Kulala Bodega did not need a prophet to tell him who was behind the ongoing carnage in the city as well as the assault on his image. He had woken in high spirits ready to take on the day as governor and defy Chief Timbabu but all it took to dampen his demeanor was what was airing on the news.
There was an ongoing protest, protesters carried placards with inscriptions that broke his heart; they accused him of not fulfilling the promises he made to them prior to getting elected, they accused him of stealing from the state and enriching his pockets, they also said he was hiding the state of the economy from them by not letting them know that the coffers of the state had been depleted and the oil wells were drying up.
As if that was not enough, there was footage of shops and businesses that had been vandalized and burned to the ground. There was chaos and everything seemed to be falling apart within days. He watched as a news reporter talked about the events and he just knew that the media had been employed to be used as a tool against him.
He knew exactly who it was that was behind the whole charade of using the media to make an attempt and destroying all he had worked for, it was no other than Chief Timbabu. He knew the chief wasn’t going to let him get away with defying him but he did not realise just how quickly he would swing into action and just how far he was willing to go, at least not where he was concerned.
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It took encouragement from his wife Awiti to muster the courage to face the day and do what had to be done. He had his breakfast on the insistence of his wife even though it tasted like cardboard before going out to meet his gut-stricken assistant Akachi. He was going to find a way around the chief’s manipulations.
Excerpt:
‘The delightful morning turned salty as Kulala Bodega entered his dining room for breakfast. The huge television screen was showing the scenes from his own state, which did not look too great. There was a protest outside the press club, and to his utter shock, the protesters lifted up signs against him. It was kind of surprising for everyone since governor Kulala Bodega was someone who was loved by the masses and he could not understand what made the public go berserk in the blink of an eye.
The headlines stated: Unrest in Lasegeria, can the governor satisfy the citizens?
What horrified Kulala Bodega to the bones was the news that a woman was shot dead in the protests and many shops were set on fire causing the situation of unrest to worsen. One of the girls giggled and was sshed by Bodega. He took the remote control and increased the volume, his eyes glued to the screen and his heart thumping hard and loud. He had worked so hard to maintain the peace in his city which was now at stake.
A reporter in a strange beige cap and a bored expression started reporting the situation in a monotonous tone annoying Kulala Bodega who was at the edge of his seat.
Police have made more than 36 arrests, while people across the state have protested and are showing their anger through social media platforms. Some shops have been burned down by the angry mob. The owners are afraid there could be more violence and looting. According to the analysts, the basic and the root cause of these protests are the promises made by the governor, which are not being fulfilled. The resources say that the half-empty treasury and quickly drying oil assets are unable to meet the needs of the state. The governor, Kulala Bodega is being blamed for keeping the citizens in dark and making false promises.
There was a brief pause, and then some flashes from the angry protesters were shown with people yelling things like; We want free and better education for our children which was promised. Where is the old people allowance? Kulala Bodega is another looter who keeps filling his own pockets only.
The police say that security has been tightened around the businesses. It is also suggested that the telecom and the internet should be shut down in the area for the time being until the situation is under control. No word from the governor yet. Is he really hiding from the truth?
It is reported to be the biggest protest in recent years causing a disturbance in the entire state. Let’s hope the problems of the citizens are sorted soon.
With cameraman Cameron Zuzu, This is Haroon Mostafa from XP news signing out.
Kulala Bodega bit his lip and turned the television off. Who could spread this news? Well, he knew who could have done this to destroy him, but the blow came so fast that it almost had him. Awiti tried passing him the plate to eat which he ignored, lost in the train of his thoughts. She studied her husband for a moment knowing how hard it must have been for him to see everything he worked for shatter down in front of his eyes. She gestured the maid to take their daughters away before she turned to Kulala Bodega.
“Boda? My lief?” She moved closer and cupped his face into her palms. For a moment, his body became rigid before he sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead on her chest. She stood there and let him breathe her warmth in.
“Everything is falling apart.” His voice trembled. “Everything I worked so hard for. The dreams I had for this country, our state, they all are being burned down like those shops.”
“Shhh, it is alright, sweetheart!” Awiti tried to calm him even when her own heart sank, thinking about what was coming next. “You are the smartest and the bravest man I have ever met. You have got this, babe” She kissed his hair.
“You are a blessing.” Bodega kissed her hand. “With you by my side, I can conquer the world and slay every dragon that comes my way.” Awiti laughed, and the sound of it vibrated through Bodega’s body. The people were right when they said; there was always a woman behind every successful man. She was the reason he knew he could achieve everything he ever dreamed of.
“Eat your breakfast; you need your energy to slay the dragons.” Awiti smiled ruefully.
“I need to rush to the office.” Bodega tried to stand up, but Awiti didn’t let him.
“You are not leaving this house until you have eaten at least one toast and your coffee. That’s an order.” She giggled at the last sentence, and Bodega knew he had to eat.
The toast tasted like cardboard, and the coffee tasted like piss, but he had no choice but to finish his breakfast. It was going to be a stressful day ahead.
This beautiful woman with a mesmerizing voice was the earning of his lifetime, and there was no way he was giving up fighting to give her the best life. He knew he had to go out there and stand up for what is right. If he knelt down in front of people like Timbabu, his people, his country would suffer forever. He had to be the hero his family thought him to be.
“Shall I go now, Awi?” He looked at her radiant face.
“Ja, my lief,” she softly called him in her melodious voice, and kissed his forehead and smiled.
“Everything will be alright.” He assured her, or maybe himself.
“Ja, I know that. Go get them, tiger.” She smiled, and Bodega felt a burden lifting off his chest. She trusted him with her life, and he had to protect her at any cost.
His PA was on his heels as soon as he stepped out of the dining room, his face drained of color.
“Good morning, Akachi.” Kulala Bodega smiled at him, getting a look from him as if someone had drenched him with cold water.
“Urm, good morning, sir!” Akachi gulped. “Have you gotten a chance to watch the news yet?”
“Yes, Akachi. I have seen it all. Let’s go make it right.” Kulala Bodega smiled and hopped in the car, leaving the very shocked Akachi behind. It was going to be quite an eventful day.’
