Chapter 1: Three Sons, One Palace

Everybody for this our land sabi say the Oba get three sons.

E no get as you go waka for village, from Iya Sade bukateria to Baba Wale carpentry workshop, you go hear the gist. Dem go dey yarn for roadside, even children wey dey play ten-ten go fit mention am for rhyme. Dem fit sing: "Oba get three pikin, one strong, one wise, one dey sleep!" Oba palace fence self dey echo am: the king get three sons, na the whole land dey look.

The first born na strong man, the second get sense die, but the third? Na just that one wey people dey call mumu.

Dem dey talk am for beer parlour, dey jest for evening breeze: "First son na like antelope—power full ground. Second son, book na im dey rush am. Third one? Hmmm. Na that one wey if you send am message, e go forget half for road." Even small pikin sabi the ranking. Bottle clink, pepper soup dey smell, gist dey flow.

As God go arrange am, na me be that third son wey everybody dey talk say e no get use.

See as life funny—me, Bayo, na me dem dey rate last last. If no be say I dey take am easy, person for shame die. Sometimes, for dream, I go dey see myself as big masquerade, but when I wake, na so so laughter dey greet me for house.

If person no get use, na so e be—throne no dey plenty, everybody dey rush to be number one, but who dey hustle to be number two?

Omo, Naija life no be beans. Everybody wan carry first for race, nobody dey drag to dey behind. For palace, na position matter pass—if you no get number, you go just dey waka like who dey wait leftover for naming ceremony.

People dey laugh me say I too dey carefree; me sef dey laugh them back—dem no sabi say life na cruise.

I just dey watch dem with corner eye. Sometimes I go clap for their wahala, dey sip my zobo. Make dem dey run, me I go dey catch my groove, dey collect breeze for shade.

As one wise elder talk for our place: plan well before you move, know when to stop, na so you go win.

You go hear am for elders' meeting, with kola nut and all—dem go drop proverb: "If pikin waka pass im boundary, yam go cut im leg." Na steady mind dey win long race for here, no be gra-gra.