Chapter 3: Madam Morayo’s Rules

On my eighth birthday, I turn ordinary maid for Olatunde family.

My hair dey short, wrapper dey touch ground, but as Madam call me that morning, I know say another phase don start.

That day, I drink one bowl clear pap water, I happy well.

Pap wey no get sugar or milk, but for that morning, e taste like party jollof. For my mind, I dey thank God say at least na something.

Na Madam Morayo, wey dey in charge of us, prepare am specially.

Madam Morayo strong woman, her voice dey loud but her heart dey soft. She use her own hand turn pap for us, carry tray come my corner, wink say, "Na your day."

Everyday the pap water dey thick pass before, by the seventh day, everybody get half steamed yam.

We dey count the days like say we dey mark festival. When yam land, everybody do small dance. Even for suffer, hope dey shine like small lantern for darkness.

Madam Morayo dey strict, but she get good heart. She dey fear say if we chop better food quick, e go spoil our belle.

She go always say, "If you chop like thief, na latrine go know your story. Small small, my pikin."

Chief house na soldier house, dem dey run am like barrack. Even if servant make small mistake, na beating of twenty cane straight.

Chief voice dey thunder for corridor. Sometimes, just because you break one calabash or forget to sweep, na twenty hot cane. Everybody dey careful like person wey dey tiptoe for landmine.

On the third day as we land, we see dem beat two contract servants die because of small wahala.

The cane dey land like rain, skin dey peel, cry no fit save anybody. I see blood for ground, servant dey scream, but nobody fit stop am. Na warning for all of us—behave, or next na your turn.

The eight of us small maids fear sotey we dey dream bad dream. Two wey fear pass even piss for bed, Madam punish dem to wash cloth for two days.

The two girls just dey cry as dem dey soak wrapper for water. Madam talk say, "No let fear spoil your body. If dem catch you dey lazy, na worse go meet you." Fear become our shadow.