Chapter 5: The Split

"Ogbo, he..."

I just start, na so impatient voice from back cut me.

Many Naija people stand up, body no calm.

Some dey shame, but others act like say e normal.

One stammer, "I—I wan change nationality."

"Me too."

Soon, more join.

Four people waka comot from Naija side—

One go Lighthouse Country, three waka enter Sakura Country side.

As dem reach, dem just dey lick shoe, dey try show say dem loyal.

Some dey even kneel down, beg, "Abeg, no let dem send us back o!" For their mind, na to survive.

The rest dey fear, mind dey fight.

One woman hold her pikin tight, her eye red—she wan run, but her leg no gree move.

One person for crowd curse:

"You wey dey betray, even now you wan change nationality? To be Naija dey shame you?"

"Na lie. Apart from Great Sage, wetin you sabi? Wetin this monkey do? Wetin be him power? Other side get Shiva and Yamata no Orochi. You want make I risk my life with you? Lai lai!"

The man quiet, face red.

But e get point.

If we lose, all Naija people go disappear.

No be everybody get mind die put.

To survive na human thing.

But to survive by betraying your own—na the worst.

As my papa dey talk, person wey forget where rain start to beat am, no go know where e go dry body.

As old people talk, "If tree fall, monkey go run."

Human wahala just dey open.

Some elders just dey shake head, "Na wah o. This life!"

I look these people, I no vex, I laugh.

Na blessing—dem comot, na better for us.

"Everybody get thirty seconds to choose if you wan change nationality."

"After thirty seconds, I go talk Ogbo story. Anybody wey remain, na Naija pikin till the end."

I give everybody thirty seconds choose.

After that, you no fit change again. We go live or die with Naija.

"We no fit win. Their gods too strong, this monkey no get any power. How e wan take fight? But even if I go die, I wan die for Naija land."

"No, I feel say e different from other gods. I no fit explain, but him name mean something. I believe Great Sage."

"Hahaha, una dey believe say one stable monkey fit save una? Oya, wait here make death carry una. I no die with una."

"Comot! E bad luck to stay near betrayer."

"To survive na betrayal? Una dey craze."

Within seconds, Naija people split.

The strong and the weak few; most people just dey shake, dey think if dem go stay or run, dey fight for mind.

Last minute, some people just bite teeth, return seat.

After thirty seconds, Naija seat don lose one-third.

The ones wey remain dey look me, hope full their eye.

Dem go die Naija.

My eye dey hot. I talk with respect, "My people, I no go let una lose—Monkey Brother no go let una lose."

I look up, my voice loud:

"Dem talk say for Eastern Divine Continent, one spirit stone born monkey. This monkey jump enter waterfall, become king, waka thousands of miles find immortality, go River Palace collect weapon, go underworld rewrite Book of Life and Death, scatter Heaven, thief immortal fruit..."

Everybody just dey listen, mouth open.