Chapter 3: Jackpot

Omo, no be just because of the extra money o.

E dey sweet me pass, because e mean say tonight video go hot. People for online go pay anything to watch fine girl from university. Na so e dey.

Na because the girl wey the man carry na better babe.

The kind of girl wey you go see for UNILAG hostel, face fresh, skin pure. I dey imagine say if no be say e high, she no go near this kind guy.

Young, fine—she fit be university student.

I dey pity her small, but na so life be. Everybody dey hustle for survival.

My guest house no too far from campus area, just say e dey one corner, so business slow.

The area na like those Ajegunle back streets. Not too much noise, but once in a while, students go use here when dem no wan make am public.

But I no mind. I get other ways to make money.

The room dey always ready. AC dey work, generator dey on standby. The real investment na for the hidden gadgets wey I install.

Two years ago, when I renovate, I buy correct small small spy camera wey blend for wall. The video clear die, and dem blend well with the room—you no fit notice am at all.

Omo, na big boy work I do. Na Computer Village I buy am, the Igbo guy swear say even babalawo no fit see am. E blend with the bulb holder, the wall clock—nobody sabi.

Most of my money dey come from selling these hidden camera videos.

If to say dem dey pay tax for this kind thing, my own for high pass MTN. I just dey count my blessing silently.

I no dey do advert online, I no dey do promo or discount, so my guest house always quiet.

Sometimes, e fit be like say business dull, but na that silence dey protect me. For this Naija, if your matter dey everywhere, na wahala be that.

But na so I like am.

No wahala, no need dey drag customer. People wey sabi, dey find me. The others, na God hand dem dey.

I no need staff, so my cost low, and I no dey attract attention. No review, no wahala.

I run things solo—no receptionist, no cleaner, na me dey do everything. Na so my papa teach me: if you wan survive, trust only yourself.

And the guests wey dey come, especially couples, dem sabi wetin carry dem come.

You go just see say as dem enter, na sharp sharp. No time to waste, dem no wan make anybody know say dem dey here.

As for the videos, na underground paid forum I dey upload am. The chance say anybody go recognize themselves small.

E get some people wey dey paranoid, but for this country, who get time? Everybody dey chase money.

Even if dem see am, who go get mind to talk? All guest rooms be like twins—who go sabi na here?

E mean say even if dem dey suspect, dem no go get liver to carry police come.

But because guests no too plenty, fine babe no dey come often.

Some weeks, na only old couples or agbero boys. But once fine girl enter, na jackpot.

The videos dey pay by how many people dey watch am, and one hot university girl fit bring money pass ten random couples.

Omo, the kind money wey those online perverts dey drop, e fit pay landlord two times. I dey pray make fine girl dey come steady.

So as I see the girl face, I no wan miss this one.

My mind begin dey count how many dollars I go collect from this night own.

Even though she don drink sotey she no dey move, people dey online wey like that kind thing.

No matter how strange e be, some people for abroad go rush am. Some dey request for all kinds of nonsense. The world don spoil.

"Real corpse-picking experience"—the video title don already enter my head. This one go trend.

Na so all those dark web customers dey like—anything wey get as e be, dem dey pay.

I dey expect better pay.

I dey calculate my gain, dey rub palm together for under table. If this thing work as I plan am, I go fit repair my generator sharp sharp.