Chapter 1: The Swap

After I enter SS2, my mama dey give me fifty thousand naira every month as pocket money.

Sometimes, when I dey collect that bundle, I go dey feel like Lagos big madam, even though I never cross Third Mainland Bridge. My classmates go just dey look me as if I be some kind juju child wey money just dey follow. In my mind, sometimes I even dey pray make dem no use jazz collect am from me.

My seatmate just dey eye me anyhow, e reach the point wey she come dey plan how to swap soul with me. Dem go dey whisper, dey look my shoe, dey measure my bag, dey calculate if na ritual or na luck.

You know as Naija pikin eyes dey sharp, she go dey peep every alert, dey check my lunch and new water bottle. She get that look wey say, "If to say I fit swap body with this girl, I for do am sharp."

She run go the big, fine school run car, dey cry, "From today, na me get the rich madam mama!"

She kneel by the car, her voice loud pass microphone. The drivers and other mamas dey look her, but she no send. She point the car key like scepter, as if she don win lottery.

Me, I just quietly carry her old, faded backpack, climb her mama small keke napep, and for my mind, I just breathe one big sigh of relief.

As the keke dey wobble for Ajegunle road, dust enter my eye, but I still smile. E be like say I just escape prison.

Thank God, I don finally escape from my mama.

I dey thank God for heart, say at least this new life go give me small peace. As the keke dey move, my mind dey imagine all the things wey I fit do now, wey my own mama for never allow.