Chapter 4: The Swap and The Vow

For morning, Halima carry the village chief come meet me.

Na Ibrahim open door for them.

Dem come talk about swapping land.

Village chief close door, begin talk like elder:

"Ngozi, I watch you grow. This land matter—wetin we see for outside different from how e dey inside."

"Ibrahim come meet me since. Halima pikin still small—na boy, so he fit get land, but nobody to farm am."

"Now she get big land, your own small—no fit Ibrahim. If two of una swap, e go balance."

Village chief no mean bad.

If we look am well, e make sense for farm work.

And Ibrahim get better future. Village chief fit help am—why not?

For eye, e be like say my family win.

As I no talk, Halima hide behind Ibrahim:

"Sister-in-law, you no like me?"

"That day, I beg Brother Ibrahim to help. I get pikin to look after, I no fit do pass myself."

As she dey talk, her eyes dey red like person wey pepper enter eye.

She dey form pity, but the subtitles just dey para:

[See this green tea—she go dey use style find man, come dey act like say she dey suffer, dey press babe down.]

[The babe just dey endure. If na me, I go give babe one slap, supporting babe two, guy one better knock for head.]

[Thank God say babe don dey wise—she no suppose agree.]

I reason small, then ask the village chief:

"The land swap go start next month, abi?"

Village chief nod.

I gather myself:

"Okay, make we swap."

[Ah ah, babe, wetin be this?]

[No be so, I think say babe don wise, wan change from suffer head to sharp babe.]

[Leave am, babe don fall back to mumu mode—her own don finish.]

I tell Halima and Ibrahim:

"Your pikin still small. Make you go look after am."

Halima eye me with doubt, then waka go with Ibrahim.

As them go, I hold the village chief:

"Uncle Musa, I get another thing wey I need your help for."

My voice calm but strong. The chief look my eye, nod say, "Ngozi, any help you need, just talk." I breathe deep; this time I no go let anybody push me anyhow again.

This time, I go fight for my own, even if I stand alone.