Chapter 6: The Broomsticks Stand

As we reach house, my mama face light up, relief show as she rush welcome us. Baba Afolabi just hiss, ignore her. My mama shift comot for road.

Mama just fall one side, like person wey carry heavy load. Baba Afolabi no even look her face. Everybody for compound dey peep through window, nobody wan show for open. Tension full air, you fit cut am with knife.

I confuse—Baba Afolabi dey always close to our family, e dey get along well with my mama. Wetin dey happen today?

Old stories dey say when spiritual man dey vex, even goat go hide. I dey try remember if quarrel dey before, but nothing cross my mind. The wahala pass normal.

But no time to think am. Baba Afolabi tell me make I put the basin of water for front of my sister-in-law body, then put the broomsticks inside the water, then bow to her corpse.

He talk am in low voice, but everybody dey hear. I dey shake, but I do as he talk. The cold for room dey strong. Even candle wey dey burn for side dey flicker like say e dey fear too.

I kneel down, knock head three times, each one strong. Baba Afolabi start to dey pray beside me:

I knock so tey my neck pain me. For our culture, na big respect you dey show if you fit do am three times. Baba Afolabi prayer dey heavy, Yoruba and Igbo dey mix for him tongue. His voice low, but e dey enter bone.

"Ngozi, I know say you die with pain for mind, but dead person no fit come back. Make we settle this wahala. From now, your people go dey light candle for your memorial all year. E reach so?"

The air thick as he dey talk. Candle wax dey drop like tears. I dey look my sister-in-law face, but her eyes dey shut tight. Everybody hold breath, nobody fit cough.

As Baba Afolabi finish, the broomsticks wey dey for basin just stand upright by themselves.

As I see am, na so my body freeze. Even my mama gasp, hand cover mouth. The broomsticks no dey move by wind, na something strong hold them. For our side, if broom stand for water, wahala dey.

"Chineke mo!" my uncle mutter under breath, fear grip everybody. Fear catch me, I almost jump.

My spirit wan jump comot for my skin. If no be say Baba Afolabi hold me with eye, I for don run commot.

Baba Afolabi face turn pale.

Even his lips dey white. Na so you go know say matter pass ordinary. For man wey don see plenty, this one still shake am.