There's this man next to our compound, Oga Philip as we fondly call him. He's elderly in his 70s, he deals in motor parts sales and according to him, that's been what's he doing right from his young age. He occupied two shops in the compound I used to think he owned because I usually saw him bringing carpenters and bricklayers to do maintenance in the compound, but not until three months ago when I heard loud shouts of quarrel from the compound and when I got there, I met Oga Philip agitating at the top of his voice, and few persons, our neighbours were gathered around him and trying to calm him down.
Immediately he saw me step to the scene, he turned in my direction, "Kingsley come and see! Some people are not grateful at all in this life. Can you imagine the landlord increasing my shop rent to 250 thousand Naira per year and I'm occupying two shops, that's 500 thousand Naira a year. This is the house I've been maintaining with my money. Can you imagine that?" His voice was so loud and not only that, spit from his mouth showered on my face.
I was shocked to hear that he's not the landlord or at least the caretaker which was what I had believed all along.
"Oga, I thought you own this building oooh!" I exclaimed covering my mouth in shock.
"Don't mind him!" He screamed angrily. He tried to leave the spot, just took a small walk like he was going to sit down but no, he couldn't, he began to lament again.
"This is a compound I've been with through thick and thin. I make use of my money to do maintenance because I took it as my own house and the foolish landlord never considered that. Doesn't he know that I have two mansions and if not for lack of planning, he thought I would be here paying rent?"
Oga Philip is among those that fortune smiled on during the early days of his life because according to him, he built his houses when little money as low as 20 thousand could afford plenty of plots of land. Yes, he always likes to share all his early life stories whenever we are opportune to talk.
That day ended after we pleaded for him to calm down and get to the landlord directly because the information about the increment in the shop rent came through a lawyer.
After two to three weeks, I was opportune to ask him if he had contacted the landlord to know his fate.
"My brother, there's no two ways about it. Once my rent expires, I'm going to vacate this place." His voice sounded piteous yet with confidence.
"Leave?"
"Where are you going to stay?"
"This is where they've known your business and I don't buy the idea of you vacating and besides, shops are really expensive these days. Try and talk to him to reduce the cost"
"Me? Beg him? No way!" He beat his chest so loud that I could hear.
"That man is so inconsiderate! That's someone I took as a family because we've known for a long time and all that while we had no issues. He never asked to pay me for any of the maintenance I have done for the compound because I believed that since I'm the oldest in the compound and considering how close we've been, I should be able to take care of his property.'
"He went to bring a lawyer to increase my rent and didn't bother to call me first. I'm vacating and if it means me stopping my business, I don't mind. I'm old enough to be enjoying the fruit of my labour. My last two children are studying law at the university and others are well-to-do. So I don't have any cause for alarm. Abeg, Kingsley, don't bother yourself on this issue" He walked away as he dropped the last sentence and I could feel his hidden pain.
We still have 7 months to go until his rent expires and I hope they'll be able to resolve their differences before then.
