Title: Na Inside Gutter Hope Start
Chapter 2 Title: Mama No Gree Fall
Chapter 2 – Mama No Gree Fall
The night wey I turn ten, rain fall like say heaven dey vex. Our zinc roof dey leak everywhere. The whole room smell like wet clothes and smoke from the kerosene stove wey mama use cook ewedu. I remember say that night, I hold mama hand tight because thunder dey strike like war.
Mama just dey hum one old gospel song — "Mo ke pe Jesu… Jesu da mi lohun" — her voice cracked but strong. Even inside all that noise, I still hear the pain for her tone. That woman no get strength again, but she still dey fight life with faith wey pass mountain.
She look me small say, "Seyi, you see this life, e go try break you. But you go tell life say you stubborn pass am." I no even understand wetin she mean that time, but those words still dey echo for my head till today.
Morning come, and the whole compound don turn muddy swamp. I waka out barefoot, go buy bread and akara with the N50 mama give me. As I dey come back, I see one small boy wey dem dey call Bobo dey fight for corner. I no fit pass. I pull him out, clean him face. From that day, na so me and Bobo become padi.
We both dey hustle — sometimes we go wash motor for the express, sometimes carry load for market. But Bobo dey rough; him like wahala. I still remember one day wey he drag N200 with area boy called "Wire." Wire stab am small for hand. That day, I fear. Mama warn me say, "No join street boys wey wan die for nothing."
But Lagos no dey give you choice sometimes. Hunger dey teach lesson faster than school.
One afternoon, I see mama faint for her shop. She never chop since morning. I cry rush her go chemist; the man talk say na stress and hunger dey worry her. E pain me die. I go kneel tell God say, "If na suffer wey I go suffer make mama smile, I go suffer tire."
From that day, I start dey double my hustle. I dey wake 5 a.m., go fetch water for people house, then go market help one woman sell ogbono. Night time, I go dey watch how boys dey repair okada and car engine. That's where my love for mechanic work start.
One Sunday, I tell mama say I wan learn work. She first no agree. She talk say, "Seyi, education still important o." But school don already throw me out because of unpaid fee. So she just sigh, touch my head, say, "If na mechanic go feed you, then learn am with all your heart."
Next day, I go meet Uncle Kazeem, one man for our street wey get small workshop under one big mango tree. The place dey hot like hellfire, but the smell of oil and engine sweet me. E remind me say life fit dirty but still get beauty inside.
At first, dem no allow me near engine. I dey only sweep, fetch water, and run errand. I no complain. I dey watch every move like hawk. Within two weeks, I fit fit assemble carburetor pass some apprentices wey don dey there since.
But as life go always do, wahala still show face. One night, as I dey go house, I jam Wire and him crew for corner. Dem stop me, say I dey form better boy since I no dey roll with them again. Before I talk, slap land my face. I fall, dust my body, still tell am, "I no dey your level again." That statement nearly cause riot.
Wire pick bottle, but before e fit break am, one police patrol van pass. They run scatter. Me, I limp go house with bruises, but my heart full of fire. That night, I tell mama say, "Dem wan see me fall, but dem go wait taya." Mama smile, hold my hand, and whisper, "Na so lion dey born lion."
Weeks pass, and I begin earn small. I buy mama wrapper, small foodstuffs. Anytime she smile, I dey feel like I win Grammy. 😅 But Lagos wahala no dey finish. One day, demolition team enter our street. Government talk say dem wan expand the road. Our house scatter. Everything we get go dust.
Mama cry like baby. I no fit even talk. We sleep for church that night, under one leaking roof. I look ceiling say, "God, na which kind test be this again?"
By morning, I decide say I go find any small corner build shack. I gather plank, zinc, and nylon. Within two days, we get small hut. Mama look am, smile say, "You be man now, my pikin." That sentence dey ring for my ear like victory song.
Two months later, one of my customers for workshop — big man with Jeep — notice my handwork. He say, "Boy, you sabi this thing well. You fit follow me work for my main garage for Surulere?"
My heart jump! That night, I no fit sleep. I dey imagine better life. But I still tell mama first before I go. She look me say, "No forget where you come from, no let money turn your heart."
So I move to Surulere, new world, new people. Boys for there dey form levels, but I just keep quiet, dey focus on work. I dey sleep for corner of garage, but I no complain. Every morning I wake up with purpose.
One day, small wahala break out. One apprentice go steal customer battery. They say na me because I be newcomer. My boss vex scatter, slap me, tell me say make I leave. I beg, I swear say I no do am, but nobody believe. I carry my bag, tears dey my eye, I waka go back Ajegunle.
When mama see me, she just open hand hug me tight. She no ask question. She just say, "My son, the world go misunderstand you, but God no go."
That night, as I lay down for mat, I tell myself say, "E never finish. This na just chapter two of my story."