C2 Bilal

People used to say I am cruel, some used to say I easily get angry etc. If only they knew about my past; how I suffered, and also my present; what I was now facing in my home even though many looked at me as a swith successful man who got married to the only surviving child of late Alhaji Bashir Lado - founder of BLD Construction Company and one of the influential politicians in Nigeria.

Growing up from a poor family, I had to end my education at secondary level in other to engage into tailoring which was better than the mechanical skill my parents once forced me to learn in primary level - the work was hard plus my boss was cruel so I ran away. Tailoring became my source of income, you know in every business all you need is your parents' blessings and that of God. My boss used to pay me more than other people, he believed I was the person luring customers straight to his shop with my handsomeness. Well, women actually loved me... and many had even made advances to me - including married women but thank God I was strong.

One day, a slim beautiful girl wearing black sun glasses visited our shop with two police officers. I really thought our boss had done something wrong but, it was me they came for. She told me who she was, who her father was, and that she had heard a lot about me from her friends. She was very fluent in her speech. She said her friends said I am a good tailor, therefore she would like me to be her tailor. In sweats, my mind told me to nod which I did. That was how I gave her my number and since then my life changed, I became a successful man. She'd spoiled me with money, and eventually she asked me to marry her. I didn't actually like her but I wanted to be rich so I accepted her offer. Her name was Rahina, we got married later on... after facing many challenges with her family especially both her parents. They were against our relationship because I was from a poor background and lacked credible qualification. Also, because a cousin brother of hers (Jibril) wanted to marry her.

After a year into our marriage, her father passed away. And that made her the successor of his company but she was the type that didn't want stress, so she asked me to help her with all her duties as the CEO. That was how I became the acting CEO of the prestigious BLD Construction Company with no Diploma or Degree certificate. Hmm, life can really be funny, sometimes all you need is just connection in order to become somebody!

Rahina and I had a son, he was named Kamal - after her deceased brother. Our son was now three years old and could talk though not fluently. He resembled his mother and I liked him even though I didn't really love his mother like I had claimed. Every day I woke up from sleep, I would stare at Rahina while she snooze. She had made so many sacrifices for me, brought me out of poverty and made me rich yet there was no single day I wouldn't think about running away from her. Yes, running away with all the money I had gathered because I just didn't love her and I couldn't bring myself to loving her. But every time I think about all that, something would tell me to fear Allah and never to abandon our child or my relatives because of selfishness. And if I should run away, what would happen to Rahina? She would probably commit suicide because she loved me with her whole heart.

*******

Today was the day I had been waiting for, it was the day I would be meeting with one of the aides of Kaduna State Governor and the Emir of Zazzau about the Dam construction contract we were given by the government earlier this month but before then, I would firstly go to our head office to supervise an interview with one of our new job seekers. These days, we used to get many contracts both from private and public sectors. They trusted all our projects, and by the way we had the best engineers. Our rivals had long been laying low due to lack of patronage. I believed one day they would definitely face bankruptcy and would just have to collapse.

"Haba, ko kai fa?" Rahina said as she tied my necktie for me. "You look so great, my king!" Actually, I had wanted wearing a caftan but she insisted I must wear a suit. Well, since I didn't have a say in my life I did as she said. "The suit really looks great in you gaskiya"

"Thank you!" I feigned smiling, and just as I was about leaving she embraced me gently.

"Take care of yourself, my king" She sighed.

"In Shaa Allah I will" I muttered.

"Good" She averted from me and then placed her lips on mine. She loved doing that, and if we start kissing she would not like us to stop until we were both in need of oxygen. And if care is not taking she will ask us to go to bed. She was the reason I used to miss meetings!

"Hold... hold on Rahina" I stammered ending the scenario. "I really have to go, it's important"

"Hmm, okay miji na (my husband)" She huffed staring at me sexily. "My regards to the Emir"

"Zai ji (He will hear)!" I said placing a kiss on her forehead in order to make her feel loved.

"Alright, bye" She smiled.

"Bye!" I said and then left.

Immediately I was out of the house, I hopped into one of our company cars and instructed my driver, Sani to drive me to our head office and while on our way, my aide phoned me. It was about the interview. "Sir, the lady is here. Shall we start or keep her waiting? " He asked.

"You can start, I will meet you soon!" I said.

"Okay, sir" He said and terminated the call.

*******

Few minutes later, we were already in the head office. Sani parked the car, thus I went into the building with people greeting and waving at me from every corner until I finally headed into the elevator. I pressed the button of the last floor and up it took me, steadily and the moment it was finally in the floor it opened the door for me hence I stepped out of it and headed towards the direction of my office. I was walking gently when my phone beeped, and when I pulled it out of my pocket I found out it was a text from Alhaji Aminu, they were already on their way to the Emir's palace. "...meet us there if you are not there already, I don't want you to keep us waiting!"

"Right away, sir!" I texted him back. He was the governor's aide I'd talked about earlier.

Just as I was about returning my phone into my pocket, a lady bumped into me and that made me furious. Hopefully, my phone didn't fall down but who the hell was she anyways? Didn't she know who I was? Didn't she know this entire floor belonged to me? "Bitch, are you..." I couldn't complete the insult when our eyes met. That moment, I felt a very strange sensation in my body. Actually, she was the most beautiful lady I'd ever seen in my life!

"I'm sorry, sir" She said as she squatted and picked her fallen files. I couldn't take off my eyes from her... and I was just like sulked in there until she eventually stood and started walking away. Hence, I turned around and looked at her back with my heart beating so fast. My Lord, who could she be? I thought. Perhaps she was the new job seeker, but... I thought the interview was still going on or was she just another person? I mulled over.

Hence I went to the conference room to see whether the interview was still in progress, but when I did I had only found Sufyan, my aide and then Khalil, our computer analyst. "Where is the lady?" I asked after greetings.

"She left just now, sir. We are done already" Khalil responded, going through his laptop.

"She's chubby and fair, right?" I wrinkled a brow out of curiosity. I was eager to know!

"Yes she's the one, Aliya by name" He said.

That moment, I didn't know when I sighed with a smile. "Nice, is she qualified?" I said.

"No" He said making me to glare at him.

"Why?" I asked with both my arms akimbo.

"Actually..." He said as Sufyan cut in.

"She could not answer some questions, sir!"

"Oh!" I blurted out looking at them one after the other, I could tell they were hiding a lot from me but since I didn't have the time to waste - I decided to approve the interview. "Email her that she has gotten the job, and that she should come tomorrow by 10am!"

"But, sir..." Khalil said as I swiftly left.

*******

Time wasn't by my side, so I asked my driver to drive me straight to the Emir Palace which he did in a high speed. And as soon as I arrived, I was cheerfully welcomed into the Emir's chamber where I met Alhaji Aminu and some government officials already sitting before the Emir. I greeted them amicably and then settled down. "May you live long, Zaki. Sorry for my late arrival, I had to take care of something very crucial" I said.

"Babu komai (No problem)" The Emir said and then continued. "I know you are a busy man, Bilal"

"Thank you, Zaki" I bowed a little with a smile.

"You are welcome, we were just talking about your project. I would like you to explain the impact of it!" The Emir said.

"Actually," I cleared my throat and continued. "It is an hydropower dam that will take 6 years for us to build, that is if we are not going to face any political challenge. It would cost $20 billion and would last for a thousand years if not more. It would supply a stable electricity and would help in decreasing the shortage of electricity in the entire state"

"But why river galma of all the rivers in Kaduna? I heard a lot of people from that side have already started complaining that it is going to affect their domestic activities, you know they mostly rely on the river!" The Emir uttered.

"It will not affect them that much, Zaki" I managed to say after having heaved a sigh.

"Is that so? Well, that was what the people of Kainji in Niger and others were told according to history yet hydropower dam projects ended up affecting them, taking away their lands and preventing them from enjoying their waters" The Emir said.

"But technology has changed, Zaki. Yesterday is not today, and today is not tomorrow" I muttered.

"Don't use English on me, Bilal. You should just forget about it kawai!" The Emir squealed. "If the people's voice doesn't matter to you, it matters to me as the Emir"

"Zaki, you are getting it wrong" Alhaji Aminu chimed. "This people that you are saying are complaining, they are the same people that will rejoice if the project is done or don't you know people again? Our vision is to provide them with uninterruptible power supply, something every Nigerian is dreaming of today. Trust me, we are only trying to help"

"Help? By depriving them access to their water just because of light? Many may even die in hunger before the completion of the dam. I can't sign for this mayhem" The Emir said in total disagreement. "There are many things you need to do that you're not doing. Give them jobs, free healthcare, etc first before thinking about using their water for hydropower dam that you would still ask them to pay money in order to enjoy the electricity at the end!"

"You sound just like the former Emir of Kano, the man of people!" Alhaji Aminu said shaking his head. "I just hope you don't make his mistake, Zaki"

"Wait, are you threatening me?" The Emir said.

"No, I am only trying to let you know that going against our project can be very ill for your throne. You should know that this project is for the betterment of every indigene of this state. You of all people should understand what I mean, Zaki" Alhaji Aminu said.

"I understand what you mean but I will not sign it. If you want me to... then you should go to the people of that side and seek for their support in the project first" The Emir uttered.

"Hmm!" Alhaji Aminu shook his head with an evil smile. "Remember who you are fighting with, Zaki. You are fighting with the government, the same body that is financing you!"

"Lower your voice, Aminu!" The Emir said as he stood to his feet with his guards. "This is my palace not the government house, and if you like you can go and tell the governor to dethrone me for being truthful but I will never sign your project without the support of the people"

"Alright then, we shall see!" Alhaji Aminu said as he stood together with his associates and left in anger. I also did the same but after having bowed a little for the Emir, I respected him. And while on my way back to the head office as upset as I was, the thought of the beautiful chubby lady that had bumped into me bounced into my head. And for unknown reason, the sadness in me vanished - leaving me with a smile on my face. I just could not wait to see her again!