Chapter 1: Sacred Words and Silent Suffering

For this world, na people dey use written words take boost their strength.

The air dey heavy with secrets for this place. If you never see the way dem take write for sky, you go think say na ordinary handwriting. But na lie—these words fit shake ground.

Me, I just be ordinary person, so all I fit do na to dey keep myself for corner, dey wait for my own chance.

Sometimes, as I dey sit for dusk, I dey wonder if this chance go ever come. Mosquitoes dey hum for my ear, but na only hope I dey wait. I dey watch people dey flex, my belly dey twist, but na so e be when person no get anybody for him corner.

Na so one day, I come discover say the so-called sacred writing wey everybody dey use for power na na dem dey use.

Omo, I shock that moment.

Na like cold water pour for my body. You know when you dey waka for market and your leg jam gutter—na so e shock me.

So all the suffer wey I dey endure since, e no get meaning? E mean say na just to dey chop suffer I come this world?

Sometimes, e go be like say suffering dey turn to family. But for my mind, I dey ask, how long I go continue dey chop pepper wey no get soup?

01

My name na Ifedike, and na so I waka enter Sacred Writing Continent by mistake.

Dem talk say the power way for this world different well well, but as I be ordinary person, I no even get hope to see am with my own eye.

Na so life fit do person—carry you enter party wey you no even know the music wey dem dey play. I dey waka, dey look everybody dey shine, but for my heart, na only survival I dey chase.

When I first land, wahala choke me because I no sabi the language wey dem dey speak.

Na real gbege. Dem dey yan, I dey nod head like agama, but na only confusion dey inside my brain. If no be God, I for don lost finish.

Na the eldest daughter for Commander’s Compound, Morayo, see as I dey suffer, she come carry me go house, give me work.

Her name na Morayo. She get good heart, but for this world, dem no dey allow women do power work at all.

Morayo no be small woman—she sabi read, she sabi write, but dem dey use old law hold her down. I see as she dey help people, dey smile even when she dey pain. Na so I respect her.

After the old commander kpai for battlefield, na her second aunty and her cousin come dey control the Commander’s Compound.

Na politics full everywhere. Her second aunty get sharp mouth, her cousin dey look for chance to shine. Na wahala every corner.

Na so one day—

As I dey sweep compound, one young man run enter, dey smile like say dem dash am new car.

E run enter with energy, slippers dey slap ground—omo, na big gist e carry.

"Sister, congrats o! Dem don set your bride price, Sister! Na today be the day."

Na Dayo be this, the second aunty pikin.

Dayo too like wahala, he no dey ever calm down. If trouble dey, na him dey near am.

Morayo squeeze face. "Marriage?"

She no get time for all these talk, but Dayo no dey tire.

Dayo and him mama no dey ever like Morayo. Dem just dey find way to push am commot from Commander’s Compound. For olden days, to marry woman waka na the easiest way to send her away.

Na real Naija style—dem go use marriage pursue woman wey dey threaten their position. If dem succeed, she go dey another man house, far from power.

Morayo no wan go anywhere, so she dey reject suitors anyhow.

She sabi the game. If she gree marry any man, na bye-bye to her papa compound.

Dayo come clap hand together. "My mama don promise you give Prince Jatau as wife. Prince Jatau go soon send people come carry you. Tonight na your wedding night. From today, you go be Princess Jatau."

E talk am with pride, as if na better Christmas package.

Morayo shock, then vex. "Prince Jatau na real bad guy. Who know how many good women he don spoil? I rather marry anybody than that yeye man!"

She voice loud, her body dey shake, her eyes red like say she wan cry. Her eye flash gate, but nobody dey—compound empty like Sunday church after service. Anybody wey sabi street gist know say Prince Jatau na wahala.

Dayo talk as if e no mean anything. "No be all those women don die finish? Dem no go drag love with you. Prince Jatau talk say you go always be him princess."

Dayo voice flat, no emotion. E dey do like say human life no mean anything. If na village elders dey here, dem for don shout put mouth.

"Tufia!"

Morayo spit. "He marry eighteen wives. No be the same sweet mouth he give all of them?"

Morayo spit reach ground, the thing vex her spirit. Even ground self dey reject that kain marriage.

Dayo face change. "Normally, if you refuse, e no dey too pain me. But this time, na Prince Jatau himself say he want you. No dey do stubborn."

Dayo voice cold, e eye dey shine like snake. For compound wey no get justice, na power dey rule.

Morayo stand gidigba. "I go rather die than agree!"

She put leg for ground, her shadow long for evening sun. Na real stubbornness dey her blood.

Dayo eyes come cold. "You no wan drink better wine, you go drink punishment."

E talk am with that wicked calmness wey dey make person fear. Na old Naija proverb dem dey talk—if you no hear word, you go hear slap.

As he talk, he bring out brush.

Dayo always dey carry that brush like charm. Na him pride be that.