Chapter 1: The Crown Prince Wahala

My papa dey force me make I marry the crown prince of Okpoko Kingdom.

From when I small, I don sabi say for my family, especially for person wey be first daughter, you no get say. You go just dey obey anyhow, like goat wey dem dey drag for Sango market. Papa go just dey talk big big, say na for family honour, make I no bring shame. I dey wonder if e no dey pity me at all. Sometimes, I fit hear mama dey pray for me inside her room, her voice low, like she dey beg God make better thing happen. For our house, as tradition be, woman no too get mouth, especially if big family like Okpoko dey involve. The pressure na real wahala, sometimes my chest go just dey tight as if something dey press me.

To scatter the engagement, I disguise myself as poor student, come dey close to that aloof, untouchable flower wey dey for mountain top.

I carry my old wrapper, tie for chest, plus small Ankara skirt wey don fade. Even my weave no dey lay again, just dey rough, e be like say I never baff for three days. My slippers don cut, I join am with rubber band—any small rain, my leg go soak. I dey waka slow for campus, dey form like person wey just manage buy recharge card. Tobi, the one wey people dey call untouchable flower, him no dey talk to anybody. People dey call am untouchable flower, like say na Oyinbo for harmattan—nobody fit near am. Some people even dey gossip say he get one kind spirit for body. But me, I stubborn, I dey like wahala. I begin find excuse dey near am, dey borrow note, dey ask for pen, dey act as if na mistake.

We dey entangle for one rough, small self-contained, dey enjoy ourselves anyhow.

The self-contained no reach four corner, mattress dey for ground, cover with faded Super Eagles bedsheet, bucket dey one corner, slippers scatter everywhere. Old fan dey blow anyhow for heat. Sometimes NEPA go take light, we go dey fan mosquito with old Daily Trust newspaper, dey pray make breeze blow small. But we no dey mind. At night, when everywhere quiet, our laugh go just dey echo for the room. We dey cook indomie together, dey chop for same plate. Sometimes Tobi go buy gala and lacasera come, we go just dey gist, dey talk about dream wey no sure if e go ever happen. Na inside that small space, happiness dey sweet pass jollof rice for naming ceremony.

After I finally succeed get belle, I leave am small money and just disappear.

I arrange small envelope, put small change inside, drop for bed side. My hand dey shake as I write, 'Take care of yourself.' As I lock the door behind me, my heart dey heavy. I no fit look back. I dey remember the way Tobi dey hold me at night, the way him laugh dey wipe my tears. My chest dey pain, but I dey tell myself say I no get choice. Rain been dey threaten for sky, but I just carry my small Ghana-must-go, waka commot like thief. The street dey quiet, only the sound of my slippers dey slap ground, my mind dey run scatter.

But as I come house, belle don big, ready to break the engagement, the man wey suppose collect money run abroad just show for my papa house.

As I reach compound, my mama face strong, she no smile. My papa dey arrange chair outside, dey talk with elders. As I waka enter, all eyes just land on my belle. E don round, no way to hide again. Before I fit talk, dem begin question me. Just as I dey reason how I go open mouth, I hear sound for gate. I turn, wahala! Na the same man, the one I dey run from, na im just show. I nearly drop for ground.

He wear black suit, stand like say e dey do campaign for governor, face strong like person wey dey calculate loan.

The suit na black, sharp die, as if e just come down from Abuja. The weather hot, but sweat no dey him face at all. Him shoe dey shine pass mirror, and the perfume wey follow am enter, na one kind foreign scent. People for compound just dey whisper, dey look am as if say na governor pikin waka come.

As he dey waka come meet me, eyes full with one kind mad possessiveness, he touch my belle gently.

E no talk anything at first, just bend down, hand soft for my belle. The touch gentle but e get weight. E look me straight, like say e dey see through my bone. I wan shift body but leg no gree move. Even my uncle wey like talk too much, keep quiet, just dey look.

“Five hundred thousand no reach to buy my seed.”

Na so everywhere just quiet. You fit hear pin drop. My papa mouth open, e shock. I wan shout, but my mouth just dry. For my mind, I dey ask, who send this one come? Me, I just dey reason, wetin this one dey talk? But the confidence wey dey him voice, you go know say e no dey joke. My body just cold.

“My dear... fiancée.”

The way he call me 'fiancée', e get as e be. No be say e soft, but e carry warning. Everybody just dey look, dey wait for my next move. Even the sun sef, e be like say e pause for sky.