Chapter 2: Old Friends, Old Fights

Yanshu Musa don dey this industry for seven years, carry plenty awards, and for millions of people eye, na perfect idol.

He get that superstar shine, but e still dey humble for public. Na person wey dem dey use as prayer point for house, as in, 'God, bless my pikin like Yanshu Musa.'

After all these years, I see am again.

But this time, na reality show bring am come as guest, and me, I just dey do camera work.

Me wey no ever dream say I go see am eye-to-eye again. For my mind, na two different world we dey now. I just focus, dey hustle my own, dey avoid wahala.

Na Yanshu Musa first time for reality show, so him fans full everywhere, dey expect make him show himself.

E be like say people dey count down for calendar, dey pray make him do at least one funny thing. The internet self dey ginger, dey beg make am trend.

As he show face, everywhere scatter. Photographers rush come like say na gold dem wan snap.

Some even dey push each other, one nearly fall inside gutter. Security sef dey sweat. Even those wey get sense for industry dey behave like children for birthday party.

My colleague tap me. "Yanshu Musa don land."

He eyes dey shine. You go think say na Santa Claus dem see.

"I see am."

For guest corridor, he just lower him head, pull cap down well, dey waka fast.

As per Naija superstar, him no wan make people dey disturb am for selfie. The cap low, almost cover eye. But you go still recognize am—na him style.

Even the back of his head make people dey shout.

Some girls dey for corridor dey shout "Musa! Musa!" like say na footballer. Security dey try calm dem down, but e no dey work.

I sharpaly on my camera, begin record as he enter.

Steady hand, focus correct. Even my heart dey race, but I no show am for face. I dey plan as I go run my hustle well.

Chai, this guy fine sha.

No lie, e too fresh. Na God do the handwork.

If I sell this video give him fans, I fit chop small money.

Market dey everywhere. Dem dey pay serious money for things wey ordinary cameraman record. I dey reason say this one fit buy me new shoe.

"Wait, no be Palm Hill College Yanshu Musa graduate from? You go that school too, abi? You sabi am?" my colleague ask me one kind.

His voice get as e be. You know that kind talk wey people dey use try drag secret from your mouth. E shock me small.

I pause. Old memory just flash for my head.

Like small tingle for back of my neck, I remember the old school corridors, suya joint for back gate, those loud exam bell.

That time, my name na Ijeoma.

That name carry weight that year. Ijeoma wey dey eat eba together for hostel, dey share pure water when light no dey, dey do extra lesson, dey help teacher mark assignment, dey run up and down for school event.

Inside snooker hall, I dey hold workbook, dey cry: "Yanshu Musa, abeg stop this fight. Do your homework before you go fight, ehn?"

E mean say I don tire. Snooker hall na the only place I fit drag am go talk sense into am. But the guy head strong like ogbono wey never done.

Blood dey drip from Yanshu Musa hand. The guy vex reach bone.

He don fight, the other guy run, but instead of peace, na me dey shout. My voice crack, eya.

"Ijeoma, you too dey worry person."

He talk am with face like person wey chop bitter leaf. No respect, just pure wahala.

"You no dey hear word? Abeg comot."

He nearly throw me out, but I still stand my ground. Old habit die hard.

...

I clear my mind, smile small, shake head. "He be superstar now. How I wan take sabi am?"

My voice soft, no one see my inside. Wetin concern me? I dey talk as if star and earth fit relate. I just dey package, make wahala no jam me.

Once person blow, dem dey cut off old friends—no wan make past wahala drag dem down.

Na truth. People dey fear make their old story leak, especially when dem don reach where dem dey pray go. Better to forget old padi than wahala.

For school sef, Yanshu Musa name no too good. E fit be say him no even wan see old classmates.

That time ehn, even teachers dey talk him matter. Sometimes e go fight, sometimes e just disappear. Nobody dey even sure say he go make am.

And that time, he no like me at all.

Abeg, make I just gather his video, sell am for fans, collect my own. No need to disturb am.

No be today I learn to mind my business. My own na to chop my hustle, pack my small money, go house.