Chapter 5: The Real Wahala Begins

My stepmother change mouth sharp sharp, say na only their car fall, no be trailer hit.

I dey look her, no talk, just dey wait if she go change story again.

I still press, say this kind thing na police matter—at least make dem find the people, dead or alive.

My voice dey strong, as if I be lawyer.

But she no shake, say na panic make her forget call police, na after she hear my sister last word, she rush come meet me.

She just dey act like person wey no sabi procedure, but I know say she dey form.

She call police for my front.

She dey shout for phone, dey try act like say na real emergency.

"So after all this, we dey same place."

I hear message, I just bone. Life hard, but I no go let dem run me street.

"Your sister and her husband get plenty debt, wan fake death, collect your money. Police no go fear dem."

One message even drop, say na movie dem dey act. I wan laugh, but I just dey serious.

"Just bone, no adopt. Na the koko be that."

The messages dey remind me, but to do am no easy.

Pressure dey everywhere. My phone dey hot, calls dey come in from village, from uncle, from pastor.

At least, my name go spoil for the compound;

For this Lagos, once dem spoil your name, na only God fit repair am.

At worst, if dem no get wetin dem want, dem go disturb my life.

I sabi their way well.

People for compound fit carry matter reach estate meeting. My work sef fit hear story.

My brother-in-law na gambler. After he marry my sister, he finish all the money wey dem give them.

That year wey dem wed, dem carry cow, ram, everything. Na so he use am bet NairaBet. The whole family talk tire.

Creditors dey chase am, na me he come beg for money.

I remember that night, around 1am, he call me, dey cry for phone. I gree give am small, pity catch me.

First, I give am small, even warn am make he stop.

I talk am like elder brother. I say, "Guy, if you no stop this thing, na your family go suffer." E no hear.

But the guy no hear word, gambling still dey, debt dey increase.

I hear say he even carry my sister ATM, withdraw her salary.

I stop to give am money, even threaten my sister say make she leave am if he no stop.

I call her one night, talk plenty, she cry, say na love dey hold am.

Even with that, he still dey disturb me, try all style to collect money.

He send fake hospital bill, fake school fee, all. Na God save me say I sharp.

I strong mind, no give am again.

My papa sef warn me say, "Pikin wey no gree hear, na beating go teach am."

My sister sef disappoint me. I talk tire, she no gree, just dey follow her husband.

I tire for the matter, even call our eldest uncle for Aba. Dem beg, beg, e no work.

Since dem no fit collect from me, na why dem start all this their plan.

Na so dem dey form victim now. Lagos life, e no easy.

I no even wan imagine the next thing dem fit try if this one fail.

Dem fit even plan pass this one. I dey reason make I dey careful now.