Chapter 6: Shuaibu’s Pendant

Everybody for village sabi Shuaibu plastic pendant.

You fit see am from far, because e big, rough, and always dirty, like small animal dey follow am waka.

E big, rough, dirty, like frog wey dey squat for him black chest day and night.

If you see am for evening, you go think say na amulet, but e no get power—na just fashion from roadside.

Na 3,000 naira he take buy am for roadside when he go visit people for city.

For that market, dem dey sell all kind fake thing, but Shuaibu believe the sweet talk.

No be real stone o—na plastic.

If you touch am, you go hear the sound—kpom, kpom—no be wetin shine for ring.

You no fit buy real stone for 3,000 naira.

Everybody wey sabi market know say na scam, but Shuaibu no get mind for wahala.

But the seller talk say na real, and Shuaibu cherish am like say na gold.

From the day he buy am, he no dey commot am for neck—even for sleep, he dey wear am.

The seller talk say, “Bros, if you wear am, your luck go shine, fine wife go rush you!”

As he hear ‘fine wife’, Shuaibu heart begin beat. He empty pocket, only 3,000 naira dey; the seller, no choice, sell am give am, talk say na ‘10,000-naira’ pendant, but e just dey do loss.

Village boys dey laugh am later—say dem don wash am well, but Shuaibu no send anybody.

Because the price cheap, the seller vex, no even give am rope to hang am.

As he reach house, Shuaibu blind mama search her things, use old red yarn wey she take knit cap for church, tie the pendant for him neck.

Na that red rope wey dey always dirty, dey make people laugh when dem see am.

That red rope turn black after one month.

Now, the rope don tear scatter, and the pendant just dey for blood beside Morayo bed, stick for the thick blood.

All the old women for village gather for one corner dey whisper, “See am, e don lose im juju.”

“Na Shuaibu own,” everybody for village talk am.

Even small children dey point am from afar, dey shake head.