa Poloma, owner of the Hotel where Big Ben was shot is the same as the MD of crown star Ghana. All the details which were recorded on tape jayboy moved to Accra, well dressed and official, arrived the Presidential Villa having known when the president would use the road. With his hands raised, he walked into the broad way, nearly hit by the convoy. Watching the young being booted without him reacting for his deliberate act, the president alighted and gave him audience. As they began talking, the president recognized him as the music icon Big Ben brought to the Villa some months back when he was being inaugurated. Jayboy tended all evidences he gathered and the Nigerias high commissioner in Ghana was invited. With twelve hours, the culprits were arrested, first in Ghana and at night in Nigeria. The Ghanaian President had written to the Nigerian Government to offer her the services of Jayboy who he has employed as a top secret agent, to be sent abroad, Russia in particular where he would learn the secrets of thee ancient world and craft of security and national safety and terrorism techniques. The news had brought a welcome relief to home video producers who had been disadvantaged under the heavy burden of Alaba Intl and Idumota cabalistic Executive Producers. In a matter of three days, both markets were closed down indefinitely, Upper Iweka remodeled into an articles
dealers market. Attention suddenly shifted to Lagos International trade fair as the next movie market. Meanwhile, Kristies astute works were showing some results, according to a Big Bens blue prints, at least one cinema hall each was springing up in all local government area, including local council development areas. Almost overnight, the press noticed that Kristies stomach was shooting out. On several occasions, some would ask for the unborn childs paternity. Mr Okey, before he and oga bender and their kinds was arrested, had initiated a similar press attack against the workaholic CEO to the effect that David her son was a bastard. That night, Kristie went down on her knees and prayed like shed never before done in life. She begged God almighty to restore Big Bens life on her account, promising her service and worship as long as she lived. Unknown to her, as much as the pains pained her, she did could not be careful, praying loudly for Bens soul to be saved. David who she thought was asleep had come close. That same night, Aunty Pat called to intimate her that Big Ben had awoken from comma, after a whooping three months. it was a miracle, she said, Only God could have done that my dear Aunty Pat told her. So, God answers prayers, she asked herself. Well, although she has been sneaking various churches recently, she did not see any reason to believe in the sort of miracles that were usually the bedrock of most of the churches. It was not necessity for Big Ben that compelled her to pray, but shame, the agony that David may have it hard coming to terms with the fact that his father is a big man, and she lied to him. From all indications, Davids behaviour clearly showed from his countenance in recent weeks that the lass is fully aware that Big Ben is, or was his father. This deception hurted Kristie so much that when the news made the round that David was a bastard, she had no choice than to pray. Although she had been in touch with Aunty Pat, Agnes, it was reported had sunk into oblivion. Totally, shed relapsed into a state
of hopeless, and admitted as a patient in the hospital shed gone to keep husband company. Aunty Pat had ensured that both husband and wife were well taken care of. More so, she discouraged any attempt by Kristie to come to South Africa, a journey she regards as waste of hard earned currency since the one who she wants to see cannot see her, literarily. As it dawned a new day, Agnes was woken with the news that Big Ben had come back to life. The well emaciated beauty turned ashen, had no choice but to cry a million tears. Big Ben had totally forgotten a lot, his mouth was just closed for over two days, he could not say a word, like a new born baby, but he could hear. Until his heart became strong, he was forced to eat solid food, akamu mind you. Then he began to talk, gradually until he recovered. Though he is bedridden, never to walk again, he was yet alive. Aunty Pat had made plans for all three sons in the U.S. to come to Cape Town to see him. The first words he muttered was; David too. David? Who the hell is David Aunty Pat had asked. Agnes was not lost, and when Big Ben labored tiredly to explain, she asked him to stop. so you know him? he asked. she confessed Agnes answered him. Well, Aunty Pat had to be told the whole truth, nothing but the truth. Four sons, one wife and a concubine, only one aunty played host to a recovered Ben at the Hospital Gardens in Cape Town, South Africa. As the meeting was well organized, the family bound was sealed. Extemporaneously, Aunty Pat asked Kristie to marry Big Ben. The sound of it hit Kristie like a bang. The phones in her hands, the gadgets she was using to communication with over two hundred clients and agents and managers, just fell so easily. In the beginning, shed thanked God on all of their behalf and rendered an astounding account that made Agnes and Big Ben to shed tears, that there was still a woman with Kristies heart. Although Aunty Pat and Agnes did not discuss with Ben over marrying Kristie, at least they were agreed it was the best thing to do, to
keep business in good shape. Kristie had envisaged marrying Big Ben, but not when hed be on wheel chair, in that position, making love is more of a deadly trap. As they watched Kristie pick up her phones, the kids, four handsome eight years old bracket lads, stared at one another.
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