THE BESTSELLER (1)

#Episode_One

"Why do you think your novel received so much accolades, and the story was this huge a success? I hear you were even nominated for numerous international awards this year." Asked a reporter, on the red-carpet of the Kwararafa Union Awards, taking place at the luxurious Jukun Hall in Dampar. 

It was an annual event which is aimed to honor the illustrious sons and daughters of the area, who're outstanding in their various areas of specialization. 

Tonight, it was all about #Wama, the prolofic author of the bestselling novel titled, "To Be The Best".

"I think the honesty, clarity, and relatability of the story resonates with our realities of today. That's why the book got this much acceptance all over the world." Wama replied, as she smilingly obliged a photographer's plea to pose for a red-carpet shot. 

Inside the hall, DJ Nelly was killing it big time. Dignitaries, celebrities and other invited guests were nodding to the rhythm of the razzmatazz. 

Wama had written a book about #Wabuji, a rape survivor. She honestly never knew the book was going to go places like this. Over ten million copies sold globally, and she has made well over #500m Naira in just two years. 

In the novel, Wabuji was the casualty of several acts of sexual abuse. She was abused by uncles she trusted as a child, she was molested by her school mates in her teenage years, boys who felt that her developing breasts were a sign of sexual activity, and an invitation to abuse. 

Every man she came across, wanted sex in return for whatever favor she asked for. She began to assume that she was ultimately created to be a sex object for men's utmost satisfaction. But deep in her heart were scars that didn't heal. Eventhough she graduated top of her class, she never found the heart to honestly love any man again. So she made up her mind to never get married, as any form of intimacy with men bring back memories she would pay any amount to forget. 

Wama didn't have to attend this event, as her novel drew the attention of an international Women's Right group which flew its officials into the country just to meet with her. They wanted to make her the African Ambassador for the NGO. But she had a huge announcement to make tonight. And her life was never going to remain the same again after that. 

.........................................................

The night was long gone, awards were received, guest artists performed, the whole place was a flurry of excitement and enjoyment, but Wama was swallowed in thoughts of what she was about to do. She was too deep in her thoughts that she didn't even hear the announcement that she had just won herself another award. A nudge from someone beside her, knocked her back to her senses. 

She stood up, waved at the cheering crowd as she mounted the stage, smiling like a professional air hostess. 

"Thank you, thank you very much." She said, acknowledging the claps and cheers from the crowd. 

"I want to thank my late parents for teaching me how to read and write, without their educational discipline, this wouldn't have been possible. I would also like to thank my publishers who didn't argue with me throughout the editing stage, because I had wanted the story to feel original and real. But most importantly, I would like to thank the Governor for inspiring the story behind Wabuji." Everybody there thought she just wanted to get noticed by the Governor, that's what all the recipients did before her. So most of them didn't pay any attention. 

She took a deep breath... and then started talking. Suddenly, her face changed, her hands trembled, and her voice became shaky. 

"Seventeen years ago, I was a student of the Jubilee University, here in Dampar. Prof. #Adda was my project supervisor. This was, of course, before he joined politics and later became the Governor of Kwararafa State." The Governor almost swallowed his tumbler when he finally recognized the lady on the podium. 😲😲

"I had always looked up to him like a father. His wife, who's now the first lady, was in my class. We were like sisters, and I treated them as my family. Until Mr. Adda, sorry, Gov. Adda started making sexual advances toward me. Of course, I didn't want to ruin his marriage, so I didn't tell his wife, my friend." Wama continued. She's calmer now. 

"On the 30th of May, 1998. I went to submit my Chapter Four in his office, and he looked pale and sick. I asked if he was okay, he said he had a fever, and pleaded that I fetched his wife immediately. I ran around  but couldn't find her, so I went back to his office and found him on the carpet."

"Can you drive?" He asked me. I did know how to drive, I learned on my Ex's Honda Prelude. 

"Yes sir." Was my innocent reply. He handed me his Mercedes-Benz 200-Regular car key, and asked me to take him home. I couldn't find the Reverse-Gear, so he placed his hand on mine pulled on the gear lever up, and shifted it forward. I took him home."

That was where everything happened, as we got through the front door, he just jumped me from behind. Ripped my dress, and told me to stop resisting. He said I always stared at him with "fuck me" eyes, and today was the day. God, I shouted, screamed and kicked. But as you can see, he is a heavy man. I got tired and just laid there. My foot was bloodied because I hit the table while struggling to fight him off. I bit his arm and he slapped me accross the face, my nose was bleeding also."

At this juncture, the organizers we're trying to kill the microphone. But before they could do that, she added, "I am the Wabuji in my novel, and I want the world to know that every lady has a rape story, but are just too insecure to talk about it. Because we come from a society that would vilify the victims and celebrate the villian. But I must tell my story." She got cut off, but she had just exposed one of her numerous abusers. Or so she thought. 

As she left the stage and the building, almost all the cameras went with her. Nobody even noticed that she had dropped her award as she dashed out of the hall. 

Back in the government house, the first lady was boiling as she watched on events unfold on KTV, and already calling all the security heads to ensure this cheap blackmailer goes straight to jail. "I can't believe Wama will do this to me." She thought, while staring at all the cameras now focused on the Governor. 

"Get my chief press secretary, we need to officially deny this nonsense, else my senatorial ambition would sink before it leaves the shore.", Gov. Adda told his ADC. 

Deep in his mind, he knew that only one person knew and heard what had happened that day... his security guard. He needs to find the old man before Wama does. What he didn't know was that Wama had already moved the man and his family to a better accommodation since he retired from service, got his daughter a job with Bank of the North, and one of his sons is now her driver. 

NB: TO BE CONTINUED

#FICTION

©JBZ_2020

Photo_Credit - Chika Onuu