Chapter 7: The Palace Wedding

The two queens for harem argue tire, nobody win.

Palace like market—every day, different wahala. Queen and Mama Sade dey drag like say dem dey contest for Lagos governor.

Papa Oba, wey no fit bear noise, just order say make I marry cousin from Queen Mother side.

E vex, knock staff for ground, "Enough! Bayo go marry cousin from Queen family, make noise stop."

Mama Sade vex commot from Oba palace.

Her face squeeze like bitterleaf. E carry bag, waka go her own house. Palace women dey whisper as she dey go.

Queen, happy say Mama Sade plan fail, forget say her own pikin no win either, come dey do party three days—palace people dey jolly.

Palace dey bubble—drum dey beat, stew dey flow. Queen dey share meat pie up and down, dey laugh like say she win lottery.

When palace messenger come announce order, Lawal Musa spit malt reach ten feet:

We dey chop for corridor, as messenger drop news, Lawal Musa mouth full of malt, e spit am reach wall. "Chei! Bayo, you don hear?"

“Na she?”

E turn, eye wide, voice crack. "No be that quiet girl?"

I dey vex say e no get composure, but e just shake head talk:

E shake head like old goat. "Fine, but no get soul."

Because of Lawal Musa family marriage wahala, I sef sabi small about the girl.

E dey gist me her story—how she dey quiet, no dey join gist, always dey gentle for family meeting.

She be first daughter of Chief Okorie, only pikin of late first wife, stepmother no like am.

Palace people dey call am "shadow princess." Her stepmother dey treat am like house girl. Na real sufferhead she chop.

Since small, papa and mama no send am, na grandparents raise am, so she dey quiet.

She dey always stay for background, dey help old people. If festival dey go on, you go see her dey clean chairs for elders.

Hmm…

I dey reason say, maybe quiet person fit match my own calmness. If to say she dey shout, wahala fit full house.

Wetin bad for that one? Quiet girl sweet die.

E sweet me. I dey hope say she go bring peace for my side, make house dey cool.

My mama gentle, if shrike come bully her, how I go take stand?

If person try bully my wife, my own gentle side fit turn fire. I dey pray make life treat her well for my house.

No lie, Papa Oba get sense.

Sometimes, I go reason say, for this one, Oba sabi. Na correct match for me.

No be only me think am—my mama think am too.

Mama Ronke dey shine teeth, dey clap hand. Her own joy no get measure.

But her own reason different; she believe say since Queen Mother good, her family girls go good too.

Na so she dey reason: "If water pure for river mouth, e no go spoil for downstream."

She even open her jewelry box, pick the best coral bead set, send go Chief Okorie house as congratulation.

That coral bead, na only for special day Mama Ronke dey bring am out. She tie am well, send message: "Make una prepare, good thing dey come."

After dem settle engagement, me and my mama go thank Papa Oba.

We wear best cloth, bow for King, present small gift. E dey like festival for my heart.

Papa Oba, for once, give us seat, talk with us long.

E clear voice, greet us well, even call me "son" for first time in years. E talk soft, no vex for face.

E say, you dey careful, you no dey fight, e good.

E praise me. "For palace, na soft heart dey bring peace. No be every time person gats dey rush."

Now wey you wan marry, you be adult; to live your life well pass anything.

E advice me, "Marriage no be small thing. Make you hold your home."

As Papa Oba dey talk, na only one thing dey my mind:

I dey reason say, no matter wetin, if papa arrange well, pikin go enjoy. Love from papa dey sweet, even if na once in a lifetime.

Parents wey love pikin dey plan far ahead.

I dey pray say make I fit become papa wey dey plan better for my own pikin too.