Mr Haruna

"Sei gobe" said as she waved him off, her heart heavy- it was hard to watch your husband go to work everyday with no guarantee that he would come back.

It had been four months since Mustapha put down half the money for the motor bike, okada as it was popularly called in Lagos, she still couldn't help but look at the thing for what it was, Danger on wheels. But in those four months they had moved out of the one bedroom apartment- if you could call it that- in mile 12 to a small two room apartment in Yaba. They were happy as they always were, four children to thank almighty Allah for and a roof over their heads. She couldn't help but exclaim Alhamdullilahi!

She went back into the house to get the children ready for school.

****

Mustapha rode the okada towards tejuosho market. Fati hated it when it went there, it was too crowded making it a perfect place for accidents but what could he do? it was also the most lucrative spot. A throng of people needing quick transportation within the market, students always shopping for clothes, wives for food and the occasional foreigner seeking Lagos thrills.

It wasn't as if he loved the job either, there was always a Bismillah being whispered under his breath before he set about on each journey, the LASTMA officials were a constant pain and the danger of it all was at he always at the back of his mind. He loved the people though, how he loved the people!- right from the school girl giving herself a treat of okada instead of taking the bus to the "big oga" just trying to escape Lagos traffic. He also loved the solidarity between all the okada riders- ever since he and Fati had moved to Lagos they had not made any friends- they all seemed to truly care for each other.

He spotted one oyimbo man looking lost and proceeded to drag the motor bike towards him

"Oga where you dey go?" he inquired from the white man.

"Just to Lekki, the mobil around there..." he replied although not too confidently

Mustapha thought about it for a few minutes, this one ride would enable him go home early for the day, although he felt bad ripping these people off. After justifying it in his head he realised that it was fair game the white man was probably exploiting someone else somewhere too... little did he know how right he was!

"ok oga that one na 700 naira" he told the white man

they both climbed the motor bike and sped off towards third mainland bridge.

*****

The children would get a lovely treat tonight, once again Alhamdullilahi!