Chapter 5: Kidnap for This Lagos

Unlike Timi, Sunkanmi, and Abdullahi families wey get old money, our Musa family just blow recently. Na my papa use sense, hammer money, join their level.

Everybody for estate sabi the gist. My papa start from nothing, small trading, then big business. When money enter, e build new house, buy car, send us go private school. But the old money people never really accept us. Dem go smile for front, laugh for back. Dem go talk say we dey do too much, dey overdo party. My papa go just smile, say, "Make dem talk."

But e just dey surface. People dey mock us for back, call us new money, talk say we no fit last.

One time for party, I hear aunty dey whisper: "Na dem Musa people, dem no sabi old ways. Tomorrow now, dem go vanish." I hear am, but I just bone.

That time, I small, I dey vex, ready to fight anybody. But my papa go hold me, explain say if we wan last, we need to make friends with these people.

My papa get patience pass anybody. E go pull me for corner, say, "Pikin, calm down. If you fight, na dem go win." E go pat my back, talk sense. Na so I learn how to hold body, even when e dey pain me.

So I learn to swallow pride. I begin form say I no send, try blend in with all those rich pikin. Later, I see say Timi and others get their own level, I just dey follow them everywhere.

I go dress like them, learn their slang, watch how dem greet elders. Na so I force myself enter, even when e dey hard. Timi and co go push me small, later dem accept me. I for fit join another group, but I stick with them. For my mind, na loyalty.

From primary to secondary, from dem pushing me aside to small small accept me. Reach university.

I remember the day wey dem call me for lunch for first time. I happy, I dey form big girl. I go home tell my mama, she pray for me. I think say I don arrive.

Even if na my papa first plan, after many years, I see them as my real friends.

Na so friendship dey start for Naija—plan go turn real. After years, you go forget sey dem force you enter. I dey carry all of dem for mind.

Until my papa business crash, stock market spoil. Suddenly, dem begin shift from me, dey cold.

After the crash, phone calls reduce. Group chat dey silent. If I show, everybody go dey busy. Only Sunkanmi dey try small, but e no reach. Na then I know say money dey move friendship sometimes.

After plenty confusion, I understand say from day one, our level no ever match.

I dey look old pictures—me dey laugh with dem, but I dey see gap wey I never notice. Na so eye clear.

This time, I stop to dey please them. I just dey go school, dey try live without them.

I change my route, stop to dey follow dem. For school, I focus on my books, make new friends. But e no easy. Sometimes I go waka alone, tears go dey my eye. But I gats survive.

Then, dem kidnap me.

As I dey waka come back from library one night, na so keke stop near me. Before I fit run, dem bundle me inside. My heart nearly stop. For inside, I see familiar faces. My legs weak, I no fit shout.

Outside, keke horn dey blast, agbero dey shout for junction, but inside warehouse, everywhere dead. When some people I know surround me, dey collect money, I still dey wonder. I recognize some—people wey I dey call friend. I think say na play.

I see Musa Garba, the one wey dey always joke with me for class. I smile, say, "Abeg, na prank?" But dem face serious, no single laugh.

I laugh, say if dem need money, I fit borrow them. But dem call price wey pass my power. Na then I know say dem mean am.

Dem talk, "Call your papa, make e bring 10 million." My hand dey shake, voice no come out. Tears dey flow, but dem no send.

Dem collect everything from me. I lock for two days, no water. When I hear dem dey argue say dem no fit call my papa for ransom, dem dey plan sell me, my mind just scatter. Everything begin look like joke, but the way dem serious, knives for hand, danger real.

The warehouse dey smell kerosene and rat poison. The floor cold, my head dey hot. When I hear them dey argue, say my papa no get money again, my hope finish. Dem dey plan call Alhaji for North, say e go buy me, carry me go Libya. Fear grip my soul.

All the play finish when dem tear my cloth, take naked picture, talk say dem go sell me. Na fear enter bone.

As I see them dey snap picture, my body dey shake. My mouth dry, tears no gree come out again. I just dey pray inside my heart—God, abeg, save me.

I curl up, dey curse and threaten, but anybody fit see say na just mouth.

I shout, "Una no go make am! God punish una!" But even me no believe the noise.

One of them, Musa Garba, wey be my friend before, squat down, sigh, touch me, dey beg: "Yanyan, abeg forgive me. I really like you—I no wan do this..."

As him hand touch me, my spirit vex. I forget fear, I grab him hand, bite am strong. Blood dey flow. E scream so loud, everybody rush come hold me.

Before e finish, scream burst from him mouth. I bite him finger with all my power. Nearly chop am off.

E blood touch my mouth, I spit am for floor. Dem drag me, slap me, but I no send again. For my mind, na fight till finish.

Everywhere scatter, dem rush hold me.

The boys dey shout, Musa dey roll for ground. Somebody dey kick me, but I no stop. My body dey pain, but I dey shout louder.

Na that time—warehouse door open. Bright light burst enter, scatter the darkness, show everywhere dirty. One tall person stand for door, light for back.

Noise stop. Everybody freeze. The way light shine, I no fit see the person face, but e stand like area father enter street, everybody clear road.

Just like that, he appear for me front.

E tall, slim, voice cold. As e enter, all the boys shift. E no talk, just use one eye size dem, e presence strong pass soldier. For that moment, I fit feel say hope don return.

Na Abdullahi.

My mind shock. Abdullahi wey dey always bone, now e be my own saviour. Abdullahi enter like soldier wey return from war, one hand for pocket, eye red, mouth tight. E enter, carry me, no fear. For that moment, all the years wey I dey try reach him heart, e no matter again.