Chapter 2: Spirit Marriage

General Musa, young and gallant, suffer heavy wound for battlefield. Dem carry am come back, blood full body, life just dey hang small.

All the town dey shake that time. Even old women for mosque dey pray for am, children dey talk am for street corner. If no be say General Musa na only son, maybe people no go reason am this deep.

Na only son wey Musa family get be that.

Everybody know say when only son dey sick for house, wahala fit reach everybody. Neighbours dey bring soup, old men dey advice. Mama Musa no fit rest. Prayer, fasting, even small sacrifice for junction—she try all.

Mama Musa lose her husband early. Now, as e be say her only son fit die, person suggest make dem do spirit marriage for am.

Dem call baba for mosque, elders gather, consult prayer. Somebody talk say if General Musa get wife, his spirit go get reason to stay. Old belief, but for our side, nothing dey too small to try when life hang for thread.

My own Aunty, Madam Rukayat, rush go act as matchmaker, recommend me give Mama Musa.

She no even ask my mind. Na so she carry her matter go front, sharp sharp, as if say she dey buy and sell for Mile 12. Her mouth sweet when e come to negotiation.

My contract dey Aunty hand, so I no get mouth to talk.

Since I enter her house as small girl, everything about me dey her hand. She dey always remind me say I dey owe her for saving me.

Aunty talk say, if I no gree marry, she go send me go old, retired palace guard.

I sabi the man. Him eye red like palm oil, him mouth dey smell ogogoro every morning. Fear catch me. For my mind, na another type of prison be that.

I sabi say she dey vex me because of my past with oga pikin, so I kneel swear for sky say I no get any bad mind for am.

That day, I kneel for her front, face up, swear with my chest for sky. "God, make you punish me if I ever near oga pikin with bad mind." But even as I talk am, I know say tears dey gather for my eye. Wetin I do self?

Aunty vex, poke my forehead.

She poke am like say she wan reset my brain. "Your head too strong," she hiss, eye red.

“All this your swearing na for what? Just look your chest—no be temptation be that?”

She point her finger. As if say na my chest dey cause wahala for world. If person pass my back, she go call me, "Halima, tie wrapper well!" Like say wrapper dey make chest small.

I hug my chest, tears dey fall.

I press my arms cross my body, hot tears dey drop, drip for my wrapper. Even my voice shake as I talk, but Aunty no send.

“Everyday you dey waka dey shake those two big bread in front of men. Who no go wan chop? No be say I no trust you—I no trust men.”

The way she talk am, e pain me deep. As if say na my fault say God dash me body. Men eyes dey waka anywhere, dem go still find wetin dem wan see, wrapper or no wrapper.

Her face soft small. She bend down, use hand clean my tears.

Her palm soft for my face. The way she touch me, I fit see small regret for her eye. For that moment, I remember say she be my mama pikin too, just the world dey hard.

“The Musa family na big people. If no be say my mama and Mama Musa na old padi, who know who for don rush marry this kind good man.”

She nod, sigh, as if she dey tell herself say this suffering na worth am. I just look ground, no fit talk.

With tears for my eye, I talk with pain, “Aunty, I no wan do spirit marriage. I go just dey kitchen, I no go…”

My voice low, throat tight. I dey beg like small pikin. For my mind, I dey reason say if to cook be punishment, make I dey kitchen till my old age.

Before I finish, two hot slap land for my face.

Pa! Pa!

My body shock. The sound loud like thunder, even lizard run from window. My cheek dey burn. For my ear, only hum dey remain. Somebody hiss for corridor, “Na every day wahala for that house.”

My face dey pain me.

My teeth dey shake, mouth dey quiver. I cover my face, hot pain dey spread from my cheek reach my head.

“Halima, you no get shame? If no be me talk for you, with this your waka-waka look, Mama Musa no go even reason you. You no even reach to be General Musa spirit wife.”

Her voice cut me like razor. The way she dey shout, neighbours fit think say I thief for house. My dignity drop for ground like broken plate.

I wan tell Aunty say I dey always bind my chest well, dey wear cloth wey cover everywhere, even dey get heat rash for hot season. I beg her make she pity me.

The heat rash dey show for my back sef. For hot season, e be like say pepper dey my body. I dey always try hide, do my own, but my body dey always make wahala find me.

Na that time, the stewardess rush enter, dey pant.

Her head tie shift, she no fit even arrange wrapper well. As she burst enter, I know say something serious dey happen.

“Aunty! General Mansion send message—General Musa don wake up!”