chapter 9

Lagos Nigeria

Emma Okonke

Emma Okonke is a tall dark girl that can be mistakenly for a beauty pageant. She is sitting in her large office, thinking of her childhood dreams and asking herself how she got here.  Her office is facing the sea and she owns one of the biggest building in Lagos which not only house her oil executives but other businesses as well that specialises in cassava flour,  Cotton, Snail and Ginger and all are doing well.

Emma is going through the audit report and she is happy that the books they look great, thanks to the Chartered accountant that Mr Frank Chinamayakobvu suggested that she worked with after firing Mr Otto since he was not competent enough and he was making the business not to grow. Mr Frank...she says to herself, if it was not for him she would not be where she is today.

Emma met Mr. Chinamayakobvu or Bra Frank as known by many when she was sixteen years old and staying in the streets of Lagos. She left home when she was thirteen after her parents divorced and joined a group of street children aged thirteen to seventeen who were homeless.  The street children used to entertain passers-by with their singing, dancing and poetry in return of being given food or some naira notes.

Emma’s voice caught Bra Franks attention one day while he was driving by the busy streets of Lagos. He saw a tall dark girl wearing old and dirty clothes but she was enjoying what she was doing. He immediately talked to his driver to stop the car and he gets out. He was smitten with a beautiful melody coming out of a young girl’s voice and he asked her what her name is.

"What is your name, young girl?" 

"My name is Emma," Emma said with a beautiful voice.

"You have a beautiful voice; do you know who I am?"

"Everybody knows who you are…. you are Bra Frank." it was Emma responding back to Frank.

"Good girl, Emma, I would like you to come with me."

 "Why if I may ask?"

"I want to give you an opportunity that can change your life."

Emma looked at her friends and Bra Frank, she was not sure of what to do until one of the other kids says to Emma, "Go with him he will make you famous like Lindi, you will sing at his night clubs and other places!"

"Your friends are right, you have a talent that will be wasted if you stay in the street."

Emma got in Frank’s car and drove with him until they reached a big compound with a glass door and a huge wall.  That’s how her life changed from being a street kid to an oil magnate.

FRANKS’ RESIDENCE

Chineke...it was Emma looking at a building in front of her. She was looking at the most beautiful house she has ever seen. "I beg…is this your house, Mr Frank?"

"Yes, it is one of my houses where you will be staying with the other girls, I stay on the other parts of the city with my family. This house I build specifically for young people that I am nurturing, you will like it here." The house is run by a house manager Jonathan Oyube and House Madame Mary Moses who looks after the property and ensures that business is running smoothly. Bra Frank was very proud of what he had achieved so far. He had many businesses which were doing well and one of them was running an escort agency.

Emma looked amazed and she had few questions to ask especially when she heard Bra Franks said this is 'where you and the other girls stay' but she dismissed the question and followed Bra Frank inside the house. The furniture inside was nothing she has ever seen and she was introduced to  Madame Mary who quickly took her to the bathroom and let her bath with some nice soap and when she was done there was a lovely dress waiting for her in a nice room which she was told it will be her room.

Bra Frank gave strict commands to Madame Mary that Emma should not share a room with the other girls as he has other plans for her. Madame Mary knew too well not to ask Frank hence she ensured that Emma got the best room overlooking the city with a lovely view. Emma stayed in her room and she felt strange and the thoughts of her childhood came back when she was growing up in Abuja in a nice house not exactly like this but it was a warm and lovely home until her father dated their nanny and her parents’ marriage collapsed. She drifted to sleep and she was surprised when she woke up it was dark.

Madame Mary knocked on the room and asked Emma to come with her downstairs as Bra Frank would like to talk to her before he leaves. When Emma went downstairs, Bra Frank’s eyes could not believe the beautiful young girl in front of him compared to a dirty street girl he picked up five hours early in the busy streets of Lagos. She has been transformed and he thought of how much money she could bring him but something told him that the girl is special and he would not want her to be touched by any man at least for now.

"Emma look at you, that dress looks good on you,"  Frank said as he looked at Emma.

Emma looked at the mirror on the passageway and yes she was looking beautiful and she could not believe it was the street kid from Lagos who was now staying in a beautiful house.

"Thank you bra Frank." Emma expressed her gratitude.

"Frank. Call me, Frank… I want you to join me in dinner with few of my friends before I go, you are hungry aren’t you?"

Emma nodded her head and she was thinking what Bra Frank is up to? Inviting her to dinner with his business friends…she will see, anyway, there is nothing to lose.

Emma followed Bra Frank to the dining hall where there was a large table with loads of food and there were men in suits with beautiful girls wearing some short dresses, not like the one she was wearing. Frank asked Emma to come sit next to him as she was the guest of honour.

"My friends, please meet Emma Okonke… she will be staying in the house and she is replacing Onica and will be the new girl who will entertain guests at the night club."

All people looked at Emma and wondered what happened to Onica but it is none of their business.

"Emma please feel free when you are here, it is now your new home. When we are done with dinner, I want you to sing a short and sweet song you were singing earlier when I met you." Frank wanted his associate to also hear the sweet voice that this young girl possesses.

Emma looked down on her plate and said: "That’s okay Bra Frank." She was so excited about the food, clothes, the house and she tried to pinch herself if what is happening was real. After dinner, Emma took the mic, there was a young man in his twenties sitting by the piano who started to hit a note and Emma opened her mouth. It was a sweet melodic voice that people on the table has ever had, she was nothing like Onica, Emma was beautiful, she may come from the streets but she knows how to carry herself and that confidence. She sang with all her heart when she was done everybody clapped their hands and to the other girls, jealousy was written all over their faces.

"Thank you, Emma, that was beautiful. You may come and sit down or if you are tired you can go back to your room. I will see you tomorrow morning."

"Good night Mr Frank and all of you."

Emma took the stairs back to her room and the girls were looking at her with envy.

Tommy Chinete one of Frank’s business associate asked Frank…"Where did you get this jewel from Frank?"

"Downtown...she was a street kid and I could tell that talent is there it needs someone like me to help unleash it. There are a lot of wasted talent downtown and I could not let this one go."

"Frank, she does not only have a good voice, but she is also beautiful…those legs, the Russians can pay a lot of money for her. She is still fresh and she can generate a lot of cash into the business." It was Bra Frank’s associate talking to Frank.

"You are right, she is beautiful and she can generate money to the business but I don’t want her to be a call girl, there is something about her that I like, I think she could be more than a call girl. First I will ask Rudi to take her to the studio tomorrow and record two tracks. To keep her busy, I will find her a tutor to teach her during the day and at night she will entertain my guests as a singer, not a call girl."

"I hear you, Frank." Tommy knew Frank very well and he would not just invest in someone unless that person is worth investing on.

Upstairs Emma is struggling to sleep. It is a nice bed, lovely comforter, unlike the old torn blanket she used to share with three other children under the bridge. The room is quite unlike the noise of cars passing by the bridge but she still could not sleep. It was difficult for her to accept that her life was changing. Is it for the good or what?

It is Saturday the following morning Emma hears a knock on the door and when she opens her eyes she could see that it was already morning. She looked at the clock in the bedside it was fifteen minutes after eight.

"Come in," Emma responded to the knock on the door. The door opened it was Madame Mary.

"Good morning Emma, how did you sleep?"

"Good morning Madame, I slept well. I still can’t believe it is me."

"It is you child is just that things have changed now. Please go and shower and change to new clothes, you must have breakfast with the other girls before Rudi comes and pick you up."

"Rudi, who is Rudi and where is he taking me?"

"Rudi is the producer of DOTCOM Records, Franks asked him to take you to the studio and record some few songs."

"Oh my god, me recording songs in the studio, I am not a professional. I would not know what to do?"

"Don’t worry Emma, Frank knows what he is dong and besides, Rudi is one of the best producers in Nigeria."

Emma quickly stepped inside the shower when she came out Madame Mary was holding a hairdryer, a comb and a moisturiser. She was given strict orders that she should ensure that Emma looks beautiful and that’s what she is going to do. Emma, naturally she is a black beauty but with a bit of make-up, a nice dress she will be transformed into a beauty. When Madame Mary was done with Emma, she could not believe the girl standing to her is the same girl which Frank brought home dirty and smelling.

"You are a beautiful girl, I just hope that Frank sees that and not use you like the other girls." Madame Mary was worried about how young girls were used for wrong reasons and there was nothing she can do.

"What do you mean when you say you just hope Frank does not use me like the other girls?"

"Let’s go downstairs food is waiting, you must have proper food before Rudi gets here."

Emma sensed that there was something Madame Mary was not telling her, she might be working for Frank but she does not like what he is doing to young girls. Emma closed her room and followed Madame downstairs.