The biggest palace in Nigeria is offering a job to ten lucky ladies. Fifty entries only in the next ten minutes.
Do you have what it takes to serve in the king's palace?
Are you beautiful?
Outspoken?
Educated?
And good at minding your own business?
Work in the palace and earn hundred thousand naira weekly.
"Hundred thousand naira weekly." Ara repeated quietly as she read the broadcast all over again.
The job was like a jackpot to everyone reading the broadcast already. Good at minding your own business didn't occur to her yet. Was not even sure she remembered reading that part. The hundred thousand naira weekly was the only thing on her mind. She was already calculating how much she would earn in a month by working in the palace.
Not even some certain white collar jobs pay that monthly talkless of earning that weekly. Ara hated checking on her Whatsapp groups except the Update on new jobs' group she joined lately. She was always looking for jobs because she needed money. She could do any other job except stealing, sleeping with old men, and dancing round the pole suggested by one of her friends.
As the first born of her parents who already accepted their fate and never planned on having their children forward their education, Ara promised herself and her younger sibling that education was meant for them and she would make sure they finished well. Those jobs were to pay her university tuition fees, start a business, and save up for her younger sister.
What was next?
She clicked on the link to apply immediately without giving it a second thought. Multiplying hundred thousand naira by fifty two weeks, Ara couldn't believe she would be up to five million naira rich in one good year.
One good year, and she becomes a millionaire. Just like that?
Of course, no. She was going to work. She doesn't even know the kind of work she would be offered. But in one year, she would be done from the palace and gladly continue her education, start a business and begin a life for herself.Her dreams were finally going to come true.'
Congratulations! You just made it as the final candidate. You are number fifty. Dress well tomorrow, and fight for your space at the top ten. We hope you get another congratulations from us again. Bye Miss Aramade.'
Mad ooooooo
Ara shook her head. She immediately went back to the broadcast sent to the group. She was instantly rendered speechless when she saw that it was only three minutes and there was already fifty entries. Congratulations to the fastest fingers'. She shook her head unbelievably at how the entries were completed so quickly. Ara sent her condolences to everyone still trying and might never get the same congratulations she got. She thanked herself for not overlooking the message when it came. She couldn't imagine missing a job like that. Whichever way, she told herself she needed to make it to the top ten. The money was important to her. She couldn't miss such an opportunity to become rich in one year.
•••
Ara was finally on the Island, close to the biggest and highest palace in Nigeria. Ara didn't know much about the King, the princes, including the princesses and the workers. She doesn't know how the palace looked like. But it was impossible to ignore rumours that filled her ears with what she needed to know, or may be just enough for her to know what was going on in the palace.
And what was going on in there?
The fun part was the only one revealed when Ara asked Google for the popular Lagos palace. Even the rumours made Ara fantasize how lucky she would be if she made it to the top ten needed in the palace. She could only think about the enjoyment. The benefits. The good life.
She knew there were other kings from other states, but the king of Lagos was the most popular, respected, and richest. He was known for how educated he was. He had his PhD even before he was called to become the king. He had his money before getting more for being a king. His generosity had bought people's hearts.
His promises that were fulfilled made people trust him and accept him as their king.
His generosity and how powerful he was had given his sons called princes a magnificent red carpet to step on in open and behind close doors. His daughters
called princesses enjoying an awesome life called...the world is ours to live. And the so called Queens referred to as mothers of the whole nation forgot who they once were. Power ruled in the palace. Power ruled from the palace. Power lived in the palace. Power destroyed lives in and outside the Palace of Mumusi. These, Ara never knew.
The first time Ara ever saw what the outer part of the palace looked like was on the television. It was said to be the most beautiful, biggest and largest palace in the whole of Nigeria with thirty six acres of land.
What the f!!!
She didn't finish the f word when she heard about the shocking news that got her suddenly pissed. It was shocking to her that a whole family. Just one family with his extended families were living in a place enough for half of Lagosians to build and have homes on their heads. But what could she do? In a country where the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer. May be she was wrong. May be the poor actually gets richer as she would be in the next one year.
Almost getting to the special building built just like an estate. From afar, what Ara saw made her brought out her phone and checked the broadcast again. With her eyes on her small Lenovo A1000 screen, she traced the part where they wrote...fifty entries only in the next ten minutes. When she looked up from her phone, she came to realization that the fifty had been multiplied by hundred.
Many people must have seen fifty thousand instead. Or why would they still waste their precious time to come down here?
The crowd tirelessly pleaded, hanging around, and sitting carelessly close to the giant gate that led to the palace. But they couldn't try any funny movement because of the policemen, soldiers, SARS, including loaded pistols and guns sitting and facing thousands of lives all because they wanted to protect the King and his family. Ara couldn't blame people's desperation knowing people really needed job everywhere. Especially in this country where everyone is now an entrepreneur.
But Nigerians can be so funny at times. How could fifty entries turned to thousands of entries? Has almost half of Nigerians gone blind or what? Ara felt bad for thinking that way. All the blame on lack of unemployment, and government who aren't thinking of how to help the youths but their family, bank accounts, and their precious pockets. Ara walked closer and squeezed her way through the people till she got to the main front, faced by the people harmed with guns with their faces hard as stones.
"Yes? Are you blind? Get Back or should we help you with that?" One of the soilders yelled at Ara causing her to suddenly become frightened and almost crawled to the ground with fear. With her shaky hands, heart pounding very fast, she showed them the print out of the message sent to her with the real royal signature beneath it. But how could they believe her? Over one thousand people already showed them the same print out with forged royal signature beneath it. But there was only one way for them to find out.
"What's your name?" One of the hefty soilders asked. His voice hardened, scaring Ara.
"A...Ara..sir." Aramade stammered before voicing out well. "My name is Ara."
"Ara what! What is Ara? Don't you have a surname?" Another yell came out from one of the policemen, acting all frustrated, getting Ara scared with the all the guns in their hands.
"My name is Aramade Agboola." Ara almost shouted this time before allowing her mind to wander. God help me.....
"You are number fifty."
The response stopped everything Ara was trying to think about as her nod came with a big smile. Very happy she was recognized. The men weren't having it, and it was obvious with their strict faces. They needed her to talk so they could get away from the noise around them. "Are you number fifty you this lady? Show us your ID card."
"Yes I am." Another happy smile took over her face again as her ID card appeared before them. She was the only candidate they were waiting for. Now their job was done.
Ara walked in through the gate majestically excited. It was turning out real. She was really going to be five million naira rich indeed. That was her reason for entering the palace. Her goal. Nothing else. She wasn't prepared for the unexpected, the secrets, the fights, the loss and especially the love that almost cost her her precious life. She wasn't aware the money was coming with a lot of baggage. May be she would have cancelled the option if she knew.
"Miss Aramade Agboola! Please go in for your interview."
With smile all over her face, Ara gladly got up. It finally got to her turn. The beginning of her beginning.