On my way back from work, I passed through the shop of one of my customers. He sales food items. I believed that I was one of his big buyers because I used to buy in large quantity. When I told him the quantity I wanted to buy for that day, he expressed surprise.

“Iyk I don’t understand you anymore. Why are you buying small quantity of food items these days? That is not your style. You used to buy large quantity and store in your house. It seems your house is no longer safe for storing food. Has rat entered?”

“None of such happened, my brother. I am passing through hard time.”

“You! Pass through hard time. Iyk stop deceiving me, you are a big boy. Are you not the number 1 mechanic in this area? If you are passing through hard time, what will small boys like us do? “

“Nche I am not joking . Look at me very well, is it not obvious that all is not well. I am facing difficult time.”

“Iyk you seem to be serious. Okay, what is the problem?”

“It is my business. I don’t know exactly what is going on. I can’t retain my customers. You just called me the number 1 mechanic. That is how everyone is praising me including my customers. After a while they will disappear or they will start patronizing my neighbor; Nedu. I am 100% better than this my neighbor in experience but they will prefer to patronize him. That is my challenge. I sweat now before I can take care of my personal needs.”

“Look at this man. So you no carry anything follow body dey do business. (You don’t have spiritual back-up) You have to do something to protect your business”

“I don’t understand.”

“Your neighbor has jazzed your customers. Listen to me, I had that experience. Sometimes, I will come here and stay from morning till night. Nobody will ask me: how are you not talk of buying goods from me. But my neighbor will be selling. He sells at an exorbitant rate yet they will be patronizing him. Sometimes his goods will finish. He will ask them to go and come back the next day and they will foolishly agree. Whereas I am here. My goods are better, cheaper. I don’t know that those customers are not seeing me. My neighbor used spiritual veil to cover me and my goods.”

“What!”

“You have not seen anything. Some will turn you and your goods to maggots or even faeces. When customers come near everywhere would be smelling. One of my friends was selling electronics. But what people are seeing there is food items. Everyday people will come and be demanding that they want to buy rice and beans.”

I busted out in laughter.

“You are laughing. It is not a laughing matter. The thing kept on reoccurring until when he decided to go and make enquiry. That was when he discovered that his neighbor has turned the electronics in his shop to rice and beans.”

I don’t know why human beans are wicked. Even when you do them good they will repay you with evil. This Nedu that is dealing with me now, I was the one that introduced him to the business. I also find workshop for him. See how he is repaying me.”

“Ha! Some people are animals. They don’t have conscience. I was telling you of the person that used spiritual veil to cover my business. He was a boy that I trained. Afterwards I settled him with the shop and goods inside it. But he decided to close down my own business. But you trust me by the time I discovered that he was the one dealing with me. I sent him out of business. He is in the village now. I heard that he is a palm wine tapper.”

“That serves him right. You did well.”

“You see this Nedu that you are complaining of, his matter is a small one. We can deal with him. Even if you want him to be deleted, it is possible.”

“Delete? How?”

“Are you a baby? How can you be asking childish question. I mean we can send him to the backyard. When he gets there, he will have enough space to do business. Nobody will compete with him.”

“I hope you don’t mean killing him?”

“Of course that is what I mean. That is the only way; you will be free from him forever.”

“NO! capital NO. I am the only hope of my mother. I can’t soil my hand with blood. All I want is the restoration of my business. I want my customers to come back to me. I don’t want to kill anybody. If Nedu can succeed in taking my customers without killing me, then I should also be able to recover them, without shedding blood. I don’t mind if he is sent to village. I will never have hand in his death.”

“It is alright. If that is what you want, it is possible. I will take you to somewhere.”

Watch out for the next episode