Chapter 7: Hustlers Turn Spirit

Five hundred years ago, Lu Ijeoma na bush baby wey dem comot her inner core.

Her inner core na her power, but dem thief am. She dey weak, but her spirit no gree break.

Me, Lu Morayo, na mortal wey no get spiritual root, dey waka for bush.

I dey waka like person wey dey find meaning. No hope, but I dey survive by grace.

But after we chop juju pills for five hundred years, soak Celestial Kingdom energy for another five hundred,

Our body no be the same again. Juju pills dey change person—na slow poison but na blessing too.

Lu Ijeoma inner core never grow back, but her juju don high.

If she touch ground, grass fit grow. Her power dey shock small spirits.

And me, as Musa dey drink my blood, I dey collect small small spiritual power from am.

Na secret exchange—pain for power. Life for life. I dey thank God for small mercies.

Now, I no be the ordinary mortal I be before.

If you check my hand, na blue vein dey show. My eye don dey sharp, my step dey light.

We get power to cross the nine heavens, return lower realm.

No be beans o. For Celestial Kingdom, to cross nine heavens na matter for gods.

But Oba’s son and Musa just dey look down on us, dem no notice.

Na so pride dey blind people. Wetin dem call useless fit turn lion tomorrow.

Before we japa, we say make we see our so-called "husbands" one last time.

No be love, na closure. If we die, make our spirit no get regret.

We find them for Celestial Kingdom, true true, both of them dey together.

Dem no even notice us first. Their laughter dey loud, like boys for beer parlour.

Dem dey drink palm wine, dey laugh with Ngozi.

Ngozi dey between them, face dey shine. Her laughter na music for their ear.

For five hundred years, I never see Musa smile.

The smile reach his eye. Na that kind smile wey dey break woman spirit.

So na me he no dey smile for.

Inside my chest, na thunder dey roll. I wan cry, I wan shout.

Oba’s son Tunde dey smile too, dey talk say queen mother like Ngozi.

Na big thing for palace. If queen mother like you, your place dey sure.

One celestial maiden come pour palm wine. As she give cup, all of them reach hand at once.

Na small drama, but the air tight. Every eye dey shine.

The two men touch Ngozi hand, jump back like say them touch hot stove.

Their reaction funny, but na jealousy dey burn under.

The tension too much.

If mosquito fly pass, e fit faint for the air.

Na Africa Magic drama we dey watch so.

If camera dey, na here dem go pause for advert.

Dem get concubine and side consort, but dey form innocent.

For Yoruba movie, na here old woman go shout, "Heeey!"

Lu Ijeoma eye me: "Abeg, this one don do. Make we go."

I see pain for her eye, but her mouth dey sharp as ever.

I hold her, "Wait."

My hand cold, but my spirit dey push me go front.

Then I waka come out, voice dey shake with tears: "Musa… wetin you dey do?"

My tears dey fall, my chest dey pain me. I no fit hold am again.

Lu Ijeoma sharp, she rush come, dey cry too:

Her voice loud, her tears dey hot for face.

"Your Highness, I know say you no love me. If you wan marry main madam, I go go, I no go disturb you again."

Her cry dey make everybody look. Even Ngozi pause.

Oba’s son shout, "Ijeoma, I don spoil you too much?!"

E face red, pride dey burn for inside.

Musa frown, "Morayo, you be concubine. Why you no dey remember your place?!"

Him voice dey shake ground. All the spirits pause.

We dey totter like flower wey breeze wan blow commot.

We no fit stand well. If na film, na here dem go play sad music.

"Okay, if na so, make we just go die!"

Na chorus wey pain. All the years, all the insult just burst out.

We run, dey sob.

Our footsteps loud for marble. Our cry dey echo for hall.

For back, Ngozi hiss:

Her hiss get power. You go feel am for bone.

"Una no go console them? E no easy to dey act like say person weak."

If na normal world, this na place for apology, but for Celestial Kingdom, pride dey win.