It was past noon now, and Kayode couldn’t help but worry about his fiancée. It was quite unusual she hadn’t texted or called. The norm was a text informing him she was at work, then a phone call much later during her lunch break for a chat. Kayode dialled her phones but could not get through after several attempts. After his lunch break, he resumed work suspicious something just wasn’t right. He tried to conclude a few reports on excel sheets, and reply a few emails but he could not focus on the job at hand. After punching in a few figures, he would pick his phone and dial Halima’s numbers again. He repeated this exercise every other minute but it was the same result. Each time he gazed at his timepiece, anxiety gripped him. When he finally looked up, the wall clock read half past 2 p.m. Kayode couldn’t take it anymore, so he reached for his phone and decided to call Halima’s colleagues at work. None of them knew her whereabouts and they all seemed not to have seen her at the office all day!
Kayode started to sweat profusely as he called more colleagues of Halima at work that had not seen her all day. He called his own family and Halima’s family, but they also had no clue. He started cogitating on who else he could call. He had run out of ideas or should I say people and was left with no other option but her old friends back in her university days. The same ones he had demanded she completely stayed away from because he felt they were a bad influence. Kayode was one desperate dude, and needed answers fast. He swallowed his pride and called the outlaws; each one of them in a very courteous manner. They all had no clue of her whereabouts like all others he had called earlier. Kayode left the office premises without saying a word and drove straight to the Police station to report his fiancée’s disappearance. By now, the whole network of friends and families of both Kayode and Halima had put her picture up on all social media to raise awareness of her vanishing. Everyone got talking from Lagos to London as friends of the couple tried to comprehend what could have happened. But no one had any idea what transpired from the point Halima stepped out of Kayode’s residence around 6:30am to that moment.
It was past 6pm now so Kayode put in a few more calls including his uncle, a retired Police officer who in turn called the Inspector General of police. After a lengthy chat over the phone and lots of questions directed at Kayode who was already getting irritated by the countless questions, the IG immediately made a few calls to DPOs of stations briefing them about the whole incident. He also issued orders on the deployment of officers and all other logistics in strategic areas to conduct a thorough search for Halima. Kayode was kind enough to let the police know she didn’t take her car out that day which was also quite strange. Kayode received a call from the IG around 8pm assuring him of the safe return of Halima back home as his best men were behind the search. It didn’t make Kayode less anxious, he was thinking of all possible predicaments that could have befallen his bride to be.
If this was a joke, it was not funny anymore for Kayode. This was the worst Saturday of his entire life and that wasn’t up for discussion. He and his entire family had retired at Halima’s mother’s house anticipating hearing some encouraging news from the police. It was now officially over 24 hours since Halima was declared missing. Kayode’s mum sat beside her distraught son occasionally patting him on the back complementing that with some encouraging words from the scriptures. Halima’s family on the other hand was remarkably upbeat though. They repeatedly affirmed their trust in the ability of the police to unravel the mystery and ensure their daughter’s safe return home. ‘I have not in any way killed anyone’s child, so it is not my portion to bury my child. She will come back home in sha Allah’, she said as she raised her hands up in supplication to a supreme being up there. Her gold rings could not hide her ashy knuckles though, but Kayode’s mum ensured she reminded her son to be as positive as his in-laws.
It was past 10 p.m. now and every time a phone rang, almost everyone was expecting it would be the IG or even news that Halima was safe and heading home. This time it was Halima’s mum’s phone. Hadiza, Halima’s younger sibling handed the phone to her mother. “It is Uncle Abdulsalami”. Kayode met him years ago. Back when Halima was still studying at university. He was their uncle who was quite generous and always at their family functions. A retired military officer, Halima had told stories of his generosity and how he had played their father's role after their dad had disappeared leaving their mum with 2 kids to cater for all alone. It was General Abdulsalami that sponsored Hadiza’s masters programme in the United States. He also bought shops all over Lagos for their mum, not to mention the state of the art unisex salon Halima had set up on the Island to officially open after her honeymoon because she planned to resign after marriage.
Halima’s mum’s conversation with Uncle Abdulsalami was monosyllabic. Eventually she handed the phone to Kayode as the General had requested to speak with him. He reassured Kayode all was well and that he is confident his good friend; the IG of police had everything under control because he has got an impressive track record in similar cases. He apologized for not being there because he had issues to attend to in the United States. What a great lad Kayode thought to himself.
Sunday night came and Sandra, Kayode’s mum was with her son upstairs in his rented apartment. She was getting worried and rightly so. Her son had refused to eat or drink anything all day. He refused to even speak to anyone too. Suddenly they heard Tonia, Kayode’s cousin scuttle up the stairs, yelling “She’s here! She’s here!” Tonia was ecstatic but Kayode didn’t believe a word of it until he dashed downstairs like a mad man to confirm if truly it was his sweetheart. He hugged and squeezed her, then lifted her off the ground before he spun around eventually bursting into tears uncontrollably. Halima joined in the act which provoked teary eyes across all those that stood in awe of 'true love'. While Halima narrated the horrid tale of her kidnap to the police, her fiancé put his left arm across his woman’s shoulders while his right hand held on tight to Halima’s as both rested on her thighs. Mr. “lover man” was just glad to have his woman back, while Halima’s mum kept praising 'the benevolent and merciful'.
The wedding ceremony came and there I was with an old friend from high school listening to Kayode give the vote of thanks. We had not seen each other in over a decade, but thanks to Kayode’s wedding, we were reunited again. General Abdulsalami, 'father of the day' was back from the United States just in time to attend the best day of his niece’s life. While I was sharing a bottle of wine with my friend, he decided to share a tale with me. He drew nearer and started conversing in a hushed tone. It was a stunning revelation. He claimed he was in Dubai the day Halima was adjudged to have gone missing. There he alleged he saw General Abdulsalami with Halima cuddling and kissing at the lobby of the Burj Al Arab. I would have slapped the story right out of his mouth before he started but I was set aback because I knew he had not seen the General before, neither did he know Halima that well, so linking them together was quite strange. He did not even know Halima went missing so he must be telling the truth, right?
I couldn’t help but stare at Halima’s mother who looked overjoyed at her daughter’s wedding, dancing her ostentatious self away. She must have known about Halima’s ploy all along I thought to myself. I shook my head repeatedly. I looked at the poor love struck Kayode who might never get the truth behind his wife’s disappearance that fateful day. You can judge my friend and I for all I care but there is no way in hell this dirty little secret of ours will leave this table. We do not want palaver like Fela; we will just be merry and celebrate with the latest couple in town. Conjugal bliss!!!!!!!
