Chapter 3: Okada for Survival

After some rings, call connect.

"Hello? Papa, you dey dig yam now?"

I hear background noise—sound of hoe for ground, fowl dey make noise. My papa strong, na real farmer, and for this time, e no dey like city wahala.

"Yes, how you take know? Wetin happen, Ifeanyi?"

His voice strong as always, like person wey no dey ever worry. I dey feel am for bone.

Just like before, my papa and mama never hear about zombie warning.

If no be phone call, dem fit dey dig farm till evening. Na so village life dey—news dey waka slow reach there.

Normally, unless call dey, dem no dey check phone. The farm far from town, and during yam harvest, dem dey comot before day break, so dem never see news.

If rain wan fall for that side, na only cloud dem dey watch, no be weather app.

But na better for me like that.

At least dem go fit prepare in their own way, no panic.

"Papa, abeg hear me—weather go crazy these next few days. E fit be earthquake, fit be flood."

My voice dey crack, but I force am calm. I no wan make dem panic, but dem gats take me serious.

"No be so, Ifeanyi. I check weather forecast, dem say everything go fine." Papa no believe me.

I wan shout, but I just reason say e no go help. For village, people dey trust their own sense pass government talk.

"I serious o. Government don warn. If you no believe, check the video wey I just send you. Everybody dey rush buy food." I send am video wey I just record for supermarket gate.

I use WhatsApp sharp sharp, attach video. As e play, I fit hear my mama voice for background—'who dey call you for farm this hot sun?'

Few seconds later, Papa voice come again: "Pikin, no worry buy food, just come house. We get two acres yam, twelve chicken, and plenty bags of fresh maize."

I smile small—na true, food no be problem for our house. But e no reach if water wahala start.

Last time, when dem tell me make I come house, I see say traffic don block, I no reason am. I just say I go stay for my room, government go fix am. Who go think say na real doomsday dey start?

Na lesson I learn—family dey important pass city enjoyment.

This time, I wan dey with my family survive together.

For this country, na family be your last bus stop. E get as e be when wahala land.

I sabi say we get one small farm truck for house, we dey use am carry farm produce. I tell papa make he load all yam wey dem don dig, carry as much maize as e fit, pack all better things. Then drive go Okpoko Hills, ten kilometers from house, wait for me.

I even remember say we get old jerrycan for water—make e pack am join.

Okpoko Hills high pass one thousand meters, na small stream dey flow from top. E be tourist place before, but now nobody dey come, you fit enter anyhow.

For my mind, I dey thank God say my family house near hill. Na some people no get any high ground at all.

After I drop call, sweat don soak my body as I reach the other side, but I no slow down.

My shirt dey gum my body, my shoe don soak. If to say I dey do marathon, I for win gold today.

Store by store dey pass till I see the shop wey I sabi.

E get as the shop dey—na only one green umbrella for front, and big poster of motorcycle dey hang for door.

"Oga, abeg wait!"

My voice nearly crack, but I gats try my luck. Na now or never.

Tall, big man dey pull shop shutter down. As he hear me, he turn look.

The man get round face, be like person wey dey vex say dem disturb am for sleep. E still tie towel for neck, sign say e dey rush go house.

"Oga, abeg, I wan buy okada—okada!" I dey pant, hand for knee, my mouth dey break.

If to say I get energy, I for kneel beg. Okada na only hope now.

The man wave hand. "No sell, no sell. I wan go stock up. My wife don dey vex."

True true, for Naija, if wife dey call, you no gree hear, na your own wahala. But today, I gats try beg pass.

I just use phone scan POS for glass. Shop speaker shout, "Bank transfer receive, two million naira."

As the voice talk, people wey dey waka for street pause look me. For this period, who dey buy okada with two million just like that?

Oga eye open. "Guy, you win lottery?"

E dey look me like person wey dey craze, but the money clear am sharp.

One area boy shout, "Omo, na Yahoo boy dey buy okada now o!" The whole street burst laugh—Naija cruise no dey ever finish.

Yes na. I win the jackpot wey God dash me—life itself.

For my mind, I dey thank my village ancestors join. This kain money, na only God dey arrange am.

But I no fit talk that one. I wipe sweat, stand well, say, "Oga, abeg, I dey rush go meet my papa and mama. See as traffic jam, car no fit move."

I dey try talk like person wey no get wahala, but my eye dey red. My village dey call me.

"Give me your best okada. I no get time, as I buy am, I go. I no go delay you."

Oga dey reason me, e look my face, then point. E fit dey fear I fit change my mind.

"Okay." The man open glass door, show me one red okada. He tap am. "This one—Jincheng 150, that China machine wey Lagos boys dey use for dispatch—strong, no dey tire. One point five million here. Everything dey, you fit ride am now."

The okada shine like new bride. I touch am, feel the leather, no waste time at all.

I check am, no waste time. "I go buy am."

I just nod, dey thank God inside. No need to do long talk, time dey go.

"No need to return the extra five hundred thousand. You get fuel? Give me some gallons, and two spare tyres."

Oga nod, e still dey shock. "You be correct customer. I get fuel, I get tyre. Make I bring tools join."

"Abeg, give me tools for the okada join."

I dey pack all the things as e dey drop am, my hand dey shake. E no easy to dey think of survival for this kain rush.

Before ten minutes waka, I don dey on top my new okada, five fuel gallons tie for back, two new tyres hang for side, cutlass dey my waist.

My mind dey race, but my spirit dey strong. I fit dey fear, but I dey ready.

E look like say I wan go war.

I dey laugh for my mind—if anybody see me, dem go think say na action film dey happen for real life.

Before I move, I tell oga make he find high ground, hill if e fit. He look me somehow—I no know if he go hear, but na so e be.

I see say e dey reason me, but Naija man no dey ever carry last. If e hear, e go survive.