Just Cause

By Frederick Adarode

Reyna Oba’s life has been a series of mishaps, from the loss of her beloved husband, Hilary to the cruelty of a wicked brother in-law, Pascal Oba. Her children almost snatched from her.
She found herself in a troubled country, torn apart by civil strife, a corrupt Government using violence and torture to remain on top.
Against a backdrop of civil unrest, she found another love. A good man, a leader she nursed to health, but at a heavy cost.
The violence, the danger, the waging of war, shaped her life and her family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frederick Adarode
• Release date: Mar 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311572516

Frederick Adarode

My desire to be uncommon always drives me to do something differently. I enjoy quiet times. I enjoy being alone. Not like I'm a loner, it gives me time to use my head. I enjoy inspirational works. I like Cartoons. The Simpsons is my favorite. And if I wanna laugh hysterically, Tom and Jerry is what I turn to. Music is my life. Difficult times always make me bring out the best in me. I don't realize how strong and what I am capable of until I'm faced with great challenges. I believe in God, He's my creator. His Son Jesus Christ, He's my Savior. No one takes care of you more than family. I love my family. I believe in the power of the sun even when it's not shining. And I believe in Love even when I'm alone because there's no force greater than this. I treasure every friend, I cherish every moment... Life is like a hyphen; a dash between two dates (your date of birth and date of death) that's what my mentor will always tell me. So I live the most of every passing moment because once it's gone, it can never come back. I believe the future we crave for, is every every ticking second of the clock. I believe in the FUTURE, that is NOW!

Book preview

Just Cause

Copyright 2014 Frederick Adarode

Published by Frederick Adarode at Smashwords

ISBN: 9781311572516

Edited by:

A. C. Okolie Jnr.

Cover Page Design by:

Clifford Asaboro

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Author’s Note

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

About The Author

Connect with Frederick Adarode

Acknowledgements

Sarah Falkenberg called me one early morning. I think it was around 4:45am, my eyes were still very heavy and my voice was still very unclear probably because of the snoring all night. She never thought of any other way to put it to me, to pick up my butts and do something about all the stories I’ve been telling her. All I heard her say was, Fred, you can do it! She was the push I needed and this book would still be lying somewhere in the depth of my thought if it wasn’t for her.

It was Robinson Quentin’s idea for me to go ahead to turn our little Imaginary Movie into a novel. Thanks mate!

Ella Daisy Moses; you always make me laugh every time you say, I love your brain. Thanks, you’re my inspiration.

To

…everyone who goes out of his or her way to find love in a world ravaged in so much hatred. They made me believe that love remains the greatest force of all.

Prologue

A truck loaded with soldiers sped off through the dusty and busy market street making pedestrians to jump out of the way. Some of the soldiers hung on the runner board with their guns hanging on their shoulders.

Move it! a soldier ordered

Traders quickly cleared their things off the road at the sight of the speeding vehicle. The driver vehemently stepped on the brake to put the vehicle at a halt and the tires made a loud screech.

The soldiers jump down; they dispatched in twos, ran into the market in different directions. Two other soldiers positioned at either sides of the truck with the driver still inside the truck.

Go to the meat section, the squad leader commanded two other soldiers who were walking with him. Our informant was specific about where he’d last saw him.

The two soldiers jogged at his command toward the meat section. The traders quickly gave them way as they run through the section scanning all the opened stalls.

They noticed a man at the end of the section who was staring. They slowed their pace. The man quickly packed his bag and headed for the nearest escape route.

That’s him. The superior soldier pointed at the running man. They ran after him. Stop there or we’ll shoot! He ordered.

The junior officer pointed his gun to aim, but the man ignored their warning as he continued running, pushing both sellers and buyers out of his way.

They followed him trying to close the gap between them. The man ran into the vegetables section of the market trying to look out if there are more soldiers or just the two of them.

He slowed down at the corner of an opened fruit stall and hid himself close to the sidewall. He looked up ahead and saw the main street, without looking he made a quick but short run as he was dived down by a soldier running from the adjacent direction.

The traders and buyers gave them a lot of distance as other soldiers arrived at the scene and started ramming him with both fists and clubs. The man struggled in their midst as blood started to drip from his lips and head. One of the soldiers knocked him down with the butt of his rifle and the man blanked out.

Take him away. The squad leader ordered.

Two soldiers held him up at either sides and dragged him through the dirty market toward the direction of their truck. The man’s blood left a trail behind them. They dumped him in the back of the truck; they hopped in one after the other and drove off.

Bernard Momodu watched the whole scene from afar, in the midst of the crowd. He looked like an ordinary man as he was dressed in a black hoodie, blue jean and an All-Star sneaker. When he had made sure that the army truck was out of sight, he brought out his mobile phone and dialed a number.

There’s been a change of plan. He said into the phone. They have Bunor. There’s a mole in our camp… just take your sister and make sure you both get home tonight. Keep a low profile until you hear from me.

Chapter One

The relative peace the people of Agbon Republic have enjoyed has been because of the increase in the number of military personnel stationed at major cities across the country.

The fear of being detained or killed has made everyone not to react to the austerity, injustice, and extrajudicial killings.

Lomu, the federal capital territory has housed the Odena family for decades and has made the military a personal guard. The Odena family has always discharged political powers since their independence from the colonial masters, making it look like they are running a monarchy as the firstborn son is made to take over power from the father.

The recently crowned Prince Ogor Odena has proclaimed himself president, which has caused uproar. But no one seemed to have the courage to protest because they know how he uses the military to fight whomever that questions his powers.

There had been some protests under auspices of the Movement for the Liberation of Agbon also known as MoLA. Most of their peaceful protests have been on creating human rights awareness across the country. However, they’ve encountered some hostility from security operatives but have never reacted in any form of violence.

After Bunor Enomah, a key player in the MoLA was arrested, the organization decided to take the march to the capital, Lomu, the home of the president, demanding for due process.

**********************************************

Reyna Oba, a 48-year widow has learnt how to live with being a victim of the system. Her husband’s brother, Pascal Oba, has used his office as a special adviser to the president on internal security affairs, to confiscate all her husband’s properties.

He had almost succeeded in claiming custody of her children. Since he couldn’t influence the judge’s verdict, he had made Reyna a sworn enemy.

The pressure for him to take his brother’s children has been because of Helen, his wife’s inability to bear children.

Reyna has always lived with the pain of the loss of her dear Hilary but today she seemed different. Today she was not thinking about how she almost lost her home. Even though she couldn’t get back the rest of her husband’s properties, she was comfortable with living in the only apartment her husband has built