Mahmud Jega on ‘ Aspiration pass aspiration’

Read DIARY OF A2015 ASPIRANT

THEY did not know that I was listening to their conversation. It was past midnight and I decided that night to sit in the garden for a while before I went to bed. I switched off the security lights in that part of the garden where I sat, so the four of them could not see me even though I was only 30 meters away from them. And you know that at night sound travels further, so I could pick what they were saying quite distinctly.

My personal driver Alhaji Haddo was the most excited talker among them. He said, “Haba, may Allah fulfill Alhaji’s ambition to become the governor. There are many people who crossed me in this town and I must show them. All those who maltreated me because they think I am a common driver, by the time I become the governor’s driver, I will show them. There are many of them; I am preparing for all of them.” Sa’idu, the driver of one of my wives quickly took over. He said, “Your own is even nothing! What did they do to you compared with what they did to me? I was looking for a wife in this town, they agreed to give her to me only y to withdraw the promise at the last st minute because someone went and told old them that I am a woman’s driver. Wallahi allahi I must show them when the Hajiya a that I am driving becomes the First Lady y in this town. They will come begging me e to marry the girl because she has not even ven found another husband yet. I will say y that I agree, only to disappoint them at t the last minute. I must make them cry y for what they did to me.”

They were all laughing ing heartily at Saidu’s planned revenge enge but I then heard my night watchman speak. Jauro is the elderly derly one among them and he is always calm and reasonable, which is why I respect him. What hat he said that night however unsettled me. He said, “Both of you that are making plans to avenge what was done to you, ou, are you even sure you will ill be there if Allah fulfills our master’s ambition and nd he becomes the governor? r? Like you Haddo, who told d you that you will be the one driving riving him? As soon as he becomes es the governor, another driver will be brought from the government and he will be the one driving Alhaji. If you u are lucky, they will give you one car r to be taking children to school but ut you will not drive the governor.” rnor.”

“It is not true!” Haddo was protesting loudly. “When Alhaji becomes the governor vernor I will be the one who will drive him. Alhaji does not want anyone else to drive him. im. I have been driving him for ten years now. When we were in n Abuja, he went with me to four different ministries. Even when he went to Ministry of Defence and they sent a soldier to drive him, he said no, that it is my driving that he wants. I even heard him saying it is only when I am the one driving the car that he can fall asleep during a journey, because he is so happy with my driving. Even when he becomes the governor he will not accept any other driver, I tell you.”

The fourth person present, Illo the gardener, then spoke. “Haddo, you should not be so sure,” he said. “You, you are used to driving Alhaji carefully. Last time when you were going to Abuja many cars overtook you on the road. Do you think that is how you will drive the governor? Don’t you see how they drive in the convoy? From here to Abuja they do it in one hour, whereas you take three hours to drive Alhaji to Abuja. You, can you even drive in a convoy? I am sure they will bring another person to drive Alhaji.” Haddo vigorously disputed the gardener’s claim. He said, “You don’t know Alhaji like I know him! He will not change me when he becomes the governor. All the things I know about him, who else knows them? The things g I know about Alhaji, j even his wives do they know it? That is the thing he likes most about me! All the things that I see, I don’t talk. Have I ever told anybody? I know Alhaji very well; he likes his secrets to be kept secret, that is why he will not change me. I will be the governor’s driver.”

The elderly watchman then expressed his own wishes. “What I want Alhaji to do for me when our master becomes the governor is to buy for me a herd of cattle. A Fulani man like me, there is nothing I like more than rearing cattle. It was when my relatives cheated me and took away all my cattle ten years ago, that was why I came to the town and became a watchman. When Alhaji becomes the governor he will not need a watchman because policemen will be guarding this house. I know he will ask me where I want to go, and I will tell him to buy me a herd of cattle. I will go back to rugga and resume cattle rearing. I pray to Allah to fulfill Alhaji’s ambition so that he will fulfill my own ambition in life.”

“Cattle rearing!?” Haddo was saying. “You, you don’t even have a good aspiration. Our master becomes the governor and all you will ask him is for a few cows. Mts! Why can’t you even find a good request to make? If you go and live in a rugga, there is no tap water there, no electricity, no hospital even. Why not ask Alhaji j instead to set up p for y you a small ranch like the one Alhaji Imran set up just

outside the town?

Alhaji becomes the governor he will not need a watchman

because policemen will be guarding this house. I know he will ask me where I want

to go, and I will tell him to buy me a herd of cattle. I will go back to rugga and resume cattle rearing. I pray to Allah to fulfill Alhaji’s ambition so that he will fulfill my own

ambition in life

He feeds his cattle right there with animal feed, so they don’t go up and down looking for food. That is what you should ask for.”

I heard the last comment from Illo the gardener before I quietly stood up and went into the house. He said, “Every time when I pray, I do an extra prayer for Allah to fulfill Alhaji’s ambition. There is this girl at Malam Maidamma’s house there at Gangare. I very much want to marry that girl gi but I a am a afraid a d o of ta talking k g to her. e . She S e will see me as a common gardener. It is only when Alhaji fulfills his ambition and we enter the Government House that I can talk to any girl in this town. They will say I am the governor’s boy. Every girl in this town will listen to

me.”