Chapter 4: Morayo’s Breaking Point

"Morayo, you know how e be for Naija now. Our company dey sack people every year for the past three years, especially those wey dey middle management. The older you dey, the higher your salary, and every retrenchment dey make me fear."

He sigh, rub him neck, the stress clear for him body. He dey try paint picture of trouble for my mind. But this Naija, which family no dey struggle? Even market woman for gate dey survive. I just dey reason am.

"Your work dey stable, but even at that, you no dey earn pass few thousands every month. For this family, that one no reach anything."

I just dey look am. Na now my salary turn "few thousands" for him mouth? When he dey use my own money settle house rent, school fees, he no remember.

"As time dey go, Mama and Papa health go dey worse. Sulaiman and Aisha school matter no fit slack. If I no make move now, wetin this family go do?"

He dey use all the burden press me. I just dey wait make he finish talk, because if I cut am, quarrel go start afresh.

"You say I selfish, say na only myself I dey think. But no be for this family sake I dey try? No be say I want make you, Sulaiman, Aisha get better life, and make your papa and mama enjoy old age well?"

He dey talk as if say na only him dey carry family for head. I just dey look.

See as he dey talk like say na saint.

If person dey outside, e fit believe. But me, I dey see everything clear. Nobody dey perfect for this life.

Our family no get plenty money, but we dey comfortable, we no dey worry.

We dey manage, dey laugh. We no dey beg neighbour for salt. I sabi manage, fit turn two cups of garri and small ugu to better soup. Even children dey go better school.

I don work for local government office over ten years, my position dey rise steady. My direct oga wan retire early because of health, na me he dey prepare to hand over—na transfer documents I dey work on recently.

Na so my oga dey mentor me, dey tell other staff say make dem watch Morayo, she sabi work. Na why I dey always close late these days.

As for Auwalu, na just these past two years him work begin make sense. Before then, na me dey pay most for house and car loan. I no even know how my five-figure salary don turn "just a few thousands" for him eye.

No be small thing. When he dey drive car up and down, na my signature dey the loan. But see as e dey talk now.

E fit no reach as much as oil company people dey collect, but I dey try, and I dey take this family serious. Why my own contribution come be like say e no count?

I dey wonder if na me dey deceive myself, or if na him just dey underrate me. Person wey dey try no suppose dey feel like servant.

But the real wahala be say, whether he wan improve or travel, he no respect me at all. For something big like this, before he dump everything for my head, he no even reason to discuss am with me.

Na that one pain me pass. Even if he wan travel, he for just sit down talk am with me. Make I feel say my own opinion matter for this marriage.

I ask am, "Your papa and mama know say you dey travel? And say na war country you dey go?"

I dey look him face well. I want see if guilt go show for him eye.