© Abdulrahman Muhammad
The incident was on the news all over the country and abroad. It was in the Vanguard, Daily Trust, The Sun, and a host of other news papers the next morning, every crook and corner in Nigeria had heard the story of the attempted attack on the presidents life that failed and another person who had died in his stead. “The question everyone is asking right now is, who would make an attempt on the presidents life? Is he safe? Are his family? No news has come out of the presidential villa since the incident last night. As you can see people are gathered to know exactly what happened and how the late Mrs Gloria drank a cup filled with poison which was for the president. I’m Stella Ochekpe for TVC news, reporting from Abuja.”
“God!” The First Lady exclaimed. “Who would have done such a terrible thing.” She said.
“That poison was for me.” The President said with his jaw on his interlocked fingers.
“Thank God you’re safe.” Jake said as he stood above his sister.
“You useless fool, I told you to watch your sister and her husband. Didn’t I? Where were you when all this happened? What if it was her drink that was poisoned?!”
“Calm down Wale, it wasn’t his fault,” Victoria went and sat with him. “The lady came out of the blue like she knew exactly what was in the cup. Who was she anyway? Did you by any chance recognized her?” She asked.
“No! I didn’t. Like you said, she just came out of the blue.” The president turned to his son and they both shared a suspicious gaze.
“What do you plan on telling the nation now? Or you want a written speech? I can write you one.” Victoria volunteered.
“No, no. I’ve told Charles to talk to the press later today, I have to think about something to say by tomorrow.” He said. Charles Chukwuma was the minister of Information.
“I want to be with my husband.” Henrietta fussed. And all eyes turned to her.
“No, it’s best you stay here where I can protect you more.” The president said.
“I’m sure your husband is fine, he’s also with his family which is safer at the moment before this heat clears out.” Victoria added.
While the news was still roaming around earth, the video was posted on the Internet by someone and it went viral on YouTube, Aljazeera, BBC and rest. The president got calls from presidents of other countries and governors of his own country, those who couldn’t attend and some friends in diaspora. All hoping he was safe from any danger and if they could help, everyone seemed to wish him well. Who would it be then? Everyone I know seems to be worried about my safety, but only Vice President Sola hadn’t called him. A thought crossed his mind. By the way Sola had said something like “I guess sometimes a man has to surrender to fate.” What did he meant? He didn’t know. He also didn’t look shock when everything happened, he just left as if nothing had happened, or was he angry that his plan failed? Why didn’t Gloria told him why she was there in the first place? His head wanted to explode with these questions, then he heard a knock on the door which saved him from the paranoia growing in his head about his new in law.
“From foes to friends.” He muttered to himself as he attended to the knock that grew insistent. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry to disturb Mr President.” Jack said.
“It’s alright Jack, what is it?” He wasn’t interested in his apologies.
“You have a phone call from the President of the United States. He’s on the phone in the other room, I can transfer the call if you want.” Jack said.
“Don’t worry Jack, I’ll take it there. Thank you.” He replied.
“Are you alright sir?” Jack stood firm as the President looked at him.
“I don’t know what they say when someone try to kill you on your daughter’s wedding party,” he sighed. “I’m sorry Jack, I don’t know how to answer that question.”
“I understand sir.” Jack said in a soft tone without looking at his face. Then they walked together to the room, it was more like an office, Jack stood outside the door.
The president sighed again as he sat down, his eyes flicked up at the plasma tv on the wall. “It’s been 18hours since the incident and still no word from President Adewale. People are beginning to run out of patience as fake stories are being posted on the Internet by random individuals all over the world. From the Presidential Villa here in Abuja, I’m Esther___” the president quickly turned the tv off, he then moved both hands across his face, he was getting fed up of everything. Straightening, he cleared his throat and pressed on a number on the telephone.
“Hello.” He said.
“Mr President, it’s a relief to hear your voice___” the President of the United States began.
Meanwhile, Jake and his sister were the only ones in the sitting room. Jake kept changing the channels as each gave their own side of the story about the terrible thing that happened at the Villa last night. “A murder attempt on the presidents life.” Was written boldly below on the tv screen.
“These people.” Jake scoffed and continued changing them.
“Where exactly where you?”
“I’m sorry?” He lowered the volume and turned to Henrietta.
She sat with legs stretched as if she was tired of them, and she also bit her thumb finger slowly. “Where were you when it happened? Father said you were supposed to be watching but you weren’t, where were you?” She sounded like their mother.
“I had to go to the toilet.” He lied. She knew.
“Liar! I saw you and Taye kissing. I knew she would do something to distract you when she passed the crowd,” she added. “And why tell Mahmoud that you will be his best man when you know you can’t put up to the task. He kept looking for you.” She finished.
“Look Bisi, this should be the first and last time you talk to me in that manner. What is wrong with you?! He was angry. “And besides I told your so called husband that I couldn’t do it, and he still went and said I was his best man. What else could I do?”
“Mahmoud is not “so called” and don’t ever call him that!” She shouted at him.
“Whatever,” he suddenly looked calm. She was now the eldest. “If you like swallow everything, at least you’re safe and sound. That’s all that matters to all of us.” He threw the remote control on the couch he stood up from, and left the sitting room.
“Ode!” She cursed.
Mr Adewale was on the king sized bed when Victoria came in, he was laying on the side of the bed with a hand raised across his head, thinking. “Did you noticed that Sola hasn’t called me since last night?”
“Is he supposed to?” Victoria returned. Sitting on a small chair in front of her large mirror, she bend to her right to remove her gold colored heel, then to the left.
“What do you mean by that?” Mr Adewale was curios now as he sat well with his right leg folded and a hand on the bed this time.
He had misunderstood her sentence, Victoria sighed as she removed her two earrings that shared the same color as her heels. She then turned slowly to face him from where he sat. “I meant, it’s Sola. We all know him. So don’t be surprised if he doesn’t call you. And if he still doesn’t by tomorrow, I suggest you call him.”
“Ah,” he moved back a bit. The suggestion wasn’t quite right to him in every way he viewed it. “Why should I? I was the one who could’ve been poisoned,” he said after muttering inside. “Come to think of it, did you notice anything last night?”
“Like what?” She asked, this time jumping on the bed with him after changing into her glossy color blue sleeping gown which had tiny hands that rested freely on her shoulders.
“That he might be the one who tried to poison me. Fear and worry wasn’t on his face when people began to panic. Or what do you think?” She shook her head in disagreement. “Bami soro Bimpe.” He said as she wasn’t confirming his hypothesis.
“Sola is many things, yes. But to try and kill you? I doubt,” she added. “And mind you it’s time you start seeing Sola as a brother, I told you before that it’s this kind of thoughts and accusations that leads people around you to hate you. You can’t keep suspecting and accusing Sola for every bad thing that happens in this country, they are others too, you know.” She finished.
He sighed loudly and looked at the time, it was late. “Alright, if that’s what you think then I’ll stop accusing him of everything. But at least he should have called, Sola is too stubborn.” He thought out loud.
“I had a speech written for you few hours ago.” Victoria rolled to her side and she rested on her arm for support as she opened a drawer by the side of the bed and brought out a long C4 paper and began to read it to him. He only sat quietly and listened, glaring at her as she demonstrated with her hand. Even though he had told her not to worry about the speech, she still went and stressed herself to write on the blank white paper, it wasn’t much though as he listened but very soothing and strong words for the people to know that the President is really doing something about the situation and that investigations are un going and the culprit will be caught as soon as possible.
“Ah, Bimpe. E seun gan.” He thanked her so much, and he showed it in every single way. Thankfulness is also a part and parcel of rekindling a marriage.
“I love you too.” She returned.
