Yetunde placed her palms across her face and wiped the tears down. She wailed, scattered her bedsheet and flung everything on it. She had just called her father for the balance of her school fees, his reply still echoed in her ears, “I have tried all my best, nothing is forthcoming. See if you can borrow it somewhere I will pay back”.

Where was she going to get N150, 000 from? Who would borrow her that kind of money knowing it’s just two weeks to the final exams at the State University. She stood up from the bed, sat on the carpeted floor and stared at the large poster of Beyonce occupying one of the walls. Her gaze shifted to her framed Matriculation picture on the reading desk.

“Yetty baby, how far na”. Her only roommate Amarachi entered. She wore a yellow tank top over a three-quarter pair of jeans.

“I’m fine‘ she replied, still looking at the picture

Amarachi dropped her bag on her bed and sat down to unbuckle her wedge sandals. “If you see wetin happen for library today, na so….‘ She stopped after noticing her red eyeballs “What is it again?” Is it your school fees?

She nodded in the affirmative. “Just called my father, he said I should go and borrow. Last week, he confidently told me the money would be ready today. Today it is another story? Where would I get N150k from? She grabbed her bedsheet and cried into it.

“It is going to be well, my dear, all these things happen for a reason. By God’s Grace, you will write your exams” She sat beside her and placed her arms across her shoulders. Yetunde’s phone rang again. She checked the caller, hissed and dropped it on the bed.

“Who is it,” Amarachi picked the phone and checked the missed call.

“It’s Chief Sokoya.” She announced with a smile on her face

‘I know” Yetunde looked away

She had interviewed Chief Sokoya, a wealthy business man and socialite during her IT at a print media organization the previous year. They became friends after he told her that she reminded her of her late daughter. He would call her over the phone, talk about business, her school and advise her to graduate with good grades. She thought it a good idea to see him over her school fees issue.

“It’s absolutely no problem, you are a university lady, you know how these things work. Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. I’ll make it N200k. Cash! You can’t get that offer anywhere.” She couldn’t believe it was the same Chief that dropped the bombshell.

With tears welled up in her eyes, she cleared her throat and pleaded. “Sir, I’m not like that, I genuinely need this money, it’s for my school fees, I’m not even asking you to give it to me for free, I’ll pay you back as soon as my Dad sends it to me, time is really not on my side, please sir.” If only he could read the sincerity in her speech. Everything she said afterwards didn’t make any iota of sense to him, she picked her bag and left. That was two days ago.

“Pick it now; you don’t know why he’s calling.” Amarachi persuaded, looking into her eyes. Yetunde shoved the phone away, stood up and sat on Amarachi’s bed.

“Lemme help you then.”

Chief had called to know if she had changed her mind. He was ready to make the deal N250. Amarachi jumped up immediately after the call.

“N250k for one night stand? Ewooooooo! See money, Yetunde biko, gree now, if not for anything for your school fees.”

“Forget it Amara, I won’t sleep with anybody for money”. She crossed her hands and nodded. She watched the smile on Amarachi’s face vanish away. Amarachi sat beside her and placed her hand in her palms.

“Let’s just be honest with each other. Yetunde, this is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss. This is your only chance at getting your school fees, no one is asking you to sleep with him forever, just do this once, pay your school fees and get over it. Look at me; do you think I’m happy sleeping with men over money? I am not but what will I do? Lemme tell you a bit of my story. When my parents died when I was 16, my younger ones and I moved to my Uncle’s house thinking he would take care of us. For where? Na so so beating. He starved us at will and molested me for 3 years; I had 3 abortions for him and at the end of the day, he threw us out. Few weeks before I turned 19, my neighbor’s daughter introduced me to prostitution. And that was how it all started. I never planned my life this way, see me now, I’m okay, My younger ones are comfortable, they are going to school, the other day, the two of them asked for N20k, I went to the bank, sent it to them fiam! Where would I have gotten N20k from? Now I’m broke but at least they have something to hold on to. I ga-enyere onwe gi, o dighi onye ozo ekpe. Help yourself, no one else will. Hian! I have said my own o. And it’s not like you have a boyfriend now, shey we would have begged him to help you out.” Amara’s story touched her to the marrow but it did nothing to change her mind. An idea suddenly hit her as she stood up to arrange her bed.

“And I fit help you o”. Yetunde’s face lit like a new torch. Some ray of hope at last.

“Not like I have money, the only thing left in my wallet is N525 naira. What just occurred to me is this, I can sleep with him, shebi it’s just for 1 night, en no wahala but….we will strike a deal. If he pays N250k, your share will be N100. I will borrow you N50K, after exams, you’ll find a way of paying me back. Agreed or not”

Was it ideal to collect that kind of money? She was confused but at the same time had to face reality. “Errm, erm, I don’t even know what to say. It’s ok then.” She replied faintly.

Amara called Chief and they both agreed to meet at Starlight estate the following day, which was Thursday. There was something she didn’t get in all of the deal. Why was Chief interested in her or her roommate, if he was really sex-starved or wanted to sleep with someone urgently, couldn’t he have picked someone else, somewhere, anywhere? N250k for one night stand? That also sounded too good to be true.

She locked the door firmly after Amara left the next day. She placed her hands on her back and rested her body on the door. Amara won’t be coming back that day, she was going to do some shopping and check on her younger ones at school. She promised to see her the next day which was Friday.

She later called to tell her she had already settled in the hotel with Chief. She was going to call her as soon as she leaves the place. Few hours later, she tried to call her to know how the deal had gone, it would be disastrous if Chief had given her less of what they agreed on.

Her phone rang and rang but she didn’t pick it up. She slept off after rounds of attempts. The following day, she made a call to Chief Sokoya to find out whether she was still there, the lady who picked it said he had travelled out of the country and wouldn’t be back until after 6 months. She tried to take her mind off the whole issue, she knew her roommate would have called or sent a text if Chief had fumbled.

She was a little worried again, didn’t she see the over 20 missed calls on her phone? She called again but a miscreant picked the call. Amara must have lost her phone. They were going to see later in the evening anyway.

After doing some laundry, she cooked, ate a little portion, took few books and dashed to the library. She didn’t spend up to an hour before she stood up. She wasn’t going to deceive herself, nothing sank in.

She got home to find the room the way she had left it. Amara was not back still. Wait, had she played a fast one on her? Did she spend almost all she got on shopping? Did she settle her siblings at home? Did she spend all on hospital bills, foodstuff, maintenance and all the possible things that could drain one’s finances in a split second? The questions kept pouring in torrents. She found no answers to them.

The following morning, she awoke to several loud knocks on the door. She yawned and hurried to open it. Amara’s coursemate Aisha rushed in crying. The news she brought didn’t only clear the fog of sleep on her face, it also ripped her heart. Amara’s mutilated body was found beside a bush near Starlight estate.

She was motionless for few seconds. More girls trooped into the room with chants of “Sorry about your roommate o.” Another lady said, “Heard police saw her school I.D card”. She scanned their faces one by one. Reality had begin to dawn on her. Amara was really dead? How? How can she die like that? She was expecting her that morning, with some piece of good news; her school fees, a happy face apologising for not picking her calls or getting across to her yesterday, dragging her to her bed and giving her a break-down of the gist. What happened to the money? Mutilated body? Someone used her for rituals? She felt her world crumble at once, steam saturated her face, she lost her bearing in the room, fell down and passed out.

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Ololade Olatunji is a blogger, budding writer, an award-winning poet and an aspiring Public Relations Executive. She blogs at www.loladeville.com.ng. She can be reached on

Twitter: @loladeville_

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Email: ololade.olatunji@yahoo/gmail.com