BELLA'S MEMOIRS (ENTRY #24)

OKECHUKWU IS ARRESTED?

I had just returned home after my interrogation and I was trying to explain my decision to protect Okechukwu to my father and grandmother.

My Daddy: Bella do you know more about this murder attempt than you have shared with us?

Me: Of course not!

My Daddy: Then why in the world are you trying to throw the police off their trail by providing them with suspects. If they suspect Okechukwu let them do the job they are paid to do and find out if he is guilty or not!

Me: Daddy Okechukwu is not guilty. I know he is not and if the police cannot solve this crime they will find a way to pin it on him and I cannot allow that to happen. His only crime here is loving me.

My Daddy: Is that your definition of love? Someone who walked out on you because you refused to abandon your family?

Me: No! Someone who tried to find a solution to the problem my family put me in the first place!

My Daddy: If you had come to me immediately Yinka started threatening you I would never have allowed things get out of control.

Me: Right! Daddy be honest if I had come to you what would you have done? Knowing that confronting Yinka or his dad would have instantly cost you the elections.

My Daddy: I would have done what was best for everyone.

Me: And what exactly would that have been? Kill Yinka?

The Duchess: Silence you two! Once again this family has been threatened and you are here tearing yourselves apart when we should be trying to find out who the real enemy is.

My Daddy: That Okechukwu boy is a problem Mother. He has always been and I have lived in constant fear that he would cause us a lot of trouble.

The Duchess: Okechukwu might be trouble quite alright but he has guts which unfortunately you do not have otherwise we would not be here.

My Daddy: What do you mean by that Mother?

The Duchess: Oh please Adetokunboh if you were more of a man do you think Yinka would have dared try this with your child?

My Daddy: I don’t understand Mother.

The Duchess: I am beginning to have mixed feelings about your political ambitions. As much as I want to see you excel I fear you do not have the guts to remain in power. You are always on the fence trying not to ruffle feathers. Do you think anyone could have tried this with you knowing you were my son?

My Daddy: There is a difference between fear and respect. People fear you but respect me.

The Duchess laughed

The Duchess: Your naivety is amusing to me. There is only one emotion by which you can control people and that is fear…remember that when you have a whole state to govern.

My Daddy: Unlike you I have a heart and I know how to treat people like human beings and not puppets!

We heard a loud voice from the back of the room

“Apologize to your mother at once”!

We all turned around. It was my grandfather I hadn’t seen him in months. He had been out of the country ever since his separation from The Duchess.

My Daddy: Hello Dad. I didn’t know you were in town.

My Grandfather: I won’t have missed Bella’s wedding for the world even though I hear it’s been postponed indefinitely.

My dad and I went over to hug him. The Duchess remained frozen on the spot, it was obvious she was surprised to see him and unsure of how to react. My grandfather walked over to her side.

My Grandfather: Hello Adenike. You look well.

The Duchess: Hello

She was very cold and I couldn’t blame her. My grandfather’s request for a separation and sudden disappearance had been very difficult for her.

My Grandfather: I heard about the attempt on the vice president’s son and knowing this family I knew there was more to the story. Can someone please tell me what is going on?

My dad quickly brought my grandfather up to speed on all that had been happening and he seemed truly intrigued.

My Grandfather: This is a really complicated situation. We must be careful not to reveal that any member of this family had motive to want the young man dead. We have to….

The Duchess cut him off

The Duchess: I have been trying to listen to you but all I keep hearing is “we”. Who or what is “we”? If you cared about this family you would have been here all along, not disappearing and then showing up now that we have a huge mess on our hands.

My Grandfather: I see my absence hasn’t changed anything around here. I stayed away because I needed to rid myself of the toxins that you have deposited in me all these decades making me feel like less of a man than I am because you want to be in control of every situation. Well that is over now you can no longer emasculate me and I won’t let you do so to my son.

The Duchess: There is no point in even trying, he is already turning out to be just like you.

My Grandfather: Enough! I will not tolerate you talking back at me. That era has ended you hear me? Now keep your mouth shut until I ask you to speak.

The Duchess’s eyes were opened so wide they looked like saucers. She was obviously shocked at the outburst. I saw my dad try to suppress a smile and I didn’t blame him. It was nice for people to occasionally remind The Duchess that she wasn’t a demi god.

My Grandfather: Now Bella tell us exactly what you told the police when they presented Okechukwu as the prime suspect so we can know what we are dealing with here.

Me: I told them that I knew who could have done it. They asked who and I told them that a few months to the wedding I had discovered that Yinka had a mistress. I also mentioned to them that she was present at the pre-wedding dinner and might have been slighted that Yinka chose me over her.

My Grandfather: Ok so there are two suspects in the case now.

“Not exactly” The Duchess and I said in unison.

Me: There would be a third suspect to the police right now.

My Daddy: Who?

Me: Me. My discovery of the affair also gives me motive. If the police also discover that Toni is pregnant she would obviously pass the child off as Yinka’s which would give me an even stronger motive because there is no way Toni would have tried to kill Yinka when she was not only carrying his child but when she is also fully aware that his death would leave her out in the cold with nothing.

My Daddy: If you knew this would make things worse for you. Why in the world did you say anything?

Me: Because Okechukwu did not do it.

My Grandfather: This Okechukwu, where is he I need to speak with him.

Me: I don’t know I haven’t seen or heard from him since that night. I only found out he was in town from the police.

My stepmom rushed into the room. She looked worried.

Ms. A.: TK, Linda just called me Okechukwu has been arrested by the police for the attempt on Yinka’s life.

Me: On what grounds.

My Daddy: They can’t arrest him without evidence. What evidence do they have?

Ms. A: I don’t have the details, Linda just called me she was on her way to the airport with her husband. Apparently he was flown straight to Abuja after his arrest.

My Daddy: What police station in Abuja? We need to start making calls.

The Duchess: He is not at any police station, he is in a secure location.

My Grandfather: It’s a criminal case at worst he would be detained until bail is posted.

The Duchess: It is not a criminal case it is a personal case for the Vice President. The police must resolve it and fast too, otherwise it turns into a circus and makes the entire police force and even the presidency look weak. This would be wrapped up in a few hours but we have to prepare to distant Bella from it all.

Me: What do you mean wrapped up? Like they would kill him?

The Duchess: Not necessarily. Wherever the young man is right now they are forcing a confession out of him and if he gives in there would be nothing anyone would be able to do for him.

I instantly burst into tears as images of Okechukwu being tortured began to flood my mind.

Ms. A.: TK I know you don’t think very highly of Okechukwu but please we have to help him. He is in this situation because of Bella and because of us. Bella loves him and he is my best friend’s brother in law. If this family would ever consider one act of kindness this should be it.

My dad looked at The Duchess as though seeking her consent to help Okechukwu. She looked away obviously also confused about the entire situation. My Grandfather spoke.

My Grandfather: How are we sure the boy is innocent. If we get our hands dirty and he turns out guilty we would have declared a war with the presidency. Can we really afford that at this point?

Me: He didn’t do it! Can’t you see he is being set up to take the fall! I gave them a second suspect and they are not looking into it because they have already found the scapegoat they need.

I screamed at my grandfather.

Me: I regret being born into this family. Everyone that comes in contact with this family gets ruined! Look what you all did to my mother she died miserable now you are doing the same to me. If Okechukwu dies I am going to cut you off every single one of you!

I fell to the ground in tears. My stepmom rushed to my side trying to console me.

My Daddy: Dad I know it is risky but we have to try for the sake of the boy and for Bella’s sake. Anjola is right for once we have to risk getting our hands dirty to do the right thing.

The Duchess: I guess it was never in the stars for an Ayo-Kessington to govern this state. Adetokunboh getting involved in this case would cost you the election.

Ms. A.: Doing the right thing here would make would make my husband a hero and people would love him for that and vote for him.

The Duchess: Elections are not won at the polls my dear. It’s good to see that some of you still believe in a world where justice is always served and people get only what they deserve. I on the other hand believe in the world where you have to create your own reality, control your own destiny and make the sacrifices necessary. You all want the medal but you don’t want to get in the ring and fight. It doesn’t work that way.

I was disgusted that despite all that had happened The Duchess still hadn’t learned that there was more to life than power and wealth.

Me: Grandma I am shocked at your response to this matter. A couple of months ago when I told you about my problem, you told me you would help because you had realized that there was more to life than money and power. You said happiness was important. Well Okechukwu is my happiness and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get him out of the mess we have put him in even if I have to do it on my own.

The Duchess: I am only trying to put things in perspective here Bella. Your infatuation with this boy is costing a lifelong family dream.

Me: So a young man’s life should be cut short just so an Ayo – Kessington can live in the state house.

The Duchess: And eventually Aso Rock.

Me: You disgust me!

The Duchess: Yet you run to me whenever you have a problem. I am not jaded about this situation Bella. I offered to help when I figured there was a way to keep you from marrying Yinka and still get your father into the state house and even then I told you being with Okechukwu was not in the cards for you but now that it is looking like we have to choose one I would do what no other person in the room is willing to do and tell you which one is more important to me and that is winning the governorship election next week.

My Daddy: Mother! If the boy is innocent we must help him.

The Duchess: Anjola and Bella, incase you haven’t noticed Ayo – Kessington men are incapable of making hard choices so I often have to make it for them. If you intend for your husband and father to win this election you will advise him to stay away from this case until after the elections. Do you honestly believe that the Vice President would continue to endorse him once he tries to defend the accused person in his son’s attempted murder case?

My Daddy: If we wait till after the elections it would be too late and you know it. This is my decision mother and I decide to help this young boy. I am not doing it for him, I am doing it for my child and also to ensure that the real culprit does not go scot free. You may consider me to be weak but this one time, I won’t let you control me.

The Duchess: Very well then. Count me out I have no plans to get entangled in the trap you are about to walk into. The media is going to go into a frenzy, I can imagine the headlines: Prime Suspect in VP’s son’s attempted murder case – ex lover of VP’s son’s fiancée. Some would read Lagos Gubernatorial Candidate and VP’s son’s proposed father in law defends prime suspect in attempted murder case.

That was it! A bright idea hit me.

Me: I have an idea. We can spin the story, use the media to manipulate the situation.

My Grandfather: How?

Me: We splash it all over the media that way they won’t be able to harm Okechukwu and they would have to follow due process. A proper trial would have to hold. Right now the investigation is confidential people don’t know what’s going on. The more media attention this gets the more protection and time we buy for Okechukwu.

My Daddy: That makes sense. We have to blow the case open and get the whole world following it, so Okechukwu cannot be harmed or disappear mysteriously.

The Duchess: You can get him a trial with this plan but you know what the verdict would be don’t you?

Me: Yes but we are not doing this to get him acquainted in court, we are doing this to buy time.

My Grandfather: Buy time for what?

The Duchess and I spoke in unison for the second time that day

“Time for us to find the real culprit”

What do you know…The Duchess and I had a lot in common after all!