“On The Day That He Rested.”

She is not smiling at him as she walks in and when he hugs her, she keeps her hands down.

-Your Excellency, he says to her, but she is no mood for that either.

-fuck all that niceness. I wanted more from you, Richard. Sorry, Your Excellency.

-I gave all I could give, Madame President. Please sit.

They are in one of the large gardens and he is eating fruit. He offers her his plate.

-no beer?

-on Sunday?

-I am coming from church. You are still in slippers.

-I was resting, like my Lord

-the only time you are a church goer is when you need to campaign for something

He laughs but calls a porter over.

-Heineken. Cold, she says.

-how are you?

-I am fine, Mr. President. But the women of this country, who voted for you overwhelmingly are not so fine. They expected to be in the ascendency. And you gave them symbolism.

-oh, come on. You know how this goes.

-I know they did not vote for you because of your handsome looks or your lack of scandal or spare children outside your lovely wife. They voted you so you could make them equal.

-cabinet positions do not make anyone equal.

-would you tell that to the men?

-yes, I would

-twelve

-I tried to do more. Let’s get over this hump. I owe a lot of people a lot of things I cannot repay.

-give them cash and give us the cabinet

-you know that is not me

-what the fuck? That is everyone. You are a Nigerian politician.

-are we going to get our guys in?

She takes her swig of her beer, newly arrived, and sits back in her chair.

-yes.

-how quickly

-your Igbo friend says you want to hold the first FEC on Wednesday. Mba. I want four days.

-you can do it in two and a half

-you sent their portfolios. They are all lobbying senators, but we are going to need to ask them some real questions on television.

-Your Excellency, I am pretty sure you can do anything you want.

-ha. That is how you used to wind me up before. Mba. It will not work.

He laughs and it is a real one. Negotiations with her have always been enjoyable as well as difficult.

-just do your best, Madame President

-I will.

-so Wednesday?

-oh, fuck off.

 

Dramatis Personae

Richard Edewor Williams-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Joan Dakum-President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

 

Article in Daily Chronicle

Column: “And On The Seventh Day He Rested From All His Labour”

Excerpt

By Anthony Nwabunor

“The list is out, and we can say the President has shaken some feathers…37 names, one per state and the FCT, the ministries arranged into clusters…but only twelve women, this should irk our fulsome iron lady in the red chamber, and some big wigs left off entirely…I sit and wonder if it is political savviness or naivety…as the lord and master of the realm sits on this holy Sunday…resting from all his labours…is he aware that, perhaps, he has already imploded…”

 

Order of Screening

Ministerial Nominees

The Nigerian Senate

Monday 6th of June

Nominee 1-20 on list
9.00am to 6pm.

 

Tuesday 7th of June

Nominee 21-37 on list
9.00am to 4pm.
Biographies and CVs included with list.