Before morning, the media was buzzing with the biggest news of the century: “Mentally unstable son of late oil merchant, Adeleke Aboderine is alive and posing as Mikhail Samoa”. I had thought that Banke’s nudes would be the talk of town, and when I saw her in the office, I would look her in the eye and tell her why I did it, then I would walk away from her. But that was not the case, as my story had eclipsed the nude pictures. No one cared about her nude pictures; everyone was agog to know what happened with me, and why I took on a fake identity. Reporters laid a siege to the mental home, where I was kept for years, looking for more details, but the staff wouldn’t give them what they wanted.
Yet, all these was unknown to me as, there had been a power outage in my residence all through the night, so my phone’s battery was drained, I was hoping to charge at the office. Imagine my surprise, when I got to the office, and a host of media people accosted me, shoving their microphones into my face and shouting to be heard above one another.
Reporter: “Are you really Adeleke Aboderine?” the female reporter asked, I was stunned. I just stared at her like she was speaking mandarin, unable to move a muscle as their cameras flashed on my face.
Reporter: “Why did you take on a fake identity, what do you hope to achieve?” another asked on the top of his voice, men were always thinking things could be done by force.
Reporter: “Are you mentally stable now, why were you released?”
Reporter: “Will you ask for what rightfully belongs to you?” a female reporter, very fair skinned with diminutive frame asked. Her words passed through the fog in my head.
Leke: “Yes, I will get what rightfully belongs to me, this fashion house which was my mother’s, the oil company and every asset that belongs to the Aboderine family. Nora is a supplanter, but I am back” Immediately the words left my mouth, I regretted them; I had made a costly mistake.
Reporter: “This is BNC and we are reporting live from the Fola fashion house complex, where the only survivor of the Aboderine family is posing as Mikhail. The question on our minds is, what does he plan to do? You heard him, this is only the beginning, stay tuned for more”.
I kept asking myself, as I went into the company, how did they find out? I also accepted the fact that Nora knows already, therefore it was time to run and hide, till I am ready. But the fear on my mind was Nora could act based on the fact that she knows I was on to her, she could liquidate all the assets and abscond into thin air, and I would lose everything. I got off the elevator and the first person I saw was Banke, with a devious grin pasted on her face.
Banke: “Oh there you are, the man of the moment. You thought you could damage my reputation, but look, no one is talking about my nudes,but they are all talking about the impostor. Before the week runs out, you will be sent back to the mental home, or worse the missus will have you killed. Either way you are out of my life for good” she said and made to walk past me, but I gripped her arms and allowed my nails dig into them.
Banke: “Let go of me you maniac” she yelled and struggled to get free, as slowly the fear crawled into her eyes.
Leke: “How did you find out, tell me now” I pulled her into a deserted corridor. With fear she told me everything, it dawned on me that I had left my door unlocked while I was in the toilet yesterday, I had been careless and it had cost me my cover.
Leke: “This is the second time you are betraying me, who told you that you could just play with people’s lives?” I jerked her and slammed her against a wall, as I told her of the deal she made with Nora. Her eyes widened and she whimpered in fear, she was expecting the worst. I felt the anger in me bubbling to the surface; I moved my hands to her neck and tightened my hold. I didn’t know what I was going to do to her, but I wanted to hurt her badly.
Kunmi: “Let her go now” I heard Kunmi’s voice, I turned and saw her glaring at me, there was disappointment in her eyes.
Kunmi: “I expected better from you. Please don’t drag my sister into your madness. And for you Banke, go get your things we are leaving” she said bitingly.
Banke: “Leaving?” she stuttered still rubbing her neck.
Kunmi: “Yes, this company is going down, I don’t want to be near when it finally crashes” she said. I rushed to her and knelt down.
Leke: “Please Kunmi, do not leave, I am sorry for what I did to Banke, she pushed me, she betrayed me. I also know hiding my identity was not the best, but it was the only option I had. The person who killed my parents and framed me could easily kill me too. I needed justice for my mother that is why I put Banke to spy on her. Please, for the sake of my mother, do not leave” I pleaded, real tears streaming down my cheeks. Kunmi surprised me, she pulled me up and into a hug, she was also crying.
Kunmi: “I knew there was something about you, which is why I took to you. When we heard your mother committed suicide, we were confused because, no one loved life more than your mother, how could she have killed herself? We concluded it could be that she was covering a lot of her pain, especially as her husband, your late father got married too soon after her death. I will stay because you asked, just tell me what you need, I will help you with getting the company back, anyway I can help”
I thanked her and went to my office, not giving a glance at Banke, if I lost everything, I would blame her for it. I had already packed all my personal effects into storage, but before I left, there was something I needed to do. I booted the desktop computer, and via a USB cord, I sent the Nora video into the computer. If the investigator would not help me make a case, I would cause a public outcry so loud that, the law enforcement agency would have no choice to reopen the case. There was only one person I wanted to carry this video, which was Prisca. It would also be a way for her to find a foot again. I emailed her the video, with a note.
Leke: “I know you are mad at me for many things, but please do as I say, because we will both benefit from this. Post this video on your blog; this could be the comeback you need. People need to start asking questions about what happened in the Aboderine family, ten years ago” I wrote. I looked at the office one last time,I had loved the job I did here, even though I was planning my revenge on Nora. With nostalgia, I stepped out of the office and saw Nora and her aides coming towards my office. I broke into a run, I was not ready to wait an find out what her reaction would be. I sprinted into an elevator and locked it. At the ground floor, I jumped out and dashed across the lobby, amidst questions from the receptionist. In front of the gate I was rushing into a taxi when a hand grabbed me. Sweat broke out on my brow instantly, as fear gripped me stronger than the hand on my arm. I turned, expecting the worst, and starred into the face of Iya Biliki.
Iya Biliki: “You! You no be better pikin oh” she said.
Leke: “Please, I am not in the mood for this, I am in a hurry” I said, a bit relieved, but anxious to leave.
Iya Biliki: “You dey craze, na me Iya Biliki you dey talk to like this. Ok oh, take this letter, na your papa say if I ever see you, make I give you” she said and thrust a brown, worn out envelope into my hand.
Leke: “You know I am Adeleke?” I asked
Iya Biliki: “Yes na, I hear am for news, your picture na dem dey show for television since. Why you no tell me say na you, when you come house. I thank God sha, you dey alive” she said. I raised my head and saw Nora’s aides in their black suits running out of the gate, I held Iya Biliki’s hands tightly, I could not say a word as emotions clogged my throat. Then I jumped into the taxi and told the driver to drive fast and take a different route.
Question: What is in the letter that Iya Bililki gave to Adeleke? What fate awaits this young boy?
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Names have been changed to protect the identity of the narrator and other individuals in the story.
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