Chapter 1: Shame For Zobo Money

Na just zobo I go buy for Amarachi, but before I reach, two oyibo don dey hover near her like market flies. Sun for that side dey roast my skin, harmattan breeze no fit reach there—na serious Lagos heat dey ginger my vex, join the smell of fried akara wey dey float for air.

I never even reach the zobo woman finish, na so I see the two oyibo dey circle Amarachi like say she be fresh meat for market. My mind just switch, body dey hot.

One oyibo with belle like calabash dey stretch hand touch Amarachi braids, as if say na suya stick. The other one just dey video everything with him phone, face dey shine like ajebo wey no get wahala.

The way the man dey extend hand, e be like say Amarachi hair dey give am joy. Her eyes dey roll, but she hold herself, no wan cause wahala for public. The other oyibo steady dey record, phone dey flash, no shame at all.

I vex shout, “Wetín you dey do?!” I rush go, push the oyibo man commot body sharp.

Crowd pause movement, some dey look my side, others dey whisper, "Who be this sef?" Zobo woman dey signal me make I calm down. For my chest, na thunder dey drum—who dem be wey go dey play with my babe for my front?

The guy just bone, act like say nothing happen. “I was only saying a few words to this beautiful young lady.”

Him accent bend like bread wey fall for water, but e dey shine teeth like say na greeting contest. Even the way e stand, e sure for himself pass everybody for market. One agbero for corner hiss, “Na wa o, oyibo no dey fear again.”

“Abeg, na lie! I see you dey touch her anyhow!”

My voice loud, some mama dem begin whisper, dey size Amarachi from head to toe. For this our side, na abomination for person to dey touch woman hair anyhow, especially for public. I even block Amarachi small, make dem no fit reach her again.

The guy laugh, disrespectful, like say na me dey do clown show. One aboki man dey shake head, mumble, “Dis oyibo dey craze.”

“Are all men in your country this insecure? I just got a little close to your girlfriend and you lost your temper. If you ask me, anger like that only comes from incompetence.”

My hand dey shake. If to say na house, I for don land am slap. The words dey cut me like blade, people dey watch. For Naija, we dey respect elders, but this one dey do anyhow.

The other foreigner burst laugh, give am thumbs-up. The one wey dey record just dey giggle like pikin wey see balloon. E raise thumb, dey hype the madness.

No be the pain for my body dey worry me; na the shame. I wan punch the guy, but my girlfriend drag me back.

I fit feel eyes for my body. Some market women don dey look like say dem wan intervene, but my babe grip my arm, whisper, “Ikenna abeg, calm down now!”

“Oh, abeg, e don do.”

Her voice low but serious, she pull me back small. Her hand cold for my wrist, heartbeat dey race. I no blame her, public wahala no be her style.

“Dem just dey film, dey ask if I wan join them. Why you dey overreact? I tire for you.”

She just dey bone, vex for face, then turn go meet them, begin smile.

She bite lip, look ground, then force smile—like person wey dey act for film. She adjust dress, raise shoulder, smile for the camera. I just dey look—no be the Amarachi wey I know. Na public, and she dey form.

“Sorry, he dey too quick vex. No mind am.”

As she talk that one, my heart just cold. She glance my side, then look crowd, eyes dey weigh her option before she really smile for the camera.

The oyibo man look him friend, eye am, then tell her, “Madam, you too fine. Na why we choose you for our street challenge. You go fit help us?”

He dey act like say na big achievement to pick woman for road. I just dey boil, but Amarachi dey shine teeth, like say na celebrity she meet.

My babe even begin shine teeth. “Which kind challenge?”

She bend head small, laugh, her voice sweet like honey. All the market people wey dey look before, now dey focus on the scene. Some dey shake head, others dey whisper.

“We dey do street kissing game—anybody wey gree kiss, we dash small change.”

The man talk am like say na play. He show her him phone, video dey roll. I dey sure say dem dey wait for mumu reaction.

“Eh?”

My girlfriend face just red sharp sharp.

She shift leg, look my side, then glance the crowd, as if she dey weigh her options. Her eyes wide, lips shake small. I know that look—we no dey joke for this kind thing for here.

I curse, “Thunder fire una! You think say I no dey here?”

I throway hand, step front, voice don high. Some boys for the other side dey laugh, dey ginger me with "Ikenna, show them!" I dey feel the tension, my chest dey rise.

The oyibo man no even send me, still dey talk to my babe. “I fine, you fine. If we kiss, e normal.”

He talk am like say na handshake. Even zobo woman hiss, "Abeg, see craze."

“Normal kill you!”

I know say no need to argue with these two, so I just grab my girlfriend hand, dey go.

My grip firm, but no be to hurt her—na to carry her commot from shame. Some people for the crowd dey clap, others dey jeer. I dey sweat, hand dey shake.

She begin shout, “Why you dey drag me like that? You wan break my hand?”

Her voice crack, e draw people attention. Some mama dem hiss, “Na so love dey turn wahala.” One mama for market corner say, "Una two, abeg stop! Small thing, na fight!"

I no even answer, just dey waka. But those two foreigners follow us like say dem be fly.

I dey try fast waka but dem still dey trail us. For Lagos, dem no dey fear anything, I reason. Even agbero go respect boundary small.

“Madam, your boyfriend dey violent o. You need our help?”

The one wey dey video begin dey speak louder, almost dey address the crowd. "Shey una dey see am? Dis guy dey vex!" E be like say dem wan use the drama collect more followers.

I face the oyibo man. “Oga, I warn you: if you wan dey misbehave, abeg carry your wahala go back your country. If you touch my girlfriend again, e no go funny!”

My voice carry bass, some boys clap for me. "Abeg, warn am!" one shout. My leg dey ready, in case e wan try anyhow move.

“And you, stop to dey video!”

I point at him phone, sharp. Person fit use that kind thing spoil somebody name for internet. E no go happen for my turn.

By this time, some people don gather, dey point, dey talk for corner.

Na normal for Lagos, drama dey bring crowd. People wey dey hawk pure water don slow down, dey use free show relax. I even see one old man dey shake head, dey mutter, "Children of nowadays."

My girlfriend, shame and vex catch am, she pull her hand from my own, shout, “Ikenna, you dey craze? Why you dey waka like say you wan run?”

Her face red, voice loud. I see her eyes dey glass up, like person wey wan cry but no fit. My mind soft small, but vex still dey.

She rub her wrist, face me. “No matter wetin dem talk, at least dem still get respect, dey act like gentleman. But you, you just dey disgrace person for public—no be shame dey catch you? Even if you no shame, me I dey shame.”

The words heavy, e scatter my chest. I see two secondary school girls dey giggle, dey record for phone. Lagos wahala.

“So na me dey disgrace you? I dey try carry you commot from these two mumu people and na me dey shame you? Abi you wan join their yeye challenge?”

My tone crack, but I no fit hold am. I dey look her, dey hope say she go gree with me. But her eye dey sharp, mouth no dey rest.

“When I talk am? No think say I no know wetin you dey do. You just dey use ‘protect me’ as excuse—you wan control me, no be so?”

E be like say slap land my face, my face just dey hot.

The air just choke, even sun hot pass before. My body dey tremble, but pride no go let me cry for public.

Those two idiots stand for one side, dey look us like say na film dem dey watch, even dey mock me for English, talk say I be loser, even my babe no fit stand me.

Their voice dey loud, e dey pain me. "Guy no fit even hold im woman!" the other one dey shout, as if na their country we dey.

Vex hold me, I swing punch give one of them, but the guy dodge sharp.

I for land am better blow, but e dodge like say e dey expect am. People gasp, market dey scatter. "Fight dey o!" person shout.

He warn me say if I try am again, he go call police, say na me dem go arrest. I no even fear, wan hit am again, but my babe just bone face, “Ikenna, if you disgrace me again today, na break up straight!”

The word land for ground like thunder. I pause, people dey watch. My chest tight, I dey sweat.

I just look her, no believe am.

My hand dey mid-air, I for no believe if dem tell me say Amarachi go ever yan me like this. Na market square, people dey record. My mouth dry. Na so my heart fall like NEPA light—quick, sharp, no warning.

“Amarachi, you sure say you know wetin you dey talk?”

Voice crack. Na so my guy Chuks call from crowd, "Guy, easy now!"

We don dey together for two years, and today, just because of two strangers, you wan break up with me?

The shock hit me. My mind dey rewind all our old memories. My leg weak.

“You think say you too get mind? Abeg, you just dey rude, you no get sense, you too dey rush!”

She pour am like hot pepper. Her words dey bite my skin, crowd dey murmur. Some dey side me, some dey side her.

Her words just dey cut me like knife.

Even my guy Chuks don quiet. No be small disgrace. I fit feel tears near my eye, but I package.

That time, the oyibo man stretch hand to her. “Madam, he too scary. For our country, we dey respect women. Make we help you commot here.”

He stretch hand like say na prince, voice cool. Some market women hiss. "Dem dey respect women for obodo oyibo, but for here, na their own law," one yarn.

My girlfriend even shift body go his side.

She actually pause like she dey think am.

My mind dey scream, "Amarachi no do am!" but her eye dey empty. She breathe in, shoulder drop. Her body language show say she dey confused.

As I dey vex, I just talk, “Amarachi, if you really follow them go, make we break up.”

Voice low, but e carry finality. Na so people hush, crowd dey silent. Even pure water seller pause.

She freeze small.

She look me for eye, lips dey shake. Her palm dey ball into fist. Na first time I ever talk break up for real.

Na the first time since we start date wey I talk break up.

Na so silence fill the air, even market noise pause. I dey wait, hope say she go change her mind.

Next thing, her face change. “So you sabi threaten person now? Okay, make we break up. I go follow them today, since we don break, no concern you again!”

She talk am loud, no fear, carry chest. Crowd murmur. Some dey snap finger, "Wahala!"

For my front, she waka follow those two foreigners.

Na so my head dey spin. I watch as she go, no look back. The foreigners dey happy, dey show her something for phone.

The oyibo man waka small, then look back, raise eyebrow, give me one kind look wey make me wan punch am.

The look dey disrespectful, like say e win battle. I feel my teeth dey grind, but na pride hold me back.

I just dey wonder for myself: Na so I just dey too soft for this babe? Abi na me dey do mumu, dey allow her do anyhow, reach the point wey she fit disgrace me for public, even follow strangers—foreigners join!

I dey reason my life. Na me dey always give, dey try please her. For this public, na me come dey look like fool. E pain me reach bone.

Anytime, anywhere, I dey always show for her, give her chop money, dey support am, never complain.

I dey remember all the time I dey rush from work go her side, even when rain dey fall. No be today matter. My heart dey heavy.

Anytime we quarrel, na she dey always threaten break up, and no matter who wrong, na me dey always beg first.

People dey look us as we dey argue, I dey always surrender, say make peace reign. Now, I dey wonder if na me dey spoil her.

Two years wey we dey date, she never remember my birthday once, but me, I dey always prepare for her own, every festival, gift, everything dey complete.

On her birthday, I dey buy cake, dey arrange friends, dey make her feel special. But my own, na normal day, nothing extra.

Even when her parents, her brother, or all her relatives come, na me dey drop everything, pay for everything, follow dem everywhere.

I dey carry them go eat, dey buy things, dey make sure dem no lack. Dem dey always thank me. Amarachi go just smile.

I think say I dey treat her well, but as e be, na only me dey try. She no send me.

I dey look my phone, dey see old pictures. E pain me, tears near my eye, but I swallow am. For this life, e good to dey wise.

The three of them just dey waka go, my babe dey gist and laugh with them like say nothing happen.

She dey bounce, dey smile, dey reply their jokes. E be like say na new friendship she find, no look back.

The oyibo man dey near her. At first, she shift body small, but as he put hand for her shoulder, she no move again.

I just get one bad feeling.

My body cold, as if person pour ice for my back. Something for my spirit dey warn me, "Ikenna, this thing no pure."

As I think am, the two of them kiss.

For open road, broad daylight, dem hug and kiss.

The other foreigner dey happy, dey video everything.

People for the road stop, dey shout. Some dey record, others dey laugh. One old woman cover face, dey mutter prayer; some boys dey shout, “Aunty, no spoil market!” One small boy talk, "See as aunty dey kiss oyibo!"

My brain just blank. I shock.

The sound for my ear fade. E be like say my whole world scatter. I stand like tree.

I remember the first time she smile for me, that shy look wey make my chest sweet. Now, na only bitterness remain.

When I dey chase Amarachi, e take me more than six months before she gree date me. Second month, she gree make I hold her hand. Third month, when I try kiss am, she say I no get respect, give me bone face for one week.

I dey remember how I dey beg, dey buy shawarma, dey send sweet text. For her, na value and respect first.

But now, she just kiss stranger—foreigner wey she know for less than ten minutes.

Market people dey shake head. One mama talk, "Ah, our girls don change o!"

Dem kiss pass one minute, still no stop.

Na so everybody dey look. Me, I dey shake. My heart dey bleed.

When I finally clear, I curse loud, pass through grass, come kick the oyibo man with all my power.

I no reason anything, na pure rage. My leg fly, connect with him side. Crowd scatter, people dey shout.

That moment, na only one thing dey my mind: make I just finish this guy.

I see blood for my eye, na real fight I dey find. E pain me pass as if person steal my destiny.

The oyibo man stagger back, look like say he wan fight, but him friend talk something, he calm.

The friend hold him arm, whisper something for him ear. I see them dey calculate, but dem no too ginger like before.

But me, I no gree. Amarachi come stand for front of the foreigner.

She stretch hand, block me. Her face strong, eye red. People dey shout, "Make una stop!"

“Ikenna! Why you still dey follow us?”

Her voice dey shake. For her face, na both shame and vex dey mix. She no wan make I disgrace her more.

I see the two red mark for her face, my anger just burst.

I see finger print, the skin don hot. E pain me more, my hand dey shake. I for no believe if dem tell me say Amarachi fit reach this level.

I point her nose, shout, “You dey cheap like this? Which kind relationship you get with am wey you go dey kiss am? You no get shame?”

Crowd gasp, some dey laugh. Amarachi face harden. Her body language show say she no send me again.

She eye me back. “Who you call shameless? We don break up. I be single babe! Wetin I do with anybody no concern you.”

She raise chin, her words sharp. I see some girls for back dey clap. The world just dey upside down.

Anger, shame, everything just dey burn me.

My vision dey blur, the whole market dey spin. I dey feel as if ground go open swallow me.

I no even need mirror, I know say my eyes don red.

Sweat full my face, my hand dey tremble. Na shame, na pain, na everything together.

The two foreigners begin hype her. “Madam, congrats, you don commot from one useless guy.”

The one wey dey record even snap selfie, dey hail her. The whole scene dey turn film.

The oyibo man even hold Amarachi hand for my front. “That kiss just now sweet die. I feel say our spirit connect. I fit know you better?”

He dey form gentleman, but na fake. Some area boys dey hiss. "See as oyibo dey yarn!"

She allow am hold her hand, look me, then talk, “Make we dey go. I no wan stay here. I go buy una lunch.”

Her words no get remorse. She dey shine teeth, dey use the moment shine. My heart dey tear.

The oyibo man quickly put hand for her shoulder, answer loud.

He carry voice, dey show like say e win jackpot. Even passersby dey pause look.

The other one warn me, “If you try any nonsense, we go call police. Na you go enter wahala.”

True talk.

For Naija, once police enter, wahala fit pass your power. I reason, calm myself. For market, dem fit just collect my phone, my money, sef.

I just weak.

My leg dey heavy. I no fit talk, just stand dey look. My heart dey bleed.

If Amarachi be normal woman and person bully her, even if dem beat me finish, I no go complain.

I dey reason say if na true love, I for fight, even die for her matter. But this one—e pass me.

But today, she just break my heart finish.

I bend head, hold waist, tears near my eye. My chest dey pain.

I feel like joke. I no even remember how I reach house that day.

My leg waka anyhow, I dey move like zombie. I no fit reason anything. For road, I dey block sound, just dey float.

I drink burukutu till my leg dey wobble, waka aimless for street till midnight, see say I miss plenty calls—all from Amarachi mama after ten o’clock.

I carry ogogoro, pour am for cup, dey drown my pain. Phone dey ring, but I no pick. The pain too much.

She even send WhatsApp message:

“Ikenna, your uncle and I dey come tomorrow. Abeg come pick us for park. Amarachi get work, make she no take leave.”

The message dey formal, as if nothing happen. I just hiss. I wonder, who dey lie—Amarachi or her mama? My mind dey twist.

I just hiss. Your daughter get work, na me go take leave.

I drop phone, curse small. My own life don turn errand for another person wahala. I no fit sleep well.

I off my phone, go sleep.

Room dark, but my heart still dey race. Sleep dey come like stranger, but no choice. I just close eye, hope say tomorrow go better.

For my mind, only one thing dey ring—how I go fit face tomorrow?