Chapter 7: New School, New Wahala

Before you know, days don waka.

Sunrise dey come early, rain go fall sometimes, but life dey push us go front. School resume, I first drop Shina for primary school, then go university.

Lucky for me, the school no far—thirty minutes okada, and if I use keke well, na only one hundred fifty naira. E make sense.

The keke na old one, but the driver sabi road. Sometimes, he go gist me about how him own daughter dey try for school. I leave three thousand naira for Shina, tell am to settle him breakfast and lunch, if I get evening class, make e no wait for me chop.

For school, rice with yam and free soup dey okay for me.

Sometimes I dey add pure water and groundnut. Small small, life balance.

Shina no dey cause wahala, so I relax, find small lesson job join.

I dey teach children maths, collect small change every week. But I no expect—

Another Wednesday.

After my last class, I dey plan buy sweet and sour goat meat for house, then I see missed call from "Shina’s Teacher". My heart cut, I call back.

As the call connect, na woman voice I hear: "Hello, you be...?"

I quick reply: "I be Shina sister. Wetin happen?"

Everywhere noisy for her side—children dey shout—after small time, teacher voice change, serious: "Problem dey with Shina. Abeg, you fit come?"

Her voice carry weight, I feel say something big dey happen. Everywhere dark for my eye.

Shina... don enter wahala?

Na so I grab my bag, heart dey race, dey pray say no be big problem. For this Naija, every new wahala get different colour. But as I dey run go gate, only one thing dey my mind: I no go ever abandon my brother, no matter how wahala e fit turn.