Must Read: Kumalo

Episode 6 years ago

Must Read: Kumalo

OFF CAMPUS-BEER PARLOUR

Members of the Egbesu cult met for a round table discussion at Brifina Guest house along Abakaliki road close to IMT campus 2. Assorted hot drinks and different brands of cigarette were displayed on the tables. As they discuss, they exhaled thick smoke into the atmosphere to further deplete the earth’s ozone layer.

They were dressed casually except for the leader Jato who wore a white beret of a white T shirt and red jeans trousers. His left fingers are adorned with mysterious rings made from animal skin sewn together with black tread.


Even the bangles he wore look diabolically strange.

He poured the content of the black label in front of him into a glass cup and gulped down the content. He closed his eyes and shook his head as he allowed the content to go down his throat.

Yes! Una welcome once again! Amici!
Amici! They replied.

It is four days now that we have been in Enugu combing the city for information. Each group has presented their findings to me and I have summarized everything so that we now have a plan to execute.

Number one! Okemutie is alive! He is receiving treatment at UNTH. He is under Police surveillance and every visitor is being frisked and interrogated by the police before seeing him.

Two out of three students that went to visit him two days ago were arrested and suspected to be on a mission to rescue him.

The man ‘o’ war girl Emilia has being very helpful. Rukewe in getting down with her seriously and the relationship has been fruitful.
She told Rukewe that the Hawks are the guys that hit Kumalo and Jumbo. She has given him the names and pictures of some of the members of the Hawks including those that are members of the man ‘o’ war. Well done so far Rukewe, but I hope this babe would not make you forget why we are here? Because the rate you are grooving the city with this girl it’s like you never see yellow babe before!

The men all laughed and hailed Rukewe.

But Bros Jato, how you take know nah? One of the boys asked.

Imagine Rukewe to tell me say he want to write Poly jamb again so that he go come school for IMT! Rukewe wey no finish secondary school!
No be for SS2 dem expel am for Don Domingos?

The men laughed heartily.

Bros forget that thing o! Rukewe said; I get my WAEC result o! I don write WAEC as external candidate and the result pure die!

Na lie! Jato shouted; you mean am?

Yes nah bros! Some one else offered; na me and Rukewe write WAEC for the same school as external candidates for that year! Na for Saint Michaels we write am and our two results pure die!

As as how nah! Jato protested; una know book?
See una eyes! How una result take dey pure?

Bros forget that thing o! Who no go, no go know o! Rukewe said.



Na true! Na true! The Boss said; yes! As I was saying, the police that arrested those boys at UNTH accused them of being Egbesu boys who have come to scatter the campus to avenge the death of Jumbo. This means that the police are aware of our presence in this town!

But how nah? Rukewe protested. How police take sabi nah? Dem be winch?

Never under estimate the efficiency of the Nigerian police if they are ready to work!

The Boss said

Meanwhile we now have a list of those that hit our brothers. Jumbo is dead and Kumalo is hospitalized. We shall work on the list to know the homes and departments of the lords of the Hawks, we need to know when they are meeting on Campus, and we will weigh options and know the right time to strike. At least five of them must kpai! Including one from the man ‘o’ war!

We shall leave only three men here while the rest of us will return home. Rukewe! Sampson and pastor! You guys will remain here and do a clean job of hitting those guys. Rukewe, I put you in charge here! He pulled out a bangle from his wrist. Take this and wear it when you are in charge, you must not wear it in my presence and when you return to Warri, don’t wear it until you see me and hand it over, do you understand me?

Yes Boss! I know the drill. There can’t be two captains in a ship! Rukewe said as he pockets the band?

Good! The rest of us will go home and give Kumalo’s mother, our mother a befitting burial according to our Urhobo tradition.

We will hand over the corps to the family tomorrow for proper burial.

Look Rukewe! Don’t forget you are to leave this town immediately after the operation!
Don’t be carried away by the man ‘o’ war girl o!

I know boss! But I fit invite her come Waffi nah!
Rukewe stated.

No! Let everything that happened in Enugu remain in Enugu! Boss stated and stood up to use the convenience.

Idiot boy! Why you want invite her come Waffi?
What of your babe for Warri? Pastor asked.

I go code her nah! I fit keep her for your bunk!
Rukewe said.

Idiot! See your head! Wetin i go tell my own babe? Pastor asked.

You go tell her say na you sister nah! Rukewe said.

Na now I sabi say you don de kolo! You don see any person wey yellow for my family? How I want to take explain the girl complexion? Pastor asked.

You go say na your mama family! Rukewe said.

My mama family people black pass my papa family! Pastor said and the party stared laughing and puffing.

Jato returned from the convenience
So na Igbo girl you dey trip for now? He asked Rukewe.

Boss! This girl sweet die! She dey scatter my head like say I never see woman before! Bros the girl body be like Angel own!

Idiot! You don see Angel body before? Pastor countered.

Well, I trust you sha and that is why I am putting you in charge of the operation here.

If not, na you I for first depot. But I know say you rugged and you get sense. But if you Fork up? I go treat your Fork up wella!

So my men! We will split up as we leave town tomorrow, we would leave in batches of two and board different vehicles to Warri. We will all meet at Richard’s Barbing saloon at 6.00PM tomorrow evening.

Correct boss! You be the master planner!
Rukewe teased.

Commot for there Kewe! Stupid boy! Pastor teased him as he fills his glass from the bottle of hot drink in front of him and gulps down the content. He started using the glass to tap on the bottle rhythmically, others soon joined and Rukewe started to sale.

My mama tell me say! He sang
Iyoo! Tell me say iyoo! The chorus