Chapter 4: When Hope Dey Fly

But I still no get enough capital. Even as I get small change reach one million now, those wey dey rush sell, all of them dey demand full payment. I still never fit play this game alone.

Omo, I dey hustle, but small money no dey reach front. All those coded deals require correct cash. Even if you get one million, na peanuts for this street.

But one big opportunity show.

You know how opportunity dey be—e go just land when you no expect. I dey office dey chop gala, phone ring, new deal dey town.

Big property no mean say na mansion—nobody for our side dey reason mansion, na waste of money and wahala. I dey talk of big flat: 220 square meters, river view, school district, original price twenty million, owner dey desperate. The guy look correct, drive Range Rover, package like person wey get money die.

For our side, na flat with correct location be the real asset. Mansion na for those wey get time for village. But this one—e get river view, near good school, sharp for flipping.

But as I don dey this business, I sabi say many people dey shine but na debt dem dey drown inside. I no even care as long as house dey okay, any wahala we go find out.

I don learn say packaging no mean say money dey. Some people dey live on top loan. As far as title clear, house dey stand, I dey ready.

The man yarn say make we sell am for nothing less than fifteen million, but he need full payment for seven days. I reason am—no mortgage for owner side, both sides fit pay full, we fit run paper before deadline.

Na serious pressure. If you no bring money sharp sharp, another coded buyer go collect am. Owner no want long story, na full payment or nothing.

My guy dey eye the profit, as he hear am, he wan jump enter.

You need see as my guy dey calculate gain. E dey rub hand, dey talk say after flipping, we go ball for December.

But wahala dey…

Na so my mind start dey race. As e good reach, money na the koko. If you no get cash, na only for dream you go buy property.

Where we go see fifteen million? Join our money, na only ten million we get.

We check everything, even try call some people for last minute loan, but money no reach.

My guy talk say no wahala—him sister, Halima, get money, she wan follow join. We go buy am for her name, he go stand as guarantor.

You know say for Naija, if family dey, e go easy run joint. My guy say him sister dey trust am, she fit bring money, then all of us go chop.

I talk, "Your guarantee mean wetin? Your own house self dey under mortgage—if you lose this money, wahala go land."

I dey reason am. If e spoil, na my own neck dem go use drag for meeting. Na so I reason say make I ask well.

My guy dey vex, talk say na him character be guarantee, he go give me 30%, him take 50%, sister take 20%.

E dey do like say him word na bond. For this Naija, trust dey, but money talk pass.

I nearly gree—40% na almost 6 million for my hand.

I dey calculate the gain for my mind. If e work, everywhere go soft for me. I fit finally buy house for my wife, shut her family mouth.

If this one work, I go fit dey play this money game on my own.

No be small dream. For this business, once you fit run big deal, na automatic upgrade.

When money dey rush, person fit do anything. We reason am, decide say make his sister buy the house.

Pressure dey everywhere. We dey calculate who go bring documents, who go wire money, everybody dey hustle for share.

But as I dey carry them go agency, my wife call.

As I see her number, my mind skip. I reason say she fit dey ask for pikin school fee, but as I pick…

As I pick, her voice cold like fridge. She ask me where I dey, say make I come house now now.

Her voice be like harmattan breeze—dry, cold, no feeling. I know say serious wahala dey.

I talk say I dey busy, she just start dey cry, dey shout say why I no tell am about the demolition.

Na so my mind scatter. I try calm her, tell am say I go explain when I reach, but she no gree, just dey cry, dey shout. I leave my colleague make he handle clients—everything wey need to be explained, I don already explain to both parties.

I dey try reason wetin go happen if I no settle this matter now. For my mind, I dey pray make pikin no dey see mummy dey cry.