KARMA'S LOVE - Final Episode

Kosi let the breeze blow over her face as Biggie took her through the scenic views of Lagos. It had been a while since she had been here. In fact, it had been over 20 years since she last stepped her foot in Lagos. After the disappearance of Ada, she had run away to Asaba where she had gotten married barely 5 months later.

The marriage had lasted 5 years. 5 years of horror and pain. Elo, her husband had turned out to be an animal in human clothing. He had abused her physically, emotionally, sexually and financially. Seven miscarriages, plenty of beatings, sexually transmitted infections and in-Law mistreatment had not even been enough to make her run.

Not until the day the other woman caught her on the street and beat her up did she wake up and realise she had to take a stand. Living with her in laws made everything unbearable for her. Elo at 29 had notbeen prepared to work or take responsibility for the woman he married, leaving her to feed him and his brothers who often came to their room in the BQ to eat up whatever they could find. It was horrible forher. After the beating by one of Elo’s mistresses and his family had taken his side, she had decided to leave and wasn’t surprised when no one had begged her to stay.

She left and moved to Port Harcourt where she had worked as a prostitute and call girl for over 15 years. Recently however, when her manic depression had taken over her, when the regrets had become overwhelming, when she couldn’t sleep at night without drugs of some kind, she had decided to reach out for help but she didn’t know from whom.

Quite accidentally, she had logged on to Facebook, a platform where she had never registered and had found Debo being celebrated. She was shocked to find that Debo had married Biggie, her long time boyfriend and had recently had twins and was also living a life of affluence in Lagos. She had opened an account to say hi but was surprised that Debo had been very concerned about her.

She had taken her phone number and they had spoken severally before she confessed her health challenges to Debo who through Biggie had helped her find a Psychologist who had immediately offered to treat her. Biggie had paid for her treatments. After that, her self-esteem had gone up and she realised what kind of mess she had made of her life. She had left her agency and stayed at a rehabilitation centre recommended by the Doctor.

Now, the wonderful couple had offered to let her come to Lagos and stay with them so she could rebuild her life all over again. She was so grateful for all their help, she couldn’t thank them enough. The funny thing was through all this, she hadn’t even seen Debo yet. Biggie had come to Port Harcourt to see her but Debo hadn’t come because of her new babies. Now, she was very excited to see her.

Biggie had come to pick her at the Airport and he was telling her of all the developments that had happened in Lagos in the past 20 years. Kosi was surprised at how much different Lagos was. As they passed the Ojuelegba part of Lagos, she saw a man dancing, trousers and shirt torn with long dirty hair in his eyes and falling all over his face.

In his hands were covers of pots and he slammed them together and made music and then danced, his feet moving rhythmically to a beat different from the one he was making. He was a talented dancer and reminded Kosi of someone who danced that way too.

Biggie saw her smiling out of the window and smirked.

Biggie: “That’s Uncle Johnny. He dances like crazy.”

Kosi: “Hahahha, he reminds me of someone.” She said as she focused intently on him.

Biggie: “Who?” He asked, a bit focused on moving the car away from the crazy danfo driver behind him.

Kosi: “Oh, my God!!” She screamed. “It’s Ufoma!!”

Biggie: “What??”

Kosi: “Do you remember Ufoma? From Uni?”

Biggie: “Ufoma? Ufoma?? The dancing boy that followed the guys everywhere?”

Kosi: “Yes!! Yes! that’s him!!”

Biggie: “No way!!” he stared intently at the guy.

Kosi: “I swear!! Look at him!

Biggie looked harder and suddenly he saw the resemblance between the handsome 18 year old and the torn dirty dancing man and he felt sadness clog his throat.

Biggie: “Oh God!! I see this guy all the time and I didn’t know it was him!”

Kosi was already crying. “He was so young, so optimistic.”

Biggie parked in front of a shop and they got out and walked towards the dancing guy.



Kosi: “Ufoma!”She called out when they were close by.

Ufoma: He turned around and smiled through black teeth in a very dirtyface. “Kosi?? Biggie??” He made a dash for them, arms outstretched and they both shrunk from him before he stopped and looked at them, face unhappy yet full of memory.

Kosi: “Oh Ufoma, what happened to you?”she cried.

Ufoma: “I go crazy.” He said simply.

Biggie: “How come?”

Kosi: “I remember he wasn’t the same after the incident with Ada. He left school before I did. He was sick and started talking to himself!”

Biggie: “Was he part of them too?” He asked, shocked.

Kosi: “Yes, he dropped us and went back to join the other guys that night.”

Biggie: “Oh, my God. Let’s go, Kosi. We will come back to see him” He said when he noticed that evil was about to befall his car at the hands of Lagos drivers.

Kosi: “What of Ufoma?”

Biggie: “I don’t know yet but he will be here tomorrow.” They left and went home where Debo was thrilled to see kosi. That night, Biggie told Kosi and Debo of his findings and left the women crying.

James died a few weeks ago from Kidney failure, Kachi was hung for a crime he didn’t commit. After his hanging, the police realised it was his wife’s brother who had killed her and the children. Nelson also died a few weeks ago, a container crashed down on the cab he was in. Lanke died almost months ago now, she committed suicide. Anslem had his legs amputated and has just been released to go home with his mother.

Kosi: “Amputated??!”

Biggie: “Yes! Juwon’s wife stabbed him 3 months ago after 5 of their children were killed in…..”

Debo: “5 children?? Oh my God.”

Biggie: “Yes, five. The woman has been released on bail. His family doesn’t even want her tried because she is pregnant again. And today, we discovered that Ufoma is Uncle Johnny in Ojuelegba.”
Kosi: “If this has happened to all the others, what about me? Will I also die or go mad?”

Biggie: “I don’t know, Kosi. I think you should go and talk to Ada’s family. Tell them the truth of what happened.”

Kosi: “I don’t know what happened after I left her. Until you told me, I didn’t know they all raped her.”

Biggie: “Tell them whatever you know, I will tell them what I know. They deserve to know what happened to their child.”

Kosi: “You want me to go and see them? I don’t know where they are.”

Biggie: “I do. I found out so I could tell them all that Kachi told me. Now, you are here, why don’t we go and see them together?”

Kosi: “What if they arrest us?”

Biggie: “We won’t know until we go, will we? Anyway, if they arrest us, I will get us out. Okay? Debo, what do you think?”

Debo: “I think you should go so it will give you peace of mind.”

Kosi: “Alright then. I will do it. Thank you, Biggie. I will go.”

Biggie: “I spoke to Doctor Martins, he said they will arrange a bus to pick Ufoma up tomorrow and take him to the psychiatric hospital.”

Kosi: “Oh, Biggie, God bless you!!” She said with tears in her eyes.

So they went and Ada’s parents cried tears of gratitude that they came. When they heard what happened to Ada, they cried even more. They were relieved to hear the truth though and were even more than surprised at the fate that had befallen everyone who had a hand in what happened to their child. They prayed for Kosi and Biggie and let them go in peace.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sochi: “Oh mummy, this sounds incredible. You mean they told you all these??”
Chidindu: “Everything, my dear!! The truth just came to us like that before we even got the Private Detectives” She scooped 8 months old Ada who was sitting at her mother’s feet into her lap.

They were in Sochi’s house. A huge stone estate in Birmingham, Uk. They left Nigeria a week ago and were only now reporting to Sochi everything that happened back home.

Sochi: “It’s just too unreal, how would you describe what happened to all those people who hurt Ada?”

Chidindu: “My daughter’s chi did not sleep. It stood up and fought for her.”

Sochi: “Muuuumy!! You know I don’t believe in all those things!”

Chidindu: “Believe or not, God rose and fought for my daughter!”

Sochi: “Or it was just a coincidence……”

Chidindu: “If that’s what you believe oh, Sochi.”

Sochi: “No, that’s not what I believe, Mummy. I believe Karma paid them a visit.”

Chidindu: “Me too. I am glad they didn’t go unpunished. Now, my daughter can rest in peace and me too I can sleep well.”

Sochi: “And Daddy too.” She said, pointing to her father who was kicking a ball with his grandson and son-in-law on the huge field in their estate.

Chidindu: “Your father is very relieved at knowing the truth. He says he forgives all those men and has even said a prayer for God to forgive them too and grant them grace to enter heaven.”

Sochi: “What about you? Did you pray for them?” She laughed when her mother gave her a dirty look. “Oh mummy!! I just hope wherever she is, Ada can smile and rest now.”

Chidindu: “Me too, my child, me too.”
Resting her head on her grandmother’s breast, Ada smiled.

The End!

Did you learn any lessons? What are they?