Leaving Apapa early after work was not my doing but I had to this evening. Andiskwa,my colleague was stoned from afar, before I could fathom was was going on, Andy, as we fondly call him had breathed his last breath. His death struck me that I couldn't wash my hands and legs before heading towards the street behind GtBank that led to my residence. Puzzled at heart, I could count the number of steps I took to my residence.
The untarred road was quiet and I decided checking my Instagram page. Server, though not strong got me online and the first post before me is _Hushpuppi's_. He aired that _Bisola Dakolo's_ rape case against _Coza's Fatoyinbo_ was viral home and abroad unlike the recent killings in South Africa. He hashtagged it _#EndXenephobia_. This prompted me to search with the hashtag. Lo! Before me was different post with Topics as; "Stop using Mtn", "DStv should be disconnected", "Late Abacha would have done better if alive", "ShopRite should be broken and razed to ashes". I read till I saw videos that seems to be more evidential unlike the pictures I've seen earlier. These videos, as observed by me aren't all true as there's this particular one which has some persons jumping from the fourth floor of a mall that has caught fire, with a closer look, I noticed the mall is actually in India as Indian writings were all on the building that was on fire and also by it sides. Diverse videos were there too, one of which was actually Nigerians in South Africa fighting for their life with Cutlasses.
I nearly missed my house for another, thanks to the stagnant water I dipped my feet that sensed to me that I'm a house away. I washed my legs and kept thinking about Andiskwa's death. It dawned on me like a just birthed baby that is slapped at the back to make it cry that Andiskwa was killed by Chinedu, Zakari, and Olamide because he is a South African. I felt pathetic because Andy has always been friendly, unsentimental and honest colleague. How I wish Andiskwa, though a South African was considered human before nationality.
Rest on Andy.
*#AnsaShortStoryContest*
Idris AbdulRahman Omeiza
