Chapter 5: Court of Public Opinion

The aunties quickly off the speaker, dey look themselves.

Na the first time dem see this kind drama for dance ground. Some even drop hand for waist, dey ready for gist.

Dem ask the girl wetin happen.

Auntie Ngozi hold her, voice soft: "Sister, wetin do you? Why you dey cry like this?"

She dey shake as she point me. I no even sure if na cold dey make her shake or she dey act.

Her whole body dey tremble. I dey try remember if her face show for my dream last night.

"He—when I dey jog for night, na so he grab me from back, dey touch me anyhow. As I try run, I fall inside river."

Her voice dey carry crowd. She talk with conviction. Some people dey shake head, others dey look me with side-eye.

"If no be say I sabi dog-paddle, I for don die."

She mention swim style, but nobody sabi her skill. She dey try impress the aunties, I guess.

"Aunties, abeg help me call police. My phone don spoil for water, abeg..."

Her voice get small crack, like person wey dey beg for last card. Some aunties dey pity her, but some dey reason the story.

I no fit take am again. I waka go her, ask:

I use calm voice, try make her look my eye. "Sister, abeg, you sure you no dey mistake me?"

"You and me, we know each other before? Why you dey lie for my head? Why you wan spoil my name?"

My heart dey beat fast. I dey try control my vex.

The girl, like chick, just hide inside auntie arm.

She dey hide face, dey sob small. My own wahala just dey pile.

Auntie try calm me, turn to the girl:

Auntie Patience try settle. "No vex, Musa dey with us since. Na good boy, him no fit do that kain thing."

"Sister, maybe you make mistake? Musa dey with us since, e never even waka go river."

She dey stress am, make other aunties reason say e fit be error.

"If you wan call police, we fit help you."

We dey ready to settle, but this girl no wan hear.

"No way! Na him! I remember his face!"

She dey insist, eyes red. Her voice dey loud, some people begin form circle.

I dey try hold myself, I press her: "You say I grab you from back, so how you take see my face clear?"

My question dey cause murmur for background. Na logic wayo I dey use.

"As I fall inside river, I see you! No deny!"

Her voice sharp. Some people dey whisper, dey try connect the dots.

I just dey clench my fist. "Sister, I never do you anything before, abi? We no even know each other. Why you dey lie for my head? For what?"

I dey try reason, but my voice dey shake small. The thing dey pain me pass wound.

"I no dey lie! Na you do am! You be bastard!"

She throw the insult like stone. My mind dey scatter.

I vex reach bone.

If no be say crowd dey, I for shout. I dey squeeze my palm, dey beg make my blood no boil.

No be shame? I just wan punch her.

But as man, I hold myself. For my head, I dey see prison.

I don suffer this rubbish two times—one for last life, one for now, all because of her.

E pain me say no be only dream. Na real life repeat.

No camera here. If I allow her lie, I go end up like before.

Na only God fit judge matter for bush. Human eye no fit see spirit.

Why? Why she dey target me?

My mind dey do calculation, dey find where I fit offend her. But nothing dey come.

Or e mean say, whether I save her or not, I no fit escape?

For my head, na riddle. I dey fear, but I dey ready for fight this time.

One mama just hiss, "Na this kain girl dey spoil town name." Another shout, "If you no wan touch, how you go save?"