Chapter 1: Wahala Don Land

Skin hunger syndrome don start wahala again, but my babe no gree help me at all.

As this skin hunger matter dey disturb me like stubborn mosquito wey no dey hear word, I dey look my babe Zainab with eye wey dey beg, but she just bone face. For my mind, I dey wonder which kain wahala be this again. Na so body dey pepper person for inside heat, and nobody even send you. Sometimes, e even be like say this Lagos weather dey conspire join—thunder rumble for distance, rain dey threaten, but my own wahala dey inside body.

Just as I wan beg her and run after her, I come dey see plenty comments waka for my front:

[For all those old-school romance novels, na so the male lead dey craze for the wicked girl. You no see say your aunty dey burn for you?]

[No wonder Aunty later turn dark. The boy wey she raise by herself, wey she no even fit touch, go still cut her off because of one babe wey no send am.]

[This male lead sef, you dey find wahala. If you use even small of those runs wey you dey use for that wicked babe for your aunty, she go just spoil you, cure your skin hunger sharp sharp...]

[I dey wait for that your taboo extra chapter—where una lock for that small black room. Aunty don dey crawl for darkness for years—no be small pikin fit handle am o. Male lead, better ready to faint like three times, lol...]

These comments just dey waka for my mind like say na radio wey dem tune to confusion FM. E be like juju, the way the words dey appear for my front, I begin dey wonder whether I still dey normal. The kain wahala wey dey for this my head, only God sabi.

I just freeze for where I dey, look back at the woman wey dey behind me, she still dey work with her serious face. I come ginger small, then ask:

"Aunty, you... like me?"

1

"No beat around bush. Wetin you want?" Aunty Morayo no even raise her head, her voice still cool and deep as usual. "How much you need?"

Her voice carry that kain Lagos Island confidence. As she talk, e be like breeze just blow scatter my courage, but I try package myself. For her tone, you go know say na woman wey dem no dey take play.

I check Aunty Morayo well, but her face no show anything—she just calm and collected.

She just dey there, eyes steady like person wey don see life finish, nothing dey shake her. I notice say her wristwatch na correct designer—one of those types wey only high-class people dey wear for Lekki. Her skin fresh, hair dey well-laid, even her nails dey shine small under the office light.

My wahala heart come dey settle small small.

E be like say her presence dey calm my spirit. The room even feel cooler as she dey. The AC dey blow cold, but the faint smell of fried plantain from the canteen downstairs still dey enter.

Even though people for outside dey talk say I be anyhow rich boy,

I sabi say some people just dey jealous; na so dem dey always talk for compound. But me sef dey reason sometimes, wetin really make me different?

my aunty Morayo na person wey get correct education and respect—she be big name for business, shine like sun and moon.

You go hear her name for radio, see am for television panel sometimes. She dey attend those big big conferences, even get chieftaincy title for her side. Nobody fit use her play for industry, she be person wey dey always stand for her word. If you see am for event, na her carriage go first catch your eye.

She dey old school, even more conservative than most people, she dey respect tradition and do things by the book.

This one no be mouth; na so she dey carry herself, no dey waka anyhow, dey greet elders well, dey follow all the rules dem set for our family. If dem say, 'no dey talk when elder dey talk,' she go remind you like five times.

When my papa and mama die, na she dem give me to, she raise me from pikin.

She no even let me feel say I lose anything. Na so she stand for me, dey take care of my school, dey attend my open day, dey scold me when I mess up, dey encourage me when things hard. E get time I sick, na she sleep for hospital bench for my head.

People dey talk say she no be just aunty by blood—she even pass family.

I remember one family meeting when my uncle talk say na she be the real backbone, say if not for her, I for dey street today. E shock me that day; I come dey look her with new respect. Even neighbours dey always hail her, dey call her 'Iron Lady'.

How Aunty Morayo, this correct woman wey dey chase her career, go be the kind of person wey the comments dey talk—one wicked woman wey dey burn for her nephew?

Abeg, sometimes e dey hard to understand how people dey reason nonsense. I just dey remember all the times she dey pray for me before exam, dey cook jollof rice for my birthday, dey tie wrapper to follow me go PTA meeting. How that kain person go even dey get wicked mind?

I just dey imagine things, abeg.

I just sigh, shake my head small. Sometimes, online people sabi yarn dust. E no fit be true.

As I still stand for there,

Na so I dey shift leg, dey wait make she talk, but she just dey write like nothing dey happen.

Aunty Morayo lift her eyelid small, look the office door wey open. "You no go follow her?"

Her eyebrow rise small as she talk, but her voice still cool. I notice say her hand still dey hold biro steady, no shaking at all. E be like she dey test me, dey watch whether I go react.

I just sigh. "Leave am. I no fit catch up."

My voice low, almost like whisper. I just use my hand wave air, make she know say I don tire. Wetin person go do again?

Because those comments don distract me, my babe don already waka far.

As I dey reason, I come dey regret say I no just face front. Comments wey I dey see dey mess with my head, so tey I no even notice as Zainab waka comot.

Since she know about my skin hunger syndrome, Zainab don dey cold for me.

Before, she go dey tease me, now she just dey form busy. Na small touch I go touch her, she go turn face. Na this syndrome just dey make me feel empty, like say cold dey run for my bone.

Especially since she carry new assistant, Sade.

The Sade matter na another problem. Zainab dey always dey praise her work, but I dey suspect say something dey there wey I no sabi.

This time, na because Sade mess up for work I quarrel with Zainab.

I no go lie, the way Sade dey forget files, dey misplace documents, sometimes I dey wonder if na only me dey see am. But Zainab go always defend her, dey talk say make I calm down.

I talk make she sack am, but Zainab no gree, she even dey yab me say I never suffer before, so I no sabi how e dey be.

She tell me say I dey act like small pikin, say I too dey quick vex. She even laugh me join, say I dey spoil. That one pain me, I no go lie.