Chapter 1: Under the Palm Grove Sun

People dey talk say I too get luck for this life.

Dem dey yarn everywhere, sometimes even behind my back for market, say "See am, pikin wey water no fit touch. Ifedike too dey blessed." If you see the way some neighbours dey look me, e be like say dem dey wait make breeze blow comot my wrapper, expose all my secret for street. Na so envy dey hide for smile, especially for this kind society where everybody get wetin dey pain dem for inside. Sometimes, as I waka pass, you go hear person hiss under breath—kai, see life. Old mama go tap ground small, mutter, "Abeg make my own pikin see this kind luck." But all these words dey quick sweet for mouth. Dem no dey see the part wey dey pinch my soul for inside this so-called luck.

My papa na big oga for government; my mama come from one respected, old family. My two senior brothers dey work for chief’s court, and my three senior sisters don marry enter big, noble families. Since I small, na fine fine cloth and correct food dey my portion—things wey ordinary person fit use feed their family for years, na just plaything for me.

No be say I too like to dey flaunt, but na my daily life be that. My clothes dey come from best tailor wey dey Lagos, my shoes na Italian, and my lunch dey always get jollof, goat meat, and fruit wey dem bring from Jos every week—apple, pear, even imported grapes. Sometimes, as I dey chop alone, I go dey wonder if God no go vex say I dey waste blessing. This eba fit feed my class teacher and her children for one whole week. But as e be, na wetin my hand dey meet, so na wetin I dey use.

But people only dey see the shine, as if my life na gold and lace everywhere. Dem no sabi say, the higher you climb, the more wahala dey wait. For inside all this fine decoration, na plan and wahala full everywhere. Even for table, where gold cup and coral spoon dey, sometimes you fit see danger dey shine for person eye. Just make one mistake, you don enter big trouble.

Dem dey see the Okoye mansion, the big cars, the smiling family photo. Dem no dey see say every smile na calculation, every greeting dey get level. Na so so "How far?" with code meaning. For this house, person fit chop for table with golden fork, but him heart fit dey beat like drum, dey watch who dey eye am. One wrong word, na your name go dey front of family meeting. For this life, na only the careful person dey survive for long.