Chapter 3: Drawing Hope in Exile

Time waka reach year 2000.

The world don change small. GSM dey enter, but for village, people still dey use town crier.

For Akwa Ibom, Ifedike don reach thirteen, dey for primary five.

E tall, voice don change, but heart still dey pain. People dey call am Sunday, but e no fit forget say e be Ifedike.

By that time, he no even sure if him surname na Oche or Agada, only remember say dem call am Ifedike before.

Sometimes, e dey answer Sunday for school, but for dream, na Ifedike e dey hear.

Im memory of home dey fade.

E dey try remember mama face, Oche laugh, papa voice. But every day, e dey fade like old photo.

For school, im result dey bottom; him mind no dey study.

Teacher dey flog am, "Sunday, you no dey hear word?" Ifedike dey look window, mind dey far.

Only thing wey dey sweet am na art class.

When teacher give chalk, Ifedike dey draw for board. E dey happy, even if na only for that moment.

Apart from class and farm work, Ifedike love to draw.

E dey carve wood, draw for sand, use charcoal for wall. Na the only thing wey dey give am joy.

For him sketchbook, he draw houses, mountains, rivers, buildings, masquerade festival for him hometown…

E draw mama face, Oche small hand, papa old bicycle. Sometimes, e go draw masquerade, remember festival for Umuola.

And the scene wey dem kill im mama.

That one, e draw with red pencil, tears dey drop. E no fit forget.

He never forget, nor fit forget, wetin happen when he be seven.

Every birthday, e dey mark am with small cross. E dey pray, "Mama, if you dey heaven, abeg, remember me."

Ifedike use drawing to mark those terrible scenes for im mind and body.

E dey hide the drawings under mat, sometimes burn am, sometimes keep for hope say one day, e go show papa.

Na only that way he fit go back house and give im mama answer.

E dey believe say, if e fit draw everything, maybe e go find road go back.

After primary five, Ifedike stop school, stay house.

Okon Effiong say, "No need waste money. Go farm." Ifedike no fit argue. E just dey draw for night.

Every day, apart from helping Okon Effiong do farm work, he dey write diary and draw for house.

E dey write, "Today, I miss Oche. Today, I dream of mama." Na small exercise book, but e mean world to am.

During 2000 Christmas, thirteen-year-old Ifedike see some villagers wey return from 'city' dey carve beads.

For village square, young men dey display beads, dey shine teeth, dey show new cloth. Ifedike dey watch, eye dey shine.

Curiosity catch am, he ask, dem tell am say na new work: bead carving.

One of the boys say, "If you sabi am, money go flow." Ifedike dey reason, "Maybe this one fit change my life."

As he see how these people dey shine, dey fresh, Ifedike get big idea.

E dey imagine himself, better cloth, money for pocket, maybe even chance to search for family.

Next day, he go meet Okon Effiong beg am make he go learn bead carving.

E kneel down, "Papa, abeg, I wan learn work."

To learn work, dem dey pay money.

For village, apprentice dey pay for handwork. Okon no wan hear, e say, "Who go pay?"

At first, Okon Effiong no gree—he no wan spend shishi for this boy.

E say, "You wan chop my money, run go city? Never!"

But Ifedike don ready. He reason with Okon Effiong: say bead carving dey bring better money pass farm work, and if you sabi am well, na life better for you.

Ifedike beg, "Papa, if I learn, I go send money every month. Na so city people dey do."

He promise say, most of the money wey he go make, he go send home.

E swear, "I go send money come back, help you build house."

When Okon Effiong hear say money go dey come every month, he agree.

Okon look am, smile small, "No forget me o!" Ifedike nod, joy dey heart.

Next day, Ifedike pack him things, enter bus go Ibadan.

Na early morning, dew still dey ground. Ifedike carry small bag, wear old shirt, but hope full him eye.

Na the first time wey he waka comot that so-called house, far from Okon Effiong beating.

E no look back, just dey pray say better life dey front.

From when he waka comot, he no plan to return again.

E swear for road, "No be today, no be tomorrow, I no go come back until I find my own."

For the days wey follow, Ifedike dey write diary and dey draw every night for the small, wet, rough boys’ quarters.

The boys' quarters dey behind old shop, roof dey leak, mosquito dey bite. But Ifedike no mind. As long as e dey free, hope dey.

He once think to search the whole country for him real house.

Sometimes, for night, e dey draw map of Nigeria, dey mark all the places e wan go find Oche and papa.

But he no get skill, no get money—anywhere he go, e hard for am survive.

E dey chop only bread and pure water. Sometimes, e go beg for work, but people no dey trust stranger.

To get money, find home, and revenge, na im whole life.

Every morning, e dey repeat am like prayer: "I go make am, I go see my family again."

Every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., he dey learn draw and carve, only two hours rest.

E dey sweep workshop, dey wash tools, dey carve till hand bleed. But e no complain, because e dey see progress.

As apprentice, no salary, Okon Effiong no send any money.

Ifedike dey write letter, but Okon no reply. E know say na only himself e get.

Ifedike dey manage, sometimes na only borehole water he dey use survive.

E go fetch water, use am soak garri, sometimes sleep with empty belle. But hope dey keep am alive.

One year later, him skill don improve well.

Ifedike dey carve bead wey people dey rush. Even oga dey praise am, say, "This boy get hand."

The small bead wey he carve fine, dem dey sell pass the other apprentice own.

Ifedike hands dey black from charcoal, but every bead shine like new naira.

People dey come from far, dey ask, "Who make this bead?" Ifedike dey hide for back, but joy dey heart.

But to avoid wahala, Ifedike still dey send part of him money go Okon Effiong for Akwa Ibom.

E dey send small, so Okon no go find am come city. E dey play smart, dey buy peace for himself.

Later, he small small lose contact with the old house.

Ifedike dey focus on new life. Old wounds dey heal small, but the dream of finding Oche and papa still dey burn for heart. For every bead e carve, e dey pray say one day, e go use am buy ticket go back home.

Ifedike kneel for mat, whisper, "God, abeg, no let me die for stranger hand."