THE UBER DRIVER

JUST THINKING

Femi decided to go into business long before he graduated from the university. He told himself several times that he would not work for anyone. So, he started with a business center back in school. He was able to fend for himself and even helped others while he was in school.

After graduation, he was offered a job by the university but he turned it down. Femi was the second overall best in his set.  His parents and friends persuaded him and encouraged him to accept the job and other job offers but his mind was made up.

He started off with a computer and internet business centre but the problems of electricity, pilferage by his staff and his inexperience cost him the business. He closed down the business and he decided to start off a whole and retail recharge card business. With time, he walked away from it. He made more losses than he did in his previous businesses.

He tried other businesses and failed until he eventually decided to join the Uber business. He bought the Corolla Toyota from his savings and registered with Uber. He started off by kicking the ball rolling from the very first day he started. He had a plan and he also set a target for himself. He also  had time to do other things as well. However, the Uber business favoured him more.

He met and carried a lot of people. The rich, the poor, professionals, call girls, clubbers, and so on. At times, he worked round the clock because of the target he had set for himself. He also had good and bad experiences while on the job. Some customers paid and also tipped him. While some could not pay the complete fare and a few refused to pay. In all, he never fought any of those bad customers. He felt customers were always right, he wanted to have a good record and also be a professional hence he allowed them go.

There was a time a lady's wallet dropped from her bag. She was the last customer he picked up that day. He did not notice it until the following day. When he saw the wallet and opened it, he saw a good amount of Naira and Dollars notes in it. He was tempted. The thought of, "God has rewarded me for all the sufferings and bad customers I have had", came to his mind but he shook the thoughts off and returned the wallet intact. 

The lady worked with shell and she was the Head of Human Resources in the organization. She was amazed by his sincerity and integrity. They had a chat that day and she realized that he was from the same state with her, that is, Ogun State, in Nigeria. She was willing to offer him a job either in shell or one of it's subsidiaries when she discovered he was a graduate but he declined. He was stubborn with his decisions to work for himself. They exchanged contacts before he left and he promised to get in touch. He never did. She tried but he didn't pick her calls.

Then one day, he just dropped off a lady at Victoria Island in Lagos and when he turned around to move away, he saw people running and heard gunshots. He quickly accelerated but he was stopped by four guys with automatic guns. He wanted to run them over but one of them shot at the pessenger's seat and he had to halt. Then, the guys entered the car and their leader hit his head with the boot of his gun for wanting to run them over and his head started bleeding. His clothes became wet with blood but the thieves shouted at him, "Move", if you don't want us to waste your life. Then, he started driving.

They screamed at him to drive fast and he being a good Uber driver and someone who knew the routes very well was able to manouver his way out of the traffic on Adeola Odeku, Victoria island, Lagos. Then there was a chase. The thieves had robbed a bank but their get away car was stuck in the traffic hence they stopped Femi. 

The police chased them with their vans and a helicopter. It was also televised life on television by the Arise Tv News through their sophisticated live helicopter.

When they got to Lagos toll gate by seven up, there was a heavy traffic. Then, one of the thieves came out and started shooting sporadically into the air. People ran and this led to a serious accident. A car ran over three people who wanted to cross to the other side of the road and they died on the spot. Then, there was a confrontation between the police and the thieves. Some police officers and three of the thieves were killed in the gun fire. Their leader was shot in the leg and a bullet hit Femi on his left side while in the car. The leader and Femi were arrested later arrested. 

But first, they were taken to the hospital. After they recuperated, they were arraigned in court. The press tagged it, "The Failed Heist". It became a national issue. The two of them were interrogated but Femi stood his ground. They tried forcing him to spill but he insisted that he was just a Uber driver. People recognized him when the court case started because it was televised live on national televisions. 

The last customer (the lady he dropped before the incident), went to the police station to give evidence and speak in Femi's favour when she saw Femi on television but to no avail. As a result of that, she started off a petition of which many people whom Femi had helped and carried signed it off. Bisola, the lady who worked with Shell contacted that lady. They made contacts with Arise Tv and they were invited for a live interview on the case. Then and there many people realized who Femi was. Bisola spoke about her experience with him and how he returned her wallet. 

The Presidency had no choice but to order for a proper investigation because of the news about Femi. It was then, a video from a CCTV came out where Femi dropped the lady in front of her office before the incident. The police also went to Uber head office in Lagos to confirm if Femi was a registered driver with them. Uber had their records of him and so far so go, he had good ratings from most of his clients. All of those evidences led to his release. But the leader of the gang was sentenced to death.

Bisola was a single mother from a failed relationship twelve (12) years ago. And since then, she had not been in a relationship. But she had started thinking of going into one before her experience with Femi. She actually fell in Love with him after the experience but when Femi was not forth coming, not picking her calls and responding to her whatsApp messages, she gave up on him until the day she saw him on live TV as a criminal. 

While in prison, Bisola was always checking up on him. Then when he was released, they became closer. Femi eventually fell in love with her and they got married six months' later. With her help and connections, Femi started his own online car business which he named, FEMLA and the slogan of the company was "WE MOVE".

THE THREE

 JUST THINKING

Peter: Hey, Dominic!!! How was your day?

Dominic: It was great. Just that I am in a fix right now. That Edo babe I told you about is coming today and Theresa called like five minutes ago that she would be spending the weekend. Mehn, I don't know what to do.

Alex: I have told you guys most especially you, Dominic, that you should just stick to your one and only, Theresa. 

Peter: Ooh, you have come again. Let Dominic enjoy himself "joor". Besides, every one cannot be boring like you. 

Desmond: Peter, take it easy on Alex. 

That was the weekend that changed the lives of the "THE THREE" as they were known. THE THREE grew up together. They were great guys and buddies. But they had Peculiar nature and paths.

Alex was the owner of the house they lived in. He had a car and was doing great. He was also doing very well career wise but no girl wants to date him. He was an awkward kind of person that does not know what to say and when to say things. He lacked sense if humour. His dress sense was zero.

Dominic was working as a contract staff in a bank earning N65000 monthly. But he was always with different women. He was every lady's guy and he dressed well. He was a cool and smooth talker who has eyes for beautiful women.

While, Peter was just a jobless guy who lived as if he was the owner of the house. He was a chronic pretender and a liar. He did not want to work though he came out with a second class upper in computer engineering. He said his life was not meant for Nigeria. So, he was doing everything to travel abroad and was always on the internet in the nights. He did not have a stable girl friend.

The amazing thing of it was that Dominic wished he was Alex. He admired him and his lifestyle. Alex wished and envied both Dominic and Peter. He longed for ladies to be throwing themselves at him. But the reverse is the case. While  Peter envied both of them secretly and he had been admiring and wishing that he could snatch Theresa from Dominic.

Dominic came up with a plan that they should play along when his babe, Theresa came around. When Theresa came, Dominic told her that they were going to church for a vigil and Theresa was impressed. So, she left and the Edo girl came in five minutes after she left.

The girl was tall and looking hot. Alex and Peter were stunned by her beauty. She was really a beauty to behold. Then, not quiet long that she came, Dominic's mum called. She was worried because for the last three days, she had had similar dreams of death and police case concerning her son. She had prayed but she needed to call him.

She told him about the dream but it fell on deaf ears. He quickly told her that nothing would happen and that he would be okay just because the Edo girl. He had a great night that night with her.

It was a scream of Dominic that woke up the his friends the following day. When they ran into his room, they saw him crying over the Edo girl. She had died in her sleep. This became a serious "gbege" for them.

They had to call Theresa because she was a Medical Doctor and because they had no choice. By the way, she was a very good girl with a good job and her dad was the Pastor where three of them worshipped. She wanted to surprise Dominic that was why she wanted to spend the weekend with him. It was the first time in their one year relationship she would spend a weekend with him. She believed in no sex until marriage.

Then when she came, they explained everything to her. She was angry and wanted to leave but they begged her to confirm properly and if there was anything that she could do medically to resuscitate the Edo girl. She confirmed that the Edo girl was dead. Then she said they should call the police and the estate security which they did because it was the normal thing to do when there is a situation like this as long as there was no fowl play.

When the police came, they said they would arrest the three of them. They searched the house to see if they could get any incriminating evidence but to no avail. But when they searched the Edo girl's bag, they saw some drugs, her ID cards and some papers. When Theresa saw the drugs, she became curious. So, she took permission from the police to check the drugs and her suspicion was confirmed. It was HIV drugs and when she opened the papers, it was her medical report. She had just been diagnosed with HIV and the drugs were given to her at the hospital the previous day.

Then the Edo girl's phone rang. One of the police officers picked it up and spoke with the caller. It was her father who was also the commissioner of police in the state. Immediately he was told about his daughter's death, he ordered them to arrest everyone of them that they must have killed his daughter.

They took them with their laptops and phones to the police station after taking the corpse to the morgue. When they got to the police, THE THREE were locked up. Three days later after there investigation, they realized the Edo girl had taken some drugs and Dominic confirmed that she did before they slept after having sex. 

The police also asked who was the owner of a particular laptop, and Peter said it was his. For the first time, they saw Peter shaking while talking because he was always bold. The police said that after some forensic investigations, they realized that the owner of the laptop was one of the most wanted "yahoo yahoo" boys in the country. Dominic and Alex were shocked. They now realized why Peter was always on his laptop every night. Peter was very very rich through yahoo yahoo but he never allowed his friends to know about it. He was actually planning to leave Alex's house for his own house at Lekki Phase one in December.

When  Peter was interrogated, he said that three of them were doing it together. He roped them in. He felt he would not go down alone  The case now moved from being a murder case  to a murder and fraud case. 

The commissioner of police vowed that THE THREE would be killed for the death of his daughter and he would ensure that that happened.

Eventually, Peter confessed when they were arraigned  in court that he was the only one involved in the Yahoo yahoo scam and he proved it. He had a change of heart after he realized that he had been a bad friend to Alex and Dominic. 

When Peter was asked why he implicated his friends in his earlier statements, he said he was jealous of both of them. He wanted Dominic's babe, Theresa to be his and he had wished he was Alex because of his descent life, his career, his house and his value system.

Through the influence and manipulation of the Commissioner of police, Dominic was sentenced to death, Alex was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, while Peter was life in prison. But after an appeal by their families in court, Dominic was later sentenced to five years. The judge did it just to appease the commissioner of police. Alex was set free because he was found not guilty of murder and fraud. But Peter's judgement still held, that is, life in prison. He had duped many both within and outside the country. Dominic later did a test and he was diagnosed with HIV.

After the whole experience, Alex realized that it was bad to be envious of others and there was nothing wrong with him. Though others did not like him because he was not an outgoing person, there was someone out there for him. He was doing great but he allowed people to make him think he was inferior to them. He has moved on since then but the pain and stigma is still there.

I Corinthians 15:33 NKJV says, "Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits.”

WHY, BUT WHY? (A story written by Wilson Ileogben)

                          JUST THINKING

Mayagbe was the toast in his school. The most handsome guy, respectful, every lady's guy and the best graduating student. He was also a religious and humble guy. But he had to wait for eight years after trying several times before he got a job.

He was a first class student but didn't get a job on time. He did one or two things to survive but nothing good seemed to work. He finally got a job of N30,000 as a school teacher whereas his course mates back in school had now become top Executives in blue chip companies.

He was so happy about it that he was jumping and rejoicing that there is something for him at least. Unfortunately, he was run over by a car on his way back home and he died on the spot.

Zuga was a diligent and brilliant guy. A guy who loves God. He was diligent on his job and he was the best in his department. There was a top position available and everyone knew the job was for him.

He was looking forward to becoming the new Executive Director in charge of Finance but unfortunately, when he got to the office the day the new Executive Director was supposed to be announced, he was sacked because the people he thought loved him had conspired against him and set him up. That was when he realized that no one is your friend in the office because everyone is fighting for the same position.

By the way, Zuga and Mayagbe were brothers. They were very close and good people. The incident happened the same day. It was a day of sorrow for their family. They had lost their parents years ago and they had a younger sister who looked up to them. Her name was Simaye.

Simaye was a victim of rape. She had been raped by their neighbours severally in the past. But she could not tell her brothers until she realized she was pregnant. The day she wanted to tell her brothers was the same day Mayagbe died and Zuga lost his job. She wept, rolled on the floor and fainted. The pain and the experience of everything made her lose the pregnancy. 

When they got to the hospital, that was when they Zuga realized that their beloved sister became pregnant from rape. When she told him about the pregnancy, he was enraged about it because the people who raped her were "trusted neigbours and friends". 

Both of them wept and then a Doctor came in and told them the bad news. Simaye had lost her womb as a result of it. She will not be able to give birth and have her own children. The news made her scream which drew the attention of everyone in the hospital.

The Chief Medical Officer heard the scream and ran to the room she was admitted in. The doctor explained everything that had happened to the CMO and as he was going through Simaye's file, the surname rang a bell. He asked them, are you guys related to Mr. Michael Edimoro. 

They said "YES" that he was their father and he was late. The CMO broke down and fell on the floor crying like a baby. He knew their father and their father was the one who had the idea of the hospital and he was to partner with the CMO. Their father invested a lot but the CMO cheated him out of it. 

The CMO gave him some documents to sign not knowing that the CMO wanted to deceive him and claim everything. He ended off signing his properties, his investments and his shares in the business to the CMO. 

Their father was very rich but he was an illiterate. The shock of it made him have a stroke which later led to his death. Zuga, Mayagbe and Simaye were kids at that time. Their parents never told them about it. But their mother Melinda, was able to fend for them before she eventually died seven years ago.

By this time, the CMO had become a christian and the previous day, he had made up his mind to look for  Mr. Michael Edimoro's children because he had heard that He and his wife were dead. 

Unfortunately, he met Mr. Michael's children in a terrible situation and this was not how he planned to meet them. He had planned to return the properties he swindled their dad of and his shares in the company which had grown and expanded to many cities in Africa.

The day was a sad but sweet day. They lost their brother Mayagbe, Simaye had been raped and lost her pregnancy and she would never give birth to her own child, while Zuga lost his job not to talk about their parents who died from the act of man's wickedness.

They eventually got back with interests what was stolen from their parents and family by the CMO but at the expense of great losses. They became millionaires on a terrible day. 

Today, Zuga and Simaye have their own separate families and they are very rich with many properties and companies to their names. Simaye and her husband had to adopt two children and Simaye never pressed charges against those who raped her. Zuga bought over the company where he was sacked. They forgave the CMO for what he did and the company is the biggest in Africa in their industry today. They own 65 % of the shares of the company and it's subsidiaries.

No matter what you are going through, I would like you to know that God is faithful. The experiences and challenges may be painful but God is working things out because He has a plan. When God's time comes, nothing can stop you. The door may be shut against you today, but that doesn't mean that God hates you. However, when He opens a door, no man can shut it. AMEN