Chapter 4: The Investigation Begins

At least hundreds of people for town see wetin happen that day.

No be say na rumour; everybody get their own story. Some dey say dem see spirit comot from her body as she dey burn.

The matter cause wahala, so police must investigate well to answer people.

Our DPO nearly get hypertension, the way people dey rush station to report wetin dem see. Some elders demand town meeting, others dey call for prayer session.

As I dey there, na so I join the team.

Me, na investigation dey sweet me—so I ready my biro and notebook, dey write name of witness.

First thing be to know whether na suicide or dem kill am.

Even small pikin dey ask: "Uncle, na person kill am?"

That one no too hard.

The evidence dey point clear. The marks for her skin, the cloth wey she wear—no be person touch am before the fire.

We ask people, find out say na the girl buy both the petrol and lighter by herself for shop that afternoon.

Mama Chika, the woman wey dey sell for junction, even remember the money—she talk say Ngozi quiet, just drop change, no look anybody face. She dey peel orange, pause, look me up and down, "That girl, Ngozi? Quiet like Sunday morning, but her eye dey carry story."

Other acrobatic troupe people talk say everybody dey do their own thing, prepare their props and cloth for their own tent.

One Igbo man wey dey handle rope say, "Oga, everybody mind their own. Nobody dey look anybody matter."

She dey always stay alone before her show.

Even children dey say, "Aunty Ngozi no dey play. She just dey hum song, dey braid her hair for corner."

One person for our team even reason say maybe, since acrobatic troupe dey use chemical things sometimes, maybe person use one prop kill her.

That question almost cause fight for meeting, because people dey argue. “Dem fit put juju for that her petrol!”

But that idea no work.

No trace of foul play for the petrol, and nobody see strange hand touch her costume.

Because for that place—including me—hundreds of people dey look.

If anything dey happen for public, our people eye no dey close. Dem go see am.

Nobody fit set fire for person wey dey fly for up without anybody see am.

E no fit happen—no matter how magic the person be.

Na only her fit do herself like that.

Na the conclusion wey everybody dey fear, but e dey clear like full moon.

So, na just suicide? People go accept that?

Even as evidence dey, town people no gree believe; dem say the matter too strange for ordinary suicide.

That time, as I dey waka for square, I jam one man—na im change everything.

E be like say God wan open page for this case.