Legal war
Azuaka clinched a successful investigation about Sen. Madu. His brain kept ticking like grandfather clock as the black sheep in Sen. Madu troubled his being. His heart pounded heavily and he lost interest in everything except Opula’s life. He would have to quench whatever may be inspiring her guts to file a lawsuit against Sen. Madu. The two names, Agu and Akiulo, were short lived legal gurus that had a shared dose of Sen. Madu’s bullet. Azuaka Jnr was unstable throughout the day, trying Opula’s number without success, looking out through the window if any cab stopped by. He had been smoking and could not account for it by number but certainly it was his sure way of burning away anxiety. His thick fragrance of Men 212 perfume teamed up in concoction with the smoke that hung around his shirt and a resultant odour of an insecticide was quickly made. He would love to hold Opula’s face and talk her out of it. As darkness surged, his appetite for good food resumed.
Late dinner was white rice stew and boiled chicken and he ate with the avid appetite of a chain smoker, blared gunshots in the air before going to bed. Dreaded thought of Sen. Madu haunted him to sleep.
At twilight Opula slammed on his door and woke him up. “I know you would be worried for not seeing me around. I finally filed a successful lawsuit,” she said, slumping in the sofa.
“You must be joking, right? Why are you in haste to die?” he asked and sat next to her with dead looks. “See, this man is a black sheep. My investigation says so.”
“Ok, I’m all ears,” she said and poured herself a cupful of coffee from the jug that stood on the shelf.
“Seven months ago, two talented lawyers, Agu and Akiulo in their bid to get justice for your Baby N were assassinated at Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Senator Madu was responsible for it. It may interest you to know that your Baby N is in love with Senator Madu otherwise he would have fled for his life,” he said, standing up.
“Damn you, Azuaka. My boyfriend is only in love with me. He is not gay. He is not in love with any Senator Madu and I will prove it in court.”
“Can’t you see? I don’t want you to go like them. I have buried enough. Remember my parents. I will prove it in court is a deadly cliché for us.”
“That’s your problem; Fear, you‘re only encircled by the memories of your parents. See, I’m out for this. I have the heart of a lion.”
“With the tactics of a chicken,” Azuaka Jnr cut in.
Opula’s face was agleam with sweat. She looked into the ceiling and wiped her face with the handkerchief in her hands. “Do me a favour,” she said, quietly.
“What?” he asked, staring hugely with anxiety.
“I want you to testify against Senator Madu before a grand jury.”
“Hell no, that will be the worst death auction,” he said, off his suit and Opula frowned at the 8 rounds automatic pistol in his waist. “You know what Opula, I’m out of this. You don’t want to back out. You want to be the next legal heroine. I am out,” he said and turned his back to her.
“I will win this case and when I do I will serve you a plate of fear and failure. Is your gun licensed,” she asked, staring at it keenly, with the urge of counting the bullets.
Azuaka Jnr looked at his waist. “Yes,” he answered
“I will need it,” she said.
Dr Eze was having a gruelling day consoling Opula in his office. The fact that everything was being against her reduced her to tears. Dr Eze dabbed her pains by giving her his word; he would testify against Sen. Madu before a grand jury. He said he had done it for many of his patients and most of them won. He promised it would be from a medical point of view.
Opula wrapped Nku’s hands as he sat up staring at her with his watery eyes. “He will finally get a verdict of guilt and pay for what he did to you,” Opula informed Nku.
“Why did you file a lawsuit without consulting me?” asked Nku.
“Because you were unconscious, with patches of blood all over your buttocks, the erotic videos and pictures on your phone have said it all,” she barked and gave a dilated stare at him
“Letme have my phone!” He snatched it from her. “Listen up. He’s innocent of your allegation.” Nku knew it was high time he let the mature cat out of the basket. Hiding his feelings for Sen. Madu was a pull on his side. He threw his tepid stare at Opula and said, “I love him.” He got a resounding slap for a reply and ear-ringing sound echoed from ear to ear. With his hand held on his cheek, he stared at her with red eyes.
Opula stood up. “After all we‘ve been through. You must be sick up there as you‘re down there. Now listen up, you‘re next to testify against him after Dr Eze. Good day.” She took a walk through the door and the door slammed afterward.
Opula was with Dr Eze under the tree, far from the rowdy mob that came for the hearing at Lagos High Court. With her left hand tapping the gun in her pocket, she observed carefully the arrival of the judge and grand jury. The tribal marks on the cheeks of the judge portrayed more of Yoruba. Dr Eze told her the judge was well mannered and a believer. With the few cases he had testified for his patients, he judged aright, but he couldn’t attest for the jury. Opula saw a handful of police, forming a circle and discussing what their shaky heads only agreed on. With the silver manacle drooping from the waist of a police officer, Opula kept fantasizing Sen. Madu handcuffed and climbing into the Black Maria. After Opula filed her evidences, she hastily listened to a divorced case before leaving in Dr Eze’s Toyota Jeep. As they drove out in the calm atmosphere, she could see a number of journalists looking frustrated and tired with their hands on their waists, scowled faces in the sun and hoping to have a grip on Sen. Madu’s saga.She need not hang around like them; Sen. Madu did not show up in court.
“I know you meant it and I can’t wait to stretch out in your arms