Eagle's Fly

    Ben paced up and down, it was not working for him, it could be working for every other person but definitely not Ben, he hates failure, he did not like to hear the word fail, yes, it was not in his dictionary and was never going to be. He did not like injustice even a little of it. He has being considering lots and thousands of options, he had tried to see reasons with Eagle's Fly but will it even work? Lots and many more questions banged his mind. He has being thinking of good and reasonable excuses, the ones that could justify his breaking ties. May be the reason could be as stupid as himself but all he did not want was staying with Eagle's Fly. It was going to be a silly joke telling the family not to go on a vacation on account that he was not going to sign the handover papers.

This was a tradition an unbreakable one. Last vacation, the hand over was done it was Tanmonor's turn to Manage and steer the affairs of Eagle's Fly, obviously this will be the fourth vacation since the hand over was done. It is by the tradition of the family that a Manager runs the company for a term of four years and then hand over to the next person according to hierarchy. Ben is the last born of the family he just clocked twenty five. The rest of his male siblings have all performed their duties as Managers of Eagle's Fly. He dares not reject or desecrate the family tradition, he will stand alone, no one will back him up, he was going to be a stench amongst saints at the vacation, he will steal everyone's joy. Hand over vacations were usually the longest, the best and most cherished as everyone is always willing and ready to clap for the next iconic Manager of Eagle's Fly. Though everyone always knew the next person but at hand over they behaved like they never knew the person and at the mention of the next Manager, wooo.... Shouts and claps sounds like thunder coming down to strike the entire Family. In fact at Tanmonor's hand over Ben nearly fell off his seat because his attention was not with the family, so, he was startled greatly after everyone shouted amidst claps, he jerked and the father had asked him why he was not paying attention. 

Eagle's Fly is known as one of the largest Transport Company in the whole of Nigeria, with branches in all States of the Federation. It had a history and has received awards for being the fastest and reliable transport Company. It has being a house hold name for years. It has being in existence even before Ben was born. His grandfather started the Company with an unbeatable standard, then handed it over to Ben's father being his only male child before his death many years ago, but since he had five male children he thought of away of everyone taking over the business as his to give each of them a sense of belonging. Ben remembered a time when as a child he watched advertisements of his father's transport company with him and though a child his father kept pointing at those advertisements telling him that "none could be like Eagle's Fly". He told his friend one day that those were his first words growing up. His friend had laughed so hard and now he was not willing to put up with such a noble legacy. The walls would crumble at the vacation, he preferred that the ones at home rather crumbled than the ones outside home, he had told his Friend, but his friend told him to allow the vacation hold probably they were going to be more lenient with him considering the fact that his Dad would not want to disgrace himself. Though he knew he would be compelled by his father to offer a good reason for his decision.

The days for the family vacation drew nearer by the day,this time around vacation was going to be in Ben's country of choice being the next Manager. It was on one of those accessment days that his father walked into his room to ask him about his country of choice, Ben was at his study desk when his father knocked at the door

"Yes who is there?" Ben had asked, but instead of a reply the door knob turned, it was Chief Marcus, his father

"Oh dad, its you, welcome Sir" Ben said

"So now I have to take permission to see my son?" His father asked

 "No Dad I didn't mean that at all, you are welcome, please make yourself comfortable" Ben said rising.

"Well, I have not come to seat, I came to know if you have chosen your country of choice for the vacation" Chief Marcus said. Ben kept quiet for sometime and his father lost patience and still asked the question rephrased as though Ben did not understand the question

"Have you made a choice yet? which is your country of choice for the family vacation Ben?" He asked raising his voice, denoting anger. Ben sighed for a moment

"Yes Dad!" Ben said.

"Better!" Chief said, so which is your country of choice?" He asked

"Nigeria!" 

"Do you think I have come here for jokes?" Chief asked amidst fury, you think the family should gather and have a vacation in this miserable country? Something must be wrong with you Ben his father said. 

"Well Dad, that's my choice as the next Manager and you know it will be unfair not to grant the next Manager's wish" Ben said turning to face his study desk.

"Well, you must be joking Ben" Chief said turning to leave the room.

"Besides I hate those vacations" Ben said, his father turned to look sternly at him hissed and walked on.

Everyone phoned to persuade and convince Ben to choose a better country for the vacation but he turned them down asking them whose responsibility it was to make Nigeria great to be like those "Vacation-desired countries", no one he had said.

"Nigeria is ours and whether we agree or not it is our collective responsibility to fix it, but if everybody Keep running to other great nations to have better lives, then definitely it will continue being what it is, let all come back home and help this nation develop to what the other nations have that make us desire the good life available there." Ben had told his family during dinner, his father had got really furious and said since he had challenges chosen a country for the vacation then he was going to do that for him. Ben just smiled.

Ben eased his Rav-4 Toyota jeep in the parking Lot outside his father's mansion turned off the ignition, the car was his 25th birthday gift from his father. It had taken the entire family lots of efforts getting Ben to take the gift of the car from his father. Obviously Ben is the favored of his father out of the seven children. Ben stepped out of the car, Chief was standing at the ground floor varendah his elbows resting on the iron railings, Ben walked towards him bending to greet him as sign of respect to elders.

"Good day Dad" he greeted.

"Ben, I made a good choice for you" his father said ignoring the greeting.

"Won't you at least say Hi to a tired son Dad?" Ben asked not demanding an answer.

"Tired! What have you being doing that got you tired?"

"Really Dad, OK I am coming from a five hour meeting with the Advocacy League members" Ben replied.

"You mean that your insane group claiming to be seeking justice for the less priviledged?" Chief asked mockingly.

"No Sir, it's not an insane group, very soon a lot of big men and organizations in this country will hear from us taking back what they took from the less Privileged back to their rightful owners, I just hope My father is not a victim" Ben said smiling "Besides, what choice did you say you made for me?" Ben asked

"Country for the family vacation of cause?" Chief replied.

"Which is.....?" Ben asked, not really caring

"USA, New York precisely" Chief said

"I am not stepping out of Nigeria for any vacation or better still you people can go, besides I have a lot to sort out with My team within a short period." Ben said.

"Who will then sign your hand over papers Ben?" Chief asked.

"Anybody, I don't really care." Ben said

"You are joker and a very silly boy, your grand father and I laid a foundation for you and your brothers and you dare stand here telling me you don't care Ben? Has something come loose in your brain?" Chief asked almost loosing his temper. He hit the railings hard and left angrily to his room. Ben shrugged and went up stairs.

That evening Chief's Blood pressure went above normal and was placed on drip. Ben went to his room severally to check up and apologize to him.

"No problem Ben, it is just that I love you and want the best for you and your brothers,especially you, you are an intelligent young man and I believe so much in your potentials Ben. I want you to stand for this Company and maintain that long time Legacy." Chief said making sure Ben absorbed every word he uttered.

"OK Dad, thanks for believing in me." Ben said rising to go so as to avoid further discussions about the topic, because he knew deep within that he was going to disappoint that expectation.

Everyone was parking and preparing for the vacation, Ben's two elder sister's who were married and living in other states of the Federation all came home with their kids, the elder brothers who were living in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory also gathered in the family mansion at Lekki Lagos Nigeria. The joy of everyone knew no bounds except Ben's. Nothing else mattered to him like getting his NGO to the height he dreamed of, of cause the NGO was already gaining popularity like a wide fire, through it awareness, and Sensitization Campaigns. Many less privileged individuals were already gaining free legal services with proper legal representation. It has being through those Campaigns that Ben discovered the inhuman activities of his family's business and made a resolve never to settle with it, such as the woman who cried profusely during the Advocacy League Campaign held in her vicinity, her husband a driver with Eagle's Fly had met his untimely death in a ghastly mother accident, after the husband's death She approached the Management of Eagle's Fly and sought some relieves as was included in the Company's work Manual so as to train her five children but was denied the right by the Company, she got a Lawyer to help enforce that but unknown to her the Company bribed the Lawyer to drop the case and the Lawyer corruptly did. He met another man who was bedridden for months, the wife told Ben that the husband used to work for Eagle's Fly but was involved in an accident while carrying out his duties for Eagle's Fly. But instead of the Company taking up his medical care, it relieved him of his duties and she said there was no hope of getting her husband out of his present state, in fact the woman had told Ben that her husband was just waiting for his death day. 

All this and many more caused Ben's heart to bleed. He told his friend that "until I open up the stench in Eagle's Fly I will never know the purpose for My existence."

Ben finally agreed to join the family for the New York vacation after much persuasion from family and friends. Obviously he joined in the vacation because his father's Blood pressure was intensifying at his refusal.

Everyone was busy eating and chattering. Ben and his eldest brother took a tour for sight seeing, the duo are the closest sibling and Ken seems to be the only one who understands Ben most accurately.

Later that evening was family dinner and hand over, everyone was already calling Ben M.D( Managing Director). Ben kept smiling and ignoring the M.D topic. It was time for hand over every one was properly dressed except Ben who just put on a jeans trouser and T-shirt, the kids were fast asleep except little Eden Ben's nephew who was moving from person to person distracting the dinner at intervals. A time of merriment and laughter. Chief Marcus stood up when everyone was done eating cleared his throat and proceeded. He made a long speech, narrating the history of the company, stories of victories and no single loss or weakness was found in those stories, the numerous awards of the Company, the leadership from past to present. It was a success story.

"Eagles' has a history an unbeatable history" chief said the place was quiet like a grave yard. "well today Eagle's Fly is getting a new Managing Director, a fine gentle man, intelligent pace setter in person of Benjamin Marcus," claps thundered the arena. His sisters rose up to hug Ben, his mother was really excited.

"Benjamin, step forward and sign the hand over papers, but to everybody's disbelieve Ben did not move, his father urged him on but he did nothing, Chief's hands began to tremble as though Ben was going to release a bomb

"Well I believe the young man is surprised at the position considering his young age" Chief defended as if anyone had asked him.

Ben finally stood up stepped forward but did not take the pen to sign, cleared his throat and began

"Well, this is an honour, a great privilege, I must say, first of it kind in My entire life, not withsanding I don't rejoice at it, I wish to let all of you know that I Benjamin Marcus is not, will not and can never be the Managing Director of a Company such as Eagle's Fly Transport Company" everybody was filled with shock and disappointment, Chief's heart was beating faster at this point.

"I believe you all will be wondering why. The reason is simple, I can never be a member of a failed system"

"What are you talking. about Ben?" Chief asked

" I'm talking about the many injustices done many out there by this very Company. I am talking about that twelve years old girl that was raped by a driver of this Company who deserved justice but was denied by this same company the perpetrator and all of you who served this company used the financial authority to silence the family and the girl later died from lack of proper medical care and trauma. I am also talking about the driver whose wife and children were denied compensation by this Company and it corrupt leadership. I am talking about those stolen buses bought by this supposed legal Company at cheap rate. I am also talking about that driver who has being bedridden for months due to the denial by this company to take up his medical care. I am referring to those workers who were unjustifiably fired by this company without a dime. I am talking about.... " Ben was choked by emotions at this point, tears ran down his cheeks he proceeded, about all of you who have served Eagle's Fly at different point and have aid and abatted this evils at one point or the other" Ben said then reached for his phone and left the garden.

Chief slumped, he was rushed to the Hospital if not for the professionality of the White Doctors he would have died. Vacation venue turned grave yard, Chief thought before now that the activities of the Company had being under files until now, it dawned on him that people held such records in hand. Ben had said besides his grand father every other person who led the Company participated in executing those inhuman practices and that he was going to dig deeper and expose the activities of Eagle's Fly. He said he was going to bring the illegal practices of the Company to a competent court in Nigeria and that justice must be seen to be done.

Due to the event of the previous day, the vacation could not proceed, they all returned to Nigeria, there was no need for a vacation that turned sour, everyone was whispering rather than talking.

Back home Chief summoned a meeting and threatened to have Ben's legal practice license revoked if he did not sign the hand over papers. Ben as usual declined, Ken stood with Ben and supported him, he hated the practices of the Company but lacked the boldness Ben had. Chief put up several threats but Ben's mind was made up.

Ben filed all the cases that were within his knowledge against Eagle's Fly, the same Company that made him who he was, that did not bother him. At the Study, his father approached him asking him to drop the charges or enter a plea Bargain agreement with the Company, Ben turned a deaf ear to that also, gave the Company the terms and conditions under which lenience would be entertained one of it was to go before an Arbitration Panel where justice and equity would be granted those affected families and all relieves sought granted. Chief agreed to that because he had no choice. The issues were resolved and each family settled as desired.

Ben still declined serving as the Managing Director of Eagle's Fly, he broke family ties in the area of business. His NGO is doing well, and has being know far and wide, Chief gave his blessings for the success of the NGO and Ben is offering the best legal aid to individuals and groups in Nigeria and beyond.