Americana 5

AMERICANA’S DIARY V: NOT TOO LATE

“I will definitely do, make enquiries into her marital satatus, I know she will be willing to discuss that with me” Bodmas said

“I will be glad if you can do that for me”, Segun said

Footsteps of Shade was heard as Bodmas father and his friends were heard laughing in the living room, Shade brought the pies verily hot, just removed from the oven

“Ẹ kú ìkàlẹ sirs” Shade greets as she genuflected, about 5 centimeters from the table at the centre in the fron of the trio friends

“O se jare” Bodmas replied

“Ẹ ku isẹ ma” Segun said

“Shade has always be accommodating, and full of hospitality since day 1 that I have known her” Dee said

“Uhmn mn, was that so?” She paused after putting the pies in the plates on the table as she turned to Dee

“Oh yea” Dee responded

“Ẹ se sir, old habits die hard so the grammarians say” Shade says

“That is good of you, because keeping this up would give you an edge over others before your spouse, would endear you into his heart”, Dee enthused

“Hen hen? Is that so?” Shade asked looking intuitively

“Yea dearie, it is a fact, every brother likes a responsive and responsible lady by him at any time…” Dee replied

“You know some ladies as you are, a graduate, would not even mind welcoming her brother’s friends not to talk about welcoming her parents friends or any family members…” I said

“Sege, ma làágùn jìnnà, even some who are still in some secondary schools will be looking at visitors like a “Lucozade” not minding to attend to them, thinking she has gotten to the echelon of the world” Dee said as we all laughed to the “Lucozade description of his

“Our mum always said, “omi lèèwọ àlejò” she will add even if you have nothing at home to offer your visitors always ensure that you served them a cup of water first as the person steps into your house and that has always been in my mind, that I have always been practicing”, she said

““Omi lèèwọ àlejò lotitọ o” but what of if the person is fasting?” I asked

“She believes one should just do that, if the person is now on the mountain the person would just decline the offer, but let it not be said that a visitor was the one who at first asked for a cup of water before offering him or her she used to say” Shade says

“It makes sense…” Dee said

Excuse me sirs Shade leaves us… the pies are still hot, just being taken off the oven

“Sege, tell me what brings you back to this state?” Bodmas asked again

“So you have not forgotten your million dollar question?” I asked

“Nope sir, I haven’t I want to know why”, Bodmas said

“Before I leave this state, you know I started my business here…”

“Yea, I think Dee said something like that to me some years back” Bodmas said

“That is good. Before I leave this town, I used to supply some private establishments. Apart from this I formed a partnership with a guy. After the full registration of this partnership company with the Corporate Affairs Commission of the country, we saw some bids on the pages of the dailies and we decided to bid for the contracts, but the contract did not click until I left the state, however there are some private establishments who still value me because they know that I am sincere and straight forward with my supplies so, I introduced the new partnership company to them and that is what my partner and I have been living on, because relocating to a new area is not easy without financial backups…”

“I cannot understand that less Sege” Bodmas said

“My partner has been faithful to me and he has not disappointedour business partners at least no complaints have been brought to me…”

Bodmas interrupting again, “That is good of him”

“As I grow the business in the new state I moved to he is maintaining the business here…” I touched the pie, seeing that it is not as hot as before so I took one, take a bite as I continued in between the chewing, “he called me about a month ago that the government officials wanted to shortlist the names of the companies and the representatives of the companies ought to be present…”

“Is that the norm” Dee interjectingly asking

“Oh yes, that is the norm, all the companies ought to send their representatives so that they would not complain that their companies have been short-changed …”

“I think that is fair enough, people cannot be trusted, they may want to favour their own companies or even the companies of their relatives” Bodmas interjectingly added

“He asked me to be present, so I decided to come because I have employed a sales personnel at the new state where I am starting off the new business and I know she has gotten some knowledge about the goods in stock and incase there is any issues at all she will contact me through any of the instant messages, but in case the issue is of urgency she will call my number…”

“I hope you are also calling her for update every now and then, because that is of utmost importance too” Bodmas said as he puts the pie in his mouth

“Where one heart is, there one’s treasure is, stating the word of Jesus from backward forward” Dee added to Bodmas word

“Oh yea”, I said after gulping down the pie in my mouth ”I do call her everyday and during the call she will update me of the events of the sales of the previous day and in case there is any message she will deliver” I added

“That is mostly good of her” Bodmas said

“I am however yet on ground because the date scheduled for the shortlisting has been shifted by the government officials claiming thet the governor has a meeting with them that day, an emergent meeting, thus the date had to be rescheduled” Segun said

“Eh ya” Dee said

“Rumours had it that when the shortlisting is completed, within 72 hours the governor and the state executives will make her choice of the company to handle the project and 72 hours after, the take up grants will be released for the company to execute the project” I added

“I think it is better you stay around of a truth to monitor the development together” Bodmas said

“The project is expected to be completed within weeks, because the Vice President will be visiting the state soon and the governor wants the project to be commissioned by Mr. Vice President of the Republic” I said

“Ha! ‘Ìjẹ nÌyẹn o’ I hope your company wins this contract in Jesus name…”

“Amen” Dee and I chorused the reply

“This is because if this works out, I know it will assist your business growth in no mean measures because my experience with my daddy in the business has shown me that business growth, expansion, establishment requires good capital…”

“Mn hmn” I said sipping the juice

“If God can help you to make this and you re-invest it in your business, with time who knows you may also be gunning for the richest man in the country” Bodmas said

“Ha ha ha? Is that assumption not too early?” I asked laughing

“I said with time, with time…”

“Alright. Okay Okay.” I replied

“With time the business will grow except you do not want to be in business again” He said

“There is nothing impossible with God, let us leave everything in God’s hands” Dee added

“I cannot do less, we have always been doing that from our secondary school days, we cannot now leave such, nay not for anything” I said

“The business guru” Dee shouted as we all laughed

“This reminds me of someone”, Dee said

“Who is that?” I asked interestingly as Bodmas readjusted himself on the seat

“Bodmas, do you remember “Shabado”? Dee faced Bodmas

“Oh yea, I remember him “ Bodmas said

“I did not bother to ask you Segun because I know you know him, but I asked Bodmas as a person who has left us for a while and may have forgotten him because ‘eyibo’ connections…”

“Ìlú Èyìbó does not affect my long term memories” Bodmas said

“The Cerebral hard disk is still intact it has not been corrupted by virus” I added smiling

“’Má da lóhùn jàre Ó rò wipe o ti wà’ corrupted ‘ni’” Bodmas said

“Both of you are not serious” Dee said

“So what is it about Shabado?” Bodmas asked

(Watch out for VI)