Chapter 16

Although I knew that Raphael Ekanem must be receiving monthly pay, I did not argue with him when he lied to me that he lived on charity. Come in three days time to get your appointment letter. You are already employed,' he said,

I thanked him for employing me and resisted the urge to tell him that it was bad of him to take all my thirty naira away.

Kwaghtagher and his wife had returned from work by the time I got home. They were already on the table where I joined them to eat. Kwaghtagher asked me to tell him my progress about the job in Mohammed Ali's Company. I narrated all the ordeals I underwent in Mohammed Ali's office to them. Each ordeal I mentioned sent Kwaghtagher and his wife rocking with laughter.

'If I were the one I would not sweep his office. I would rather not get a job' said Nancy. I did not blame her. She had not experienced the problems of joblessness. I told Kwaghtagher to the amusement of Nancy that Mohammed Ali regarded his Italian shoes which I used to his office as inferior and unfit.

When we finished with Mohammed Ali, I told them that I had already got a job in Christian Bookshop and that I would go for the letter of employment in three days' time. The only thing

that pained me was that I had to spend my last thirty naira as a bribe before I could get the job' I said. "Why!' screamed Nancy

'You should have gone to-Raphael Ekanem and get the job without spending a kobo!' I informed her that the bribe was given to no other person but Raphael Ekanem. Kwaghtagher and Nancy

broke into a simultaneous laughter. At the end of their laughter' kwaghtagher said 'You are confusing one thing or the other. You did not give bribe to Raphael Ekanem.' I thought he was

crazy. Why do you say so?' I asked, hardly believing that I heard him well. Kwaghtagher and Nancy started to struggle as to who should answer my question, and both of them were mumbling replies to my question. The way they were laughing made it difficult for me to hear what they were saying. As the laughter subsided Kwaghtagher became more coherent Raphael Ekanem is the most upright man in this town. He is righteous to a fault. He is a church leader. You see, Raphael Ekanem's christian morality

prevents him from doing what you want us to believe he did.

What I mean is, Raphael Ekanem did not take thirty naira from you.' I told him I was not a kid to imagine that Raphael Ekanem took money from me if he did not.

Nancy was the next person to speak. Looking obviously amused at what she considered to be a great mistake on my part for believing that I gave money to Raphael Ekanem, she said "I had been in his Christian Choir group in those days. Nobody can be so godly like that man. Raphael Ekanem is an embodiment of virtue. Everybody in Maiduguri from Bulumkutu to Chad Basin, from University to Baga is aware of the exemplary honesty of that man. Do not scandalise his name for nothing. The inhabitants of this town will curse you for entering the town at all.' I did not believe all that I was hearing. I asked Kwaghtagher and his wife whether they thought they knew this man properly.

This only made them to laugh. 'Raphael Ekanem's character cannot be impeached' I heard from Kwaghtagher. He is the most honest man we have ever met' Nancy said.

'All I know is this' I said 'Raphael Ekanem took a bribe of thirty naira from me.' Kwaghtagher asked me whether I had taken beer, whereupon the wife burst into a wilder laughter 'can't you sense the smell already? She asked 'He is obviously drunk."

It was then I realised that the smell of beer coulbe sensed from me because I had taken a bottle of beer from the Chimpanzee's office.

But knowing that I knew what I was saying and was not drunk, I became offended at this. 'I can see the point if he is' drunk' said Kwaghtagher. Forgetting that I was a guest who was not contributing anything to the family's financial well-being in eating their food, I said aggressively what are you implying?'

Kwaghtagher told me he did not mean any harm. But when you say that a person like Raphael Ekanem took bribe from you, I disagree with you.' said he.

I kept quiet in anger, deciding in my mind to forget about everything. After some silence, I discovered that this was not impossible. I found myself saying whether you believe it or not

Raphael Ekanem the Christian is corrupt. They all laughed in scorn. Everybody knows' said Nancy 'that Raphael Ekanem cannot take a kobo from anybody." I informed her that it happened to have known that Raphael Ekanem could take a kobo from people since he had taken thirty naira from me.

The reputation of that man was not built in a day. He is a perfect man who we should all emulate. He did not take thirty naira from you Kwaghtagher said. I discovered that there was no use arguing this matter. Kwaghtagher and his wife were too convinced of Raphael Ekanem's

honesty. He had taken money from me and he had given me a job. In three day's time I would go there to collect my letter of employment.

That settles everything. Changing the topic from

Ekanem, I told them that one Mmembe from Mohammed Ali's office was coming to visit me here the next day. 'Mmembe!" "That's a girl's name!' screamed Nancy as if it was unheard of for a girl to visit a person. I confirmed to her that the person coming to see me was indeed a girl. That's terrible!' I heard. I didn't respond Does she work in Mohammed Ali's office too?" Kwaghtagher asked

I nodded. What is she coming to do here?" Nancy asked in bad faith. I told her she was just coming to pay me a visit. "Is she an indigene of this town?' Kwaghtagher asked. I responded that I

did not infact ask her where she came from and did not know if she was an indigene of Maiduguri. 'How absurd!' screamed Nancy 'to know nothing about your own visitor!' I began to discover

that my honeymoon with Kwaghtagher and his wife as an august visitor was fast disappearing. If only I could start to work in Christian Bookshop to be able to live on my own!

I needed a cigarette badly but I had no money left, on me. I was tempted to ask Kwaghtagher for some coins but I resisted this temptation because I had begun to see signs that I wasn't the most needed guest here. I went to the pidgin hole which

Kwaghtagher gave me as my room and slumped onto the bed.