Chapter 2: From Oshodi Sun to Ajah Bridge

Before I meet Sulaiman, my life no easy at all.

I remember the hot sun for Oshodi, how me and Mama dey hustle every day. Slippers cut for road, Mama dey hawk gala for Ajah bridge. From Oshodi sun to Ajah bridge, na hustle dey shape my bone. Some nights, na only garri and salt we dey chop. But Mama always say, "Amina, God dey."

My mama too like fine things, she fall for my papa because him fine like Nollywood star. She go gist me, smile get small sadness inside.

She love anyhow, sleep with am without check wetin dey his background. City girl with blind love, no even care to know who my papa people be.

Na so she born me.

When labour start, Mama no get money for hospital. Aboki wey dey sell suya help carry her go health centre. Rain fall, I come this world sharp sharp. Neighbours gather, dem say I resemble my papa.

After I come, Mama find out say my papa na person wey get money—the kind wey one hand fit stop hunger for life. She dey boast, "You see Amina papa? If I see am, e fit give me something make I open shop." But reality no sweet.

Wahala be say, my papa na live-in son-in-law for rich family.

Gist fly for compound—"Na woman property e dey use shine." Mama dey shame, but e no fit change anything.

In short, he be 'come-in husband', na him dey use wife people climb enter big man life. People mock, "Oga Joseph dey use wife family climb ladder." Mama no gree answer, but her eyes dey red sometimes.

And my mama na side-chick.

Trouble start—Mama dey hide anytime she hear main wife motor horn. Me sef dey hide, wahala dey smell for air.

Main madam catch them, catch Mama red-handed.

One day fight burst—Madam Eze catch my mama for beer parlour with my papa. She drag her wig, scatter ground. Neighbours shout, "Wahala dey!" Police show. Since that day, Mama shame no get part two.

No look my papa dey form boss for Mama; for front of main wife, he humble like dog. If Madam Eze dey, papa dey whisper, eyes for ground. Mama dey vex, "See as e dey form lion for me, but for house e be rat."

My papa cut off from Mama sharp sharp.

After drama, my papa disappear. No call, no money. Neighbours ask, "Where Oga Joseph?" Mama pretend all dey alright.

He no even gree say na him born me.

Anytime matter come up, papa deny. "No be my pikin." Mama cry sotey neighbours tire for her matter.

My mama raise me alone, life hard no be small.

She trek go market every day. Sometimes, if we no sell, na to sleep on empty stomach. I see as her hand dey rough, feet dey crack, but she still dey hustle for me.

She dey ride keke, hawk gala, city council people dey chase her, sometimes she lose slipper as she dey run. "Kai, these government people, dem no get pity!" All na to put food for my mouth.

Later, Mama tire for that life.

One day she come back, face swollen. "Amina, I no fit continue like this."

She say she wan find better road for me.

She begin make calls, visit people. I no know wetin dey her mind, but she dey determined. "I go make sure you no suffer like me."

I no sabi how, but she bring out DNA test wey show say na my papa really born me. Mama work two jobs, finally do DNA test. She show me the paper, hand dey shake. "Na proof, dem no fit deny again."

She storm my papa house, insist say make him take care of me.

Best lace, double wrapper, she storm Eze house like warrior. Shout for compound, "Joseph, carry your pikin o!" Neighbours gather, Madam Eze vex, but DNA no lie.

The rich family no wan wahala, so dem gree.

Eze elders call meeting, accept me to avoid scandal. Their body language show say na shame dem dey dodge.

From that day, me and my mama separate.

Mama pack my small Ghana-Must-Go, tie scarf for neck. She kneel, hug me, whisper, "No cry, my pikin. You go see better life."

The day dem carry me go Eze family, Mama smile but tears full her eye. "Ranran, you no go ever hungry again."

She try hold her tears, but water still fall. "Ranran, just manage. Make you strong. No ever let them break you."

But Mama too think am easy.

Eze house fine, but the love cold like harmattan. Mama no know say to chop for rich man house no mean dem go treat you well.

My papa see me as stain, Madam Eze no like me at all.

Papa look me like wahala, Madam Eze wrinkle nose. She dey talk coded, make sure I hear say I no belong.

The house help sabi read face, so dem treat me anyhow.

Housemaids follow power. Madam no like me, dem treat me anyhow. Food go miss, uniform dirty, nobody help. If I complain, dem look away.

My half-sisters dey find new way to bully me every day.

If I wear new dress, dem tear am. New shoe, dem hide am. For school, dem form clique, gossip, pour water for my mattress. Dem dey laugh me next morning.

But my mama no ever know all these things.

Mama no get phone, no fit visit. If I send letter, Madam Eze tear am. I dey cry for night, nobody to tell.

That day for Eze gate na the last time I see her for this life.

One evening, woman for market whisper say, "Your mama no dey again." I shock. World collapse.

She get cancer—late stage—no money for hospital.

Dem say she dey hospital, no money to treat. She suffer alone, body thin. I dey cry as I hear am.

After she give me to my papa, she jump enter river.

Rumour say after disgrace and sickness, Mama waka go bridge for night, na only wrapper dem find for water side. For my heart, pain dey bite me every day. I blame myself, I blame everybody.

So I grow up for Eze family as adopted daughter, dey live life with fear.

Every day, I dey tiptoe. Chores pass my mates, try please everybody. Nothing ever enough. I learn say silence na my best friend.

At fifteen, engagement tie my hope.

One evening, sun dey set, I see slim boy for garden, rose thorn cut him hand, blood dey drop. He no shout, just dey listen to music.

Blood dey drip, but Sulaiman no look face. I fear blood, but still carry cotton wool meet am.

He no send, just dey wear headset. As I clean wound, he look me, then back to music.

I bring iodine, clean wound, put plaster. "Sorry." I give am sweet, he nod.

Later I hear say na Sulaiman Okoye.

That week for kitchen, "That boy na Okoye pikin o."

Na him grandfather carry am come visit Eze family.

Dem say Baba Okoye bring am come for special reason, say e get wahala, but brain sharp for music.

I no know why, but Baba Okoye like me, say he wan make me granddaughter-in-law.

One morning, Baba Okoye call me, ask question about school. Later for elders meeting, "This girl go make good wife for my pikin."

Okoye family na big family, so my papa gree sharp sharp.

Papa no reason am, just happy say Okoye pick me. Engagement gist begin fly for house.

My sisters laugh dey mock me.

Dem clap, sing, "Amina, dey go Okoye house, no forget your broom." Dem mock, but inside me, I dey hope for better tomorrow.

"You think say you dey climb high? If to say the marriage good, e go reach your turn?"

"That Sulaiman get autism and wahala since small—the boy no normal."

Even when elders dey talk, sisters whisper, "Na you dem fit use do experiment. If e good, dem go bring the rest of us."

Because of the engagement, Madam Eze treat me small small better.

She call me follow market, buy small gift, allow me sit near her. Bullying reduce.

My days for Eze family come better; at least dem no dey bully me again.

I fit sleep, chop food without hide. The small peace, I thank God.

I always remember that first time, slim boy wey dey quietly listen to music for garden.

I remember how e ignore pain, just dey for him own world. I dey wonder if na so my own life go be.

He no know, but that small thing e do help me well well.

I no forget the peace after that day. Anytime I see Sulaiman, my mind soft small.

I really thank am.

I dey pray for am, dey wish am well. No matter how people talk about him wahala, I dey see small good side.

I begin learn about him sickness, dey try figure out how to relate for future.

I borrow book on autism, ask questions, watch documentary for TV. I prepare mind, ready for anything.

At twenty, marriage swallow my dream. Both families arrange, I marry Sulaiman. Elders gather, prayers. Wrapper, gold earrings. "Na your duty to make this marriage work." My mind dey race, but I gree.