Chapter 2: Under the Pawpaw Shade

Today suppose be normal management day for Ancestral Spirit Court.

Everywhere suppose dey cool, as morning sun dey shine through our wide windows. The smell of roasted groundnut and faint scent of burnt incense still dey for air—e dey always remind me say, even for afterlife, man gats chop.

As usual, me, Chief Ifedike, Chief Yusuf, and the rest dey do our so-called high-level meeting. But make we no lie, these meetings na just to dey form. We dey for back side of the afterlife, far from Celestial Council, na spirits we dey manage, so rules here no too tight.

For here, e be like civil service office for Abuja—plenty grammar, but na only when Oga pass, everybody stand up. Even masquerade go remove mask when food show.

Plus, if we no let some wild spirits and strong ancestors waka small, where performance go come from? No performance, no money from above. No money, wetin we go chop—breeze?

I dey remember how once dem no give performance, everybody dey run upandan, dey borrow rice from next realm. Hunger na real spirit for here o.

Chief Ifedike as usual dey chop, dey bite golden pawpaw wey dem use river water take grow. As e dey chop, na so e dey talk:

“Oga, this golden pawpaw na correct. I go send some come your side later—e too sweet!”

E dey squeeze juice for hand, dey lick am like pikin wey see honey. Everybody dey eye am but nobody wan talk first, as pride still dey.

Chief Yusuf just look am, squeeze face, talk:

“Ifedike, respect yourself! This na meeting—how you go dey chop anyhow?”

E voice loud, but e eye dey dance upandan. For here, na who shout pass dey get last word, unless King Garba talk.

“Na food full your mind. Wetin you reason for your people? The plenty small spirits wey dey under us nko?”

Yusuf like to remind people say we get responsibility, but if e see free food, e fit forget e own name.

“If better dey, you suppose share am first!”

This old man—na so so mouth, but e own dey different for mind.

Na spirit wey dey carry matter for chest, but na e first dey find where pepper soup dey flow.

But true true, that golden pawpaw dey tempting. I just tell myself say I go find my own later.

My own belle don dey rumble small. That pawpaw smell dey make me remember village market for Ogbomosho. I go arrange my own after meeting.

I bone face, nod like say I wise:

“Yusuf talk true. If people dey happy, na then happiness sure. Water fit carry canoe, e fit sink am too. Ifedike, you gats reason well.”

I use small proverb to balance matter, so make nobody feel say I dey partial.

Ifedike just smile, show teeth:

“You sef dey eye am! No wahala, I go bring for you too.”

Everybody laugh small. Ifedike too get open mind; na better chief for gathering.

This guy sef, e no dey hide anything.

E dey do like pikin, but na sharp man.

I just smile, no talk again.

Make dem no too reason say I dey hungry too. I just arrange my agbada well, face front.

Na that time, Director Aunty Halima from Office knock come, rush whisper for my ear:

“Oga, person just land—Sun Adekunle political secretary. She dey find one spirit dem dey call Old Corpse of Palm Grove Village. Both mortal world and Celestial Council dey watch this matter. How you see am…?”

I feel her breath hot for my ear, as fear dey push her voice small small. This kain visitor no be who person dey expect on normal day.

As I hear ‘Sun Adekunle,’ my body just start dey sweat.

I remember as my grandma dey pray for morning, dey beg God make wahala pass our family. Today, na my turn to pray for protection. E be like say cold water pour for my back.

That one na wahala person.

Even witches for Benin dey respect Sun Adekunle. Anybody wey sabi e story go know say na lion for jungle.

Before e join Celestial Council, e don already scatter Spirit Court. Later, I hear say e turn Celestial Council upside down. E fight reach Hall of Shining Ancestors, nearly reach Hall of Eternal Light. Small remain, e for use fist touch Supreme Elder face.

Person wey get mind like that, you no go want make your name enter e matter. I remember when e dey settle fight for Ijebu realm; even thunder sef shift.

Another person for don collect three times, after e die, dem for even pour libation for e grave.

But Sun Grandpa? Nothing touch am! Even Thirty-Six Thunder Chiefs no fit reach am. E even waka go Sacred Mountain, collect certificate. Skills and connection—na only few for Three Realms fit waka anyhow like am.

Na only him fit enter any realm, collect kola and palm wine, nobody go talk. The type wey elders dey use for example.

I no even dey reason meeting again. I lower my voice, para:

“How you dey do your work?”

I press my walking stick for ground, my jaw dey tight. Everybody around feel the change for my mood. Na real tension.

“Who this Old Corpse of Palm Grove Village be? How e take join body with Sun Adekunle own?”

I dey wonder, na which spirit dey use him head find wahala like this? For our line of work, e mean say your ancestors no dey pray for you.

“You sabi say if Sun Adekunle vex, na all of us go hear am for body. If you no fit do your work, abeg write resignation, no carry us join your wahala!”

The air tight, as if thunder dey wait for window. I dey shake but I gats show face, make dem no see fear for my eyes.

Director Aunty Halima nearly faint.

E hold table small, adjust gele. Her lips dey tremble like person wey swallow pepper. For her mind, na prayer she dey do now.

Everybody for here na big name for Spirit Court—the pillar them. E don hear story of Sun Adekunle before, but as e see our face, e know say the real matter pass gist.

Even Chief Ifedike no dey chop again, him pawpaw hang for hand. The whole room chill, only clock dey tick.

E just dey stammer, “Lea… Leader, I go handle am sharp sharp!”

E wan form bold, but e voice dey break like old radio.

I reason small, come stop am as e wan rush go:

“Write report for me first—I wan see everything.”

I clear throat, make sure say my voice no shake. This one pass office gist; na top realm matter.

“Okay!”

Aunty Halima run go. Ifedike look me, dey wonder:

“Wetin dey happen? Why your body dey shake?”

Ifedike dey always spot trouble, even when pepper never reach soup.

Chief Yusuf sef dey look me.

E no dey talk plenty, but e sabi read body language. E just dey wait make I talk true.

“Big matter dey. This Sun Adekunle…”

I wan talk, but my chest seize. The fear hold me like juju.

But as I dey look both of them, I just lock mouth.

I shake head, arrange face like say e no concern me. Sometimes, to talk na to invite wahala.

“Sun Adekunle? Wetin happen?” Ifedike push.

Dem no dey quick give up when dem sense story. I sabi say if I talk, e go reach another ear.

No let our normal friendship deceive you. When better dey, we dey share. But if wahala show, na everybody dey find way for himself. To even run fast, dem go use your back jump.

Na street sense. Once spirit wahala start, even masquerade go hide behind tree.

I quick smile again:

“Oh, Sun Adekunle just pass Spirit Court. I think say e wan do gra gra again.”

I talk as if na normal matter, make dem free me.

Chief Yusuf face move small, but e force smile:

“Time don change. Sun Adekunle dey Celestial Council now, e get connection for Sacred Mountain. E no get our time—why e go come find wahala?”

E dey try console himself, but for him eye, I fit see say e dey reason say wahala fit burst any moment.

Ifedike join mouth:

“True talk! Now na law and order dey reign—who wan misbehave? I go send some golden pawpaw to Huaguo Hill too. Make we dey do poverty alleviation for real.”

Ifedike sabi package joke, e dey lighten mood when e heavy. For here, we dey use food take solve quarrel sometimes.

“Good idea,” Chief Yusuf nod. “Send more, send full basket…”