ỊTÓ

Barrister Ónyéọbọdọ is standing by the window side of his massive office at the five hundred and thirty seconds floor of Ụnóịwụntà Ónyéọbọdọ ná Ékéné (Ónyéọbọdọ and Ékéné's Law firm), at Milton Obote industrial layout, Onyebuchi, Omambala province, Ówụwá (Biafra).

The office is a vast and wide space. The decor is a state of the art, with two air conditioners. A fifty four inch television is broadcasting the morning News on the UMR news channel called Ọbị Ásịlị Ánịnné (The Motherland News Room). An extra long couch is at the other side overlooking the television, coupled with the aura which envelopes the room noticeable as one gets closer to the office door from the outsides, it wasn't a mistake to refer to the office as his home away from home. He goes to take a seat on his swivel chair right behind his enormous desk made from the finest woods of the great ụmụ ọsịsị Ọjị (Iroko trees) of the Motherland and it's so smooth if one were to ever walk on it and a glass of water was toppled over, they would slip and fall into a better situation but the table is yet so strong and mighty.

In front of him is seated Chiukwuemeka. He had invited him over so they could talk privately.

"So Mekus! Mekuuuuus ventures!" He hails the young man.

"Ndéwọ Ìchịé, ụtụtụ ómá Nná ányị," Emeka says beaming with smiles.

"Yes, good morning Ógá ányị Mekus, Mekus, Mekus, Mekuuuuuus Ventures, Nnémémékà," He says and as Emeka blushes, he laughs, "Yes, so Nwọkè m, Emeka, Éméké mà óbụlụ ndị Asaba Ọchịè, Áhábám," He laughs heartily, "Ehen! Oh yes! I sent for you because seeing you'll soon be twenty years of age if my math is mathing correctly, you should start getting fully involved, up to date, with the affairs of Uzoka, ólú Nná gị bịdọrọ, your Father's investments," He lowers his voice, "Before you start making the Ladies lose eight to nine months of their cycles," He adds with a wink further brandishing a smirk to go along.

Emeka doesn't find it funny in the bit or was he just confused? But whichever it was, he just tries to force a smile. Successful, he focuses his attention on the topic of the family business, the interest of the day, the matter at hand, it had always been his dream and now it was finally time, "Ákọ éé (yes Sir), Ìchịé dáàlụ rịnné! Thank you so much Ákọ," He replies excitedly.

"Ok chill out Boy, don't get all zesty just yet... So! Today we're gonna go see some of what your Father had his noses into ok?" Emeka nods in agreement and Uncle Akaji bends over to a nearby desk housing three drawers and pulls out a stack of Á ịnó (A4) papers from one of them, "What are you going to study in the Sịkụụ (the University)?" He asks the warlock.

"I studied Business administration Ákọ," He replies, Uncle Akaji smiles.

"Oh! You've even graduated sef? Wow! It's a mad ting, Good to know, that's very good to know, by the way, now that you're no longer worried about dilly dallying into the entertainment industry..." Chiukwuemeka stares at him, he reads the Boy's expression a bit and continues, "Look, I'm a gen Z, a Zoomer, the only generation that the older ones said couldn't do nothing, the evil generation, they called us, spoilt and nonchalant set of children, they said, anything bad in the world, gen Z, anything immoral, gen Z, even older gen Z's was hating on younger gen Z's but at the end of the day, we the Gen Z together showed them the older ones that they themselves didn't even do anything to begin with, now look at us, we are the reason why we have a better world, From the gen Z's of Áchàlà'nịụgwụ (Nepal), to Họpịtụkwá (The United States), from Ileawonoke (Haiti) to Nshịpérịyá (Albania), from Pámbéfụmmị (Britain) to Mfụrónjị (France), from Ówụwáétịtị (The Middle East) to Ánịáláóchá (Argentina), from Nzóngụó (China) to Nlụtụrụwịtá (Tasmania) and as the ụmụ Gen Z Ánịnné (African Gen Z's) led the way, we changed the world. We created a new reality, better than they the old ones could ever do. You know, your Father who's now one of your Ancestors was a Gen Z, your Mom another great Ancestor now was actually Gen A, the Alphas," He looks at Emeka who seems confused, he arises again coming out of the table arena to a free space where he proceeds to stretch and then continues.

"You must be wondering why am talking about Gen Z's and A's," Chiukwuemeka nods in agreement, "My point is that till the next millennium and beyond, Gen Z will easily remain the single coolest generation in history if I must say so myself, the absolute best, even though historians and historians in-training will probably get a first and second degree migraine just trying to understand what went on particularly after áró Pụkụábụó ná ọgụ (2020), áró ndị ọgụ (the 20s) but also what went on ná áró ndị ịlị ná ịsáá, ịlị ná ịsátó nyà ná ịlị ná ịtọlụ (in the '17, '18 and '19 seasons) if you know what I mean... most importantly, my point is if there's anyone who understands how cool and trendy the entertainment industry was, is supposed to be and still is, it would be me and your Father, probably your Mom too. Obviously your Mom too, she's a Lady, she's a leader, she's trendy... Either ways, it's all good."

"Do not forget your Father had an album or two before he called it quits then going on to be president and CEO of Égwụ ná ètị ètị groups in which my Ndị Ụmụ Ịbá (Children of the Ancestral home) records and co are under so he knew and understood music, he knew trendy. I myself also had a very popular TikTok account back in the days and your Mom, Adamma, she's still the most followed TikToker of her generation till date in Africa, TikTok's gone so no one can break her record. Anyways, so we knew trendy, we knew trends, we made trends, and we killed trends. Purple Speedy, Iva wahala, Ivana baby, culture is beautiful, her grace is everly mighty. Berby Picxy, ten times nominee and nine times Nwikes award winner that started from TikTok Sharoni, then there's Shalom aka Shally your spiritual bestie, Michicko's left coochie lip, ah ah, dem boku, na we dey run things that year... Now we use Gaddafi, Africa's very own social media, abi social networking platform abi application much like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp combined being ran from Ọkpọrọ Ámá Gaddafi (Gaddafi Avenue) in Ótósị Njịkóbá ólụ Lumumba (Lumumba conglomerate arena) nó ná ụmụ Ánịnáụnó Nkrumah (which is in Nkrumah group of estates) in the south East region wing of our African capital country Sankara in the Middle of our UMR (Africa)."

"A Lication!"

"Sorry, what?"

"Ìchịé, a lication, Lee, cay, shion, we call it a lication, our generation, you Guys called it an app back then, we call it..." Uncle Akaji stops pacing around slowly and grabs a sit on the desk, it slides him a few times but he finally gets a grip of it. Emeka was too intrigued to laugh mostly cos Uncle Akaji gave him the stares.

"Ehe! So you should understand that never will I be against music. Hm! Music? Music that I listen to before I call my powers back to me at the end of the day and then go to sleep and the first thing I rush to play after paying homage to my Ancestors by sprinkling African dry gin on their altars and on the bare sandy ground on bare feet in honor of Ánị, our supreme Mother Earth, Mother nature, the Mother Africa whom all things come from and go back to, you know, first thing in the morning, thanking them for a great day ahead and for a great night before, I further thank the spirit in the trees, the spirits of the animals of the land and the spirits of the birds of the air, my big Mama, Ányánwụ, the Sun guide, the Sun Mother, the great bright light of the Mother Universe, then Ìdèmmịlị, Lady of the waters, the Mother of the Waters, our Queen Mother, Nné ná ényé ná débé ndụ (Mother that gives and preserves Life) and then all my spirit guides... ok the spirit guides are the Ancestors too..."

"Ìchịé, I know how to pay homage to all the elements of Life which are simply elements of the supreme being herself, the supreme creator, they are embodiments and personifications of femininity and the divine feminine energy because Women are the givers of life, A Woman is Chineke, fate and destiny, She also is the supreme giver of life, she is Chịụkwụ ọkịkè ábịá'má, She is Nnéụwá because as we all well know in Africa, the supreme creator is not sitted on a chair in the skies above the clouds watching us with his white skin and white beards and grey hair, She, yes she is present in everything She created for us to enjoy and be a part of, She is and so we honor her through honoring everything She created, including loving, caring and nurturing for and our fellow human beings as well as our selves because we are all equally her creations, all minus none, black or white, Queer or straight, disabled or abled, Lady or Male and we honor her best by honoring and worshiping her most delicate and reverred creation, the ultimate givers of Life, the supreme creators, Ladies, Women, ụmụ Nwáànyị, they, Women are the embodiments of the creator herself which is why they give birth and Men don't. We're all her creations but some don't believe in supreme creators, our Mothers and that's perfectly fine because we all must not follow the same route. They rather believe in a round table pantheon of Gods, our Mothers in the Universe and yes I think that's way better but let's see how it goes."

"So for we paying homage to the Ancestors, we must never relent and we must never stop, because they are also her creations, the Mothers, the Ladies, her embodiment, the Fathers, the Men, they are the helpmates which is why they are built like the workers, the actual laborers and the Ladies are built like royalty, Queen Bees, Queens and Qings, Ladies, the decision makers, the ideal planners, the master strategists, the walking computers with the portable brains, the givers of Life and the preservers, the ones who bleed but do not die, the ones who push out Life but do not break, the ones who burn but never dissipate and then there's Men, we take orders, we are Men, simply Men, just Men, Women are the Leaders not the Led, they are Alphas simply without trying to be and heads without even moving, they live rent free in the heads and hearts of all and sundry, Men, animals and even eachother, they are that powerful. Simply by being themselves, they live rent free in our heads. The presence of one alone occupies more space than that of a billion Men combined and they're not even trying to occupy space, they may shrink but they are still felt, they are the ones that make Men or break Men simply with their presence or absence respectively. Women, Ladies are the world, the world is Ladies, the universe is Women. They are the reason Men wake up in the morning to go to work, they are the reason we as Men wanna be successful cos we wanna impress them and we wanna find favor in their eyes. They are... I'm speechless, we're actually nothing without Women, no one is."

"Anyways, our various individual and communal Lady and Male Ancestors deserve our honor and respect now more than ever because before they left to the astral planes from where they now watch over us through our minds because everything is in the mind. Yes before they took another form for another spiritual experience, adventure or mission they set the stage on which we now act by birthing is or helping birth is all respectively, they cleared the path on which we now tread and have made way for us to act and do better than them occasionally through their help and guidance, so Ìchịé Akaji, I understand all these things, can we..."

Uncle Akaji smiles and replies, "First of all, name one thing Women created."

"Thirty point two billion people, present world population," He replies with his back on one of the two swivel chairs right in front of Uncle Akaji.

Uncle Akaji who had his fingers locked into eachother on the table looking at him sat back and pulling at his Afro, looking defeated replies, "For your age you're actually very intelligent and wise, I'm not gonna lie. What you've just said is annoying to me as I am a Guy because Men have useless egoes but I'm not gonna lie, you're the most correct person there ever is, keep it up young warlock. So, like I was saying, music is basically Life, but I just want you to understand the importance of keeping up, continuing the legacy of your Father's businesses, when you get in touch finally with the dealings of the businesses, I'll be keeping a close eye on you obviously, then when I say 'hey, the Man's good to go' 'the Boy's ready' I would've understood by then that you've kept a strong grip on the dealings at hand because that's all that matters right now then you can finally go on to be one of the greatest entertainers your generation has ever seen."

"But Ìchịé..."

"No buts Nwá m. Look, it's never too late to be the greatest, Ndị bé ányị ná kwụkálị̀ ná ógè ónyé jị nwé tétá, ógè ánwụ ná ọnwé yá bụ ụtụtụ ónyé ánwú (Our people often say that what ever time one awakens, that very time is their morning). If that's really what tickles your fancy, music, you love it with your body, heart and your soul then even if you get on with it at say forty five, so long as it's in you and you in it, there's no problem but business, Ọkpọrọ ámá Gaddafi? ỌÁG, (Gaddafi Avenue? GA) No! It doesn't, the Avenue doesn't give one avenues for laziness, it thankfully isn't patient with no one so the dedicated ones and yes, the deserving ones can then quickly grasp any opportunity they can find, yes, successful people seek and grasp any opportunities they can find but failures seek for the right opportunity, there isn't such a thing as the right opportunity, there are only numerous opportunities and they are for the grasping to any who's dedicated enough to reach out for it and take it."

"And as for that stupid act of waiting for tomorrow, tomorrow is never going to come, today is now, tomorrow is today and waiting for what's already here is late. G av, Gaddafi Avenue, she is time and time is her, Business, Money, they are her cousins, Time is their Grandma alright, they wait for no one, they got no time for who ain't got their time, be smart!" He stares at Chiukwuemeka a while who now rises and walks over and around just to sink into the couch, "Nope! This singular attitude coupled with your 'I now understand it all' attitude can make you lose a contract, an opportunity, a chance that can be Life changing and positively Life altering."

"First of all, even if you know it now, just know you can never know it all, always seek to learn more, it's common knowledge, be like the learned and the literati who read every book on the shelf and go out to go find some more, don't be like them people back in the days who read just one book and then went on to believe they know it all because that one book said it was the book of life, book of knowledge and understanding, book of knowledge of good and evil, that all who read the book knew all knowledge yada yada yada, they believed they had held the secrets of the universe simply because they read the book and if one didn't believe in their book or come to engage in their book clubs of which they invested millions of currencies into with zero returns because the head of those book clubs told them they would heavily be rewarded when they died and they all ate it up, in the process enriching the book club owners whilst they themselves were barely getting by but they didn't mind because they believed they had a special place in some joint they would go to when they died..."

"Wait, people actually thought they'd go to some place when they died? Didn't they understand reincarnation?"

Uncle Akaji laughs long and hard, "As in eh, they didn't understand the astral planes, spirituality and all the good things we do today, back then in what was known as the age of Aquarius, we majorly the Gen Z's and a few older generations who were wise or woke began debunking the myths and lies of the book clubs... Look, personally even with this reincarnation stuff, the truth is that no one actually knows what happens when we die, no one knew what or who we were before our Mothers gave birth to us, neither do we know what or who we'll be or what will happen to us after we die so, why the hassle? But they taught you guys about the book clubs in school right?"

"Yes Ìchịé, in history classes, we were also taught about the horrors of the Transgen..."

"Trans Atlantic slave trade boy! T-A-S-T. Nházị ntódọ, ngọtè, ịzụ ná ịlé Mmádụ, N-Ì-M. Keep in check. Besides let the drag Queens and Kings breathe, don't suffocate them, we have that responsibility!"

"Yes, yes, yes, this is true, and how the book clubs and their favorite so called book of Life and the other series inspired by the so called book of Life nwánụ were heavily used by our very own people in collaboration with the invaders the missionaries, together with the colonial Masters to spiritually and mentally keep our people colonized, impoverished and hating on each other, while they stole, pillaged and raped their way into our lands and our resources till the age of awakening came about, I think they had about two sections of them bookclubs..."

"Good! Good to know you know your history, so it all boils down to what I was dropping, even giving people the 'I know it all' attitude can literally make you lose a contract, that's pride, and no one likes a proud cock, an egomaniac like us... Forget! Never forget you can always go back to things you thought you knew before and will always see deeper truths like literally. Next, In a meeting with anyone, no matter how uncomfortable you are, just endure till you've gotten what you're looking for then you fucking ditch the sight, the joint, don't show your host or your hostee, the hosted that you're uncomfortable or you may lose the deal. And the most important point, we must never use our emotions in business but we must endeavor to build strong, solid relationships for future purposes, that is why we're in a capitalist society."

"You don't want a situation where your client is going, 'Lemme just catch this deal first and get out of here, this person has a very terrible attitude, tufiakwa! I can't stand him! If I just catch this deal I won't even be caught dead next to this Ọkpọ ever again, such an, entitled, ungrateful and rude person...' Of course the person won't say it in your front but their body language will always give them out and you may then say to yourself, 'Well, what's that to me? I got the deal, I got the contract, I got my cheddar, égọ m bụ gọdụ nkè dị m' kpá, my money is the most important to me first so...' Yes you did get your money, your égọ, but let word get out after your business deal..." Akaji gives a long and sarcastic laugh which he cuts short abruptly as if on a controller, "Ógábụ égọ ịkpéázụ ịgá kpátá ná ndụ áfịá ị (It'll be the last money you'll ever make in the Life of your business)." He chuckles, "You don't know..." He chuckles again, "It will be the last cheque or contract you'll ever sign of receive in your business life, I mean it and it will all be thanks to your pride, your ego is most times bad."

Emeka rises up quickly as if getting an adrenaline rush, a grasp of inspiration, "Ánụ m ịfè íné kwụ Ìchịé! (I have heard what you're saying Chief!)"

"Good! now get up! let's get a move on." Uncle Akaji says as he moves to his drawer, gets his office keys and his Ọkpụ mméé, after arranging his Ịsịágụ and trousers, he grabs his Mkpó and opening the door signals Emeka to move first.

"Nná ányị, where are we headed?"

"Good question my Boy. Didn't I inform you earlier that we'll be going to go check up on some of your Father's businesses and get you involved, acquainted with it?"

Emeka seems to brighten up a bit, "It's true, ókwá ézịọkwụ, yes Ìchịé, let's go," Uncle Akaji smiles shaking his head slightly as he pats the boy on his shoulder and notions him in front of him to cross the door.

"Chiukwuemeka nwá Onyebuchi Uzoka! Nwà Adamma mụtárá," Emeka blushes and Uncle Akaji chuckles while clicking the door shut thrice. On sighting them, a Man approaches and Uncle tosses his office keys at him before he even arrives, "Noni, I'll be back in a few hours, take care."

"Ódịmmá Nná ányị (Alright Sir)," The Man responds and with the key approaches the office.

"That's my Ézịgbọtè Ónyé ényémáká m (Able personal Assistant, P.A.) or as you may like, Ónyé ényémáká m (my Manager) Chiukwunonyelum nwá bé ndị bé Ogadimma nwá Ósóáfịá ná ímé Obosi, ndị Obosi ná ímé Omambala province," He informs Emeka who turns around to catch a last minute glimpse of the man, "Maybe one day you'll have yours... No, obviously, you must surely have yours, two, three, four, five as you may like, you are the heir of Uzoka," Uncle Akaji turned it down to a whisper, Chiukwuemeka knew why.

Outside, a brand new looking IVM OTR: Off The Road approaches them. The door opens up by itself and Uncle Akaji allowing the Boy in first, enters finally and they get on the road.

They sit in silence at the back of the car. Chiukwuemeka always had deja vu's anytime he sat in the back of a car. Uncle Akaji looked over his phone at him, notices and sighs.

"Nnáá, stop doing like this na eh? Look, that incident is at least ten years old as of last weekend and the security right now is top notch across all Africa states, no one's ever going to do no harm ok? Especially to us... You! People are being useful and industrious with their various communal businesses and no one is fed up with Life under this New UMR programs, so don't sweat it, no one is idle, we're all gainfully employed and busy one way or the other," Emeka glances at him and flashes a frown, "Ok look," He continues, "Take a look at these Gaddaflips..." Uncle Akaji shows him a video on Gaddaflip where a Man approaches a young Boy and goes.

'Excuse me young blood, young soul, yes thank you,' The Man is shaking and doesn't look himself, skinned down, underfed and nauseating to look at, he continues, 'Could I get just two scrolls please?' The Boy hands his phone to him and as he scrolls, he commends the Boy so much and hands it back to him, 'Yes, thank you young blood, may your Ancestors continue to be with you brother, yes!' Chiukwuemeka couldn't help but explode into laughter with Uncle Akaji who had actually laughed earlier but found himself exploding with laughter all again. The video was titled 'Phone addicts in 2070' by @funnynerdsjokes.

"Omo! This thing fit occur o." Chiukwuemeka blurts out.

"Ólé kwá! Tụfịákwá!," Uncle Akaji adds. He turns to his side and realizes that they are already at the first location and notions Chiukwuemeka to arrange.

The car comes to a halt and the door automatically opens up for them. Uncle Akaji steps out on one side and Chiukwuemeka the other, soon he joins his Uncle right in front of the building, "Emeka!"

"Nná ányị Akaji!"

"Good! Probably one of his most famous activities, we all knew he was very interested in sharing the horrors of the Trans Atlantic slave trade T-A-S-T, Nházị ntódọ, ngọtè, ịzụ, ná ịlé Mmádụ, N-Ì-M. so he invested a lot of his time and resources into Nnéụwánịnè (Mother of the entire world), Alkebulan, that's Alkebulan, Nnémmádụnchà (The Mother of all peoplekind).

"The famous Trans Atlantic slave trade museum."

"Ónyá nụ, yes, the famous museum in our very own Umuahia."

"First of all, I wonder why he had to come all the way to Umuahia to build it, we're from Ónịchá Ádọ ná ịdụ and..." Uncle Akaji gave him... The look! "Ohhhhh! You're from Umuahia..."

"There's already one in the western province of Ánịóhá nwà Ánịnné Ọbịụdọ (The Motherland region of Ghana) and besides you shouldn't even be envious of anything, never forget that we are all one in this country of the UMR, The Union of Motherland Republics, Ụsóró ụmụ Ánịóhá Ánịnné, ỤÁÁ, the Motherland, Ánịnné, the Union, Ụsóró, we're united, ányị nó ná Ụsóró, so we should act as so."

"This your singular act no matter how unimportant and irrelevant you may deem it is actually the reason Africa was so easily colonized in the first place. Lack of unity. They came and beheld a beautiful robe, a robe of bright colors which if worn by a maiden, she would break even the strongest warrior but instead of them to come learn how to make an equally beautiful and enticing robe, they said no! They sought to destroy the robe and steal the instruments for the creation of the robe so only them can make the robes and sell back to the tailors at higher rates and they succeeded by first looking for a tiny rift in the robe, a small inch where the threads were just hanging lose and they capitalized on that, with their fingers they widened the rift just enough to cause more damage and just a little not to be noticed, every day by day they nibbed on it till the whole robe was damaged and they went on to steal the instruments abi na equipments for weaving and you know the rest."

"Yeah, the weavers were asleep, soon their kids began to wake them up to show them the evil dealings of their guests whom they had welcomed and hosted but the weavers were too trusting and had even enjoyed the dumb goofiness of the sight seers, the culture of the sightseers many of whom contradicted their own cultures and with time they became customers of their own businesses and markets, buyers of their own goods and commodities and at higher rates at that, they, once trillionaires became servants to peasant cave dwelling sight seers."

"So that's why we must mend even the slightest rift, a little disunity is a mighty flaw, we must stay together and appreciate one another for our various individual regional achievements and not be envious of each other, we're Africa, the greatest, the first and the last, second to none!" Chiukwuemeka nods with understanding, "Good, it's that simple. Stay grounded. Please don't make me ever have to repeat this or explain this again. We had better learn for a better tomorrow."

"Yes Ìchịé, Ákọ dáàlụ (Thank you Sir), dáàlụ màkà ákọnáụché ị (Thanks for your wisdom), ámàmịfé ị (your knowledge), thanks for your wisdom."

"Good!"

"I came here once with the pals sha and I promised myself I wouldn't any more, the evils of the TAST, we must never forget, we must only forgive and most importantly wisen up. We must forgive but never forget, we must be cautious of them and give no one amongst us a reason to love them more than us for only then can we truly be wise."

"That's my Boy, good to know you're keeping up with your history."

"It's my favorite subject and pass time, even as I'm going into business and music, I can't just let it go."

"You shouldn't, no one should ever let it go. It should be a part and parcel of one no matter what line of occupation they decide to just senge menge into, one should always know their history because as our Mothers wisely said 'Ónyé sị ná ómé njị ákịkóịféméré'mé nwé mụtá ịfé, gá mé kwá ụdị ụmụ ájó ịfé ánwú óná chóró ịmụtá.' meaning 'One who fails to learn from history is doomed to repeat the evils which are of the same manner of the ones which they failed to learn from.' In other words, 'One who fails to learn from history, is definitely doomed to repeat history.' So it is very important and interesting if you get the grip of it."

"Now since you've been in and around the vicinity, and with..." He glances at his wristwatch, "Look, time is not on our side, I want to show you the most important of all his businesses, the rest you can find out later and best, by yourself after we sign the paperworks but this next one is top notch and highly confidential, thank the Ancestors I waited till you're twenty and not eighteen to show you this because..." He notions as they get into the car.

"The law states that one gets to begin to do things like drinking, which is not okay, I personally only make use of African dry gin to appease my Ancestors, the spirits, the various Gods of the land and my Chi, while I only indulge in moderate Palm wine from time to time and pure..."

"Isn't Palm wine fruit juice?" Uncle Akaji stops and thinks about it a while and smiles.

"Fermented fruit juice is what I'll say it is but it's cool. Alright, a state of the art pure fruit juice with no sugar pressed personally by my chefs in my kitchen is what I prefer so you should know what you're doing, next is driving, yes, it says drinking, driving and a rest of the other stuffs could only begin to be legal at age eighteen but in Africa we believe you fully become an adult mentally at twenty-five years old where you begin thinking of Life's most relevant choices as your scale of preferences dictates."

"I personally believe driving and drinking and other irrelevances should begin at seventeen but certain life choices of personal choice like Marriage if the person ever wants to, Marriage is never by force for anyone whatsoever, it's optional for everyone, not compulsory. The institute of Marriage should only begin being thought of at age twenty four or twenty five as it is in the UMR Constitution and Óménàlà (Culture) because by then a person is ready mentally to begin considering such heavy choices critically, sensibly and without duress from any party whatsoever plus both people to be married must have been catching steady funds for themselves at that age and not having to depend solely on any diddler other than their personal selves, not one of them, themselves, as in me, myself and I... so I know you must be matured enough by now but age and time are simply just numbers if I must say so myself because all knowledge and actions come from and only begin to manifest from up here..." He points at his temple, "But forget, still value the numbers, numbers don't lie, besides, I've been watching you of course and I know you're good and ready for phase one. Let me just chip this in since we're talking of the law here, be more cautious of the things that are legal than they that are illegal, emphasis on this particular one, be more cautious of the things that are legal than they that are illegal. All these legal age this and that, be cautious of them all that are legal, e get why. Ódị mkpà!" Chiukwuemeka nods with a little smile and turns his gaze to the road. He knew Uncle Akaji talked a lot but he was extra chatty today so he girded himself and just learnt.

"Knowledge is power!" He murmurs to himself.

"Hm?"

"Nothing Ákọ"

Between Chizoba and Uncle Akaji he couldn't tell who talked more but he sure did know he was learning from both, knowledge he didn't know if he would ever make use of.

"Oh, I remember back in the days we used to say, when this..." He points to his temple. "Temple opens, those temples will close, looking at now, all those temples have closed and people's temples, their minds have opened, Africa is no longer in recovery or survival mode but is now in 'flex mode', creative mode, preservative mode. We thank the Ancestors for the Woke community in TikTok back in the days, and on ebooks of various kinds. They called them conspiracy theorists, wacky people, nut jobs, jobless! But your Father liked to call them the Woke community, the enlightened ones, Ndị jị ákọnáụchè nké ndị Nné ná ndị Nná nwé nwètá ákụnáụbá (Those who made use of wisdoms of the Ancestors to gain wealth and fortune), he called them ndị nwé Nghótà (those who have enlightenment or the enlightened ones). Look around, BORDERLESS Africa is the in thing and it's gonna stay this way, no visas, one passport, one Identity card, one currency backed by each regions' resources, one Army, one law enforcement agency, one mighty foreign embassy for the African continent in every nation."

"Only years ago people thought it would never happen but our African Ancestors, Ọbị Aminatu of Zazzau, Mammy Yoko of Sierra Leone, Ọbị Nzinga of Angola, Ọbị Moremi of Ile Ife, Ọbị Amanirenas of Kush, the Osagyefo Mwalimu (PhD Doctor) Kwame Nwia Kofi Nkrumah of Ghana, captain Isidore Sankara of Burkina Faso, captain Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso, Nnà ányị bụ Tasumbu Lumumba Tawosa aka Dr. Patrice Emery Lumumba of the Congo, Colonel Muammar Muhammed Abu Minyal al-Gaddafi of Libya, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser of Kémétị (Egypt), the Mau Mau warriors of 50s and 60s Kenya, Ọnyé ịsị ányị Rolihlahla Madiba Mandela of South Africa, the Mwalimu Otieno Loch Lumumba, Dr. P.L.O. Lumumba of Africa and the able African youths who died across the continent now a country for the African cause, Échịchè ómà ányị ná échélụ ọbọdọ álá Ánịnné (The African dream) and all the rest faithfully departed revolutionary voices of old who told us "Look! For the few that now recognize us, honor us, remember us and show us to others, they whom for their sake, we are still being remembered and not forgotten we will shine our light on the country of Africa because of them. We will show Africa and our children the Africans that those foreign Ancestors whom they honored and probably still do, Jesus, Muhammad, and the Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic nuns, monks, martyrs, saints, main characters, side characters and all those other foreign entities, deities and beings and indeed all other non-African Spiritualities and Religions who claim to be African and claim to be for the Africans but do nothing for the African blooded people and for Africa as a whole are not worth their time, prayers or efforts."

"We will show them that the actual Ancestors of their oppressors whom they honor will only ever fight for their own descendants who are the foreigners and the oppressors of them, our children, the African people, who still honor them as they are under the influence of colonization and imperialism, mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally but no more! So we their Ancestors will secure, fight and protect them who are our very own descendants who remember us and care about us and even they who don't as a result of their ignorance and colonized state of Mind because that's what Mothers and Fathers, mostly Mothers, in short, true parents in general do."

"Now we have all causes to thank the Ancestors, our African Ancestors for their goodness and mercies upon us and the continent, now a country..." Uncle Akaji turns and realizing that they're almost at the destination, he rearranges his Ọkpụ mméé.

Chiukwuemeka realizes that he has a cause to thank his Ancestors too because as they pull into the popular Ányị Nchá pharmaceuticals Inc, Uncle Akaji stops talking, "Adamma Nné m dáàlụ, Onyechi Nná m dáàlụ, to my Ancestors who are for me or want to know me that I'm not aware of, ásị m ụnụ nchá dáàlụ rịnné," He says inwardly. He glances at his phone, ninety eight percent, he hadn't any need to use it as Uncle Akaji was talking and he knew it was rude and improper to be on another business especially a phone when someone was addressing you, especially an elder, an Ìchịé for that matter, "Nzé ná Ózó (The sacred council of the Elders) is no joke o," He says with a chuckle.

"Hm?"

"Nothing Ìchịé, ónwéró!"

"Ok then, follow me in," Uncle Akaji notions and moves ahead as Chiukwuemeka follows closely behind, it was just a pharmacy, a huge pharmaceutical but with his knowledge of the nervous systems and the hairs on his head and on his body alerting him of something suspicious ahead by standing, he knew then that there was going to be more to this adventure than meets the eye.

As they stepped in, Uncle Akaji salutes at the reception the receptionist. The Lady notions at one of the Men to follow suit and he after unfiddling the stick from the mop does immediately.

Chiukwuemeka wonders why the Man brought a mop stick along. Beyond the area where activities were bustling, they moved past a room protected with what he's guessing is sound proof glass because they were talking but he was hearing nothing. He realizes drugs are manufactured inside.

Moving on along the rather long corridor, they soon stop at a door, alone and out of sight, Chiukwuemeka turns and realizes he can't see the manufacturing hub no more.

The Man slides a card through the door handle and the door opens up revealing a room with stacks and stacks of boxes wrapped up in brown paper and transparent cellotape. Chiukwuemeka immediately notices a corner of the room housing Men with straightjackets on each, they are shaking and slimmed out like as if they hadn't had a bite of Nnị, food since forever. They make to approach the Man with the mop stick but he begins to wipe them like animals to get them to move back and stay in place.

"Heal! Heal! Heal!" The Man screams and the Men, nineteen in number as Emeka counts bounces back, cowering to a corner in fear like a bunch of chickens in a coop.

"This, Emeka Nná m is your Father's most profitable business..." And as he stretches out his hand, the Man hands him a pen knife and he slashes the box and white powder begins to drizzle out, it had a peculiar odour which when he inhaled, he begins to cough hysterically and the smell gets the restrained Men giddy and they begin to approach like chickens to a container of feed, "...White!" He exclaims.

Chiukwuemeka covers his mouth with his palm in surprise and goes over to have a taste but Uncle Akaji knocks him hard on his head, "Éwọ!" Chiukwuemeka exclaims.

"Don't be very stupid and intellectually naive! Don't you see what it has lowered these Men to? Please, don't ever indulge in such."

Chiukwuemeka nods but his curiosity was peak, "Ìchịé, what's going on here?"

"Oh don't feel sorry for them, these Men, my former employees, twenty of them decided to steal from me, funny enough not money like normal people do, I could've forgiven them, I could've! But no, they wanted these babies right here instead," He says tapping on one of the boxes causing some more to drizzle out and the enslaved to clamor some more. The Man laughs as he wipes them mercilessly with the mop stick, He and Uncle Akaji laughs hysterically as Emeka simply stands aside, pitiful, confused and everything but normal.

"So as punishment when we caught them, instead of ending them for their incompetence fully understanding that their three years salary can't even go half the price of one of these boxes," He lowers his voice, "The price to pay for being involved in illegal dealings, you get cheated but you don't get to complain," He glances at the man who has his attention on the restrained and continues, "So I gave them a befitting punishment, since they want to be one with the substances, why not keep them one with the substances?" They both laugh again and he joins in feigning just enough to be believable. He glances at the restrained, all shaky and trembly then he turns and asks, "You said they were twenty?"

"Yes, one died and I think they ate her body." Chiukwuemeka wanted to vomit, did he just say HER? Did he just just explain that they ATE...?" He cooled down and grabbing hold of his uncle's body he said, "Ichié, can we be going? Kà ányị nábá nụ" He glances at his watch and adds. "It's five fifty two pm, night begins by six and we don't wanna be driving around at night."

"You're right my Boy, but I must not forget why I brought you here in the first place, look, this is a very profitable and illegal business being run by me under Uzoka... As in by your Father and so... But you must know what it does to people, you, eventually, will join this line of business, you must know you're a dealer not a taker, there's a reason the dealers live in luxurious heavens and the takers dwell on the streets. As for them, I'll let them free in about a few weeks and they can then head on to a rehab funded by their individual families who has gone all over on the News and where not but have lost all hope of ever finding them, they'll find them but it'll be too late, it's actually never too late, it all comes from in here, the ability to stop, the strong will, the will power, all from the temple up here but they, the families and the rehabs don't even know this but lucky are the few who do of whom you're now among, so be very careful okay?"

Confused, disgusted, aghast yet studious, he replied, "Yes Ìchịé, Yes Ákọ (Sir)."

"Good! No one knows that Uzoka led by me has invested in all the rehabs in Africa so when these people or any other incompetent one decides to go to rehab spending billions of Afrozx without being healed because healing of an addiction comes from the mind and not from drugs or talking in the name of therapy, so the whole money comes back to me, To Uzoka led by me. I now get people to get them former patients back to the habit which I sponsor and the cycle continued and we're filthy rich," Uncle Akaji says with a ravenous laughter which Emeka struggles to innerstand whether he should indulge in. "Now...!" He gets a packer from the side of the boxes and scooping a heap full of the white stuff he throws it at the enslaved and like animals they clamor, headbutting each other just for a taste of the wild stuff. Chiukwuemeka couldn't help but be disgusted.

"I need a baff bag." He says to himself.

Uncle Akaji turns and notions him to have a look and he nods at him. "Now to make sure this one is zombified..." He whispers to him. "Here Kolo, have these." He calls out to the man and tosses him two small bags of the stuff. "This is thrice your salary, you should be pumped I'm in a good mood."

The huge light skinned Guy falls on his knees and begins to worship Uncle Akaji, "Senior, you've made my day!" He hisses a bit in correction, "Infact my Life, see, ah!" He dips the tip of his index finger in his tongue and points to the skies, "Senior I no fit ask you anything again, you don run am for me, more grace, more love, more winnings..."

"Okay get up, good Boy." Uncle Akaji says rubbing his bald head and notions him up. He points at him and adds, "Stay good, you don't want to be like them o, you know you're all I have."

"Yes Senior, I'm good Senior..." The Guy says thinking he's being spoken to.

"Shut up your mouth!" The Guy goes silent immediately and Uncle Akaji continues. "Clean up this place, make sure they have no taste of these till I come again and lock up, get the Guys to bath them and endeavor they feed them at the right time ok? And clean up after them please, they smell a mess."

"Yes Senior!" The Guy salutes acting like a mind controlled zombie and Uncle Akaji shoves him aside with disregard and makes for the door with Chiukwuemeka.

"So long they can't think with their minds, they are not fit to be treated as people. We have three parts, the body, the soul and the mind just like the ankh, the body is just a vehicle and the enlightened change vehicles as they like because they know they can, the soul is very important, the soul and the mind are like these," He signifies by crossing his middle finger over his index at Emeka. "Together, they manifest but the mind is the projector of our reality, without your mind your soul is truly dead, your mind projects reality to your soul, your body is just the vehicle, you can kill the body, it will rejuvenate but much later, you can't kill the soul through the body, you can only kill it through the mind, that's what we're doing to them that are taking these stuffs we call hard drugs, because there's really no ordinary means to control yourself once you start, it takes an enlightened fellow to innerstand the power of the mind and navigate it to self control but not for this people, they have lost touch with confidence, reality and what not from the very first day they took the first sniff of the powder, or puffed the first sip of the wrap. Because believe it or not, smoking something in is not the way to take something into your body, it's not safe and it's not smart, it's not feminine and it's definitely not masculine, it's moist importantly not asexual just incase, so I advice you don't, infact I warn that you don't involve yourself with such nonsensities at all. Alcohol is the mirror of the mind but when not controlled and taken too much, it is disastrous. And that's how we make money off these peasants, these nonentities, by killing their minds, so you have to know. Let's go please, I'm disgusted." He says to the boy.

The ride home was oddly quiet, from Onyebuchi to Onitsha no suppose far but to Emeka, abeg... Uncle Akaji was just on his phone occasionally giving Chiukwuemeka side glances, the Guy was in another realm.

"Emeka, you're home!" Uncle Akaji calls out after a few hours notifying Emeka of their arrival at the Ịbá Ọbị (Family home), a three hours drive felt like a few minutes, he was just thinking about the day. "Emeka wait, chélụ! Chélụgọdụ!" Uncle calls out as he opens the car door.

"Yes Ákọ (Sir)."

"Don't give today much thought ok? Sleep over it, just understand that today was just the unveiling process, you're the heir, it's your property, no one's dragging it from you, you need to know what's yours before you can access it right?" Chiukwuemeka nods. "Ok I see you're not in the mood for my talk any more, I'll call you tomorrow ok? Let's talk, if I don't call you, call me, kpó m! Kábá árụ!, Make sure."

"Yes Ichie," Uncle Akaji pats him on the shoulder and releases him. As the car door shuts, he smirks and gives a thought a bit and then turns to the driver.

"Oluyemi, may we dey tụwámá na, kà ányị tịnyé bé árụ, let's get a move on."

"Oya na alaye mi," The driver replies and speeds off.

Getting into the waiting room, he is confronted by Uju and Chizoba. His eyes go from Chizoba to Uju and back again, they only confronted him in this manner when he was either in trouble with them or they needed something.

"Am I in trouble?" He says with a smile as if to mask off all his tiredness.

"No but you'll be if you don't meet our demands Brother." Chizoba says and his smile widens.

"It's like you don't know your mate again abi?" He queries feigning annoyance.

"Hmmm, between you and us, we all know who's gonna bow in a few minutes," Uju says authoritatively.

Chiukwuemeka laughs heartily, "Oya na, what did your cute, lovable older brother do this fine evening?"

"Hmmm, dey feel yourself."

"Aswear, no mind am, ógè óbụnà, everytime!" Uju replies with a chuckle.

"Actually, nothing, but we want you to do something," Chizoba says and he raises his eye brow at the manner and authority of her request, naturally he would make a fuss but he had had a tedious day.

"Brother Emeka, we want to go to a normal school like every one else, we're tired of home school," Uju says. He stares at them like he had seen a ghost and they stare back at him like Ladies who had caught their men cheating.

"Well," He says clearly his throat, "Ọlụgọ ógè yá na, it's about damn time! I actually thought you liked the homeschool that's why I never fussed or inquired about it from you guys but if that's what you want Uju m then so be it but we've gotta discuss this with Uncle Akaji o first."

"First of all brother, ó mmụ ná Uju bịa kwá ìfè á, it's me and her that came to pass the message and two, we mustn't always involve an outsider in our family businesses na, it's not fair o, I don't like it and I don't think it is wise."

"Well, let me first of all add that as you're a Girl and this opinion coming from you personally, I now know the idea gotta be wise and as a woman at that in general, you're not capable of generating ideas and the outsider you're talking about is the family's legal practitioner and the one in charge of the family business till I officially turn twenty in like... the Ancestors know when. So show some respect to the Man and he's a Man sef for that matter!" He stares at his wristwatch and turns to them again, "Ladies, good night abeg, I'll be seeing you at the breakfast table tomorrow..." And with that, he left them and went upstairs muttering something incomprehensible, "...Appendages... keeping..."

The Girls both stare at him till he was out of sight, and shaking their heads with Chizoba shrugging in confusion, they make to equally retire to their rooms.

"And he has no problem with the fact that somebody that is not even part of the family has one hundred percent access to all the family wealth, what the fuck is wrong with that nonentity of a brother of ours?"

"Nné, bikọ ràpụ gọdụ yá ọ? Just leave him alone please, he probably had a long day at work and the tiredness was getting to his brains..."

"Ujunwa, you're always supporting him..."

"What do you want me to say? His words and behavior equally stung me too."

"Just allow me rant to my heart's content because something's very wrong with Brother..."

"What do you now want us to do na? Eh Sister?"

"Stand up to them both, this is how we start a revolution, we bound together, stand up against the useless folks at the top and bring them the fuck down!"

"Chizoba be calming down okay? Just give him a rest, it's probably rest he needs," Chizoba hisses and continues.

"Obianuju?"

"Chizobam!"

"Obianuju?"

"Chim zoba m!"

"Ujunwa?"

"Chiii m!"

"Ok!" Chizoba says nodding.

"Ehen! Now let's go and browse about the best high schools in Awka or Onyebuchi okay?"

Chizoba raises her eye brow and Uju smiles, "Baaaaabe, leave the Ọkpọ alone first, Sisters are before the Misters."

Chizoba smiles, "Always! As it always has been since the beginning of time!" As they move up the stairs, Uju spanks Chizoba and makes a run for it, she, now activated begins to chase Uju and their happy laughter is soon echoing across the house from their joint.

\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

He sees himself running through the Sahara, he sees what looks like quicksand and goes to have a look, all of a sudden he is pushed into it by something and on the realization begins to cry out for help as he is sinking slowly and surely. Three Ladies come along in a bid to help him, he reaches out to them but a Man whose face is unseen shoves the Ladies off and grabs a hold of his hand, the Man lifts him out and walks with him, the three Ladies are trying to get him to stay with them but he shoves them off with help from the veiled Man and when he can no longer see the Ladies, the Man begins to point at large sky scrappers, beauties of Africa beyond the Sahara and what not and as he is mesmerized, he feels a sharp pain in his sides as if he is stabbed, he is, he turns to behold the figure but darkness immediately envelopes the scene. He awakens on a savannah still feeling the jab and the first face he sees is his father Onyebuchi wanking his index finger at him, he reads his Dad's lips, 'Be careful!'

Immediately, he wakes up! The air conditioner is on but he is sweating profusely, luckily he doesn't feel the pain from the dream. He wonders what sort of dream he has, a nightmare perhaps? He remembers suddenly a quote he saw on the internet which read, 'Only fools take dreams seriously, dreams are shaky, weird, creepy and incomprehensible. Why would a normal person in their right senses take them literally? He nods his head in agreement, "Abi?" He hisses, "Why I dey reason this yeye dream wey I dream after a long and tedious day of work?" He grabs his phone and opens up Gaddaflip, "Abeg, may my brain calm down jare!"

The first video he is played goes as such: Did you know that dreams are our Ancestors way of communicating with us? In ancient Africa... He hisses and swipes up.

"What a colossal waste of time, who makes these?" He chuckles with a hiss.

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