The one room self contain was big enough to contain everything a house should have. The house is situated at the center of a 500ft by 500ft, close to Ikpoba River. And the compound crowded with trees of various kinds of fruits even those that were condemned not to be able to survive in this part of the world. As far as the fruit exist anywhere in the world, it must be found in the unfenced compound. As isolated as the house, it was the fruits that brings in people every now and then especially school children. Sometimes, they sneaked out of school during break or whatsoever to go get some fruits. Though the compound is often quite and calm, the door is never ever open, everyone knew, that Thelma Zee lives in that house. She is just a human being or best to say, a lady with no replica. She is very jovial and lively, but love solitude, that is why she preferred such a house in such a location. Her fame had spread throughout the country and beyond as a Photographer. She has featured on NTA, CNN, BBC and Ajazeera over time. She was in fact the official photographer of the previous president of Nigeria. Her studio is everywhere but her headquarter is at New Benin, behind the New Benin Baptist Church. She decided to establish herself in her home town because everyone except her mother, her younger brother and her Parish Priest at Blessed Tansi Catholic Church, New Benin; never believed in her chosen career. She was highly condemned and the choice of job so relegated. How can such a beautiful girl fresh from Harvard with a law degree optioned for photography. Who does that? After all the years at Harvard? Her father disowned her, her friends told her she should have remained in the States to practice such an odd job. Nigeria is actually not a place to excel in such career especially Benin. "Can any good thing come of this city of blood?" She did not respond. She nearly gave up with all the challenges and set backs. She was managing door to door services for a start with a poor camera. Her mother bought it for her. Not that she on her own liked the job. But, it is what her daughter said she wanted. She decided not to be against her choice. With her, Xavier and the Parish Priest, Thelma had solace. Her father and others concluded and believed that she went to Harvard to fail. Photography was only a plore to distract everyone out of her Harvard performance. She presented her certificates to proved that she actually got the education at Harvard only to be told that she bought the certificate. If she is saying she so studied for it, then practice law now that you are back. Go to law school, be called to bar. On the advice of her parish priest, she went to law school, after one year, passed out and was called to bar. Her father set up a chamber for her; she got started and practiced law for two years. In those years, she had cases in court which she never lost. She rose to stardom in the legal profession and she was the most sought after, despite the affluence and influence that came along, the prestige she brought to the family, she woke up one morning and said bye bye to legal practice. She jettisoned her rob and wig for the jacket and camera. Her father felt it most. "I can not trade my happiness for your satisfaction. I have proven myself well enough." She said when her father asked. All the millions she had worked for the past two years as a lawyer, she transfered all to her father at least he wanted a lawyer for prestige and money. She forgot she would be needing money also to set up as a photographer. She never thought of that. Newspapers carried it and blew the whole thing out of proportion "A famous lawyer jettisoned Law for photography" "Daughter sold family love for photography" etc.
Thelma Zee has become a household name all over the globe and a point of reference to all those who still relegate photography. She came to limelight during the coronation of the Oba of Benin. He heard that there was a Harvard law graduate who wanted to go into a certain profession in the ancient Benin kingdom but was told that she would never make it. Not for the work but for her choice of Benin. The Oba got to know because it went viral on social media and media stations. The Oba during his coronation after his father had transcended to the great beyond requested to see the lady and when she told the then crown Prince she was into photography, he gave her the contract to be the official photographer of his coronation from day one till the last day. At all the rituals in and outside the shrines. The palace and everywhere. Thelma Zee was glad but there was a problem.
This was a life time opportunity that was going to slipped away. This opportunity will open a relationship door between Thelma Zee and the number one man of the great Benin Kingdom. That means more opportunities. The Oba of Benin is a very influential man not just locally or nationally but internationally as well. She couldn't tell the Oba what this problem was for it may make him change his mind and give the contract to someone else. In fact some nollywood film makers wanted the job so badly. There was a good amount of money involved. Mouth watering. That was in fact what the nollywood filmmakers were after. They were Directors and actors, editors and scriptwriters, even producers and cinematographers were all on board for it. The idea was grabbing it with nollywood influence and then employ photographers to do the job, paying them peanuts as wages; while they themselves smile to the bank. The biggest name among them was the "Governor" the famous and most influential nollywood director from Benin. They have the equipments and everything to finish the job and give the best. But it was like the soon to be Oba knew, Thelma Zee wasn't after giving the best, but her best. Not after the money but just an opportunity to be useful and display creativity. Though Chiefs and other nobles had wanted to hijack it in disfavour of Thelma with the idea that, she had no experience and no trademark to herself, the Oba to be, paid deaf ears that some even have to conclude that this was beyond giving a rising star an opportunity. She could be his midnight bedroom guest. And had wanted to please her with this contract.
Thelma Zee met all her friends whom she knew in her short period of practicing law but nor of them was willing to help her. She needed a grade one or perhaps a first class camera to carry out this contract. She wanted something that will sell her brand. She needn't not advertisement after this coronation. When high and mighty would see her job, they will be the ones to come looking for her her. Not her looking for jobs or contracts. Her mother was one whom her husband never for onces allowed to work nor pay salary or given allowance. As wealthy as Thelma's father was, his wife does not own a bank account nor could she boast of a kobo of her own. But one thing was sure, she lacked nothing. Whatever her needs or wants were, she got at a snap of finger. But not money. So she can not be in position to help her daughter.
When the parish priest visited Thelma Zee in her one room apartment along lucky way; a stone throw before coming out of upper mission extension, the house was quiet that one would nearly make a u-turn from the road side with the notion that no one was in the house. All the tenants had gone to their respective places of works, since morning. Except the moving vehicles to and fro the way and vehicle horns up and down upper mission extention. The parish priest moved closer to the passage door of the twelve rooms passage house with all the tenants sharing a single toilet that is few yards behind the house, though it was a water closet, but it was an experiment; escape from pit toilet in slums and ghettos. The bathroom was dual, one for the male and the other for the females. It was unconsciously made so. That wasn't the idea. Thelma was the only tenant who was alone in her room. Other rooms had about three four in a room. The female occupants feared toilet infections and therefore developed the habit of waking an hour before dawn for "short-put". The bushes and uncompleted building around has been littered with defecations. Thelma Zee got herself a bowl for the similar morning rite. The Harvard University Law graduate and daughter of one of the city's billionaire was now an occupant in such an area. Most of them wake before dawn to bath outside because the bathroom was disgusting and irritating. One irritating and annoying thing is when the unmarried husbands and wives among them sent their friends or relations outside in the middle of the night and engaged in the ritual of married people. Both the woman and the man wake everyone and disturb the night by moaning and groaning and screaming. This was the episode that Thelma Zee never fashioned.
The parish priest could hear sobbing from within perhaps the second room by the right. He called out "Thelma... its Father." He went in to meet her. She has been crying, her eyes red and face, wet, she buried her head on her knees. She was sitting on her foam, resting her back to the wall; her head bend resting on her knees; her pillow placed on them, soaked with tears. The parish priest hasn't seen her in church in the last two day.
"Is it the camera, Thelma?"
When she heard the voice, she recognized it. It was father's. She lifted her head up slowly and nodded in affirmative. The parish priest had no idea of who sells, nor was he having the money but he knew someone who could help with the money. He fetched his phone from his pocket and placed a call. The only way any faithful would let out that money was if the project was church's. Father said it was and he was promised the money next morning.
"You have lied padre?" She murmured
The parish priest smiled and shake his head. "I said the church needs it... I can't lie... I don't lie, i only sometimes say what may not be true."
"I heard it... bu... but..." she paused, the priest smiled.
"As you know... the church is not the building... the church is us... the church is you and i." He waited for a reply but the expression on her face posed something for clarification and the priest read it. " well... in that case, we call it misunderstanding. He misunderstood me, i didn't lie."
Donald Roco a famous University Professor of Ancient Arts History made it to the news recently his intention to get a wife. The excitement was extraordinary. It was a sign that the lucky lady must have been an Angel. Maybe first to either Agbani Derigo or perhaps Genevieve Nnaji, or let's say Adedua Etomi Wellington . This must be then, a wedding between beauty and the beast; because Professor Donald Roco wasn't a handsome man. Maybe what he lacked in beauty, he had them in brain because his academic prowess was legendary. Passionate university teacher who made history by lecturing nearly the whole university students, at a time when most Lecturers rebelled against the school, refusing to carry out their duties. Professor Donald Roco had
also proven himself if not first, at least, second to the ancient student of Plato, the teacher of Alexander the great. Roco had knowledge of everything. There is no discipline in this world that doesn't have his contributions. He was in space and made a discovery there which the American government has been promoting through the auspices of National Space Agency. In genetic engineering, geology, medicine, politics and law, he was in all. His fame though with less affluence as university professors always are, spread far and wide. His wedding was going to go haywire. But his lucky bride was unknown to no one. His family has been asking to meet with the lady. They have been excited over it all for their son and brother was long overdue for marriage. All his siblings have gone into the marriage vocation. His own case became a prayer point; so when he came with the news of his own marriage to a woman, granting interview on televisions and radios, planning and preparing. The famous jazz queen -Asa was to play live at the wedding. Asa had considered the professor reason being that she has been his biggest fan over the years. Though he hasn't contacted Thelma Zee for the photography, she was more than ready to accept the contract with discount because she also has become a fan of professor Donald Roco. Items were bought, wedding and all things necessary for wedding were all coming in stocks... the event planner was actually doing a great job though she herself was puzzle because she doesn't know the woman. She only got the idea to get ready her wedding gown and other clothes from a sketch Roco brought.
It was in this anticipation that the death of Professor Donald Roco slapped everyone in the face. Just two weeks to the wedding, he had made arrangements to with her long time secret admirer. The slender shinning beautiful girl was indeed more beautiful than the day. Agbani Derigo could not have defeated her should she have been her contender at the miss world pageant. If it were then, Ojukwu would not have fell for Bianca over her. Before this lady, Genevieve Nnaji was the ugliest in the world and Roco whose only beauty was in his head opted for her. If any man would think of taking her as a wife, he must be wealthy, responsible and handsome. It is only in being responsible that Roco had an excellent. In the other two, he had an F in handsome and an 'E' in wealth.
She loved to hang out in no other place but Magic Hotel that was built at the heart of Ovia River. The hotel was the only rotating building in the whole of the earth. The engineer constructed the wheel from the base of the river which now aid the 5000 feet high building to rotate as the earth does also. She was at the top most floor looking over the ancient city of Benin like a small village and the Ovia river at the hotel's fleet. She would not look down to the river too long else she tells a different story.
"Hello most beautiful... good afternoon!" Prof. Roco greeted as he walked closer. She looked at his bend left leg. She heard more of him but this was the first time she was meeting him.
"Pleasure to meet you, Professor... my name is...."
"Shhhh! I already know..." he smiled
"Hmmm! Tell me"
'My Queen and Angel... that's the name i give to you"
"Hmm!"
"I have come here baby to tell you one thing... to beg you... i know i am not worthy of you. But please consider me worthy. I am in love with you. I want to be your man... please be my woman." He fetched a diamond ring which cost him his four months salaries to get for this purpose. He had sworn that no matter the cost, it must be this and her alone. Even if it mean for him to die, he would die to be able to marry her.
"No my dear Professor...."
"Please don't say no. I will make you happy... i will treat you right... you won't regret it.'
"I can't say yes... i am not marrying. I have chosen to remain a single forever... no man, no children... just me."
"What? A beauty queen like you? But why?"
"Personal philosophy" she said and walked into the room, before she could shut the door, she heard him mumbled:
"What is my life without the woman i love. She is still the only one." She stopped as if to watch him go, but what she saw next was terrific; Professor Donald Roco jumped into the river without a life-jacket. She rushed forward but stopped short; the Professor was already falling as if he wasn't going to land. She stood transfixed and dazed.
Professor Donald Roco was found ashore of Ovia River few days later. No wonder no one has heard from him in the past few days. It was a view not to be seen. What must have happened? The news agencies took it a topic of discussion. First he was preparing for a wedding with an unknown bride and now he is dead, his body floated the Ovia river. No one could imagine the possibility of flying from the top most floor of Magic Hotel. Thelma Zee cannot stiĺl come with term of what happened. First she was planning photography for the Professor's wedding only for the Professor of Ancient Arts History to showed up at her favourite relaxation center to declared to her face that she was the one. The police were already investigating the cause of Roco's death. A postmortem was scheduled for soon. And once that was done undoubtedly, the hotel would be number one suspect. It must be found out that Roco died as a result from falling from a high feet. And all eyes would be on Magic hotel. Then, who pushed him off such hight? A normal person cannot jumped off such a height. The hotel log book had him checked in and to see the famous photographer. They never recorded him checking out and they never bothered to find out. What a blunder from such a reputable establishment? As the hotel management recalled this blunder, Detective Eghosa O.O. and his assistant walked in. He demanded to see the log book, as he went through, he was shocked that his guess was right. Not just the day it happened was correct, but that he was at the topmost floor to see not just anyone but the famous photographer, Thelma Zee. It must have been business but why would he now fall from such a height? He tried to imagine the possibility of Thelma Zee pushing the university Professor off the building to die at such a deep and wide river.
The detective has been a fan of Thelma Zee and regreted being the one assign to this case. How can he arrest the celebrity he loved. He imagined what this scandal would do to her career and her life. He hasn't been just a fan but one who loved Thelma Zee from afar even more than he loved his own life not to talk of his wife. Immediately he requested to watch the footage of the security camera that day.
Thelma Zee was in her one room apartment at the isolated spot of Ikpoba River, she was looking at the picture she took Professor Donald Roco as she met him for the first time and the selfie. The smile and satisfaction on Roco's face. For a moment even without having asked, he felt she had said yes. The slender arm of this beauty personified wrapped around him and immediately, he could not resist the pleasant smell of a beautiful woman, one who obviously would never grow old... her skin may never be wrinkled, nor her hands feeble. Angels don't grow old, Roco chose right. There are many fishes in the river why would he die because one said no? Well, perhaps, though there are many fishes, just one is for you and this very one and not others was for the Professor.
"You killed him? Why?" Detective Eghosa O.O asked in a faint whispered. Thelma Zee jumped to her feet, she did not hear him come in. Detective Eghosa O.O looked around the room; and turn to face her "you have a nice place... cool and calm. Good enough to plan and execute."
"No... Eghosa... i didn't do it... i have..."
"Wow! She knows my name."
"I have evidence." She was fond of setting hidden camera to record her business with people. Over the years, she has had no need to used them but this, she had need for it. She fetched her mini camera and played the video it proved her innocence but why didn't she reported the case? To her surprise, Eghosa smashed the camera... destroying the evidence of her innocence. "Why would you do that?"
"I have always desired you since the first day you became my neighbour at Lucky way, but then you were dating a Rev. Father..."
"What an evil accusation? Dating a Rev. Father... what are you talking? A priest?"
"Then why the so much care about you. Were you the only person in his parish?"
"You are insane!"
"I know i am... but right now you have to date me or i will prove before the law that you killed the university Professor... you know that's life imprisonment..."
"I am still a lawyer Eghosa..." she said sharply
"The law is blind... we are the guardians of the law. We make it see what we want her to see. Accept or you go to jail... you have no proof of your innocence. You are too beautiful to be at the gallows or worse still, spending the rest of your life in incarceration."
"Go ahead... i am not scared."
"Miss. Thelma... you are under arrest for killing Professor Donald Roco."
"May i see your warrant please?"
Immediately, he fetched it. A warrant to arrest any one suspected of the crime.
"Alright... let's go."
"Your hands..." he said fetching handcuffs
"Are you alright? Am i resisting arrest? If you don't know the use for cuffs, let me educate you. It is for suspects or criminals who are resisting arrest or being violent."
"You want to teach me my job?"
"No. I'm only educating you."
"What is the difference?" He led the way and she followed.
The front of Zone 5 police station at Adesuwa road was jam packed with gentlemen of the press from various agencies. As the audi 80 drove in, Thelma smiled. She knew the power of the press in a case like this. She wouldn't risk going in without talking to the press. In fact the world would get to hear her statement first before the force. If the police force decided to play along with Detective Eghosa O.O, and make her confess to a crime she did not commit, the world already have the true side of the story. As they opened to alight, men of the Press pressed on them trying to be the first to report the situation of Detective Eghosa O.O who is a hero once again and may earn a promotion or some other goodies from the authority. And the celebrity who is now on the vanguard of a murder case.
"Gentlemen of the press... my name is Izoduwa Thelma" she announced and all the journalist trooped to her direction obstructing the police men who were almost on ground to whisk her in.
"I am popularly known as Thelma Zee. Detective Eghosa, is on a mission to blackmail me. What happened between me and Professor Roco are all recorded here." She handed the device to the journalist from Channels Tv. "The copied tape have been destroyed at my residence by Eghosa, in a bid to destroying all evidence of my innocence which will compelled me to yield to his lust advances. All my encounter with him at my residence till this moment have been recorded and how he threatened to shoot me then report to the world that i was trying to escape." She fetched a device from her chest. No wonder she wore a dress that so revealed her breasts. The device had the colour of her skin, and wearing it one would believe it is part of her flesh. Again she gave it to Channels. The police are helpless because they are very much aware that Channels was reporting live.
Thelma Zee has trust issues with any government agencies that was why she did not give the records to the police and also not to NTA. She opted for channels because before any usurpation, it has already gone viral. In fact before she decided to follow the police inside, the videos were trending on social media. The person of Thelma Zee? A Nobel Laureate in photography... pictures she took several times shook the world; a lot of epic and inspiring pictures of natures: animals, sky and waters. Her singular picture have inspired authors to write books, film makers to make films. One of such earned her a banquet with the Oba of Benin and Queen of England on her homage visit to the great Benin Kingdom.
Hearing the story and watching the evidence especially one found on Professor Donald Roco's table at the office with his exceptional signature appended "Roco goes to meet a woman, if she says no... Roco will jump from the tallest wall into the Ovia." A thousand and one lawyers were on standby to defend their formal colleague. Despite the popular support from fans, press and international and local organization, it could be observed that what Thelma Zee needed most this time, was a shoulder from her family. Her mother died about two years ago, during the burial was the last time, she met her father. Her younger brother broke down when he heard his sister has been arrested.
Sir. S.K. Izoduwa could not just sit back any more, though he was not in agreement with his daughter, blood is still blood. He wouldn't want his own blood to sleep police net. He reluctantly sent two senior advocates of Nigeria to go and ensure she is granted freedom as the case continues. He puts a call through to the chief of police in charge. The Chief was taken aback for he knew very well that both father and daughter were not friends and probably would never be. Then he realised there wasn't a chance for Detective Eghosa. Thelma Zee was cold and touched when the lawyers arrived and did as her father had directed. The case was to waste no time as it was to be taken to court the next day.
The End
