Chapter 7: The Parade and the Sun

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I agree to marry Baba Segun.

I look am, smile. "I gree." For my heart, peace just land. Even Chinyere dey dance for corridor.

I no see reason to talk no.

Family, face, background—all correct. I dey ready for new life.

Family, face, character—nothing spoil.

Mama Nkechi dey happy, dey spray powder for my face. "Na you be correct woman!"

If no be that four words wey Mama Nkechi talk, he no go even marry woman wey don marry before.

For our place, man like Segun no suppose marry divorcee, but I thank God say life no follow that rule today.

Na even better—I no want anything from am.

He no dey beg, no dey drag. He just dey give, dey respect me. I dey grateful.

If you look am well, maybe na destiny join us.

Some say na my luck. Some say na destiny. For me, I believe say God arrange am.

Next day, I follow Baba Segun go community council submit divorce letter.

I dress fine, Baba Segun wear white agbada. Community elders greet us. Everybody dey whisper.

Chief look us, mouth open like say he wan swallow akara.

He never see woman wey move on so fast. "Na so life sweet for your side?" I just smile.

He no even fit ask question, na so he dey shake give me household paper.

He hand over the document, say, "Madam, na you be landlady now."

On the third day, Odogwu and him wife come visit.

Odogwu Ayodele waka with staff, wife dey his side. They bring gifts, wine, and kolanut. Everybody for street dey hail.

Odogwu wife happy well well.

She hug me, pray for me, say, "God bless you my pikin. You go born boys and girls."

She look me up and down, hold my hand, tears dey her eye as she see her son finally get woman wey he wan marry.

She check my hand, smile, say, "Na you get good heart. Temidayo go soft for your hand."

As she dey go, she collect my birth date.

She write am for small paper, say, "I go arrange wedding sharp sharp."

Less than half month, wedding date don set.

Baba Segun dey walk up and down, dey call people. Hall, food, music—all ready. I just dey follow, dey thank God.

Baba Segun dey happy.

He dey sing for bath, dey dance for compound. Neighbours dey tease me, say, "See as Madam dey shine!"

Maybe to make everything real, he do everything by himself,

He no leave work for anybody. Invitation card, cake, even tailor—he dey supervise.

plus, he dey always invite me go waka up and down.

He dey carry me market, dey gist, dey show me his land. "See this plot, na your own." I dey smile, dey grateful.

I see say he funny.

He dey make joke, dey call me "Madam Odogwu." I go laugh, my heart dey light.

Odogwu wey no get wahala, but anytime he reach my side, he go dey form scholar, like say if I see who he really be, I go run.

For my side, I see say he dey try impress me. But I dey happy say he get gentle heart.

That day, we dey tailoring shop dey choose wedding cloth.

Tailor dey measure me, Baba Segun dey select lace. Shop full, people dey look us.

Owner no gree sell me the lace at all.

Tailor dey price high, dey form busy. I dey talk gentle, but the woman dey stubborn.

As Baba Segun wan vex, wan slap im waist token for table,

He hold himself, remember say Odogwu no suppose fight for market. I smile, squeeze his hand, say, "Abeg, calm down."

he look me small.

He smile, wink. "You get sense pass me."

"Ah, see as today fine, sun dey shine, no single cloud, breeze dey blow, everywhere dey sweet!"

He shout, try change topic. Shop people dey laugh, tension break. Sun dey really shine that day, even breeze dey dance with my gele.

"Miss Amaka, make we go cruise for river."

He drag me out, say, "Leave these people. Na only river sabi our matter." I just dey laugh, my spirit light.

As we commot tailoring shop, I still dey cover mouth, dey laugh.

Baba Segun dey tease me, say, "You be small pikin, laugh dey sweet you!" We waka, people dey hail us.

"Wife, abeg no laugh me…"

He dey beg, but smile full his face. For first time, I feel real happiness.

The man beside me talk soft.

He talk soft, "If I dey make you happy, na my own joy." My heart sweet, I hold his hand.

Next thing, he just hold my hand small.

His palm warm, my own cold. I look up, see him smile. Something just dey blossom for my heart.

My heart jump.

For first time in long time, I feel alive. I thank God say I no give up.

Na that time noise start for street.

Suddenly, crowd dey shout, everybody dey run go main road. I dey wonder, "Wetin happen?"

"Odogwu of Palm Grove Estate don come back! All of una wey no get work, shift!"

Boys dey shout, women dey grab pikin. Town scatter, all eye dey road.

People push me back small.

I hold Baba Segun hand tight, people dey push from all corner. I dey squeeze through, dey try see wetin dey happen.

As I look up, two horses dey clear road.

Odogwu Nnamdi dey front, big man. Second horse behind, car full street. Na real parade.

Odogwu Nnamdi dey ride horse for back, plenty car follow.

He dey wear agbada, red cap for head, look like chief. Everybody dey hail, "Odogwu! Odogwu!"

One fine woman sit for front of am.

Halima Musa. She dey shine, new hair, new lace. She dey wave small, dey form madam.

"Amaka." As he see me, small surprise show for Odogwu Nnamdi eye.

His face change, like say he see ghost. He stop horse, dey look me, eyes wide.

He push horse come front.

He come near, dey scan me from head to toe. He dey try form big man, but small pride dey his eye.

Halima Musa lean to the side: "Odogwu!"

She tap him, try remind am say na she dey here. She dey watch me, her face cold.

Odogwu Nnamdi hold her well.

He adjust, hold Halima, as if say na trophy. Crowd dey cheer, noise full road.

As he look me again, like say he remember something, pride just full im face.

He raise chin, eyes sharp, voice loud. He dey try show authority.

"Come here." He raise chin small, look down from horse.

He point at me, command like chief for village meeting. I just stand, smile. My new life just dey start.

"Help your husband new wife come down from horse."

He no even shame, na so he talk am for public. People gasp, market women hiss, but me, I just laugh. I walk to Baba Segun, hold his hand tighter. Crowd dey watch, but for my mind, I know say my own sun don rise.

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* Divorce letter: Na formal divorce paper for olden days, usually when both people gree. For our side, elders dey sign, family dey witness. Na respect dey ground, so everybody go move on in peace.