Chapter 3: Night Visitor and Village Superstition

My papa no lie—the pig really waka come meet us by itself.

You go think say na joke, but na true talk. For village, things dey happen wey spirit dey inside. For our side, dem dey talk say if animal waka come house by itself, e get message from ancestors.

The night wey Chairman Garuba pay deposit, I just dey sleep when I hear gbam!

For thatched hut wey I dey sleep, my body just jump. Na so my heart dey beat fast, I grab my wrapper tight.

We get pigsty for back of hill, dey rear plenty sows. My papa and mama dey fear thief, so dem build thatched hut by pigsty, make I dey sleep there dey watch.

I no dey sleep well for there, but no choice. If thief carry pig, na my leg dem go break.

The noise be like say pigsty gate burst open.

Sound loud like thunder. I dey wonder if na masquerade dey pass or na thief wey get power.

I quick wear my wrapper, carry one brick I hide for corner, grab torchlight, limp go outside.

As I waka, breeze dey blow cold, my teeth dey shake. Everywhere quiet, except for the pig noise.

"Who dey there?"

My voice no loud, but I still try talk tough. Na only God know if person hear me.

For moonlight, all the white sows for pen just dey restless, like say something shock dem.

Dem dey run round, dey kick mud, dey make noise. Some dey jump like say dem see spirit.

"I don see you!"

I dey try form strong, but my hand dey shake. I dey remember the story wey grandma tell about night masquerade.

Tree shadow long for night, harmattan breeze cold well. I dey shiver, try form bold.

I dey whisper prayer for inside my mind, "God, abeg, cover me."

"Show yourself! I get cutlass o—I go use am!"

Even though na only brick I get, I still talk say I hold cutlass. Sometimes na mouth dey save person.

I waka reach the pen, shine my torchlight inside.

As I dey shine torch, I dey look everywhere, dey ready to run if wahala show.

True true, iron gate don bend scatter, but the sows no run—dem just huddle together.

Dem gather like say dem dey do meeting, all of dem face one side.

My body just dey shake.

My leg dey weak. I dey fear say maybe na thief dey hide for dark.

"I dey warn you—I go use am!"

I still dey try form strong, even as fear dey catch me. If my papa catch me run, e go beat me join.

Oink oink oink oink—

The pig noise loud for night. E resemble drum for my ear. I dey try see which pig dey talk.

As I reach gate, my heart skip, I shock.

I freeze for spot, hand dey shake. I no fit move for some seconds.

Steel gate bend like say na masquerade push am.

E no fit be ordinary hand. I dey wonder if na juju or spirit.

Which kind power be that?

I dey remember old mama Ada story about shape shifter. My mind dey fly.

I know say na no be human do am.

For village, anything fit happen. I dey look bush, dey pray make nothing jump out.

That time, the sows just clear road, one big sow, bigger than others, ear like hand fan, waka come out.

The sow big well, her back round like calabash. E clear say she get power pass the rest.

Her skin pink, clean, dey shine for moonlight.

The skin no get stain. I dey wonder if dem bathe am for palm oil.

Oink oink oink oink—

The sound dey carry echo for night. Other pigs just dey follow am with eye.

White smoke dey come out from her nose.

E resemble say pig dey smoke cigar. I dey rub my eye, dey wonder if I dey dream.

Same time, all the sows look me—dem lips just bend like say dem dey smile.

My body cold, but I just dey look dem, dey pray make dem no attack me.

Next day, my papa and mama come pick sow for Chairman Garuba Drunken Pig Head. As dem see the broken gate, dem vex.

Na so my papa begin shout, "Who break my gate? Who dey sleep for here?" My mama carry broom, dey look for who to flog.

Before I fit talk, my papa kick me enter pen.

The kick loud, I fall for mud, pig shit dey my face. Tears dey my eye.

"Useless! You no fit even guard pig!"

E dey point finger, e eye red. If no be say customers dey wait, e for flog me join.

My mama join, "These pigs better pass you! If any miss, I go tell your papa break your leg!"

She dey wave hand, dey threaten me. Even our neighbour dey look fence, dey shake head.

Mud and pig shit full my face, the smell wan kill me.

My nose block, I dey choke. For my mind, I dey pray make ground open swallow me.

I use my sleeve clean face. My papa and mama just dey look me like say I no reach pig value.

Even the pigs dey look me, dey shake head like say dem dey pity me.

Oink oink oink oink—

I hear pig sound for my back. I turn, see the big sow dey waka come my side.

One pink shadow block my eye.

The size big sotey e dey cover sun. I dey fear small, but I still dey look.

Na that big sow from last night, stand for my front.

The pig stand, dey look me, eye dey red. I dey pray say e no go bite me.

Oink oink oink oink—

The sound gentle, but e still strong. E bend head like say e dey greet me.

She dey smell like fresh grass.

Na first time I dey see pig wey no get farm smell. Even my mama notice am.

"Dear, this pig no be our own," my mama talk.

She dey whisper, dey look round. Dem no remember buy this one before.

My papa enter pen, waka round the sow, slap her back, smile, "This one fat like drum."

E dey touch the pig like say e dey check car for market. E dey happy say big pig dey for free.

My mama sniff am, "Dear, this pig strange—no get smell, e even dey smell good."

She dey fear, dey cross herself. One old mama draw cross for air, dey mumble, "Oloun maje!" E no be like ordinary pig.

My papa smell am too. "E really dey smell nice."

E dey wonder if na blessing or wahala. E eye dey shine.

E just stand, e eye dey turn. "Make we use am for Chairman Garuba."

E decide sharp sharp. If money dey come, e no dey waste time.

My mama fear small, "If the owner find come nko?"

She dey check fence, dey whisper say make dem pray small before dem use the pig.

"No wahala! E break my gate, na dem suppose pay me," my papa talk.

E talk like say e get lawyer for head. E dey reason business first.

Then e drag me up by hair.

I dey pain, but I no fit shout. E no dey like make I cry for public.

"Go find person repair gate!"

Na order. I limp go, dey wonder how pig fit break iron gate.