Just a single episode!!
Read and enjoy!
I finally arrived Abuja looking like a JJC. After several calls to the host, i was directed to my hotel where i was supposed to lodge until the program was over. On reaching the gate of the hotel two white men dressed in white suit, both looking like angel Gabriel and Michael, walked up to me. They looked like people who were expecting wizkid or Davido.
" Good afternoon sir " they greeted." Sir we are sorry, its one of the rules we in our hotel. We are to help our customers with their bags into the hotel room. This is to ensure the best customer service to our customers" the other white man replied in a smile.
" Chai o God. Am i in the right hotel. No black people in this hotel? Na which kind wahala be this. White man come the collect my bag for my country. This devil wey do una like this God go punish am " i spoke in soliloquy.
" yes sir, you are in the right hotel " the white man replied.
Still in doubts, i went out to check the sign board just to confirm that i was directed to the right place. The white men followed me and collected my bags, and we all headed to the reception.
" You may sit down here sir. Lets clear the customers at the desk first. You will be attended to shortly. " one of the white men spoke as he exited, heading for the bar.
That was how i sat down. His fellow white man who has been wearing a smiling face ever since he saw me , stood behind me like my body guard. my bag was hanged on his shoulders. Five security men with guns stood at different angles of the hotel reception.
Shortly, the white man who had left, returned with a bottle of wine and a silver tumbler. He opened the wine and poured it into the tumbler and handed it over to me.
" This is for you sir. Make yourself comfortable."
My eyes opened in different direction. My heart beat stopped beating for a second.
" For me? "
" yes sir, for you. " the white man replied, pushing the bottle of wine in my direction.
The white man behind me smiled as I was sipping the wine. I wondered why he kept smiling. What could have been on his mind? I thought to myself. Probably if he was a Nigerian man, i would think he was simply saying..
" Mumu, you just the drink wine anyhow. Today you go see pepper. Or may be he was saying " You just enter this kind hotel, them collect your bag , you balance open nyash and legs the drink full bottle of wine"Different thoughts were running through my mind. I was already saying the lords prayer. May be i was directed to the wrong hotel room, Or may be auto correct changed "Niger Lungu hotel" to "Niger links hotel and suits. "
I was still in deep thoughts when the white man returned.
At the reception, a few white men and just two black couples were gathered in front of receptionist to book their rooms. I listened to hear what tribe the black couples were speaking.
So that if i fell in trouble, my fellow black man could help me out. My fear increased when i found out that the black couples were from Zimbabwe and not Nigerians. My hands began to shake. I was now a foreigner in my own country just because i landed in a hotel ran by foreigners.
A white man old enough to be my grand father was seated behind the counter.
"You are welcome sir. " he greeted. " how may we help you ?" He asked ?
That was when i knew i was a future dead man. A criminal who was going to be taken to the police station in the next one hour. Hiaaa! So these people don't know how they will help me and they collected my bags. They even gave me wine to drink. "O God, all die na die. But let me not die this way." i prayed silently. My heart beat increased. It was now beating one thousand times in one second.
" I am to be lodged in to this hotel. Its been booked."
"By who? " the white man asked.
" Mr Japheth prosper " i replied.
" Okay, let me confirm " he replied.
The white man bent his head towards his register and started scrolling down the list. For straight eight minutes this man didn't raise his head up to look at me. All he kept doing was flipping through pages.
I turned to look at the security man who was now staring at me like a hungry lion. The white man behind me got fed up of holding the bag and now dropped it on the floor. Three white people were already standing behind me and waiting patiently.
Sweat began to gather up on my face.
" Sir are you sure its this hotel? "
You see that question. That question can make you drink Otapiapia without thinking. That question dislocated the flesh in my body. It increased the rate i was taking in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide.
" Yes sir. " i replied.
This was my faith in action. This was a part of me that was calculating how much wine i have drank. How will i tell my story when i get to the police station. Who send me come message.
Soon the white man raised his head. Picked a key and handed over to his brother.
" Yes sir. Its yours. Remember to call for your food when ever you feel hungry. "He spoke smiling.
This people don't know am a Nigerian. They think am a white man. They have seen nothing yet. Give a Nigerian man a stick, he will look for a tree. As far as there is a toilet and Andrew liver salt, white man shall keep knocking to serve me food. Room service all the way.