Part 17

One of the five soldier smiled and spat into the river. He said something in bad English. The others laughed. Then it occurred to Ibinabo that it was possible the other men had gone without noticing the gift money Soldier Gani had given her. These men are untrustworthy and are to blame, she thought. They are to blame for the hike in fuel prices. They are to blame for the restrictions hindering travellers. They are to blame for everything. She mumbled an ungrateful discontent at everything; the weather, the speed of the boat and the insects. Just when it seemed things could not be any worse than it was, the engine of the boat stopped guzzling. Dagogo assured them, that they need not panic. It was obvious he had encountered a similar situation with the boat’s engines before.

Part 16

The journey across the river took the best part of an hour. The boat was controlled by Dagogo with much talent and energy, though it was a narrow boat and as was the case with such boats on high river currents, it was hard to manoeuvre . The atmosphere in the boat was strange; the general attitude was impulsive. Ibinabo was feeling just as all funny as Soldier Gani felt but it was him who felt compelled to make conversation. It was a one sided conversation and one in vain. But Soldier Gani persevered. He began talking about himself. Ibinabo pretended to ignore him. Efehi listened in awe.


''Ten years ago, I was a foot soldier posted to the battlefields in a small company of men like me. I had a fellow soldier whom I was responsible for as I was a few years and rank senior to him and I was mandated to mentor him. On the battlefield it was very difficult. It was difficult looking after your own skin without having to deal with looking after another.''

''But we looked out for one another, I and this soldier; even unto his death.''

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.