Must Read: The Rich Kids Of Lagos (16+)

7 years ago

Must Read: The Rich Kids Of Lagos (16+)

Hi, Ogadi’ greeted Simi as she saw Ogadi walk in. Ever since he had saved her from being raped by Lagata, she made a conscious effort to be nicer to him, she also drew him into conversations in the hope that she would gain some insight into why this was happening to her.

Simisola had paiinfully realised that she was on her own now because she would have expected that her father would have paid the ransom by now.

‘Hey Simi’ responded Ogadi with a long face.
‘How is your sister’s health?’ she enquired.

This was always a great opening line. She knew how worried he was about his sister’s health.
‘So, so. I’m just fed up. I’m frustrated. I need this thing resolved soon. I need to be able to raise money for her to go to India. I need to cut out of here. I think I have allowed myself go in too deep on this case. How did I get convinced to do this?’ he lamented. ‘Worse still, what kind of man is your father? Does he think a child is easy to have?’ he asked.
‘I’m sorry, Ogadi. I already offered that you should let us call to frighten him some more, but you said no.’ she said sympathetically. She wondered to herself why she felt so sorry for this young man who had taken her away from her family. ‘I also offered to pay you because I have some money, but you said no. I wish I could help.’
‘Look Simi, if this project was being headed by me, I would have called it off by now. It has obviously failed. This was supposed to be a quick action thing, but look at this now’ he complained.
‘Then, why don’t you tell the others?’ she asked
‘I can’t. I’m scared that once they determine that there is no need for you, they would not let you walk off like that. I have a feeling Wale would want to pull the trigger and perhaps kill you’ he said, sober.

As soon as Simi heard this, she mentally adjusted herself. She really did not want to die. She was too young for all of this. Why was this happening to her?
‘What if I gave you guys the money, Ogadi?’ she offered again, in a small voice
‘You can’t afford the type of money they are talking about and even if you could, Wale would not allow me to collect it from you. He is scared of being caught. How would you move the money to us from here? Who will go and withdraw it on your behalf? How do we know that the police isn’t lying in wait, hoping that this would happen?’ he asked in a rush
‘How about a transfer?’ she asked.

Simi really did not want to die here. It was not that she was scared of death. The thing was that this was not the kind of death she had envisaged for herself.

She had always thought that a death in the hospital was dignified, the type where her spirit leaves her body while her friends and family sat around her hospital bed. Not this option, a death in the bush, in the hands of some unknown elements.She knew that if this ever happened, her death mask would be very ugly. It would show the fear she felt deep within.

It was odd, but Simisola had dwelt on death many times in her life and she definitely knew how she wanted to go and death by these jokers was no way to go. She could just imagine how Belinda Splinkeji would spread the news and attach gory pictures to it. She did not want any useless pictures on the blogs. ‘Nah, I will not go this way’ she said to herself.
‘Okay let me speak to my dad again’ she offered Ogadi
‘No! Wale said that we should not get in touch with your dad. He thinks we should build up the tension with your Dad. Although, if you do you have any tricks that we can use to make this thing faster, you can make the suggestion. As for me, I’m really tired of this, I don’t want to be nabbed here and my sister needs me. I was promised that this would be quick thing, but see me now… I’m just worried about the girl.’ he ended sounding really sad.

Simisola wondered if he was just playing a part or really being sincere. She decided that even if it was only an act, she would take a chance on him and also get the most information that she could out of him.

‘Look, I can tell you how to get to my dad. You guys picked the wrong target. You should have picked his new wife up, instead. She’s the one that he cannot bear to see in trouble. Now, the next time you speak with him, tell him that you have been monitoring their movements and that soon, you will get his wife. I will give you a low down of all their movements, but, tell me Ogadi, who is Wale?’ she asked
‘Ah, Simi, that is too much information to give out. I don’t want any trouble for myself. I’m just a young man trying to make life okay for my sister, I only need enough money to send her to India and get her a transplant’ he said, sadly.
‘Okay, why was I a target?’ he asked
‘Is that a real question? Girl, do you know how rich your dad is? He can afford to part with the money and not feel a pinch in his bank account’ responded Ogadi
‘How much have you guys asked for?’ she was curious to know this.
‘N350 million’ he said simply. His face showed the doubt he felt in his heart.
‘Wow! That is too much money, Ogadi! How do you expect him to get that out? Have you guys thought of the modalities, how will you carry it, where will you pick it up from?’ She asked in a rush, flustered that this thing was truly going to end up with her dead. She knew there was no way in this world that her father would part with that sort of money. It was absolutely impossible!

That Ijebu man? Naaah!

‘I honestly think so too and I told Wale, but, he would not listen. He keeps saying that this is his right, it is his due and it is owed to him’ Ogadi responded
‘His right? What sense does that make? You abduct me in the daylight, and keep me against my will; you then go to my father to ask for money to return me back home and say it is your right. I don’t get it, which part of this isn’t a criminal activity? How is it his due? How Ogadi???!!!’ yelled a frustrated Simisola
‘Well, I don’t know. The only thing I know is that I want my part of the money quickly. I need to sort my sister out. I have heard that India is a good place to do this’ he said
‘How much do you need in India?’ she asked, curious ‘What if I could get you the money for her medical services, would you let me go?’ she felt this was a win – win for the both of them.
‘Errrrm’ he began, looking at her with doubt in his eyes. ‘How do I know you will not go crying to the police? How am I sure that I will be safe?’ asked Ogadi who was considering the idea.
‘I won’t. Don’t worry’ she said as reassuringly as she could
‘Okay, i would need….’ began Ogadi
‘Well done! Well done!’ interjected Lagata, who walked in clapping ‘I have heard everything you guys have been talking about, you want to betray me and Wale abi? Don’t worry, he will hear this.’ said Lagata ‘And you, omo baba olowo, you think you are sharp abi?’ You think everybody is as foolish as this Ogadi boy ba? Just wait until Wale hears this’ he said, with hatred flashing out his bloodshot eyes. He cast one more glance at them and walked out of the room.

Simisola’s heart rate soared as she wondered what would happen next.