Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,209,255 members, 8,005,437 topics. Date: Monday, 18 November 2024 at 01:17 AM

Number 225 Katakata Street - Literature (12) - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Literature / Number 225 Katakata Street (1349753 Views)

[MUST READ] Welcome To Lagos: Danfo Palavas (very Funny) / Welcome To The US. / Welcome To My Street (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (3) ... (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) ... (263) (Reply) (Go Down)

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by INDUSTRIALFAN(m): 8:52pm On Nov 19, 2017
Centino oooo oooo oooo oooo y na?
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by HelenBee(f): 10:46am On Nov 20, 2017
Centino dear.... cry

2 Likes

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Nahimsworld(m): 10:28pm On Nov 20, 2017
centino get pride jor
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by INDUSTRIALFAN(m): 9:23am On Nov 21, 2017
This is why I hate to read and follow literature works on NL. The writers make you hooked and engrossed then they the you under the bus and leave you for dead. Forget that we don't pay you. We also didn't ask you to start. You promised to update every Sunday (once a week cos of 'hustle') even the once a week is no longer sure.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by HelenBee(f): 10:05am On Nov 21, 2017
Y'all should take a chill pill. The guy is not like that.

6 Likes

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Centino: 2:49pm On Nov 21, 2017
INDUSTRIALFAN:
This is why I hate to read and follow literature works on NL. The writers make you hooked and engrossed then they the you under the bus and leave you for dead. Forget that we don't pay you. We also didn't ask you to start. You promised to update every Sunday (once a week cos of 'hustle') even the once a week is no longer sure.

Bros you know whether I well or if I don chop?

21 Likes

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by itsandi(m): 3:50pm On Nov 21, 2017
grin cheesy
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by frankline461: 4:01pm On Nov 21, 2017
Nice one bro.... New reader here and I'll say you've got me enchanted to your story... I off cap for you!!! Very very humorous!! Just come back and continue oo Let me gan continue!! *Winks
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by INDUSTRIALFAN(m): 4:46pm On Nov 21, 2017
Centino:


Bros you know whether I well or if I don chop?
bros me sef dey hunger. Na ur story dey block d hunger for me. angry
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Nobody: 5:39pm On Nov 21, 2017
Read story on nairaland? God help you.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by sheycrown(f): 7:29pm On Nov 21, 2017
Centino Howfa na, you no drop anything this past Sunday. Is everything okay Waiting to hear from you.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Sent4rina: 7:49pm On Nov 21, 2017
I could see Centino is cooking something, more suspense awaiting us tonight no doubt.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Centino: 7:51pm On Nov 21, 2017
ismokeweed:
Read story on nairaland? God help you.

Come ismokeweed, take your time o. No come spoil my guys mind. Ghost reader like you I don catch you today grin. INDUSTRIALFAN, my man Nahimsworld, oya make una no vex. I was on a ten hour flight at the time I should have been writing. I don't sit still on those flights to avoid DVT so I couldn't work. I go try drop double dose this Sunday. Sheycrown, I see you. Thanks for checking. 225 Katakata street will not cease as long as life dey. Tory still plenty.

4 Likes

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by joeaz58(m): 8:01pm On Nov 21, 2017
Centino:


Come ismokeweed, take your time o. No come spoil my guys mind. Ghost reader like you I don catch you today grin. INDUSTRIALFAN, my man Nahimsworld, oya make una no vex. I was on a ten hour flight at the time I should have been writing. I don't sit still on those flights to avoid DVT so I couldn't work. I go try drop double dose this Sunday. Sheycrown, I see you. Thanks for checking. 225 Katakata street will not cease as long as life dey. Tory still plenty.
centino must it be only on Sundays cry[quote author=Centino post=62591683]
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Nobody: 8:28pm On Nov 21, 2017
Centino:


Come ismokeweed, take your time o. No come spoil my guys mind. Ghost reader like you I don catch you today grin. INDUSTRIALFAN, my man Nahimsworld, oya make una no vex. I was on a ten hour flight at the time I should have been writing. I don't sit still on those flights to avoid DVT so I couldn't work. I go try drop double dose this Sunday. Sheycrown, I see you. Thanks for checking. 225 Katakata street will not cease as long as life dey. Tory still plenty.
grin grin
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by INDUSTRIALFAN(m): 9:11pm On Nov 21, 2017
Centino:


Come ismokeweed, take your time o. No come spoil my guys mind. Ghost reader like you I don catch you today grin. INDUSTRIALFAN, my man Nahimsworld, oya make una no vex. I was on a ten hour flight at the time I should have been writing. I don't sit still on those flights to avoid DVT so I couldn't work. I go try drop double dose this Sunday. Sheycrown, I see you. Thanks for checking. 225 Katakata street will not cease as long as life dey. Tory still plenty.
just sha comman drop it. 3ple dose
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by obedugo(m): 10:01am On Nov 26, 2017
Centino, i hope say our double dose don ready for today because my police don ready for you if we no se update alert today o.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Centino: 12:22pm On Nov 26, 2017
This one is dedicated to the Literature section Ghost Readers Association headed by ismokeweed grin Joeaz58, na sundays i dey really get chance. Sent4rina, thanks for showing face grin, frankline461 thanks for the kind words the other time, sorry I was too busy dodging INDUSTRIALFAN and Nahimsworld to acknowledge, will surely return the visit wink, jagugu88li, preetiex, sheycrown, YINKS89, collinometricx, nkay2020, Dhavido, WILLIAMSKECH, HelenBee, all my people, I still dey o. EvaJael, meneski, ehmusshogun (where una dey my bro), Pinkfeet, headmaster123, cbella, Rajosh, Minderz, honourable356, justOzito, emm itsandi cheesy, Is Kimkardashain still here? everyone. And yes obedugo, it's a double.



THE INTRODUCTION

Wasiu turned and looked at me and Castro and Irikefe by his side and let out a guffaw. No one else in the compound was amused. We were embarrassed by what we had just witnessed.

“Na mama una dey take play abi?” His laughter did not subside. He just left the three of us standing there and entered his room.

“Whick kind wahala be this one now?” irikefe said.

“Oga Akunna is in trouble” Castro acceded.

“Well, on the brighter side, Akunna has his baby back. They can at least give it proper care now” I said.

“I will never go near that baby,” Castro said.

“Why?”

“Mama would have already thought it how to fly.”

“Castro!”

“The little devil cooperated with her!”

“It is only a baby.”

“But that is the point. It is supposed to yell and cry like normal babies. It just kept quiet and let the woman do whatever she wanted with it.”

“She is an old woman, experienced at nursing babies. She knew what to do for the baby not to cry.”

“I have never heard of such a thing. Babies cry, full stop. Whenever a baby doesn’t cry there is a problem. Is that not why when they just give birth and the baby doesn’t cry they whack its little ass so that it cries? Fear a baby that does not cry.”

“Alright guys. Whatever.” I said. “You guys spare a thought for Akunna.”

“I have no pity for him.”

“What did you expect him to do?”

“He should have killed her a long time ago.”

“Haa Castro!”

“Suffer not a witch to live.”

“Well that doesn’t mean he should take the laws into his hands. Besides, no one can prove witchcraft.”

“But this one is obvious na. Again, how did she know they had gone to the police? How did she know they were here so that she could start her drama at just the right time?” Castro said.

“Abeg abeg abeg abeg” Irikefe said and began to walk away from us. I noticed he had become sulky. I knew it was because Castro was now with us. I grabbed him by the elbow and halted him. “I don tell una say I no wan know anything about this mama. I get show to attend this night. Make I go prepare.”

“Can I come?” Castro said.

“Go ask your mama.”

“Irikefe wait. They are coming for Maya’s introduction a little later. Surely we are not letting it happen?”

At that irikefe stopped. I also straightened and looked at Castro.

“I want to cause the kind of commotion that will make the people believe that the Holy Spirit is warning them not to marry the girl.”

“What do you want to do?” Irikefe said.

“I am arranging the seats. I will pour super glue on all of them.”

“Is that how you want to stop the marriage? Irikefe said with a sneer.”

“Guy, calm down na.”

“Okay. They sit on super glue and they change their seats. What next?”

“Didn’t you hear me? All the seats! When they get up to try to change seats, the glue will stick to their yansh. Instead of talking about the ripe flower they saw in this compound that they want to come and pluck, they will be busy thinking about their akwa oche that would be ruined. They will then conclude that it is a sign that their asses will know no peace once they marry Maya.

“So that is what you want to do?”

“Ehen” Castro said with emphatic nods. “What can you do?”

Irikefe placed an elbow over an arm crossed over his midsection and began to stroke his beard. He had been grooming the beard for three months and now liked the result. He should go to Lukman and have it carved into something really bad. In the meantime, he said to Castro “make the groom disappear. This is Katakata Street.”

Castro started and said “that would be a crime na.”

Irikefe shook his head and said “small boy.”

“I am not a criminal.”

“Well I am. So go play with children.”

“But bros Freke” Castro said and looked at me.

“No one is committing any crime. I have told you guys I’m letting go. It was not meant to be.”

“Yes but this type of thing must stop. How can strangers continue to come and take away our girls?”

“The girls are not yours Castro.”

“But we saw them grow. Very soon the ones Irikefe helped to discover their destinies will start going one after the other.”

“Your Fada.”

Castro collapsed in a fit of laughter while I watched, consumed in my own thoughts.

“Now listen both of you. I don’t want any drama here in the name of helping me. I did not come to Lagos because of a woman. I came to look for work, and so far I have been unsuccessful like you both know. That means that the last thing I need is the burden of a woman. Fine I love Maya, but love is never enough, and her family needs her to be married. And because I love her I will have to accept what is in her best interest. So let’s support Mama Tobi and let this thing be a success. I will also help and arrange the chairs”

“Chai bros. I have never seen a guy like you.” Castro said.

“What can I really do Castro? Check am.”

“Bros, when you love someone, you’ll do anything – Bryan Adams”

“Irikefe don turn to Undertaker o!”

At that, we all laughed and felt lighter.

“Alright, you guys go arrange the chairs, I wan go prepare for tonight. None of una even remember say today na my birthday. I’m twenty. So I dey go dance this night.”

At that, we took turns and hugged Irikefe and wished him a happy birthday.

“After they have finished marrying my woman I will follow you to the club. There is no better time to go and get drunk” I said.

“I’m coming” Castro reaffirmed.

“Castro, do whatever you want. But let it be clear that we did not invite you; you came on your own. I no want your papa wahala.”

“Yes, I went on my own. I told you I am now independent.”

“Independent na for mouth? Wait until hunger comes” Irikefe said.

“Alright guys” I said. “So to the club tonight. For now, there is the small matter of Maya’s Introduction. Oya fine boy” I said to Irikefe, “go prep yourself. Today na your day also so make we no stress you. Castro, let’s go and help Mama Tobi.”

*

Later that evening, we stood by the soakaway and watched as Mama Tobi’s guests filed in one after the other. Like Castro predicted, they were dressed mostly in[i] akwa oche [/i]tunics over trousers with red feathered hats. We counted twelve men and two women - the exact number of people that filled the fourteen-seater bus that brought them. The chairs were strangely arranged in a circle and there was a plastic table placed at the centre. Mama Tobi had found an old man from her husband’s village who was in the company of a younger man dressed in jeans and Tshirt. Mr Zubi also featured as part of the bride’s family at the fervent request of Mama Tobi. No sooner where they seated did the eldest man in the visiting group stand and began to speak.

“My inlaws. I will call you that because in the face of God and man it is already a concluded matter.” There were nodding heads and hums of approval from his entourage, just what he needed to continue. “We saw a beautiful flower in this compound. The flower has beautiful leaves, it has beautiful stems, it has wonderful handles, it is fresh like palm wine, colouful like butterfly, white like the new moon, so for this reason, my young man here, our son, came back home and told us he must to come and pluck this flower.”

“What did he smoke?” Irikefe whispered to me.

“Ask Wasiu” I said and managed a wry smile.

The second oldest man in the entourage then stood up. This time there were proper cheers from the visiting contingent. I looked at Irikefe and he looked at me in return.

“It better not be what I’m thinking,” he said.

He was a gap-toothed man in his fifties. Dark as Mr Zubi with scruffy grey beards and a bad right leg. He supported himself with a cane which he planted firmly to his right. He looked like a half chopped tree that was leaning to the side it would inevitably fall to.

“My people, I am the one that saw this flower.”

“Impossible!” Someone wailed from the crowd of the compound's onlookers. The visitors turned to see the speaker but found straight faces. Mr Zubi, in the thick of the event as a member of the bride’s family I could tell recognized his son Castro’s voice because he now sat very straight and the veins on his neck became more pronounced.

“This baba! But this is not fair na” Irikefe whispered to me.

“Keep quiet,” I said, as I tried to maintain my composure.

“I just returned from Libya where three of the gals that I was training to become hairdressers ran away to go to Europe and died on the high sea. You all heard the story. I was there pursuing them. But they defied my wisdom and continued on the journey. We just buried them in Italy.”

“My God!” Irikefe gasped.

“Well, with this kind of tragedy in my family, I decided that I do not have to waste any time to bring good news to my people. So, for this reason, I have decided to come and pluck this beautiful flower, which I believe will erase all the bad memories of those senseless gals, and restore joy to my family. Err my inlaws, this is why I have come.”

“You see why I said we should have kidnapped the goat?” Irikefe said.

Castro was at our side in a flash. “Bros, you still think you want the woman you love to end up with this crippled w*nker?”

“There’s nothing anyone can do now,” I said. “My poor Maya” I breathed, unable to stop myself.

They had brought kola and were making more speeches and beer bottles were already being passed around. Then there was sudden hush. The bride to be had been summoned.

We held our breaths as Maya emerged from the corridor. She was clad in a simple fitted ankara gown with a draping shawl covering her hair. Her figure was unreal in the attire, and somehow she managed to first pick out my eyes in the crowd. She wore light makeup, and her sadness made her look ethereal.

“She’s finer than anyone has ever seen her. God punish poverty” Irikefe said and walked away.

I looked on as she walked to the centre of the gathering. Every step tentative, all eyes measuring her gracefulness.

“Mama Tobi stood up and began ululating tapping her lips, joined immediately by the other women of the compound. They ushered Maya to a seat prepared for her beside the grinning groom. But Maya stood steadfast at the centre of the gathering and would not budge any further. As the women continued singing Maya suddenly screamed: “I am pregnant!”

The singing stopped.

The women all looked at Maya. She repeated herself, quietly this time as if trying to convince herself first. “I am pregnant.”

Mama Tobi collapsed in her seat. The other women snuck away one after the other. It was now only Maya standing, with a hundred pair of eyes burning into her.

The man that first spoke from the visiting group stood up and looked at his entourage who were also looking at each other, and then as if on cue they all cheered and began to exchange high-fives. The groom stood and received a warm hug from the elderly spokesman.

I saw a flash of anger cross Maya’s face. Then she blurted “I am not pregnant by him!”

Instantly there was quiet. Mama Tobi buried her face in her palm and began to sob. I saw the groom whisper something to the older man who turned to the person beside him and said something. We watched as the entourage spoke among themselves in whispers, before the spokesman stood and said: “If she is pregnant even when our son did not touch her, then it is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight.”

His entourage on cue began cheering again. Mama Tobi looked up at the speaker in disbelief.

Mr Zubi stood up and walked away.

The two women in the group broke into a song and approached Maya. As they made to touch her, she flung her hand and something landed with a thud in the large silver tray that had kola and garden eggs. We all looked as a red-headed reptile slithered about in the tray and then lifted its head and produced a long flickering tongue in the direction of the man that just spoke. It was a monitor Lizard!

The crippled groom somehow managed to scale the gutter and hobble down the street faster than anyone else in his entourage. The others scrambled after him and two people fell into the gutter. Maya was rooted to the spot. On a hunch I looked up at the top floor balcony from where some others were gathered watching proceedings. They too were quick to disperse in the confusion, but Mama Akunna was still there.

I looked at her quizzically and she exposed what at that moment was the most beautiful irregular dentition I had ever seen and winked at me.

I dashed after Maya.


TO BE CONTINUED.

32 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by xaviercasmir(m): 1:01pm On Nov 26, 2017
grin grin grin gringrin mama no de carry last oooooo. Nice update centi baba
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Nobody: 1:28pm On Nov 26, 2017
@Centino lolz. Nice one boss.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by obedugo(m): 1:34pm On Nov 26, 2017
Mama too much joor... Poverty na real bastard
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by INDUSTRIALFAN(m): 1:44pm On Nov 26, 2017
Centino:
This one is dedicated to the Literature section Ghost Readers Association headed by ismokeweed grin Joeaz58, na sundays i dey really get chance. Sent4rina, thanks for showing face grin, frankline461 thanks for the kind words the other time, sorry I was too busy dodging INDUSTRIALFAN and Nahimsworld to acknowledge, will surely return the visit wink, jagugu88li, preetiex, sheycrown, YINKS89, collinometricx, nkay2020, WILLIAMSKECH, HelenBee, all my people, I still dey o. EvaJael, meneski, ehmusshugun (where una dey my bro), Pinkfeet, headmaster123, cbella, Rajosh, Minderz, honourable356, justOzito, emm itsandi cheesy, Is Kimkardashain still here? everyone. And yes obedugo, it's a double.



THE INTRODUCTION

Wasiu turned and looked at me and Castro and Irikefe by his side and let out a guffaw. No one else in the compound was amused. We were embarrassed by what we had just witnessed.

“Na mama una dey take play abi?” His laughter did not subside. He just left the three of us standing there and entered his room.

“Whick kind wahala be this one now?” irikefe said.

“Oga Akunna is in trouble” Castro acceded.

“Well, on the brighter side, Akunna has his baby back. They can at least give it proper care now” I said.

“I will never go near that baby,” Castro said.

“Why?”

“Mama would have already thought it how to fly.”

“Castro!”

“The little devil cooperated with her!”

“It is only a baby.”

“But that is the point. It is supposed to yell and cry like normal babies. It just kept quiet and let the woman do whatever she wanted with it.”

“She is an old woman, experienced at nursing babies. She knew what to do for the baby not to cry.”

“I have never heard of such a thing. Babies cry, full stop. Whenever a baby doesn’t cry there is a problem. Is that not why when they just give birth and the baby doesn’t cry they whack its little ass so that it cries? Fear a baby that does not cry.”

“Alright guys. Whatever.” I said. “You guys spare a thought for Akunna.”

“I have no pity for him.”

“What did you expect him to do?”

“He should have killed her a long time ago.”

“Haa Castro!”

“Suffer not a witch to live.”

“Well that doesn’t mean he should take the laws into his hands. Besides, no one can prove witchcraft.”

“But this one is obvious na. Again, how did she know they had gone to the police? How did she know they were here so that she could start her drama at just the right time?” Castro said.

“Abeg abeg abeg abeg” Irikefe said and began to walk away from us. I noticed he had become sulky. I knew it was because Castro was now with us. I grabbed him by the elbow and halted him. “I don tell una say I no wan know anything about this mama. I get show to attend this night. Make I go prepare.”

“Can I come?” Castro said.

“Go ask your mama.”

“Irikefe wait. They are coming for Maya’s introduction a little later. Surely we are not letting it happen?”

At that irikefe stopped. I also straightened and looked at Castro.

“I want to cause the kind of commotion that will make the people believe that the Holy Spirit is warning them not to marry the girl.”

“What do you want to do?” Irikefe said.

“I am arranging the seats. I will pour super glue on all of them.”

“Is that how you want to stop the marriage? Irikefe said with a sneer.”

“Guy, calm down na.”

“Okay. They sit on super glue and they change their seats. What next?”

“Didn’t you hear me? All the seats! When they get up to try to change seats, the glue will stick to their yansh. Instead of talking about the ripe flower they saw in this compound that they want to come and pluck, they will be busy thinking about their akwa oche that would be ruined. They will then conclude that it is a sign that their asses will know no peace once they marry Maya.

“So that is what you want to do?”

“Ehen” Castro said with emphatic nods. “What can you do?”

Irikefe placed an elbow over an arm crossed over his midsection and began to stroke his beard. He had been grooming the beard for three months and now liked the result. He should go to Lukman and have it carved into something really bad. In the meantime, he said to Castro “make the groom disappear. This is Katakata Street.”

Castro started and said “that would be a crime na.”

Irikefe shook his head and said “small boy.”

“I am not a criminal.”

“Well I am. So go play with children.”

“But bros Freke” Castro said and looked at me.

“No one is committing any crime. I have told you guys I’m letting go. It was not meant to be.”

“Yes but this type of thing must stop. How can strangers continue to come and take away our girls?”

“The girls are not yours Castro.”

“But we saw them grow. Very soon the ones Irikefe helped to discover their destinies will start going one after the other.”

“Your Fada.”

Castro collapsed in a fit of laughter while I watched, consumed in my own thoughts.

“Now listen both of you. I don’t want any drama here in the name of helping me. I did not come to Lagos because of a woman. I came to look for work, and so far I have been unsuccessful like you both know. That means that the last thing I need is the burden of a woman. Fine I love Maya, but love is never enough, and her family needs her to be married. And because I love her I will have to accept what is in her best interest. So let’s support Mama Tobi and let this thing be a success. I will also help and arrange the chairs”

“Chai bros. I have never seen a guy like you.” Castro said.

“What can I really do Castro? Check am.”

“Bros, when you love someone, you’ll do anything – Bryan Adams”

“Irikefe don turn to Undertaker o!”

At that, we all laughed and felt lighter.

“Alright, you guys go arrange the chairs, I wan go prepare for tonight. None of una even remember say today na my birthday. I’m twenty. So I dey go dance this night.”

At that, we took turns and hugged Irikefe and wished him a happy birthday.

“After they have finished marrying my woman I will follow you to the club. There is no better time to go and get drunk” I said.

“I’m coming” Castro reaffirmed.

“Castro, do whatever you want. But let it be clear that we did not invite you; you came on your own. I no want your papa wahala.”

“Yes, I went on my own. I told you I am now independent.”

“Independent na for mouth? Wait until hunger comes” Irikefe said.

“Alright guys” I said. “So to the club tonight. For now, there is the small matter of Maya’s Introduction. Oya fine boy” I said to Irikefe, “go prep yourself. Today na your day also so make we no stress you. Castro, let’s go and help Mama Tobi.”

*

Later that evening, we stood by the soakaway and watched as Mama Tobi’s guests filed in one after the other. Like Castro predicted, they were dressed mostly in[i] akwa oche [/i]tunics over trousers with red feathered hats. We counted twelve men and two women - the exact number of people that filled the fourteen-seater bus that brought them. The chairs were strangely arranged in a circle and there was a plastic table placed at the centre. Mama Tobi had found an old man from her husband’s village who was in the company of a younger man dressed in jeans and Tshirt. Mr Zubi also featured as part of the bride’s family at the fervent request of Mama Tobi. No sooner where they seated did the eldest man in the visiting group stand and began to speak.

“My inlaws. I will call you that because in the face of God and man it is already a concluded matter.” There were nodding heads and hums of approval from his entourage, just what he needed to continue. “We saw a beautiful flower in this compound. The flower has beautiful leaves, it has beautiful stems, it has wonderful handles, it is fresh like palm wine, colouful like butterfly, white like the new moon, so for this reason, my young man here, our son, came back home and told us he must to come and pluck this flower.”

“What did he smoke?” Irikefe whispered to me.

“Ask Wasiu” I said and managed a wry smile.

The second oldest man in the entourage then stood up. This time there were proper cheers from the visiting contingent. I looked at Irikefe and he looked at me in return.

“It better not be what I’m thinking,” he said.

He was a gap-toothed man in his fifties. Dark as Mr Zubi with scruffy grey beards and a bad right leg. He supported himself with a cane which he planted firmly to his right. He looked like a half chopped tree that was leaning to the side it would inevitably fall to.

“My people, I am the one that saw this flower.”

“Impossible!” Someone wailed from the crowd of the compound's onlookers. The visitors turned to see the speaker but found straight faces. Mr Zubi, in the thick of the event as a member of the bride’s family I could tell recognized his son Castro’s voice because he now sat very straight and the veins on his neck became more pronounced.

“This baba! But this is not fair na” Irikefe whispered to me.

“Keep quiet,” I said, as I tried to maintain my composure.

“I just returned from Libya where three of the gals that I was training to become hairdressers ran away to go to Europe and died on the high sea. You all heard the story. I was there pursuing them. But they defied my wisdom and continued on the journey. We just buried them in Italy.”

“My God!” Irikefe gasped.

“Well, with this kind of tragedy in my family, I decided that I do not have to waste any time to bring good news to my people. So, for this reason, I have decided to come and pluck this beautiful flower, which I believe will erase all the bad memories of those senseless gals, and restore joy to my family. Err my inlaws, this is why I have come.”

“You see why I said we should have kidnapped the goat?” Irikefe said.

Castro was at our side in a flash. “Bros, you still think you want the woman you love to end up with this crippled self-servicer?”

“There’s nothing anyone can do now,” I said. “My poor Maya” I breathed, unable to stop myself.

They had brought kola and were making more speeches and beer bottles were already being passed around. Then there was sudden hush. The bride to be had been summoned.

We held our breaths as Maya emerged from the corridor. She was clad in a simple fitted ankara gown with a draping shawl covering her hair. Her figure was unreal in the attire, and somehow she managed to first pick out my eyes in the crowd. She wore light makeup, and her sadness made her look ethereal.

“She’s finer than anyone has ever seen her. God punish poverty” Irikefe said and walked away.

I looked on as she walked to the centre of the gathering. Every step tentative, all eyes measuring her gracefulness.

“Mama Tobi stood up and began ululating tapping her lips, joined immediately by the other women of the compound. They ushered Maya to a seat prepared for her beside the grinning groom. But Maya stood steadfast at the centre of the gathering and would not budge any further. As the women continued singing Maya suddenly screamed: “I am pregnant!”

The singing stopped.

The women all looked at Maya. She repeated herself, quietly this time as if trying to convince herself first. “I am pregnant.”

Mama Tobi collapsed in her seat. The other women snuck away one after the other. It was now only Maya standing, with a hundred pair of eyes burning into her.

The man that first spoke from the visiting group stood up and looked at his entourage who were also looking at each other, and then as if on cue they all cheered and began to exchange high-fives. The groom stood and received a warm hug from the elderly spokesman.

I saw a flash of anger cross Maya’s face. Then she blurted “I am not pregnant by him!”

Instantly there was quiet. Mama Tobi buried her face in her palm and began to sob. I saw the groom whisper something to the older man who turned to the person beside him and said something. We watched as the entourage spoke among themselves in whispers, before the spokesman stood and said: “If she is pregnant even when our son did not touch her, then it is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight.”

His entourage on cue began cheering again. Mama Tobi looked up at the speaker in disbelief.

Mr Zubi stood up and walked away.

The two women in the group broke into a song and approached Maya. As they made to touch her, she flung her hand and something landed with a thud in the large silver tray that had kola and garden eggs. We all looked as a red-headed reptile slithered about in the tray and then lifted its head and produced a long flickering tongue in the direction of the man that just spoke. It was a monitor Lizard!

The crippled groom somehow managed to scale the gutter and hobble down the street faster than anyone else in his entourage. The others scrambled after him and two people fell into the gutter. Maya was rooted to the spot. On a hunch I looked up at the top floor balcony from where some others were gathered watching proceedings. They too were quick to disperse in the confusion, but Mama Akunna was still there.

I looked at her quizzically and she exposed what at that moment was the most beautiful irregular dentition I had ever seen and winked at me.

I dashed after Maya.


TO BE CONTINUED.


. You were dodging me for reals? grin lol
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by excelmerry: 2:18pm On Nov 26, 2017
U just can't help but luv mama Akunna..
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by donblazer10(m): 3:10pm On Nov 26, 2017
INDUSTRIALFAN:
. You were dodging me for reals? grin lol
you shouldn't have quoted the whole story ..it ws highly unnecessary

7 Likes

Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by olumose001(m): 3:29pm On Nov 26, 2017
mama na badass o... Those groom's family sef mean bizness o
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Nobody: 3:59pm On Nov 26, 2017
nice1
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by Dhavido(m): 4:30pm On Nov 26, 2017
We await the second update bro.
Nicely written
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by INDUSTRIALFAN(m): 4:40pm On Nov 26, 2017
donblazer10:
you shouldn't have quoted the whole story ..it ws highly unnecessary
i'm so so sorry... It just seemed easier for me to do.
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by joeaz58(m): 4:58pm On Nov 26, 2017
centino no vex ooo lwkmd..... it wasn't my fault.... next episode please grin
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by donblazer10(m): 6:34pm On Nov 26, 2017
INDUSTRIALFAN:
i'm so so sorry... It just seemed easier for me to do.
ok bro
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by collinometricx: 7:34pm On Nov 26, 2017
INDUSTRIALFAN :
i'm so so sorry... It just seemed easier for me to do.

I fear you
Re: Number 225 Katakata Street by YINKS89(m): 7:52pm On Nov 26, 2017
So Maya gt mind like dis

(1) (2) (3) ... (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) ... (263) (Reply)

Countless (a story of Sex, Betrayal and vengeance) by Darousmart Emmanuel.

Viewing this topic: 2 guest(s)

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 94
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.