Chapter 3: Group Chat Secrets and Skills

After today lesson, Sani Wada follow the other disciples thank master—everybody bow small, clap, hail Baba Idris, then waka go them different corners. Sani, as per usual, blend disappear, go him own room for backyard—na quiet place, behind old pawpaw tree, where breeze dey cool.

He find him usual meditation stone—na big smooth rock wey e don polish with im own tail, siddon cross leg, close eye, begin focus like monk. Birds dey sing, but Sani mind don travel far.

One strange and interesting place appear for him mind—no be village, no be market, but e get plenty voices. People dey call am "group chat"—different sections dey, people wey get same interest dey form their own group to dey yarn anyhow, drop gist, argue, even quarrel. E funny die.

Na so Sani Wada jam one section wey dem call Pilgrimage to the East Group. At first, e no send am—just dey observe from corner, dey read people matter. But as years dey waka, he come join the group regulars—those wey no dey sleep, always dey drop voice note, sticker, and even those funny GIFs wey dey make everybody laugh. Sani Wada come find one big secret—breeze blow, fowl yansh open: na him be the main character for the Pilgrimage to the East world! E shock am small, but na so journey start.

Within few years, Sani Wada cram all the big plot for Pilgrimage to the East—and even the sequels—inside him head. He dey read posts like "The Pilgrimage to the East You Never Knew," "Hidden Storylines in Pilgrimage to the East," "The Top Ten Opportunities in Pilgrimage to the East," until e sabi everything like back of hand. If na exam, e go carry first.

Anytime Sani Wada drop question for group, the people dey answer with full detail, their mouth sharp pass Lagos conductor—na that internet boldness sure die. Some even dey drop inside gist wey pass age, as if dem be close friend to the real characters. Sani dey laugh tire.

Gradually, Sani Wada begin understand the kind opportunity wey dey Okpoko Hills. Baba Idris, the master, na strongman—no be anyhow man for the whole Pilgrimage to the East universe. But e own time for Okpoko Hills get expiry date. Sooner or later, Baba Idris go send Sani waka, plus warn am say, 'No let dem know where you learn this thing.'

With all the group knowledge, Sani Wada begin see say Baba Idris self dey play smart. That Supreme Immortal Art alone—if Chief Imam catch am, e go suspect say na Emir own method, wahala fit burst. The thing dey coded.

But the group people dey correct: for the original Pilgrimage to the East, old Sani na real tank—defence full ground, but attack weak. As he be before he cause wahala for Heaven, he get 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' swagger. But once journey start, any small monster wey get magic calabash fit use am mop floor.

If to say him attack high, he for just wipe all those monsters one hand—who go fear their background? But story no be so. So the main thing now dey for Okpoko Hills: if Sani fit learn even just one extra strong attack, e go add weight for future.

Everything depend on how much Baba Idris gree teach am. According to group people, Baba Idris reason for chasing am commot na coded—after Sani Wada show Seventy-Two Transformations to other disciples, Baba Idris send am away, but true gist be say, if Baba Idris teach am more powerful magic, Sani power fit pass wetin elders and angels fit bear. Dem no go sleep for heaven.

Because of that, Sani Wada now dey hide, dey lowkey, no wan give Baba Idris reason to send am packing. E dey act like say e no get ambition again—na pure calculation.

Before, Sani Wada dey look down on all those basic skills Baba Idris dey teach—e feel say na small small tricks, waste of time, e wan quick reach top. But after the group people lecture am, e change mind: even small skills na part of wisdom; nothing wey dey this world wey no get reason. Old proverb say, 'No look down on small pikin, one day e go grow.'

For Okpoko Hills, Baba Idris dey mainly teach four things: [Art], [Flow], [Movement], and [Stillness]. Each one get meaning pass wetin eye fit see.

- Art: Sabi balance, connect heaven and earth, see future, dodge wahala—like when old women dey use kolanut read future.

- Flow: Know all the different ways, find the path and heart, pursue truth, learn from wise people—na as you dey waka, you dey observe, dey humble, dey wise. Like how you sabi find shortcut for Lagos traffic.

- Stillness: Train yourself, meditate, enter deep focus, block all distraction—even when generator dey make noise, your mind dey calm like well water. Like when NEPA take light, but you no panic, you just chill.

- Movement: Gather and add, learn archery and spear, refine herbs and medicine—body dey agile, mind dey sharp, na how you fit waka for bush, survive for city. Like when you dey run from LASTMA, but your head still dey house.

At first, Sani Wada think all these na waste. But after group open am eye, he realise say e dey miss big thing. Art, for example, na base for all those finger calculation wey elders dey use win awo game. Flow mean you fit connect wisdom for normal life, link things, and grab big path from ordinary matter—no be every truth dey hide for shrine; some dey market.

Movement and stillness, even more important. Stillness na when you look inside yourself, reason deep, search for your real self. Movement na to break out, take action—if you dey only meditate, you go miss life; if you dey only move, you go lose yourself.

"Archery and spear" no just mean shoot arrow, na way to master weapon—if you dey swing Iron Staff of River Calm anyhow, no sabi proper staff technique, e go look like person wey dey drag stick for gutter. Dem say the staff get spirit, na why river dey fear am. You go dey make noise, but no substance.

And as for herb making and medicine—when Sani Wada chop those elixirs for Baba Prophet furnace, group people dey laugh say na fake medicine. The Queen Mother mango for Sacred Grove? He chop all, but since he no sabi how to refine, e just dey chop like bush meat—no extra benefit. Sani just dey miss the point.

The more he learn, the more he realise say he no sabi anything. Life be like that—today you be champion, tomorrow na small boy. Sani Wada drop pride, begin dey humble.

Sani Wada no be that arrogant monkey again wey dey look down on everything. He turn careful, dey build himself steady, dey rethink everything around am. Now, he dey find everlasting wisdom, no be just everlasting life. This mindset change na the main thing—real transformation happen for inside.

When Wada finish and leave hills, who sabi the kind shock he go give world? People fit talk, 'Monkey wey dey think like man, e go fit change everything.'