Chapter 4 War

The city of Palermo, surrounded by mountains had a peaceful effect on Onome Umukoro. She loved the huge churches, especially the Santa Caterina and Santa Cataldo. In the evenings she loved strolling around the Piazza Pretoria square while having a cannoli. She loved their food especially Pasta alla Norma. But these were the only good things she could say of Palermo. At night, in the district of Ballaro were the sex trade flourished, Onome was once again in the belly of the beast. Here she didn't have the protection of Aunt Dora. She was alone.

The journey from Nigeria to Sicily through Libya was hellish and she saw many drown on the Mediterranean Sea. But it was in Ballaro she realised how mean the world could be to a teenage girl. For months she worked like a slave satisfying the pleasures of men. Many of the girls were already doing drugs but Onome reminded herself that she couldn't sink into a hole that deep. They were about twelve girls staying in one small dingy room. They were constantly hounded by their bosses, most of whom were Nigerian gang members. Onome now wished she had listened to Osadolor. She still had his contacts and chatted him daily. Her stories left him broken hearted and he vowed to save her.

Osadolor was born into a Roman catholic home and at one time planned to be a priest. He attended a seminary but finally opted to attend a university instead of joining the priesthood. But he had many friends who were priests such as Father Femi. Driving into the Holy Cross Cathedral, Mission road Benin City, Osadolor imagined how life as a priest would have been. He shuddered at how far he had drifted from his seminary days to indulge into a life of womanising and drinking. But meeting Onome had changed everything. He was now a changed man and wanted Onome to be a part of that life. "If it isn't the runaway priest" Father Femi said as he shook Osadolor warmly. "What brings you here my friend" he asked as they both sat down in his office. Osadolor told him about Onome and her predicament in Palermo. "I know of a priest who has a shelter for migrants and helps girls like Onome who are into a life of forced sin. I would reach out to Father Angelo and I am sure he will help. He is connected with the authorities too and has rescued many girls from the grip of these monsters" he said. A week after, Osadolor was at Holy Cross again with Father Femi. Femi had reached out to Father Angelo and he needed her address and phone number. Osadolor provided the information. "Tell your friend to be discrete and follow Angelo's instructions thoroughly. "Any mistake on her part could be fatal" he warned him.

The years Father Angelo had spent at Santa Caterina, Palermo had opened his eyes to the evils of human trafficking. While still in Rome, he knew about the illicit business but never imagined it was at this massive scale. Thousands of African migrants thronged into the island of Sicily almost on a daily basis. These miserable fellows, obviously thinking that the streets of Europe were lined with gold were soon shocked first from the harrowing experience in their tortuous journey through Libya across the Mediterranean Sea into Sicily. When he received that call from Father Femi, he knew he had to act fast to save another soul from damnation. The girl, Onome lived somewhere in Ballaro. That part of Palermo was a gangster's haven once the night became dark. To successfully get to her, he had to disguise and go there at the cover of night. Contacting his Police friend who had worked with him on several similar cases, they agreed to proceed the next night. He had to give Onome time to plan herself for the escape.

When Onome received Father Angelo's text message, she had already been expecting it as Osadolor had previously informed her. Immediately deleting the message, she planned her movement for the next day. By noon, she would take her customary walk around the Piazza Pretoria eating her cannoli. Father Angelo and his police escort already had a picture of her. Knowing that her bosses would likely have a spy tailing her, the whole operation would be arranged like an arrest, as it was not abnormal for random immigrants to be arrested for different reasons. She woke up the next morning feeling a little nervous. She woke up earlier than the other girls who usually slept till late in the morning. She tried to stay normal acting like she always did, keeping to herself. Looking down from her window, she saw Obinna and the other Nigerian boys who ran the crime ring. As usual they were smoking weed and chatting loudly. At 11.30 am she dressed up and came downstairs. Walking past Obinna and his crew, Obinna called "where are you off too? Don't tell me you work round the clock now". This got the rest laughing while Onome kept walking away. Getting to the Piazza Pretoria, she started her stroll, eating her cannoli as walked around. After a while she brought a stick of cigarette and lit up, taking one deep drag to calm her frayed nerves. Father Angelo had arrived the park by 11 am. He didn't want to take chances. The Police team were stationed opposite him and waited for his signal. When he spotted a young lady eating cannoli and smoking at the same time, he knew she was there girl. The police team on receiving the signal immediately swarmed on Onome. She played her part well as she struggled seriously with them until they whisked her away. Whoever watching would have been convinced.

Aunt Dora had been having nightmares of late. She wondered what the problem could be. Since the months Onome travelled to Italy, she had started having a very bad feeling. Pa Onajite was asking of Onome almost every time he called and this was getting her uneasy. She wondered how she let her greed for money make her traffic her own blood. But she rationalised that she had been left with no option. Her fears were confirmed when she received a call from Palermo saying that Onome was missing. She was given a week to sort her "girl" out. She had pulled all the strings she had yet no one could tell her what happened to Onome or where she was. This meant big trouble for her as the bosses' hated losses especially when the girl involved was a speciale. Worse still, if she had turned informant they all would be in trouble. Then she remembered Osadolor. She would approach him and see if he knew anything. Unknown to her, Osadolor immediately after contacting Father Femi had left Benin and now lived in Abuja. Her fate was sealed.

Father Angelo was worried. Keeping Onome in Santa Caterina was risky. Unlike other immigrants in his shelter, she was the target of a vicious crime cartel. He knew that it was just a matter of time and they would start asking questions. Yes they had staged her rescue as an arrest but the question would be, why she had been arrested. In which police station was she being held? He knew that the cartel would soon be making efforts to find her or kill her. He had tried contacting Rome on the possibility of moving to the capital city. But things were not that easy as there were bottlenecks preventing her fast transfer.

Obinna "Stone" Nweke was in a very bad mood. He summoned all the girls in his crew. One of his best girls, Onome was missing for days now. Word on the street was that the police arrested her. But he was not falling for that. Their contacts in law enforcement couldn't confirm the story and he had his bosses to answer to. "Someone needs to start talking or else you girls are going to have a very bad day. Where is Onome"? He asked. None of the girls could tell him anything and despite his rage, he knew they were not lying. Frustrated, he reached for his phone and made a call down to Nigeria. He had a limited time to provide the girl or he would have to pay heavily in cash or with his life. Sitting at his favourite bar, he lit a cigarette, enjoying the cool breeze of Palermo. Six years ago he made the journey to Sicily through Libya. A harrowing experience, he had seen death calling but luckily he survived. He took the decision to move to Europe after a friend, Desmond had convinced him. After graduating from the University, he spent three years job hunting with no success. Moreover, he had a poor degree result as he was a gang member in his undergraduate days. When Desmond reached out to him, he was in his lowest point. And so he listened to his friend and gang member. Sicily was a hot hub for human trafficking and the Nigerian gangs there were in alliance with the more formidable Mafia. The business was a mean, bloody and deadly affair. But it was highly lucrative and the money was all Obinna needed. The brutality was not strange to him as he had engaged in all sorts of violence in his university days. His mind drifted back to the present and the calamity surrounding the Onome girl. One of his best earners, her disappearance presented a great challenge as it meant a significant drop in earnings. Mario, his police contact doubted she had been arrested. He told him he had his suspicions around the activities of a certain Father Angelo who served as a priest in Santa Caterina. Obinna had heard of Father Angelo and his humanitarian work. Father Angelo's good deeds meant bad business for his cartel. He had to act even if it meant taking on the priest in order to save his own head.

From the moment Osadolor contacted Father Femi, he knew he couldn't stop. His love for Onome was so deep, he couldn't bear the thought of losing her. He had received the cheering news of her rescue. But now things weren't moving as fast as he imagined. He had to put pressure on the priests to see that Onome was deported back to Nigeria fast before the cartel would get to her. He had been transferred out of Benin to Abuja and could only reach Father Femi on phone. If only Onome could be brought back to him in one peace, he had a new life planned for away from the evil eyes of her aunt. Word from Benin had it that she had already started making moves to find him but luckily he had left town. Today he was really excited. Father Angelo had promised he could speak to Onome later that evening. He couldn't wait for that moment. When the time came and he heard that sweet voice, his heart melted and his feelings for her felt as warm as ever. "How are you holding up my dear" he asked. She told him all she had been going through, the terrible things men had done to her and the care Father Angelo was giving her presently. "I am safe here but I fear Obinna and his boys are making moves to get me. They have connections even with the police. Please tell Father Angelo to help transfer me to Rome. Palermo is not safe for me" she lamented. Speaking to the priest, Osadolor pleaded that he hasten her return. "You must be patient, the arms of the underworld stretch to places far and wide. We must be cautious." Father Angelo already had a plan. But he was wary of using the local police again whom he feared may compromise.

The last three years had been terrible for Pa Onajite. Many times in his dreams he saw his brother Dan asking of Onome. He had made a big mistake letting Onome stay with Dora. Dora's life was a mystery and her affairs secret. He had purposely refused to pry deeper into her life. He feared that what he may uncover would be painful. He felt nothing but pity for his sister. In those hard days she had been sent to stay with their aunt Nosakhare in Benin. Nobody really checked on her after that and the relationship she had with her family after remained superficial. He heard things about her way of life in Benin. But he lacked the moral standing to question a baby sister they abandoned to fate. His worry at present centred on Onome. Three years and no word about her. Three years and he hadn't seen her. Each time he called Dora, she was always evasive on matters concerning Onome. Now he couldn't even reach her again. Adjusting his small radio, he sat down on an old couch in his porch. As the eldest child in their family, circumstances meant he had to forfeit his education and start trading in palm oil at an early age. He became quite successful and not wanting his brother to suffer as he did, he sponsored his education. Dan turned out to be a wise boy who excelled in school and always remembered his humble background. Dan kept going, enrolling into the university and graduating with a first class in Accounting. He secured a good job thereafter and ensured Pa Onajite never lacked. Thinking of all these, Pa Onajite knew he had failed. He had to go to Benin and find out for himself what had become of Onome.

In Benin City, Aunt Dora was not having the best of times. Business was slow and Jennifer her trusted protégé had suddenly disappeared. Rumour had it that she had been killed by one of her clients and her body parts sold. Aunt Dora didn't bother digging into the matter. These things were common in their trade. She had other matters on her mind. Obinna had called and reported that Onome was missing. According to the story, she had been arrested by the police. She found it hard to believe. Onome didn't do drugs neither was she the kind to make trouble unprovoked. Something told her she was plotting to escape. Her disappearance meant big trouble for her. Onome was yet to fulfil her monetary obligations to the cartel and the only way she could come out of the situation unhurt was to pay off her balance. She had no such money and the only solution for her was finding Onome. One name kept coming to her head, Osadolor. "That boy"! She exclaimed aloud. He had always been bad news for her. He got Onome distracted making her attach emotions to her trade. She had to find him fast and make him say all he knew about her niece. Osadolor reminded her of a certain Angelo she had known in Palermo Sicily. Shy, she had to initiate things each time they met. Unlike the other men, he was ever so tender with her taking care not to hurt her. With time she fell for him, longing for him every day. He usually came for her in the early hours of the morning when he knew she would be done with the days hustle. He would take her to his home and make sweet love to her. He always said little but was very generous to her. She could sense that he too had fallen in love with her. Whenever she tried to talk to him he went into his shell preferring to show his love for her in his actions. Angelo neither drank nor smoked. He was not like the other guys who were wise guys, engaged in one racket or the other. At first she thought he was a spy, trying to use her to understand the prostitution ring. With time she realised he was just love struck. She severally nursed the idea of running away with him not minding the risk. After settling the bosses and becoming free, she spent more time with him wishing he would settle down with her. Then he opened up to her. He was a Priest! She felt lost again, wondering if men were capable of doing good. He cried, begging her for forgiveness, that even though he loved her, he couldn't stop serving in the Lords vineyard. It was at that moment that she lost it and vowed to herself never to fall for a man again. Later that night she sat in her usual corner at the Dolce Vita. Lighting a cigarette, she offered another stick to a huge guy who sat opposite her. The man was not in the mood for smoking. Cobra as the streets called him was also in a mess. He was the link man between Aunt Dora and the cartel. "How can you tell me that you cannot account for your own niece Dora? You know how this works. If you cannot provide her, you have to provide the funds. We don't have time. The bosses in Sicily are on Obinna's neck. He is on mine and my foot is on yours." He uttered, not concealing his disgust at the state of affairs. "You have grown soft my dear friend. Back in the days you Dora would never had mixed business with family. This is what happens when you bring blood into business." Aunt Dora was scared but couldn't show her fears. That was the nature of their business. "Easy Cobra. How could I have monitored her from here? Obinna should take responsibility for this. He is in charge over there, how do I account for a girl I cannot see?" Cobra was smoking now, but not cigarette. Dragging his roll of marijuana deeply, he looked at her menacingly saying "so you Dora are now a baby, new to our ways right? A girl whom you vouched for? A girl who is supposed to be under oath? Was Obinna there when she swore allegiance to the organisation? I see you have no fear again. Maybe you need a little reawakening". Aunt Dora immediately went on her knees begging. "Show mercy Cobra. We are in this together. There is a young man whom I suspect holds the key to finding her. If we can find him and make him talk, our little problem will be over" she pleaded.

Father Angelo arranged for the transfer of Onome to the Nigerian embassy in Rome. The arrangement so far was watertight. No one in Santa Caterina or in the whole of Palermo knew. His contact in Rome will come with a squad from there. He had moved Onome to his own quarters giving her strict instructions not to venture outside. He would provide her with all she needed. His plan was to ensure that by the time she got to Rome, all will be set for her immediate return to Nigeria. She reminded him of the one sour episode in his life. He had met and fallen in love with a Nigerian girl who came to Palermo hustling for the sweet life. Her name was Dora. With her he felt happy, calm and secure. But he was already in the Lord's service. He couldn't let her distract him. Or so he thought at that time. When she had become free of her savage handlers, she had wanted more from him. But he had been a coward. He cared a lot what people would say about him leaving the priesthood for some African prostitute. And so he rejected her love thereby shattering her hope for a better future. He could still remember the tears that flowed freely from her eyes when he told her he couldn't leave the priesthood. For days she cried and even prayed, hoping that God will change his mind. After a while she gave up and went back to the only job she knew. Soon after that he got transferred to Rome for a short while and never saw or heard from her again. When he came back to Palermo after a few years, he searched for her to no avail. After sometime he gave up the search praying that God will save her soul. Coming into his quarters, he saw the girl sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. He hadn't really talked to her since her rescue. Sitting on the same sofa, he said "isn't it time you told me your story. I won't be judgemental, we all are human and as such weak. We are all products of destiny, sometimes favourable, sometimes bad. What matters is how we come out of it". Onome opened up to him, telling him how perfect world changed for the worse. She told her about her aunt and how she ended up in Italy. Father Angelo became curious when he heard the name Dora. He asked her if she had a picture of her in her phone. Switching on her phone which had been off since the day of her rescue, she showed him her aunt's picture. Father Angelo immediately felt very weak. His head pounded with renewed guilt as he found out that Onome was a niece to the woman he betrayed years ago.

Obinna had received word from Mario that Onome's evacuation to Rome would go down that night. A car was to come pick her up from the cathedral by 6 pm. The evacuation team would of course be heavily guarded and he couldn't take the risk of striking after they must have secured her. So he devised a plan whereby they would make their way to Father Angelo's quarters before 6pm and take Onome out. The orders from his bosses were that she should be captured alive and be used as an example for the other girls. His squad was a group of six, five Nigerian and one Sicilian. They were to disguise themselves as priests. By exactly 4.30 pm, Obinna and his gang moved. They successfully entered the Santa Caterina unnoticed as they passed for normal clergymen. Onome was sleeping while Father Angelo nervously waited for the appointed time. He saw some priests approaching, many of them African. He wondered why. As they approached his apartment, he could see one of the men bringing out a pistol. Quickly he rushed into Onome's room "Onome, quickly run. Go through the back door. Take this money, run and don't look back." Onome woke up in a second, grabbed her phone and dashed out through the rear. As she was running she could hear father Angelo screaming. Once again she felt vulnerable and could feel her world crashing.

Father Femi felt jittery as he made to call Osadolor. The news of Father Angelo's gruesome murder had really shaken him. Worse still, there was no word of Onome or her whereabouts. He wondered how his friend would take the news. Telling him was not easy. Seconds after he told him all was quiet and then he went into a fit of rage. He cursed and cried blaming his friend for not acting fast enough. Father Femi let him vent, knowing that anger is short madness. Ending the call, Osadolor couldn't stay composed. He tried chatting Onome up but it was useless as her phone was obviously off. Unknown to him, Onome was still alive. She had run to the train station, where she slept overnight. The next morning she boarded a train to Rome. Arriving the Rome Termini, she switched on her phone and called Osadolor.

Obinna had just created bigger problems for the cartel. The killing of Father Angelo had set off a chain of events which had seen members of the gang go into hiding. The police were raiding all the notorious spots in Palermo. The organisation was in disarray and the bosses livid. Obinna had tried to reach Mario but he was suddenly unavailable. He and his lieutenants had been holed up in a safe house since the day of the murder. He was worried about the police but even more worried about what the bosses will do to him. His men were getting impatient and he knew some were ready to tell the police all that happened in exchange for a deal. At this moment Onome did not matter to him again. All he wanted now was to escape. But the bosses were already thinking ahead of him. They had to silence Obinna and his crew before the law enforcement agents got to them. For this they turned to Mario. The same police officer Obinna had worked with all these years. Mario Russo the man given the job to clean Obinna's mess had joined the police just a few years ago. Born in Napoli, he had grown up with a distant relative in Palermo after his parents were executed mafia style. That one incident had shaped his person in a rather negative way. His disdain for organized crime had motivated him to join the state police. But he soon found himself in league with the same people he loathed. Their offer had been too tempting. The murder of Father Angelo was the most challenging situation he had faced so far. The government was turning on the heat on organized crime as the dead priest was seen as a hero for his work with immigrants. Now the bosses wanted him to get rid of Obinna and his crew. He had warned Obinna to be careful. He even advised him to let the girl be and pay up whatever sum she owed to the bosses. He could trace and deal with her later. But Obinna was from the streets and couldn't risk being seen as weak. Now his machismo had landed everyone in trouble. Getting to his apartment, he changed into his official uniform. He knew they would be holed up somewhere in the Ballaro district. He was just waiting for a call from his informant on their exact location. His plan was simple. He would reveal their location to the police hierarchy informing them that the suspects are heavily armed bandits who would prefer to die than be arrested. With this Intel, the police will go in heavy. He received the call and carried out his plan. Obinna and his crew were caught unawares and in the ensuing gunfire, the gunmen were killed.

Aunt Dora wondered whether her cruelty to her niece was the reason for all her bad luck lately. First Jennifer disappeared and now this. Things were getting worse. She received news of Obinna's death from Cobra. He sounded apprehensive and she knew she had to act fast. Osadolor had suddenly disappeared from Benin, ending her only chance of knowing Onome's location. The only option left for her was to take out Cobra. Cobra was as tough as they come and he had a very formidable gang. She was sure he was already planning to hit her. So she made moves. She contacted Ochuko, an old ally right from her days in Italy. Ochuko claimed to be retired but she knew that with the right offer, he would go back to what he was known for, killing. He was a stone cold killer. She could remember how he strangled a girl who had tried to escape with his bare hands. Once the bosses gave the order, Ochuko killed without mercy. She was about leaving for her meeting with Ochuko when an unexpected visitor barged into her home. She was shocked to see Pa Onajite. "You have to answer for Onome, my dear sister." "And who are you to make such demands in my house? This is not Oleh, you don't have such authority here" she responded angrily. Her argument with Pa Onajite was heated, with the older man swearing not to leave her home until he set eyes on his niece. Aunt Dora could have easily brushed him aside but she feared what will happen if went back to Oleh with such a damning report. Things were already bad in all fronts and she couldn't risk adding her family to the list. So she tried to calm him down by apologising for her rudeness. She persuaded him to sit and then began telling a perverse tale to assuage the old man's anger. But while she told lies to Pa Onajite, Ochuko tired of waiting and now suspicious of her motives, left the meeting venue never to be seen by her again. Pa Onajite stayed over in Benin till the next day. It was only after he left that Aunt Dora remembered her meeting with Ochuko. But it was too late. All efforts to reach him were futile. Dejectedly that evening, she went to the Dolce Vita for her regular business. She wondered how she could pacify Cobra. She had been drinking much lately and was feeling quite weak. She went into one of the chalets and decided to rest her head a bit. She had barely dozed off when two men rushed into the room and riddled her body with bullets.