Chapter 6: The Accused

After we pass plenty security, we reach the main chamber.

Chamber big, full of chairs and flags. Old portraits for wall—past heroes, some don die, some run. Na here dem dey settle big matter.

All the important people for Ability Union and Defense Team dey there.

If you look face, you go know say na power dey room. Everybody dey form serious.

Dem put me for one odd position:

Chair wey dey far from table—like accused seat for court. E funny, but I no talk.

Na the seat wey dem dey use for accused people.

Some people dey look me like suspect. I just sit down, cross leg.

"Timi, talk wetin happen last night."

Chief Okechukwu voice loud, e no get smile. E dey expect answer sharp-sharp.

One middle-aged man talk with pride.

E dey rub ring for finger, face dey shine from power and money.

Na Chief Okechukwu be that, president of the Ability Union.

This man sabi strategy—dey plan like chess master. Na him dey decide big matter.

Twenty-four years ago,

When city dey burn, na him dey under block for junction. E for die, but God say no.

When demons destroy city upon city,

The night wey city fall, everybody dey run. Chief Okechukwu try save people, but debris block am. Na so we jam.

Chief Okechukwu dey trapped under debris. Na me rescue am.

I pull am out, patch am for leg, carry am go hospital tent. That day, e almost die.

I see say e get leadership potential, so I recommend am for Union.

E get sense. After that rescue, I tell Union say this man fit lead us. E get heart.

After years of struggle,

E fight well, carry everybody along. Na so e climb reach top.

E finally become president.

People believe am, follow am. I support am, even after I go border.

Four years ago,

Night of celebration—people dey dance, gunshot for air, everybody dey happy.

The night wey e take office, e call me say na me e dey grateful to pass for this life.

E hug me, e eye red, say without me e no go see this day. I remember am like yesterday.

But now, just four years later,

E face no get joy again. Distance dey, respect vanish. E dey act like stranger.

The man wey dey front me don turn stranger.

Life get as e be. People change when power land.

No be the Chief Okechukwu I know before.

Now e dey act official, dey follow paper, no dey follow heart again.

I clear throat, begin talk, "Last night, one hundred thousand demons invade. I no know why, but I no see any backup."

Na true I dey talk. I expect say e go ask question, but before I talk finish—

Before I fit finish,

Voice just cut me like machete.

One angry shout cut me off.

Chief Okechukwu no fit hide e vex. E voice loud, e hand dey shake.

Chief Okechukwu face red, e dey vex and shame.

E no believe me, e no even want hear.

"Which kind lie be that! You dey talk say we no fit see one hundred thousand demons?"

E voice carry for chamber. Other leaders dey nod, dey murmur. Some dey shake head like say na story for Nollywood.

Musa look me up and down, "If you wan lie, at least make am small. You dey see us as mumu? Abi you wan talk say Defense Team and Ability Union na joke?"

E dey smile, but e eye dey show say e wan disgrace me.

As e talk am, everywhere just burst.

Na so argument scatter room. Everybody dey shout, dey complain.

People begin shout.

Noise full everywhere. Some dey bang table. Some dey talk say Timi don dey lose sense.

"We want the truth!"

Somebody shout, voice sharp. Everybody echo am.

"Somebody dey lie for here!"

Another voice. Na chorus. Even those wey no know wetin dey happen dey join.

One voice shout.

No be today e start—people wey no know details always dey shout pass.

Musa do sign, make staff show surveillance video.

Na so one young officer run go switch on screen. Everybody eye dey shine.

Over hundred screens light up.

Screens dey everywhere. If you see, you go think say na cinema.

Most of the screens just dey show everywhere quiet.

For some, na empty border. For some, na just birds dey fly.

Na only small few show any low-level demon.

Small shadow here, small demon there. Nothing like war.

"Wetin you wan talk now?"

Musa voice soft, but e dey mock.

"No be say we no dey border, so we no sabi anything!"

Dem dey use evidence wey dem fit control. For their mind, e be like case don close.

"Ten demons don turn hundred thousand for your mouth. Na so you dey form hero since?"

Dem begin dey laugh, dey talk. Na so all my sacrifice dey sound like joke for their mouth.

Musa and Chief Okechukwu just dey smile, dey proud.

Their body dey relax. Dem dey sure say na them win today.

I remember one old saying:

For my village, dem talk say when goat dey eat yam, na that time hunter dey sharpen cutlass. Where people full, wahala dey sure.

Where people full, wahala go dey; where wahala dey, na politics full ground.

Na so e dey. Politics and wahala be twin.

Chief Okechukwu no be the same Chief Okechukwu again.

I dey look am, dey remember old days. E no dey look my eye again.

Ability Union don change.

Union no be the hope wey e be before. Power don blind some people.

After twenty-four years of fighting alone,

I just feel tired. My heart dey heavy. All this sacrifice, na here e end? If no be say man dey shame, I for cry. But soldier no dey cry for public.

I get recording device for body,

Na old habit. Always dey ready in case.

But no need to bring am out.

I know say even if I play recording, nobody go hear am. Their mind don made up.

Dem no go ever believe me.

Today, na me dey sit for accused chair, tomorrow, anybody fit sit here. Life no balance.