Chapter 4: The Final Move

Young Mr. Somtochukwu no waste time. As we meet, e just talk: “My offer be this: 500,000, and we go act like nothing happen. After this, you no talk again.”

Him voice no shake, eyes steady. Na that kind confidence wey oyibo school dey give person. If na street, I go call am effrontery.

This pikin really get heart pass him papa. In just one month plus, he force finance and procurement directors comot quietly, clear old people from core. All those oyibo lessons enter well.

I dey look am, dey remember when him dey wear short knicker for compound, dey chase ball. See as small pikin turn lion overnight.

“Sorry, no be money carry me come.”

I set my face, dey let am know say I no be all those people dem dey buy off for street. E pain am, but e hide am well.

The good thing with smart people be say you no need talk too much.

Na so silence fill the room. Only sound na AC dey blow. For Naija, if smart man and smart man dey talk, na who blink first dey lose.

He understand sharp sharp.

You go see say e eyes shine, as e dey calculate. Dem no dey teach street sense for abroad, but e dey learn fast.

“Mr. Ebuka, I know say no be money you dey find. How about this: I wire 500,000 to you now, as consulting fee for your time for my company. We go end am there.”

The pikin dey try use style enter another angle. Consulting fee? Na so dem dey trap person. I no talk, just dey look am.

Young Mr. Somtochukwu think say him smart. He no know say I don see through am. If transfer enter and with yesterday call record, na clear extortion case be that.

If I fall for am, tomorrow dem go carry me face EFCC. Person no fit use small greed kill all the hustle wey I hustle for years.

“So, young Mr. Somtochukwu, na ten years for Kirikiri you wan dash me?”

Everybody for room quiet. Even Mallam Michael eye flash. The pikin just cross leg, dey smile. But e know say wahala dey.

Young Mr. Somtochukwu realise say I catch am, but him face no change.

I respect am for that one. No be small pikin again. Him just dey maintain.

“Mr. Ebuka, 500,000 cash dey my car boot for underground car park. Carry am—no transfer, no paper. How you see am?”

I burst small laugh. Dem no dey use cash bribe tie man mouth again. Old tricks, new packaging.

“No, I no want hush money. Na the compensation wey I deserve I want.”

I no blink. My eye steady. E clear say I know wetin I dey do.

“Oya, treat am as compensation.”

I gree, but I want make am dey for paper. I no wan hear story for police station.

“Good. But make we clear: na my layoff compensation be this.”

I talk am loud, make everybody hear. Even cleaner wey dey pass for corridor go sabi say na compensation I collect.

Young Mr. Somtochukwu nod. “Yes. Collect the money, make past remain past.”

The pikin sign like say e dey sign player for Chelsea. I still dey look am, dey plan next move.

“You dey straightforward, young Mr. Somtochukwu. Abeg, sign this layoff compensation agreement.”

Na so I open my brown envelope, bring out agreement. Na my lawyer help draft am. Everything dey inside—amount, reason, signature.

I bring out the agreement wey I don prepare.

Dem look me like say I dey overdo, but for Naija, na who get paper dey win case. I no dey dull.

Young Mr. Somtochukwu surprise small, but he still sign am.

Him hand shake small, but e sign. I collect am, smile, stand up with respect.

I carry the agreement, go parking lot, collect the money, go house.

Mallam Michael follow me, open car boot, show me the bag. I count am, carry am enter my Camry, wave them goodbye. For my mind, I just dey thank God say e no be set up.

As I dey leave the restaurant, former finance director call me:

“Mr. Ebuka, abeg no collect their money! Dem don already pay all the tax wey dem owe for all these years, even pay fine join.”

E talk like person wey dey run from police. I dey hear panic for him voice. Na so my own heart begin dey beat kpokpo.

But the call come late. I look the bag of money for my front seat, just dey think.

Wetin man go do now? I just dey calculate whether to drop money for church offering or run go lawyer office. Everything dey scatter for my head.

E be like say young Mr. Somtochukwu really wan send me Kirikiri.

I dey see myself for cell, dey share bucket with criminals. Na so Lagos wahala dey start. My hand begin dey sweat.

I think say as I get evidence of their tax wahala, dem no go fit call police, and as I collect compensation, na double protection.

Na so I dey reason. I think say I get sense pass them. I dey forget say person wey get money fit clean him hand before you go talk.

I no know say young Mr. Somtochukwu don already settle tax and fine, finance staff don change. Now, former finance director sef fit enter wahala.

This life, na the sharpest survive. Old finance director don become scapegoat, I dey next on the line. My own file don dey table already.

No wonder when I warn Ifedike say all the dirty things fit spoil all of us, he no even fear.

If you get mind for Lagos, no dey think say you be untouchable. I learn am the hard way.

Finance director still dey talk, “I try use the tax issue threaten young Mr. Somtochukwu, he just tell me make I report am if I like. Na former legal adviser warn me, if not, I for dey jail now.”

E mean am. Nobody dey above the law, especially when your own wahala don leak. I just dey breathe heavy, dey sweat.

Everything don late. I just dey hope say Ifedike go pity old time sake.

I dey call am, e no dey pick. My wife dey ask me, 'Oga, wetin happen?' I just dey wave hand. The matter don pass my power.

But luck no dey my side. As I drop call, police call me:

“Ebuka Okoye, na Economic Crime Unit from city police dey talk. We get extortion case, abeg come cooperate.”

As I hear 'Economic Crime Unit,' my body cold. For my mind, I dey see police cell, I dey hear generator for background. Na so my leg begin dey shake. Na only for this country dem fit use one call turn your whole life upside down.

I no believe say Ifedike and him pikin fit wicked reach like this.

The world hard, but man go still stand. I no go let dem run me down. For this Lagos, na who get last laugh dey win. Dem never see anything.