The Akroma File

Chapter Twenty-Five

143 The Akroma File Chapter Twenty-Five (Nijombari, Wednesday July 11th, 1984) P a Sabbas Ngangpior had three children, a boy and two girls. The first two were studying in America, a decision he taken had in his heyday, when money was the least of his problems. The thought of it now haunted him because soon afterwards it became impossible for him to earn the amount of monies the children needed so badly. They plagued him with letters every month. Immediately he struck the verbal deal with KOJO AND SONS, he wrote back to reassure his children that his sufferings were already at an end, and that they would soon start breathing fresh air again. The problem, however, came not from America, but from Cameroon. Their third child, Monique, was in the third year in the faculty of law in the University of Yaounde.. She had not finished rejoicing at the letter her father had sent to her announcing his impending wealth when her mother wrote to say her father had broken the family law by selling one of their most precious pieces of land. 144 Linus T. Asong 2 M onique arrived Nijombari unannounced. She was convinced that her mother would be in the market, but she decided to go home and leave her travelling bag before going to see her in the market. She arrived her father’s house at about noon. One of her father’s taxis was parked outside the gate. When she entered the house a gentle man she had never met before was emerging from one of the rooms in the corridor of the uncompleted main building. He returned to the room as soon as he saw her before coming out again to meet her. They exchanged greetings and the man seemed to know her even though he was a complete stranger to her. The man went to stand on the veranda and he seemed to be adjusting his pair of trousers as if he had been dressing up in the room. As she passed through the corridor her mother emerged from the same room. “Why have you come here now?” her mother asked preposterously. The question embarrassed her. “I am no longer a child of this family, mama?” The woman smiled and with guilt written all over her face she said: “Why not? I am just asking because we were not expecting you.” Mama Anna called for the stranger. “Have you met my daughter before?” she asked. “No, Madam. Welcome,” the man greeted Monique. She answered and immediately inquired: “Who is this man, Mama?” There was a tenseness in her voice which indicated she was not exactly asking for an introduction. 145 The Akroma File “Somebody,” her mother said. “Where is papa?” Monique asked. “When he leaves the house can anybody ever tell where he has gone to? Is that why you are asking who is this man like that?” “That is not the reason. I am asking two different questions.” “I don’t know where your father has gone to.” Monique leaned back against the wall and looked at her mother with a worried expression on her face. She had never associated the mother with any kind of misconduct. But it was clear to her mind that her mother and whoever the man was, had been engaged in some adulterous affair. “Who is that man, mama?” she asked again. “I will tell you, Monique, “ she said, “Don’t fear, it is nothing.” Monique took in a deep breath and said: “Mama, I came to see you and to see papa too about the letter you sent to me. Did you say papa has sold that land near the stream?” “He has.” “For how much?” “Can he tell me such things?” 146 Linus T. Asong 3 T he explanation which Sabbas gave her when he returned in the evening reeked of swindle. “If he is such a rich investor,” she argued, “why should he ask you for a participation fee? Why should you be the one to pay the assessor of your property? Why should you house him?” There was no receipt for the money paid as participation fee. “Participation fee for what, papa?” she shouted. “What legal documents bind you two?” There were, in fact, no legal documents binding them. “Why would a man who is ready to pay you 227 million francs start off by being a taxi driver...