1 Chapter 1

When I checked my watch it was 5.55pm but judging by the weather, one would readily assume that it was already past 7 o'clock because thick and dark clouds were fast rising from the south-west, spreading across the sky and shielding off orange rays of the setting sun.

This cast a dark shadow across the whole horizon as intense wind was whirling and sweeping across, sending dust and light materials into the air. Often, flashes of lightening would light up the sky followed by rolls of thunderclaps that were often jolting and frightening. Weather of this kind was not uncommon, especially during the period between the end of the rainy season and commencement of harmattan, but the severity on this occasion was exceptional and its intensity sent people running up and down as they struggled to tie up the loose ends of their day's commitments before the inevitable result of the freak weather begins. Roadside hawkers and shopkeepers were hurriedly packing up their goods. Cyclists and motorists were driving at an unusual speed, blaring their horns continuously as they sped along.