Chapter 2: Suspicion, Village People, and Prayers

After graduation, I always dey hustle alone for Port Harcourt. My parents don dey pray make I come back our small town, find stable work, and stay with them.

Port Harcourt wahala no be beans—traffic dey, house rent high, fuel price fit make person sweat blood. I dey do small IT contract work just to survive. Every week, Mama go call, “Olisa, when you dey come back? We dey miss you o!”

Federal recruitment test na serious wahala these days. I read tire for one year while working, and finally I pass. I for no even try, but when dem shortlist me, I run go church, sow thanksgiving seed. Some people dey write exam for three, four years, never still get.

And e even be government job close to home, match my course, with better pay and benefits. Everybody for compound dey happy. My uncle even say, “Ah, Olisa go soon dey dash us rice bag every December.”

I always dey law-abiding, my family na straight people. We just dey wait for background screening to end so I fit move to medical exam—the job for don sure for me. Papa dey always say, “Na who chop clean mouth dey sleep well.” We no dey like wahala. Mama dey warn, “Any bad friend, make you cut dem off.”

To avoid wahala, I even warn my parents early—no tell anybody about my exam. For our area, na sense. Dem go say, “If you dey cook soup, no let neighbor count meat for your pot.” I beg my people make dem no leak mouth.

Dem gree, never talk am to anybody from start to finish. Even when Mama dey talk to her friend for phone, she just smile, “Olisa dey fine,” but she no ever mention job matter. My people sabi Naija life.

Because these days, you go hear tori for Facebook about people wey dem report out of jealousy—even family fit backstab you. Last year, one girl for our side lose job offer because neighbor report say she dey do Yahoo. For Naija, no trust pass your pillow.

After all the precautions, who go believe say problem still show? I dey reason, “Omo, na village people?” I dey try connect dots, but everywhere blank.

Was it another candidate wey dey jealous, or I offend person by mistake? I no even sabi. Maybe na that my friend wey I beat for chess tournament, or the woman wey I no gree buy meat from her pikin. In Naija, wahala fit come from anywhere.

After I submit my appeal letter and evidence, every day I dey pray make dem clear my name so I fit enter next stage. Every morning, I kneel for Mama altar, pray, sprinkle holy water for my phone. Even call my pastor for special prayer.

Several days of tension pass, then finally the investigation team arrive. Omo, my chest dey drum kpom-kpom like masquerade festival. I iron my cloth, arrange all my papers, prepare for war.