Chapter 8: Main Peak Wahala

High spiritual level speed no be here.

Ikenna waka, e leg no dey touch ground well, like breeze dey carry am. People for compound just dey look with awe, dey whisper.

After small waka—

One big hill appear.

This hill na like Aso Rock for spiritual world—everybody dey respect am. If you no get level, no try climb am anyhow.

Na the main peak be that.

For fellowship, na only important people dey waka reach this level. Hill wey get story, wey ancestors don bless.

On top the main peak na Palm Grove Hall, the main hall of the fellowship.

Palm trees dey everywhere, their leaf dey dance for breeze, as if dem dey greet person wey get power. The hall big, painted with old symbols, e smell of old oil and prayer. You fit smell fried akara from kitchen side, and old palm wine gourd dey corner.

"No flying for front of main peak!"

Some people rush come, surround Ifunanya, dey form tough.

Their uniform sharp, but you go know say na only mouth dem get. Dem dey form council, but their eye dey shift. For Naija, dem go call them 'area boys' of spirit world.

Ikenna wan laugh.

Na real comedy. These ones dey try block person wey fit finish them with only look.

Few intermediate members, dey ride spiritual staff, wan block high spiritual level?

Na like say small pickins dey block police for checkpoint. E funny pass anything.

Who give una mind?

Ikenna just dey ask for mind—who give una this kain boldness? For Naija, person fit say, 'Na juju una rub?'

"No flying for main peak? I never hear that rule before o."

Ikenna fold hand, dey smile like say e dey play.

The smile dey confuse everybody. Na only person wey sure of im power fit dey play with danger like this.

According to the novel, na junior sister people be these—dem dey set trap for the main woman.

Ifunanya don read this script before—e know say dem dey try push am inside wahala wey she no sabi.

Dem wan force am trek the hill.

If you see Naija babe wey dem wan disgrace, na so dem go do, dey force am waka, dey look if shame go catch am.

By the time she go reach, everybody for hall go believe say na she thief am, say she dey fear.

You know as people for Naija dey quick judge. If dem see say you dey avoid place, na dem go start story.

Na so when she enter, everybody don already support junior sister.

Before Ifunanya go reach, dem don spread rumor finish. Even people wey no sabi her before go dey look am one kain.

As Ikenna remember, e face change small.

Old pain dey show. Na that face wey person dey make if dem use her do scapegoat.

Since dem no get respect, e no owe dem respect too.

For Naija, respect na two-way street. If you no give, you no go collect.

The group look themselves, like say dem plan am.

Their eye dey move, mouth dey twist. Na clear say dem rehearse am before, dey wait for show.

"Disciplinary Council just put the rule now. Senior Sister Ifunanya, na you first break am."

Na so dem dey form authority, like elders wey just dey flex power. Everybody dey watch as dem dey deliver their lines.

"From today, anybody wey wan enter main hall go trek the hill."

The tone firm. For Naija, na so dem dey change rule if dem wan catch person. E no follow before, but dem go form am that minute.

One of dem talk, others dey laugh for back.

Their laugh sharp, but na for back. Dem no fit laugh for front of Ikenna eye.

For intermediate members, to see high spiritual level person disgrace na big entertainment.

Dem dey look for gist, dey wait make wahala start so dem go get story to yarn.

Ifunanya dey panic, "Senior, dem be Disciplinary Council members o. If you offend dem, wahala fit dey. Abeg, make we just climb the hill."

Ifunanya dey beg, dey reason say maybe if dem just follow small, wahala go stop. Na soft mind dey talk.

"Make I test you."

Ikenna ask, "If you trek finish, dem go don pin everything for your head. If I give you back your body, how you go handle am?"

Na sharp question. E dey test Ifunanya heart. For Naija, na only person wey get experience go fit ask this kain.

Ifunanya think small, "I get high spiritual level, so I fit climb fast."

She dey try reason say maybe speed go help am dodge disgrace.

Ikenna just shake head.

E dey pity am. For Naija, if your enemy plan to disgrace you, na only sense and power fit save you.

Ifunanya add, "Or maybe I no go climb. I go just siddon for hill foot. After some time, senior brother go come down, punish these people."

She dey believe say justice go show, say person go fight for her.

As she talk, she begin believe am. Senior brother always dey fair. She believe say na only him fit help am.

E dey hope for helper, dey forget say sometimes, helper fit dey sleep when your wahala start. For Naija, people dey always say 'carry your cross yourself.'

Ikenna just sigh.

E pain am. For this world, na only you fit fight your fight.

Wrong thinking.

Ifunanya no know say for this kain world, if you gree small, dem go finish you.

To depend on person no go work—especially that senior brother.

No be everybody wey dey your side really dey wish you well. Some people just dey wait make you fall.

The guy dey form cold, but na only for Ifunanya. Once e jam junior sister, all that coldness disappear.

For Naija, dem go say 'man wey dey form hard, na only woman fit melt am.' For here, senior brother na just actor for two face.

So much for justice.

If justice really dey, Ifunanya for no dey this kain wahala.

One time, main woman mistakenly pluck spiritual fruit, senior brother catch am, punish her kneel three days.

Dem dey quick punish person wey no get mouth. For Naija, na so dem dey always do—the quiet one dey collect cane, the noisy one dey chop better food.

Junior sister, because of food, sneak go healing garden, pluck full basket of spiritual fruit. Senior brother just laugh, warn am say next time, make leader no catch am.

Na so people dey run things with double standard. If na Ifunanya, dem go flog; if na junior sister, na small warning and laugh.

Junior sister just stick out tongue, talk say she go try.

Na that kain behavior wey dey pain person pass. Dem dey look you finish, still dey show you say dem no rate you.

As Ikenna remember, e chest tight.

Na real pain. Sometimes, old wound dey bleed pass fresh one.

E look down—

E almost forget say e dey woman body now.

Sometimes, e hard to adjust when everything for body change. E dey feel strange.

Too much vex no good for chest.

For Naija, elders dey always talk say 'no let anger kill you.' Ikenna just try breathe slow.

The talk between spirits, nobody fit see am.

To outsiders, Ifunanya just dey hesitate.

People wey dey watch for outside go just think say she dey fear, or say her leg dey pain am. Dem no know say real battle dey go on for inside.

Their attitude change sharp sharp.

You fit see as people begin dey bold; as dem sense weakness, dem gather more courage. Na so dem dey do for compound—if dem see say you dey shake, dem go add more wahala.

"Ifunanya, you still dey stand?"

Person voice sharp. Dem dey challenge am, dey wait make she fall hand.

"Trek the hill or comot."

No mercy. No pity. Na pure intimidation.

"No dey form high level for us Disciplinary Council members."

Dem dey try use mouth break her confidence. Ifunanya just dey swallow everything like bitterleaf.

"You think say high spiritual level na anything?"

For Naija, if you dey underrate person wey senior you, na slap fit reset your brain.

Ikenna eye sharp, smile like say nothing dey, ask, "Abeg, repeat that last thing you talk."

The smile no reach eye; e cold like early morning harmattan.

"Huh?" Dem look each other, no understand.

Confusion dey their face. Dem no dey sure if wahala go burst.

"You think say high spiritual level na anything?" one repeat.

The guy voice just dey shake, but pride no gree am keep quiet.

Before e finish—

Ikenna just wave hand like say e dey pursue fly.

Na small gesture, but the power wey e carry na like thunder. For Naija, dem go say, 'small pikin no dey use left hand point elders house.'

E move slow, but for intermediate people eye, na power of law e carry. Everywhere just lock up, no escape.

Everybody freeze, no movement, just cold everywhere. Harmattan breeze chop everybody face, but nobody wan shift—pride dey hold their leg.

Pa. Pa. Pa.

All those Disciplinary Council people fall from sky like broken kite.

Na so dem drop, bodies just dey scatter like fresh egusi for market. Some land for sand, some for small bush. Dem dey groan, dey cry.

The height dey, but with intermediate level, dem no go die. But most of their bones and veins don scatter.

If na local village, elders for don gather begin do bone setting and apply black soap. Here, na only groaning you go hear.

For ground, na only cry full everywhere.

Even person wey get strong mind dey shake. Some dey whisper, dey call ancestors for help.

"Disciplinary Council people wey dey abuse power, na punishment be this."

Ikenna voice loud, clear like church bell for Sunday morning.

"And make una hear am: high spiritual level really get level."

Na warning wey reach bone. If you no hear, na your own wahala.

Ikenna no shout, but everybody for ground hear am well.

The voice dey echo for air, even birds pause their song.