Chapter 3: Sunkanmi’s Curse

For my last life, three months before JAMB, Morayo fall for one yellow-hair guy wey dem dey call Sunkanmi.

That Sunkanmi na wahala boy—if rain dey fall, you go still see am for junction dey gist with agbero, dey hail danfo driver. Him dey wear fake gold chain, him laugh dey loud. People dey fear to argue with am.

Sunkanmi no finish school, no get any serious work, sometimes dey rap for bar, dey mix with street boys.

Any Friday, you go see am for beer parlour near field, dey rap, dey collect free small stout from girls wey like him style. He get tattoo for arm—dem say na lion, but e resemble okada logo.

But Morayo think say the guy dey cool, dey free.

She go talk say, "I like boys wey dey bold, wey no send anybody." Some girls for her class dey envy her, dey wish say dem fit get that kind freedom.

She fall for am well.

Sotey she dey forget herself. She dey send Sunkanmi card, dey flash him when she dey for night prep, just to hear him voice.

From that time, she forget her dream to enter University of Ibadan, dey waka up and down with Sunkanmi.

Her locker for class dey empty. Teachers dey ask, "Morayo, wetin happen to your ambition?" She go just smile.

One day, I see her dey waka come out from public toilet with Sunkanmi, her face just dey lost.

That sight tire me. I stand for back of block, dey peep, my stomach just dey turn. She no even notice me.

I no wan reason wetin fit happen.

I just dey tell myself, "No be my business." But e pain me well.

That day, after I think tire, I go tell her mama about her and Sunkanmi.

E no easy. My leg dey shake, but I know say e beta pass make matter spoil finish. I just waka go her flat, knock, explain wetin I see. Her mama eye red, she hold chair so she no go fall.

Morayo papa die early, her mama dey protect am like egg.

Every market day, she go pray for Morayo, dey pour anointing oil for her head before school. She dey do everything to make life easy for her.

Her mama call community elders many times, even threaten say she go harm herself before Morayo gree return to school.

Dem organize family meeting, call pastor, elders, even her aunty from Mushin come. Dem dey beg, dey warn, dey pray.

When result come out, she do worse pass last year, land for one polytechnic.

Na so people for compound dey talk, "If to say she hear word, she for don dey UI by now." Even Morayo no fit smile again.

Years later, when I see am again, Morayo don turn gentle and fine English teacher.

She dey wear glasses, dey speak big grammar, dey lead school debate. Her skin don soft, her laugh no dey wild again. Everybody dey respect her.

We just fall in love naturally, come marry.

Our wedding na small but sweet. Her mama cry tears of joy, my papa dash us ram. People dance skelewu until morning.

Anytime we talk about before, she go still smile say, "Ikenna, thank you. Na because of you I fit change my ways."

She dey hold my hand, look my face with pride. Sometimes she go say, "If you no talk that time, maybe I for don lost."

I dey always think say she finally see my good side, say she truly love me.

Anytime I dey sit for parlour, I dey thank God say I no give up on her. I dey look her and our pikin with hope for tomorrow.

Until—our pikin come.

When dem bring baby commot from labour room, nurse look me like say she dey pity me. My heart begin dey beat. The child black like burnt yam, eyes dey sharp.

One black baby.

Dem talk am everywhere. Even my neighbour wey get two wives dey whisper, "Na wah o, see as the pikin resemble Sunkanmi small."

For outside hospital ward, everybody dey look me, dey laugh me for mind say I don chop breakfast.

Some dey form like say dem no sabi, but na only me know wetin dey their mind. Dem dey call me bros, but dem eye get as e be.

My mama vex so tey she faint.

She fall for corridor, start dey shout, "My enemies don succeed! Morayo, wetin I do you?" Doctor rush come, dey sprinkle water for her head.

That day, Morayo laugh like mad woman for hospital.

She dey laugh sotey nurses dey fear to near her. Some dey whisper say, "This woman fit craze." Her teeth just dey shine, her voice dey echo for ward.

"How you feel, Ikenna? E fit you. Who send you break me and Sunkanmi up?"

Her eye red, she dey look me like say I be stranger. Her voice sharp, no mercy inside.

"Na revenge make I marry you, so you no go fit raise your head again."

She spit for ground, her body dey shake with wicked laughter. Even doctor come dey look me with pity.

Her face twist with wicked joy.

She point finger, talk, "You think say you get sense, abi? Na so!"

"Every moment with you dey make me sick."

She hiss, roll eye. Even the matron for hospital dey avoid our side.

That night, I waka for street, my mind scatter, I no fit understand wetin I do wrong.

I waka reach Third Mainland Bridge side, just dey look lagoon. My mind dey wander. Rain start to fall small, I no send. I dey ask God, "Na so life be?"

Until one big truck nearly jam me…

The truck horn loud, my body freeze, I jump back, heart dey beat anyhow.

When I open eye again, I don return for secondary school class.

The bell ring, teacher dey shout for corridor. I touch my desk, cold sweat full my back. I look Morayo, she still dey smile, innocent like before.