Chapter 3: Okoye House Rules and Nnamdi Drama

First day for the job, Madam Okoye call me for serious warning:

"Our Okoye family, na only one pikin dey born per generation, reach eight generations now. To continue our name no easy at all. So abeg, no vex if I dey prefer boy o." She sit for her velvet chair, cross leg, fan herself with abada hand fan, but eye still sharp like tailor needle.

"Once you born the first pikin, na that day you go collect marriage certificate, plus your bonus go drop sharp sharp." She carry small calabash, knock am for table: 'We dey do things sharp sharp for here.'

"If you no fit born, we go give you small change for food, then you go house." She wave hand like say she dey dismiss mosquito.

I pat my chest well well: "No wahala, Madam, I go deliver." I talk am with all confidence, rub my palm together. For my mind, I dey see alert dey ring like church bell.

Madam Okoye happy, wave her hand, bring out the husband-to-be, Nnamdi Okoye.

Eyebrow sharp, eyes fine, face set, long leg, chest dey show muscle. Anywhere else, this guy for be hottest man for the place. But for here, the fine bobo just dey look like person wey dem wan force chop bitterleaf.

Eight hefty boys, chest like bag of cement, dey hold am tight, no room for escape. Dem tie am with red Ankara cloth, carry am enter. Still dey struggle, dey shout like person wey dem dey carry go chief's court:

"Leave me! Una dey use me do breeding goat? Abeg shift! I no dey touch woman! Put me down! Marriage suppose free, love suppose free!"

He shout tire, voice don crack. That time, I come understand. So na why Madam Okoye dey find wife by force? The only son for eight generations na gay. Chai. E pain me for her body. For my mind, I dey hail Madam Okoye—na strong woman. E no easy to carry this kind wahala for chest.

Madam Okoye look like person wey don tire: "Nnamdi, I sabi wetin you like, I no be old school." She rub her forehead, voice low. 'I don see plenty for this life.'

"Just give me pikin, after that, anywhere you wan go, whether na man or you wan dey wear woman cloth, I no go stop you." Her hand dey shake, she hold the chair like person wey dey climb okada.

Nnamdi Okoye struggle more: "Mama, abeg, stop dey talk rubbish! Who tell you say I like man!" He roll eye, mouth bend, vex just dey pour from him body.

Madam Okoye hiss, shake head, pain show for her face: "Ah, so na cross-dresser you like. No wahala, but cross-dresser no fit born. This my only wish—abeg, do am for me." She look me, look am, her voice crack. I fit see her eyes dey shine with tears.

Nnamdi Okoye shout: "I talk say make you stop!"

Madam Okoye wipe her eye, no talk again. She point me give am: "See this girl, na me pick am, she go born your pikin. Your future wife be this." She talk am like final judgement, no room for appeal.

"I know say you get your own way, but this girl na correct babe. If you no fit do normal marriage, no expect any other favour." She snap finger, like say she dey curse old spirit.

Nnamdi Okoye hiss: "E no go work, Mama. No matter who you bring, e no concern me." "Even if you tie my body, my soul no go gree." He cross leg, raise eyebrow, as if he dey act for Nollywood film.

Madam Okoye just bone, pull me come front: "See my stubborn pikin, Nnamdi. Tonight, we go tie am. You fit do the job?" She wink small, like say na business deal.

I look am from head to toe. This fine bobo cloth don scatter, e dey look like masquerade wey dem catch for daylight. The red Ankara tight, but e no cover anything important. I look up, talk, "No wahala, Madam. No matter how e be, I go try my best." For my mind, I dey calculate—if e pain small, na money go heal am.

Madam Okoye happy, come dey yab her son: "See as she dey ready, you nko?" Her laugh loud, but inside, I sabi say na nervousness dey make am overdo am.

Na that time, Nnamdi wey dey struggle since, just quiet. Our eye jam, I see as e ear turn red. He look me as if I be question wey no get answer.