Taduno's Song

by Odafe Atogun

‘Long live the Federal Republic!’ he said. ‘May God bless us all.’

  *

  Protesters hit the streets the following morning, claiming the curfew was a violation of their human rights. They had sticks and stones to face heavily armed soldiers. They lit up tyres in the streets. The rapid sound of gunfire rang across the city, and anguish soon followed as protesters were felled in battle.

  For a moment it crossed Taduno’s mind to give up TK and put an end to the bloodshed. But he knew that TK would be shot like a goat if he was found. And the killing in the streets would continue all the same.

  So he bore the pain. And so did TK and Aroli.

  The three men sat miserably at a table in a corner of Taduno’s living room, trying to figure out the best thing to do. But they came up with nothing, and the lopsided battle in the streets of Lagos continued.

  *

  In the afternoon, his neighbours gathered in Vulcaniser’s compound to discuss the predicament of a city whose fate lay at their doorstep. They had a lengthy meeting, chaired by Aroli. They spoke quietly, fully aware that should the secret they harboured go beyond their street, a swarm of soldiers would descend on them, and that street would be completely erased from the city’s map.

  Vulcaniser reminded them that they must look to Aroli for direction. They must remain united, and they must guard their deadly secret jealously.

  Everyone nodded their agreement.

  The meeting was nearing an end when Taduno joined them. He saw raw fear and pain in their eyes, and guilt wrenched his heart. He had come to offer an apology, which he gave in a quivering voice. He begged their forgiveness for all the trouble he had brought upon them, indeed the entire city. They stared at him, silently, but without resentment, knowing he was a victim like the rest of them.

  TWELVE

  The secret on Taduno’s street was leaked inadvertently when Lela’s father went to see a friend. Because the mood everywhere was sombre, he did not knock on the door. Instead, he tiptoed into his friend’s living room. And so he came upon a quiet discussion between man and wife about how long Taduno would continue to harbour TK.

  By the time the man and his wife realised that there was an eavesdropper in their midst, it was too late. Lela’s father already knew too much; he already knew that the cause of the city’s woes lay in that street, at the doorstep of the stranger who entered their lives some weeks ago.

  The man pleaded with Lela’s father to keep all he heard secret, explaining that soldiers would raze the entire area if they found out the truth.

  Lela’s father nodded stiffly. ‘I understand the gravity of the matter,’ he said. ‘I’ll keep it to myself.’

  He left after he shared a lobe of kolanut with his friend, his shoulders heavy with the secret he now carried.

  Aroli saw him leaving the street in a hurry, and he knew that something wasn’t right.

  *

  ‘I saw Lela’s father leaving our street in a hurry,’ Aroli told Taduno later.

  ‘He must be rushing to get home before the start of curfew,’ Taduno replied casually.

  ‘No, there was something about his appearance I found very disturbing.’

  ‘What?’ Taduno gave him a questioning look.

  Aroli ignored the question. ‘Where is TK?’ he asked.

  ‘He is upstairs sleeping. He had a very rough time on the streets, he needs a lot more sleep these days.’

  Aroli chewed his lips. ‘Even though they gave me their word, we have to be ready for the possibility of betrayal.’ He paused, a distant look in his eyes. ‘I wonder if Lela’s father has found out our secret somehow. Is it possible?’

  Taduno did not respond. Instead, he began to pace the living room, his heart racing faster and faster.

  ‘Do you think he has found out?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m worried by the way he left,’ Aroli replied. ‘He had his head down, and he kept throwing glances over his shoulder. I have no doubt he was getting away from something. What could that be?’

  ‘Who did he visit?’ Taduno’s voice was taut.

  ‘I don’t know. I could find out, but I’m afraid that it will raise tension on the street if I try to.’

  ‘Better not to.’

  Aroli nodded.

  TK was still sleeping when Aroli took his leave. At the door, he said: ‘Time is of the essence. You need to discover your voice soon.’

  *

  But Taduno was still a long way from singing. Even though his voice was much better, it was not yet the voice of the man the government was looking for. And so, while Lagos raged in battle, they continued their rehearsals quietly in the attic.

  There were no soldiers on patrol on their street. A truckload of them had driven through two days earlier, throwing tear gas and shooting into the air. But it had been calm afterwards, even though the distant sound of gunfire and cries of agony continued. They could see thick smoke rising into the air across the city. And the hot wind deposited soot over their roofs and on their doorsteps.

  In the following days, the President poured more soldiers into the city to quell the protests. After nearly two weeks of fierce fighting, the protesters pulled out of the streets and the battle ended.

  Gradually, the city became quiet as the people mourned their dead. On Taduno’s street, fear mixed with relief; no one had died there because none took part in the protests. And now that the battle had ended, they felt like traitors who had forced the city into war while they hung back and watched people die.

  *

  Many hours later, fires continued to burn, and soldiers covered in soot kept vigilant patrol. With their black helmets and torn boots, they looked like warriors left to take charge of a fallen city. The soldiers knew that as long as the fire remained, protesters could hit the streets in a surprise attack. So they kept their guns at the ready.

  Lagos truly had fallen. The protesters refused to return to the streets. Too many of their own had died in battle. ‘Maybe we shouldn’t have taken up arms against the government,’ they wailed. In their anguish, they realised that the dictator had them exactly where he wanted.

  The grave-looking Channel 4 newscaster caught the mood of the city. In her words: ‘The battle has been lost and won. And now the people must get on with their lives. But will they ever enjoy any semblance of normality again?’

  She signed off with a sad smile. There was no one in the city who could save it from tyranny.

  *

  Two days later, the President lifted the curfew and pulled most of the soldiers off the streets, but many of Taduno’s neighbours were still too scared to venture out of their homes. They spent long hours watching the street from their windows, wondering if the secret service man would return, or if soldiers would invade their homes to arrest them.

  That morning, while TK used the bathroom, it occurred to Taduno that he had not checked his post in days, so he went outside to check his mailbox. To his surprise, he discovered two brown envelopes: a new letter from Lela, and his own to her, which had remained there ever since. For a few moments he was transfixed. And then, trembling with excitement, he hurried inside with the letter from Lela. He went upstairs and locked himself in his bathroom so that TK would not stumble upon him reading it. He touched the envelope to his lips in appreciation of Lela’s pain and the sacrifice she was making for him. And then, taking out the letter, he began to read.

  — — —

  Dear Taduno,

  I hope you are well. I have lost count of the days in here, and nothing makes sense to me any more. I wish I could get out of this nightmare by opening and closing my eyes. But each time I try, the reality gets more depressing.

  I look forward to the day I will be back in your arms. Sometimes I hear your voice singing to me, and I’m hopeful that you will get me out one day.

  I don’t know what is happening to my parents and Judah. I miss them so much. I hope Judah is OK, and I pray that he wasn’t arrested too.

  I would love to get back to the
classroom. In here, I have come to realise that the affection I have for my students is more important than the equations I teach them.

  I wonder if I will ever taste freedom again . . . You remain my only hope.

  Love you always,

  Lela

  He sat in the bathroom for some time, running the tap to drown his tears and sorrow. Then he washed his face, dabbing it with a towel. In the mirror, his eyes were dead and red.

  After hiding the letter in the same place as the last one, he returned downstairs to find TK and Aroli in a quiet discussion. A knock came on the door just then. Taduno delayed; enough for TK to hide up in the attic. Aroli whispered something inaudible. And then Taduno opened the door, and they were both relieved to see that the visitor was Judah.

  ‘Hello, Judah!’ Taduno exclaimed. ‘How are you? Come in, please.’ Noticing the sadness on the boy’s face, he asked, ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘I had to come without letting my parents know,’ the boy replied.

  ‘Please sit down. Are you okay? Is there a problem? Tell me, please.’

  The boy sat down, but remained quiet.

  ‘Can I get you something to drink, some water maybe?’ Taduno asked, smiling broadly at the boy.

  ‘No, thank you. I don’t need anything to drink. I need to talk to you.’ The fear in the boy’s eyes grew as he looked from Taduno to Aroli.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Taduno squatted in front of Judah. ‘What is it you need to talk about?’

  The boy hesitated and scratched his cheek, averting his eyes.

  ‘Look at me, Judah.’ Taduno smiled. ‘You can tell me anything you want to tell me. Do not be afraid. Go ahead, please.’ He reached out and patted the boy lightly on the shoulder to encourage him.

  ‘You promised you would find my sister,’ the boy began uncertainly.

  ‘Yes, I promised. I will find your sister.’ Taduno nodded reassuringly.

  ‘But I overheard my parents discussing . . .’ Again the boy hesitated.

  ‘What were they discussing?’

  ‘They were discussing you . . . you and TK.’ The boy swallowed nervously. ‘My father said TK is in your house. He wants to tell the police. He said he will get a lot of money for the information. My mother agreed. My father wants to go the police, but my mother wants him to wait for the man from the secret service.’ Judah began to cry, knowing he had betrayed his parents.

  Taduno and Aroli exchanged glances. Aroli shook his head in dejection.

  A feeling of hopelessness overcame Taduno. He felt sad that his effort to save the woman he loved was about to be frustrated by her own parents. And he felt sorry for the boy, for the cruel burden his parents had placed on him. ‘Stop crying, please,’ he said to him, shaking him gently by the shoulder. ‘Don’t cry. You are so kind for coming to tell me, and I’m grateful.’

  ‘I’m afraid,’ Judah said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands.

  ‘Don’t be afraid. Please stop crying.’

  ‘I’m afraid that if you are arrested you will not find my sister again.’

  ‘Don’t worry. I will not be arrested, and I will find your sister. I promise, I will find her very soon.’

  Taduno soothed the boy with his words. Then he got him a glass of water.

  After the boy had finished drinking, Aroli asked, ‘Has your father gone to the police station?’

  ‘No, he agreed to wait for the secret service man. My mother wants to know how much money they will get.’

  ‘And do you know if he has told anyone else what he knows, anyone apart from your mother?’

  ‘I don’t think so. He warned my mother not to tell anyone. He says if she does, he might lose the money.’

  This last revelation came as a small relief to both men. Their secret was in the hands of a greedy man.

  ‘Okay, I will see you home,’ Aroli said, rising to his feet. ‘Look, don’t say anything to anyone about what you heard your parents discussing. And don’t tell your parents you were here. If you do, it will make it difficult for Taduno to find your sister. Understand?’

  ‘Okay.’ Judah nodded, staring into Aroli’s face.

  ‘Let’s go.’ Opening the door, Aroli held out his hand to the boy.

  The boy looked from one man to the other.

  Taduno smiled at the boy.

  The boy managed a smile too. And as he walked away in quick small strides beside Aroli, he wondered if God would forgive him for betraying his parents.

  *

  Aroli got back twenty minutes later to find Taduno and TK talking quietly in the living room. Without bothering to ask if either of them needed a drink, he went into the kitchen to get a bottle of beer. ‘We have to do something,’ he said, after he had taken a drink and settled into a seat. He kept his eyes on the bottle of beer in his hand.

  ‘Do what?’ Taduno asked.

  ‘Do something about what Judah told us.’

  ‘What can we do?’

  ‘I don’t know. Anything. Sooner or later, his father will report us to the secret service man or the police.’ Aroli sounded nervous.

  ‘I think what we can do is appeal to him not to go to the police, not to say anything to the man from the secret service. We could even pay him to keep quiet.’ Taduno looked at Aroli, then TK.

  ‘You cannot appeal to the conscience of a greedy man,’ TK spoke. ‘You cannot pay him enough either. His mind is set on the reward the government has promised. Nothing will change his mind. Even if you pay him, he will still want to get the extra from the government. I see only one solution – I must leave.’

  ‘You cannot leave,’ Taduno said hastily. ‘You have nowhere to go.’

  Aroli agreed. ‘You cannot leave. The streets are deserted. If you go into the streets, they will pick you out easily. And I’m afraid they will not take you in alive.’

  ‘Are you suggesting I wait for them to come and get me here?’

  ‘No, I’m suggesting we do something else. Maybe we should kidnap the boy’s father. We could keep him here until Taduno is able to sing again and in a position to negotiate with the government.’ Aroli spoke in a rush.

  ‘If we kidnap the man, his wife will go to the police. That will complicate the situation.’ Taduno shook his head.

  ‘She will not go to the police if we make her realise that her husband will die if she does. See?’ Aroli said.

  ‘We are not killing anyone.’ Taduno’s voice was sharp.

  ‘Kidnappers are supposed to back up their actions with threats. We do not have to kill him.’

  ‘We are no better than the government if we act in that way,’ TK said, rising to his feet and leaning against the wall.

  Taduno put up his hands. ‘I agree. Think about it. Apart from the people on this street, who else knows that TK is here? There may be others. You cannot rule out the possibility. It could be that the secret is out. And if that is the case, kidnapping Judah’s father will do no good.’

  ‘I don’t see a better way,’ Aroli said stubbornly.

  ‘I know a better way,’ Taduno said, rising to his feet, ‘I could stir the man’s conscience with music.’ He grabbed his guitar from a corner of the room with a sense of urgency. ‘Come with me, Aroli! We’ve got no time to waste.’ To TK, he said, ‘Do not open the door for any reason. Go up to the attic and remain there until we come back.’

  TK opened his mouth to say something, but only a deep sigh emerged. He knew now that his fate was in the hands of strangers.

  THIRTEEN

  They found Lela’s parents at home, but there was no sign of Judah. The man and his wife welcomed them nervously and offered them cold water. They brought out kolanut too, in a blue plastic bowl. And then the wife disappeared to the backyard to eavesdrop on the ensuing conversation.

  ‘To what do I owe this visit?’ Lela’s father asked, after his visitors had taken some water and politely declined the kolanut. He kept looking nervously at Taduno’s guitar. He sensed that the guitar meant trouble,
and he wished he hadn’t come with it.

  ‘Oh, we just came to visit you as neighbours,’ Taduno said. ‘I am aware that I haven’t paid you a proper visit since I returned.’ He hesitated. ‘I mean, since I moved to this neighbourhood.’

  ‘It is very thoughtful of you to come,’ Lela’s father said, beginning to sweat profusely. ‘I see Aroli around a lot. He is always riding through our street on okada.’

  Aroli nodded eagerly. ‘Oh yes, that is right.’

  ‘By the way, where is Judah?’ Taduno asked.

  ‘I think he must be in his room sleeping.’

  ‘I see.’ Taduno nodded, then hesitated. ‘I’m sorry about your daughter. I understand she was arrested by government agents. How sad!’ He shook his head.

  The man became downcast. ‘Oh yes, she was arrested many weeks ago. And we have not heard anything about her since. The police claim they don’t know anything. Nobody knows anything. It is a shame that we live in a society like this.’ He gave a small shrug.

  ‘It is a shame indeed!’ Taduno shook his head. ‘But it may give you some consolation that Aroli and I are trying to find your daughter, and we have made considerable progress so far. Rest assured we will find her.’

  A happy smile broke out on the man’s face. ‘Oh, that is very kind of you! I cannot thank you enough.’

  ‘You don’t have to. We should be there for each other as neighbours,’ Taduno said, spreading out his hands.

  There was a brief pause.

  ‘And that is why we have come to see you,’ Aroli said, straightening up in his seat.

  And then Lela’s father suddenly knew why they were there. But he could not understand how they knew. Is it possible that his wife betrayed him? He wiped sweat from his face with his palm.

  ‘I’m listening.’ His voice was a croak.

  ‘I have TK, the man the government is looking for, in my house,’ Taduno began. ‘We understand that you are aware of this and that you intend to report to the authorities. If you do that, Aroli and I will be arrested and we will no longer be able to find your daughter. So we are here to beg you to keep what you know to yourself.’

  A long silence followed.