Enemy Of Progress

Ify sat on the bed with her phone in hand. She had her earpiece blocking her ears and it is obvious she is listening to music or probably watching a movie and so she can’t hear Lanre who is standing by the door calling her name. Lanre frowned. She looked tired. It seems she has just finished washing. She moved towards the bed and dragged Ify’s phone away from her hand.

“Lanre what is the meaning of this na?” Ify asked not happy with the way Lanre took her phone out of her hand. Lanre eyes her disapprovingly. “Ify, I no get strength to answer you for now. Bring one thousand naira let me give the caretaker!” Lanre said. Ify wondered why Lanre will be asking for one thousand naira that she would give to the caretaker.

“Why!” Ify asked Lanre. She still had a frown on her face because of the way Lanre had taken her phone. “Babe, I went to dry clothes outside, only to return and see the caretaker trying to disconnect our light. He said we are yet to pay our bills”. Lanre said. Ify looked perplexed. She asked Lanre to take her to the caretaker. Lanre told her he was outside and the both of them left the room.

“Oga you say wetin!” Ify asked the caretaker. She was asking him to tell her what the problem is using the Nigeria pidgin.

The caretaker is a young man that seems to be in his early thirties. He was almost at the same height with Ify who Lanre is about a few inches taller than. Lanre’s mother will always say she took her height from her father who was a very tall man. But her figure was exactly like her maternal grandmother’s.

The caretaker looked away from Ify as if she wasn’t talking to him. “Chibuzor, it is you I just asked a question”. Ify said making it obvious for the young man not to be able to hide anymore. “Ify, Ify! Ifeoma my love! How you de na?” The caretaker asked Ify how she was faring after hailing her. But Ify was aware of the fact that it was just a tactics he was using to try and get off the hook.

“I hear say you wan cut our light”. Ify said. She looks at the man giving him a warning look. She had was waiting for his response after telling him that she was informed that he wanted to cut them out on the power supply.

The caretaker who is by name called “Chibuzor”, wore an ugly grin to hide his dubiousness. “Ify I was just asking about you from this your Yoruba friend. She said you were not around. So I thought she was telling lies as e be say she be enemy of progress. She know say I like you, she de jealous”. Chibuzor said. He had told Ify that he had come to ask after her, but Lanre told him she was not in. He went ahead to say he didn’t believe Lanre because he knew Lanre was a bitter person that hates him and is jealous that he likes Ify.