Chapter 5: Ada Festival and Palace Plots

On the day of my coming-of-age ceremony—the "Ada festival", when girl reach fifteen—my mama come give me special gift.

Na big celebration, everywhere dey shine, drummers dey play, old women dey tie gele. Smoke from jollof rice and fried goat meat dey fill air, children dey dance, elders dey pray for ground. Mama come my room, eye dey bright like torch. She wear new ankara, gold chain full neck.

She carry me with her own hand go Crown Prince bed.

Her grip tight. She whisper for my ear, "Na today your life go change." My body cold, I dey fear, but I just dey follow.

No be anybody fault.

I no fit blame myself, no fit blame Fola. The way e be, na only God sabi who to blame. Everybody dey act script wey dem no write.

If anybody dey to blame, na because I too fine—finer and softer than how mama be when she young, dey make people pity me.

Na so dem dey talk for palace. "Princess Halima, see as she fine! Her skin dey glow like morning water. Her eyes dey draw person heart."

Na my mama talk am. She say Crown Prince like me.

She whisper, "Fola no dey look you like sister. Na woman e dey see." She dey smile, but e get something dark for her voice.

Because the way e dey look me no be how brother suppose look sister.

I don notice am. E go dey stare, then look away. My own heart go dey jump anytime Fola near.

Na the way man dey look woman.

E get those kind eyes—deep, soft. I dey fear, but at the same time, I dey feel safe.

Mama want make I do her old style—seduce Crown Prince, make e misbehave.

She talk am clear, "Do am, make your brother fall. Your brother love you, use am. Make Oga vex, make my pikin get chance."

She want become main wife, want Prince of Blessing to be crown prince.

If Fola fall, Oga go vex, go look for new heir. My mama plan big, she dey look future.

But wetin she no know be say, for my mind, I dey even thank God.

Thank God say na Fola, say I no dey under Oga hand like goat for slaughter.

Oga don hint me many times.

Oga dey look me, dey touch my shoulder, dey ask questions wey dey fear me. "Halima, you done grow o. You sabi wetin woman dey do?"

I don grow, mama don dey old.

People for palace dey compare us, say, "Halima don fine pass her mama." My beauty dey worry dem.

Oga even ask if I wan replace my mama.

E joke, but eye no dey joke. My body go cold anytime e enter my room alone.

I dey vex.

Sometimes I go pray for night, ask God, "Why you keep me for this world?" My anger dey burn, but I hide am under smile.

I know say I fit dodge am for now, but no be forever.

The way palace things dey go, my time dey near. I dey count days for my mind.

So, half struggle, half surrender, I follow mama wish, enter Crown Prince bed.

My heart dey beat like drum for festival. As I cross door, my leg dey shake, but I keep face straight.

I think say, this time, Oga no go drag me with him pikin, abi?

I dey hope say this move go save me from chief hand. If Fola fall, Oga go focus on pikin wahala.

To dey with Crown Prince better pass to dey with mama man.

For my mind, I dey reason—if I must choose, better na Fola.