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ESTHER’S DIARY-DAY 7

Father was returning from one of his numerous trips when he was ambushed by bandits. They pumped bullets into his body as he slumped helplessly bleeding as life sucked out of him.  The fatal shot came from Akanni who looked him in the face with an evil gleam dancing around his eyes as he pulled the trigger with the precision of a trained marksman that blew out his brains sending him in a haste to the great beyond.

The armed men jumped back into the thick forest as silently as they had emerged. They ignored other motorist. They were on a mission to exterminate a life, and it was successfully executed. The scene caused panic and chaos as other motorists scampered for safety.

Now father himself wasn’t called “mista Thompson” for nothing. He was himself an enigma. His split personality oscillated between gentle and tough. I never really understood him. I guess even his wives didn’t either. He loved to be seen as a tough and brave man, a lion who roars and other animals bolt away in fright. Even though he openly displayed his affection for some of his wives and children especially my mum and I, father still went after other women like an ant after sugar! His warm embrace conveniently provided discreet diversions for lonely and unhappy women.

He loved his business and was known for his shrewdness. He was feared and revered. He was viciously and ruthlessly protective of his business empire. No one dared him, he made and destroyed people. He was authority and his word was subtle command. Nobody defied father without paying dearly for it. Except for maami agba. She probably had not forgiven father for marrying more wives especially the cantankerous mama Akanni.

Father had concubines with children littered all over the place. While he blamed olori ebi for making him marry mama Akanni, he refused to blame his libido with which he sowed wild oats like a footballer dribbling a ball around the pitch.

It was not until his death that the secret of father’s numerous trips were discovered to be not only for business but also for frolicking with other women.

 

These wives and their broods turned up as the burial preparation was in full swing. As if by a foghorn, they began trooping in to the growing amusement of maami agba and utter horror of Mama Akanni.

Some of these women came from as far away as Togo, Cotonou Abidjan.

Mama Akanni couldn’t contain herself as anger brewed in her head. The devil would have been amazed if she never spoiled for a fight. She and her children picked fights with the wives and their children. They were called rogues, bastards and whatever horrible expletives they could conjure from their evil hearts. Tension gathered as a thick cloud in the air.

The preparation for father’s burial was in top gear, Akanni was visibly absent but Mama Akanni the antagonist was holding fort. She was as Obstreperous and pugnacious as ever. Olori ebi seemed now to defer to her. He referred to Akanni as the heir which indirectly elevated mama Akanni in the hierarchy in the household to the utter displeasure of Maami agba and other wives. Rage burst inside Maami agba as she challenged Olori ebi. It was like an opening cue for Mama Akanni to howl like a wild east as she charged at Maami agba and anarchy was let loosed…..

 

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