Chapter 4: The Night Drags On

Five minutes pass. Still, no reply.

But the unread messages dey increase.

I dey count them like say na election result. The group chat dey hot pass ofada rice for Sabo.

Even Ochuko—silent like church rat since year start—open mouth:

[You carry ₦5,000 from class fund at once? Na wa o.]

[If na ₦500, maybe people go just overlook am.]

[But ₦5,000? E no good o.]

Ochuko voice dey carry weight. Na silent type, but when e talk, people dey listen. So as e drop those lines, more people dey reason say true true, matter serious.

Then, study committee member Morayo drop message:

[Na class adviser approve Ifedike transport expense reimbursement. Abeg, make una no talk about am again.]

That one just scatter everywhere. People vex more.

People begin para: "Which kain adviser? Adviser na magician? Wetin concern adviser with our money?"

The dragging no stop. More people join:

[Why our money go pay your transport?]

[Yesterday una talk say we go get ₦1,660, today na to pay more?]

[@Ifedike, return the money!]

People dey mention me left, right and center. I dey imagine as my phone dey hot, like say e wan burn my palm.

As I dey see the 'return the money' messages, sleep commot for my eyes. I fling my wrapper, begin type fast:

[No wahala. I never see the ₦5,000 sef. When Timi give me, we fit talk about refund.]

As I post am, I shake head. You know Naija people, nobody wan hear explanation if drama dey.

But nobody hear me. Dem just dey drag.

Person fit explain tire, but if wahala dey sweet crowd, dem go ignore you.

That time, my study committee roommate quietly mute group and delete messages wey dey accuse me. She try console me:

"Tomorrow I go ask Timi to explain."

Her voice soft, like person wey dey pity me. But for my mind, I dey reason say tomorrow far o.

I almost dial my mama—if she hear this kind gist for night, na prayer vigil go start. But I lock my phone, no wan add more wahala.

But next morning, Timi just drop casual reply:

[All expenses dey well recorded. E no fit get mistake.]

As I see the message, e be like cold water for body. So na so person go take fall hand like this? E no even try explain, just drop am like say nothing dey happen.

That one just scatter everywhere more.

Now, everybody believe say I chop their ₦5,000.

Even if dem stop to dey drag me, dem go always think say I pocket the money.

For Naija, once people get that mindset, na wahala be that. Even if you swear for shrine, some go still dey suspect you.

My reputation, spoil because of ₦5,000? God forbid.

I dey imagine how gist go spread reach other departments. Tomorrow person fit see me for corridor dey whisper: "Na that guy wey chop class fund."

I still dey vex say my all-you-can-eat suya dream don scatter. Now this one join? I gats find where the money waka go.

My hunger for justice even pass the hunger for suya. I dey type with serious vex, my fingers dey shake.

So I provoke for group chat:

[Yesterday una calculate say each person go get ₦1,660. ₦1,660 times 50 people na ₦83,000. Today, Timi say make we pay another ₦1,000 each—₦1,000 times 50 na ₦50,000.]

[For one night, na ₦133,000 difference for class fund.]

[My own na just ₦5,000. Nobody dey reason where the other ₦100,000 plus waka go?]

I make sure to tag Timi, Halima, study committee—everybody wey dey run mouth. Make dem see say na bigger matter dey ground.

After I post, I just off my phone.

Sometimes, to get peace for Nigeria, na to just off phone, carry pillow, and pray say make breeze blow wahala pass your window.