On day a young Libyan came to my office from the government stationed for the summer in Beda the new city built as the capital of Libya in the Green Hills. An important anniversary of Libya’s independence was to be celebrated to which notables from neighbouring countries were to be invited. They were to travel from Benghazi to Tripoli where, I supposed, they would be guests of King Idris. He made it clear that I was to charter the aircraft to carry the VIPs from Benghazi’s Benina Airport to Idris Airport near Tripoli.
A Comet IV belonging to British Overseas Airline was chartered and on the appointed day I awaited its arrival at Benina airport with some anxiety. The VIPs gathered and were loaded onto the aircraft. Some were some exotically dressed. One of them was the Emir of Kano I was told.
I remembered that the VIPs were Muslims, so I found the steward in charge of the cabin crew and asked him what he had on board to feed his passengers. Sausage Rolls he said. Had he served them to his passengers I would have been persona non grata and on my way to UK with very little luggage. He didn’t and my colleagues in Tripoli took some home.
Years later I had two Nigerian boys in my House at School. Their fathers were oil company executives and knew the Emir of Kano’s son. They told him that I thought I had seen his father boarding the BOAC Comet during the celebrations in Libya. He told his father who said he had not attended the celebrations, but should I wish, I could come to Kano and stay a while as his guest.
For a very long time I have displayed a carved mask purchased in Kano for a few US dollars on the wall of my living quarters.
DON'T KILL ME NOW 