Chapter 5: Woman Power Pass Man Ginger

"Ah, abeg no." I just reject Amaka request sharp sharp. She look me with surprise: "Why now? You still go collect your money, nothing spoil." I explain say the route get meaning, every stop get different beauty, e no good to miss am. Amaka listen, then tell me say all eight of them don decide: dem no go follow original plan, dem just wan camp for Palm Rock for two days, no dey go anywhere. Amaka go lie down outside tent. Dem dey gist, but I no hear wetyn dem talk. Palm Rock no fit work for "voluntary loss of innocence" plan. E too near village, path no hard, network dey everywhere, even if you no get food or water, one hour waka for night, you go reach main road. Those four men just gree without even talk to us—e weak me. My cousin come back from urinating, as he hear say group no dey go anywhere, na so him eye nearly burst. When we form group, everybody swear say dem go follow instructions, no act anyhow, but once woman talk, dem just fall.

I just dey shake head, dey reason how men wey form plan dey turn jelly once woman set agenda. For village, elders go say, "Na woman dey rule world," but I no really believe am till now. The whole group just dey shine teeth, dey nod. All my big man ginger just dey fade. Na so woman power dey sweep ground—man wey think say na him dey control go just humble.

"See, men sef na mumu." My cousin force smile, carry me go.

He drag me away, face still dey squeeze like person wey chop bitterleaf raw. For my mind, I dey laugh, but I no let am show. Even the way him dey walk, e dey show say e no happy.

"Everybody, the fine lady talk say una wan stay for here. I wan confirm: na true say we go just camp here for next few days?" My cousin tap him chest. "Make I talk, na my work to recommend make una follow plan, but final decision dey una hand. If una wan stay, we sef go relax—no wahala. Or make I tell una wetyn una for see if una follow the plan?"

My cousin give me signal, so I talk: "Tomorrow, we for cross Palm Rock Mountain, pass one clean spring, waka for wildflower field near river, then enter old forest wey don dey for thousands of years. Inside there, you go see one wonder wey dem dey call Okpoko Hill..."

I use my hand draw imaginary map for sand, dey show how river bend pass old tree, dey paint picture of adventure, but dem just dey nod, dey smile, like say my story na joke.

"We no dey go anywhere. Finish." Amaka cut me off.

Her voice sharp like knife wey cut kpomo. The way she shut me down, everybody just go quiet, as if rain begin fall for inside house. I glance at the four men, but none of them talk. Na so I know say wahala don land.

I look the four men, but nobody argue. See as men just dey mumu. When group start, everybody dey ginger, swear say dem go run those naïve women. Especially when dem hear say fine girl dey, dem just dey rush, dey ready.

I fit see shame for Seyi face, and for my own mind, I dey wonder whether na juju dey worry these men. Before, na dem dey make mouth, now, ordinary woman command, dem mellow like rice for water.

"Since una don decide to stay, make we upgrade camp: guys, abeg make we talk about tomorrow work. Men suppose handle all the hard work."

The four men get up, follow me and my cousin go back of tent for mountain side.

As we waka go, sand dey crunch under our slippers, the air get that smell of night—smoke, sweat, small fear. Everybody dey try arrange face, but body language don expose us.

"Wetin una dey plan?" My cousin face change sharp. "Una sure say una come for travel?"

Nobody talk. Everywhere just quiet. I lower my voice: "Wetin una dey reason? Una remember why we form this group?"

The four men look each other, then smile: "We remember."

The smile get as e be. No be happiness, na the kind smile wey you dey use when you no want wahala, but you no ready to fight. My own spirit just dey fall like rain drop for zinc roof.

"So wetin dey happen?"

Director Musa just laugh: "Na because we remember why we dey here, na im make us say make we no move. All of them don agree—so why we go anywhere?"

The laugh no get joy inside. Na laugh of man wey don see say everything wey him plan don turn upside down. For this our Naija, if you no wise, na woman go use you wash plate. I just shake my head, the sound of crickets for bush loud for my ear. For this Palm Rock, na only God sabi how tomorrow go be. As the fire die, I dey wonder—who go hunt who for this place, and who go survive till day break?