Chapter 2: Money for Unlock, Money for Pain

The ambulance driver see say all the four wheels dey clamp, e shock. Maybe na the first time for him life e go see ambulance wey dem clamp for estate. E look me, mouth open, ask, 'Na wah for una estate o! Wetin be all this? Even for mainland, dem dey respect ambulance!' Driver dey scratch head, nurse dey try fan my mama, sweat dey pour for everybody.

Dem paste notice for windscreen with phone number and bold red marker: 'Unlocking, ₦20,000.' The paper dey shine for sun, like say na government warning. My eye red. I dey try count how much remain for my account. As I dey look the amount, memory flash—this na my monthly hustle money, money wey I suppose use pay NEPA, buy food, maybe settle Halima small. Lagos wahala dey truly choke.

After I don carry my mama up and down, she dey struggle to breathe. Thank God ambulance get oxygen and nurse, so she dey stable small. Nurse connect her to drip sharp-sharp, dey whisper prayers: 'Mama, hold on.'

But I no wan waste time. I sharply call the number: 'Abeg, come unlock the car now, ambulance need carry patient urgently!' My voice dey high, my hand dey shake as I hold phone. People for compound dey peep, some dey record with phone, one small pikin dey ask him mama, 'Why ambulance no fit go?' Sweat dey drip for my palm as I dey wait response.

After small time, one security guard show, dey ride keke napep, the lock saw hanging for back. E park with loud kpa-kpa noise, make sure say everybody sabi say na him dey control unlocking for here. Keke get sticker: 'Security, No Nonsense.'

The guy just waka come, no even look my face. 'Unlocking. ₦20,000.' He no get pity for face, just dey chew gum, dey bounce leg. The kain boldness wey only Lagos agbero fit get.

Before I fit talk, the ambulance driver vex, bark: 'Why? Which kind right your estate management get to dey clamp car and dey fine people?' Nurse dey try calm am, but driver no send. Even one small boy wey dey play ball nearby stop, dey look.

The guard hiss, roll eye: 'Why you dey shout? Na estate rule we dey follow. If everybody park anyhow, how we go fit manage here?' E talk am like person wey cram police statement. E no blink, just dey size us. If no be ambulance, e for dey collect bar for roadside.

'But na ambulance we be. Patient dey inside. Even police no go stop us!' Driver dey shake for anger. E look me: 'Oga, na here una dey live?'

Guard snap: 'Ambulance so? I no be police. For this our compound, any car wey park anyhow, we go clamp am. You dey unlock or you dey go? If you no gree, I dey go sleep.' E adjust cap, like say na him be area boss. Some other guards dey corner, dey gist, dey pretend say dem no see us.

He turn, ready waka with him keke. E dey walk like person wey sure nothing fit touch am. E even wave another guard: 'If dem no pay, abeg call my line.'

See as my mama dey suffer for ambulance, my hand dey shake, sweat dey drip for my palm. If I no pay, na my mama go suffer. For my mind, na 'God punish una' I dey shout, but I hold am. I no wan add wahala.

'Oya, unlock am!'

'Cash or transfer?' E talk am like person wey dey sell gala. No even blink.

'Transfer.' I swallow my anger, grit teeth, transfer ₦20,000. My hand dey tremble, my heart dey bleed. The money pain me reach soul.

The guard just carry key unlock the left front wheel, stand up, look me, no talk. E dey whistle, like say na normal day. E drop lock, dust hand, small time remain, e for dance shaku shaku.

'Three more locks dey there. Abeg unlock all of them quick!' My voice crack, nurse dey beg from back: 'Abeg oga, time dey go.'

'Na ₦20,000 for each lock. You pay ₦20,000, I unlock only one.' Guard voice cool, like market woman dey price fish. I feel slap am, but I dey hold myself, hand dey shake, chest dey hot.

The pain choke me. Tears dey my eye. I wan shout, but my wife voice dey my ear—'no fall our hand.' I dey try maintain composure, but my inside dey burn. For this Lagos, na who quick pass dey survive.

'Why you no talk am before now?' I dey squeeze face, people for compound dey watch, some dey mutter prayer, others dey record. E be like Nollywood live. I dey feel all eyes for my skin.

'No dey talk too much. I dey tell you now, no be so?' The guard dey yarn like street lord, voice loud, so all the compound dey hear.

Na so I just hold myself. For this Lagos, if you no control, wahala fit land on your head. For my mind, I dey pray, 'Make thunder fire this kain greed.'

'This one na pure extortion.' I talk am, but I know e no go change anything.

The guard stretch leg, yawn, like say we disturb am from sleep. E dey chop our money, patience short, but e still dey form boss.

'You dey unlock or you dey go? If you no gree, I dey go back sleep.' E turn, pretend say e dey waka slow, but e dey watch if I go call back.

Halima, my wife, dey signal me from ambulance, make I calm down. I gats control myself. If anything do my mama, I no go forgive myself.

Halima eye dey red, but she dey wave, 'Abeg, try cool down. Think of mama.'

The guard sabi say I no get choice, na why e dey do like area boy. E dey smirk, like say e win lottery. I dey see am, but I swallow pain.

No option, I grit teeth, transfer another ₦60,000. My phone dey vibrate, alert dey ring. My hand dey shake, sweat dey drip, but if I no pay, na my mama go suffer.

'Abeg unlock am sharp sharp. If anything happen to my family, I no go leave you.' My finger dey point, my voice dey shake. For compound, some people dey hiss, others dey shake head. Na Naija style—everybody get opinion, but nobody go help.

As I talk am, the guard pause. E slow, eye dey measure me, like say e dey check if I fit do anything.

'Which kind talk be that? You dey threaten me? If na so you wan do, I no go unlock am.' Guard voice high, like person wey dey call backup. Some guards dey look for corner, dey ready to join if gbege burst.

The guy turn, ready to waka go. E dey bounce keke, like say e sure nothing fit touch am for this compound.