Chapter 2: Dream for Eagle Square

I don dey get this plan to carry my eighty-year-old mama go Abuja for two years now. Every time I see that photo for her parlour wall, my heart dey cut. I go dey imagine how e go be if mama waka that Eagle Square with her own leg, see all those flags, soldiers march, and dignitaries waka pass. E go sweet her for belle, I know.

The thing dey my mind steady, all because of one photo wey dey my mama parlour wall—na fake Eagle Square background, e fake no be small. The frame dey hang for wall near the old clock wey dey tick loud, dust gather for corner, but every Saturday mama go clean am with small rag and Robb. Even the plastic frame don crack for one corner, and the picture itself dey fade. But mama dey wipe am every Saturday like gold. E mean plenty to her, pass money sef.

Na those set-up photos dem dey snap for old people for village, one thousand naira for one frame. Dem go bring that green screen come market square, people go line up, wear borrowed agbada, pose as if dem dey inside government house. My mama join, happy like say na real trip.

First time wey I see am, I just tell am, "Mama, this background too fake."

She laugh, that her toothless grin, shake head. "You no sabi as e sweet me! Make person pose for big place like this, even if na lie."

But my mama eye just dey shine with hope. "Wetin you sabi? This na Eagle Square o. I no go ever get chance reach there for my life—so this photo self na blessing."

Her hand go touch the photo gentle, voice low. For her, na dream come true—even if na photo trick.

Why she no go get chance?

I begin think of all the things wey don hold her back—money, wahala, and the plenty work for village. For this Nigeria, old woman to travel na big thing. Sometimes, even road sef no dey safe.

That time, I just talk anyhow, but when I calm down, I reason am—e no really easy to carry my mama go Abuja.

I remember the last time I carry her go local government, na wahala. Now Abuja? But I stubborn, I talk say e go happen. Even if na last thing I do.

My mama get four daughters. All of us scatter for different places, but the wahala nor dey ever finish. Sometimes, na only phone call dey join us together.

The first born na farmer all her life. She sabi read, but she never comot for house. Her children no too try. Apart from the food wey she dey bring give mama everyday, you no fit count on her for anything. Her laugh dey loud like bell, but her pocket always dry.

Aunty Amaka, always with her rubber slippers, come market every week, but no get spare change. Na her way. She dey give, but only from her farm.

Second sister dey do well, but she don japa go UK with her children. Apart from the monthly money wey she dey send, she never show face. She dey send pounds, but her voice dey carry homesick for every call.

Aunty Bisi, always sending small pounds, dey post photos of snow and small-small oyibo children, but she dey miss home. Still, na only her money dey reach village.

Third sister get leg wahala, she need her own children to dey look after her. Aunty Halima na correct woman, but since her leg wahala start, e hard to see her waka pass veranda. Her children dey carry her go hospital, but she nor dey complain.

As for me, I use two years arrange this journey. Every night, I dey write list, dey pray make God help me. I dey save every kobo from my pension, even stop buy suya for myself. Just to make this trip happen.

To even get chance, na wahala. Na when my daughter-in-law talk say she just wan rest for house during Workers’ Day, I jump on the opportunity to talk about the trip. That day, I dey kitchen dey fry akara, na so I hear her dey grumble about needing rest. I quick tell her, "Ehen! This na good time to carry Mama go Abuja."

At first, dem no gree. I insist, "Your grandma don reach eighty, she dey old every day. Who know if she fit travel again? I wan make her wish come true while she still dey strong."

I dey use emotional talk, even sprinkle small tears. I tell dem say, "If I no do this now, my mind no go rest."

Na when I promise say all my property go enter my son and daughter-in-law hand when I return, dem finally gree.

For my mind, I dey laugh. All these years, dem dey wait for that property matter. Na so I use am buy peace.

To be honest, I don dey plan to give them the property since, but never see the right time. This journey na Godsend excuse. Make dem rest, abeg.

Next na to persuade my mama. She dey worry about her okro and beans for house, dey fear for her chickens. I even buy her special chicken feed, arrange with Mama Uche to come check her animals while we dey travel. I know say Mama no go rest if she think say her farm dey suffer.

I know deep down, she dey fear say she go turn burden, or say her children go dey complain say she too wahala. Sometimes, na so old people dey think, dey fear say dem dey overstay their welcome. I dey assure her say e nor go happen so.

I ginger her, talk say na my daughter-in-law book the tickets and hotel, and my son company dey sponsor the trip as part of their family project. Na so my mama smile gree. Her smile sweet like honey. She clap her hands, say, "God go bless una for me!"

Finally, I arrange itinerary, book hotel, plane ticket, even the sight-seeing tickets. I even print out the details, put for envelope, so mama go see say e real. Just to book Eagle Square pass, I spend four days dey refresh website. Thank God, everything set.

That website wahala nor be here. Sometimes, power go go, sometimes network no gree. I just dey pray for NEPA and MTN.

When I imagine my mama excitement to enter plane for the first time, I just dey laugh. I dey picture her dey hold my hand, dey look window, dey ask, "Na so plane dey fly?" My heart dey sweet me.

Who know say as I dey pack, my daughter-in-law go try block me from going Abuja again. I nor even believe say after all my hard work, wahala go still show face.

I hug my mama tight, but my mind no still rest—family wahala no dey finish.