Chapter 2: No Escape from Fate

2

This marriage na something wey I no fit dodge! I never dey Makurdi for long, I no know the girl at all, so I send my boys to check am! Boys wey sabi street, wey get ear for every corner. But when dem come back, dem dey fear talk: “General, this girl… she…”

“Talk na.” I look the one wey get big mouth, eye am well.

“Her name na Nneka Okafor. Her name no sweet for town, three times dem reject her for marriage, she no sabi sing, play ayo, draw, sew—na only her papa carpentry she dey follow!”

“If she bad reach like that, why people still dey find am marry?”

“Na because her family get money!”

I just laugh! My laugh loud, carry small cough join—wahala nor dey finish for this world.

My guy scratch head: “General, you never even talk say you go break engagement, you still dey laugh?”

I cough small: “No be say the girl bad, na people get long throat!”

Dem want money, power, fame—everything together! In this place, na who hold yams get followers.

So make e be. I believe say she go sabi endure! After I die, she go fit live her life in peace!

If she wan run from this world wahala, I go give her the whole General’s Compound as her house, make she enjoy her life!

I no go owe her anything! My mind settle small as I make this decision; na the small thing I fit do for her.

3

For wedding day, I think say people no go show! After all, everybody sabi say the king no send me again! Na only spirit of shame dey waka round my head.

Who go believe say king go show, carry all the big men for council! Their agbada shine pass sun, but their eyes cold.

When we small, dey drink, dey gist, he talk say if I marry, he go come, witness am, make world know say we be brothers! Now, he no fail him word!

I sit for my wheelchair, dem push me go front! My leg dey pain, but my pride pain me pass.

“I hear say for custom, dem dey shoot three colour target. Since I come greet you, General Danjuma, you fit show us small?”

As he talk finish, one servant throw bow for my leg! My heart cut small, na disgrace he come do, not to wish me well! He know say my hand no strong, I no fit pull bow! But he still wan shame me for everybody!

I look the coloured flowers wey high for far, I just keep quiet! Inside me, my blood dey boil. All the council people pack behind am, nobody fit talk!

For that tense moment, one clear voice just burst out: “Na so, na why we never bow to God and ancestors—see as everywhere dey lively!”

“Why bride go come out by herself?”

“She even lift her veil!”

“See as she dey do anyhow.”

All those officials wey quiet before, start to talk! Dem don hear say she get wahala, but dem no expect say she bold reach like this!

Nneka Okafor, wear red, fine scatter! Her skin dey glow, face full of small scars from woodwork, but her eyes dey shine.

She stand with mind, bow for king: “Your Majesty, time dey reach. Why you no let me shoot the coloured targets?”

“Which kind play be this?”

“This woman no get shame at all!”

“True true, woman wey dey shoot arrow—who dey hear that one?”

One woman whisper, "See as this girl dey do, na wah o!" Another hiss, "Ehn-ehn, na carpenter pikin, what do you expect?"

Maybe their talk make king happy, because he agree with smile! He wave hand, like say e dey watch Yoruba play for village square.

Nneka just smile small, collect bow from my hand, put coloured arrow, like say she no even dey hear all those bad mouth:

“First wish: Make husband and wife dey in peace, money full everywhere.”

Arrow fly, hit the first coloured flower, paper dey fall! All the laugh wey dey hall begin calm down. Even king shock. She jump, happy, put second arrow: “Second wish: Make you always get health, blessing and peace.”

Arrow cut air, paper fly again! Now everywhere just quiet!

She happy, as she wan pick third arrow, I hold her hand! My fingers cold but strong. My hand dey shake small, sweat dey my palm, but I no let am show. Na pride dey push me.

She look me, wonder!

I bring out my small crossbow from wheelchair, aim am at the last coloured flower: “Third wish: Make Nneka life soft, everything she want go work for am!”

Paper rain down. All the people face come dey more colourful pass the paper. Since dem born dem, dem never see this kind thing, dem no even know wetin to do! Even king! He just dey look everything, confuse!

All those people wey come, no one really come wish me well! Na power carry dem come, dem heart cold or dem no send!

But Madam na like fire wey cut through their fake life! For my mind, I thank God say woman wey no send crowd dey my side.

Inside that paper rain, Nneka lift her fine face, dey smile like say she win lottery. She clap hand, dey push my wheelchair go wedding hall: “Oya, make we go, time to bow to God and ancestors!” Her voice sweet, full of ginger. The small children wey dey peep, dey dance follow.