Must Read: Kumalo

6 years ago

Must Read: Kumalo

CAMPUS 3 NKUTU-UME

The relaxation spot of the school’s second campus located at Independence layout Enugu.

About thirty shops built in a U shape with a large field at the centre for parking. Each shop sells beverages, snacks and stationery and are always filled up with students. Only non alcoholic beverages were allowed by the school authority to be sold there. Alcohol is only sold at the Staff Canteen at Campus 2.

The shops have extended canopies used as sit-outs by customers. These sit-outs are also used as meeting points for students of common interest.

Today, five Hench men of the Black Panthers Confraternity meet. Headed by Ugochukwu Wali ‘The Don’ Ugo is rivers state born from the Ikwere tribe. He is popularly called ‘Danladi’ because of his proficiency in speaking the hausa language and having lived there for some years. Danladi was formally a student union president at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria but was rusticated because of student union activities.
He had spear headed a revolt by the student due to poor hostel facilities. The revolt resulted in massive destruction of school properties.

He later got admission into the Bayero University Kano and started all over but was ran off in his third year because he was wanted as the man that set BUK on fire which led to the death of three students and five police men.

He had gotten probation at the end of his second year in his new school because records showed that he did not write many of his examinations. Ugochukwu actually wrote his examinations and did all his tests, but he just joined the school politics and had started spreading his radical views among the students. The student’s level of awareness was on the increase and they have started campaigning on having Ugo as the new student union president.

When all efforts by Ugo to get his real result failed, he knew he was being set up and it was time for him to leave the northern schools so on his last night in Kano the Administrative block of the school was engulfed in an inferno that razed it down. Some students and security personnel were trapped and killed in the rubble. All fingers pointed at Ugo and he had to run out of Kano.

Danladi came down to the east to start afresh at the Institute of Management and Technology IMT. He did not want to be involved in school politics so he joined the Black Panthers and maintained a low profile.

During the political transmission of 2006 and 2007 when the apex government was trying to secure a third term in office, he was among the body guards used by politicians for protection and to unleash mayhem on rivals. His ability to speak the three major languages in Nigeria endeared him to the politicians and he made a lot of money recruiting thugs for them.

Eventually his Chairman won the elections and he settled all the bad boys without rancour.

On his resumption for his HND program he came as a very big boy and was unanimously made the Don of the Panthers. Danladi has been able to keep the Panthers out of trouble since he became the Don and he desired to do so until he graduates. He spends his money to help the broke guys in his fold and lends them money too. He has four buses that shuttle between Campus 2 and 3 conveying students and remitting weekly returns to him. He is in HND 1 Accountancy, he lives off campus and drives a clean Toyota Camry 2.0 1998 model.

He is seated with four other Lords including Pascal the Man ‘o’ war VP.

Pascal was talking;
Amici! he called out on a low tone
Amici! others replied
Guys! There is problem o! The information we have is that there is a cult clash between us and the Hawks which has led to the death of four students including the so called Kumalo and his brother plus two unknown soldiers!

Haba! Danladi exclaimed. But we are not at war with any one nah! Who dey spread this rumour? Now the police and the Man ‘o’ war will be on out trail, which kind nonsense be dis nah?

We need to meet in the wilderness quickly to inform our Soldiers of this development and warn them to stir out of any trouble!

They should be mindful of what they do or say hence forth! Kevwe said. Kevwe is the second man of the Panther, he is the Capone.

We all know that the Hawk is responsible for the hit, not after that guy humiliated Egbe! But who is bringing us in? Kevwe asked aloud.

I think it is better we leave our soldiers out of it for now! Danladi suggested. Let keep it with the Lords for now. The less they know, the better for them, we know those of them to carry along. I will go to the Police officers mess and talk to one or two persons. I need to set the records straight to avoid massive arrest of our soldiers and us too. The police need to know where to look and not to go on random sampling which will affect so many innocent people. The Hawks hit those guys and by so doing, they should bear the consequence!

I don’t want anything to happen to me or any of my men.

The owner of the shop came and asked what the students wanted to eat or drink.

Give us meat pie and Fayrouz! Danladi said.

Why una no dey sell beer here sef? Kevwe asked.

The owner laughed; na una school policy nah!

He said as he went for their order.

Well, me I dey with a small bottle of Goskolus for my pocket o! Kevwe said as he brought out a flat transparent bottle containing locally distilled gin. He placed it on the table and covered it with an exercise book. It will be fun to mix this with the fayrouz he said.

Correct guy! Correct guy! Others commended.

So what do we do now? Asked Maxwell, the number three man who has being quiet all the while but had been busy scanning the environment for any suspicious moves.

He is the ‘Slaughter’ of the Panther and the chief ‘hit man’. He is the son of the school’s registrar.

He has nine deaths to his credit and still counting. Maxwell single handily ended an ensuing Cult clash rampage when he was in ND 2 by inviting the heads of the warring factions for a peace talk at a Hotel at Achara Layout.

The four heads are yet to return till date and that ended the war then. He is easily the deadliest on Campus. He seldom talks and so he is unpredictable, he does not drink nor smoke and he does not have a girl friend.

Even Danladi does not pray to be in Maxwell’s black book.

Who do we need to take out? He asked again.

We are not taking any one out Max! Danladi cautioned. We only need to be vigilant.

But we are being framed here! Max persisted.

Yes! I think so too, Danladi said; but from my source, only Kumalo’s brother was killed, Kumalo is still missing in action. We need to reach Kumalo before any one does! The Police, the Man ‘o’ war and the Hawks will be looking for Kumalo now!

But how will those stupid wingless Hawks just kill a Jew man like that? A common Jew man!
For their mind now dem don pull hit be that o!
Who told them to install a weakling as Capone?
He was talking to himself. Maxwell.

The shop owner brought their Order. Kevwe brought out the mixer. The shop owner saw it and feigns ignorance. It was better than some other unruly group that came to buy three sticks of cigarette and ended up mixing and smoking it with five parcels of Indian hemp publicly.

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