Chapter 4: Amaka Nwokolo

3

Her name na Amaka Nwokolo, fine woman wey fit scatter city, power no be here. If to say she get another hundred years, she for don pass all those old foreign tribe people. She dey waka like person wey know her level—her presence dey command respect, even the way she take arrange her scarf dey make sense.

But time no dey wait for anybody. She never reach her peak, dem don push her enter this War of Ten Thousand Tribes. Na so e dey be for life—dem go just rush you before you ready. Because my level low, na gate sweeping dem give me normally. Every morning, I dey sweep gate, dey clean everywhere, dey try no make noise. Na there I take jam sect leader by luck, as I dey sweep front of her house that first day. She see me dey struggle with broom, just laugh small—her teeth white, her eyes sharp like person wey sabi.

As I dey greet Amaka Nwokolo every day, we come dey close small small. Sometimes she go smile give me, sometimes she go even ask if I chop. I first dey hope say this connection go help me enter power work, but see as dem just carry me come battlefield straight—wahala dey disguise as opportunity.

I just dey look Amaka Nwokolo fine body, dey expect to see how this ancient spirit language be. Na my curiosity dey push me, as if I go see magic if I focus. No too long, countdown text appear for sky, the thing big pass campaign poster for roundabout. After e flash like three times, one big gong sound, the vibration shake everywhere. S3 season don start proper. The War of Ten Thousand Tribes don begin. Everybody just freeze for small moment, heartbeat pause.

People from Island Clan na dem first target Umuola. One short man wey no reach one meter fifty dey look Amaka Nwokolo like say she don already be him property—eye dey shine, mouth dey curve like rat wey see cheese.

"You no fit run. Why you no just follow me? At least you go still dey alive." The voice sharp, e dey full of pride.

Amaka Nwokolo face just twist, she wan finish am straight, her eyes red like person wey chop pepper.

"Sect leader, abeg save your strength. Leave this one for me." One voice break the tension, na one old man with white hair waka come front. E dey move steady, you go know say e get experience.

Na the grand elder of the sect, one of the few elders wey remain for Umuola, and him power strong. Him clothes dey neat, even for this kain stress. The Island Clan man just dey laugh anyhow, nose dey up.

"Oshiro Fifty-Six, na me be this." Oshiro Fifty-Six—see name wey be like bus number. E talk am like say e be king. "Abeg, show yourself."

Grand elder bow back, the bow short but sharp, e show say the man sabi old ways. Oshiro Fifty-Six shout, then start to recite ancient spirit language. Everybody dey watch.

"Wetin be your name?" The voice thunder, you go feel am for bone.