Chapter 5: Broken Trust, Broken Convoy

Morning July 24, camp just dey tense.

Nobody dey talk. People dey pack bag, dey eye guide. Sand for shoe full like market day.

Fuel truck slow well this time.

Sun dey rise, no shadow anywhere. One man dey look wristwatch, dey mutter insult.

When e finally show, na small boy dey drive—never even reach twenty. E be like say e replace him papa wey no fit come because of family wahala.

Everybody surprise. Some dey whisper, "This boy fit drive reach Kaduna?"

Now, no single "old hand" remain for the team.

People dey fear, dey whisper prayer. Guide Danladi dey form brave, but even him eye dey shake.

Land Cruiser owner, wey Guide Danladi introduce, na him friend. As him hear about the boy papa, he call the boy, try calm am.

He pat the boy back, "Oya, you try. Na man you be." Boy just dey nod, dey hide tears.

Maybe because everywhere scatter, after refuel, dem realize this mistake worse pass before.

Some dey quarrel, dey throw shade. Chef try joke, nobody answer.

No be only 92/95 wahala again. Person pour diesel inside petrol car.

Ibadan man shout, "Mogbe! Which kain wahala be this?"

The white Dodge Ram, wey already collect wrong fuel, get am again.

Owner just dey press horn, dey abuse mechanic. "Na juju you dey do?"

The owner vex scatter.

He pack bag, threaten to go back on foot. Other tourists beg am, "Oga, no vex. E go better."

Mechanic begin sweat, rush go "fix am." As e dey rush, him hand dey shake, e break the angry owner fuel line.

Mechanic start dey stammer, "Abeg, na mistake." Owner don near tears.

That owner, born 1956, dey drive million-naira car, with young wife born 1987, plan to show love for desert—now see as e end. E shame catch am.

Wife just dey look ground, dey wish say she dey Dubai. Owner dey rub forehead, dey curse inside teeth.

He no waste time—say he dey quit, demand Guide Danladi escort dem back Maiduguri.

"Abeg, na home I dey go. Guide, show me road or forget am!" Guide Danladi just dey nod.

Another Dodge owner, fear catch am—should he continue?

He dey call pastor for phone, "Daddy, abeg pray for me." Nobody gree answer am.

Land Cruiser owner sef don tire. After all the wahala, he regret say he join.

He dey talk to self, "If to say I stay house..."

Others just dey look.

Some dey hide to cry, some dey call family. Everybody eye dey red.

Last last, the convoy decide—make dem split up.

One old hunter shake head, "For sand, if una divide, na spirit go pick who e want."

Old men dey say, "When chicken scatter, na hawk dey gain." Nobody reason say sand no get friend.

Nobody know say this small decision to divide the group go change the destiny of four people forever.

For sand, even small mistake dey turn to big wahala. As dem split, fate begin write story for Kudu Banza sand.

For Kudu Banza, once you scatter, even your shadow fit forget your name.