UNYIELDING SCENARIOS !

My name is Adetokunboh Ayo-Kessington, Governor-Elect of Lagos State. Over the last 48 hours, news about some of my past business dealings have come to light and there have been speculations as to whether the news were unfounded rumors or indeed fact. I would like to formally end the speculations by validating the news and admitting their authenticity.

Whilst I am not proud of all the decisions I have made in my 20 years as a Financial expert and Advisor, I feel the need to emphasize that I have made amends to all the innocent individuals who suffered financial losses as a result of my reckless decisions, I am still making amends and would continue to do so until every dime lost is returned to these individuals.

I do not take for granted that my actions have caused the good people of Lagos State who voted for me a lot of discomfort and lack of  faith in my mandate. I sincerely apologize and would like to state that this incidence in my past would never repeat itself again as I would uphold my office with the integrity, commitment and openness it requires.

I would like to use this opportunity to once again thank you, the good people of Lagos state for giving me the opportunity to serve you. God bless Lagos State, God bless Nigeria.

Dapo Smith: That was perfect.

Dapo Smith, Okechukwu’s business partner said as he ended the video he had been recording on his phone.

Dapo Smith: Now we just have to post this video on YouTube and send the link to a few blogs. I have people on standby waiting to make it go viral. We have a hashtag and all.

The Duchess: What’s a hashtag?

Dapo and I smiled at each other and just ignored the question. This was not the time to give my grandmother a lecture on social media. We all gathered around Dapo as he uploaded the video on YouTube and sent out the link to some of his contacts who were social media influencers.

Dapo Smith: It’s done.

My Daddy: So what next?

The Duchess: We wait.

I was with The Duchess, My dad, Dapo and my stepmom as we waited just as The Duchess had instructed. The Duchess’s phone rang about half an hour later and she smiled in victory.

The Duchess: It’s the Vice President.

She accepted the call and put the phone on speaker.

The Duchess: Good evening Your Excellency.

Vice President: Adenike, I can see you are determined to ruin your family in the name of fighting me. That was a rather idiotic act on the path of your son. I won’t bother calling him, because it has you written all over it.

The Duchess: You know we can put an end to this. Just release the young man in your custody and let’s put all this drama to rest.

Vice President: What do you take me for Adenike? If I do that you win on all counts and I get nothing. Your son still gets to be Governor because I am sure you had a plan before you allowed him to go public with his confession.Yinka doesn’t marry your granddaughter which by now you know was also my strategy to cement the two families forever and ensure you don’t flip on me. So really this young man is the only leverage I have over you, why would I give that up?

The Duchess: You underestimate my desperation sir, I made your family. If not for me your father would have died a broke lawyer! I funded all the business ventures that put your family in the spotlight and paid for the foreign degree and connections that landed you in power. If not for me you won’t be where you are and you know it. If you expose me, I will expose you too and we will all go down. Release Okechukwu and let’s end this.

Vice President: I do not respond very well to threats as you know by now. Goodbye Adenike.

With that he hung up on The Duchess.

Ms A.: The plan is not working and TK has confessed, what we are going to do now?

The irritation on The Duchess’s face was evident yet she remained quiet. My father’s phone rang.

The Duchess: Who is it?

My Daddy: I don’t know. The number looks strange though.

The Duchess: Take it. It could be from your party.

My Dad received the call and remained quiet for most of it. After he hung up he said to us,

My Daddy: I have been summoned to see the President.

The Duchess: Did they tell you why?

My Daddy: The president would like to discuss my political future.

The Duchess: Good! The plan is working. Your public statement has gotten you an audience with the President. I am coming with you.

Me: Me too!

My Daddy: Mother stop it! I cannot turn up to see the President with my mother in too.

The Duchess: Can you handle this on your own son?

My Daddy: Yes I can mother! Now tell me what to do!

The Duchess: You are to tell the President everything! Do not hide anything from him. Expose the Vice President completely and play the recording for him. We need to show him the potential damage all of this could do to his party and explain why you did this. The Vice President left you no choice. Tell him Okechukwu’s brother belongs to the opposition and they are planning to launch a media attack on the presidency for the illegal detention of Okechukwu because they also have the confession. He needs to act or the opposition will and the only way out is to release Okechukwu and end the matter ok?

My Dad nodded.

Me: I don’t understand, so the Vice President gets away with all that he has done?

The Duchess: Bella what are the options here? We certainly cannot expect the President to have the Vice President arrested or impeached over this can we? The damage to the party would be extreme not to talk of the pressure on this family. We would have to testify in court, we would lose friends, and business associates…it’s not worth it. You asked for Okechukwu’s release and I would ensure you get what you want but every other thing is not our concern.

Me: Unbelievable!

My Daddy: Your grandmother is right Bella. Let’s end this madness, get Okechukwu home and forget this all happened. The Vice President will get what he deserves someday.

My dad went to Abuja unaccompanied at his insistence.

The Duchess, my stepmom and I were waiting rather impatiently to hear from him.

The Duchess: I can’t believe I was so stupid. What if it was a trap? What if it was the Vice President who actually lured my son out here?

Me: I don’t think it was a trap grandma and really what were our options? We can only hope the plan works out there was no other way out of this.

The Duchess: This is all my fault. I never should have let the blackmail I have been enduring for almost five decades spread to my children and grandchildren. That was so irresponsible of me, now so much is at stake and it’s all my fault!

Me: Grandma, we have to stay positive. The thought of losing my father and the man I love in all this scares me too but I have to just hope that it all works out as planned.

My stepmom remained absolutely quiet.

Two hours later, The Duchess had fallen asleep on the sofa, my stepmom was still staring into space and I was distracting myself by following the comments of my dad’s confession on social media. So far I couldn’t tell if more people were for or against him. The arguments were getting pretty heated and I knew it would not fizzle out except there was a bigger scandal to overshadow it.

My stepmom’s phone rang and she jumped to her feet. The Duchess was startled out of her sleep that she almost fell out of her chair. In my own shock, my phone went crashing to the floor.

The Duchess: Who is it Anjola?

Ms. A: It’s TK.

The Duchess tried to snatch the phone out of my stepmom’s grasp but she held on to the phone tightly.

Ms. A: Hello baby. How are you?

The Duchess: Put the phone on speaker!

The Duchess hissed at her. She did as she was told.

My Daddy: I am fine.

The Duchess: What happened? What did the President say?

Me: What about Okechukwu?

My Daddy: One person at a time please! The president is not happy about all that he was told. As for the Vice President, he said he would handle that personally and so I am not sure what his decision would be. As for my candidacy, there is to be an emergency party meeting this evening to determine if the party would ask me to step down or not. So I have to wait here for that. I have no way of determining when I would be coming home for now.

Me: Dad what about Okechukwu’s release? What did he say about that?

My Daddy: Bella, the President ordered Okechukwu’s immediate release.

I screamed for joy!

Ms. A: Thank God!

Me: So has he been released now?

My Daddy: I have some bad news Bella. When they arrived at the cell where he was being held, he wasn’t there.

Me: What do you mean they couldn’t find him!

My Daddy: They are saying he bribed the guards and escaped because some of the guards have also absconded.

Me: That is not possible! How could he have bribed the guards from detention? Someone kidnapped him and made it look like he escaped.

My Daddy: Bella, Okechukwu has resources. He could have gotten the funds from his brother or friends.

Me: No he didn’t! Okechukwu was granted only one phone call from detention and he called me! Someone has him and we have to find out who!