Chapter 7: The Trap Tightens

I freeze for him arm, stiff like wood.

If statue dey feel, na me today. I no fit move. Only my eye dey roll.

No fit move.

My breath dey hang. Even my wig fit fall.

No, wetin this one mean?

I dey pray say make thunder strike light, or MC call police. But everywhere still dey dark.

Three years apart, Jide Nwachukwu still dey talk about killing or not killing?

Some men dey quick forget, but this one, e carry memory like old woman dey keep wrapper.

Those fifteen seconds long like one year.

My spirit waka from Jos reach Lagos, return. Na only body remain for party.

Jide Nwachukwu, like spirit wey dey suck my life, only release me after e hold me taya.

Na strongman. My waist pain me. But my mind dey fly.

The front light come on, spotlight shine for me.

People dey look my face, some dey snap. My hand dey shake.

“Wow, see surprise!”

MC happy:

MC voice dey loud, e dey try ginger crowd.

“Looks like our lucky guest don show—Chairman Jide waka come give tonight special prizes—”

Everybody dey cheer, dey look who be the lucky babe wey get chairman attention.

“One, dinner with chairman; two, tour of him office; three, see him luxury watch collection for house.”

E shock me. Na so life dey change in seconds.

“Abeg, make we clap for her!”

The hall shake with clap. Na only me dey reason say wahala dey wait for back.

Clap everywhere.

E loud pass generator sound. Some people dey smile, some dey jealous. For Naija, if you near big man, envy go follow you.

People dey look me, some pity, some envy.

My dress dey shift. My mind dey reason escape route.

Me: “...”

I wan talk but words no dey come. My brain dey jam.

My mind full of question:

Which kind jazz I enter? How I take win this kind lottery? System dey somewhere dey laugh me.

“Which kind lucky draw be this? Dem no suppose do raffle? Make I leave my spot, make others try their luck..."

Na real Naija party. E be like say e dey planned from beginning.

“See as our lucky lady happy, she dey talk anyhow!”

MC cut me off, “Security, carry her go rest.”

Before I fit protest, na so dem bundle me. For Naija, when bouncer touch you, just surrender.

If I shout now, dem go say na mad woman crash party.

Before I fit talk, four big security men just show, carry me comot for hall.

No be small thing. I dey float, my head dey spin. Nobody fit save me, na so Abuja life be.

Jide Nwachukwu sit down, adjust him cuff.

E look like person wey plan everything from beginning. My mind dey race.

After small time, he stand, drag him tie: “Excuse me.”

He waka go sharp, the whole table dey silent. Everybody dey reason say something dey fishy.