Chapter 7: Who Go Survive This Secret?

After I watch the video, my body just cold, sweat full my back.

I no believe say before Chuka kill Musa, dem really talk am.

Musa gree make dem kill am because of that 600,000 naira!

For Naija, I never hear that kind thing before. Poverty and sickness dey push person reach where him fit sell imself.

……

With this video, Chuka fit escape death sentence!

Law talk say arranged killing no be like normal murder—na three to ten years prison.

Compared to death, na better result!

But that time, my mind dey somewhere else.

I dey think about Musa pikin, how this world fit bitter reach like this. Na only small hope person dey find sometimes.

……

I copy the video for my phone, rush detention center, meet Chuka again.

He no fit look my face, just ask quiet:

"Senior, you don give police the evidence?"

I shake head, then ask, "Why you no bring this video before?"

I think say he get good reason, but I overrate am.

He talk, "At first, I no think say I go get death, so I accuse Mr. Auwalu, dey hope say dem go pity me. Who know say dem go still give me death."

Then Chuka drop head in shame, continue:

"I know say after I accuse Mr. Auwalu, I no go get the money again. But I no gree. I wan use the video blackmail Mr. Auwalu after I come out, to collect my 1.2 million. So I no talk about the video for second trial."

I just weak.

You know when you dey look person, you no sure say na the same boy you meet for school? My hand dey shake. I nearly tear my file.

"You..."

I point am, vex.

Even now, na money still dey his mind.

"Senior, I..."

"Shut up! You know say you kill person? You kill person!"

I really vex for Chuka mind, so I shout:

"You kill for money, you still no dey sorry! Wetin go make you change?"

"Senior... I surrender."

"You no surrender! You just wan get lighter sentence! You no ever wan accept your punishment! Even now, na only because you wan deal with Mr. Auwalu you bring the video!"

I just dey lose myself; this case don really touch me.

I no believe say money fit change person like this.

Chuka nose and eye red:

"Senior, I wrong, but na 1.2 million. I never see that kind money for my life..."

"You no dey understand!"

Chuka dey talk sorry, but my anger dey rise.

I kick chair, e hit wall, make noise, warder rush come:

"Wetin you dey do?"

As warder shout, I calm small, dey breathe hard, talk, "Sorry, I just vex."

Warder look me bad eye, talk as he dey go:

"This na detention center. Behave yourself."

I take deep breath, carry chair, sit down again.

"After I comot, I go give evidence to prosecution. Dem go check the case again, but this evidence no reach. If you wan jail Mr. Auwalu, you gats tell me Musa secret."

As I talk am, Chuka burst cry, face blank:

"Senior."

"Musa no tell me the secret."

……

I frown.

Maybe you no know how important that secret be now.

Na only hope to jail Mr. Auwalu.

But Chuka say Musa no tell am.

I lose control again:

"Why he no tell you?"

"I no know, maybe he dey fear say if I know, danger go reach me."

"But to record this video no be danger? Person wey carry treasure dey get wahala. Once Mr. Auwalu see this video, he no go care whether you really know or not."

"I... I no think reach there."

As I hear Chuka talk, I vex but no fit talk again.

True, that time, he dey about to kill person—who fit reason far?

But as I think am, fear catch me.

My mind dey remember all those village stories wey dem dey talk about forbidden truth. Na so lawyer go dey do, next thing, wahala go meet am. I dey sweat, I dey shiver.

……

That time, I just dey start life, no get connection, no wan offend big people, so I dey always careful.

But this case don put me for wahala.

Maybe you no understand, make I talk am simple:

If I submit this video as evidence, because evidence no reach, Mr. Auwalu no go enter wahala.

But Chuka go get lighter sentence, come out after some years.

That time, Mr. Auwalu go dey more careful.

He go dey fear say Chuka know the secret, or dey plan blackmail am.

He go wait for Chuka come out—then try kill am, like he do Musa.

I dey reason say for Naija, person fit use juju or arrange boys. No be say police go fit protect you. Street get ear, wall get eye.

……

No be only that:

Wetin I just talk about innocent person carrying treasure—now na me e dey reach.

As Chuka lawyer, na me be the next person wey fit know the secret.

Mr. Auwalu fit even suspect me.

For the video, Musa talk:

This secret fit finish Mr. Auwalu.

He no go let anybody go.

……

As I think am, goosebumps full my body.

Suddenly, I just dey fear.

Chuka look me, confused: "Senior, wetin dey do you?"

I turn to am, frown: "You no dey fear?"

"With this evidence, I no go die. Wetin I go fear?"

"You no dey fear say Mr. Auwalu go come for you?"

As I talk am, Chuka freeze, face change, then begin fear:

"True, Mr. Auwalu go find me now."

Chuka reaction be like needle for my mind, I no dey comfortable at all.

Plenty thoughts dey my head:

No be hate, no be anger, na just confusion.

Since he hire me, I just dey feel like say something dey push me.

As lawyer, na me suppose dey lead the case.

But now, I dey follow like person wey dey chase light for fog.

I dey ask myself, "You sure say you never turn yourself to sacrificial goat for another man matter?"

……

I gather my things, leave visitation room.

I no give police the video. I just go house alone.

I lock door, close curtain, room dark, I curl for bed, dey think every part of the case.

The way I dey shiver, you go think say I see ghost. I dey pray make morning quick reach.

……

As I reason am:

This case start as simple case.

Why e come turn to wahala?

From intentional murder, to contract killing, to arranged killing.

E be like say I never reach the real truth.

Like say person dey hide am.

……

If you check all the details for this time:

You go see say all the confusion na from Chuka.

Na him call make case strong.

Na him change story bring Mr. Auwalu.

Na him bring new evidence turn everything again.

……

I no fit shake off the feeling say Chuka dey lie to me.

Sometimes, e better to carry your load jeje, waka comot before wahala swallow you.