Chapter 2: Oba Don Enter Wahala

As I open my eyes again, na so I don turn the Oba of the Heavens, person wey all the realms dey respect.

You know that feeling when you wake for strange place, you dey look around like, ehn? E be like dream. My body dey inside heavy agbada, golden staff for hand, crown wey no even gree balance for my head. As I look, na pure white everywhere—like say dem dey host high-class burial for Ikoyi.

Everywhere around me just white. Even the clothes. The place get as e be, like say dem dey do wake-keeping.

The air cold, e carry that smell of fresh powder and camphor. Na only the palace guards dey for corner, red beads for wrist, face hard like bouncer for Lagos club. Even my own voice echo for the hall, as if ancestors dey listen.

I just shake head. This world don really change.

I remember back then, spirit world get level. Men dey behave like men, women dey act with respect. But now? Na Instagram and filter dem sabi. I just weak. Nothing dey shock me again.

Before, spirits and demons get their own style. Now, na only cloth and powder fit show difference.

If you see as dem dey paint face, wear lace, you go think say na owanbe. The difference between high spirit and common demon? Na just the type of perfume dem spray and the level of gele for head.

For the main palace front, one man and one woman stand.

The palace be like King’s Court for Benin, big columns, marble floor wey dey shine like mama’s kitchen tile. The woman stand firm, the man dey her back, dey peep like rat wey dey hide for behind broom.

The woman name na Nnenna—her real body na cloud.

If you look am, you go see say her skin fine, light dey dance for her face, but her feet no dey touch ground. Cloud spirit dey rare—dem get style, dem dey gentle but if dem vex, na thunder you go hear.

The man name na Musa, just one poor scholar from the mortal world.

Na correct Hausa name, but e get that humble look. His wrapper na old, e dey tie am like person wey no get tailor. As him dey shift leg, you go know say school stress don wire am.

That time, Nnenna dey look me with vex for eye.

You know say Naija woman get style to vex—she fit look you from head reach toe with eyes wey fit melt iron. Na so Nnenna just dey give me hot stare.

"Your Majesty, you sabi wetin be love? We love each other well well. You fit separate us like this?"

As she talk, voice dey shake but pride full am. She stand like Queen Amina, chest out. Her voice sweet but e get one kind pepper for inside.

"Yes, we break heavenly law. But heavenly law fit stop love?"

E shock me as she talk am like say she dey defend WAEC result. Na confidence dey worry her. You go fear this kain boldness.

Her voice no even sound like person wey do wrong. E be like na me break law.

I come dey reason say, she fit even go Alausa court defend case for her papa.

Musa hide behind Nnenna, dey form boss for eye.

Him dey squeeze face like say e no concern am, but na fear dey his eye. If you look well, na Nnenna dey give am ginger.

For him mind, plenty spirits don break heavenly law before, nothing happen—na just formality.

For him head, he dey think say na all man matter, dem no fit do am anything. E no know say sometimes, authority dey catch person when dem no expect.

I narrow my eyes.

I just dey measure dem with eyes, dey wonder who give them mind. My face sharp, my eyebrow just dey rise small small.

Dem really believe say I still be that soft Oba of the Heavens?

For this country, people dey forget say old soldier no dey die. Na new breed dey try use small sense cheat old wisdom.

I hold my anger, talk, "I go give una chance. Each person go back to him own place, I go act like nothing happen."

I talk am gently, but my voice carry small thunder inside. If you listen well, you go hear warning inside my calm.

Musa squeeze face. "Your Majesty, spirit and demon love no new thing. We just be spirit-mortal couple—why you wan stress us?"

As Musa dey talk, e dey yarn like those Naija boys wey dey toast babe for bus-stop. He dey try form sense, dey argue with king.

I look Musa. No be scholar vibe him get at all. Who know as him take jam spirit girl sef?

I come dey reason, maybe na exam stress carry am enter forest, spirit pick am, arrange love for him head. These days, even lecture hall dey cause madness.

Before, if person act scholar, just stand, you go know say na scholar.

Back in the days, scholar dey different. Their speech, their standing, even the way dem dey greet elders—class full their body. Now? Na anyhow.

Now? Every new generation just dey fall hand.

You go see person, you go dey ask: na so dem dey behave for your papa house?

I sigh for my mind.

For my chest, I just dey tire. E be like wetin my papa for say: "See this pikin, na him go give you grey hair."

As I no talk again, Nnenna stubborn, say, "I really love Brother Musa. Nobody fit separate us. Even you, Your Majesty, like the Priestess of the River Shrine. If you break us, wetin the Priestess go think?"

As she talk that one, everywhere cold. Palace guards look down. Some dey cough, others dey twist mouth—na big wahala. She use style carry my own matter enter public.

That last talk na real wahala.

That kain sub wey she throw, na real shade. She drag Oba name join. For where elders dey, that talk fit cause palace meeting for night.

For palace, to mention Oba and Priestess matter together na taboo—kitchen maid for corner nearly drop her tray.

For all these spirit love stories, Oba of the Heavens hardly dey get happy ending—sometimes dem even make am villain.

You go think say na Juju priest dem dey paint for film—everytime, na Oba be bad person, na him dey block love.

I fit endure all that one. But make dignified Oba of the Heavens dey drag woman with others, dey act mumu for Priestess hand, e no pure abeg.

Abeg, make I no con dey disgrace for front of small spirit children. Make my hand no enter bad story.

As she talk finish, no spirit even shake body.

Na as if dem dey wait make ground open. Spirits wey like gossip just dey peep, dey hope for drama. Even kitchen maid for corner hold breath.

Everybody don tire.

Wahala don too much. E don turn to regular thing. Na only juice wey remain for this palace na hot gist.

This kind thing don happen plenty times before.

Na so every festival, new couple go come beg for love matter. Old story, new faces.

Heavenly law don turn to tissue paper—fall in love na the new normal.

Wetin person go talk? Spirit wey no get boyfriend, dem go say she no dey try. Law don turn to suggestion.

Even Oba of the Heavens self no fit fight am.

Power don shift. Oba sef don dey lose voice. Na so e be when pikin begin dey overtake papa for house.

To even make am worse, Oba of the Heavens self dey craze for woman.

Wetin man go do? Gossip dey fly. Dem say Oba sef dey fall hand for love. E don reach level where king dey take advice from maid.

Musa tap Nnenna shoulder, dey console her: "No worry, Oba of the Heavens go reason us."

He use that low voice, dey try form hard man. But you go know say fear dey his mind.

I just look am with side eye.

If to say I fit roll my eyes like some Naija aunties, I for do am. But Oba no dey misbehave for public.

Maybe I no sabi woman, but you think say I no sabi man?

You dey reason say I be mumu, I no see as you dey behave. For this life, old man no dey use all him sense for market, but e no mean say e no get am.

Na fine face dey hungry you. No be love you dey talk. Abeg, stop that acting.

Na money and beauty dey sweet you. If to say Nnenna no fine, you for no stand here dey make noise.

Nnenna hiss, pout mouth, "Just free us make we dey together. If you no gree, we go rebel."

Her mouth loud, she twist neck, snap finger, twist waist like Ajah slay queen. If no be palace, she for don throw slippers.

Before she finish, small heavenly power just burst from my body.

Thunder small, light flash, the ground shake. My agbada self float for air small. Everybody just freeze.

Nnenna shake, stagger back, her belle dey do her like say e wan scatter.

She hold her tummy, eyes big. She try act brave, but I see tears wey dey form for corner.

"Nnenna!"

Musa rush go hold her.

He grab her shoulder, dey panic. "No die for my hand o!" Na so him face change.

I stand up, waka small, the pressure from my body just heavy.

As I dey move, the floor dey tremble. Every step, e be like drum dey beat for my leg. Even guards shift back.

Nnenna and Musa no fit move, e be like say all their bone wan break.

Na so dem freeze. You go think say na masquerade press them for festival.

Musa bite teeth, "Oba of the Heavens, Nnenna just talk anyhow. You, wey be big man, go bully small pikin?"

He try use pity run package, as if na school principal dey flog student.

Nnenna wipe blood for her mouth, sneer, "No wahala. Priestess of the River Shrine don adopt me as her pikin. You no fit do me anything."

She lift her head, voice weak but stubborn. You know those pikin wey dey get stubborn spirit, na so she just dey form.