Chapter 1: Exile to Red Earth

Na so my journey begin, deep inside the thick belly of Benue State where dry season dey lick ground so tey dust fit blind person for afternoon. Sun dey roast head, every breeze carry sand enter eye, slippers dey slap ground like drum. As I reach, my body still dey smell city—perfume wey no fit cover sweat, shoe never touch real red earth. But I gats blend quick or dem go just use me play.

That farm supervisor with muscles everywhere and a face like thunder, he dey waka round me like eight hundred times a day. Even the way e dey chop yam with oil for break time dey fear me. I fear am no be small, so I no dey slack at all. Most nights, I go just dey cry inside my wrapper from how tired I dey.

As the night dey deep, harmattan breeze just dey enter the room through the louvres, my body dey shiver under wrapper. The sleep for village no be like city own; na only cricket and far-off drumbeat you go dey hear. Sometimes, I go remember how my mama go come wrap me well for night, but for here, na just me, wrapper, and mosquito coil.

Tonight, as I dey sob, na so WhatsApp status comments just appear for my front: My phone dey dead since morning, but I see the words shine like torchlight for wall.

[This supporting babe no get sense. Just call am 'brother' once, you go see say him go dey loyal like dog, do all your work join.]

[My baby, e no dey waka round you eight hundred times to check your work, na you him dey find!]

The next day, as I dey work, I see farm supervisor pass again with that him strong face. I try, “Brother.”

As I talk am, e be like say breeze blow small for inside farm. Even sun stop shine small, like rain wan fall. All the other workers even slow their hand to look. For village, once you call person 'brother', you don give am small soft respect, and sometimes, e dey melt even wicked people heart.

Na so the man just stop, turn look me well. Him black eyes come dey shine like dog own.

You go think say na masquerade festival we dey, the way everybody pause dey observe wetin go happen. My heart dey beat anyhow. For that moment, even the goat wey dey tie near yam barn just quiet.