Chapter 7: Ifedike’s Spirit Shine

After small silence, people begin shout.

The noise loud. Some dey clap, some dey wave handkerchief. I see one old woman dey thank God say pikin never die.

"This boy still young like this!"

One man from back shout, e voice rough. Another woman dey nod head, dey talk say "E sure for am!"

"E fit use this kind heavy old people proverb!"

The elders dey look me, dem dey whisper among demself.

"Which sect this one from? How we no sabi am before?"

E shock dem, because dem never hear my name for this kind big place.

Me, I no even get time for their talk. I just dey look Musa straight.

My mind dey clear, my body still dey shake small, but I gree stand my ground. Musa dey look me like say I be snake.

E face twist, e dey vex, e eye dey red.

Musa teeth dey grind, e chest dey rise and fall. E fingers dey squeeze e sleeve.

"You this small pikin, you wan die!"

E shout, e spit fly. The crowd hush, even birds quiet.

Musa look him sleeve, then throw more attack:

E wipe sweat, adjust cloth, draw deep breath, then shout again.

"Golden calabash of palm wine worth ten thousand coins, clay plate full of rare food!"

The words na like thunder. E mouth wide, hand for air. Wind gather, sand dey fly.

Audience gasp:

Some children dey cover ear, elders dey open mouth.

"For old people proverb, Musa fit don reach junior secondary level!"

One teacher for crowd dey nod, dey write for slate.

"Even if na just JSS1, e no be small thing for primary school pikin to face am!"

The crowd dey count fingers. The level dey high, tension dey.

"That boy don finish be that."

One man dey tap leg, dey pity me.

...

But I no answer Musa attack. I close eye, talk softly:

I breathe in, remember my mama voice. The words come from deep, I no plan am.

"Ancient city of Umuahia, new province of Makurdi. Stars dey divide east and west, land connect Jos and Lokoja..."

As I dey talk, one kind feeling dey grow for my body—like say rain dey fall for dry land, everything just dey happen by itself.

I feel one coolness for my body, like when rain first touch sand after harmattan.

Cool breeze from my heart, spread everywhere.

I feel strong. The breeze carry me, I dey float small for mind.

"Embrace three rivers, surround five lakes, control Idah, lead Oyo..."

The words come with power. The people for crowd dey feel am. Some dey whisper my line, dey look sky.

I open eye, take one step. Instantly, crack full everywhere for the arena.

The ground crack, dust rise. Some people stand up, dey shift back.

"The land get wealth, treasure full ground, dragon light dey shine for old Benin ruins..."

My voice loud, my heart dey beat strong. The sky even dark small, characters dey form for air.

Plenty characters gather for my front, turn to sword blades for sky, all point go Musa.

The swords dey float, dey shine. Musa dey look, e mouth open.

Musa fear catch am, e fall for ground, body dey shake.

Musa leg dey wobble, e no fit stand. E dey beg small small.

"This one... na secondary school level expert!"

The elders dey point, dey shout, dey hail.

"That boy don enter level of secondary school student!"

The crowd dey roar, dey throw cap for air.

"This kind young secondary school level expert—na which kind spirit be this!"

The arena dey scatter, people dey find space to see me well.

Just as I wan finish Musa, one skinny old man just show for front of am.

The man tall, im eye sharp. Im white beard dey twist like fresh egusi. E just appear, no footstep.

Musa, like person wey see helper, shout:

Musa jump, kneel for ground, e voice weak.

"Baba, abeg save me!"

Everybody quiet. Even my own heart pause. Wetin go happen next? The whole arena dey wait. One mama for back dey shout "Chineke! Na my village pikin be this?" Baba Musa eye dey red, elders dey hold breath. For my mind, I dey pray make my village ancestors no go leave me for hand. The next move fit change everything.