Chapter 5: Egusi, Memory, and Market Tears
Before people fit react, everywhere burst with scream.
The kind shout wey burst that market, e go make person deaf. Some people run go cover, some dey look with open mouth.
Big Timi open eye, dey grip him phone, camera face the woman corpse.
E dey shake, but e no stop the camera. That na the true Lagos spirit—anything fit become content.
Comments just dey scatter:
"Ah! See as person die live!"
"Na real? Person die for camera?"
"God! This one na live death!"
"Omo, na real wahala be this!"
"Na only for Naija you go see this kain live show."
One vendor call ambulance and police. Dem rush come with siren.
Na so siren blow, people dey clear road. Police and ambulance people dey run enter market, as if say dem dey chase thief.
Doctor check, just shake head.
Na the normal sign—no hope. For Lagos, death na regular visitor for market. People just dey stand, dey watch like film.
Police look everywhere, write note, clear people, tell doctor cover the body, carry am go.
Dem cover am with old wrapper, two men lift the body, carry am go ambulance. Everybody dey talk, some dey record. Na Lagos market drama.
When all settle, Big Timi face shine with excitement.
E eye dey glow, na like say e win lottery. I just dey watch am—human beings sha.
Livestream just dey blow, more people dey enter.
Numbers dey jump, even people wey no sabi us for street, dem dey join to watch.
He face camera:
"My people, una see am—person die for our front."
E dey talk like pastor for crusade. Na now e believe say the show don blow.
"Somebody just vanish like that. Heartbreak."
E sigh, face still dey camera.
"You no know whether na tomorrow or accident go reach first."
For this Lagos, everybody dey fear sudden death. Na so life be, nobody sure of next minute.
"But as I promise mama, show still dey go on."
E look me, try smile again.
"Make we move."
Big Timi smile at me, all the disgust for him eye don disappear.
E act like say nothing happen. Money and views dey change heart for this country.
Na me be him jackpot now.
I still dey waka with am for market, dey check comments.
I dey watch e phone, see as comments dey attack me—some people dey type as if na me cause wahala.
"Why e be like say na this mama kill the fruit seller?"
"If she no buy extra sugarcane, the woman for commot from there before brick fall."
"That woman dey cheat people, serve her right!"
"Bad person don go, good riddance!"
"Who know how many people she don cheat before."
"Chai, this woman get strong mind o!"
"Kai, na only God fit save us."
As I see all the talk, I just laugh inside.
For my mind, all of them na the same. Na so dem dey—today dem go support you, tomorrow dem go curse you. Nigeria no get permanent friend or enemy online.
All these people, dey hide for internet, dey do like say dem holy pass, dey insult anybody wey no agree with them.
E dey sweet me small, because na the same hypocrisy full the street. Everybody dey hustle, but online, dem go claim say dem pure.
Dem no better pass that fruit seller at all.
I look Big Timi, stop for one cheap men’s shop.
I see tie for shop, red one, the kind wey man wey dey find work fit wear. I just stop, look am.
I pick one red tie wey be ten naira, pull am with both hands, nod my head.
As I see the red tie, my mind flash back—my husband dey always wear red tie go church, say na for confidence. After I pay, I give the tie to Big Timi.
"Take, na for you."
Big Timi look the cheap red tie, e dey shame small.
E rub hand for head, try hide e face, but people wey dey watch don already dey hail am.
"Chai, mama get good heart!"
"Since I dey watch this show, na first time person buy something for streamer with the hundred naira!"
"Na love o! For mama generation, man wey wear suit and tie na correct man, na why she buy am for streamer."
"Streamer, no dull am, collect am!"
Gifts just dey rain.
The way people dey hail me online, e be like say I dash person car. Na so small thing dey turn big online.
Big Timi look comments, smile, collect the tie.
E dey form humility, but I know say e like the attention. I just dey smile, dey watch am.
"Thank you, mama. Normally, I no suppose collect, but your kindness too much, I go take am."
I smile watch am wear the tie for neck.
As e dey struggle tie am, my mind flash go my late husband—how e go always dress well, even when we no get money. Old days memory dey come back, but I just smile.
The red tie fit am well.
As e wear am, the tie look awkward, but for my eye, e shine pass designer. Everybody dey clap for online, I just dey observe.