Chapter 1: The Love Everyone Envied

Even now, if you pass Okeoma market, you fit hear women for pepper stall dey whisper our story. People for Okeoma still dey use our love matter gossip till today. If you look their face when them see us pass, you go catch that smile and the kind eye wey dey talk, "God abeg, run am for me too." E be like say breeze dey lift my body anytime I remember those days—na me everybody dey use measure happiness for this village.

Our love and trust for each other strong pass any other.

For market square, na our matter dey reign. You go hear, "If Musa and Morayo fit dey like this, wetin remain for life?" Young and old dey hail us. The way Musa dey hold my hand for public, you go think say na only me waka come this world. Our bond tight like new wrapper.

Before I die, na only one tear I ever collect from am—and just that one make my soul rest.

That tear wey fall from him eye that day, na like blessing from above. I remember the silence for that room, as everybody just pause, dey look us like say dem witness true love for the first time. That one tear talk pass million words.

But when I open my eyes again, na to hear say he don come propose marriage.

E be like say play dey play me. As I wake, my name dey ring for background, but the gist wey enter my ear nearly make me faint. My chest dey shake, cold just grab my body, I no fit move.

But this time, the person wey he wan marry no be me.

I feel as if ground wan open carry me enter. My mind dey run left and right—wetin Musa dey do, e don forget me just like that? E shock me well well. God, abeg, why my own different?

I rush go the main hall.

My leg dey shake as I dey hurry, wrapper almost fall as I dey waka sharp. I no even care who dey look, I just know say my spirit no go rest until I see am with my own eye.

Across the crowd, I see Musa Ifedike hold my cousin hand, dey swear before the elders:

Elders dey sit for front, some dey chew kolanut, others dey sip small palmwine. Sun dey shine for their bald head, but dem no send. I see Musa grip Zainab hand, steady, no fear, e voice loud: "Zainab no get Morayo sharpness, but I swear, I go protect am with my life."

I turn away, dey hold my tears, and I no fit stop myself from asking:

My chest dey heavy, tears dey push for my eye. I try swallow am, but e be like say the pain dey too much, my mouth sharp, question just fly come out.

All those things wey happen before, na dream be that?

I look sky, dey wonder if na village people dey play with me, or if na my own destiny be say make I dey chop heartbreak. The question just dey my head like radio wey no get off button.

But that dream too real abeg.

No be play at all. If you feel the way the dream dey sweet and pain me at once, you go know say something dey. The feeling strong, like say I still dey live inside am.

I remember when Musa Ifedike dey nineteen: e never even reach when dem bury him mama finish, him papa don carry new wife enter house.

I still remember the wailing that time, how women for compound tie black cloth, how Musa eye red from cry, yet him papa just move on like nothing happen. E pain am reach bone.

Like elders dey talk: na just one word—respect for elders—fit break person down.

Na true, for this our culture, if elder talk, even if na nonsense, you go still bow head. That wahala dey break many people for inside.

Even the Oba no fit escape tradition and law, na Musa go come escape?

For our side, tradition get power pass anything. If Oba, the king himself, dey follow the law, who Musa be wey go run from am? Everybody just dey obey, e be like unspoken code.

I still remember as him face bend with sorrow, as he tell me:

I fit still picture am, how him lip dey shake, eyes full of wahala. E just look me, voice low, "Morayo, I no dey okay at all."

"Morayo, I no dey okay at all."

Those words pain me well well.

The words enter my heart like hot knife. I just dey feel say if I no do something, Musa fit lose himself. I dey restless for days after that.

So na so I decide say I go marry am.

I know say everybody for house dey expect me go marry better person, but my mind no shift. I make up my mind, I go be him own, no matter the wahala.

After we marry, everybody dey look us like example.

People for village dey point finger: "See Morayo and Musa! Na them dey show say love still dey." Even mama go dey boast for her women meeting.

He go fight for front, collect merit, and every time dem promote am, he go always remember to ask for chieftaincy title for me.

Anytime him collect award or get new position, na my name him go first mention. "My wife dey behind everything." Na that kind man Musa be.

I run things for house, manage all the big madams, and clear road for Musa, remove wahala from him way.

No be say easy, but I sabi how to talk, how to set things. Any madam wey wan show herself, I sabi how to use correct word calm her down. Musa just dey progress.

Later, Oba give Musa title of Otunba of Okeoma. He praise me:

The whole village gather, Oba raise him voice, "Graceful and sabi relate with people." The crowd clap, but some madam dey hide eye, small jealousy dey their body.

"Graceful and sabi relate with people."

I no too like the small shade inside that compliment, so I frown.

Oba just dey run mouth. E get as e talk am, e be like say e dey remind people say na me dey do everything for back. My face small frown, but I hide am sharp.

But Musa love me pass anything.

Musa dey quick notice my mood. He just smile, squeeze my hand for back, whisper say, "No mind them. Na you be my backbone."

Even our pikin—boy and girl—no reach my level for him eye.

The way Musa dey look me, e be like say I carry whole world. Even the children dey wonder why papa dey always prefer mama.

Anytime he return from outside, na my room straight he dey enter, feelings dey rush am, he go cover my eyes, then kiss me hot one for mouth.

Even if pikin dey knock door, Musa no dey send. He go lock door, hold me like say tomorrow no dey, scatter my hair, kiss me sotey I go laugh. Na true love be that.

Till our hair turn white, Musa no even look housegirl or side-chick side.

People dey talk, "Na Musa be the only man wey no dey cheat." All the housegirls, even side-chicks, no fit tempt am, because him eye dey for me only.

Even before I die, na only one hot tear he drop for me.

That tear sef, e carry history. No man fit show emotion for our side like that, but Musa let am fall because of me. I cherish am.