PART 15

The boat was a sizeable arched longboat of certain seaworthiness; painted yellow in parts and white in others. It's stained and rusty looks reminded the observer it was due for another coat of paint. It's motor engines was a Yamaha motorboard that guzzled water as it propelled them across the thick opalescence that was the river Ossiomo.

PART 14

It seemed when the travellers arrive at the river bank they jostle for their trip to be in the boats of the experienced hands. Kasimu and his companion had reckoned that Dagogo was the most pleasant and experienced at the riverbank at that moment.

Generally most persons wanted their journey in Dagogo's boat. But Dagogo chose whom he wanted because, as he explained countless times, certain persons on his boat would make it hard to control.

That was how she arrived as a traveller, along with nine others in Dagogo's boat, which included Efehi Kasimu and his companion, soldier Gani and the five other soldiers.

PART 13

The riverbank as often as it was, was teeming with more persons than boats to ferry them to the other side. At one time these boats that acted as ferry vehicles, were fishing men's vessels going to and fro laden with fishing nets and the day's catch of fishes and shrimps. But now, those same nets had been hung in favour of ferrying men and women across the river.

Efehi sauntered nimbly,her petite frame moving in an undulating manner between haggling men and women and wares heaped on the ground. Ibinabo stood and stretched as tall as she could to see as much of the place as she possibly could. But still she missed Efehi. She felt responsible for the maiden; she was probably too young to travel alone. It was best they traveled together, if they were heading in the same direction, which she surmised they probably were.

''You too want to use Daigo's boat?,'' this was one of the two tradesmen who had greeted Ibinabo earlier on.

PART 12


''What's your name?''

''Efehi''

Ibinabo looked her over carefully, ''your father is a titled man?''

''No,'' the look on the face of the maiden was one of humility or meekness

''What are you doing on the pathway to the riverbank?''

Her expression gave way to an expression of trepidation. she began to breathe heavily but said nothing. Ibinabo turned to address the two tradesmen that walked past them. She answered them in salute. On this cue the maiden began to edge away.

PART 11

She thought about it. These men cannot be trusted. But here was a uniformed man giving her money, she mused. Evil; the money was evil. But the money was a lot, enough to make such journeys six times to the other villages. She opened her left palm to look at the money and visually count it. she concluded the money was up to half a thousand; about four hundred and seventy.

''Take this, and pay for your boat ride,'' she gave the maiden a small part of the money.

The maiden who was not like her thanked her more profusely than she would have dreamed of thanking the soldiers.

PART 10

‘’Wait !’’ She said breathlessly, that was soldier Gani.

Ibinabo slowed down, when it was obvious they were no longer within the soldiers reach, She knew this soldier Gani. He was new, but he had been posted to the same village a few months earlier.

 

PART 09

‘’Where are you going?,’’ he asked as he looked through her bag. she hoped that he would not see the money she had tied together in the bag. Whether he saw the money or not she could not be sure, but then the senior officer did something rash. He reached into his pocket and took out some money and squeezed them into her hand.

She wanted to refuse. Instinctively she thought it was evil accepting money from such a man. But she said nothing, gripped the tightly the money and pushed passed the military man. Then she started running, softly at first, then very hard. But the men let her run. Before long the maiden was running alongside her.