Chapter 3: Public Eye, Private Pain

Among the crowd, one useless young man was staring at me like say he wan undress me with his eyes.

His trouser even shift small. He forget himself finish. If no be for elders, e for talk rubbish.

He grinned at Tunde, making a show of greeting. “Oga Tunde, you dey enjoy o! When you marry, enjoyment go full ground. All of us dey jealous you.”

Dem dey use style mock me and my family. The talk sweet for his mouth, but na insult e dey throw.

Even though I was always proud, a woman’s chastity is everything. To be seen like that by all these people, I felt deep shame and anger burning inside me.

Na the kind disgrace wey fit make person mama tie head and cry reach market square. My own pride scatter like groundnut for fowl.

I could only hug myself, searching for a familiar face. My eyes were full of hope. “Tunde…”

I dey find just one person wey go stand for me. My eye dey hot, my heart dey beat anyhow.

At that moment, all I wanted was for someone to take me away, to protect me from all these hungry eyes.

Even ordinary wrapper to cover my body, I for thank person. Shame nearly swallow me.

But Tunde just wrapped his agbada tighter around Ifeoma, using his body to shield her.

E no even look my side. All him eye dey for that girl. Even Ifeoma dey form weak, dey hold am like say na im papa.

At the young man’s teasing, his face turned dark.

He no like wetin dem talk, but instead of defend me, e dey frown for me.

But instead of helping me, he barked at me: “Why you still dey here? Go inside the canoe and change your clothes! Stop disgracing yourself!”

Him voice loud like town crier. All the elders hear am. I for prefer make ground open swallow me. Even Mama Uju purse mouth, dey shake head. Shame nearly kill me.

My body stiffened. The wet clothes and the wind made me cold to my bones.

Chills dey run my body. My teeth dey grind. Even mosquito wey fly pass no notice me again.

Ifeoma’s face was pale, her hair sticking to her cheeks, her body shaking like say small breeze go carry her—looking so pitiful.

Some mamas for bank dey look am, dey whisper. "See as Ifeoma fine, see as God dey test good pikin." E pain me.

She held onto the man’s sleeve, her voice trembling as she cried, “Brother Tunde, I dey fear… I almost die.”

She twist her voice, eye dey blink. E sweet Tunde for belle.

“Ifeoma, no fear. I go carry you go house now.”

He talk am with that soft voice. Everybody just dey nod head like say e be hero.

Tunde bent down to comfort her, then, without even looking at me, carried her away.

Na so the matter end. My own fiancé carry another woman, my own blood, waka go.

I could only squat on the canoe’s deck, tears filling my eyes, my vision blurry.

If no be for pride, I for cry reach heaven. My body just dey shake.

I bit my lip hard, refusing to let the tears fall, until I tasted blood.

Pain pass pain. My mouth taste iron. Still, I no go cry for them.

That moment, my mind cleared.

For once, I see my life like film. Na so person dey learn lesson.

Childhood love? Tunde don show me who him be. I no want this kind fiancé again.

Na that day I bury my hope. God no go shame me, even if man try am.