It was just another night in Obalende with its solemn deprivation of hope. A shadow of the concrete jungle that is the Marina and Victoria Island Axis of Lagos, Nigeria. Dreams are made in Lagos. Hope birthed in Obalende is drunk on liquor and ice. Thoughts of light to shining through the suburb is a far cry. Violence, crimes and gangs rule the day and night. A constant triple threat that has become the norm. Kids and the old know the drill. Snitches get ditched. Cops follow the playbook. Organised crimes are at its finest in Obalande all for the next payroll. Paper chasing in a place where the paper is stronger than rocks and scissors.
But Obalende has great local pubs and some the Jazz clubs with great open-mic nights. The energetic nightlife scene keeps the neighbourhood interesting and alive. Although they are run by criminals, it was usually a fun time if you do not cross the area boys and gangsters.
Motunde Peters had her first experience with a stick-up. A knife pointed directly at her chest area. Hands shaking, palms sweating. Another, low life hustling on the streets for his next high. She has never been mugged but she knew better to be calm. Knowing well the drugs on the streets come from, she felt a little bit of guilt. Her father does many criminal activities including selling drugs. Money from this business has sustained her lifestyle and education. The streets are rough but it was late at night. Perhaps it was her fault, perhaps it was the life chosen for her. She wasn’t from around here. She was born and raised in Ijebu-Ode until she was 10 years old before moving to Lagos State. She always had fond memories of Ijebu-Ode, the peace, serene and quietness. Life was simpler without having to look over her shoulders. Playing in the yard with other kids having nothing to worry but to eat, play dress up and sleep. But that life was over. It was not long when they moved to Lagos that her mother was killed. She was mugged at knifepoint, stabbed and left to die at the car park while trying to get back home. Could this be her fate, she thought.
There was no justice for death. The police never found the killer. About a week later, a middle-aged man was killed by multiple gunshots at the car park. It was reported as a gang hit. No one knows if it’s related but Motunde overheard her father talk to some men that justice has been served.
Life felt thin and fragile as it flashed before her eyes feeling helpless. 15 years in Obalende, Lagos was enough time to get acquainted with the street culture of Obalende. With every, NEWS, blogs and covers of the daily mugging should be enough red flag to leave the neighbourhood. But, this was her home now. Leaving would be very difficult because of her father. She was all he had left since her mother died. Growing up without a mother was difficult especially with a father in the crime business. Yet, Motunde Peters grew up to be very friendly and beautiful both on the inside and outside. Her curvy attribute and skin tone draws a lot of attention to her. She’s calm like the ocean breeze but gets provoked by perverts.
She has always blamed her father for the death of her mom. Only if he was there to protect her, only if he didn’t let her walk by herself. He should have been there. But all that thought didn’t matter while facing the same predicament as her mother. Her father won’t let her go anywhere by herself. It became a burden to her that she found a way to the movies for a magic night of fun at the mall with her friends without his supervision or security detail. For the first time in her life, she was a vulnerable prey to a mugger. Although, they lived in the projects. Her father made sure she got the best of everything. Despite the protection from her father, she has always felt unsafe.
Somewhere around Moshalashi Street was where she was held at knifepoint in a dark alley. The scary-looking mugger looked like it was his first rodeo. He was very nervous and desperate. It was as though the barbiturates was wearing off from him. His jacket had a foul smell as he slept in his vomit. But it was her, the knife and the man in a cruel world. He grabbed her purse then shoved her to the concrete ground. His crooked eye and grim face wrote death all over it.
It was a rude awakening that she needed some protection from someone, not her father. He wasn’t there to save her mother and now he wasn’t here to save her. She knew he wouldn’t be there for her all the time. But if she could find some else to rely on, she would feel safer. She had this social construct of a perfect man in her head while growing up. Someone strong, brave and handsome. She has never been in a relationship before but that night made her realise what she was missing. She doesn’t want to ever feel alone. She needed a man, a hero. Someone to love and protect her. Obalende is a dangerous place for a beautiful lady without protection. Something her father says to her that she got bored. She knows better to keep the experience of that night away from her father. His paranoia would be the death of her. She could imagine being locked up in a room like a princess in a castle shielded away from the evil of the world.
Obalende is full of uncertainties, possibilities and evil lurking in every corner. It is a place for the brave and strong. Motunde Peters was set on a path to define herself. But her story ends here as the mugger turned around while making a run for it.
He said;
You have seen my face there’s no way I will let you see another daylight. He pulled out his revolver like a cowboy then pulled the trigger. The bang, the grim sight of the mugger casting his shadows on her was her last memories. The bullet struck her at the space between her eyes.
Her History – “Promising middle-aged lady killed and mugged on her way home”
The headlines read.