Jabi Motor Park, Abuja.

In a frenzy, Dije climbed down from the commercial bus that had brought them from Yobe state to Abuja. She stretched widely and adjusted her wrapper that was almost coming off at the park, securing it tightly with the strap at the back. Filled with exhaustion, she ran towards the boot of the bus where passengers' luggage was being unloaded. Amidst the commotion of loud women, she began scolding the conductor fiercely.

"Be careful, I have fragile items in my luggage. If anything breaks, I won’t take any loss, and you’ll have to pay me every penny!"

He looked her up and down, then pulled out an old bag and placed it beside her worn-out Ghana must go bag, which was so old that its zip had broken and been sewn up with thread and needle. After gathering her three bundles of luggage together, he finally spoke.

"Here are your things. You better find another ruler, Lady Trouble! From Yobe to Abuja, I took six Panadols but the headache wouldn’t go away because of your nagging."

"Oh well, just make sure I don’t suffer a loss. And that headache of yours isn’t Dije’s fault," she finished, slapping her thighs with her hands like a typical troublemaker.

She heard a horn honking as a vehicle was about to reverse. She screamed, "Oh my God, they’re going to run off with my child!"

The driver slammed the brakes in fear. "I’m in trouble! Udi, if you don’t get rid of this girl, she might cause a riot and get us burnt in Abuja."

"I'm not a girl, I’m twenty-four years old. Anyone who is over twenty isn’t a child anymore, and besides, I have a seven-year-old daughter," she retorted.

The driver ignored her, grabbing an old cap from beside him and began tapping Naja’s leg. Startled, Naja woke up from the pillow on the engine, which passengers used to cushion the heat and sit on.

"Who’s that... who’s that?" she asked.

"Get down and give me space, you bunch of rascals... out!" he ordered.

Immediately, Naja climbed down and clung to Dije’s leg. "Oh mama, oh mama," she cried. Dije glared at the driver and made a face at him.

"Go away, God will deal with you all," she cursed. Quickly, she gathered her belongings, placing a large one on her head, holding another in her hand, and putting the lightest on Naja’s head.

"Let’s go, my dear daughter. Tonight you’ll sleep at your grandfather’s house. Wherever he’s hiding, he’ll come out, that scoundrel!" (Did you hear that insult?)

They started walking towards the town even though she didn’t know where she was heading. After almost two hours, Naja started crying.

"Mama, I’m tired."