Chapter 5: Public Shame and Betrayal

I never even discharge from hospital when reporters rush in, microphone everywhere. Dem nearly break my hospital bed. If you see as microphone dey my face, you go pity me.

"Mr. Tayo, you agree with Onwudiwe family talk? You really risk person life just to keep your record?"

One woman even dey cry for back like say na her pikin die.

I shake my head, tell them the truth. My voice dey strong, but my mind dey cut. 'If una fit hear true, una for know.'

"If una fit see another diver wey go enter, una go see say na hand break that rock for the bend. And Young Master Chijioke no cooperate at all. If I let am go, na die e for die. To knock am out na last option. I don tell Mr. Onwudiwe everything."

I no fit add lie. My conscience dey clear. But who go listen?

Before I finish, Mr. Onwudiwe rush in, vex. E face red, e shirt rumpled. If to say e no be rich man, you go think say na agbero. He point me, shout,

"You dey craze? You fit touch my son like that? No wonder you ask me before you enter if you go dey responsible for accident. So na to kill am you plan!"

Na so e dey be for Naija—person wey beg you today, go insult you tomorrow. The man voice loud, security dey push people.

His chest dey rise, bodyguards dey look me with bad eye. If you see as dem stand, you go fear. Some dey carry shades for night.

I look around, see my teammate Musa, wey risk life with me. Him face dey guilty. Musa no fit look me eye to eye. I dey wonder if e dey fear or e dey pity me.

"Bros Tayo, Young Master Chijioke get luck this time. If anything happen, e for bad. You too do. If I no stop you, you for kill am."

E talk am low, but I hear every word. My heart just dey sink. That time, I understand. Na there everything clear for my mind. Na set up.

Chijioke don set me up, drag everybody join. E use him papa, use Musa, use everybody. Na me be scapegoat. I save am, he repay me with lie.

I dey look ceiling, dey count my blessings. But for this life, e be like say na only God dey judge.

Which defense remain for me? For this Nigeria, if big man talk, everybody dey follow. Who go fight for me? Na only three of us enter, now two dey accuse me. Nobody go believe my side. Musa don change. With Onwudiwe family power, I no get chance. Dem go use money bury my matter.

I just smile, talk, My smile bitter, my heart dey cry. "My conscience clear. Any investigation, I ready." If na lie, make God judge.

Mr. Onwudiwe look me hard. E eyes red, e hand dey shake. E fit slap me if not for camera.

"You dey call this clear conscience? I dash you money, you try kill my son. How you fit be diver? Your teammate dey follow you, maybe one day you go cut him throat to collect him glory. I go make sure dem seize your diving license—you no go compete or dive again."

As e dey talk, e dey spit. Even journalists dey look shocked. Na so Nigeria dey—power na everything.

Soon, police carry me go for questioning. Dem bundle me like thief. My mama begin call prayer line.

The interviews scatter everywhere online. Twitter don break. Instagram full of fake stories. People dey create memes. Everybody begin curse me.

If you see comment section: 'Tayo Adigun, ole!' 'God punish am!'

"No be him dive with student before, the student turn vegetable?" People don dey dig old story. Even my village people dey call, dey ask if na true.

"That time he talk say he save am, maybe he see say the boy dey better, set am up."

I dey read all these things, dey wonder if my life get meaning again. "So scary. My daughter learn diving from him before. Thank God nothing happen."

Dem dey tag my mama, dey insult my family. Na real wahala.

But that student break rules, dive alone, get wahala with oxygen. If I no find am, e for die. Nobody wan hear truth. Everybody believe wetin dem like.

Now I understand—Na for this Nigeria, hero today, devil tomorrow. If people say you be hero, na hero you be. If dem change mind, you no reach grass.

I dey remember my papa advice: 'No trust people wey dey clap for you, dem fit turn tomorrow.'

Coaching team come see me. I think say I don get hope, explain everything. I dey sit down dey explain, dey beg say make dem believe me. My hand dey shake, sweat full my shirt.

But head coach just sigh. E look me, e eye full of pity. 'Tayo, this life no balance.'

"You know as e be—fame dey cause wahala. All these teams for competition strong. If dem bring you down, their own chance go rise. To talk true, that Onwudiwe boy na wahala. He don chase many coaches away before. This time, he just wan prove himself. But as he shame catch am, he need person to blame."

The coach dey talk like person wey don tire for system. He tap my back, dey do like say na better thing—meanwhile, insult full im eye. 'Na God hand you dey.'

Police don question me. The case hard, dem no fit decide. I dey sleep for cell, dey pray. My mama dey fast. As coach dey talk, cold sweat dey my body. For my mind, I dey ask: 'Na so life be?'