Chapter 3: The Day the Food Changed

One afternoon after work, I line up for food as usual.

My leg dey shake, sun dey burn my neck, but hunger dey do pass power. Some people dey push for back, everybody dey hope say today e go better.

Suddenly, I see the new overseer, him dey frown well well as he look the cassava cake for him hand.

The way Oga look the food, e be like say dem just insult am. Him eye sharp, nose wrinkle. I know say something go soon happen.

I think say maybe the thing too small for am. I even reason whether make I give am from my own, just to make am happy.

Na so life teach us—try please those wey get power. If I fit do small, maybe e go remember me.

But before I fit decide, the overseer just stand up sharp-sharp, raise him hand, throw the cassava cake for ground, begin vex:

The sound as the cake land for sand loud, everybody just freeze. Oga voice come out strong, e dey shake everybody chest.

"This thing worse pass the nonsense wey dem dey serve us for boarding house those days!"

Omo, na wah! We never see Oga wey fit talk like that before. Some people dey fear, some dey look ground.

Me: "..."

For my mind, na only one word dey: wahala. Wetin go happen next?

Before I fit do anything, the overseer waka go the food stand. Right in front of all of us, he use leg scatter the plastic bucket of food.

Everybody mouth open. The bucket land for one corner, food scatter everywhere, ground soak. Some small pikin wey dey line up begin cry.

All of us shock. The food bad, but at least e dey fill belle. Now wey e don pour, we go work all day with empty stomach?

Hunger no dey care if food sweet or not. People dey look their empty plate, hope don vanish like smoke.

Plenty labourers begin complain under their breath:

"Which kind wahala this oga dey do now?"

"Abi e wan make we die for hunger?"

"This one no make sense o!"

Small grumble dey rise. Some dey curse for inside. Everybody dey fear say this Oga fit be worse than the last one.

But the overseer just smile small, wave him hand:

Oga face just soft, e wave like say make we calm down. Even as we dey murmur, his voice come out cool:

"Come, make I carry una go chop better food!"

E no even wait make person answer, just begin lead us like say na shepherd with him sheep.