The Loyalty Game

didn't grow quiet

tered across Nigeria and beyond bore the Iroko name in their resumes, their Lin

take long before the extended family came knocking not out of

o the house the moment the thir

cologne, and posturing. The couch creaked under Unc

ut his chest. "Mental health and geriatric care. She's calm, culture

e a badge. She wore beige scrubs she clearly hadn't worked a real

hy not someone raised within us? My house girl, Esther, has cared for my father since h

about prayer warriors, Aun

is not pro

his temple. "

g changed. $6,000 a month? You think your cousins won't fight for that? We know politics,

ly. "If you believe that,

your mother to be watched by strangers? Som

de replied evenly. "What matters is whether she

silenc

the criteria, then? What

e, and pulled out a slim envelope from a drawer. Inside were the

ed it to

mé. Bring me someone who won't flinch when Mama cries. Someone

intment, Tunde joined Mama in her quiet sitting room. The storm had

wly, then looked at him

come, hav

est. With candidates who probably pra

"Did they su

cour

mother like a voicemail-h

d. "You've b

aid softly. "Even when n

s the safest place to heal. Sometime

kno

w. But don't. Protect me with presence. With depth.

lready chosen the eight, Mama

ched hi

e a mirror. Let it show e

Phase 1, Ronke poured herself a glass of wi

t used to

Not by governor

k. Her qualifications were impeccable. H

hadn't written

he was not on

narrowed her eyes, an

the front door, she'd

ulating around the recruitment buzz-a private

sts would be arriving at a compoun

smiled

e game

alty retreat." Every candidate would be placed in rooms watched by hidden

ict with a stu

ayed by an actor) wandering

lving a falsely

hardes

y

ut dressed as a cleaner named "Aunty Kike," in

ow she was the

n this state would decid

ered to herself: "Let t

END on the re

ad b

d. They each received a nondescript envelope at th

, a set of packing instr

t matters to your so

ine. Her eyes drifted toward the photo frame on her

ached

Obiakor packed a scarf

in a tiny origami bird-one his brother ha

ople. Ei

test of truth-not for me

smiled softly as she folded her

oyalty ga