Chapter 4: Survival Na War

Dry season, early morning. Harmattan dey blow, dust dey my mouth, sweat for my neck. I dey run pass bush road, shoe almost spoil, leg dey pain, mind strong. Na spirit of survival dey drive me. I dey fear say Rukayat go use me hold body again. Exam centre far, but no choice.

For bush road, I see Bamidele, first rich man pikin, shoe shine pass my own. We waka together, e quiet, I gist, e no answer. But na exam go determine our tomorrow, not family name. I dey find ally, even if na just waka reach town. We reach exam centre, people dey queue, noise full air. Exam go well—God help me. My memory dey sharp. After exam, I rush go house, avoid wahala, think of grandma.

Night fall, I see light for window, grandma dey wait. She clap, wrapper new, voice loud. I break down, hug her waist, cry. Her palm cool, her laugh sweet my soul. She dey rub my head, dey pray. She dey swear, "If you no pass, we go try again. Grandma go sell everything for you." I tap my chest, "No worry, Grandma. I go be first university pikin for village."

I dey dream of city hospital, new teeth, fresh wrapper. She go chop suya, dance for city church. She just dey smile, no teeth, dey nod. I dey hope God answer my prayer.

But wahala never end. Night cool, mind dey sweet, I dey chop hot ogi and akara when door bang open with kick. Bowl shake, pap pour. Lawal Sulaimon rush me with stick, eyes red, voice loud, "My sister life don spoil because of you!"

I dodge, still collect blow for shoulder, pain scatter my body. Anger drive me, I jam am, punch rib. He fall, dey groan. I dey pant, eye red. Outside, Lawal family and Rukayat dey form crowd. My eye cold, hate dey rise. Rukayat face bold, chest dey drum. I run kitchen, carry cutlass, voice loud, "Anybody try am, I go cut!"

Crowd freeze. Grandma come out, voice tremble, "Maodan, wetin dey happen?" Neighbours gather, crowd grow. Village chief come, beads dey jangle, everybody quiet. Lawal mama roll for ground, dey cry, "Village people, abeg help me! My pikin go die!"

Chief Adewale frown, ask Rukayat, "Abeg talk true, wetin happen?" She cry, remove molestation, say agbero thief her paper, point me, "Musa, you see am, you no help me? Exam important, my paper miss, I no fit write, no fit go university—na your fault."

People whisper, "Why Musa no help?" Village chief look me, disappointment full him face, "Maodan, na true?"

My mouth dey dry, I dey swallow spit, fear dey squeeze my throat. If I talk, dem fit say I dey lie. If I keep quiet, dem go finish me. I whisper to grandma, then face villagers, "I no know wetin she dey talk. University exam na my only chance. I no see any agbero, I no see Rukayat. Uncles, aunties, una watch me grow—una know me. If I see am, I for help."

I show wound for my shoulder, blood dey drip. Crowd dey murmur, "See injury!" I beg chief, "Her exam important, my own no important?" Crowd begin talk for me, "Lawal family, una don too much. Small boy wan try for life."

Grandma fall for ground, dey beat chest, wail, "Ah, my pikin! Village people, na me una dey punish. Wetin we do?" Market women join, beg chief. Lawal Sulaimon panic, "No be say you stand look? Na vex I vex, wan beat you, no be kill you."

I slap am, shout, "Mind your mouth. Na me thief your paper?" People hold me, beg. I para, "If I no see am, how I go help? Why Lawal family no call police to catch thief, but come fight me? Na jealousy, una wan destroy my chance."

Chief Adewale raise hand, beads jangle, "Make Lawal family go call police to find thief. No disturb Maodan exam. Na only Maodan fit write exam for our village. Everybody get tomorrow."

Rumour fly, but story end for now. Exam dey call. Lawal family vex, but most villagers support me. Grandma dey rub hot water for my wound, dey pray. Na only pain remain for my body.