Chapter 3: The Search for Chijioke

All the bad memories from before just dey flash for my head. My mind pain me reach bone. I realise say all the love I dey give dem na waste, na just joke for their eyes. Abeg, the world big, people dey wey go value me. Why I go dey hold onto these three?

Inside me, small voice just dey shout, "Run!" My blood dey boil. Old wound dey open for my heart, but I dey use am patch new strength.

All this junior brother, senior sister, care—make e go. For this life, I no go let dem tie me down again. Even if e go cost me, I go cut this bond myself.

I press my chest, pain dey but my spirit dey strong. E better make I waka alone than die inside people wey no love me.

As my mind strong, I no even panic again. I just jump pass backyard wall, drag my wounded body, run the opposite direction from Palm Grove Sect, no even look back.

I no even hear dogs bark, no hear my papa shout. All my focus na escape, na only God fit tell how I take jump that wall with blood dey flow. Even breeze dey hail me as I disappear for bush.

Wetin I no know be say, just after I run, Aisha, Halima, and Morayo land. My parents arrange themselves, greet dem: “Three elders, una presence na big honour. Abeg, enter house—enter.”

My papa even kneel small, mama bow, everybody for house dey peep from window. For Okeke family, this kind thing na lifetime opportunity. Even my uncle from next compound show face, dey peep.

Unlike before wey dem dey cold like harmattan, this time, dem no vex at all. Instead, dem smile soft for my parents, explain say dem come recruit new disciples for Palm Grove Sect, and say if any talented person dey, make dem bring am forward. When dem mention ‘talented person,’ dem talk am with meaning, like say dem dey hint.

Morayo voice now gentle like morning breeze. For their eye, you go see say dem dey find something. Everybody for compound dey talk low, dey respect.

My parents too happy, think say na sign from elders make Okeke family grab opportunity. Dem bring all the young ones make the three select. If I dey there, I for shock. Because before, Aisha, Halima, and Morayo, as Palm Grove Sect people, no dey smile for anybody except their Lukman. But now, dem dey smile give my parents, dey treat my family well during assessment. This kind attitude never happen before—e shock everybody.

Even my cousin Zainab, wey always dey trouble, dey try impress dem. One by one, all the Okeke pikin line up—palms sweaty, eye dey shine.

As time dey go, all the Okeke family pikin don almost finish assessment, some even get average gift, but the three still accept dem. Normally, dem for don move go another family, but this time, dem no dey happy. Especially for the last person, their face just change, dey look crowd like say dem dey find someone.

Aisha dey tap foot, Halima dey twist hand, Morayo just dey look ground. People dey whisper, "Shey dem dey find better person?" Tension dey house.

“Three elders, any problem?”

My papa voice dey shake. Even my uncle dey scratch head. For Okeke family, to lose this chance na big wahala.

Aisha, as leader, no vex, she just ask: “Papa Okeke, you sure say all your pikin dey here? If anybody miss, e go pain well if chance pass am.”

Her voice soft, but e carry authority—like Iroko tree dey talk. People for compound just keep quiet.

“Elder, I check am—nobody miss.”

Papa dey sweat, but him voice strong. He no wan lose face for front of big people.

As Halima hear, she no fit sit. She frown, ask: “No be so. Before I come, I hear say your son Chijioke na the most gifted for Okeke family. Why he no come?”

If you see as Halima face change, even small pikin for corner stop to play. Everybody dey wonder who be this Chijioke wey elders dey find.

My papa shock, fear catch am but mostly guilt. As he remember how I beg before I run, he just brace up, talk: “Elder, na joke you dey talk. Na just rumour. My son spiritual root no good, we no wan disgrace ourselves, so we no let am come out…”

My papa voice dey low, him hand dey shake. Mama just dey look ground, dey tap foot. For family gathering, na this kind shame dey cause quarrel later.

With one clap, the three squeeze teacup, glass scatter for ground—everybody for parlour hold breath. Tea pour for hand, their face change: “How e take happen!”

The teacup na imported, for elders hand to break am, e mean real anger. Everybody just freeze, even air no dey move. Their eye sharp, mouth tight, tension fill parlour.

My papa confuse, no know why dem vex. Morayo, wey never talk, bite her lip, voice cold with warning: “Whether he get spiritual root or not, we go check am ourselves. Why you go judge am like that?”

For first time, Morayo voice get thunder—her body dey tremble, eye red. Everybody for room dey fear. Even my uncle wan run commot.

“Papa Okeke, since we dey here, we must find real gift for sect. Bring am out, make we see.”

If to say na ordinary day, Papa for gree. But now, na only fear dey his face. Even my cousin begin dey cry, say, "Abeg, no beat papa o!"

As dem see say if dem no see me, dem go scatter house, my papa fear, but finally talk true: “Three elders, to talk true, my son Chijioke really get gift, but for some reason, he destroy him own spiritual root, say he prefer cripple than to meet una. Abeg, no vex.”

He dey shake as he talk, voice dey break. Everybody for house dey look floor, shame and fear dey everywhere.

Normally, if I no value the chance, dem for just leave am, give another person. But this time, everybody shock for the result.

People dey expect say the elders go vex, storm commot. But for the first time, na only silence fill house. Even fowl stop to crow.

Aisha, Halima, and Morayo—those three cold beauties wey fit face spirit beast without shaking—now look like sky don fall, their eyes red, dem stagger back, shout together: “Wetin? You mean say Chijioke, he rather destroy spiritual root, no ever practice again, than to see us?”

The cry reach outside, echo pass mango tree for backyard. Everybody just open mouth, dey wonder wetin fit make junior brother run from this kind glory, and why three angels dey cry for ordinary Okeke boy. For that moment, Okeke family know say life don change, but only God know which way e go turn. Na only tortoise sabi how e dey enter shell.