Chapter 10: Memories of a Happy Home

Jude Dangana na carpenter, always dey for construction site, only come home help farm when season reach—people dey call am ‘gubang’.

He dey waka like person wey no get rest. For town, e be hard man, but for village, na him everybody dey run to for hand work.

He just leave house two days before.

That time, Morayo still dey follow am waka, dey pack yam for back, dey help load bus.

“I just leave two days ago—she follow me go park…”

You go hear the pain for him voice. Even tree go bow if dem fit hear am that day.

Jude Dangana no fit believe. Every time, he go break police line, wan reach his wife.

Neighbour dem dey hold am, dey beg, “Gubang, abeg, no kill yourself.”

How e take reach this level?

That question just dey hang for air. Nobody fit answer am.

How e take reach this level?

Sometimes, answer no dey for this kind question.

Everybody for village remember well how Morayo follow Jude Dangana two days before.

Even small children dey talk, “Na that day aunty Morayo follow oga go park.”

Jude Dangana house dey edge of village, only palm field dey outside, no road, so he dey pass village when he wan go.

If you see as dem dey waka, you go think say na film—husband and wife, pikin for back, hand for waist.

That day, he ride with Morayo pass village. People don already wake, dey chop moi-moi and pap for front of their house, dey hail am:

“Hey, you dey go again? Work finish?”

You go hear laughter from different compound, as people dey greet Jude Dangana.

“All done, I dey go back. Any day I miss, na money loss.”

People laugh, dey tap each other. “This one na real gubang, work never dey finish.”

Shuaibu stand for him door, hold bowl. He look Jude Dangana, smile, but no talk.

People dey always say, ‘If you see Shuaibu for morning, your day go bend.’ But that day, nobody suspect anything.

Jude Dangana shout, voice don crack, “Shuaibu, you dey chop? You no call me come join?”

Shuaibu laugh, “Ah, Gubang, na you dey rush! Next time I go call you.”

Jude Dangana say, “That day, I feel say something no pure for him side, but I no reason am.”

Sometimes, spirit fit warn you, but you go wave am. Na so life be.