Chapter 4: Keke—The One We Hide

Our daughter name na Kamsi, we dey call am Keke.

Her full name na Kamsiyochukwu, meaning "as I asked from God." She be the prayer answer wey come first, before her brother. Small, black beauty, eyes sharp like her mama own.

If she still dey alive, she for be twenty-eight this year.

I dey imagine her as big woman, maybe she go don get better job, dey help her mama for market.

When Keke reach eight years, me and my wife Morayo decide say we go try our luck for city.

The news come from my friend wey get work for Alaba market. He say make I come try electronics business. Me and Morayo dey hustle, money no dey. City dey call us, but we fear make we no go carry wahala follow body.

To survive for city no easy, to carry two pikin go just dey add wahala.

House rent, school fees, food—everything dey pile. For my mind, I dey calculate, but e no still make sense. That night, Morayo bring matter for table.

The night before we wan move, Morayo just talk say she no wan carry Keke go city, na only our seven-year-old son she wan carry.

Her face hard, voice no get pity. I look her, surprise dey my face. She just dey arrange bag, no look me eye to eye.

My mama and papa don die, so the children no get grandpapa or grandmama. If we no carry our daughter go city, who go look after am?

I remember when my mama dey alive, she go never let this kind thing happen. But now, nobody to talk sense into us.

"No need for anybody to look after her. We go just lock her for house and behave as if she no dey."

Her words sharp like razor, I swallow spit. For this our land, some people dey act like say girl pikin no too matter. The thing pain me, but I no fit fight my wife that night.

My wife words shock me well.

My chest dey rise, anger and fear dey drag inside me. But as man, I just keep quiet. For our culture, sometimes men dey swallow pain.

But she no send: "Wetin dey there? For this our area, how many girls dem dey throway since dem born? At least we raise Keke reach seven. E don do. For this our place, dem dey talk say girl pikin na visitor."

Morayo dey shake head, arrange wrapper for waist. She dey reason am as normal thing. Some neighbors sef no go ask if dem see girl pikin vanish.

"But..."

My voice low, hope say she go hear sense. But she no even look my side.

"No talk again. I don decide. Tomorrow, I go show you wetin you go do."

Her words final like chief judgment. I feel my eye dey wet, but I hide am.

Morayo like boy pass girl and she stubborn well-well.

She always tell people say boys dey carry family name, girls go marry commot. I no dey like am, but na so she be.