Chapter 1: The Okoye Recruitment Madness

The Okoye family, richest for eight generations—always just one pikin each time—suddenly drop recruitment notice wey scatter everywhere:

[Big money for daughter-in-law.

Thirty million if you born boy, twenty million for girl.

Just born pikin—the Okoye family get money reach.]

As I see the notice, my body just dey sweet me anyhow. Omo, my time to hammer don finally land for my doorstep like NEPA bill wey nobody fit dodge. I grab my phone, screenshot the notice sharp sharp, and begin imagine my account balance dey swell like eba wey soak water for too long.

First belle: I born triplet boys. Madam Okoye throw party wey shake Port Harcourt to the root, her smile wide like say she win jackpot. Pepper soup dey hot, suya dey burn tongue, children dey lick Fanta with orange lips. The compound full scatter, correct live band dey play, pepper soup and small chops waka everywhere. Madam Okoye even dash the band leader crisp bundle of two-two thousand, talk say make dem play till day break. Even Commissioner for Women Affairs show face. People dey gist, 'Ah, this Okoye woman don finally smile from belle.'

Second belle: quadruplets—two boys, two girls. Madam Okoye still dey smile, but small small worry don begin show for her face. She dey count the children with her eye, dey nod, but if you look well, e be like say e remain small make she carry calculator join. Neighbours dey hail me, 'Superwoman! How you take do am?' But for Madam, her handshake no too firm again. I hear am for kitchen whisper, 'God abeg, make dem rest small.'

Third belle: another triplet boys. Madam Okoye no even fit force smile again. She adjust wrapper for waist, eye red like she chop pepper, sigh dey come out like generator wey no get fuel. Her eye dey red, she just dey look ground, dey press phone, no want anybody greet am. Her friends dey console her, but she dey wave hand: 'Leave me, abeg.' From that day, anytime she see person, na so so sigh she dey sigh, 'Why I never kpai since?' I even catch am one time dey pour palm wine for ground, like say she dey beg ancestors for forgiveness. Her face don dry, wrapper no dey sit well for her waist again.