Chapter 3: Last Responsibilities and Family Ties

This relationship hard to protect.

Divorce wahala na another level. For here, na family go first carry am for head, then lawyer, then society go judge you. I just dey in the middle, dey swim for hot water.

She send lawyer come with divorce agreement.

Big man matter, everything dey formal. Lawyer waka enter office, briefcase full of document. My wife dey stand for back, face cold like block.

I no fit divorce—at least not yet.

My head dey heavy. I dey calculate money, legacy, but love matter dey mix everything.

I dey prepare for financing, wan leave her tens of millions in cash.

I no wan make she suffer, no matter wetin happen. E pain me, but na the best I fit do now.

If we divorce now, investors go think say I dey move money.

Na so Nigeria business dey. Investors dey watch every move, ready to shout fraud at the slightest thing.

I tell her make she wait for divorce.

My voice soft, almost beg. I try explain, but I see say she no dey hear am.

She reply, “If you no gree, I go sue. If love don finish, make we end am sharp. No dey hold my life and refuse to go. I no believe say you fit fall hand like this.”

Her words sharp, like knife. The kind pain wey woman voice fit bring, e dey different. E dey reach bone.

As I see her message, I just laugh myself.

For my mind, I dey laugh, but tears dey my eye. I dey think, na me reach this level?

She dey overrate me.

She think say I still be that hero of before. She no sabi say na shadow remain.

Before…

Before na before. The man wey she marry don fade.

How I wish I still remember before.

If to say memory fit dey for market, I go buy am for any price.

As I no reply, she send another message: “My business dey move well now, I no need you.”

I read am, my heart skip beat. Na pride dey speak, but na pain dey inside.

I drop phone, tell Amina, “She dey insult me.”

My voice heavy. For this life, insult from stranger na breeze. From wife, na storm.

Amina reply soft: “She no know say all the orders na from you. To transfer money like this na loss—tax, transport, cost go chop am. She fit get just thirty percent.”

Amina dey try calm me. She sabi all the hidden support, the tricks, the sacrifice.

I say, “Thirty percent dey okay. Make everything legal. No let her enter wahala.”

I dey reason her future. Make e legal, so tax no go bite her. My own wahala plenty already.

Amina nod, pack the documents, sigh: “You dey burn money for her pass as if you dey burn am for fire. Investors don show. Make we go meeting.”

She dey worry for me, but work no go wait. She arrange my files, my jacket. Her sigh long—like person wey dey carry heavy load.

I know say everything dey end.

For this life, sometimes you fit see the finish line. My own dey clear.

After we sign agreement today, once money land, I go burn the money well.

No holding back. Last responsibility before I comot.

She go get that thirty percent, live soft life.

I just hope say peace go follow am. I no want make my mistake drag her down.

And me, na Switzerland straight, to end everything.

I dey picture the snow, the quiet, the foreign nurse. Na my own exile.

Investors fit dig my grave, grind my bones after.

Na small thing. Na so life be. People dey remember you only when e go benefit dem.

But e no matter. Society na jungle.

Everybody dey find their own. If you no sharp, na you go dey bottom.

He dey find my interest, I dey find him capital—the difference be say na my life I dey use bet.

For this table, everybody dey gamble. My own stake big pass others.

I no even remember how to tie tie again. Amina help me gently, arrange my suit.

Her hand gentle, her face calm. She dey smile small, try hide her worry. For her mind, e dey pain am to see me like this.

She talk soft: “Today na your last fight. I don respect you for years. I no believe say you go die with people cursing you.”

Her words warm me small. Na hope she dey try plant for my mind, make I face my last battle with chest.

I ask, “I fall your hand?”

For me, her answer matter pass any other thing now. I dey search her face for truth.

She shake head. “To be your pikin for work na my biggest pride. Even if you forget your life, I go always remember.”

Her eyes dey shine with small tears. Her voice dey tremble, but e strong. She dey swear loyalty.

I say, “I keep money for you. After I die, investors no go let you rest. Run go another state—people still dey wey owe me. Dem go protect you. I no remember them, but I don arrange am for diary.”

I dey pass baton. Make she no fall for the same pit. I don mark out road for her, even if I no go fit walk am myself.

She finish the tie, smile: “Make we go.”

We stand up together. For that moment, e be like say I get small strength back. I straighten my back, follow her lead.

We come out. Under everybody bad eye, I waka go meeting room.

The corridor hot, generator dey make wahala for backyard, but everybody still dey listen for drama. The corridor long, people dey whisper, dey point. Some dey pity, some dey gloat. Na so e dey be for here.

Investors come with Mr. Okoli. He smile, stretch hand greet me.

His handshake cold, but his eyes dey burn. For him mind, na new king dey arrive.

As we shake, Amina phone ring. She answer, her face change.

Her brow knot, her mouth tight. The air choke, like NEPA just take light.

The staff don dey expect am; their wicked faces come dey happy.

People dey peep from door, dey gossip. I fit hear small giggle from corner.

Amina whisper for my ear: “Company account don freeze.”

Her voice like thunder wey strike for silent night. My chest tight, sweat begin drip.

My mind cut.

Everything blank. E be like say time freeze, only my heart dey race.

She add, “Madam don carry court order freeze am—for divorce property matter.”

E choke. Na so story turn overnight. The same woman wey I dey try protect, don press the button.

See irony.

Life get as e be. All my run-around, e still reach me.

I no remember her goodness again.

I dey try dig memory, but nothing dey come. Only this fresh pain dey sharp.

After all I do for her, the last thing I remember na…

Only bitterness remain. Na this last blow go stay for my mind.

She give me the final blow.

E fit pain, but na my fate. Man no fit control everything.