fridge, he equally went to bring it to go with the juice.
Extract 5 From        A Woman In Need


‘‘You see, this is why I always advise you to keep
a poultry,’’ interjected Dan.
‘’That is for you agro-economists.’’ Bello replied.
‘‘Do not mind him with all his troubles’’ said Osuji
who had been quiet since we entered the room.
Dan was a teacher in a high school while Osuji, a
Police Inspector, an Italian trained criminologist.
As we continued with the drinks, Bello asked me if
I would like to go with him and Mr. Lambert on a hunting
expedition.
‘’When is that?’’ I asked.
‘’Wednesday, because it is a public holiday,’’ he
reminded me.
‘‘Have you been going on hunting games here?’’ I
queried.
‘‘Oh yes, and one of the local hunters always
accompany us any time we go,’’ answered Bello.
‘‘Is he coming on Wednesday?’’ I inquired and
Bello answered in the affirmative.
‘’ I think that will be beautiful since I would not
need to rush to Kano and rush back only for a day’s
holiday’’ I said.
‘‘Can you handle a gun?’’ asked Osuji.
‘‘No’’, I answered.
‘‘Then Bello can teach you how to handle one
because I went on a hunting game with them once and I
can attest to the fact that he is a good shooter; he is an
expert,’’ he said.
‘‘That will be lovely and actually worth experiencing,’’ I
replied.
‘’ Gentlemen, I think I will now have to go; it is
already 10.00pm’’, said Danmeraya.
When the appointed day came for the hunting
expedition, we were a team of four: Bello, Lambert,
Dogo, and I.
‘’Bala, Dogo is coming with us for the first time
because Shehu who normally accompanies us is
unavoidably absent owing to some ceremony taking
place in his family,’’ informed Bello.
The idea of hunting was not one that appealed to
me much but somehow, there was the strong pull to
experience this for myself. There seemed to me two
immediate benefits of the adventure. One, I would be
able to take my mind off Linda for a while, if I ever
could, and while away the time before my next trip to
Kano. Second, I would have something really exciting to
tell her about when I got back there. Whichever was the
stronger reason did not matter to me. I just wanted to
go.
Because I had something to look forward to in
Rigabiu, for the first time, time seemed to fly. Almost too
soon, Wednesday was upon us. I did the best I could to
hide both my anticipation and my dread. I was not sure I
was doing much of a job but no one seemed to notice
or comment on what they noticed.
On Wednesday morning, we set out in Lambert’s
car. Lambert drove. Soon we left the city behind and
headed into the woods. I was very tense. Lambert
showed his dexterity, driving delicately in the woods.
When we were about eight kilometres into the bush, we
parked the jeep under the shade of a tree and we
started roaming the savannah woods in search of
game.
Not long after we started moving about when
Lambert set the ball rolling. The bang of his gun startled
me and I jumped in fright.
‘‘Let us go and fetch it’’ he said.
‘‘Fetch what?’’ I asked.
‘‘Oh, I have killed it,’’ he replied,
‘’It is an antelope.’’ Lambert confirmed.
Dogo was the first to follow the pathway and
closely coming behind him were Bello and Lambert. I
was behind them. The enthusiasm that I had earlier
showed started to wane.
I developed some sensation or rather some
tingling that made me feel like being sandwiched
between Bello and Lambert. I looked here and there to
be sure I was not being stalked by any wild animal
particularly a hyena. The savannah is notorious for
carnivorous animals and definitely, no novice would
pray to have an encounter with such an animal as a
hyena. They were reputed to be in large numbers in
these woods.
With the exception of myself, the team was
adequately equipped with skill and weaponry. This
made me personally uncomfortable, and I was torn
between exhilaration and regret. But I believed
somehow that the excitement overweighed the fear.
Each of them went a different way and I did not know
whom to follow out of the three sharpshooters. I was not
sure with whom I felt safer – the two sharpshooters
carrying rifles on the one hand, or the lone warrior
adept in the use of local weaponry on the other. The
local man said he preferred the bow and arrow because
the sound of the gun scared away the animals.
Now that Lambert had shot at an antelope, there
was little hope there would be any game in the vicinity
waiting for his silent arrows. I recalled Osuji saying that
Bello was a good shot. I decided to stay close to Bello.
We moved cautiously from one place to the other
because the whole thing needed a vigil disposition. I
was beginning to ask why we had found nothing where
the antelope should have been when suddenly Bello
beckoned me to silence. I knew he must have caught a
glimpse of a game and I peered in the direction he had
concentrated his attention. I was suddenly able to make
out the outline of a large animal. From its appearance, it
resembled a carnivorous animal and the animal
seemed to have caught our scent. I knew from my
reading about animals that most carnivorous animals
had a strong sense of smell.
I crouched behind a shrub as Bello took
deliberate aim and pulled the trigger. The animal gave
such a