Numen!

by Olatunde, Biola;

  They exchanged visits and Ife enjoyed the company of Tiwa. Some evenings they would talk about herbs, the orthodox versions and the herbal preparations from the local female herbalists in the traditional markets.

  Ife learned a lot from her including the local gossip about a few politicians and their private lives. One day, Ife had reason to attend to the Commissioner for Health. There was a query about a file and the woman had demanded to see her. Ife was a bit puzzled as to the reason for her being sent. She met the woman, a very fair skinned lady with the brownest eyes she had ever seen. It had a strange effect on Ife and she could not place why she was uneasy.

  She felt almost lost in those eyes and took a deep breath trying to calm her suddenly jumping nerves. When the lady spoke she had the softest voice too and Ife sighed, wondering what was wrong with her. She is a woman just like me, right? Ife admonished herself . To her chagrin she blurted her confusion, “If you have this much effect on me as a woman, what would you have on the men?”

  Ife clapped her hands to her mouth in horror. But Dolapo Peters threw her head back and laughed. “That is the best compliment I ever heard. Where have you been all these years, darling?”

  The uneasiness wore off and Ife could breathe and she laughed too. She sat down and could now give the lady a critical assessment. Dolapo Peters oozed sexuality from every pore and Ife sensed she could be overpowering. Ife suspected that Dolapo was not properly human but representative of a species of emotion, sexuality in its extreme form, and it could affect both sexes. She remembered what Mrs. Omolayo meant and knew if the First Lady was not careful, this was the nemesis to her marriage.

  Ife saw that Dolapo had also sensed who she was because her eyes narrowed and she raised her eyebrows. Ife shielded her thoughts but she was stunned when Dolapo laughed into her thoughts with the words, now I have met you I am not a silly old fool like your queen. I can take care of myself.

  “You sent for me, Ma’am,” Ife said aloud, ignoring the inner taunt.

  Dolapo frowned, and very curtly demanded that she needed a report on the lady who had been given emergency surgery at the State House.

  Ife replied that the case file had been transferred to the state hospital and she would send for copies of the transfer. She added that the woman had been treated only as an emergency case at the State House.

  Dolapo gave Ife a stare and when she tried to jump into Ife’s thoughts again, she jumped back in shock. Ife had filled her mind with songs and the sounds of waterfalls.

  They both studied each other, and Ife saw a speculative look come into the eyes of Dolapo but Ife held rigidly to her control of her thoughts as she gave Dolapo a mild smile.

  “If there is nothing else, Ma’am, I will ask to be excused.”

  “I hear you have become quite friendly with our inestimable First Lady,” Dolapo murmured, looking like a friendly cobra.

  Ife felt her skin crawl with distaste and wondered why she had thought the woman was beautiful. On a second appraisal she saw those eyes as deadly traps for the unwary. She felt compassion rise in her for the First Lady for if the rumors were true, this woman was the chief challenger to the affection of the Governor.

  Ife gave a reply that she was lucky to enjoy the goodwill of the First Lady and did not say much after that. She was still being careful not to reveal her inner thoughts.

  Dolapo, apparently frustrated at not being able to bait Ife further, lost interest and abruptly dismissed her.

  ~~~

  Ife returned to the State House wondering a lot about Dolapo. She was sure that the woman didn’t mean well for the First Lady and she wanted to know more. When she got to her office in the State House she was told the First Lady had sent for her.

  Ife said she had gone on an official assignment when she met the lady later.

  The First Lady didn’t probe further, just expressed a worry about her mum. “I have been trying to get her to come over to the State House and stay for a while, but my mum is fiercely independent and says she would rather stay in our village. My brother Akin says she has no business living alone because she dislocated her hip recently and barely gets around properly—imagine what people will say. That I can’t even look after my own mother.”

  Ife was sympathetic and offered to go with the driver, so she could give any medical aid to make the journey easier. The First Lady said since it was a bit late in the morning, she would prefer Ife to come early enough the next day for the journey. Ife agreed and was about to take her leave when the First Lady observed quietly that Ife seemed worried over something asking if everything was okay. She apologized for being concerned about her mother and wanted to resolve that first.

  Ife agreed that it was concern about her mother and said she was not particularly worried over anything.

  “I see, so how did you find our state sex symbol?” the First Lady asked, surprising Ife with the confirmation that she actually knew who Ife had gone to see.

  Ife stood still preparing to give a non-committal answer but she saw the look in the other woman’s eyes and quietly answered, that she was properly impressed.

  “I hear she affects both men and women the same way so we can’t properly place her preferences. She used to be very welcome in my house,” the First Lady said quietly.

  Ife turned back and sat quietly in the chair she had vacated. She did not say anything much for a while just held the gaze of the First Lady and allowed her compassion to flow into the woman.

  “I don’t know much about the power of sex or sexuality on the human being. The act of sex in itself is given to all animals in creation for they need it for the purpose of multiplication of the species so they can continue to exist. Sexuality is of the body and it is one of the functions of the body to stay attuned to its environment. Other animals are not preoccupied with the act, nor do they create realms of unnecessary imagination and excitations. The body is given to the spirit as a cloak or ferment for it to function. Sex is part of the function of the body. It came as functionality. When man incarnates, he needs the physical body to reproduce just like other animals in this creation and chooses a mate in accordance with his weavings and threads of fate that determines it. However love being the greater emotion and the axis on which creation rests is made possible for man so that in his sexual acts he can tame it with love and thus be a bit better than the animal whose body he has borrowed.”

  Ife became silent wondering at her nerve to speak like that, and she waited for the anger and disapproval, but the First Lady only sighed.

  Ife looked up and saw that the First Lady just shook her head as if struggling to say something and not sure she could say it. Ife understood and silently wished her strength. Admiration rose in her for the woman. Something changed in their relationship after that. They never really spoke about it, but Ife knew they had become real friends thereafter. Ife sensed that the First Lady was a very lonely person in the midst of the crowds that were always attending her functions.

  Neither of them ever spoke about Dolapo Peters again. Ife also did not seek out Dolapo Peters even when some of the women who claimed to be friends would go to see the Commissioner so she could give them contracts. Nike the bearded horror had no scruples about going over to Dolapo to pick a contract. Ife knew about that when Nike came over to the clinic to ask for Ife’s advice on one particular contract.

  It was a stupid contract whichever way you look at it and Ife was at a loss to understand it. Nike excitedly waved a paper at her and asked her what she could do with it. She had been given a contract to supply some medical consumables to the tune of a few million naira.

  “But you don’t even have a company name.”

  “I don’t need one, it is an arrangement, she will pay me mobilization fee and I can finish that bakery of mine. At the end of six months we will ask for a review of the contract and an upgrade then I can ask my son Sola to send some of the items down from China.”

  Ife was outraged and disgusted. “You are not even quali
fied to take the contract, you have never paid tax and—”

  Nike abruptly cut in, “For all your holy attitude you don’t do much do you? What have you benefitted from this association with the First Lady? I hear she even receives you in her bedroom these days, but that is all you will get—people are making money, picking up lucrative contracts and enjoying this regime. All you keep talking about is what is right, eh? I thought I could open your eyes to what is happening around here. Those who are smart go over to Dolapo, smile at her, and agree with her that she makes a better First Lady than the official one. The rest is easy, wise up and make hay while the sun is still shining. She can make you rich. How much am I getting? Only Five million naira. I hear Mrs. Agorisun is picking up contracts right, left and center. She is the principal of that school that has a total of twenty-eight students. She has gone on sponsored trips to Israel twice and she is not even a Christian, plus I have stopped counting how often she goes on trips to Dubai.”

  Ife was blistering in reply, “Why on earth did you bring your smelly self to me? You are a cheat, you cheat on your husband, I know all about the Alhaji you have been visiting and calling your party leader. I am not interested in your style at all. Please don’t ever cross my path again. I earn a salary and am perfectly comfortable with that.”

  Nike was not finished as she hissed, “I hear you have been commenting and suggesting to Her Excellency those who should go on that trip to the US with her. Please if you have never been interested in making progress in your life, don’t curse others with your bad luck.”

  Ife was so furious that she moved close but the calm cool voice of Tiwa cut into her and stilled her raised hand. Ife was mortified that she had been needled to that point and hot sense of shame suffused her. She blinked back tears, took a long deep breath and simply walked away.

  At the next meeting two days later, the atmosphere between Ife and Nike was freezing. Nike dressed to fit her mood, as she claimed to have an attack of flu. She made a show of saying hello to everyone and pointedly ignored Ife. Ife shrugged it off, too disgusted to consider it of any consequence. Nike also went out of her way to agree with the First Lady on every sentence the woman uttered so much so that the other ladies stared at her. That made Ife laugh and she asked the First Lady if there were any contracts available as it appeared that Nike needed a new contract to bolster the one she just got from Madam Dolapo Peters.

  There was silence. Nike looked daggers at Ife but said nothing.

  The First Lady gave Ife a startled glance, was quiet as a speculative look came into her eyes and she gave Nike a smile. “I think Nike likes to feed with the locusts of politics and probably knows how to protect herself better than some of us.”

  Nobody spoke

  The First Lady sighed. “I am only the wife of a politician, and I don’t have a political appointment that can enable me to grant contracts. If anyone wants me to put in a word for them in any ministry, please indicate so and you can be sure I will do my best. That is all I am really competent to do, put in a word.” Then she smiled kindly at Nike. “I think Nike is more of a politician than the wife of one so she probably knows what she is doing. So ladies, are we agreed that we will need to call for an audiologist for those children at the school for the deaf. I kind of think not all of them are deaf and we might be able to source hearing aids for some of the students. Would be nice to place some of those students in regular schools with the help of hearing aids.”

  Tiwa came up to her as the meeting ended, shaking her head. “It is never a good idea to tease the cobra Olori.”

  Ife laughed, “As a matter of fact, I don’t play with snakes.”

  Tiwa smiled, “I hope you are right my Olori.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ife shared the conversation with Babatunde when she returned to the palace. He listened attentively and laughed. He told Ife that she was too naïve for the brand of Nigerian politics being practiced. He advised her to simply ignore people like Nike for their nuisance value was not worth worrying over. However he admitted to Ife that he had heard quite a lot about Dolapo Peters, who was married to another politician, and a supposed friend of the Governor.

  Ife asked if it was true that Dolapo Peters was having an affair with the Governor. Babatunde was quiet for a while then replied that he had heard the rumor but since he had no way of confirming it, he was loath to put much trust in that story. “Besides, I have met with the Governor on a few occasions and I can confirm that he is a man who really has a vision for this state. I have yet to see him drunk at any of the times I have met him, but his detractors claim he has never been sober for a day. That is one type of malicious gossip and they are people who really believe that story too. He is a focused albeit shrewd individual. He seems like a driven fellow. I understand from his close associates that he works till very late in the evening and he has his facts on his fingertips. He gave me a very detailed report about our town better than any of the princes here. In fact, it was a good thing that I had all the facts or else I would have been left wondering who indeed had any business being the Kabiyesi between us. But he is also like all men, he is not perfect and probably has the odd fling. Unlike the civilized countries, a Governor having an affair is not considered a big thing, maybe because we are tolerant of it. I do know that he was dating Dolapo when she was a student and that they had remained friends. I hear he was the one who introduced Dolapo to her husband.”

  “Is it a male thing? This propensity to be unfaithful? Why don’t you fellows marry openly? I think it is the secrecy that hurts the women.”

  Babatunde laughed. “I think we enjoy it when it has the danger of secrecy attached to it. I will not tell you that a woman has been making eyes at me or is being suggestive when she seeks my audience and talks about how much she admires my style of governance.”

  Ife jumped and stared at him aghast, but he laughed and pulled her down beside him holding her very firmly by the waist and nuzzling her neck.

  “Relax Princess, for as long as I can come home here and find you available for my arms like this, I am not likely to be interested in another woman, no matter if she is a sex bomb.”

  “And when you make arrangements for the first heir to your line in seven months’ time?” Ife asked softly.

  Babatunde stared at her and brought her to her feet and continued to stare. He ran his hands wonderingly down her body bringing it to rest on her stomach that was still flat. He knelt and simply put his hand on her stomach. Then softly he said the words, “Lord in thy Mercy, grant that I may be a good guide to this incoming person. Thank you Princess.”

  He stood up and smiled, allowing his excitement to now surface. Ife laughed with him as she suspected that she was pregnant but explained that she wanted to be sure, hence she waited and actually did a pregnancy test at another hospital rather than be teased by Matron. They laughed and chatted happily for the rest of the night.

  The next morning, there was a different car and driver to take Ife to the city. She had had to agree that she would take it easy and finally resign her job as Babatunde begged her that he would die of tension if she continued going to the city in her last trimester. Ife sighed, felt she was abandoning her dreams, but Babatunde said she could think of her own clinic here in the town after she had put to bed.

  When Ife told Yeye about the pregnancy, she simply moved to the palace and insisted she would go the grove from there each morning. Babatunde’s mother gawked at her, tears in her eyes as she thanked Ife for being pregnant. Ife was touched, and asked that she should be allowed to experience it and not be treated like some kind of egg.

  She begged Babatunde that there should be no announcements of her pregnancy.

  One week after her run in with Nike, she got a visit from Nike. Ife watched her warily as she came into the clinic and sat quietly. Nike apologized and explained that she only wanted to be helpful to Ife when she offered that Ife could also get a contract from Dolapo Peters.

  Ife said, there was
no hard feelings, that she had just wanted to let Nike know that everybody was entitled to their own ethics and she really didn’t want a contract. She explained that she wouldn’t know what to do with a contract as she was happy just being a doctor and really enjoyed her life that way.

  Nike was silent for a few seconds and then asked if Ife might put in a word to the First Lady on her behalf. Ife was mystified, assuring Nike that she was not aware that the First Lady had taken their spat seriously enough. Nike replied however that the personal secretary had informed her that her name had been removed from the ladies who attend meetings with the First Lady. She also heard that her husband was having the allocation due to his local government reduced.

  Ife was alarmed at the turn of events and assured Nike that she had nothing to do with that as she was sure those decisions were independent of any contribution from her. Nike insisted in asking Ife to name her price. Ife raised her eyebrows at such a suggestion and asked Nike what she was getting at with such an insinuation.

  Nike was getting excited and having a hard time controlling herself. She claimed that she had accepted Ife’s punishment but that there was no need to take it further.

  “Please explain yourself,” Ife invited in a dangerously soft voice.

  “All my protective medicine that I kept in my room turned to water that day and I can’t have peace. Suddenly an enquiry was set up and the committee cancelled my contract. My husband is being asked to declare his assets. All because I wanted to help you.”

  “Madam, you only wanted to show off your greed and let me know that I was not smart enough to know how to steal government money. I have nothing to do with whatever you put in your room and I don’t take kindly to that story either. Why don’t you just leave me alone.”

  “I came because I think we can resolve things, I am not accusing you of anything.”

  “I am not having any issues with you, so please leave me alone. I can even stop coming to the meeting if that will solve your problems.”