CAMARADERIE TROUBLES

TEN PREVIOUS YEARS..

Here's how Solomon met his friends - the very first ones he grew up with. But the turnout wasn't good.

It shone so bright in the hot afternoon at Shagbo and its environs. The hot winds of the harmattan made sure it dried up mucus or any form of lubrication from every nostril, leaving it dried up. This made the owner wear a frowny look. How about the intensity of its sunshine? It struck every head. The 'head owner' must either find a shade or be ready to groan in the agony of migraines or frequent headaches. The nights were cold as anything else. Touch the great Shagbo River at night, it's warm. Warm enough to prepare hot tea in the cold nights. Land and sea breeze was a recognized practical example of convection currents in nature.

The five-boy band was seen at their usual hideout; the bush. It was surrounded with large chumps of rocks, scattered trees and little shrubs. This was the cool atmosphere they considered as a place that helps them get inspiration during rehearsals. They were very popular and cos of it, they had to limit their presence in public places. Their major hideout was under the big baobab where the chirping of birds and chattering of monkeys was less heard. This allowed them focus on the rhythm of music.

One of them was Ikena, shortenened IK, the lead singer. He played no instruments, just his angelic voice. He was best known for his expansive four-octave vocal range and whistle register. He sang with high pitches and was never off key or beat. His beauty was divine, curly long hair, light-skinned, he also had a pointed nose on a cute face. He was a wonderful thing to behold. What did you expect? These traits drew much attention to the band. They gained wide audience in which most of them were the 'awwwn awwwn' girls who came to watch IK perform just to crush and express their unending lusts for him. Chinua was the bass-guitarist. His rough unkempt beards gave him a matured look. A look that made a young youth seem like a man in his fifty's. He had a persuasive mouth, a mouth sweet enough to convince and change what you believe. Even the most stubborn critic abi philosopher would bow to the words of Chinua and honor the relevance in what he says even when he was wrong. This guy was just like Adolf Hitler. "He would have been a great lawyer" his mama says, but Chinua would never believe that 'shit'. He believed in the expression of his mastery on the thick strings of the bass guitar. Everything Chinua said made sense to people even when it was trash. This made him attractive and special. He could give a client sound reasons why he should hire their band at a higher bid and huge sum for a performance. How about the day there was a land dispute at the Igwe's palace involving the band and a rich chief Madu? Chinua made Igwe believe Madu was a thief and a charlatan who wanted to steal an acre off the band's land which was beside his. Like charmed words, Igwe believed Chinua, seized the whole hectares of land that belonged to Madu and gave it to them additionally. Madu left the village angrily and threatened revenge!

Odogwu was a sanguine in the group. His talkative nature aided his performance in the stand-up comedy he does few minutes before the band perform at a concert. As the name implied 'warrior', he was a warrior in talking too much. He was very insultive. Whether make sense or not, you'd always see him talking, contributing his view and shallow understanding in every discussion. He was involved in one intense argument or the other, making some senseless comparisons. Yoruba's called him 'Gbeborun' or 'Solo Makinde iyawo dejo' cos he usually engaged in gossip, his type sleep-talks at night. Never release your secrets to him unless you are prepared for it to be aired to all and sundry of Shagbo and neighboring villages. He was the drummer.

Solomon was a melancholy. A calm and collected guy, he was the group's pianist. His fingers descended skillfully upon the keys of the band's grand piano. His prowess can be likened to the present day Yanny's. He was intelligent, smart and conscious of the verse "In the multitude of words, iniquity is not lacking" so he knew when to use his tongue. The rhythm that comes from the sound when he played the keys was therapeutic. It could give life and hope to a dying man and minister to his soul a reason to live again. He was Igwe's most loved. Like David and Saul, Igwe invites Solomon to the palace to display the wonders of his talents to him alone. This he said "Gives him concentration and helped him forget his sorrows". He was afterwards handsomely paid for his service. However, he was the only one who didn't fall easily to Chinua's persuasions, unless they made sense anyway.

Finally, the last personality in the group, the hard guy, Judas. He was an ambitious guy. A man with too big dreams, selfish desires and lusts. The lust of the eyes, flesh and The pride of life all had full force on him. He would do anything to get whatever he wants.

There was a day he eavesdropped on IK opening up some secrets to Solomon in an enclosed room. IK told Solomon about some addictions he had been struggling with secretly, hoping to get good piece of advice, stop them and make Solomon an accountability partner. It's true the saying that "Walls have ears". Judas overheard everything and seized up the situation to cause confusion between the two intimate friends to a point they almost had a terrible separation. "IK, you think I don't know you are into this? I already know what you do in secret when nobody watches you". He said boastfully to IK who was already feeling embarrassed. "Oh you thought you have a friend? You called your worst enemy your best friend. Solomon isn't a good guy. He is a silent killer!! He is just pretending he loves you. It's far from it, he told me all your secrets!! All what you confided in him at the enclosed hut where you thought no one heard, Solomon told me everything"

This made IK develop an untamable hatred for Solomon who was innocent. "Wicked being!!" IK yelled at Solo. "I thought you were responsible for me to confide in. I never knew you were worse than Odogwu. So you had to spill the bean uhn?? Why would you be so wicked to let out what I deeply trusted you upon. I'm disappointed Solomon! So disappointed, and I don't think you can ever ever gain this trust you betrayed in my heart again" Solomon tried all he could to make explanations to IK but IK never gave him a chance. In tears he knelt and tried to make IK understand he never did that but it never worked! Right from then, IK started breeding and expressing bitterness toward poor Solomon. Solomon never reacted. He hoped IK would find out the truth one day.

CHAPTER 10

I was told the Vicar was terribly sick of a cardiovascular disease the doctor called Myocardial Infarction (Heart attack). He had been rushed to the state hospital some days ago. We both decided to go pay Vicar a visit on his sick bed. Sandra and I had become close friends. Oh, you thought I didn't tell her about my clowny misfortunes? I did! You wouldn't believe it, after telling her, her love for me doubled. She became curious to know me more. An irony isn't it? We became close.

We both set out to the intensive care unit of the state hospital. There we saw the vicar who was always looking hale and hearty looking so pale and sick. The sickness struck him so hard to a point he was demanding 'mercy killing' from the medical personnels. You can imagine. I felt bad seeing the man who loved me so much in such horrible state. Sandra never felt different, sadness was written all over her. He was admitted to WARD 24 where he would wait for a Coronary Bypass Surgery. We both had to stay with him till he was going to be operated upon. I slept on the bare floor at nights while Sandra slept on a mat. We were sometimes lucky, we slept on wheeled stretchers after patients were discharged.

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"Where is Ikena?" Judas howled.

"Can you imagine this son of a bitch not coming for music rehearsals? I told you all, he has grown wings and he feels he's above us all because he is the lead vocalist. He hasn't been around for a while now" "Do you people remember the last party performance we had?" Odogwu cut in. "This guy was the only one people sprayed money. Damn, I was busy drumming, sweating profusely giving him back-up and so were the rest of you playing your different instruments with every energy only for one man to take all the glory?"

"Girls lurked around him like flies. As if we were bunch of ugly fools, none of them came near the rest of us. They avoided us like a plague. Only IK IK IK, eew." Chinua shook his head.

"This guy is gaining recognition from all and sundry. Do you know what people call our band? "IK's band" can you imagine? I fear this guy has left the group to establish himself independently. All attention would be on him and our names would fade off into thin air. We would loose our relevance guys." Odogwu included.

"Wait are you still assuming?" Chinua asked. "Didn't you notice he hasn't been performing with us for a while now? My friend, he has left us already! He seeks self-glory now. I saw him couple weeks ago performing a dirge at the rich Mazi Utibe's burial. Guys, we are in trouble!!!"

There was absolute silence for about an hour. The four boys buried their heads brooding, thinking about their next move. Judas broke the silence. "Guys" he stuck out his tongue to the left and moved his index finger on his neck. "What?!!" Solomon exclaimed. "Kill him? Why would we do something such terrible?" Odogwu quickly shut him from speaking any further by covering his mouth with his palm. "Will you shut up!"

"The wages of of sin is what?" Chinua asked bulging his eyes, looking very serious. "Death!!!" Every other person except Solomon chanted in reply.

"Guys, I'm not gonna have my hand in this" Solomon said. He stood up and walked out of them angrily.

"Don't call him back" Judas urged Odogwu who was about to. Let him go. He's a coward, a baby and IK's colt. That was why I did what I did to break his intimacy with IK. Let him be, IK would never receive him. He wouldn't even give him a space to speak needless to say believe whatever he says.

"So how we gotta go about this guys?" Odogwu asked. "I have an idea" Chinua responded. "I saw him at the state hospital yesterday. I guess he was admitted recently, you know he has SS genotype. I suggest we could just bribe a nurse or worker there and get a clean job done. He must 'bite the dust'. What do you guys think?"

Chinua was applauded by the other two members. "Fantastic" He was praised for his vastness at bringing up ideas. "I saw him wrapped in a purple blanket on his death bed, trust me to get a clean job done."☐☐☐☐☐☐