Chapter 19: Wuraola, Gold of the House

“How old you be? Wetin be your name?”

He ask, voice soft, not like soldier. The way he dey look me, e be like say he dey see his own pikin for my face.

“Eight years. Mama dey call me bastard, herdsmen dey call me two-legged sheep.”

I talk am as e be. The shame heavy, but the words no go. For my mind, I dey hope say if I talk true, maybe my luck go change.

The old man face change small as he chop the bread. He look me from head to toe, his eyes red.

Pain dey for his face. He no talk, just dey look me. For our side, elders dey show love with silence, not too much words.

After some time, he pat my head.

His hand warm, steady. The pat dey gentle, like rain for dry sand. For my mind, I dey remember mama old touch, the one before wahala start.

“I think say you be only five.”

He laugh small, but sadness dey inside. For our land, suffering dey make pikin small, dey steal years from person body. His voice dey carry pity, not shame.

Then he push his own half bread for my hand.

Bread dey warm, hand dey shake. He no talk, but the act big pass words. For our side, to share last food na sign of true care.

“You never chop, eat more...”

His eyes dey beg, voice soft. He dey push me to live, to survive, even if world dey wicked.

After that, he cover his eyes and waka commot from the hut...

His silence carry pain. For our land, men dey hide tears, but I fit hear the ache for his step. The hut quiet, only my own breath dey sound.

White bread and thin pap na food wey I never chop before. I just manage chop small ugba with the pap.

The taste new, sweet, even as my own hand dey shake. I dey chew slow, dey imagine life wey food no dey scarce.

I fear say if I finish am, old man go only get plain pap left.

The fear dey heavy. For our place, to eat more than elder dey hard, but his own love strong. I dey wish say I fit make food plenty for all of us.

This na the first time I chop food wey normal people dey chop. I thank the old man well-well.

For my heart, I dey sing song of thanks. I dey promise say if I ever get power, I go share with others the way he share with me.