Na Gbola dey save me for this Lagos Part 5

Where my mama dey when God dey create dis rich women? This money and this kain life go fit my mama kpai, that woman don too suffer for this life. Mama Uka carry handbag give me to hold for her, as she begin waka around to greet people. I no even know wetin dem dey celebrate or who dey do party, na cash wey people dey match for ground my mind dey. If dem no need dis money, make dem comot for road na, make I go pick am, which kain thing be this? I dey see money but I no fit touch am. Person tap me small for shoulder say food don arrive, I tell am thank you, but my mind no dey for the food jare, na the money wey dey ground I dey reason.

Small time, Mama Uka come back with one woman like that, say make I help the woman carry something go her boot for car. I greet the woman, collect wetin she carry, dey waka go front, as she follow me for back. Mama Uka no follow us, she sidon dey wait for me. I turn look the woman from head reach legs. She use scarf cover her head, she no wear all the gold wey others wear and her cloth cover her body wella. She be like better born again, smile no dey her face. I say make I do fast begin go back to Mama Uka, before dis one go begin preach to me.

When we reach her car, shock carry me. This woman dey drive Range Rover. I put the things for her boot, she kon smile for the first time, kon tell me thank you. The next thing na to ask me for my name …

The woman; you don try for me. Wait, make I find you small thing to take hold body. Wetin be your name?”

Matthew; my name na Matthew, ma”

The woman; I hope Mama Uka dey treat you well sha? You na very fine boy, you deserve person wey go show you better love. Wey go change your life totally. Na which car you dey drive?”

Matthew; car keh? I no get car o. Okada sef, I no get. Mama Uka dey try for me, God use am change my life, this cloth wey I wear sef, plus this phone, na she arrange them give me”…

I bring out my phone from my pocket show her. She tell me to open am, I open am. Na so this woman wey I think say na born again, carry my phone put her number inside, kon flash herself, then give me the phone back…

The woman; this thing no be phone, my gateman no even fit use am. Mama Uka tell me how sweet you dey to her, how you be her new catch. Upon everything wey she talk about you, na ordinary techno phone she carry give you. Iphone don finish for market ni? You see that thing wey I dey talk? Anyways, dey go meet am for inside, I go call you later make we talk. I get better deal for you wey pass her own, if you go take am, you let me know when we talk later. Oya, dey go, make she no find you come outside. No tell am wetin I talk o, no use your hand spoil better opportunity”…

As she talk finish, she bring out big money give me. The money too big, no be wetin I fit count for public. I rush put am for pocket, tell am thank you, kon dey go inside. As I dey waka, my chest just dey sound gbim gbim, very fast. I no understand wetin dey happen. Before I reach the entrance, I see Mama Uka for there, she dey look for me…

Mama Uka; where you go na? Just to help person carry something reach boot, you disappear”

Matthew; no o, she stop dey greet people, na why I delay, no vex”

Mama Uka; no problem. Na my best friend be that woman, she dey use her own sugar boy do shakara for me last year, na why I tell am about you, make me sef do small shakara, e no easy. You dey hungry?”

Matthew; I dey okay, my belle still full for food wey I eat for morning”…

Why I go hungry kwanu? Me, Matthew Ekwunife carry money wey dem use bank paper wrap, inside my pocket, naim I go dey think of food?

We stay for another 30 minutes for the party. So many women just dey greet Mama Uka, all of dem dey look me like say Mama Uka don win lottery. Some of dem even touch me for face as I greet dem, Mama Uka go use laugh tell dem to comot hand o, say na she get me. Na den I kon understand wetin dey happen. All of dem dey runs small boys like me, even the ones wey wear wedding rings, to show say dem don marry.

By the time I reach house after everything, I count the money wey the woman give me, na 50kpa straight, house rent for one year. Na so I rush go where my mama dey fry akara for street…

Matthew; maale, how far na?”

My mama; haaa! Abobo, see as you fine. Chai, na money be find bobo o. The way you dress no even make me recognize you from far, until you reach here. See shoe na, my pikin fine. Where you see money buy all dis things?”

Matthew; person wey dey work, shey dem no dey pay am? I no understand this question o. You know since wey I don dey save? Maale, no dey whine me jor. How far our rent, you don pay?”

My mama; pay keh? Na that 5kpa wey you dash me make am reach 30kpa, I still dey find 20kpa like this. Landlord wan use insult finish me. This money wey I no get eeh. If say una papa dey alive now, shebi I…”

Matthew; e don do o, you go soon start now. I no want make you cry for me, I get rent money complete, but your wahala too much, you go dey worry me say where I take see money, upon say you know say I dey work since I dey 17 years, and I no dey follow bad people waka”

My mama; no vex for me, abeg. Na mama I be, I suppose dey ask to know where my children dey see money and wetin dem dey do? Make dem no put hand for wetin no good, just because we dey poor”

Matthew; take this money, make you pay rent, na 50kpa dey inside. I don tell you say I go change your life, you never believe am. The kain thing wey Mama Uka dey do for me now eeh, our poverty be like e go soon end”…

My mama wan faint, she just fall for ground, hold me for legs, dey cry as she dey thank me. Me just hold am, quickly collect the money back put am for pocket, as people don dey gather, make dem no ròb us. As we dey do the drama, naim my phone begin ring, I kon beg my mama make she behave na, say I wan answer my call, she kon stand up, carry better hug plaster for my body. She tell me to help her go hide the mula for house.

The first call don ring finish, end. The second one start as I don dey road, I pick am…

Caller; Matthew, how you dey?”

Matthew; I dey fine. Abeg, na who dey talk?”

Caller; na Mama Uka friend, the woman wey collect your number for party today”

Matthew; Oh, okay. Good evening, ma”

Caller; I no wan talk too much, make I no waste our time. The thing be say, I like you, I wan keep you to myself, make you leave Mama Uka. I go tripple anything wey she dey give you”

Matthew; ma, I no know how I wan take do that one o. Mama Uka don show me better love, she buy me new clothes and new phone, things wey I no get before”

Caller; leave that one, jare. Which one be clothes and phone? Those ones no be anything na. Wetin go happen be say, I go give you my own deal, if you no want am, I no go call you again, you hear?”

Matthew; okay, ma”

Caller; the deal be say, I go put you for better house for lekki, I get bungalow wey I just build finish, well furnished, 4 bedrooms and parlor, I go also give you one Toyota spider wey I park for there, make you dey use. My baby no go dey trek, God forbid. By the time you don agree, we go discuss how much I go dey put for your account, every month, for upkeep. I go also do international passport for you, so that you go dey follow me travel, whenever I want. You no need to say anything for now, make you think am. I go call you by tomorrow morning, to get your answer. If you agree, I go carry you go show you the house for lekki, I go from there check wetin Mama Uka tell me about your sweet gbola, whether na true she dey talk or na lie. You hear me so?”…

My head dey ring, I no understand anything wey the woman talk, shey na dream I dey dream abi this woman dey whine me? Wait o, all dis things na because of gbola wey God take bless me, na like this my life wan take change? Mama Uka dey learn o, where dis one dey. I think say my life don better, I no know say na God just wan use Mama Uka show me my destiny helper. I talk am say I too fine to dey poor, I no suppose suffer for this life. 21 years boy like me, go dey drive motor, dey live for big house. Omo, na to go learn how to drive remain…

Caller; hello. Hello. Matthew, you still dey there?”

Matthew; yes, yes, I dey here. I don hear wetin you talk, I go use this night think am well. If you call me tomorrow morning, I go get answer down for you”

I already know wetin my answer go be, I just wan form like say I no desperate.