By the time Sam came back from Ghana, preparations for Chinwe's engagement party were already in top gear. It was going to be a grand occasion. The banquet hall of the Sheraton hotel was chosen as the venue and many big names in town were on the guest list. Bill was the first son of a frontline politician, who had been a minister, ambassador and presently, a senator. Bill wanted a grand occasion and the senator had no reason to say no. The senator could do anything for his only son. Bill could actually sponsor a world class event on his own. His father owned an oil serving company which he managed. He had taken the company to greater heights since he became the manager about three years earlier. His salary, allowances and other fringe benefits could afford him any kind of event but his father insisted on footing the bills.
Sam and Nneka were among the first guests to arrive at the venue on the D day. The event was scheduled to start at 7pm but the couple arrived before 6:30pm. On arrival, they discovered that Chinwe's immediate family was already present. They had come into town the night before. Everybody was in high spirit as they waited for the commencement of the engagement party. Chinwe had suffered many disappointments, so her family and friends couldn't be happier that at last her engagement was holding. She wasn't just engaging any man but every woman's dream.
Nneka and her husband were chatting with Chinwe's parents and siblings when her parents arrived.
"Dad!" Nneka screamed on sighting them. She quickly walked across the hall to meet them. As she hugged them, the rest of the group joined her. They all greeted Chief and Nneka's mother with warm hugs and afterward the group selected a table and settled down for the day's event.
"I heard that you won again, congratulations!" Chief said, facing his son-in-law.
"We are proud of you, dear," Nneka's mother added.
"What did he win?" Chinwe's mother wanted to know. And Nneka answered without hesitation. She relished singing her husband's praises and always did so even without prompting.
"He won his company's manager of the year award. This is the third time in a row." Nneka announced.
"Congratulations!" Chinwe's parents and siblings said to Sam.
"Thanks," said Sam as he shook hands with each of them.
"It seems someone just hit the jackpot,"
Everyone looked up and saw Chief Dunu grinning from ear to ear.
"Dunu Omekannia!" Chief hailed and stood to greet his friend with the kind of handshake meant only for titled men in Igboland.
The rest of the group also stood to greet Chief Dunu. While the men shook hands with him, the women genuflected and got pats on their backs.
"You are yet to tell me the person that hit the jackpot so that I would ask for my own share," Chief Dunu said and they all laughed.
"There is no jackpot, Sir. My husband recently won his company's manager of the year award for the third time." Nneka explained.
"Congratulations!" Chief Dunu shook Sam's hand firmly. "Excelling in one's work is worth more than a jackpot. Congratulations once again!"
"Thank you, Sir," Sam smiled stoically. He would certainly need a balm for his hand and shoulder after Chief Dunu's pumping handshake.
As the group sat back, Chief Dunu spotted a friend. He then excused himself and went to meet his friend.
"Has his son been found?" Chinwe's mother asked, and Nneka's father answered by shaking his head.
"Frank is missing?" Sam asked, focusing his gaze on his wife. "And you didn't tell me?"
"Sorry, honey. It slipped my memory," Nneka apologized. "He disappeared a day after you left for Ghana."
"Damn it!" Sam cursed and kept quiet for a while. "Are you sure he hasn't traveled out of the country to be with his family?" Sam reasoned. "Remember he has a wife and a daughter who are either in the US or Mexico."
"I don't think so," it was Chief that spoke. "Why would he leave all his belongings behind? He also left his passport and not a dime in his bank account was touched. I believe he has been kidnapped and very soon, the kidnappers will call and name their price."
Chief was right and Sam couldn't agree more. Frank must have been kidnapped and he prayed that his kidnappers should make haste and establish contact with his family. His ransom would be paid in no time. Chief Dunu was equal to the task. Even as he believed strongly that Frank would soon be released, he bemoaned the high level of criminality going on in the country lately. The spate of insecurity in the country was worsening day by day and the government was doing little or nothing to arrest the situation. In fact, it seemed government officials were the ones sponsoring the criminals. Hundreds of people were either killed and maimed or kidnapped on daily basis yet nobody had been arrested let alone prosecuted.
Sam wished he could leave Nigeria for good but if everybody left, who would fight for the lowly? Who would fight for the emancipation of the masses from the shackles of oppression and tyranny? He must stay and be the voice of the voiceless. Nigeria must work again!
"Honey!" Nneka called, cutting into Sam's thought. He was so engrossed in his thought about the bad governance in the country that he didn't realize that Bill had proposed and Chinwe had happily accepted. When he looked up, all the guests but him were standing and clapping for the newly engaged. He stood immediately and joined other in clapping. It was Chinwe's day. And he came to rejoice with her. That he must do. He must not allow the deplorable state of the country to mar the day for him.
People were sitting back when Sam noticed a familiar face approach Bill's father. Both men discussed in low tones for a brief moment before exiting the hall. Sam didn't hear what they were saying but it was obvious from their countenances and the way they gesticulated, that all wasn't well. They obviously did not agree with each other on something. Sam curiously followed them and later found them in the bar. They were seated by the time Sam entered the bar. He pretended to be a customer, selected a seat that was within earshot and ordered a drink. He made sure that his identity wasn't given away. He patiently sipped his drink as he eavesdropped on Bill's father and his 'friend'. It didn't take him long to understand the bone of contention.
"I did my best to stop him but you know that children of nowadays are very stubborn." Bill's father pleaded.
"Your best wasn't good enough," the other man barked. "How could you betray me in this manner? So now that your ill-mannered son has engaged another woman, what becomes of my daughter? Answer me!" He said forcefully, hitting his fists on the table thereby setting the bottles and glasses dancing, and spilling their contents. The tone of his voice was so harsh that Bill's father flinched. Even other customers were forced to look toward the duo's table. "I wish to remind you that my daughter is still single because she was waiting for your stupid son."
From the discussion, Sam could deduce that the two men had agreed that their children would marry each other but Bill didn't subscribe to the arrangement. He had insisted on choosing his wife by himself despite his father's efforts to get him to marry his friend's daughter. Bill hadn't any idea how much threat that singular decision posed to his father's political career and business. But his father wasn't as naïve as he was. And his father was ready to make things right. He didn't have a choice.
"I am aware that she would have chosen from the numerous men that sought her hand in marriage if not that she was waiting for my son," Bill's father agreed. He thought for a while and heaved a noisy sigh. "The situation is not irredeemable. I am sure that we can still come up with a plan that will break up the ongoing engagement and of course bring your daughter and my son together. Nothing is impossible." Bill's father suggested and the other man smiled.
Suddenly the tension between the two men evaporated and for the remaining part of the discussion, they nodded and smiled at each other.
So, while the newly engaged and their guests were having fun in the hall, the two men were at the bar plotting their breakup.
The wedding was fixed for the next one month. Everyone was in high spirit once again as the days rolled by. Chinwe would soon get married and live happily ever after with her husband. Her mother belonged to many women groups and all of them were willing to grace the wedding ceremony. Already ten different clothing materials had been purchased and shared to friends and associates for Asoebi but there would definitely be need for more materials.
Her father was equally excited. He had sent many invitation cards to his friends, business associates and relations. He had already contracted one of the best caterers in town to prepare special dishes for his own guests. He must not depend totally on his in-laws to offer refreshment to his guests, else he might disappoint them.
Bill's parents were not left out. His father was a serving senator of the federal republic, a very influential one at that. Top government officials were sure to show up. The petroleum minister was selected to chair the reception while the president of the senate would be the special guest of honour.
The wedding planner was the best in Lagos and everything was working according to plan.
Bill had bought an exquisite house in a choice location. He had been living with his parents but now that he was getting married, he had to start a home independent of his parents'. He had to be his own man.
The interior decorators had done a perfect job but Chinwe needed to give the decoration the touch of the woman of the house. She needed to rearrange certain things to suit her taste. She convinced Bill and the couple decided to move in temporarily, five days to their wedding. This would accord Chinwe the opportunity to fix things the way she wanted them before the wedding.
With the help of her fiancé, she finished up within two days. They were meant to leave for the hotel immediately but it was postponed to the next morning since they were already very tired after many hours of toiling in the new house.
Tragedy struck that night. While they were asleep, assassins invaded the house and shot Bill severally, giving him no chance of surviving. In fact, he died on the spot. Chinwe knelt beside him, screaming and shaking him but he was already gone. He was dead! She could feel it but didn't want to believe it. How could Bill die? They were meant to get married in few days' time. They promised each other that they would grow old together. Why would he leave her? She broke down and cried hot tears. After a long period of crying, she calmed down, got up, went into the kitchen and grabbed a knife.
Their corpses were discovered the next day and the police was invited immediately. As the police commenced investigation to fish out the culprits, Bill's father paced the floor of his hotel room as he impatiently waited for his boys. He already knew who killed his son. There was no need for investigation. It was Chief Lewis that killed Bill because he refused to marry his daughter.
"He must pay for killing my son," the senator swore.
And the best reprisal was to kill his daughter. Tit for tat! An eye for an eye!
When his boys arrived, he mandated them to kill Chief Lewis' daughter within two days. He had decided to bury his son on the day the deceased would have had his wedding and he didn't want Angela to witness his lying in state. That would break his heart. The only thing that would gladden his heart was to see Angela's dead body before Bill's burial.
The hunt started immediately. Angela must die before Chinwe and Bill's burial. That was the senator's instruction and it must be carried out to the letter. But the task was a bit difficult to accomplish. They were able to track Angela down in no time but the senator wanted a neat job. Her death must not be linked to him. The assassins were mindful of that.
A mammoth crowd had gathered at St. Michael cemetery, venue of Chinwe and Bill's burial. Most of the guests that would have graced their wedding ceremony were in attendance.
When Nneka arrived at the cemetery, she was filled with nostalgia. It was like homecoming for her. She had been visiting that particular cemetery every year until she met her husband during one of those visits. She felt somewhat guilty that after her marriage to Sam, that she hadn't visited again. She felt sad when it occurred to her that she had betrayed and disappointed Chike. She had promised to pray for him until her last breath but she had failed woefully to live up to her promise. She quickly dispelled her guilt when she remembered that Chike was very much alive. He didn't die after all or maybe he came back from the dead. But instead of bringing her joy, he came back to cause trouble for her. He came back to sow his wild oat in her and the seed had germinated. The tree was without doubt the offshoot of the seed he sowed. As long as the tree lived, her guilt would continue to stare her in the face. Ironically, she didn't want the tree to die.
As she waited for the burial rites to commence, she wished that Chinwe would get up, come to her and tell her that it was all a joke. That she was alive, hale and hearty. That she scammed her and the whole family with the prank of the century. If only wishes were horses, even beggar would fly. She knew that Chinwe was dead. She wasn't coming back. She was gone forever. Unlike Chike whose corpse she saw only on the pages of newspapers and television, she saw Chinwe's corpse one on one. Nneka closed her eyes momentarily to enable her suppress the tears that had welled up in her eyes.
Angela came in the company of her parents. She was dressed in all black including her sunglasses. It was a black Saturday and indeed a harvest of tears.
Bill's father was particularly devastated when it dawned on him that his boys had failed him.
Those incompetent fools! How could they not accomplish a simple task? He wished he had a gun at the moment. He would have pointed it at Angela and pulled the trigger. At that point, all he desired was to see Angela's lifeless body and even the fear of going to jail or getting a death sentence couldn't deter him. But he didn't have a gun or any other weapon on him.
His heart bled when a photographer called Angela out from the crowd for snapshots and she obliged him. Where did she think she was? In a carnival? She was even smiling to the camera. Bill's father was staring at a gun tucked inside one of the policemen's belt holster and considering snatching it for better use when it happened.
Angela suddenly started staggering, then fell in a heap and became still. People gathered around her to find out what happened and also to see how they could help.
"She has been shot," someone screamed. "I think she is dead." On hearing this, mourners scampered for safety while security men took strategic positions.
Bill's father smiled and heaved a deep sigh. He had a perfect understanding of what just happened. His boys had struck at last and it seemed they chose the best time. The undertakers should better dig a third grave.
A sniper had just shot and killed Angela. The photographing was a mere decoy to bring her out of the crowd thereby clearing the way for the sniper, who was positioned in an uncompleted building some distance from the cemetery.
It was crystal clear that Angela was already dead, but she was nevertheless rushed to the hospital where she was confirmed dead by the doctors. It was a BID (brought in dead). She was later deposited in the hospital mortuary to enable her family plan for her burial.
Just like the past assassination cases, the police commenced another fruitless investigation.