Chapter 7 – Shadows and Sacrifice
Lagos no sleep. Even when the night quiet, danger still dey hide under streetlight shadow. For some people, darkness na peace; for others, na warning. Me, I don learn say both fit be true.
After that day wey I face Baba Eko, everything calm small. Shop dey run well, customers dey come steady. Samson don master how to repair small blender, iron, fan — him dey enjoy am. Sometimes we go gist about our old days, laugh small, then silence go enter between us like ghost. Both of us sabi say our peace fragile like bottle for rough bus.
Tola still dey come around too. She dey plan her final project for school, and sometimes she go bring her laptop come the shop, sit near me while I dey work. The way she dey smile, dey talk, dey dream — e dey make me remember say life still sweet if person no let pain control am.
But peace no dey last long for Lagos.
One Friday evening, heavy rain dey fall. Thunder dey strike like angry drummer. I and Samson dey inside shop dey lock things when one boy rush enter, soaked head to toe.
He shout, "Dem don attack park! Duke and him boys dey fight another gang for boundary!"
My heart skip. I know say if Duke dey involved, wahala go soon reach here.
"Who send dem?" Samson ask.
The boy pant. "Dem say new gang from Mushin wan collect control of the park. People don die o!"
Before we talk again, we hear gun sound far away — pa! pa! pa! Rain dey drown the noise, but I still hear am clear. I look Samson.
He sigh. "You think say e go reach here?"
I shake head. "I no know. But make we close early today."
We quickly lock shop and rush house. That night, I no sleep. I just dey hear siren, shout, and the voice of Lagos crying like wounded soldier.
By morning, news spread. Over five people die for the fight. Duke no die, but him get injured. Baba Eko gang dey blame the Mushin boys, and tension dey rise.
I tell Samson, "This thing go scatter everywhere. Make we stay low."
He nod. "But what if dem come this side? You know say Duke still get beef for you."
I sigh. "If dem come, we go face am together."
Inside me, fear and anger dey fight for space. I no wan go back to that violence life. But sometimes, street go drag you even when you no call am.
Two days later, I get call from unknown number.
"Na who be this?" I ask.
Voice talk, "Seyi, na Duke."
My heart freeze. "Wetin you want?"
He laugh weakly. "Relax. I no dey come fight. I dey hospital. I need talk to you."
I silent small. Curiosity and caution dey drag me. Finally, I say, "Which hospital?"
He tell me.
When I reach hospital, the smell of disinfectant hit me. Duke dey bed, bandage for arm and shoulder. He look weaker than before.
When him see me, he smile small. "You still get heart come here. I think say you go ignore."
I fold hand. "Talk wetin you wan talk."
He sigh. "I no go lie, Seyi. This street no get end. Every day na revenge, na blood, na cry. Baba Eko no dey listen to anybody again. Him don turn old and paranoid. I dey tired."
I stare am. "So wetin you want make I do?"
He cough small. "I wan commot too, but dem go kill me if I try. You get connection for police abi? Help me get small chance. I go disappear. I no fit live like this again."
For a moment, I see the same fear wey I once carry inside my chest inside his eyes. I sigh. "You sure say you wan change?"
He nod weakly.
"Okay," I talk. "I go try."
That evening, I go meet that police sergeant again. I explain the matter small. He shake head. "This street boys wahala no dey finish. But if he really wan leave, I fit help relocate am."
We plan small. Two days later, police go pick Duke quietly, no noise, and move him out of Lagos.
But street get many eyes.
The night before the pickup, Baba Eko hear rumor say Duke dey plan run. He send boys to find am.
Before dawn, I get call again — Samson voice this time, trembling. "Seyi! Dem don catch Duke o!"
I jump from bed. "Where?"
"Him hideout for Coker side. Dem tie am for warehouse. I hear dem plan to finish am tonight."
My head spin. If dem kill Duke, police go trace me next since my name go appear for call record. But more than that — I no fit watch person wey wan change die like dog.
By 9 p.m., I already dey move. Samson follow me. Rain dey fall again — Lagos rain wey dey soak body and soul.
We reach the warehouse. No light, just flicker from candle inside. I hear voices.
"Make Baba come finish am himself," one man talk.
Another laugh. "Duke don betray. This na lesson for others."
I signal Samson make he stay low. We sneak from back, see Duke tied to chair.
My heart dey beat like drum. I pick small iron pipe from ground. When the first guard pass, I hit am for head — gbam! He drop quietly.
Samson rush go untie Duke.
Then we hear shout. "Who dey there!"
Chaos burst. Two men rush us. Samson push one, I swing pipe hit another. Candle fall, smoke fill the place. Duke weak but still try run.
We all rush out through side door as bullets start fly — pa! pa! pa!
Rain wash blood from floor as we sprint into dark street.
"Go left!" I shout.
We jump fence, fall inside gutter, crawl through until we reach main road. I flag down keke, we enter and vanish into night.
We hide Duke for my shop till morning. He too weak to move far. Samson clean his wounds, while I sit for corner, thinking.
When daylight come, I call the sergeant. In less than one hour, unmarked police motor come. Dem carry Duke quietly.
Before he go, he hold my hand. "Seyi, I no deserve your help, but thank you."
I nod. "Just make sure say this your second chance worth am."
He smile small. "You get lion heart. Don't lose am."
As van drive off, I exhale like man wey hold breath all night.
But peace no go free.
By evening, rumor spread for street say "traitor" don vanish, and Baba Eko dey suspect inside leak. I know say sooner or later, dem go link me.
I tell Samson, "E be like say we go leave Lagos for small time."
He frown. "Leave our shop?"
I nod slowly. "If we stay, dem go burn everything again."
He think small. "Okay, but we no fit run forever."
I sigh. "We go come back stronger."
Next morning, I go see Tola. I tell her everything — the rescue, the risk, the danger. She quiet long, then tears fall from her eyes.
"You always dey save people," she whisper, "but who go save you?"
I smile weakly. "God dey. That one sure."
She hold my hand tight. "Promise me say you go come back."
"I promise," I say. But inside, I no even know if I believe myself.
That night, I pack tools again — the same bag wey don follow me from Ajegunle to Oshodi, from prison to peace. Me and Samson enter night bus heading to Ibadan.
As bus dey move, I look back at the city lights fading behind window. Lagos still glowing, noisy, restless — like she dey whisper, "You go return."
I smile small. "Maybe one day."
Somewhere inside me, I know say leaving no mean losing. Sometimes, retreat na part of battle.
I close eyes, whisper quietly:
"If my shadow carry my past, then my sacrifice go light my future."