Chapter 3: Buried Secrets

Na so the thing be. Before she reach house, dem don bury Okoli Yomi finish.

For compound, you go see crowd, but no cry dey loud. Just that quiet hush, like say everybody dey fear to talk. Na old woman go come hold Zainab hand, whisper, "My pikin, take heart."

No ask why.

People dey always say, "No ask question for burial matter, make you no collect curse." But inside, everybody dey reason am.

If you ask, dem go tell you: the weather too hot to keep dead body.

"Sun dey roast person for this our side. Dead body no fit last."

That time, journey no easy like now. The place far. After bus, you go sleep for state capital, next day go local government, then take keke, then okada. After all that, na im you go reach house. So even though Okoli Zainab rush, e still take am two and half days to reach.

No be only Zainab complain, even people for village dey talk, "You go Abuja, you go forget road home. Na wahala be dat."

That na the “better” reason why dem rush bury the body.

But dem still dey hide plenty tori. E get as the matter be.

Another reason: dem say Okoli Yomi mama sign consent.

They say, "She press thumbprint." But you know say for our side, if elders want make something pass, dem fit do am anyhow.

But the woman no sabi read or write, and she get wahala for head before. After this shock, she just dey talk anyhow, no fit explain anything when her daughter ask.

People say she dey talk to herself, sometimes cry, sometimes just dey look sky. People begin fear say maybe madness dey waka near her.

But the village people say she press thumbprint for agreement.

Zainab no fit argue, dem already carry paper go local chief. Once chief sign, na final.

Now, na only ashes and seventy thousand naira compensation reach Okoli Zainab hand.

If you see the way dem count the money, e resemble market day for village square. Eyes dey follow every naira note, some dey count for inside their mind, some dey whisper, "Na so life cheap reach?"

Yes, each person wey beat am pay ten thousand—na big money that year.

For that time, ten thousand fit start small business. People dey use am buy land for bush.

As for the bullies, Okoli Zainab no even see their face, talk less of apology.

Na only rumor go round, say dem dey hide. Some say Sani Dafe run go city, others say e dey inside house, papa lock gate.

The mill manager look down on Okoli Zainab, this skinny, tired girl, tell am: “Okoli Yomi sister, you dey okay with this? The fight no happen inside mill, e no concern us. Out of pity, na im we try help you get this money. E go do for your mama old age.”

E talk am like say e dey do her big favor, face like fish wey dem just bring out from pot. You go see eye dey shine, but heart no dey inside.

Yes, e go do.

People for background dey murmur, "She no get choice now. Wetin woman wan do for this kind matter?"

After all this, Okoli Yomi mama body don weak—she no get much time again.

Na old woman, even before the burial wahala, she dey complain of waist pain, cough, body no dey strong. Now, e be like say grief carry all her life remain.

She fit even die before she chop the seventy thousand.

People dey talk, "Death dey wait for nobody. Money no fit keep person when spirit don weak."