PART 5 “Now Kabiru tell us what happened the last time you went to the state.” I said to Kabiru with an impression of seriousness and impatience. I wanted him to know I was in for a serious business and time was at a premium. But more, I didn’t want to start on a jolly conversation that would see Franklin having time to order for a drink or something. He had a penchant for ordering for the most expensive bottles of wine anywhere he finds himself. And another penchant for always transferring the financial burden to his hosts. “SST, there is nothing more to say than what I told you. I didn’t even get to see the director, right from the time his secretary told him I was in, he started stalking” he said sourly like a school child admitting his offence before his teacher. The normal tough arrogance I knew Kabiru with in the days when things were moving cool with him was long gone. In its place was the quiet and soft humility of a monk. Nothing humbles a man like poverty. I smiled at Kabiru “we are going back to the same place” I said coolly. I then signaled to Franklin and he nodded with an understanding “but things are going to be little different this time around” I told Kabiru. We started making plans on our travel arrangements. It was always important when making a contribution to a cause that everyone knows where he stands first. I was supplying the plan. Franklin was there to give us the asset of his skin colour. It was important Kabiru pick the bills. We need to hire a good car, get some good dress, at least for Kabiru and of course the kind of handsets that gives one respect! And it was all for Kabiru to raise the capital we need. Yeah, I know his financial state. But if I didn’t have a financial state too, I won’t be in it with him. Kabiru had to raise some capital to finance the venture, maybe sale one or two little assets of his still remaining. After all it was his deal. He stood to gain the most. On the day we were to leave, I got my friend send me one of the finest outfit that I had been having in mind since the day I went shopping at his shop. It was an overcoat complimented with a bowler. I also had a photo chromic eye glasses to go with it. I was giving myself the image of the big don from overseas. We got a driver to drive us. Kabiru sat at the front while me and Franklin occupied the rear seats. We were soon at the state capital. We passed some police checkpoints along the way and I could see that Franklin had started performing his role. The Policemen on duty at the highway did not pose a problem as I expected. As soon as they sight Franklin seated in the back seat in his immaculate blue suits and me by his side with my large overcoat and owlish glasses, they immediately become subservient, smiling with wide open teeth and beaming with good wishes for us that you would think they were before a priest making a confession. But there was one who tried to be a problem along the way. I smelled him a mile off by the posture he maintained by the side of the road, looking unusually tough and non accommodating. I could see he had some stripes on his shoulders. This one was different from the ones we met; an inspector! I allowed the car to get by his front before telling the driver to stop, and I wind down the side windows. He looked in disapprovingly seeing us inside. “Hey why are you packing on the road?!” he shouted “go and pack over there” he pointed at a spot at out front. I stared at him hard, taking care to note his name and service number from the tags on his shirts. I wind down the glasses and stretched towards him “Inspector, Yabuba Adam, NPF 126487” I said with an air of authority. I could see him stiffening. I stretched out through the window more “I am really glad that you are nearby Inspector, the ambassador had an observation to make on the rude behaviour of some of your men…” when I said, ambassador, I was referring to Franklin in his immaculate attire. I could see the inspector’s composure changed as soon as he heard the way I addressed him with his particulars. I continued softly “such issues should reach the inspector general and ..” before I could finished he was waving frantically for my driver to go, behaving as if he didn’t hear what I was saying. “Driver, I say move out! Do you want to cause an accident on the road? I say keep moving!” he ordered. The driver looked up at him “but I wanted to park as you…” but he didn’t allow the driver to finished “park here? You don’t do that my friend, go on your way, we are expecting an emergency soon, I say drive off!” he quickly left us to accost the next car coming. And we were back safely on our way. Our next stop was at the Ministry complex where Kabiru came with a contract proposal some weeks earlier. He didn’t get to even pass the personal assistant to the commissioner. The personal looked briefly at the booklet containing his proposal with his disdain, with Kabiru still standing in his office, he didn’t offer him a seat, he then shoved it into a drawer nearby and turned his attention to the side to see what was on the television. He then told him that they will get to him. Nobody needed to tell Kabiru he didn’t need to call back. Kabiru had a bad deal the last time he was here. But not this time; I was coming with a new deal. when we entered the huge building Kabiru led the way to the commissioner’s office. I could see many people waiting to see the commissioner by the corridor. I nudged Kabiru forward. He opened the door and we were facing the personal assistant, a young man in his early twenties seating behind a small mahogany desk. He gave an insolent sneer as he saw Kabiru came in. But suddenly I saw the hard face dissolved into a great smile. But I could see that the smile was not for Kabiru or me. He was smiling at Franklin as he came in behind me. TO CONT
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 04:20:43 +0000
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