Chapter 4: Money for Peace

“I no do am on purpose, na just say I dey different from everybody, but you treat me like the rest, give me the same work. Of course I no go happy.”

She dey yarn like say na me cause her entitlement. Dem teach una for school say intern get special package?

“So this one no be your fault?”

I vex, ask am wetin make her different:

Na so I raise voice small, “Halima, abeg, wetin really make you different pass others? Abi na family wey sabi senator? Abi na you get this company?”

Halima Musa laugh, “MD Tunde, the taste of failure dey bitter, but na your own wahala be this, no be my own. No vex. See, make we do am like this: you give me five million naira, I go help clear your name.”

She cross leg, twist mouth like say she dey do you favour. E be like comedy skit, but I know say she mean am.

“Abeg, five million go solve my wahala sharp sharp. I fit japa, you fit rest.”

E shock me. This Gen Z no get fear face. For her mind, every problem get price tag. She even dey price her own wahala.

As I eye am like say I fit finish am, Halima Musa shrink back, insult me small, then waka commot.

She hiss, give me one kind side eye, drop “Na wa for you o,” then waka out, twist her waist like say na runway she dey.

Two days after:

Na so rumor start. Office dey cold, people dey whisper. Next thing, police enter compound.

Dem find Halima Musa dead for her rented flat. The suspect jump inside river.

People dey form CSI, dey analyze. Some dey say spiritual attack, some dey say heartbreak. Lagos wahala full everywhere.

But even as I get my revenge, e no sweet me—na only regret remain, because everything don loss.

The whole thing just empty. I no fit sleep, guilt dey chase me like masquerade for village square.

But, as God want am, I come back to life.

E be like say angel use cane flog me go back. This time, I go set my life straight. God no go shame us, I talk for my mind. No time for long story.

See my wife smile for my phone lock screen, I swear say this time, na me go strike first.

I touch her photo, promise myself: "Dem no go use me do example again for social media."