By Sulayman Jeng
At home with his family, Amadou cracked his head searching for answers of the mess in Kankary Kunda. Is it the Mansa or the people who are the problem? He wondered. As if his perturbed wife was reading his mind, she interjected his hallucination, “What do you intend to do next?” she caught him off guard with her rhetoric query. Amadou is not handsome but has striking features and wore an aura of a likable personality. He is squared-shoulder, muscular and has a round face with carefully defined high cheekbones. He has a broad nose and striking eyes almost feminine-like. His slender height is erectly pencilled and accentuated prominently by his flat stomach. Thus, his enviable statue and shiny ebony skin always stand him out like a lone star among his friends. Some of his associates mistook his shyness as been weak and controlled by his wife. A handful of them, on the other hand, envied him as been a ladies’ man. Anywhere Amadou goes, ladies fall for him like dry leaves flying from a tree branch in a windy afternoon. Unlike most of his friends, he pays meticulous attention to his appearance. He will never leave his house without first ascertaining the colours of his dress fall in perfect matching order and loves carrying a mesmerizing flagrance. Musukoi, unlike her soulmate, is medium in statue but very pretty and light-skinned Mandingo girl almost passing for a Fulani. She is every man’s dream woman, average, curvy hips and a carefully notched round butt. Her charming face is dotted with two piercing gorgeous eyes and a leaned pointed nose. Whenever Musukoi smiles, her velvety and succulent lips retreat like ebbing waves revealing a set of evenly arranged whitish teeth which illuminate against her smooth light skin like soothing stars in a milky way. What is even more beguiling about her is the dimples that surface on her cheeks every time she smiles giving her a flawless gorgeous look. Most girls endowed with similar beauty radiate a pugnacious arrogance around them but Musukoi is down to earth, approachable and very sociable.
“What…what do you mean by that?” challenged Amadou sheepishly. “Well, you just returned from been questioned by the police and my instincts tell me this is not going to be the last”, cajoled Musukoi. “Don’t be silly Sweetie. Perhaps you are just been over-reactive”, Amadou said dismissively. “This isn’t funny. I am utterly serious”, retorted Musukoi. “Listen Sweetie, I have not done anything wrong. Even at the station, I was not informed of the reason for my arrest apart from following routine orders from above”, he explained. “What happened to Kekendo? Was he not arrested, taken away from his family just like they did to you today? Where is he? His family has searched everywhere to no avail”, she reasoned with Amadou. A sombre quietness cuddled them. Whatever was going on in his mind took like eternity to add up. When he spoke again, his voice was heavy and reflective. “I hate to admit this but sometimes I get really scared by events of unlawful arrests and disappearances”, he admitted to Musukoi. “Now you talking. I will not survive what Nyakoi is undergoing”, she lamented.
Nyakoi, Kekendo’s wife, is nick-named by her friends as Lux, a bandit version for local or illiterate. However, she is blessed with rare inviting features and a bubbly personality. She is sleek and tall with a flawless face. Her two greatest features are her full lips and even boobs which most women will go out of their way to have. These are complimented by a perfect glossy ebony skin. Her smile is equally contagious. Nyakoi wears an imperturbable attitude which wins her many associates. Both Nyakoi and Musukoi are successful business women. They are not the closest of friends but share the circle of friends and hang out from time to time. Their friendship is purely centred on when they need one another. For instance, Musukoi likes going to programmes but doesn’t fancy going alone and Nyakoi sometime needs a shoulder to cry on which Musukoi is always ready to offer. Musukoi, on the one hand is a diriyanke while Nyakoi, on the other hand, pays little or no attention to her looks and despises programmes. Albeit it she is a business woman and meets many dignitaries often, her dress code is well below standard. As a result, Kekendo oftentimes goes to parties and functions without her.
“Nyakoi, I appreciate we are not close but at least we are business colleagues and often hang out together. I would be lying to say I am not getting worried about you since Kekendo got arrested. Your whole world seemed to have fallen apart. Don’t you think it is about time you retake control of your life?” Musukoi asked quizzically. Nyakoi ascended into a memory lane expedition. A smile lightened her face as she recollected when she was introduced to Kekendo by one of her childhood friends, Jabou. “Girlfriend”, Jabou began, “One of my brothers wants you as a wife”. “What!” exclaimed Nyakoi, “Is this some kind of a joke? How can I marry a guy I don’t even know let alone fancy?” “I get it. Wait until you meet then you can tell me after if you fancy him or not. He is Kekendo a very handsome guy. This isn’t funny. I am utterly serious”, retorted Jabou. “Honestly, I thought you were just on again with one of your many silly jokes. What happens to Sibo anyway?” demanded Nyakoi scoldingly. “Please don’t go there. Guess what? She is head over heels with Fanding. She dumped my brother two weeks ago. She only went out with him because she has eyes for Fanding and thought he will eventually fall for her”, Jabou lamented sadly. “Seriously, you are losing it girl. How can you even come up with such a laughable thought? Are you out of your mind?” charged Nyakoi. “Maybe you are right, I am out of my mind but I can’t remember when I was sectioned. She confessed her feelings to him two weeks ago”, revealed Jabou. “You know what, don’t let her drowned you in an ocean of missed opportunity”, advised Jabou. Jabou, Nyakoi’s colleague, is petite but charming and dark-skinned girl. She is slim, curvy hips and a travelling waist. Her charming face housed two bewitching eyes and a pointed nose. Whenever Jabou smiles, her full and juicy lips retreat like ebbing waves revealing a set of whitish teeth against her smooth dark skin.
That breezy evening, Kekendo and Nyakoi met at the village centre. The moon was brilliant and the sky clear. The village boys and girls gathered in small pockets while the music blasted a familiar tune from a cassette player. As if he drew inspiration and courage from the music, Kekendo began “I have been seriously thinking about you lately and it is about time I tell you. You don’t have to reply now. Think about it and give me your answer in few days time”. The smile which brightens Nyakoi’s face was telling but she said nothing. Her quietness nerved him. “Did I say the wrong thing”, he wondered.
Sulayman Jeng lives in Birmingham, UK
