The Kidnap

Its a Saturday evening, a weekend of such is always filled with street football, card games and the Aayó Olopòn games played by the elders.

The kids will crowd and surround the elders while they exchange brilliancy of the game, this game has reigned from the days of our forefathers.

This gathering has also grown to become an avenue of garnering information where the elders talk about the happenings in the community and divulge news at first hands.

There is a popular expert of this game, his name is Mr Ajani, a friend to the incumbent king, they grew up together. Mr Ajani inherited his prowess from his father who was known across the community to be the only man who defeated the king at the festival of the game.

This season was perhaps instigated five or six decades ago to serve as a means to celebrate the reigning king of that time and to infuse the festival in their culture but since when Mr Ajani's father (Mr Adio) defeated the king, custom demands that the festival should be canceled.

Mr Ajani almost achieved the same feat after just having a good game time with the king in the palace but he consciously distributed the wrong ball into the wrong pot just to avert the same thing his father did to the King's predecessor. This time, this isn't a festival, its just a game time on a Saturday evening but there are royalties in the palace seeing the game, it will serve as a means of disgrace to the king if he had lost to Mr Ajani.

Ayeni, Ayo and Ade are all outside playing football, they selected themselves with two other boys to make a team of five and another boy to serve as a goalkeeper.

Ayo, being a promising footballer and the eldest captained the team and played in the midfield role while Ayo played as the top striker because of his prudent style of decision making in front of the keepers, Ayeni being the tallest of the team played as a defender to oppress their opponents.

They were a team to fear, eventually they had the highest numbers of set won.

As the dark hours of the day draws closer, they suspended playing till tomorrow but Ayo who has plans to read all day and to tutor his sister made it known to them that he won't be available as exams begins on Monday.

Ayeni, Ayo and Ade walking down the tap water on their street to go get themselves cleaned up after a sweaty football match.

"Ayeni, how is your mom fairing? I hope she has been holding on well?

Its been two years now since you lost your dad", Ayo said.

"Yes, she has been fairing well, maybe not too well but over the years she has been improving," Ayeni replied.

"You have to ensure that you comfort her at all times, you've to make her happy always. You have assumed the position of her husband, you've to be there for her always", Ade proclaimed.

"Yes, thank you both. I equally understand and I am trying my best to make her happy always", Ayeni replied.

"What if she chooses to remarry, how would you take that?" Ayo asked.

"Well...

Well"...

They say change is very constant in life, it might be hard for me to adapt to such a new life but its not impossible, moreover, he can never my father. But if remarrying makes my mother happy, I just have to embrace it cause her happiness is all that matters but I don't think she is planning on that yet, I doubt", Ayeni reiterated.

"Ade, don't you have plans to someday go to school?

I heard you sometimes attend a coaching lesson, but preferably you should go to school", Ayeni said.

"See, Ayeni, its never like he doesn't want to go to school, but his family just can't afford paying his school fees and they aren't also lucky like me who got a scholarship from the community. If I hadn't been lucky enough to get a scholarship, there is a high propensity that I'll be like Ade. Its not our faults, its just a destiny we have to embrace and possibly rewrite," Ayo emphasized.

Thank you brothers for your empathy. I'll just like to add a buttress, if I don't work I can't eat. The little I make from the laboring jobs is what I used to fend for myself and my mother, at which sometimes dad would have slashed it into halves where he take one while I take one knowing to him that I'll go home and give my earnings to my mom who has lost her sight.

In recent times, dad has chosen to be irresponsible and an alcoholic. He spends almost the entirety of his earnings on alcohol, he cares not about my future.

Ayo interrupted, "In recent times too, my dad has been the same. He and mom are not having it good at home".

Only God knows what has become of our fathers, is that the kind of father who we will grow to become?

Let's choose a different path, there are good and responsible fathers out there, Ayeni, your dad was a typical example, he wasn't just lucky like my dad to still remain alive. And its never like my dad was ever like that, I don't just understand what happened, suddenly he turned a new leaf, I honestly miss my father of yesterday, but I can see pain in his eyes, my father was a strong man until being strong becomes very hard. So sad.

Ayo!

Ayo!!

Ayo!!!

(Sade and Mrs Biobaku panting and longing to reach Ayo)

We can't find Layo, we have searched everywhere, Sade stuttered.

Immediately, Ayo's mind went to the thought of 'Is she kidnapped?'

What do you mean 'You can't find Layo?'

Wasn't she there with you at the field where you all were playing the 'Suwe game?', Ayo confusingly said.

"Yes, we were both playing at the field not until she told me she want to go home to pee and to take some water, since then I haven't seen her, its almost two hours now. We searched the market, the corner store, she is nowhere to be found", Sade said with a panicked voice.

My daughter!

My daughter!!

My daughter!!!

Mrs Biobaku shouted with a voice filled with sober.

She remove her head tie and rounded it around her waist as she proceeded to the King's palace with Sade, Ayo , Ayeni and Ade.

As they were going, Ade said; "I think I earlier saw her with a woman while I was peeing, i thought it was you ma".

"I just hope its not what I'm thinking"

"I just hope its not what I'm thinking", Ayo repeatedly said.

Getting to the palace, they saw Mr Biobaku with Aduke, the King's personal assistant, community security guards and Layo's lifeless body lying on the ground with her two legs and hands chopped off.

Mrs Biobaku couldn't do nothing but fainted immediately.

"The ritualist kidnapped her and used some part of her body, stay strong Mr Biobaku, stay strong Ayo", the King's personal assistant said.

"Why Layo?

Why Layo?

Why should it be you?

What have we done to deserve this?" Ayo and Sade said while Aduke was hopelessly crying.

As the King's guard had already rushed Mrs Biobaku to the nearest hospital.

INTERMISSION...