Chapter Nineteen

 'Oh my God!' A male student exclaimed and everyone turned to him. 'Illegal oil bunkering explosion kills over hundred persons in Imo state.' The student held up his phone for them to watch the news.

 'It happened in Abacheke in Ohaji Egbema,' Mr. Johnson said. 'I read that from the newspaper this morning.' 

 'What was the cause of the explosion?' A female student in a beautiful cornrow asked curiously as she took a book with a faded blue cover, belonging to Abinla. 

 'No one knows yet,' Bola answered. 'But some leaders of the government alleged that government and security agencies are involved in the business...most of the people said that hardship, unemployment were the major reasons for the illegal bunkering business,' Bola sighed sadly. 'Anyway, we are here to create a beautiful world.'

 After the long discussion on the way forward, the group rose up to leave. Just then, Boma came in carrying a plate of chin-chin she had gotten from a neighbour. 

'Ma'am, who are those for?' Tariebi jokingly asked. 

 'You and your students,' Boma answered. 'I couldn't just watch you people talk for a long time with nothing to eat.'

 'You should not have bothered, really. We bought akara and bread on our way and ate it.' 

'Then I will put the chin-chin in a bag so you can eat it on your way back.' Boma was smiling. She turned to leave the room. She was a wearing blue faded dress with puffy sleeves. 

'Mum, don't worry. I will do it,' Abinla said and her mother turned back. 

 Abinla left and returned with a bag, and she put the chin-chin in the bag. Then, she handed the bag over to Tariebi, who took it with a grin. 

As the group walked out from the house, Amaoge remembered something and asked Abinla, 'Where is Ayibaemi?' 

 'He should be busy with picking plastics,'Abinla replied. 'He left after wolfing down his food.' She was smiling. 

 Bola smiled and said, 'Your brother seems to be very busy, I don't think he would have the time to join us in saving the world.' 

 'Actually, we don't need him,' said Abinla. 'We are more than enough to get the world rolling in green and clean.' 

 'Didn't you say that for us to achieve this, we must all work together?' Bola looked at Abinla and reminded. 'We need everyone, including the villagers. They have to help in the planting of trees and other things. I think you need to talk to your people to help as well. I have already sent a message to those in the slummy areas of Lagos State to join in this movement. Abuja has slummy areas too; I will have them join us as well. Everyone needs to be part of this. We can't do it alone.' Bola took out his phone and showed them the positive responses of his friends who were from upper-class society. 'They have contacted their parents to sponsor us in this movement of Abinla changing the world and becoming the hero of our time...most of my friends promised to donate refuse bins with their own money. They would also help out with disposable bags so that if there are no refuse bins on the street where you are, you could throw them in the disposable bag...nothing at all is a waste. We can always recycle those trash and turn them into something beautiful for everyone to embrace.' He smiled, looking at Abinla. 'For us to achieve all of these, we need everyone as you have always preached.'

 'Yes, you're right. We can't do it alone,' Abinla smiled. 

Before they left, they waved and said to Abinla that they would do their best for the Dream Paradise. Abinla sighed satisfactorily, and walked back inside.

'Mum, how did you get the chin-chin?' Abinla asked her mother when she entered inside. 

 'From our neighbour,' answered Boma with a smile. 

'Thank you,' Abinla said smilingly. 

That night, Abinla dreamed of little shafts of sunlight piercing through the thick forest, and also she dreamed of her classmates, and their beautiful world. Boma, on the other hand, dreamed of having a company that turned trash into treasure. Ayibaemi was busy snoring. But then, it seemed that his snoring added in making the world a safer place. The smelly air coming in from the window shattered the dream, as Abinla had to wake up to close the windows and cover her nose with her hands.