Chapter 2: From Uncle House to Book Juju Land

The day after WAEC, I just open my eyes—

I first think say I still dey for my uncle house, but as I blink again, everywhere don change. Mosquito no dey buzz for ear, no sound of my uncle radio, just cold mat and strange people voice dey come from outside. No be my mattress I dey, na big mat wey dey ground, cold breeze dey enter from window wey get wooden shutter. I smell burnt firewood and something like bitterleaf soup from far. My heart just jump.

Next thing, I don waka enter world of cultivation.

The place be like film. People wear white robe, some tie scarf, some dey shine bead for neck. Everywhere get one kind holy silence, but e still dey busy, like morning market. I see shrine, see people dey practice one thing dem dey call 'spiritual pose.' One woman dey fry puff-puff for corner, the smell just dey tempt my belle.

Small headache hold me, then new memories just rush enter my head like flood after heavy rain for Aba.

As the headache dey hammer my brain, na so my eyes dey see things wey I no remember before. I see myself dey sweep, dey carry bucket, dey answer yes sir, no sir. My new memories dey blend with my old ones, like abacha and ugba for evening time.

My name na Ifedike. My papa and mama die since I small, so I grow up as orphan for my uncle compound in Umuola village.

Ifedike, meaning 'brave heart.' I remember my uncle, Uncle Ebuka, always dey call me 'Ify' when e dey vex, but for better day, e go call me full name, smile dey im face. Our family compound no too big, but na where I learn say to survive for this life, you gas get sense, get strong mind.

When I reach sixteen, na Elder Brother Tunde from Palm Grove Sect pity me, beg the sect leader, Baba Musa, make dem take me as outer sect disciple, even though na against their rules.

Baba Musa, na tall old man, white beard reach him chest. Dem say e sabi things pass everybody for this area. I hear say na because Elder Brother Tunde see me dey cry for streamside one evening, na im e beg Baba Musa make dem no leave me for street.

My work? Na to dey sweep floor and run small errands for the sect—fetch water from borehole, wash plates, buy food from mama put.

I dey quick with leg, so I fit run market sharp sharp. Sometimes, na me dey buy garri, sometimes na me dey collect egusi from Mama Ireti for junction. Sweeping the big hall na my daily morning exercise.

Dem dey call am "outer sect disciple," but truth be say, the whole Palm Grove Sect na only five people dey inside.

We dey form big, but if you count us, you fit use one hand finish. Me, Tunde, Morayo, Uncle Gyang, and Baba Musa. Sometimes I dey ask myself if all the 'sect' talk no just be for mouth.

But Baba Musa talk say my talent no good, say cultivation path no dey my destiny.

The thing pain me like pepper for eye, but I bone face—no wan make dem see my mind. Every time e talk am, I go just dey smile like say e no enter my body. But I know say for this world, if your spiritual root no pure, na so so errand you go dey run.

The day wey I enter here na the same day wey dem dey do big Ancestral Realm Selection among all the sects for the Nine Districts.

That day, everywhere dey busy. People dey paint face, dey carry banner. For Umuola, dem for say make masquerade dance, but here na everybody dey carry book and staff.

This selection dey happen every five years. All the sects, big and small, go gather send their best young disciples go compete.

If you fit win, na your life don change. Dem fit give you big post for sect, or even find wife join. Na why people dey prepare like say na war.

If you shine well, dem fit even pick you enter Ancestral Realm, where better opportunity and treasure full ground.

They say for Ancestral Realm, na only the best dey enter. Some people talk say if you enter, you fit learn how to call rain, or make yam grow overnight. Me, I no too believe, but hope dey.

So, every time dem dey do Ancestral Realm Selection, all the sects dey focus well.

Even people wey no too like each other, na that time dem go greet, dey smile fake smile. If you slack, na your village go laugh you for market.

Three days ago, I follow Baba Musa and my senior brothers and sisters, we waka thousands of miles go the venue—Oluwaseyi Sect.

We trek, we enter canoe, we even follow camel one day. My leg swell, my back pain me. But as we reach Oluwaseyi Sect, all the suffering just vanish from my mind because the place too fine—like palace for king.

Oluwaseyi Sect na the biggest sect for Nine Districts. Their foundation strong, experts full everywhere—different from our own Palm Grove Sect wey just dey one corner nobody dey remember.

Oluwaseyi Sect get big big house, plenty statue, the gate big pass anything I don see before. People dey bow when elders pass. If you see their disciple, na white cloth dem dey wear, no stain at all.

Baba Musa no get big hope for this selection—im just say make we try win at least one match.

E no want disgrace, but e know say make we just try reach quarterfinal, we fit thank God. I dey pray say at least one person go win.

And as I don waka enter here, no get talent, just ordinary outer sect disciple, I just wan see how all these genius people dey shine.

I dey look dem as dem dey display, dey hope say maybe na today my own luck go shine.

But after I watch the first match with all my hope, na so my mouth open, I shock.

I swear, my heart almost fall comot. Wetin I see? I no fit explain.