Chapter 2: The Miracle Pikin

Doctor talk say my mama no too strong, say she no fit born again, so my papa and mama carry one pikin wey dem abandon for chemist front.

People for compound talk say na miracle, say God no dey ever shame person wey get good heart. Mama dey always repeat the story for family prayer: “Na for rainy season, we see Morayo for that chemist front. If to say we no pick am, who know how her life go be?” Even the chemist woman dey hail my mama, call her “Mother of all.”

Because na just the start of rainy season, dem name am Morayo—Morayo, wey mean "I see joy."

Dem say as rain dey fall that night, na so mama see small baby, body dey shiver, wrapper dey soak. She hug am, cover am with her own wrapper, talk say, “This pikin go bring joy come this house.” Even neighbours dey gather, dey suggest names, but mama stand gidigba for Morayo—say na joy she see, and na joy she go call am.

Just six months after dem adopt Morayo, my mama come born me.

E shock everybody for our street. Even baba Aladura for junction talk say na miracle. Some people talk say na Morayo bring luck, say as she enter house, blessing follow. For family meeting, uncles and aunties dey hail my papa, dey spray him small money, dey say, “You get two children now, na double portion!”

Dem no expect say she go ever born pikin, so happiness nearly craze dem.

My papa dance that day sotay him wrapper almost fall. Mama dey sing, dey cry, dey hug everybody. Even our dog dey bark up and down, dey join celebration. People dey bring rice, dey fry puff-puff, dey cook jollof for compound, as if na wedding. Neighbours dey spray ground with small change, dey sing praise.

The day wey I born, everybody for house forget Morayo, leave am alone for compound.

Neighbours dey rush enter, dey carry me, dey pray, dey pour oil for ground. Morayo just dey one corner, dey look everybody, her own small wrapper tight for her chest. Nobody even remember to carry her inside or give am food.

Na the next day, when my papa come house to carry feeding bottle for me, na him see Morayo curl for old sofa, one whole day she never chop, even cry she no get strength.

Papa shock, carry her, rush go kitchen, dey shout for mama. “You forget say we get another pikin? See as this one dey?” Mama come run, begin cry, dey beg Morayo, dey promise say e no go happen again. But from that day, something change for Morayo eye—like say she sabi say her own place for family different.

She dey watch as jollof dey pass her nose, belly dey rumble, but nobody look her side.