Chapter 4: Storms and Strangers

Next day, rain come—no work, just rest.

I lie down, tell Musa to share morning boxed meal. Yesterday, Okafor Chinedu quietly move join us for cave.

Nothing to do, I call am: "You sabi this area?"

"Yes, I don be small official here for three years."

"Bamboo dey?"

"Plenty, the back mountain full of am."

"Lake dey?"

"Yes, two kilometer for south, big lake. Because of underground water, small rivers dey everywhere."

I dey happy—these na resources.

Night fall, some people skip meal. I ask Musa, he say dem sick.

I rush go check. By the cave, some men dey shake, cold dey catch dem.

I touch one forehead, e hot like generator.

"Cold and fever," I talk. For this world, sickness na death sentence.

Musa whisper: "Oga, you sabi medicine?"

I nod, small: "I sabi treat cold and fever."

I call Okafor Chinedu: "You sabi wild ginger for bush?"

He confuse: "Wetin be wild ginger?"

"Uziza root."

He nod: "E dey, but we go need find am."

"Okay, since rain don stop, you and Musa go find am for near area. No go far."

Me sef follow. When I small, na herbs mama dey use treat me, so I sabi road small. As we dey search, I see mint and bitter leaf—correct for cold. I gather am, Musa and Okafor Chinedu show with big uziza root.

Olden days, herbs big, fresh. Now to boil medicine wahala—no pot. I reason, Okafor Chinedu notice: "Oga, you dey find where to boil medicine?"

I nod: "You get?"

He say, "The camp before dey raise goat, stone trough dey."

I ask, "No be too big?"

He say, "E no too big."

No other option, I call all the fit men, make dem help move am.

As the stone trough land, I dey happy—this one na real asset. We find some bamboo cup join.

We wash trough, clean herbs, put am, then I use system bring out 150 Set C, pour all the malt. Na modern remedy for olden days wahala—God abeg.

Soon, malt ginger soup ready. I use bamboo cup share for all the sick. Cup no plenty, we manage. Prevention pass cure, so Musa and Okafor Chinedu drink join.

Okafor Chinedu never taste malt before. One sip, him eye light up: "This one na spirit drink?"

For here, everything na surprise. Me, I just dey thank God for small mercy. Na so, after drink, sweat dey come, most recover fast. Olden days people get strong liver.

As dem recover, I pour Set C, add water, make porridge. Hot food go help push out cold.

Days dey pass like bus for Oshodi. On the seventh day, old man waka come, wear long robe, eye sharp and small like pin. E get the attitude of person wey dey used to giving orders.

He no waste time, just ask to see me. For my tent, we sit. Na silent battle, like elders wey dey play ayo.

But guest na guest. I remember Naija home training: "Uncle, you never chop for road. Abeg, chop something."

I bring two Set A. Old man open, see goat meat, meatball, sigh: "So the story na true."

I dey confuse. Story don run pass me?

Old man stand, bow small: "Abeg, oga, wetin be your name?"

I reply: "Radish, boiled radish."

He nod: "Compound name, good." E touch beard, smile hide for face.

I joke: "Uncle, abeg chop first. You don complain six times in three sentence."

Old man shame small, then laugh. "I no go do formality. Hunger dey catch me." Scholars sabi form, but food dey humble all.

The man chop two box in less than three minutes. After, I ask: "Uncle, who you be, why you find me?"

He reply: "My name na Okafor Nnamdi, papa to Okafor Chinedu. I hear say spirit dey here, so I come see."

Spirit? Na malt wahala be that. I hand am one bottle malt: "Na misunderstanding. This no be spirit drink, na my side e come from."

He laugh: "Drink wey dey cure fever?"

I shake head—explaining no dey help. "Taste am, you go see say e normal."

He look the bottle, no sabi open. I help, twist, give am. He sip, bubbles dey vex for him mouth, e burp loud, shame small, but e like am.

He dey mumble: "E balance the body, e get power. This thing no be ordinary."

I no talk again. Na so e enjoy him drink.

After, old man stand, voice serious: "Oga, I get one request."

I wave: "No wahala, carry malt go."

He shake head: "No be that. I wan make my pikin be your apprentice."

I laugh: "No be say e dey with us already?"

He laugh: "True, I dey talk too much. I get something to tell you."

He lean in, voice low: "World soon scatter. If you ever wear chieftaincy robe, abeg, no forget your beginning. Treat people well."

My mind shake. This old man get sense, get vision. He just waka go—no forget the malt.