Chapter 4: The Meeting

Mama no trust to leave me for hotel, so she carry me go the company wey she dey work.

She and her people gats go upstairs for meeting, no fit carry me enter. Before she go, she comb my hair well, arrange my beads so dem no go scatter for meeting people, then pat my head: "You too fine, my pikin." She adjust my socks, and squeeze my hand two times—her sign of 'I love you'.

She check my children watch, tell me:

"If anything happen, call Mama. No trust stranger. If you need help, meet that aunty for front desk, okay?"

I nod well.

As Mama enter stairs finish, I jump down from chair, waka comot for building. I waka like small rat—nobody notice as I dey pass.

Barrage comments dey roll for my eye.

[Little Ijeoma, see that black Jeep? Na your papa dey inside.]

[Aaaa, this story no dey follow normal line. Author don change am? Make Ijeoma meet her papa sharp sharp.]

[Little Ijeoma, any man wey get king level presence, no doubt, na your papa. Go call am.]

I look the tall building for front. Black car park for gate.

Car stop, two men come down.

The man for front, face cold and fine, like breeze just blow. His shoe shine like say dem use coconut oil. Im suit na correct one, I just dey look.

Barrage:

[Pikin, na am be that, run go hug im leg, no be only your papa, na your way to better life.]

I no waste time. I run with my short leg, hug the man leg sharp sharp. My arms wrap am tight, even my cheek rub im fine trouser.

I look up, shout:

"Daddy!"

"Give me money!"

"I wan save my mama!"

People for gate pause, mouth open. One security man use walkie-talkie: "Oga, small madam dey disturb Oga Okoli!"

Papa suppose raise pikin.

Pikin suppose raise Mama.

E make sense. If I no talk am, who go talk?

Everywhere just quiet.

After small time, one voice wey no get manners talk for my head: "Where this small fat girl come from?"

Fat girl?

Me?

I look up, see the person. Tall pass me, bend head dey look me. Im eyes sharp like eagle own, but the eyebrow dey frown.

Just like Mama talk, fine well well.

But im face dey fierce.

"I no fat." Mama dey always talk say I dey grow, na why I dey chubby, I cute.

Another man wey wear grey suit wipe sweat for face: "Oga Okoli, maybe na worker bring their pikin."

As im talk finish, im squat, look me, voice soft: "Small one, tell uncle, who be your papa and mama? Uncle go help you find them, okay?"

I look up the man wey I dey hold: "Uncle, my papa dey here so."

"Who?" Im shock, point the man wey I dey hold, ask, "Our Oga Okoli?"

I nod well.

Im just quiet, stand up, talk to im boss: "Oga Okoli, you see..."

The man wey dem dey call Oga Okoli look down, hiss.

"Small fat girl, your people no teach you say you fit chop anything but you no fit talk anyhow? How I go get big pikin like you?"

"Well, I dey tell you now, so you know." I talk am.

"...I no be."

"But you be my papa."

"Who talk?" Im squat look me. "You even know my name, dey call me papa?"

"I know, you be Okoli Chuka." The barrage sisters talk am.

Im shock: "You sabi me?"

"You be my papa, why I no go sabi you." I answer am.

Im look me for long, then laugh: "Small fat girl, who send you come scam me?"

"I no be small fat girl, call me Ijay."

"Okay, Ijay, uncle no get time play. Go with that uncle, make dem call your people, okay?"

"No, you wan leave your pikin?" I look am. "Mama talk say you no be that kind person. You lie give my mama?"

Uncles and aunties for there dey look us like film. One even dey whisper, "Na who born this small wahala?"

Im really laugh: "Okay, tell me who be your mama. I wan see who I born big pikin with."

"My mama na Anulika." I talk.