Chapter 5: Gossip and Green Eyes

As grandchildren land, the old couple body calm small.

For Naija, when better pikin arrive, pain fit reduce, even if just small. The twins dey like double blessing.

After Ebuka burial, the two elders arrange big ceremony, add the grandchildren name for family book.

Dem call pastor, imam, even native chief. Wine flow, food plenty, everybody chop, everybody bless the twins.

Okoye family no get close relation, na only far people and friends come.

Dem invite all the market women, council men, even some chiefs from other side. The house full.

Chief Okoye give grandson name Okoye Chijioke, granddaughter name Okoye Zainab.

E talk say e wan make the children carry both Christian and Muslim name, so peace go dey for family.

And my own name, Morayo, dem even... write am as Ebuka wife for family book.

When I hear am, my heart skip. I dey reason if wahala dey knock for front.

When dem talk am, I begin wave hand. "No need, no need, I no reach..."

I dey shy, my face dey burn. People dey look me, dem dey laugh.

Madam Okoye put strong face.

She stand like lion. If you see her face, you go know say e no get who fit change her mind.

"Morayo, you do us well."

She use her own wrapper clean my face, then hug me small.

"Ebuka don go, but you give us two gold grandchildren. You know say you don break Okoye family eight generations of only one pikin!"

Her joy dey real. Even people for ceremony dey hail me, dey tap me for back, dey talk say I be woman of the year.

I just smile. If dem know say na these two gold grandchildren no even be Okoye family own...

For my mind, I dey laugh small, but I dey fear too. If wahala burst, na only God fit save me.

I don jam wahala o...

I dey plan small, dey pray big. Sometimes, I dey dream say Ebuka spirit go knock my door.

Okoye family na big name for Makurdi. When I first come, everywhere scatter.

Even house help dey fear me, dey greet me ma, dey bow small.

Now I don born twins for them.

I dey see as everybody treat me like queen. For town, my name dey fly.

I no know who carry my talk go spread that day.

For market, I hear one woman dey gist, "You hear say Okoye daughter-in-law na strong woman? E survive locust, hunger, even Okoye wahala!"

Now, my own and Ebuka story don turn to gist, everybody dey talk am.

People dey add sugar and salt, dey make story sweet. For beer parlour, young men dey gist, old women dey shake head.

Cool and fine big man fall in love at first sight with lively girl.

Dem go talk say Ebuka see me for riverbank, him heart melt.

For Otukpo riverbank, love spark, dem spend night together.

Some say na moonlight dey shine, some say na rain dey fall. Everybody get their own version.

Big man die for troubled time, fine girl carry belle waka reach Makurdi, born twins, Okoye family blood no go ever finish again—descendants full ground!

Some even dey talk say na juju join us, say love strong pass death. Na so rumour dey waka.

Me: "Who write this kind story..."

I dey shake head, dey laugh small. Na only God know how gist go turn your life to telenovela.

Chief Okoye dey touch beard, face dey shine.

The way e dey glow, e be like person wey win big contract.

"Na me write am. Those old men always talk say our Okoye family blood thin."

E dey proud, e dey talk loud. For old men, na achievement.

"Now, I get two at once, make dem dey jealous!"

As e finish, all the elders dey laugh. Even small pikin dey dance for ground.

Me: "..."

I just dey look. Sometimes, na so life dey turn.