Chapter 5: The Baba's Warning

Dad and Grandma don get money, dey show off for village.

New cloth, big party, pastor dey bless house. Even chief come greet, shake Dad. But everybody know wetin dey happen for our wall.

Truth be say, whole village know our evil. Some people even come beg Dad:

Whisper start. One bold man come, hat for hand, offer Dad money. "Abeg, let me flog your wife small. Maybe my luck go change, too."

"Brother Chinedu, name your price—make I beat your wife to change my luck."

The thing cold me. I see greed for Dad eye, how e lick lips.

When Dad see money, hand dey shake. Grandma lean close, dey whisper all wetin dem fit buy.

I quick pull Dad aside, beg, "No, we no even know why beating Mom dey bring luck. If we allow outsider, e fit spoil everything."

My voice low, but desperate. For once, Dad listen, fear flash for eye.

Dad nod serious.

He turn to man, shake head. "E no go work like that, my brother. Na family matter. Outsider fit spoil juju." The man waka, dey grumble. Dad begin watch me close after.

When I see Dad refuse, I breathe relief. I fear say e fit sell Mom life for money.

I watch Mom for door, wonder if she sabi how close she reach to another selling. My chest pain me, but nothing I fit do.

After I enter secondary, study hard. Grade no too good, I dey read for night.

Nights long, lamp dey burn low, I dey struggle with maths, English. Head heavy, but I refuse give up.

My sister come home dey mock me, "Why you dey read? You no go make am. She na woman wey bone dey soft—her only use na to suffer for this family. Why you dey form better person?"

Her words pain me. She throw phone, laugh. "See as you dey suffer yourself. Just do the needful, chop your own luck."

She laugh me.

E cold. I feel like stranger for my own house.

Even Grandma and Dad dey tempt me:

Dem go sit me down, tell story of other families wey find luck for suffering. "Your mate dey enjoy for school. Only you dey form saint."

"Chisom, you be eldest grandson. No need stress. Just do like Halima—beat that jinx, you go enter better university."

Dad hand me stick, e heavy, bent from years of beating Mom.

I feel weight, history full for wood. My hand dey shake, sweat dey my back.

I look Mom, she siddon for corner, head down, like say we no dey talk about her.

She no move, no talk. Na like she don waka, her spirit dey somewhere else.

I squeeze stick, break am two. My voice cold.

Crack echo for house. I stand tall, look Dad eye. "Never. I no go be like una."

"Whether I make am or not, na my own wahala. I no go join una."

My words hang for air. I see shock for Dad face, anger for Grandma eye. But I no send. I don choose.

I slam door, comot. My sister mocking voice follow me:

"Na you sabi. No be everybody get liver to chop luck." Her laugh follow me, I no look back.

"Ignore am. If he no go beat her, less fortune for us."

Grandma voice sharp, but small fear dey hide under.

New bride for village hang herself. She never grow finish—dem sell her come. On wedding night, she hang herself for old mango tree, neck almost break.

Whole village mourn. Women gather, wail, men dey mutter about curse. Nobody talk truth.

After that, strange things begin happen. Three months, chicken dey die anyhow for many house. Old people say chicken dey attract evil—maybe dead woman spirit still dey waka.

Children dey indoors after sunset, mama dey sprinkle salt for door. Even hunters avoid mango tree. Everybody dey fear, dey wait next wahala.

Everybody dey fear. Only our chicken never die.

Neighbour notice, dey whisper. Some say we protected, some say we cursed. I watch our chicken dey waka, fat, healthy, no send anybody.

Grandma siddon for door, dey smoke pipe, dey boast, "E fit be say na because I beat that woman wey bone dey soft that day—e chase evil away. This jinx still useful."

She puff smoke, voice proud. Other women eye her with envy, nobody talk.

Dad nod. "Just to sure, make we beat her again tomorrow."

He dey grin, dey plan next day. My belle turn, nothing I fit do.

To calm village, chief suggest bring native seer to do ritual, send spirit away. Everybody agree contribute.

Chief talk with power, voice loud. "We go call strong baba from Nsukka. He go know wetin to do. Bring money—no one person fit carry this kind wahala."

Third day, famous spiritualist arrive, everybody gather.

Whole village show, best wrapper, cap. Even children crowd, eye wide. Air dey buzz.

Dad just finish beat Mom, drop stick, go join crowd.

Hand still bloody, e wipe am for trouser, straighten shirt. Grandma follow, pipe for mouth.

I hear baba fit send spirit go rest. See Mom door lock, I go join watch.

Place full. I squeeze front. Baba mystical, dey chant incantation. Wedding dress spread for ground, my body cold.

Dress white, stain dark. Baba voice rise, fall, word dey enter crowd. Air thick with palm oil and incense.

Suddenly, baba open eye, look round.

Crowd hush, everybody lean. Chief nod, give am permission.

"I need urine of virgin boy and girl to finish ritual. Who go help?"

Voice deep, command. Everybody dey shift, look for volunteer. Tension thick.

I look round. Adult keep children away, na only me be virgin boy. All eye turn me.

My stomach turn. I feel weight of hundred eye, dey wish I fit disappear.

Grandma rush, "Virgin urine dey valuable! We no fit just give."

Her voice greedy, sharp. She grab my arm, pull me back. Crowd dey murmur, some dey laugh.

Village chief smile, "Mama Chinedu, this concern everybody. If Chisom help, your family go be village saviour."

E try reason, voice gentle. "No be today this kind thing dey happen. Sacrifice dey important."

Dad run block me, eye dey shine with greed. "To save life good, but we no fit do am free."

He fold arm, look chief up and down. "You sabi as economy be. No fit just give am."

Everybody dey awkward, shock say even here, Grandma and Dad still dey find money.

People grumble, some hiss. But money still change hand as usual.

Last last, chief and others pay Dad fifty thousand, baba carry me side go collect urine.

Money count sharp, enter Dad hand. Baba lead me one corner, face serious. I dey shake, but no fit refuse.

But as we enter, baba face change.

He grab my arm, grip like iron. Eye enter my own, dey search wetin only him sabi. My heart dey hammer.

"Young man, carry your grandma and dad run comot from here sharp-sharp. Your family dey raise one kain wicked spirit."

I run home, my heart dey beat like talking drum—because for the first time, I fear say our own wahala never even start.