THE BILLIONAIRE PRINCE : PRINCE OF LAGOS

CHAPTER 1: THE AUCTION Tobi Adeyemi arrived at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi at 9:31 AM. He was wearing a white shirt that he had ironed three times because the electricity had gone off twice in Yaba. The auction was supposed to start at 10:00 AM. It did not start at 10:00 AM. In Lagos, nothing starts at the time it is supposed to start. Tobi sat in the third row. His hands were sweating. In his GTBank account, he had N47,210. In his pocket, he had N12,000 cash that his mother had given him for transport. On his wrist, he had a watch that he could pawn for N80,000 if the pawn man in Yaba liked him. His father's house was Lot 7. The court clerk, a tired woman in a black gown, read from a file: "Lot 7, Five-bedroom detached house with boys' quarters, swimming pool, and two garages, located at 14B Adeyemi Crescent, Banana Island, Ikoyi. Title: Certificate of Occupancy. Reserve price: Eight hundred million naira." Eight hundred million naira for the house where Tobi learned how to swim. Where his mother planted a mango tree when he was six. Where his father taught him how to read a survey plan. The auctioneer, a lawyer whose wig was too big for his head, looked around the hall. "Who will start the bidding at eight hundred million?" A hand went up in the front row. A man in a white agbada with a gold wristwatch. Alhaji Bello. Tobi knew him. He was his father's former driver. Five years ago, he drove his father's Range Rover. Now he owned forty trailers and three houses in Lekki. "Eight hundred million," Alhaji Bello said. Tobi's chest became tight. Another hand went up. A woman in a navy-blue suit, red lipstick, no smile. Nneka Ofor. Managing Director of Imperial Trust Bank. The bank that his father owed N2.3 billion. "Eight hundred and fifty million," she said calmly. Alhaji Bello did not look at her. "Nine hundred million." "Nine hundred and fifty million," Nneka replied. The room became quiet. Everyone knew that a house in Banana Island for nine hundred and fifty million was cheap. It should be one point five billion. But nobody wanted to fight Alhaji Bello and Nneka in the same room. They were too powerful. The auctioneer raised his gavel. "Nine hundred and fifty million going once..." Tobi stood up. He did not plan to stand up. His legs just stood up. "Nine hundred and sixty million," he said. His voice cracked. Every head turned. Fifty people looked at the boy in the third row with a cheap shirt. The auctioneer frowned. "Young man, do you have a deposit of ten percent? Do you have ninety-six million?" "No, Sir," Tobi said. "I have forty-seven thousand." The room laughed. Not a kind laugh. But Nneka did not laugh. She looked at him. She looked at his cheap shirt, his tired eyes, and his father's nose on his face. "Who are you?" she asked. "I am Tobi Adeyemi. I am the son of the owner of that house." The laughter stopped. Nneka smiled. It was a small smile that did not reach her eyes. "I heard you are studying Engineering at the University of Lagos. You should be in class." "This is my final year project," Tobi said. "How to lose a house." Even Alhaji Bello laughed at that. Nneka raised her hand again. "One billion naira." Alhaji Bello shook his head. "I will stop. One billion is too much for that house. The roof is leaking." The auctioneer shouted, "One billion going once, going twice, sold to Imperial Trust Bank for one billion naira!" The gavel hit the wood. Tobi's house was gone. The one billion would go straight to the bank to reduce his father's debt from N2.3 billion to N1.3 billion. His family still owed N1.3 billion and had no house to live in. After the auction, Nneka walked to him. She smelled like vanilla and money. "Your father borrowed N2.3 billion to import diesel. He sold diesel to people who did not pay him. Now he is in an EFCC cell, your mother is in Ikeja living with her sister, and your sister is in Canada washing plates. And you are bidding nine hundred and sixty million with forty-seven thousand in your account. You are either very stupid or very stubborn." "I am stubborn," Tobi said. "I like stubborn boys," she said. She gave him a card. It was white and heavy. "Come to my office tomorrow at 8 AM. Not to beg for the house. Tell me what you will do to pay the remaining one point three billion. If your answer is good, I will give you a job. If your answer is stupid, I will tell the EFCC to add your name to your father's case." She left. A white Range Rover was waiting outside. Tobi sat alone in the hall. The generator stopped. The lights went off again. His phone buzzed. A message from a number he saved as "Simi Architecture." _I heard about the auction today. How did it go? I drew your house from memory before they demolish it. Come to the studio at 4 PM. I will show you. And I have something to tell you about land in Epe._ Epe. The word meant nothing to Tobi yet. In twenty chapters, it would mean everything. ---