Episode 4
by Valentine Nkemjika
By 2pm later that fateful day Jones returned to his hostel screaming and shouting, threatening to raise fire and brimstone on the people who dared to rob in his territory simply because he wasn’t around. He was so good an actor that nobody suspected him even though everyone knew he was a cultist. But then who would have thought that a cultist would rob in his own territory.
Later that evening after his acting skill, he smiled with satisfaction and congratulated himself. He was now a hundred and fifty thousand naira richer. He planned pulling off same stunt in ten other hostels within the vicinity. It was a daring move but Jones wasn’t scared of anything. He felt he was smarter and braver than everyone.
Within two weeks he was able to rob four more hostels, forcing the landlords and community leaders to bring in armed security men who took charge of security every night, forcing him to abandon his plans. With the money he made so far, he felt he was good to go in pursing his ambitions and began to repackage his life as a big boy.
He began taking his frat members out for drinks, doing favors for them, coolvalstories production winning the hearts of almost all members of the lower cadre. His new found wealth and packaging didn’t go down well for the older members but there was nothing they could do. They watched as his influence and power grew while the Capon felt there was nothing wrong his behavior.
Unknown to him, Jones was already brainwashing the lower cadre members, telling them that the leadership was old fashioned.
‘’this is a new era. What we all want is connections, wealth and women. All these I can offer. I can put money in all your pockets. I can teach you how to make money. Gone are the days we fight and die in the streets for no reason. Now is all about being different from others’’ he preached, slowly gaining more disciples every day.
