Chapter Fifteen

 

Ife shared the conversation with Babatunde when she returned to the palace. He listened attentively and laughed. He told Ife that she was too naïve for the brand of Nigerian politics being practiced. He advised her to simply ignore people like Nike for their nuisance value was not worth worrying over. However he admitted to Ife that he had heard quite a lot about Dolapo Peters, who was married to another politician, and a supposed friend of the Governor.

Ife asked if it was true that Dolapo Peters was having an affair with the Governor. Babatunde was quiet for a while then replied that he had heard the rumor but since he had no way of confirming it, he was loath to put much trust in that story. “Besides, I have met with the Governor on a few occasions and I can confirm that he is a man who really has a vision for this state. I have yet to see him drunk at any of the times I have met him, but his detractors claim he has never been sober for a day. That is one type of malicious gossip and they are people who really believe that story too. He is a focused albeit shrewd individual. He seems like a driven fellow. I understand from his close associates that he works till very late in the evening and he has his facts on his fingertips. He gave me a very detailed report about our town better than any of the princes here. In fact, it was a good thing that I had all the facts or else I would have been left wondering who indeed had any business being the Kabiyesi between us. But he is also like all men, he is not perfect and probably has the odd fling. Unlike the civilized countries, a Governor having an affair is not considered a big thing, maybe because we are tolerant of it. I do know that he was dating Dolapo when she was a student and that they had remained friends. I hear he was the one who introduced Dolapo to her husband.”

“Is it a male thing? This propensity to be unfaithful? Why don’t you fellows marry openly? I think it is the secrecy that hurts the women.”

Babatunde laughed. “I think we enjoy it when it has the danger of secrecy attached to it. I will not tell you that a woman has been making eyes at me or is being suggestive when she seeks my audience and talks about how much she admires my style of governance.”

Ife jumped and stared at him aghast, but he laughed and pulled her down beside him holding her very firmly by the waist and nuzzling her neck.

“Relax Princess, for as long as I can come home here and find you available for my arms like this, I am not likely to be interested in another woman, no matter if she is a sex bomb.”

“And when you make arrangements for the first heir to your line in seven months’ time?” Ife asked softly.

Babatunde stared at her and brought her to her feet and continued to stare. He ran his hands wonderingly down her body bringing it to rest on her stomach that was still flat. He knelt and simply put his hand on her stomach. Then softly he said the words, “Lord in thy Mercy, grant that I may be a good guide to this incoming person. Thank you Princess.”

He stood up and smiled, allowing his excitement to now surface. Ife laughed with him as she suspected that she was pregnant but explained that she wanted to be sure, hence she waited and actually did a pregnancy test at another hospital rather than be teased by Matron. They laughed and chatted happily for the rest of the night.

The next morning, there was a different car and driver to take Ife to the city. She had had to agree that she would take it easy and finally resign her job as Babatunde begged her that he would die of tension if she continued going to the city in her last trimester. Ife sighed, felt she was abandoning her dreams, but Babatunde said she could think of her own clinic here in the town after she had put to bed.

When Ife told Yeye about the pregnancy, she simply moved to the palace and insisted she would go the grove from there each morning. Babatunde’s mother gawked at her, tears in her eyes as she thanked Ife for being pregnant. Ife was touched, and asked that she should be allowed to experience it and not be treated like some kind of egg.

She begged Babatunde that there should be no announcements of her pregnancy.

One week after her run in with Nike, she got a visit from Nike. Ife watched her warily as she came into the clinic and sat quietly. Nike apologized and explained that she only wanted to be helpful to Ife when she offered that Ife could also get a contract from Dolapo Peters.

Ife said, there was no hard feelings, that she had just wanted to let Nike know that everybody was entitled to their own ethics and she really didn’t want a contract. She explained that she wouldn’t know what to do with a contract as she was happy just being a doctor and really enjoyed her life that way.

Nike was silent for a few seconds and then asked if Ife might put in a word to the First Lady on her behalf. Ife was mystified, assuring Nike that she was not aware that the First Lady had taken their spat seriously enough. Nike replied however that the personal secretary had informed her that her name had been removed from the ladies who attend meetings with the First Lady. She also heard that her husband was having the allocation due to his local government reduced.

Ife was alarmed at the turn of events and assured Nike that she had nothing to do with that as she was sure those decisions were independent of any contribution from her. Nike insisted in asking Ife to name her price. Ife raised her eyebrows at such a suggestion and asked Nike what she was getting at with such an insinuation.

Nike was getting excited and having a hard time controlling herself. She claimed that she had accepted Ife’s punishment but that there was no need to take it further.

“Please explain yourself,” Ife invited in a dangerously soft voice.

“All my protective medicine that I kept in my room turned to water that day and I can’t have peace. Suddenly an enquiry was set up and the committee cancelled my contract. My husband is being asked to declare his assets. All because I wanted to help you.”

“Madam, you only wanted to show off your greed and let me know that I was not smart enough to know how to steal government money. I have nothing to do with whatever you put in your room and I don’t take kindly to that story either. Why don’t you just leave me alone.”

“I came because I think we can resolve things, I am not accusing you of anything.”

“I am not having any issues with you, so please leave me alone. I can even stop coming to the meeting if that will solve your problems.”

Nike stared at her and dramatically burst into tears, talking about how she was going to have a hard time if her husband should lose his job.

Ife felt disgust and tried to rise above it. She explained in a calmer voice that the lady should just learn to be less loud. Ife pointed out to Nike that everybody had learned about the contract, and she was sure that the First Lady would have heard stories that would have indicated the indiscretions of Nike.

Nike apologized again and said she suspected some witches were determined to give her a hard time. Ife sighed wondering how such a nitwit as Nike ever came to be close to public officers or be married to one. Ife spent the best part of an hour calming Nike down and assuring her that she was not in any way offended. She promised to put in a word for her if the First Lady should ever bring up the subject but she knew in her heart that the First Lady was too refined to discuss such an asinine topic.

When Nike finally left, Ife was touched that the First Lady had appeared to have defended her. She was puzzled though, wondering what the First Lady must have heard from other sources. It was never said out loud or specifically, but the ladies who attended her meetings knew better than to associate with Dolapo Peters.

Ife remembered that Tiwa had explained to her that Dolapo had made every attempt to restrict the First Lady to Lagos when her husband became Governor. Tiwa said it was the alert that the Governor’s younger sister sent to the First Lady that had nipped Dolapo’s plans in the bud.

According to the story of Tiwa, Dolapo had presented herself to the First Lady as an eager fan and near sister of the Governor using the friendship of the Governor’s sister as cover. However when the First Lady became uncomfortable about the closeness of the pair, she had questioned her sister-in-law. That was when she had learned about the affair.

The First Lady wasn’t known for being a talkative person but she had quietly created a distance between the two and closed State House doors to Dolapo.

The action of the First Lady to refuse Dolapo free reign of the State House created an unspoken declaration of hostilities. Dolapo would never attend any function of the First Lady and Dolapo’s name was almost never mentioned within the hearing of the First Lady. It amused the men who knew what was going on. It angered Dolapo who could not carry out her dream of ruling the roost that never was hers in the first place, and those who worked in the governance watched the distasteful activity from different views. Ife simply decided she had no business taking a stance on any of the issues so she simply acted as if she did not know of any of it.

One day, as she was leaving the private office of the First Lady, she noticed the flurried activity of the security details and stepped aside as the Governor came into view. She thought she had escaped his notice, but he came directly to where she was practically hiding and said hello.

Ife was at pains not knowing what she was expected to do with her hands. He inclined his head as he smiled and greeted her as Olori, and asked after her husband and gave her a kindly look. Ife was flustered and only stammered a reply as he moved off.

Ife returned to her office and remembered that the Lion had said the Governor was hard working. She also had learnt something touching within the proximity of the First Lady. That ultra slim woman loved her husband with a deep passion and devotion that made her angry with the Governor and despised Dolapo for flaunting her sexuality at the poor man.

One morning after she had attended to the First Lady’s mother, one of the domestic staff had come in quietly to request that the First Lady required her presence at the pink room. That was the room closest to their private quarters and it indicated the level of trust the First Lady had for Ife to ask her to come to that room, as she knew that the woman received all her visitors in the blue room or the brown room if it was just official.

The First Lady was already seated and looked very domesticated this morning. She complained she had a cold and wanted to see if Ife would recommend anything to aid her getting over it. Ife smiled as she said good morning to the woman and suggested the First Lady could simply stay in bed for the day. However the First Lady said she could not afford that luxury as she was going to visit a lady in a town not far from her village because the lady’s pottery had attracted attention at the Abuja exhibition of pottery products.

“I want to talk to Stella of the Bank of Industry to see what help we can give her you know, she is one of our own. Our pots are different from the Ladi kwali pots of Abuja and if she is given support I think she can give that Ladi kwali people a run for their money.”

Ife laughed and thanked her for thinking of such a venture for the pottery woman, saying she had heard of such a venture and the news of that recognition was indeed gratifying for all women.

“You hardly talk much about yourself, I know your town is famous for such things, pots and beading objects, right?” the First Lady said.

“Yes, Ma’am, I generally buy my flowerpots from my women and maybe I might showcase their works at the next exhibition.”

“Please let me know when you are ready and if you will need my assistance. I know I may have to force my assistance literally down your throat, because if it was up to you, you would not ask it of me.”

“Er…” Ife was stumped wondering what to say, but the First Lady smiled and said she knew of Ife’s reticence. She said she couldn’t blame Ife since everybody around them were always on the make trying to get money out of them.

“It is the nature of our politics, my friend. I always think if we had given that parliamentary system a good trial, we would have better Nigerians today. We all see politics as an opportunity to milk the next unfortunate person dry. Service is not about doing what is right but about seeing how much money we can stash away from the system. One day there will be a revolution, when the power of money loses its allure and hold, and our hunger for decency arises, then all of us that have taken part in the rape of this country will answer to the laws. My husband has strenuously refused to give me a penny for the pet project, insisting that he had no intention inviting the enquiries of the EFCC to his family.”

Ife was surprised and ask herself quietly if the First Lady was aware of the grapevine story that only last week her brother-in-law had allegedly celebrated his first billion.

Ife wondered if she was just saying the standard things to pull wool over her eyes. She kept her peace and nodded. The story in town was not about the dishonesty of the Governor but the vaunting avarice of his aides and Commissioners. She knew of one who had made a quotation for cut glass wine glasses at over four thousand per piece. She had heard of the different forms of graft that went on in government circles including inflation of medical supplies to government hospitals. So who is fooling who? she asked herself.

The First Lady, as a private person, may have escaped scrutiny by the public because she had kept a closed profile and was not really a partying type. She was known to be very religious, having a pastor coming every week for the so-called ‘evangelical night’. Praying to the Lord Almighty to keep Nemesis at bay while you party with the devil is not going to stop things, Ife thought to herself.

She really had no business with working for the faceless government when she could make a difference in her own tiny corner of the universe and fulfill her function as Numen. Suddenly things became very clear. She was not made of the crusading stock of rebels determined to change the world at once, her terms of service had been made clear to her. She was to serve as woman first of all and teach her women to be women. Can’t imagine how I ever thought I can be effective here. Change is made in small steps and builds momentum as it flows like a flood carrying away all bad things. A revolution can only start from the hearth of the human soul, not from the grasp of a blind greedy society. The level of corruption in the country was such that one human being could not make the difference. Ife sensed that and felt sad to her soul. She had been close enough to know that everyone was out to make something. She had at first been puzzled when friends would salute her that she had made it because she was perceived as being within the corridors of power. There had been expectations that she was now going to be making more than her salary as odd friends would come to her seeking for assistance. They expected her to get money from the First Lady and would sneer that she was going to die in penury each time she insisted on playing by her own personal rules. Ife recognized that the rot was in too deep and she would soon be swallowed up in the stench. It really was time to walk away before the doctrine of everyone for himself before it blunted her gaze as well. Ife felt something clean and invigorating wash over her and realized she had been released. She gave the First Lady a radiant smile.

“I am sorry, Your Excellency, but I will be resigning my appointment from the state health services and I think I should let you know. I am expecting and would not want to come back after my maternity leave to government work but would rather wish to start something from my town for the women and children there.”

The First Lady stared at her stunned, took a deep breath and sighed. It was obvious that she was shocked and had not quite expected that announcement. A full minute went by then she stretched her hand across the breakfast table and held that of Ife. Ife saw tears in her eyes and was moved.

“When am I losing you?”

“You are not losing me, Ma’am, but I wanted to tell you first before submitting my letter tomorrow to the Health Management Board .”

“You will serve the mandatory three months or are you close to term?” the First Lady asked.

“I am still in my first trimester, Ma’am, but will leave as I finish hopefully my second trimester, the traveling back and forth is not going to be easy, so Kabiyesi has requested I should stay back, and I agreed.”

“Of course, my friend, I am sure you know this is a shock and a pleasant surprise for me. Phew! Still wondering what has hit me.” She laughed making Ife feel better.

The First Lady said she was going to play the ostrich and refuse to think of a replacement until the very last day. She congratulated Ife and reminisced about pregnancies and matters that concerned women.