Chapter 3: Maths Na Real Juju For Here

The first person wey go represent our sect na eldest senior brother, Elder Brother Tunde. The guy don pass thirty, calm and steady, don dey follow Baba Musa train for more than twenty years.

Na Tunde be the backbone for our small sect. The way e dey arrange im cap before fight, you go think say e sure die.

E opponent na one Oluwaseyi Sect pikin, e wear white, face fresh, e look like say e never even reach twenty.

The Oluwaseyi boy, Seyi, e skin fine, no pimple, e dey smile like person wey never chop slap before. But e eye dey shine—na that kind shine wey you sabi say e sabi book.

As Baba Musa see am, e face change.

Baba Musa just shake im head, face me, whisper: "Ifedike, our matter for this round no good. Seyi na real genius."

"Ah, I no expect say na Seyi we go jam for first round. Our luck don finish this year," Baba Musa just shake head, like say Elder Brother Tunde don already lose.

I fit hear pain for Baba Musa voice, as if e don already dey calculate our transport money back.

As two of dem bow for stage, Elder Brother Tunde stand first, ready to show himself.

The sun dey hot, sweat dey roll for back, but nobody wan miss this show.

Tunde chest puff, e do small handshake, then raise head. The arena quiet. I even hear frog croak far away.

My heart dey beat. I dey expect to see all those powerful cultivation moves wey people dey talk about.

I dey wait make e shout or do one kind hand sign wey go make everybody run. My belle dey tight.

Na so Elder Brother Tunde deep breathe, gather him spirit for him belle, then shout:

"What is 2×3?"

I shock. Everybody shock. The question echo for the whole place. Some elders look up, some junior disciple laugh hide mouth.

As he talk am finish, breeze strong like say na wind blade, just fly go meet Seyi.

I see the breeze swirl, carry small sand, the kind you go see for harmattan morning, as e rush Seyi side.

But Seyi just calm, smile small, reply:

"Six."

E voice clear like church bell for Sunday morning for village. You no go believe say na ordinary number e talk.

Sharp sharp, the wind attack just scatter like nothing happen.

The wind just disappear. Na so the attack scatter like okpa for rain. Seyi never even blink eye.

People wey gather there begin shout and clap.

Everybody dey hail am, dey talk say na so real genius dey do. Some people dey wave hand like say dem dey see miracle.

Me, I just stand for down, mouth open.

I just dey wonder if na joke, or maybe I don waka enter another planet.

Wait, na which kind gbege be this? Na primary school question dem dey use do juju for here?

I rub my eyes, look again. Na so my mind begin dey do me one kain. This one na real?