Chapter 1: Bride Price Palava

For this Lagos, if you no wise, your own go finish before you even start. Na so I learn am—after my own daughter use my name scatter everything. To make sure my daughter marriage strong like iroko tree, I buy house and car for her as bride price, everything paid in full. I no expect say all these things go just open her husband and mother-in-law eye—dem begin press my daughter make she dey collect more money from me. Wetin shock me pass be say my daughter agree—she use my name borrow money with wicked interest so her husband fit buy big man car, even carry the money wey her grandma suppose use buy medicine. At the end, her grandma die for house, no treatment. When I ask my daughter about all these things, she just bone face, tell me:

"Single-mother pikin no dey see love. Since I small, na only material things you dey give me, you no send my feelings. Na only for my husband house I dey feel how real family suppose be."

After I get chance to live again, I still happy send my daughter go marry. But this time, I no give her one kobo.

Today na the day wey the in-laws dey come talk marriage. Everybody for house wake up early, dey arrange everywhere, dey hope say we go make dem like us and secure my daughter happiness.

The sun never even rise finish, but my mama already dey sweep veranda. The aroma of fried plantain dey fry for old black pan, oil dey pop like firecracker, and the sweet smell fit wake person from deep sleep. The sound of radio playing Wazobia FM blend for background. My younger cousins dey run up and down with brooms, while neighbours poke head from their windows, dey watch as if na festival dey happen.

Ifeoma dey chop orange, hold my arm dey do like small pikin:

"Daddy, I go soon marry o. You go miss me? Abeg, no forget say you promise to pay for all the wedding food, plus buy me house and car as bride price."

She pause, her eyes dodge my own for small second, before she smile like nothing dey worry am. The orange juice dey drip for her chin, but she just wipe am with back of hand, act playful like say na my baby again. My heart squeeze small, but I just nod, dey observe her as if I dey look for sign of that old stubbornness wey I remember.

I still dey lost for the pain of my past life, never really come back to myself.

Sometimes, e be like say my spirit dey waka for Oshodi market—lost inside plenty noise. The wahala for last time too heavy, I dey try hold myself make I no begin vex for nothing. But inside me, na only God know as e dey do me.

My mama, with her soft face, push one piece of hot crispy goat meat for Ifeoma mouth.

She always get way to pet person, her hands steady as she dey encourage Ifeoma to chop better. "See this your head, your papa no fit leave him pikin. Na yesterday night sef, he just dey sit for parlour alone dey drink because you wan marry. Wedding matter, he don arrange everything finish."

Her eyes soft, but her tone get small warning—make Ifeoma remember say family dey watch am.

Ifeoma eye just shine. She hug my neck, dey cling to me like say she be baby monkey.

Her laughter burst out, fill the house like Christmas jollof aroma. My chest dey swell with pride, but my mind still dey drag shadow of the things wey don happen before.

"Thank you, Daddy, you too much!"

My mama come act like say she vex, tap Ifeoma small for back.

"You wan marry, but you still dey tie body to your papa anyhow."

She hiss playfully, but her smile still dey there, like say she dey hide her happiness under wrapper. Everybody for house just dey look the two of them, dey laugh as Ifeoma squeeze me more.

I just look my daughter wey I don train for twenty-four years with cold eye. As I remember everything wey she do for my past life, my mind just heavy. I go veranda begin smoke.

The cigarette bitter for mouth, but the breeze dey help cool my head. I watch compound cat dey chase lizard under the mango tree. My neighbours dey gossip for fence corner, but nobody send me. I just dey count my regrets like person dey count money after burial.

For my last life, Ifeoma transfer the house and car wey I buy for her to her in-laws, use my name borrow money with big interest for her husband, even thief the money my mama suppose use buy medicine—na so my mama die for her fifties.

The pain still fresh, like pepper for open wound. Sometimes e dey make my chest tight. I dey wonder whether na me fail as papa, or na Ifeoma just stubborn pass her age. The sun dey rise slow, as if e dey pity me.

Anytime I remember, I dey vex. How pikin wey I raise with my own hand go turn wicked like this? E be like say some people just born bad.

I rub my head, try remember all the nights I spend dey pray for her, dey hope say my love go change her. Na so person dey try, but pikin get her own mind. Sometimes, I dey ask God wetin I do wrong.

Early harmattan breeze blow me small for veranda, I shiver.

The cold cut through my wrapper, I pull my singlet tight. Somewhere far, mosque dey call prayer, dogs dey bark, all the noise blend together. The world just dey move on top my pain.

Na that time Musa and him mama, Aunty Hadiza, come propose. Ifeoma rush go meet Musa, cling to am, while my mama welcome them inside.

Dem enter compound with that their Northern swagger—Musa in white kaftan, Aunty Hadiza tie big scarf for head. Dem waka as if dem dey go Sallah, but for my mind I dey look dem well. My mama call neighbours make dem come witness, so everywhere scatter with people.

Musa mama, Aunty Hadiza, just bone face, waka come drag my daughter ear.

She drag Ifeoma ear like pepper seller wey catch thief for market. "You this girl, you wan marry and you no sabi cook? If you no fit serve the whole family, forget marriage!"

Her voice loud, scatter the quiet like pestle for mortar. She dey use that her hard Hausa accent, even drag Ifeoma ear like say she catch thief. People for parlour just dey look.

Ifeoma shout, free herself from Aunty Hadiza, run come hide behind me. For my last life, na so e happen. That time, I chase dem and their gifts commot—but e no change anything.

She bury head for my chest, dey cry small small. Aunty Hadiza hiss, look away, but I hold Ifeoma steady. The memory still dey sharp, like say na today e happen.

Ifeoma beg me that time, say na only Musa she go marry. For this life, she go chop her own wahala.

Na so she kneel down beg, her voice tremble, tears full face. For this new life, I no go follow her drag. I just dey wait make she learn.

I just smile gently.

"The in-laws talk true. Once woman marry, she suppose serve the family. If not, how she go be better wife? Ifeoma, better learn from your mother-in-law, no dey do like small pikin."

My voice calm, but inside me I dey test Ifeoma spirit. Make she see as e go be if person no dey protect her every time. My mama frown, dey look me like say she wan talk, but I hold hand up.

My mama wan talk for her granddaughter, but I stop her.

She squeeze her lips, eye red small, but she respect my word. House quiet small, only Ifeoma sniffling.

Musa just stand dey look, no talk, like say him agree with him mama. Ifeoma still dey confuse, but because she too love Musa, all these ones no reach her. She just nod quick quick.

Na so love dey blind. She no even reason say dem dey plan use am anyhow. My mind dey watch, but I keep face strong.

Aunty Hadiza hear my talk, her face just open, smile reach her ear.

She clap hand small, her face change like person wey win lotto. She clear throat, ready herself, begin dey show power for parlour as all eyes rest on her.

"Since in-law don talk, make I read the Musa family wife rules."