Prison Cell Love and Village Enemies / Chapter 2: Counting Days for Kuje Prison
Prison Cell Love and Village Enemies

Prison Cell Love and Village Enemies

Author: Stephanie Warren


Chapter 2: Counting Days for Kuje Prison

The blood for my head stop after some time.

Time no dey move for this place, na only suffering dey stretch. Sometimes I dey pray make sleep carry me go, but even dream no dey come.

For this Kuje Prison, no window anywhere, no way to know if sun dey rise or set—na only when warders bring food I dey take count days.

You go hear their footsteps, slippers dey shuffle for corridor, metal tray dey knock door. Na that sound dey announce say life still dey this prison.

Eba with small bitterleaf soup, or pap with cabbage. Soup yellow like old engine oil, eba strong like yesterday garri. Sometimes e go get small meat smell, but meat no dey inside plate.

If e choke you, just know say na hope you dey smell, not meat. E be like play, but na true hunger dey worry person here.

Na only one meal per day—no go kill you sharp sharp, but you no go even feel alive.

After I chop finish, na so my stomach go dey rumble like thunder. I go just lie down, dey press my belle, dey beg God for small miracle.

Most times, hunger dey bite me reach bone, but I no dey let am worry me. I go hug my empty belle, waka reach wall, use the wooden hairpin for my hair scratch one line for wall.

Every scratch dey remind me say I still dey alive. The sound dey comfort me, even as my body dey faint.

Day thirteen.

Lucky thirteen, but nothing lucky for here. My hand don begin pain from the scratching, but my mind no fit rest.

The wall na mud, e soft—just one poke, e go leave hole.

E dey funny as prison wey suppose strong get wall soft like bread. I dey hope say maybe e go help me run one day.

I reason say make I do like Shawshank, dig my way comot from Kuje Prison. But after three days, the hairpin jam stone. No fit dig again.

I just laugh inside myself. All this Yankee film wey dey deceive person, e no get branch for Naija. Stone pass me.

E be like say this prison dey underground—no wonder window no dey anywhere.

If na upstairs, at least breeze for fit enter, but here, na only heat and sweat we get as companion.

I weak small, but later I ginger. Every day as warders dey bring food, I go waka reach cell door dey find gist.

Hope dey say one day, dem go pity me. Na so I dey use my mouth dey run like tap, dey look for who go hear my cry.

"Warder oga, abeg which season we dey so?"

I dey ask like say I wan write exam, but na just to know if day still dey change outside.

The warder answer me with cold voice: "Middle of rainy season."

E just look me like person wey don tire for life. I fit feel the boredom for him tone.

I try force smile: "Oga, fit allow me come out do work?"

I dey add small beg-beg voice, maybe e go touch him heart.

"See, I get hand and leg—no better make I work than just dey chop food for here? I fit sweep, clean, serve tea, cook, wash plate, wash cloth, fan person—anything. At least, make me choir girl, I sabi plenty songs."

If dem gree, I for turn prison to camp meeting. I go dey sing all day. But the warder no send me at all.

Na always two warders dey bring food—one dey carry bucket, one hold lantern. Na only that time I dey see light each day—from corridor start reach end, e no pass two minutes.

That small lantern light dey shine hope inside my mind, but e dey go quick, darkness just swallow am like well water dey swallow stone.

But once dem go, na darkness swallow everywhere again.

The silence after dem leave dey heavy like night for village bush. Sometimes my eye go dey roll for dark, dey wait for miracle.

Fear go catch me, I go hold warder sleeve.

Even grown man go fear this kind darkness, talk less of person wey no know wetin go happen next.

"Oga, verdict never come—how long una go lock me?"

I dey try use small voice, like person wey wan beg for extra meat.

I no even sabi the era, whether na fantasy or real life, I no know their law or politics.

Na so my mind dey turn, dey wonder if I waka enter another world or just naija wey get wahala.

"Oga, abeg help me beg officer—if I fit get pardon for good work? I fit recite multiplication table, sabi English and French well. Any foreigner here? I fit translate."

My mouth dey run. Even if dem say make I dance, I for dance, just make I no die for here.

"I no sabi make glass, but soap I fit try. Na palm oil, caustic soda, saltwater, sulfur, saltpeter—ratio one to two."

I dey yarn anyhow, just to show say my head get sense. Person wey dey find escape go talk plenty.

"Oga, abeg, my people get silver, plenty silver! Free me, I go give you hundred thousand naira, no wahala."

I swear, if dem gree, I for promise dem land join. Na so hunger dey make person yarn dust.

The old warder just hiss, flog my hand.

The pain from that cane na reminder say prison no be home. The way e flog me, I know say my sweet mouth no go help here.

"Mad woman, you wan run scam for your papa? This place na third level of dungeon—all of una na born slaves for former chief’s house. People wey get money don run already."

Him voice dey high, e dey spit truth wey bitter. My eye just dey red, but I no fit do anything.

"Make I tell you true—the former chief dey under house arrest for new ruler hand, all him people don die or disappear. You slaves go lose head after rainy season verdict. As you still dey chop, better save your energy."

This kind news na cold water for body. Even hope run comot. As e talk am, my heart just cold.

I collapse for ground, vex dey my body but nowhere to vent, I grab cell door dey shout.

I bang the iron small, tears gather for my eye. I just dey release my pain, but the echo dey mock me.

"Ahhh! Person dey alive for here so?"

I dey scream like market woman wey dem thief her soup money.

"Where una elders? Make una find solution!"

If na my village, elders go gather do meeting. For here, na only silence reply me.

For this big Kuje Prison, na only echo dey answer me.

The echo long, like say e dey travel go meet ancestors.

Small time, I no fit know if na dream or reality. Sometimes I dey hear cry for far, but when I shout, nobody answer.

The cry be like the sound of night owl. Sometimes e dey sound human, sometimes like animal. My spirit dey shake.

Small animals for corner dey move, dey chop raffia, dey torture my last sense.

I dey watch rat dey romance him padi for corner, cockroach dey waka parade. I just dey count ceiling. Na so madness dey start.

I begin bite my finger, some I bite till blood come out. My mind dey run anyhow.

As pain dey catch me, I dey use am take remember say I still dey alive. E better pass to forget myself.

—Dem say when God wan give person big responsibility, e go first test your mind and body.

I dey reason am, but I dey wait for that my own breakthrough.

—I dey recite Psalm 23 for my mind, dey hope say my cup go run over, even for this dark valley.

—If I die, I fit transmigrate again?

My mind dey play trick for me. Maybe next time, I go land for palace?

—This hairpin don blunt—if e no fit kill me nko? Make I try knack head for wall?

I dey look the wall, dey measure am with my eye. Maybe I fit get luck if I try.

—But for history, new ruler dey grant pardon to show say him get mercy. If dem free us tomorrow, no be say I die for nothing?

I dey remember all the folktales my grandma dey tell. Sometimes e dey happen, sometimes na just sweet talk.

—Ngozi, no be coward. Hold body, just take am as nightmare.

I dey encourage myself, dey do pep talk like coach wey dey ginger team for halftime.

—Abeg God, give me one living person, just person to talk to.

I dey beg for company, even if na witch or winch.

Like say heaven hear me—

My prayer strong that night. For my mind, I dey say, 'God abeg, just give me one padi.'

On the forty-ninth day, as the tenth tally mark for wall remain only one stroke,

Hope dey sweet me. Maybe today different.

new person enter cell.

I dey wait, ear sharp like cat. Na so I hear keys jangle, door open, steps enter. My spirit stand attention.

You may also like

Prison Love or Lagos Wahala?
Prison Love or Lagos Wahala?
4.9
Ifedike preys on women just released from prison, but when he meets Morayo—a beautiful ex-convict with secrets of her own—his game spirals into chaos. As desire, suspicion, and danger collide, Ifedike must choose between survival and the one woman who might destroy him or save his soul.
Village Love, Betrayal and Blood Money
Village Love, Betrayal and Blood Money
4.9
Little Butterfly, the purest heart in her village, suffers unspeakable betrayals after a tragic accident leaves her memory broken. As she fights for justice in a world where love and innocence are traded for secrets and survival, she discovers the true cost of goodness. If she fails, everyone she loves stands to lose everything.
Married to Village Trouble
Married to Village Trouble
5.0
Dragged to the village after her real identity is exposed, the fake daughter faces heartbreak, shame, and a stubborn husband who treats her like a stranger. As village gossip and hidden desires threaten her pride, she must decide if she'll rewrite her fate or let old secrets destroy her last shot at love.
Palace Love or Family Curse
Palace Love or Family Curse
5.0
Amina, dragged from a mass grave and forced to hide her true face, must survive palace politics, old flames, and betrayal as love and danger chase her from Okpoko Hills to Umuola. One wrong move could expose her secret and destroy everyone she cares about. In this palace, only the bold fit dream for tomorrow.
Heartbreak for Prince, Love for Villager
Heartbreak for Prince, Love for Villager
4.9
Ifunanya risked everything to follow a fallen prince, only to be betrayed when power returned. Forced back to her abandoned village, she faces old wounds and a rekindled love with Emeka, her childhood betrothed. When the prince reappears, Ifunanya must choose between her past sacrifices and a future that finally puts her first.
My Roommate Exposed My Secret Love
My Roommate Exposed My Secret Love
4.9
When Obiora confesses his feelings to his roommate Tega, he never expects his secret to become campus gist. Betrayed, shamed, and driven out of his hostel, Obiora must find the courage to rebuild his life—and maybe find new love—in the most unlikely place. But as old wounds clash with fresh desires, Obiora learns that some betrayals cut deeper than heartbreak, and survival means risking everything.
After the Campus Queen Broke Me
After the Campus Queen Broke Me
4.6
To win Morayo, the untouchable campus queen, I fought every rival and faced hostel gossip—but in her arms, I found only coldness and shame. When whispers of bedroom failure flood the WhatsApp group, my pride forces a bitter breakup, only for me to watch her beg and break in the rain, while the real 'main guy' waits in the shadows. Now, as secrets, betrayal, and one drunken night threaten to destroy us all, I must choose: swallow my pain or watch the love story end with me as the villain.
Village Road, Broken Promises
Village Road, Broken Promises
4.9
Olisa sacrifices everything to help his village, dropping one million naira for a new road. But when the road plan skips his family house, betrayal burns deep. Now, Olisa must choose between peace and pride as village politics threaten to destroy everything he’s worked for.
Chained to the Villainess Princess' Bed
Chained to the Villainess Princess' Bed
4.8
They call me Da Sarki’s iron-hearted eldest princess—no man dares my whip, no servant survives my games. But tonight, I choose Garba Musa, the wild desert prince-turned-slave, chained and muzzled, to serve my darkest desires. If he breaks, I win; but if he conquers me, my whole kingdom will burn—yet my own heart may be the first to fall.
My Fiancé Became My Enemy’s Prisoner
My Fiancé Became My Enemy’s Prisoner
4.9
Yunshu’s world scatter overnight when her once-noble fiancé, Suleiman, is disgraced and sold like common goat in Jos market. With shame heavy for her chest and her family’s survival on the line, she risks everything to save him, only to discover betrayal, family secrets, and a dangerous alliance that could destroy them both. If she fails, she’ll lose her honour, her future, and the last hope for her people.
My Best Friend Snatched My Destiny
My Best Friend Snatched My Destiny
5.0
Zainab’s life scatter as her childhood love, Sani Garba, dump am for flashy transfer babe, Hauwa. Betrayed and pushed out of her own school, Zainab must fight to keep her family’s name clean and find new strength for herself. For Palm Grove, na survival or heartbreak—her next move fit change everything.
Framed by My Lover, Crowned by My Blood
Framed by My Lover, Crowned by My Blood
4.8
After my boyfriend and his new 'angel' frame me for plagiarism, the whole country drags my name through mud. But they don't know my real family is old money, and the pain they used to destroy me is the same pain they can't fake on the page. Now, as my enemies scramble to keep up their lies, I return home—ready to reclaim my power and expose the truth that will ruin them all.