Opana – Episode 20

Opana – Episode 20

© Akoto Alexander

Michael Ansah: Mummy I was told the fight is taking place at the lotto agent close to his workplace, let us rush to the place so that nothing bad happens to him or anyone.

Akua Yankey: Herh Bernice take care of the house as I and your elder brother are going to stop your father from fighting.

Akua Yankey and her son runs to the venue and as they got there the atmosphere was charged with anger that could even choke a whale should it pass by.

Akua Yankey: My dear what is happening here that your dress is soaked with your own sweat this afternoon?

Opana: Can you imagine this old witch was the one who stole my winning lotto coupon that I was searching for all night long?

Eno Bruwaa: This is ridiculous, if you say I stole your lotto paper where did you put it that I stole from you? Do I leave in the same house or room with you? You better respect yourself here and now. Mr lotto agent you know what, give me my lotto paper, I will go and redeem my money from your main office. I won’t stand here for this tyrant to insult me.

Opana: Give what to you madam thief, I presume you own a PhD in stealing erh. Massa if you make any foolish move and hand over this coupon to her again, I will twist you neck for you to be seeing things behind you. Why should I do the donkey work for some foolish person to come and take glory. God is my witness and he know I have remained sober this afternoon and I have decided that I don’t want blood to spill over her.

Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter: This one dieeer you lie bad, nothing will happen here and this lotto coupon is going back with us.

As the argument was going on it kept drawing the attention of people passing by and in no time a familiar face passed by but by so doing Kwaku Mike started feeling the strangling pains around his neck again.

Michael Ansah: (calling his mum’s attention) Mummy the pains has started again and it choking me.

Akua Yankey: Please endure it for now when we get home, I will make sure this necklace is taken off your neck for good.

Charlie Pee: (whispers to his partner who is next to him) Boss isn’t that our target? Should I make a direct move here or what?

Unknown Person: Dont be a shithole my friend, since when did we start attacking our targets in public and in broad day light. Just be monitoring him and at the right time when he is alone you strike. This is the first mission am untaking with you ever since you were promoted to join the big boys so I don’t want any amateur services, the other guys see you not fit for this job but something in me is pushing me to have trust in you so try not to disappoint me or else I will kick your a$$ personally. Do I make myself clear.

Charlie Pee: I have heard you loud and clear boss.

Unknown Person: I have seen my tight friend exchanging words over there so let’s go and find out what the problem is, maybe we can help him. (walks over with his alibi to where Opana is)

Charlie Pee: Okay boss, always under you command and directions.

Unknown Person: Opana my man!!! Opana the rough boy!!! The original and professional coffin maker of our time, my boss what is happening here that you are looking so angry like this?

Opana: Ah Skido my guy can you imagine this woman and her daughter want to double cross me and steal my money. Yesterday I came to stake some numbers which I happen to win, along the line I misplaced my winning lotto coupon and I don’t know how it got into the hands of this people, I came to redeem my money from the lotto agent and from nowhere they also popped up coming to do same. Now the lotto agent is telling me that even though he is very much aware that I was the one who came to stake the numbers, he can’t give me the money because am not having the lotto coupon. Can you imagine?

Unknown Person: Herh lotto agent make study, do you know who you are dealing with?This man here is my Don, he is my Baron, my Cappuccino, he is my Boss, my Director, infact he is my everything so if you mess up with him, you mess up with me.

Eno Bruwaa: And who is this clown too, who invited you into this issue?

Charlie Pee: (pulls a locally made pistol out) How dare you speak with my boss in that manner you ugly woman. I will blow your brains out if you don’t control that thing you call your mouth.

Michael Ansah: (seeing the gun calls for his mother’s attention and the moves closer to his father) Mummy stay here I will be right back, papa needs my help.

Unknown Person: And who is this one too, why are you rushing here whiles no one has invited you over? Do you want to fight?

Opana: (cuts in immediately) Oh easy Skido he is my son, I guess he reacted upon on what he saw.

Unknown Person: (lows his voice) Opana we need to talk seriously before I leave here. And for you lotto agent what are you saying over there?

Lotto Agent: (stammering) I….I…..I di….di….didn’t sayyyyyy anything sir. Pleeeeeeease I came to work and I don’t want any problem.

Eno Bruwaa: Nothing will happen here, I swear by grave of my late husband that nothing will happen here. You can’t scare me with that toy you are having in your hand.

Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter: (whispering to the mum) Mama it is not a toy gun and from the way am seeing this people, they might be dangerous and can harm us so please don’t do anything that will trigger anger in them.

Eno Bruwaa: Apuuuu you think am afraid of them erh, what have I gotten to lose if this thives end my life.

Charlie Pee: Old woman so you still have mouth to talk and even call us name erh? Abi you said you have nothing to lose so when you die and you meet you foolish husband in the land of the spirit tell him your stupid loud mouth bought you a ticket to that place. (pulls his locally manufactured pistol and aims at Eno Bruwaa then pulls the trigger)

Unknown Person: (seeing the action and acting fast throws his hand which hits Charlie Pee’s hand and it changed the direction of the gun) CP I told you to stand down so why did you fire, did I order you to do anything like that? Opana listen to me carefully, the life of your son is in great danger so please try and get him out from this town in less than 48hours hours from now or else don’t blame me for what happens to him. Now CP let’s move away from here before the police comes here. (they take to their heels)

From a long distance the blurring of a police siren is heard approaching the place they were standing and in no time a patrol team of police officers together with the new commander storms the place they were standing.

Commander: My boys and I heard a gunshot from afar and we were tracing it to find out where the gunshot came from.

Eno Bruwaa: Papa police it came from this very place and the gunshot was directed to me by that stupid idiot who said I was challenging him.

Commander: Oh really so where is the person who fired the gun at you and did the bullet hit anyone here?

Eno Bruwaa: They took to their heels after I miraculously escaped the bullet, they passed that way not long before you came here and they are the boys of this tyrant standing next to you papa police.

Opana: And who are you referring to as a tyrant? Did I tell you am having any boys or did you see me calling them in, woman respect yourself here and now!!!

Commander: Boys are you still standing there? Go after those hoodlums and apprehend them, I need not tell you to be alert and careful because they are armed as you already no. Leave no stone unturned and make sure you get them. Madam how many were they and can you identify them if you see them?

Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter: Officer please they were two and I can identify them anytime and day that I set my eyes on them. They nearly took my mother’s life away from her (starts crying)

Commander: Stop crying my dear, everything will be fine. I promise to get those people to book and justice will prevail, during my tenure as the new district commander of this place, I will cleanse this community with sanity and peace. No thief, hoodlum, land guard, drug peddler or fraudster will have it easy over here unless they relocate to a place which is not under my jurisdiction.

Lotto Agent: (comes out from his kiosk soaked with his own urine in his blue jeans trouser) So no one bothered to trace the direction the bullet went erh? If not with the mercies of God like I will be dead by now, like I won’t see the face of the baby my third wife is carrying. Papa police now that you are here I want you to take charge of the matter, here is the money involved and the lotto coupon in contention, I have closed for the day, they will explain their problem to you for you to professionally judge the matter, am not even interested in any share or cut in the money again. Please go with you palava and wahala…..

___

Commander: Ah this man so how do I judge something I know nothing about? All the same the police doesn’t settle such disputes but if I have been caught in such a dilemma I will entreat you people to follow me to my office or the chief’s palace.

Eno Bruwaa: I think going to the chief’s palace is the best place in this case. I wouldn’t like any partiality or injustice in this case.

Akua Yankey: Woman don’t be a greedy person because death lies next to greediness and in this world if you try to be too wise, you greet the goat good morning. You know this lotto coupon doesn’t belong to you but you want to take it by force.

Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter: Madam if you know how to give advice please channel it to you husband so he learns how to treat people well and not like animals. We came to redeem our money and the money is what we are going home with, nothing more nothing less.

Michael Ansah: You this lady any time you talk I feel like throwing up, your bad behaviour and attitude is the reason why your husband sacked you from his house. Instead of you to tell your mother to stop the foolish and imbecilic behaviour she putting up you are rather fuelling it. You can never ripe where you didn’t sow as long as God continues to rule the world.

Eno Bruwaa’s Daughter: See him too, if my husband sack me from his house is it your business? What difference does it make between the two of us, as grown as you are you are still living under your parent roof whiles your age mates are out there making good money and sending their parent money, instead of fighting for your own hard earned money you are here talking rubbish. Lazy man like you.

Michael Ansah: Am jobless but not a liar and thief like you and your mother, if it is about being an opportunist like you and your mother, I would be the richest person in this town. I don’t force myself to get what I haven’t worked for you wanna be slut, if you try to raise your voice against me again you will see what will happen here.

Eno Bruwaa: Nothing at all will happen here my friend, see my daughter is more than a man and if you try any nonsense I will instruct her to stand and fight you like a man. You think it is everyone that you can intimidate and go free, hw3 you have dialled the wrong number then.

Commander: Enough of this, you standing here and exchanging words will not yield any positive results. The old woman has seconded my idea of handling this case at the chief’s palace so let’s act matured and converge there so that we solve this problem once and for all. Mike I don’t want to hear any word from you again and young lady that also applies to you. Sergeant Awuah Baffour get down from the car and monitor the area together with the boys left, I don’t want you to come back to the station without those culprits. This community must get a siren atmosphere free from thievery and intimidation, madam please you can take a seat in the car so we all go to the chief’s palace to solve this issue together.

Eno Bruwaa, Opana and his wife took a seat at the back of the car whiles Kwaku Mike and Eno Bruwaa’s daughter went to the bucket of the Navara pickup car. In no time they got to the chief’s palace and fortunately for everyone the chief and his elders had just finished settling a land dispute for some people. The commander announced his reason for coming to the palace with the people he came with and immediately the chief asked for a narration to be made so that he and his elders will pass their judgement.

Opana: May you live and reign long your highness, I greet you my wise elders. As you all have known me to be a hard-working, peaceful and law abiding citizen of this town, that is how I have remained and I have done my best not to take what doesn’t belong to me. Your highness this woman standing opposite to me happens to be my tenant and I must confess she was a pain in the neck and everyone in my house can attest to it and wanted her out of the house. She was owing me a lot of money since she couldn’t afford to pay her rent, I cautioned her lot of times to pay my money but she refused so I got angry and pulled her roof off yesterday afternoon, by then I had gone to stake lotto with the last money on me and as I was in the demolishing exercise I was sweating so I took my handkerchief out from my pocket to wipe my face and that was when my lotto coupon fell from my pocket. I didn’t see it fell off and so I went back to my house when I was done, in the evening I got a call from the lotto agent that my numbers dropped and that I had won so I should come for my money the following day which happens to be today. Your highness after the call my wife asked me of the winning lotto coupon and that was when I realised that the coupon was not in my pocket, this afternoon I went to the lotto agent as expected of me to collect my money, he was about handing it over to me when he requested for my lotto coupon even though he knew I was the person he was to hand the money over to. Your highness honestly his question brought a could shiver down my spine, I lied to him that I forgot my lotto coupon but he insisted I brought the coupon first, from nowhere this woman and her daughter surfaced and started been sarcastic towards me. I ignored them and they handed over the coupon in their hand to the lotto agent, elders of our land the moment the lotto agent saw the coupon he told them that I was the owner of the coupon and that he did not even see the woman around his shop and even for her she doesn’t stake more than five cedis on the numbers she stake. This woman swore heaven and earth that she won’t release my winning lotto coupon to me unless she is dead, as we were litigating about the coupon the new commander and his boys came around and he brought us here since the lotto agent didn’t want anything to do with the problem again. Your highness this is my side of the story.

Chief: Very well then, my reliable elders I believe you listened to his narration carefully. Now it is the turn of the woman to give her side of the story, woman we are all ears.

Eno Bruwaa: (bows to greet the chief and elders before talking) The king Solomon of our time I greet you my lord, may you live long and may your reign be memorable like the life king David lived. My lord if I may ask when you go to your farm and you discover gold hidden in your farm what do you do to it? Will you hold a stick for the dog to bite you? Yes it is true that I was owing this man money as a form of rent, I was expecting money from someone who owing me but the money delayed. Yesterday for no reason and no prior notice this man came to my end and started pulling down my roofing sheet which covered my room, at first I thought he wanted to do maintance on my roof or even he wanted to change the roofing sheets since they were old but he told me point blank that he did that to eject me because the was no way that I could stay in a room without roof on my head. Honestly my lord, a poor widow like me I became sad and didn’t know what to do, my daughter here went to report the case at the police station which got him arrested but in some few minutes time after his arrest he was released because I know he paid for his release. God being so good and a good husband to the widow, He gifted me with this lotto paper at the centre of the room which roof was pulled off. As I checked the numbers on the lotto paper, it tallied with the winning number so I went to the only lotto agent in our town to redeem the money that was won and that was when this wicked man started to claim ownership of the paper which to me, am finding it difficult to understand, my lord you know very well that no one will close his or her mouth when honey is been poured into his or her mouth. This is the story of a poor widow my lord and wise elders.

Chief: My wise elders, you have heard from the woman also, papa commander do you have anything to say to us?

Commander: Hmmmm your highness, the matter before you and your elders is of

uncertain efficacy that we must treat with fairness and direct justice. In our law I will say the man even though it is his house, he entered the woman’s room unlawfully which is punishable in the law, secondly I don’t know if there is anything on the lotto coupon which shows that the lotto coupon belongs to the man personally because there is no name or signature on it for the man to claim ownership of it.

Eno Bruwaa: Thank you papa police for your wise counsel.

Commander: Am not done madam, on your part too in the law of this country when you come across anything that is not yours you have to send it to a place like the police station or the chief’s palace so an announcement is made for the owner to come for his or her thing.

Eno Bruwaa: Papa police what are you saying? So if it is gold or money I should send it away so that the chief and his people will share it or the police officers to also share it even though I saw it in my room, farm or by the road side.

Commander: That is where you are wrong madam, so what if what you saw was human parts, cocaine, heroine or even a gun, would you keep it and claim ownership of it?

Eno Bruwaa: Hell no!!! What will I be doing with those things? I would either throw it away or call the attention of people around.

Commander: Your highness this issue is in your able hands, the point I wanted to establish has been done and please madam next time don’t dare someone with a gun, knife, cutlass or deadly thing in his hand. You were lucky you survived today, tomorrow you might not be that lucky.

Chief: You have spoken well Mr commander, this are the honourable people the community need. I and my elders will like to do a little idea sharing on this matter before I pronounce my judgement on the matter so the parties involved should excuse as a bit but commander you can wait behind to help us decide on the matter.

Opana and his family together with Eno Bruwaa and her daughter goes out to stand in a shade as they await the final verdict from the chief and his elders. Mike’s phone rings and as he checked the number it was a private line calling so he excused himself to receive his call.

On Phone:

Caller: Hello is this Michael, I mean Michael Ansah?

Michael Ansah: Yes he is the one speaking may I know who is on the line?

Caller: (screaming on the phone) My goodness I can’t believe this, this is Julia, Juliana Ohenewaa Dotse. The troublesome girl back at the university, how are you doing? I miss you like crazy.

Michael Ansah: Am very fine and what about you?

Caller: Am okay, I have been searching for you for sometime now, i went to Facebook and searched for you, I sent you are friend request over eight months ago but I realised you were not active there and the numbers you are having there are not connecting when I call either. It was just recently that I got a friend request from someone and when I checked it was your friend so I accepted and chatting with him I got your number from him. So where are you now and what work are you doing?

Michael Ansah: (takes a deep breath) Yes its true since my Android phone got spoilt over eight months ago I have not been active on Facebook but I am back to the village with my parents after doing my national service in the city. Now getting yourself a job here in this country is difficult and if you don’t know anyone at the top then your story won’t ever be told or heard, am tired of going for interviews and distributing my CV and application letters.

Caller: Ooooh so bad, sorry to hear that but what are your plans now?

Michael Ansah: My plans for now is to work with a media house or establish my own media house together with my friend you spoke with but the problem is with the machines we need to do the job and money.

Caller:Is that so? Currently am at the train station trying to get somethings from a different state so I will call you when I get home. Get your budget or things you might need down so that when I call you later we can discuss the matter properly. I will be coming to Ghana soon so I want to put things in place well before I come over. We will talk later, bye bye

After the call Michael started doing the azonto dance without music been played. Some one came in to call everyone that the chief and his elders were now ready to pass their judgement

Who is the judgement going to favour?

To be continued

 

ALL EPISODES

7 Comments

  1. @onyeka and bface opana should lost d case to d woman.. and beside the beggar seriously warned him about been rude to his fellow human being.

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