Chapter 1: The Day Dem Set Me Up

Senior Year.

I was wrongly accused of stealing by my seatmate, dragged into the girls’ toilet, and beaten like say I be thief. My cheek dey burn, my ear dey ring like generator for NEPA blackout.

As I dey limp commot, na so I jam our form mistress wey dey go toilet.

She just hold my ear, drag me go field, begin shout for front of all the teachers and students. Some dey whisper, others dey point, one girl even dey record with her small Tecno phone.

She talk say I dey hide inside girls’ toilet to peep at girls.

No matter how I try defend myself, e no work.

I become the bad student everybody dey avoid like say I carry spiritual wahala.

Every Monday for assembly, the discipline master go carry me climb stage make everybody shame me.

My grades fall, my mind dey scatter, before I know, wahala enter my head.

I no fit write WAEC again, so I start to find work early.

But who wan employ person like me?

By luck, I get one job, but just few days, dem don dey spread gist say I get mental wahala and na me peep for girls’ toilet.

Na so I lose control.

I jump from 12th floor balcony for that tall building for Palm Grove Estate.

My head land for ground, gbam.

I die anyhow, no respect.

When I open my eyes again—

Na the same day, inside that girls’ toilet, I find myself.

Even the air for the toilet choke, as if the smell of Izal and stale mop dey drag me back to life. I rub my eyes, confuse, feel my heart dey beat kpokpo for my chest. Small cold breeze blow from window, but e no fit wash the shame commot my body. I fit hear faint noise outside, like students dey play for corridor, but for here—e be like spirit world. I pinch myself, confirm say I still dey alive—or something close to am.