Chapter 3: Secret Sacrifice

E dey study for University of Ibadan; just the school fees na big money every year.

Add book, biro, paper, cloth for all season, everything reach near plenty money.

If you see as e dey patch shoe, you go pity am. Sometimes, we go chop garri for night, share crayfish like secret. Poverty be like another tenant for our room.

To save money, I dey plant vegetable, raise chicken and duck, even wan buy piglet join.

As e dey see how I dey try, Ifedayo dey carry book come house to copy, make we fit get extra money.

But how much person fit make for one year from copying book?

I tire, so I sneak go night market dey sell juju insects.

People fear juju women, dey see us as witch.

If dem know say I be juju woman, Ifedayo no go fit even write exam.

I dey look the silver. Ifedayo think say I no happy with the money, e throw another pouch join.

"This one—e never do?"

This money go carry us for five, six years.

No show for face, I collect the silver from Ifedayo, give am one small bamboo basket.

"This one na cold worm juju. Keep am for the coldest place for house."

I look am well, see if e dey listen. This kind juju no be play, na wetin mama warn me about. I dey pray for my mind make devil no use am do example.

"Every midnight, e go lay egg."

"Soak the egg for water, give the woman drink am for three days straight."

I talk am slow, make e enter ear well. Sometimes, person wey dey buy evil no dey sabi say e dey buy trouble join.

"After three days, the cold worm juju go die. Burn am after."

"This juju strong well. Once woman drink am, she no go fit get pikin again. Think am well—no come find me for cure later o."

"Cold worm juju no get cure."

Ifedayo hold the basket tight, veins for him hand show like snake.

I always dey talk say him hand fine—long, neat fingers.

But as I dey look the veins now, e be like snake wey wan bite me.

Ifedayo drop the silver, hug the basket, waka fast comot.

As e stand up, e arrange him cloak and mask well, like say e dey fear make person no sabi am.

I just sit down, dey look as e dey go, and for the first time, I no wan go house.

I dey fear—fear say I go see that basket for my house.

My leg heavy for ground, I begin pray small prayer inside my chest. "God, no let enemy prosper for my roof."