OKRO SOUP

Ada gathered her nightgown about her. She felt her heart pounding inside her chest.

More banging at the door.

"UNA NO WAN OPEN D DOOR???" Came a harsh male voice from the other side of the door.

"Jesus!" She heard her husband exclaim from behind her. " D..do you think its armed r..robbers?"

"No Simon, its Jehovah's Witness pounding at our door at 3am in the morning."

"Are you mocking me?" He whispered back defensively.

"IF UNA NO OPEN DIS DOOR, D BEATIN WEY WE GO BEAT UNA EH???"



More banging.

"Ah don die oooh!!" Simon placed his hands on his head. Even in the dark, she could tell his legs were trembling. They usually did when he was scared s**tless. It sickened her.

Something heavy crashed into the door from the other side. The entire living room seemed to tremble.

"Chei! They will beat me oooh!!" Simon cried.
"So wait, na yaself you dey think about abi?" She snapped.

"Before nko? Studies have shown that armed robbers like to beat the males in the house...."

"And rape the females in the house" she said evenly.

" Mbok, rape and beating are not the same thing" he said shaking his head.

The front door  suddenly crashed open.


 Wooden splinters exploded into the room.


 The couple covered their faces as the cold morning air brought in four dark figures.

The four men rushed into the house. Simon was savagely kicked in the ribs as he cowered by the side of the door.

"Please,... Please don't beat me"

WHACK!

The slap silenced him and instantly reduced him to a whimpering heap. Ada was roughly grabbed and dragged to the centre of the living room.

"SO, UNA NO GREE OPEN DOOR ABI?"

"No...no..it wasn't me," Simon was screaming.


 "It was my wife oh, she refused to open the door"

Ada stared at his struggling form incredulously . She had half a mind to ask the permission of the Robbers to administer her own brand of " brushing" on her husband. She thought better of it when she saw one of the armed men  grab Simon by the ankles and drag him towards her. She couldn't see much, but she could see enough to know that the men had guns and Matchetes. At least two of them were bare-chested. She tightened the fabric around her body.  This was one occasion where a short, transparent and loose night-gown was a baaaad idea. She tried her possible best to cover herself. The last thing she desired was to give these men ideas.

WHACK!

 Went a blow across her husband's face.

"WEY D MONEY???" One of them barked.

"Chei! Oga," Simon whimpered. " Money no dey oh....I'm a Civil servant, Government never pay us"

WHACK !

"Aaaah! Simon screamed in pain.

"WISSH KINE TALK B DAT?" A smaller one snapped. He roughly jabbed the nuzzle of a rifle into Simon's face. "BRING D MONI, OR I GO POROUS  YOU HERE!!!"

"Oga as God is my witness,....Money no dey"


  Simon squealed. Ada  Rolled her eyes,  Simon loved the "...as-God-is-my-witness" plea. It was his last resort in dire situations. The last time he'd used it was two days before when she'd denied him sex due to ill health. Simon ( being the inconsiderate horny goat that he was)  went on his knees next to the bed and cried: " As God is my witness, I will never ask you for sex whenever you're ill again. But please, cure my Conji this night lest  I suffer a stroke in my sleep biko". Eventually, she had given in. But now, hearing him again made her wish she'd taken her chances with him suffering a  Conji-induced-stroke.

" I haven't been paid salary for December o!"


 Simon was yelling." Dis Christmas na God hand we dey oh!!!"

WHACK!!!

"Wen I  tell you suntin Emeka, you  no  go hear"  said One armed robber  to another. " I tell you say dis guy no dey like person wey get Moni, you no gree"

"Ubong, So na bad tin I do as I bring una com hustle for Christmas?" Emeka retorted. He pulled at an earlobe. " "You too dey find fault for anytin wey I do....take your time oh!....Now na "ember" month, I no want temptation"

"Na bad tin I talk?" Ubong replied defensively.


"Abi, make I no talk again?....if d tin be like dis, I go vex go house oh!

The robbers seemed to have forgotten about the cowering couple.



Ubong turned  and made for the door.

"Bros, cool down nau" came the third robber.


"E never reach like dat. Emeka you sef why you talk to am like dat? Oya, tell am sorry"

Simon and Ada exchanged curious looks.

"Musa, I no go fit...."

"TELL AM SORRY BEFORE I POROUS YOU HERE!" Musa snapped.

Long pause.

Emeka reluctantly turned to Ubong and said; "Bros, no vex for d tin I talk"

Ubong shrugged and came back to the centre of the living room.

"Had it been we had held proper prayers before this operation, none of this would be happening" The fourth robber said. His other three colleagues shook their heads at this.

"Efe, I no ready for ya talk now abeg" Emeka said waving his matchet at him.   "Abi you read Bible pass me?"

"You see?" Efe said extending his arms.


 "Confusion....God is not the author of confusion.....had it been we had had a proper prayer session....."

"See person wey dey talk. You pay tithe reach me?" Ubong snapped. "You no how many deliverance I don go?"

"Oya, e don do!" Musa declared. " We go settle dis church matter for house. Make we finish dis operation"

Long silence.

The other three clearly didn't want to oppose him.

"All I'm saying is," Efe began softly. "....'..the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God'....if we seek his face...."

WHACK!!! Went Musa's hand across his face.
"Aah!" Efe screamed.

"If I hear ya mouth again eh?" Musa said waving his rifle  at him. "No be all of us do 6 to 6 fasting for this operation?....You pray reach me?"

"Seriously??" Ada asked incredulously.

"SHARRAP!!!" All four robbers barked at her.


 She returned to her cowering position.

"Oya, make una search the house" Musa ordered his colleagues. "D guy fit dey lie"

The three left to search the house,  while Musa stood guard over the frightened couple.

"As you big like dis, you wan talk say you no get Moni, mtcheeew!!!" Musa spat in disgust.

An hour later, the three returned.

"Nottin dey dis house o!" Ubong sighed. "Food sef no dey, na only one small pot of okro soup wey dey kitchen"

Musa stared at the couple with glaring rage.

"Una mate dey kill goat, na small okro soup Una wan carry enter new year???"

"Better Isam sef  no  dey the soup" Emeka said in disgust.

"These people need prayers, its a spiritual problem" Efe shrugged.

"Please sir,...." Simon cried " It's all we have....."

WHACK!!!

Then all four men descended on the couple; punching, and kicking at them until they both passed out.

Hours later, Ada and her husband woke up.


Their house had been turned upside down, their bodies covered in bruises. But nothing in the house was missing......save for  Ada's small pot of Okro soup and several cups of Garri that remain unaccounted for till this day.

A  full scale police investigation and man-hunt is currently underway.










LIFE IS A CHOICE MY FRIENDS
SO CHOOSE WISELY
ENOUGH SAID