BRIDAL CONTEST

Chapter 21

Suratul Kahf before you read it please.

Arshad stood in front of the board members explaining the video that is being displayed of the on-going construction of rice mill in Sokoto and that of the Groundnut in Kano which will be exported out of the country.

  Then he went ahead to give them the report of the food processing company that most were against investing in. They were afraid that diversifying too much may take their minds off from what is more profitable and they will end up loosing their stance because of greed. But, Arshad didn't see it as that, he's a true business man with thirst for growth and risk. He believes failure is a means of teaching you something you wouldn't know on a normal day and like many other things he was adamant and those that trust him stood by him.

After him his uncle had his own briefing of the financial state of the conglomerate before the board members for their first-quarter meeting of the year, they do it in each quarter of the year to track progress, tackle problems and set goals.

"We were able to clear up with FIRS however the mill have milked us dry of liquidity and if we are to go on with the workshop then I'm afraid we may not be able to sponsor medical care of our workers in the last quarter of the year".

"Wasn't the estimated profit from the Groundnut shipment supposed to cover that up?"

"The production is slower than we thought it would and the mill may need more finance if we want to start production this year".

"We can't just rule out health insurance there must be some other way out. This people are loyal to us, we owe them that much".

"The workshop and the insurance is all for their own benefit, why don't we throw the ball to their court and let them decide. They will feel honored to be dragged into the decision making, they are our first costumers they need that validation that we cherish them", spelt out Chief Okechukwu Peters Anyawu in his red isi-egwu that protudes after his chest with his stomach, the African sign that you are well-fed and affluent.

Many were bobbing their heads to what chief said excluding Kabirat Moshood that puts on her mic and spoke into it, "In my own opinion we should make the workshop open to the masses".

"What we will get from it will not surpass our monthly transport allowance", Ooja Ighodaro in a jet black three pieces suit highlighted.

"I agree with Mrs Moshood and will like to be granted the opportunity to draft everything out for the workshop and if you're still not okay with it then we can do as Chief said".

When they all agreed, Dr. Tambari closed the meeting by giving them a week to return with the paperwork.

He saw 3 missed calls from Aryan after the meeting and his heart lurched to his stomach. That's so unlike him so he speed dialed his number.

"I was called from Amnah's school she collapsed in the laboratory and I'm not in town so i called you instead. And since you didn't pick i figured out that you must be busy so i called Hernadi", while Aryan was blabbering his elder brother was already picking up his car keys and walking out of the office.

"Where is she now? Did she faint? What caused it? He spat all out one after the other wiping the sweat breaking out on his forehead with the other hand that wasn't holding the phone.

Amnah was feeling weak for some days and she shrugged it out as stress or malaria which is the everyday sickness in Nigeria. What she didn't expect is her legs refusing to continue carrying her body and her blackening out as a result of that, and that too in the laboratory, yuck!

The flashback of what happened -only God knows how long ago- played behind her mind's eye and she began to touch the things around her trying to fathom where she is exactly since she's so lazy to open her eyes and when she didn't get a hint she gave up and opened her eyes slowly adjusting to the light and taking in her environment.