THE SKELETON IN THE DOMINIC-OKOYES' CLOSET

      “The Dominic-Okoyes, a prestigious family with a great political heritage, indigenes and residents of the beautiful eastern state of Anambra that is if you exclude the wonderful roads leading into the state from Enugu. A family so perfect without blemish that lots of people took to be the ideal family and future first family or so it would seem.” Chief Williams Dominic-Okoye read the article that had been published about his family with a smile until he got to the part which was hinting that he was perfect family was not.

    “Damn this journalists. Always looking for things that do not exist.” He was highly displeased as this could give him a negative review and affect the polls in the coming election.

    Everyone knew the idea future first family well, the Dominic-Okoyes, it’s predecessors having held powerful political positions for as long as anyone could remember. This family boasted of individuals with fine intellects and outstanding educational qualification perfect for the seat of governance. He maintained this tradition by making sure his two children got the best  education money could buy. Ifenna, the boy graduated first in his class  Harvard law school and soon to be integrated into the family politics. Ndidi, the girl was a final year student well on her way on the journey to her becoming a future Minister of Health. Both him and his wife had passed their incredible family heritage. How dare they say his family was flawed, he  fumed throwing  his tablet  aside and continued with the preparations for his next campaign. 

    “Omo, e don tey since person last work” complained Agu “ you don find our next target” he asked the person seated across the table.

    They were at their favourite beer and bush meat joint. This has come to be a place of meeting for their discussions about their business

    “Yes, a big catch for that matter” said the man across the table.

“make I see na” Agu reached across and collected  the picture the man handed him. Upon seeing the contents he shouted, “ Nonso you dey craze. This is the Dominic-Okoyes. How that one wan take happen”

    “Agu calm down, I have a plan. They are hosting a charity event at their house  and that’s when we will do it”

    “ Isn’t that for the rich folks, how you wan enter”.

    “ This one is different. They will be inviting poor folk like us into the house. We will go and when everyone is busy , we will lure the daughter away and well you know what comes next.”

    “ Nonso are you sure about this”

    “Trust me, we will be rich by the time this deal is concluded

  Little did Chief Dominic-Okoye know that his campaign strategy of inviting the  poor  into his home to increase positive public opinion would  lead to  his downfall.

    The party was in full swing.  Nonso looked around and it didn’t take him long to get annoyed. He hated this type of parties. Although they said it was for the poor people the place  was littered by rich folks involves in politics .He always hated rich people most especially politicians. He felt that they deprived the Masses of opportunities. Imagine being a graduate of Engineering  having nothing to do and had to result to a life of crime to get by. They always live ostentatiously while people like him are let to suffer. Well all that changes tonight. Fed up with pretending to enjoy himself, he signaled Agu to the balcony to finalize that plans. Once outside, he realized there was someone at the corner of the house and signaled for Agu to stop talking. Upon looking closer he found out that the person was the daughter,  the reason for their coming here. Seems like luck was smiling on him .

    Touching Agu he said, “The universe is smiling on us.”

     “What do you mean” replied Agu.

    Pointing to the shadow he said, “that’s the daughter” and together they made their way to where she was.

    A beautiful girl sat quietly by the shadows She let the cool breeze of the night blow gently on her face. She did not notice the two men coming towards her until it was too late. She heard a voice telling her to get up quietly and follow them accompanied with the cold feel of something against her back. Only a weapon would give such coldness, she thought to herself. Even after hearing them she continued sitting where she was.

     “Get up I said and follow me”, the voice repeated.

    She turned to look at the owner of the voice and a beautiful face was the last thing she saw as something hit her skull making her black out.

    He already knew she was quite beautiful from her pictures on online magazines and tabloids to her Instagram posts but nothing prepared nonso for the sheer beauty in front of him. Those pictures did not do her Justice in anyway. Ndidiamaka Dominic-Okoye daughter of gubernatorial candidate Williams Dominic-Okoye. She was her daddy’s precious little daughter and he was very sure he will pay handsomely to have her back. He watched her until she regained . She opened her eyes and upon seeing him he expected fear or any reaction at all but he got nothing. She stared calmly into his eyes in a way that freaked him out to be honest.

    Nonso spoke first breaking the silence and the staring contest that was going on between them. “Are you not afraid”.

    No response.

    “If you cooperate with us, we will make sure you return to Daddy safe and free from harm”

    No response.

    At this point Nonso was beginning to get annoyed. Luckily Agu returned to the room. He had gone to source 4 chief Dominic-Okoye's phone number after they didn't find her phone on her.

    “since you are determined to keep mute I am going to tell you the details. I am going to put a call to your father telling him we have you and a sizeable amount of Ransom is going to pay to get you back”

    Nonso finally got a reaction from her “you are wasting your time” she said.

    Nonso ignored her and made the call. It’s rang a few times until someone finally answered. “you have reached chief Williams' phone, how may I help you”

    “Tell the chief we have his daughter and if he wants her back he should prepare the sum of 10 million naira”

    There was laughter from the other side of the phone. “look here I don’t know what kind of prank you want to pull off. I can assure you that young miss is right in front of me and is nowhere close to missing Goodbye.”

    Nonso was in a state of shock

   “I told you so”, said the girl.

Her voice brought him out of his shock. “if you are not Ndidi then who the hell are you.”

   “That’s simple I'm her twin sister”

    “Don't be ridiculous everyone knows that the chief has only two children and they are definitely not twins”

    “That's the official version” she said indifferently.

    “Let's say I was to believe you, wouldn't that still make you his child and won’t he still have to pay the ransom”

    “That’s depends on if you Play your cards Right”

    “Why hasn't anyone heard of you”

    “That’s because I’m the skeleton the Dominic-Okoyes' closet. I was born a cripple and toss a disgrace to the family name so my father locked me away and deleted every evidence of my birth. He doted on my sister who was born without any defects and everyone who swore not to speak about me so as not to tarnish the family's reputation.”

    “But you were outside when I abducted you”

“One of the servants was affectionate towards me and carried me to the spot you found me” Anyways forget about me. It’s time to get you your ransom and my revenge on the Dominic-Okoyes.

To be continued.........