Chapter 4: Gate Wahala and Mama’s Fight

As I hear that one, I wan jump come down go beat am, but my wife hold me back. Halima grab my hand, whisper, 'You wan make police carry you? Think of mama!'

'Abeg, no worsen matter. Make we save your mama first. We don waste almost one hour already.' Her voice dey shake, tears dey road for her cheek. Even the nurse dey pat my back, dey say, 'Oga, no vex, focus on your mama.'

See as my mama dey sweat for pain for ambulance, my anger dey boil. If anything happen to her, I go show that guy pepper. I dey look my hand, dey imagine slap. But I just dey pray. I dey see mama chest dey rise, fall. I dey tell God, 'If you help me, I go fast for one week.'

But I just grit my teeth, pray make we reach hospital on time. Ambulance dey run, but Lagos traffic fit hold even spirit. I dey pray make road clear.

'No wahala, after my mama treatment, I go come back for am.' I talk am low, but for my mind, I dey plan how I go report am give elders for compound.

Na so as we reach estate gate, I understand wetin the guard mean by 'you no fit go'—the main gate lock. Iron gate tall, chain thick, like say dem dey protect diamond. My mind cut. Driver dey knock horn, guard no even answer.

Gate guard dey talk for walkie-talkie: E dey shake like person wey win lottery. 'Dem don reach. I don block dem.' My patience don finish. I dey breathe hard, hand dey shake. I don tire for wahala.

'Open gate! Patient dey inside ambulance, we need rush go hospital!' I dey shout, some neighbours dey gather, dey look. Nobody wan join mouth, everybody dey fear estate wahala.

The guard no even look us: E dey play game for him phone, dey cross leg. 'Pay fine then you go. ₦10,000. Transfer or cash?' E dey talk as if na buying airtime.

The driver vex curse scatter: E curse for Yoruba, 'Shebi una dey mad ni? Open gate before thunder fire you!'

'I don drive ambulance for over ten years, never see people block ambulance before. Open gate or I go jam am. I dey run red light for emergency, na your yeye gate I no go break?' Driver threaten, start to reverse, press horn. People for gate dey gasp, some shout, 'Oga, abeg, no try am o!'

The guard just point the iron gate wey dem chain: E flash padlock, shake chain. 'Try am if you get mind.' E waka enter booth go drink malt.

My mind dey boil. I dey wonder who raise this kain people. I quickly calm the driver down. That iron gate na ogbonge. To jam am go just cause wahala.

I whisper, 'Abeg, make we pay, no spoil matter. If we break gate, na police go come, na another story.'

My wife bring out ₦10,000 to pay, but I stop am: I hold her hand, whisper, 'We go dey encourage them. But if na only way, no wahala.'

'Dem dey oppress us, you still wan pay?' Halima dey cry, but e still dey try find cash for bag. Her hand dey shake.

My wife just burst, tears dey her eye: She wipe eye with wrapper, say, 'Wetin I go do? You no see say mama don faint from pain?'

The nurse sef dey worry: Nurse dey tap mama, dey monitor pulse. 'We need reach hospital sharp sharp. Every second dey important.'

Na there I know wetin e mean to swallow anger. I close eye, breathe in. I no wan shout, I no wan faint.

See as the unlocking guard dey ride come with him keke, my mind dey tell me make I reverse jam am. But see as my mama dey faint, I just hold myself.

I dey clench fist, but I dey remember say police station no far. The guy collect the ₦10,000 from my wife: E smile, say, 'I tell you say you no fit escape, you still dey do like sharp guy.' E even whistle small tune as e dey go.

'Abeg open gate!' My wife shout, even the nurse dey add voice. People for estate dey peep, dey record with phone.

Before e reach gate, I just hear my wife shout from ambulance: Halima voice crack, 'Mama! Wetin dey happen? Wake up!'

Na so the monitor begin beep loud. Nurse dey shout, 'She dey lose breath o!' My heart nearly stop.

The guard face change small. As e dey open gate, e dey shout: E begin dey shake, talk loud, 'No involve me o, no come blame me!' E dey run open padlock, hand dey tremble. E no want wahala reach this level.

I rush go, kick gate open, jump enter car. Nurse dey hold drip, driver dey shout, I jump in, slam door. For my mind, I dey pray—God, abeg!

The driver just press accelerator, zoom go General Hospital. Ambulance dey fly for road, driver no look back. Lagos traffic, people clear, everybody see say na real emergency.