Chapter 4: Musa’s Pain

"Now na real revenge be this. E sweet me die."

That night, our room dey smell of sweat and cheap beer. Fan dey turn for ceiling, but no breeze. Musa dey talk as if na football match we just win. For Lagos, sometimes na only revenge fit sweet pass jollof rice.

Her picture dey look me back, eyes soft. I dey wonder if she fit see me from where she dey. I dey talk like say na ordinary thing, but my heart dey bleed. Musa dey nod, e dey hype me, say make I no lose guard.

People like Musa dey suffer pass, but dem no dey talk. For work, everybody dey see am as gentle, no sabi say him mind dey strong like cement. Him sabi mathematics well, even fix generator for compound if NEPA mess up.

E be like say one spirit just dey follow Musa. Within six months, everything scatter. For Lagos, once bad luck start, e go dey do like rainy season.

That woman na him only family. When she die, Musa eye change. No support, no family, only himself. Burial money wahala almost finish am.

Hospital bed join us together. We dey share pain, dey talk life. Sickness no dey choose person—rich, poor, anybody fit catch am. For that ward, everybody be brother.

Musa no gree die empty. He dey plan legacy, dey talk say he no wan vanish like person wey breeze blow.

He begin post online, dey warn people. 'Make una no dey carry life for head, o!' Na so people begin notice am. His story touch many hearts, some even dey share am for WhatsApp group.

The pictures dey everywhere. People dey comment, dey send prayer. Even some radio station mention am. The love touch him heart.

Na so Musa begin get small fame. Even women dey message am, dey ask how e dey cope. The love from strangers dey give am small hope.

Every day, phone dey ring, people dey send airtime. E even get small change for pocket. For once, Musa dey smile.

The video dey move people. Some dey cry, some dey use Musa as prayer point for church. Money dey enter, and even doctor dey surprise.

For Lagos, wahala dey hide. Once small good thing start, old trouble go surface. Na so this girl show, full chest.

The accusation loud. Social media no dey waste time. People dey throw insult, dey call Musa all sort of names. The thing pain am well.

For Naija, once person get bad name, e hard to wash am off. Some people even dey say na karma catch Musa. The matter scatter Facebook. People begin drag Musa online, call am all sorts—dem say na karma, dem say na yahoo boy.

Hospital management tire for the drama. Security dey stop visitors, doctor dey dodge calls. All the love turn to hate overnight.

That day pain me. Musa no even get strength to argue. They pack his load, throw am for outside like say na thief. Security shout, "Oga, you don overstay, abeg commot!"

The rain dey beat him, cold dey bite. Nobody send am. For Lagos, if you fall, crowd go just waka pass. I see am, I no fit leave am.

I clean am, give am small food, talk hope into his ear. My small house become refuge. For that moment, we dey like family.

As e dey rest, Musa open up. Sometimes na only pain dey bring truth for surface. I just sit down, dey listen.

She no even look back. Once she hear 'cancer', she vanish. Musa try beg am, but she block am everywhere. Na the kain heartbreak wey fit kill person join.

She do am in secret, no inform Musa. Na later Musa hear gist from mutual friend. Painful things dey hide for this life.

Na money she dey look for. She threaten Musa, say she go expose fake story if he no pay. Musa no gree. Na so she start drama for Facebook.

Na Mr. Okoli dey pull string. He dey use all these social media influencers like chess piece. Wetin Musa pass, e pass ordinary heartbreak—na pure manipulation.

We dey share pain. As I dey listen, my anger dey boil. Two men, one enemy. That kain bond, na only suffering fit build am.

Na him dey run the show. For office, everybody dey fear am. Online, na him dey use money cover tracks. But for street, e go know say everybody get limit.

As we waka, my mind dey ask—this one wey we do, e go bring peace? But pain no dey hear advice.