Chapter 6: The True Story

E come clear say, the fight no get anything to do with babe.

People begin hear tori, mouth dey run. Old men for palm wine joint dey analyze, "If na babe, we for hear. This matter get k-leg."

Okoli Yomi never get girlfriend before. Think am: him papa die early, him mama no strong, plus small wahala for head, and him self no dey talk, slow small. Other people dey go city make money, but na only small work for mill e dey do. How e wan get babe?

Girls dey laugh with am, but nobody ever see am near any girl for night, even Christmas time when boys dey waka up and down.

So, if girls dey play with am, na just play.

Village girls go dey tease, collect palm oil from him hand, then go waka go dance with another boy. E just dey stand look, smile shy shy.

The truth be say, na Sani Dafe birthday, the village bully wan collect money and gifts, invite many mill workers, including Okoli Yomi.

For Sani birthday, dem kill goat, music loud, but e just use am collect money from everybody. "If you no bring gift, no chop!" Na so the boy dey do.

Nobody fit say no.

If you no show, tomorrow wahala go land for your head. Even elders dey send their pikin make dem go, so Sani no go carry grudge.

But Okoli Yomi fear go.

Na small boy for heart, e dey fear wahala like fire.

Because e no get money to buy birthday gift for Sani Dafe.

Even biscuit money e no get. For mill, e dey manage chop. If e see small change, na to buy soap for mama.

Sani Dafe vex.

For am, na disrespect. "How this Yomi go ignore my invite?"

As him papa get small government work, the boy don dey oppress people for village since.

Na every festival, Sani dey show muscle. E dey drive bike up and down, blow horn, carry boys follow body.

The village elders dey fear him papa, no dey talk anything.

Nobody wan lose contract or see trouble. So, dem just dey bear.

How Okoli Yomi go disgrace am like that?

For Sani mind, e be like say Okoli Yomi dey look am down, even though e no get shishi.