Chapter 6: Potopoto and Dreams

The alley narrow and dark.

I fit smell gutter water. Small boys dey run pass, dey shout. My shoe dey soak, but I no send. I dey see life wey different from my own.

Old, broken wall for both sides, vines dey climb everywhere.

Dem build this place when Gowon still be Head of State. Wall crack, paint peel, even goat dey use one side sleep.

Rain just fall.

E be like say everywhere dey smell wet, like after heavy downpour for July. My skirt dey rub against wet leg, breeze dey blow anyhow.

Ground no level, water full everywhere.

Na small mistake, leg fit slip enter gutter. I dey waka like person wey dey dodge potopoto.

As I step down,

One okada man shout, "Aunty, easy o!" I wave am, smile small.

Mud splash, stain my white skirt.

Chei! Na so e be. The mud na brown, e stain my designer skirt. For my mind, I dey vex, but I hold am.

Butler frown, suggest:

Odogwu face dey twist, him mouth dey form question. "Madam, abeg..."

“Madam, make I go instead? You fit wait for car?”

He no want make my leg dirty. I nod, but I stand strong. My own plan na my own.

“No need.”

I cut am short, voice soft but final. "Dis one na my hand e dey. Make nobody help me."

I refuse.

I smile, adjust headtie. Na today I go show say Amaka Okezie no dey fear street.

To win person heart, na personal matter.

I tell myself say, if you want make person trust you, show say you fit go where e dey. Na so e dey work for Lagos.

I bear the wahala, lift my skirt,

Na small struggle, but I adjust skirt up, balance for left leg, waka enter the alley. The smell of akara and roasted corn dey mix for air, make my belle rumble small. Sun don set, but hope still dey my mind.