Chapter 7: Togetherness Be Power

When I open eye, na heat wake me. I check phone—9 a.m. don knack.

The sun dey shine, the air hot. Even the wind dey blow dust enter my eye. My throat dry, my skin dey sweat.

Disaster dey near.

My heart dey beat, I just dey pray say God go save us. My mama dey read Psalm 23, my papa dey sharpen cutlass.

First, temperature go rise anyhow, then strong wind go blow, ground go sink.

I dey listen for radio with small battery. Radio dey play that old NTA emergency jingle, the kain wey dey make person fear. Broadcaster dey talk, "If you fit climb, climb. Stay for high ground. Make una pray."

I no know if shrine go fall, so we gats dey outside.

I remember one old pastor for our town say, "No build your hope for cement alone, build am for faith." Today, na only God fit save man.

Just behind shrine, small bamboo bush dey, old pass many years. The bamboo thick like bowl. I tie chicken two-two for bamboo, then tear sheet make three rope, give my papa and mama.

Na so we dey improvise. Na Naija way—if rope no dey, use wrapper. If wrapper no dey, use sheet.

For bamboo bush, e cool small. We sit down for ground, chop small breakfast, tie one end of rope for bamboo, the other for our waist. So if ground—

As we tie the rope, I just dey look sky. Thunder dey rumble, air dey heavy. My papa say, "No shaking. God dey." For my mind, I dey hope say this new chance go better pass last time. Together as family, we go face anything wey fit come. For Naija, na togetherness be the real power.

As thunder dey rumble, I hold my family close—no matter wetin come, we dey kampe together.