Yesterday I saw the drug Loud for the first time in my life
It was tiny, looked green and was wrapped in transparent nylon.
The dealer handed it over to the buyer, and it sold for N500.
The buyer took it, got a cigarette, tore it, poured the tobacco leaves into the bowl, got a wifler and then added a filter, wrapped it all up and lit it.
There were 5 boys, and they passed it around themselves, and suddenly went limp and stood like impaled lizards with eyes glazing and looking at me
I had unknowingly walked into a drug den, looking for where to sit down as my son did his GCE exams in a suburb in Lagos
My son, private school trained and a confirmed Aje Butter, was allocated one of those schools in the inner city of Lagos for his papers
It was precisely as a result of things like this that made me take him there and wait for him
In the hands of boys like these, they would harvest his organs and sell them for a pittance to get the drugs
I was intrigued, as I always am, with things like this
Remember, I had once written about my experience with Indian Hemp growing up in Shomulu
How one drag made me see Jesus and large bumps all over my body, making me run to my mother to beg her to allow me to see Christ
Yesterday, I was calm, playful and involved
Timothy, Wahab, Segun, Kunle and one boy from Sierra Leone were my tutors this time around
Na, only Kunle can take two sticks,” Timothy echoed. Nobody here get that kind power and mind
Me, I just dey recover from Malaria, I for show you – says Kunle, but make I take one
As they dragged and passed it around, I could see the mellowness in their mannerisms.
They slowly moved into an immobile state, and some started smiling, and I became afraid
Timothy, won’t they attack me like this? I asked- Layeeeeeee, he shouted
When I dey here? Nobody go touch you, Baba. Na we dey fight here, our oga dey upstairs he echoed as he pointed at one building
We like you as you come with us and no judge us.
Me, I be ibo boy, he continued with his dirty dreads bopping in the air and displaying so many faded tattoos and brownish teeth glistening in the hot afternoon sun
I liked him and decided to engage him. Wetin d thing dey do for you as u dey smoke, I asked
He dey make me fuck, he screamed with relish. Once I smoke, I dey fuck like mad man
I asked, shey na ashawo you dey fuck he screamed no oooo street girl plenty for road wey dey find pple to fuck them
I said ok, by that time Wahab had come closer, sniffing my shirt and liking my perfume
Egbon, he says I know you. Your face dey familiar, be like say I know you somewhere
By this time, the dealer was now wary and said in Yoruba that they were opening up to me, not even considering that I could be an undercover NDLEA agent.
To which Timothy shouted, NDLEA no dey fresh like this, this na clean man
By this time, it clicked for Wahab. Na Shomolu I knw you, you dey Shomolu, he get one name dem dey call you, I know you for Shomolu
I said, ‘Duke of Shomolu,’ and he screamed, ‘Yes, Duke of Shomolu, I know you well.’ I go to school for Shomolu, for Bajulaiye, you live there before
By this time, my anxiety had relaxed, I was with friends, and they too relaxed and crowded me more
So I fit drag? I asked, thinking that, like the hemp, it would daze me a bit and wear off, and I would have a better experience to write about
They all shouted no oooo. Baba, as you get grey beards, no try am o
He go knock you out, he fit kill you, abeg no try am o ooo they all begged
Even the dealer joined; Baba just come and go. We like you, no try am; leave it for us, our life has finished.
At this juncture, Timothy stood up – egbon, me don stop, and he no easy. Na one time, I drag and faint, when I wake up, I come ask myself, say why me go use my own money buy my death
Na since that time, I dey struggle to leave am and he no easy. Baba see as you fine and fresh, no go spoil your life, no drag leave am, we go protect you, you no need am
They all agreed as they gathered round to beg me
The irony hit me. These were not wicked boys; they had a certain code of honour, and they were loyal to their friends, and I was their friend.
I felt pity as I hugged them, and Timothy said – egbon i get one problem, no give me money, just come buy sim card and register for me, I want call my Mama
As I see all these women bring their children come do exams, my mama dey hungry me. I nver talk to am for years, help me call my mama
I gave them N20, 000 and they all fell on the floor, vowing to help me fight anywhere in this Lagos, swearing allegiance and giving me examples of where they had gone to fight and results thereof
The exams finished, and I had to take my leave. I hugged them individually, and told them that I had fun in the two hours I spent with them and hoped that somehow proper help would come their way, even though I regretted their not allowing me to take one drag
I got home to splitting headache. Nausea and dizzying spells, all from the secondary smoke
I almost passed out last night and had a runny nose
Took a cold shower, went under the duvet, and started hallucinating seeing myself in heaven with my mother.
It was fun, though, because I saw through those boys and met their souls, and saw purity despite their wicked and aggressive demeanour.
Kai, maybe I should have insisted and taken the drag?
Abi?
Duke of Shomolu
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