Chapter 2: Okoli Yomi

The young man wey dem beat die, him surname na Okoli. Make we call am Okoli Yomi.

People for village dey always hail the Okoli family, say dem still get good name, even as poverty wan finish them. Okoli Yomi, as e dey waka go mill, you go see am greet elders with respect, no dey raise voice anyhow. "That boy get good character," dem go talk.

This boy fine well, e resemble that Nollywood actor, Kunle Remi, small.

Some people even talk say, if to say Okoli Yomi get voice, e for dey act film. Him face calm, eyelashes like say God take time arrange am.

But wahala be say, e no dey talk and e slow small, dey work for the palm oil mill for village.

People dey call am "Slow Yomi." Even small pikin fit yab am, but e no ever reply. For mill, na steady work e dey do—carry palm fruit, press oil, wash hand for red water. Even for Sunday church, you go still see red stain for Yomi finger, smell of palm oil dey follow am everywhere. E no dey complain, just dey for him own lane.

But because say him fine, honest, and soft, some girls for village dey always tease am.

E go dey pass, you go hear "Fine boy!" but na to catch cruise. Sometimes, dem go toast am, "Yomi, come give me red oil for face, make I shine like you." E go just smile, no sabi how to answer.

So that time, na so the village people tell him sister say na because he chase another person babe, na im dem beat am like that.

People dey quick find story cover for anything. You know our people, dem go say, "If no be woman, wetin dey cause wahala for young men?"

But na lie.

Anybody wey really know Yomi sabi say na innocent pikin, e dey shy like say e dey hide behind him own shadow.

The seven people wey beat Okoli Yomi, the oga wey lead dem na Sani Dafe, pikin of one local government man for the area—na the village strongman.

For our side, if your papa get government work, na big pass big. Sani Dafe, e get money, but e head dey hot. If you hear say Sani Dafe dey come your direction, you fit waka enter bush just to avoid wahala.

When Okoli Yomi sister, Okoli Zainab, get call from the mill, dem no tell am say her brother don die. Dem talk say: “Okoli Yomi and another worker fight because of woman, e wound dey serious, dem dey treat am for local health centre, abeg try come back.”

E pain me that time, because even the call, na one of those community lines, network dey break. Zainab dey shout "Hello? Hello?" inside Abuja heat, heart dey shake.

That message make Okoli Zainab and her husband get two wrong ideas.

For house, the husband dey already tire. If you see as e bend head, dey shake leg, you go know say e no wan hear another family wahala.

First, dem no believe say the matter bad reach like that.

The man just brush am off, say na small bruise, tomorrow the boy go dey alright.

Second, dem vex say the boy no dey behave—especially the husband. Since the wife dey always put her family first, the guy don already tire. Now, this her brother dey disgrace, no dey work to build house, na woman wahala e dey find. E deserve wetin e see.

You know that thing wey dey happen for Naija family, when husband go dey feel say in-law dey draw woman backward. "All this your people, na problem dem be."

The man para say: “Why you wan go back? You know say transport go cost, e go still stop us from making money. Leave am jare, na so e dey always do—if dem finish am, na him sabi. I no fit carry another person wahala for head.”

He even hiss, turn face. "Abeg, this your family wahala too much. You never see say we dey suffer for here?"

That time, even Okoli Zainab feel her brother dey behave like small pikin, dey fight because of woman. She vex, but worry still dey her mind. She no hear her husband, even though she carry belle for two months, she rush go back alone.

Pregnant woman, enter night bus. If you see how she dey squeeze for back seat, leg swell up. Conductor dey shout, "Make una shift, this woman dey carry belle o!" Nobody send.

Before she leave Abuja, Zainab dey pack bag in a hurry, her hand dey shake, she pause pray quietly, "God abeg, cover me and my brother." She call her mama quick, voice low, "Mama, I dey come, abeg pray for me."

Inside the bus, as dem enter bad patch for road, Zainab hold her stomach, whisper prayer, share gala and La Casera with one woman wey ask, "Sister, you dey travel this night? God go protect you."

She no even think say her brother don really die.

Her heart dey hope, say na only wound, maybe leg break. She dey imagine as e go dey lie down, dey beg for forgiveness.

She no even see him body.

Dem just give am carton box, tape am with brown paper. "Na your brother ashes dey inside."

Her hand dey shake, chest tight, tears no gree drop, like all her body dry inside. Na only box of ashes she see.