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Chapter Twenty Four
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121 Chapter Twenty Four N gweh returned to Tiko (three weeks after Debora had abandoned house) to a hilarious welcome by Ndi and Mr. Ndeb. Upon arrival, he declared his willingness to become Ndi’s next of kin. Ndi at once set en marche rapide, the machinery for the de-bastardization of Ngweh through the establishment of legal documents. He established a married certificate with Sophina in her absence, a birth certificate for Ngweh, and Letters of Administration proclaiming him next of kin. Then he went to church and offered mass for the deed. Then he asked one of his lawyers to take Ngweh round and show him his Tiko, Mutengene, Buea, Victoria and Douala warehouses and companies in which he had shares. After that, another lawyer took him round to show him the cocoa and rubber plantations in Mwenja and Dibonbare. Then another lawyer took him round to show him the hotels in Douala, Kumba, Buea, Victoria, Nkongsamba and Bamenda. After Ngweh had done the tours and seen what his father had as wealth, he invited Mr. Ndeb and told his father in his presence to hand-over the management of the estates to him for the simple reason that he wanted his father to receive treatment abroad. “You can’t be so rich and you have yourself treated in dispensaries in Cameroon – what you call hospitals. Are there any hospitals in Cameroon? It is not the appellation or infrastructure that is called hospital; it is the savoir faire, the expertise. At least, your life is still very valuable to me in particular and the rest of your family in general.” Ngweh said. “Who do you refer to as my family?” Ndi snapped. 122 “You, your three living wives, the eight girls and I are your immediate family.” “That’s what you have come to teach me? How can divorced wives remain members of my family? I feel hurt.” “Let’s leave that now. They are not your family. I am sorry. I would say your lawyers who should be more enlightened have done you a disservice. They would have advised you to seek medical intervention abroad. So, get ready to move to Europe. I have asked the lawyer in charge of your Douala businesses to prepare papers for your evacuation, hire a nurse who will take you to Europe, stay with you until you are treated and return with you. As soon as the papers are ready, you will leave. And I believe there should be no more debate on this.” Mr. Ndeb batted eyes at Ndi, Ndi batted eyes at Mr. Ndeb. Mr. Ndeb gasped and exploded absentmindedly, “Decree number one.” Ndi, seized by a fit of apoplexy exclaimed, “Won’t that be a terrible waste of too much money!” “A waste of too much money! What is money meant for if it won’t save the only thing man cannot duplicate - life? Dad, your proceeds from the building materials you supplied for the construction of the Bonaberi Bridge cannot be exhausted within my life time if each member of your family spent a hundred thousand francs a day. So let’s use part of it on you yourself and try to put you on your feet wholly or partially,” Ngweh suggested. Ndi withered instantaneously from the thought of having to lose so much money. Money should be hoarded and not spent carelessly. Furthermore, was Ngweh devising a way of devouring his money in his absence? Had he commissioned his wealth in safe hands? Mr. Ndeb recovered from his absentmindedness and supported Ngweh’s suggestion that his father be evacuated to a renowned hospital in Britain. He took some of the [44.200.144.68] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 14:44 GMT) 123 What a Next of Kin! blame for not advocating evacuation when the accidents occurred. With Mr. Ndeb on Ngweh’s side, Ndi had no choice but to wait for the evacuation papers. While waiting, Ngweh asked his father to make a will. Ndi trembled at the thought of making a will. He recalled his encounter with the matron. She had insisted that he made a will before going to the theatre. He had protested and gone to the theatre without one and returned from it safe. Won’t it be wise to go to Europe without making a will? He reasoned. “Is making a will the alternative of going to Europe? Can’t I go without making a will?” Ndi asked. “What’s...