Episode 6
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
For more than one year, Bamu was roaming street aimlessly. He went out at will, return at will and did everything he desired at will without anybody questioning him.
Similarly, Aweda, his father, though happy about the development, resigned to fate because of the state of his health. He was hypertensive patient.
Unfortunately, not even Aduke, Bar mother who encouraged him in his bad acts could
control him any longer.
Bamu became a terror to the entire
community and became a regular caller at police station because people daily reported there for one misdemeanuor or the other.
Along the line, Bamu met a young called Wade and they became friends. Wade a school dropout and was into different kind
of dirty deals. He would always come from Lagos to pass weekends in the town.
Wade specialised in Internet scam. He had, through his dirty deals defrauded many innocent foreigners of their valuables. Therefore, he was very rich as he owned different type of cars and also spent money lavishly.
Bamu was impressed by his kind of life style and each time he asked Wade about what he was doing for a living, Wade told him that he was a businessman. Although Wade wanted to Open Up to Bamu about his kind of business because of their closeness, yet he was careful because he ‘would not want to mess things up for himself. Therefore, for months, he did not open up to Bamu.
One day, after being particularly satisfied with Bamu, Wade told him that he was into
lnternet fraud. At first, Bamu did not understand and asked what he meant by that. Wade explained that he was a ‘Yahoo-Yahoo boy’.
Bamu was surprised and felt very happy because he had been hearing about Yahoo-Yahoo boys' and had longed to become one because of the huge money he heard they made, Unfortunately, he did not know how to go about it.
At that juncture. he asked Wade many questions about the business which he willingly explained to him. After much discussion, Wade agreed to take him to Lagos where he would be able to learn more about Internet scamming.
At Lagos, Bamu soon became an expert in Internet scamming and was popular among his colleagues. Many expressed surprise that he caught on so quickly. In less than four months Bamu was able to realise'a large sum of money with which he bought a very expensive car and also got himself a well-furnished accommodation in Lagos. Many envied him and as such moved closer to him to learn new tricks from him.
Then, Bamu believed that he had arrived and that none of his mates would be able to measure up to him. Gradually, he began to drink and also smoke cigarettes. At a point, he met other youths that were more sophisticated and they introduced him to cocaine. At that stage, Bamu became very wild.
One day, he decided to visit his parents and also oppress his former schoolmates. He went in the latest car model which he just bought. It was very expensive and elegant. His mother was very happy to see him. She was thrilled by the kind of car he bought and reacted, 'Bamu my son, are you the owner of this beautiful car?
'Yes Mummy, i just got it. Do you like it?’
My son, this is serious. I’m happy that within a short period, you’re successful. In fact, I feel very great and indeed a proud mother of a great son.‘ Bamu laughed and felt great also.
‘My son,‘ Aduke continued, 'let’s thank
God that you left schooling on time. At first, people thought you were a failure but now, they can see that you are indeed the winner. Imagine, all your mates are still in school wasting their time. After all when they finish they won't get work to do. In fact, you have to let that useless Principal, Kola, see you.‘
‘Yes, Mummy. None of them would be able to catch up with me again.‘
Meanwhile, Aweda knew that the source of Bamu's sudden wealth could never be a clean one. 'He knew he would have been involved in some dirty deals and so, when Bamu went to greet him, rather than praise him, he asked him probing questions.
When Bamu was no longer feeling comfortable with the kind of questions his father was asking him, he excused himself. But he was not bothered because he knew his father very well and expected the kind of treatment he got.
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