Daughter of a Beggar
We have been too modest for our status. As upwardly mobile
young lawyers in Nigeria, we should look like the trendy oines.
So, I have decided that we should spend some twelve million
naira on two brand new Toyota Prado jeeps for our official and
personal use. See Nojim Maiyegun in the bank on Monday.”
For some minutes, Sule’s words overwhelmed Tunde, and then
he recovers his composure and hugs Sule happily.
“Oh, God! This is a testimony that will gladden the hearts of the
congregation on Sunday. This is good news!” Tunde exclaims
joyfully.
“Sir,” says a young woman in a brown trouser suit and black
shoes as she comes into the office.
“Yes, Abigail,” Tunde replies.
“We have some visitors.”
“Official or private?” Sule asks.
“Mama John and Jelili from Stadium,” Abigail replies.
Sule’s face brightens in excitement.
“Your homies again. Have they come for their weekend
allowance?” Tunde says and chuckles amusingly.
“Tunde! Don’t make fun of my people oh,” says Sule with a grin.
“Tell them to come in,” he adds.
Abigail leaves and returns ushering in the old woman, Hadiyat
and her child and the tout called Jelili.
The appearance of the white looking young lady and a white
looking child surprises Sule and Tunde. Abigail never mentioned
them! They welcome them with apprehension.
“Ah! Mama John and Jelili, welcome,” Sule greets them in
Yoruba.
“Oga Lawyer Sule! Good fortune oh!” Mama John exclaims
excitedly with wide smiles.
“Oga Sule, we brought your wife oh!” Jelili announces and the
old woman nudges him with her left elbow for being too anxious
to break the news to Sule.
“Jelili! You talk too much,” she says rebukingly.
Sule and Tunde are still trying to comprehend the relationship
between Mama John and Jelili and the white looking young
woman and female child.
Hadiyat is able to recognize Sule without much scrutiny and she
is impressed by what she is seeing. The unique transformation
of a motor park tout into an upwardly mobile young attorney
within the space of only seven years! This is a classic true-life
story to report to her editors in Paris. And Sule is handsome
too! Gosh. She blushes.
“Sule? So, you cannot recognize Hadiyat again?” Mama John
declares announcingly.
Sule is caught off-balance by the sudden revelation.
This is “breaking news”. Tunde simply watches the unfolding drama.
Yes. Of course, he has heard so much of the romantic escapades of Sule as a roving tout at the Stadium bus stop. And
the Arab girl-beggar he impregnated under the flyover.
Episode 6
How the
past comes to haunt the present. And our past life never leaves
us totally. He only hopes Hadiyat has come in peace. And by her
comfortable appearance, all seems to be well with her and the
child with her. Tunde knows without being told that the child is
Sule’s love child. The whole scenario amuses him. It is like a
climax in a romantic movie. He winks at Sule.
“Sule,” Hadiyat calls his name whisperingly.
The child looks up.
Sule is overwhelmed by the truth staring at him in the face.
Hadiyat, the daughter of the beggar under the flyover at the
National Stadium. The nymph of his street life. The muse of his
lust. The reveries of the memories envelop him and he becomes
immersed in the pool of the nostalgia. It is unbelievable that he
will see Hadiyat again after seven years. He remembers vividly
that evening of their departure from the stadium bus stop. How
he could not even say goodbye to Hadiyat, because he did not
really feel any emotional attachment to her. The night he made
love to her was like on e of his wet dreams. H e saw the
opportunity and took it like a fast hawk pouncing on a chick. It
was just one of his numerous flings with several girls on the
street. Hadiyat happens to be an Arab who fulfilled his fantasy
to sleep with an “oyinbo” girl. All black boys fantasize on how it
would feel like making love to a white girl in contrast to sleeping
with their own black girls. And he only did it for the thrill of it and
to boast about his conquest to his peers. That “Sule has slept
with a white girl”. It’s a big deal to them. So, he did it and
walked tall over it. He never bargained for the sudden
reappearance of his victim. Thank God he did not Molest her.
“Hadiyat? Am I dreaming or seeing things?
Can this be
possible?” Sule says and comes closer to regard her and is fully
convinced beyond all doubts that she is Hadiyat with his child.
Because, the little girl resembles him! She has his “Eti Ehoro”
ears like the ears of Will Smith that celebrated American actor.
In fact, people say they look alike. And he likes the compliment.
Because, Will Smith is a handsome man and also regarded as a
s*x symbol in Hollywood.
“No. You are you not dreaming Sule. So, you are now a lawyer?”
“Yes. I decided to go back to school and fulfill my ambition to be
a lawyer. And I thank God for making my dream come true.”
For a while, both of them stand face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball.
It is a one in a million meeting. Sule is too amazed to see her
also transformed into a new personality.
He calls Abigail and tells her to serve them drinks and snacks.
Abigail does so immediately and they spend sometime regaling
themselves until Tunde reminds Sule of the business dinner he
has with an important client.
“Hadiyat, I have to go. Where are you staying?” Sule says.
“At the Lagos Sheraton. I came to look for you. And now that I
have found you, I am at peace with Halimat.
Because, since she
has been harassing me to take her to her father, I have not been
able to even concentrate on my work.”
Halimat smiles as she relaxes on Sule’s laps with her head
resting on his left shoulder. Sule tickles her cheeks and smiles
gladly.
Oouw so romantic