Chapter 2: The Day Promise Break

The day the Okafor family return capital, dem show level for road. Their motor dey shine, tassels wey get jewel dey hang for the canopy corner, and the window side na pure gold with fine carving.

E be like say na king dem dey welcome. You go think say na Sallah procession, as crowd full everywhere. Sun dey set, but the Okafor convoy dey throw shine for all road. Motor na the type wey only big men dey drive—one look, you go know say dem pack money reach here. Children dey run, women dey wave wrapper, dust dey rise for air.

The guards for front no carry weapon wey you fit see, but dem just dey move quiet-quiet—everybody na real ogbonge fighter.

I sabi say for Naija, na when person no show weapon you suppose fear pass. The guards steady, dem eye sharp, hand dey for back, every step dey calculated. If person blink, you fit miss the way dem dey scan everywhere, like say dem dey protect money for bullion van.

I just shake head, point some people for the procession, tell my best friend Halima, “That one wey dey front, na me pick am up. The fourth person for third row dey allergic to alcohol; I even save him life before. The fifth for second row, na me deliver the small goat wey he like pass... See as Ibrahim Danladi use all the secret guards wey I train for am to escort the heroine come back capital. E dey pain me no be small.”

As I dey point, my finger just dey trace old memories. "See that one wey ear big like satellite dish, I help am run from thieves last year. The small one for middle, I patch him leg after one battle. Everybody for this convoy, I sabi their wahala. E just dey do me somehow for belle, as if na my own children dey go."

Halima shiver, hold my arm tight.

"Why we no just go your mama put go watch the drama? Must you drag me climb tree? You know say I dey fear height."

She grip me like say if breeze blow, she go fly. You know Naija babe and wahala—if e no reach for drama, she no dey do am. As she hold me, her hand dey shake small. I just dey laugh inside—Halima na hard babe but height go always humble her.

“...The manager talk say Ibrahim Danladi don carry all my hidden palm wine go do party for Okafor family. I vex come out... Wait, see that one—no be your Musa Bello?”

I just dey point, dey gist, as if na market we dey. My voice carry am reach Halima ear, her eye wide. "Palm wine wey I hide reach, dem don use am run party for people wey scatter everybody life." Before I fit finish vex, na Musa Bello I sight. My padi Musa, Lion of the North, dey shine for horse. Everybody eye dey there.

For back of the procession, the youngest grand general since this chieftaincy start dey ride big horse, guard everywhere. This same Lion of the North wey see blood for battlefield, now dey look the woman wey dey peep from motor front—him eye full of love.

See as Musa Bello, the same person wey dey scatter heads for war, now dey look Amara Okafor like say she be last plantain for pot. His eye dey soft, e dey shine like torch. E remain make e come down, kneel give am.

Halima stop to shake, just dey pluck some sweat hair from my arm. She mumble, “Na wah for all of them.”

Halima just dey pick my arm hair like say na egusi seed, her face squeeze. She no fit shout, but I know say her mind dey judge the matter—how men go forget wetin people do them, dey fall in love anyhow. She shake her head, "Men, ehn—if na food, dem go lick plate for woman wey put pepper for soup."

Me and Halima land for inside this novel, our main mission na to help the two male leads make am. That time, Ibrahim Danladi just be poor, unlucky scholar for white. Musa Bello na orphan from disgraced chief’s people, nothing for am.

As I dey remember, I just dey smile. The first time we land, everywhere dey rough. Scholar Danladi dey cough, money no dey, book sef na wahala. Musa Bello, orphan pikin, nobody send am. Na me and Halima hustle so tey people begin notice say these two fit get future.

For five years, me and Halima—one strong, one wise—join body, use our sense and strength take help the two reach where dem dey now.

E no easy, but na partnership wey get base. We run errands, solve fight, plan strategy. Sometimes na market, sometimes na shrine, sometimes na palace—anywhere, we dey. If not for us, the two go still dey drink garri with groundnut.

After we finish main mission, system come ask if we wan go or stay do extra mission—say make we conquer the two leads. We no even think am, just gree stay. After five years as partners, we think say this extra mission go easy. Who know say after just few days, the two go forgive the heroine wey destroy their family and even carry her people return capital. E weak me.

See system wahala. If dem tell you say life get epilogue, believe am. We just wan rest, take am soft, but come see twist. The same people wey we help, na dem forget our matter, dey carry Amara and family as if na dem do Christmas for them. Me sef no fit talk. For Naija, e get some betrayals wey dey pain reach bone.

Halima talk, “Na your Ibrahim Danladi compile the case file wey clear Okafor family name.”

I say, “The people wey judge Okafor family that time, Musa Bello don clear all of them these days.”

We just dey throw talk. For inside this novel, any small thing, na your person go do am. Halima side her eye give me, "Your own Danladi na lawyer for Okafor people o." I answer, "Abeg, your Musa Bello no let any enemy of Okafor family see next day." The way we dey bicker, na so siblings dey run their own.

“Na your own.”

“Na your own.”

We just dey exchange blame as if na football match. You know Naija style—if matter no clear, na to pass blame. I point am, she point me. "Na your own," I say. She reply, "Na your own." Everybody just dey play defense.

The convoy stop far from Okafor compound. Musa Bello come down from horse for back, waka go front, stretch hand help the woman for SUV come down. The heroine, Amara Okafor, look the mansion—bigger than before—just lean gently for grand general arm, happy.

Even as dem reach, the air thick. Amara just dey look the mansion with wide eye, her face soft like person wey just see Jollof rice after hunger. She no even remember all the wahala of last five years. Musa Bello, steady, hold her like say na diamond.

I look that mansion. E dey near the palace, dodge market wahala, even sell for big money before. The main thing be say, e near Bello residence. If I remember well, na this house Musa Bello pick for Halima before.

If you sabi Abuja or Lagos, you go understand—house wey near palace, that one na government pikin. Na there big men dey hustle land. E shock me as I remember say na this same compound Musa Bello promise Halima. For my mind, I dey calculate: "So after all the struggle, e no fit even keep am for my padi?"

For years, Halima as woman serve as adviser for am, dey waka in and out of Bello residence, dey help am build connection, dey hustle for am. Sometimes, when e too busy, she go sleep for there.

For Naija, woman wey dey hustle with man dey always get talk for back. Halima, sharp, still dey take risk, dey run up and down for Musa, like true PA. Sometimes if night reach, she no fit go house—na inside Bello residence she crash. E hard, but she just dey do am for loyalty.

This era, woman reputation na paper. Small thing, everywhere go scatter. People begin talk, “Na that shameless woman wey dey follow Bello family orphan up and down.”

You know as town people dey talk for beer parlour, anything wey woman do, e go fly for mouth. "That one, she no dey house—always follow Musa Bello like shadow." Even small pikin for street don sabi her face. E pain me as I hear all those side talk. Halima just hold am strong.

When Musa Bello hear, him eye turn red. He promise Halima say, when he make am, as grand general, he go give her best house for capital, so nobody fit look down on her again.

That promise sweet for ear. For Naija, if man swear for woman, "I go buy you house for Lekki," woman fit smile for one week. But Musa Bello promise with hot anger, say when e blow, nobody fit call Halima name for bad mouth again. I remember the night well—how e hold her hand, make that vow.

Now, see the name for that gate—‘Okafor Compound.’

I just look the name, heart cold. All the hope, all the struggle, na another person collect the glory. Na so e be for life, but this one pain me as if pepper touch wound.

Halima just dey look that place, no blink. Until Musa Bello enter inside. She rub her eye wey don red.

“I no wan do the extra mission again. You still wan do am?”

I hold her hand.

“If you no dey do, me too I no go do.”

Halima eye red like person wey onion enter. I just draw her hand, squeeze am, make she know say e no only her dey feel am. "We go waka together," I whisper. For my mind, I dey swear—friendship pass any mission.