Chapter 2: My Own Wahala Start

Me? I just be poor estate agent. I no get the kind capital to play for that level. Anytime I jam cheap property, na so I go carry the info give those rich pikin for office, watch as dem dey cash out.

Me sef na small boy for the game. Any hot gist I get, na my oga and him friends dey chop am. Sometimes if I dey lucky, dem go dash me token, but the real money no dey my side. I just dey manage, dey hustle my daily bread.

Until my own chance come—when dem demolish my family house.

Na so God run am. As I dey carry pain for chest, I dey think say my own don finish. Dem demolish our compound, old family house, all the memories. I remember the mango tree wey my papa plant, the old well, the laughter for compound every Christmas. But na from that wahala my own chance show.

My house dey for Umuola village, and compensation dey based on how many people for the compound. Me, my wife and pikin sell our quota, dem give us 2.5 million naira, but I no tell my wife the full gist. I thief her ID card, forge her signature, collect the money. She still dey think say dem never demolish the house.

Omo, as dem pay the compensation, I dey reason wetin I go use am do. I know say my wife go fit vex if she hear am, but I too dey carry shame for body. Her people dey use my matter shine for every gathering.

No be say I wan do my wife bad. Na just say her people don dey look down on me since because I no get money. Dem go even dey yab me for front of my pikin, call me poor man. If I vex, dem go say na joke, say I too dey take things serious because I no get sense.

You know Naija family wahala na—dem go dey use mouth finish you. Even if dem see say you dey try, dem no go gree. I just tire. Na so I do wetin I do. Person go wan change story too.

I just wan enter this money game, use the money take change my life, make dem no fit look me down again.

I dey plan say if I fit do one sharp business, cash out, everywhere go settle. I go fit stand for family meeting, talk my own, nobody go fit talk me down again.