Chapter 3: Accusation, Burial, Insurance Wahala

Later, the policeman ask:

“You know say na because your in-laws think say na you kill Ngozi we dey take your statement today.”

He adjust for chair, serious for face. I for say this one dey act, but the pain for my mind no gree me play.

I vex. My eyes red, but I try hold myself:

“If anybody get evidence, make dem bring am. Wetin make dem think say I fit harm my wife?”

My chest dey drum like talking drum. For my mind, I dey curse anybody wey think say I fit do that kind evil.

I smile bitterly, nearly cry.

I wan talk, but my voice just quiver. I dey wish say ground go open swallow me. I dey remember my wife laugh, how she dey sing Yoruba gospel song for kitchen.

“Why you cremate Ngozi before your in-laws reach?”

“My wife dey ICU over ten days. Every day, I dey sign critical condition papers.” As I talk, my hands and body dey shake.

E no easy to dey see person wey you love dey struggle for life. Every paper I sign, I dey pray say e go turn better, but na only worse e dey get.

“The pikin dey sick, no fit stay alone. Maybe she sef dey feel something. Apart from me, she no let nanny touch am. Four, five months old, no mama..."

My pikin dey cry every night, dey call "mama" even for dream. Neighbours sef dey ask if everything dey okay.

My eyes hot, tears just dey fall.

I no fit control am. I try look up, say maybe tears go dry, but e just dey flow.

“When doctor talk say my wife don die, I—”

I rub my face, ask the policeman:

“You don ever feel say sky just fall on top you?”

He nod small, like person wey understand. For that moment, I feel alone for whole world.

“After that, everywhere just blank. Burial people come. I no even know wetin dem talk. I just remember say dem say dem fit handle everything for my wife, so I give them. And—”

I no fit even remember who I pay or how much. My hand dey sign paper like say I dey dream.

“And what?”

“When my wife die, na from bridge she fall. Her body... e no remain. I dey fear say the elders no fit see am, so I cremate her.”

No be say I like am, but I no want disgrace for family. If dem see body like that, e go break dem more. The burial people talk say na best option.

“Why you call insurance people for assessment?”

“When we marry, my wife buy heavy insurance for both of us. Before her accident, she just renew am. That time, she dey hospital, as I go house go carry cloth, I see her insurance paper for cabinet. I think maybe insurance fit help us pay some hospital bill. But insurance people na wahala. All the promise of quick money, na lie.”

Insurance for Naija, na story. Dem go promise heaven and earth, but if wahala land, you go see another colour.

I grit my teeth.

My jaw tight, I dey remember the calls, the forms, the stress. Sometimes I feel say insurance people dey even happy person die, so dem no go pay.

“But later you collect insurance money, abi? Critical illness, medical, accident—millions. Especially accident insurance—who dey buy that kind? E be like you plan am.”

Another policeman talk with wicked voice.

That one pain me, because e be like say I be thief for their eye. I dey pray make God judge all of them.

I shock, my body dey shake, I rush him. “Wetin the money go do for me now? I wish say we never even need am at all! I wish my wife no ever need am!”

For my heart, I dey cry more than my eyes show. If money fit buy life, I for spend am all without thinking.

Dem no expect my reaction. Other officers rush in, drag me back.

Dem hold me strong, one officer even put hand for my shoulder, tell me to relax. Na only for film person fit understand how body dey react for that kind stress.

Na only say I no fit land that policeman slap pain me.

I dey shake, but I try hold myself. If I talk too much, dem fit use am against me.

But as I dey look am wicked, dem comot am, bring female officer make she collect my statement.

The new officer soft, she smile small, her voice dey gentle, like say she dey beg me to just talk my mind.

After I calm, that policeman ask again:

“Why you buy that kind heavy insurance?”

“My wife buy am.” I rub my face, continue:

“She say, once you get family and pikin, e different from single life. You get responsibility. She no want make anything happen wey go scatter our small family or our future. So insurance na to protect us. I see sense for her talk. Since na she buy am, dey pay, I no argue.”

She dey always plan ahead. That was her way. Even if we argue, I dey always agree last last.